Going out of the limb and protecting Gracie from the Bahamut Empire was not a thing that Xander could ever imagine the Grahmin clan doing. So their support to Gracie could only mean one thing… They have someone's support from which they could get away from the wrath of the Bahamut Empire. But the only question was who?

Xander had been staying here for a month because he and his team are doing 24 hours surveillance on the ascending tower. He had reason to believe that Gracie is still on the second floor. And she tries to ascend, Xander would capture her and take the piece of the key that is in his possession.

​​

While Gracie is a concern for Xander, he is also on the lookout for the man responsible for killing a guard captain at the Palm Springs, the Merchant…

A man around 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing black battle gear combined with a golden mask is the reason that Alman, the son of General Ruth had died. It seems like it was just yesterday, Xander got this news. He also got a photo of the culprit with his bounty letter. General Ruth offered 1000 mana stones for his dead body.

That was a very crazy amount of mana stones. But Xander did not pay any attention to it as his main concern at that moment was the movements that the mutts of the third floor were making. But just a few days later he got the news of this man again. He was spotted in Palm Springs and according to intel, he killed a Rank-1 Magus. Now that is a scary man.

He looked like an assassin and probably is. But the main thing that Xander was concern about was the fact that he was spotted when the Rank-1 Magus came in contact with Gracie. That was the most mind-blowing about the whole incident.

Xander knows that this guy, the Merchant is a very powerful man. But from the looks of it, this guy is just acting behind the scenes. A man capable of killing a Rank-1 Magus would need any underhanded techniques to kill Alman. But according to the report that he got, Alman was killed in a very sly manner. So why would a guy powerful as he would kill Alman with deception? Why would he protect Gracie in Palm Springs?

And that guy, whom Xander fought. The guy can become anyone's doppelganger. Who was that? Was he working with The Merchant? Or was he someone else. Although Xander had taken full precaution in choosing his team, he just couldn't shake the feeling that maybe that doppelganger is around him somewhere. He doesn't know where exactly, but he is somewhere nearby…

The conclusion that Xander could reach was that this guy is just a puppet. And the real puppeteer behind this whole act is someone else. And from the looks of it, he is enough powerful to control Grahmin Clan. And maybe he is enough powerful that he could take on, Bahamut Empire.

So the question now remains….

What to do next?

…..

General Ruth is a very powerful Rank-2 Magus of the Bahamut Empire. She has outstanding relations with the other noble families of the empire. Everyone both respects and fears her. And it was very astonishing that although became this powerful, she was from the 1st floor. She was born there.

She then went through battles after battles and then she was able to reach the stage she was now. It was a very commendable feat. After marrying a baron from the Empire, she made a foundation for her house. And now with her house, she had become a truly influential figure in the Bahamut Empire.

She had the reputation of being a cold-hearted bitch that could trample everyone in her path. And she had all the power to back it up. But any citizen of the Bahamut Empire would be very shocked to see the scene in front of them…

A blond middle-aged beauty clad in silver armor was bowing in front of a man. Her eyes of that beauty were crystal blue and those eyes usually sparkled with ambition. But right now they were filled with fear…

The blond beauty was bowing in front of figure clan in dark. He had covered his face and every other visible organ. But he was emitting such powerful energy that she could not felt but just whimper. Talling over her, the black figure spoke in a male voice…

"I heard that you are one hell of a lad in on this floor. Is that true?" the man asked.

"The people tend to think so sir. But I can assure you that I know my place." The woman replied.

"General Ruth, do you why I came here and not directly to the emperor?" the man asked.

"I don't know sir," Ruth answered.

"Well, the thing is that the emperor has a habit of procrastinating a lot. While you on the other hand are like a dog. You would do exactly what I tell and how I tell you. What do you think… Rudy? Is that the truth?" the man asked.

"It is true sir. I am dog… *woof woof*" Ruth said.

"Good. I like straightforward people like you. Now, I will be very very thorough with you. I want you to find an earthling. He goes by the name Arvin. That is the only information I have. So whenever you find a guy name Arvin you contact me. You would be rewarded very dearly if you help me find him. Do you understand?" the man asked.

"Y… Yes…" Ruth while she finally started crying…..

Right now that man and Ruth were standing in the middle of a battlefield. Around, Ruth and that man were piles of dead bodies just piled and turned into mush. In these pile were allies of Ruth while it also had the enemies that Ruth had come here to fight.

Before even the war began, the war was over. That man crushed everyone that was originally was present here. And only left her alive…

Ruth was filled with anger and agony. But she could help but shiver in front of the man that was standing here in front of her. She didn't want to meet this again in her life…

"Very good then. Take this…" the man said while tossing a small iron coin.

"Crush this when you actually find something." The man said…

…..

Lord Viserys is the head of the Grahmin Clan. He got some connection with the inner circle of the sacred council of the fennec foxes. That is why he was the first person to know about El Dorado and everything about it. He is a very resourceful man, that is why he was the first to know about the crazy old fennec fox that claims to be the guardian of the sacred temple.

He contacted Gracie and signed a deal with her. everything was going according to the plan. He had thought that he would get enough resources that he could easily massacre the Aurora Clan and become a leader of the third floor. But his plans came crashing down when the Viscount of the 5th floor contacted him.

The Viscount wanted him to find the temple and the key to open the temple. And in return, he had promised him to make him and his clan the sole overlord of the third floor. This was a very sweet deal. But Viserys is a very clever man. He understood that if Viscount is willing to go help him to this extent then that would mean that this temple had something that he wanted very dearly.

But Viserys was no fool. He knew that Viscount has enough power and resource that he could eradicate the whole third floor in a blink of an eye. So that it would be better for him to just give the Viscount whatever he wants. And he was offering a pretty sweet deal too.

If Viserys finds the temple and gets the key then he and his clan would have been the target of the whole third floor. And if he gives the location and key to Viscount then not only he could show that Grahmin Clan has a very strong backing but also he would get many resources from which he could train the upcoming generation to their full potential.

But then the Palm Springs incident happened. When Lord Viserys was informed about the misdeed of Gracie he was very furious. Gracie had already informed him that there was a man named Bakemono that has two pieces of the key.

And as that man was able to kill a Rank-1 Magus, this situation became something that Lord Viserys cannot handle alone. So he contacted the Viscount. In return, Viscount happened to send two of the man from his army to take care of that man…

Which led Lord Viserys to ask a question to himself… What is in the temple that is so precious that Viscount wants it so dearly….