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Chapter 022: Assassination and Espionage

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In a meeting room, Gaia, Scion, and a Grand Elder Pistareen wearing a placid face was in a contingent formation in front of a single chair with a petite and overly "childish" looking girl seated in it.

Looking at her made Scion feel that she's staring at a doll... she wasn't pretty but her enthusiasm level and grinning excitement was just blightly warming.

Perhaps it was just her inner kindness or just the plain ole Mandy's natural thoughtfulness and her consideration of others, but she felt she wasn't any dangerous just because she couldn't feel any trace of ill-intent coming from her enthusiastic eyes.

Their eyes met, of course, and ever since earlier, the girl who addressed herself as Julian had never once frowned despite the pressure emitted by the two leaders of the two of the largest organizations in Terroa. She only stared at Scion as if trying to burn her image into her brain.

"You're really pretty..." she said, her half-swooning voice made it clear she was appreciative of her.

Pistareen and Scion were both Mavens, a race of tall people, while Gaia was a female Elf... an even taller race than the Maven.

Gaia was just the same height as Scion but for the Elves, she was already considered short —Female Elf short.

Sion blushed then looked over at Gaia who wore a seemingly amused expression while she studied the girl seated on the interrogating chair. Naturally, she wasn't bound by any rope or anything.

[Who are you again?]

Gaia asked softly and her voice was layered with that half-teasing and half-alluring voice that could charm just about anybody, even of the same sex.

The only man in the room, Pistareen, had to use special methods to resist this 'spell of truth' that the Oracle had just sneak-used at the girl.

"Julian!" she exclaimed, charmed, "I haven't even registered for a whole name yet!"

[Is that so? Then why are you looking for Sir White Knight with such sense of urgency?]

Perhaps it was beyond Science... but even Julian, the obviously former [Julia] who was chased by the world by a "Mission" given by the same Gaia who was seated in front of her right now, was unaware that she was being led to be honest by Gaia's very weird spell that obviously doesn't exist in the game until this very moment.

It should be remembered that there are no direct spell that can affect a target —or plainly [Targeted Spell] in term— in the entirety of RPG: Terroa. So, with that defense, the fact that Gaia was actually using one right now is proof that she was an NPC.

Julian, of course, didn't sweat the complicated stuff as she just treated it as something game-ish.

But if other players were to experience it, or rather and perhaps, maybe, if scientists were to actually see a mere NPC "controlling and influencing" the train of thoughts and emotions of a [player], they'd be shocked and horrified by the implications of it.

What if an NPC with an evil AI-algorithm were to use such a method as well?

The answer to such a question was frightening.

Thankfully, the subject of the spell didn't care at all and only cared about her goal... while the other player in the vicinity, Scion, doesn't have enough game-knowledge or plain and actual "care" about this topic to actually spend brain energy to process the significance of it.

"Because I want to serve under him!" Julian spoke in over-enthusiastic voice. "Because I am broke but I am skilled. And I know his secret and since I don't plan to tell anybody about it and am also scared to be tortured by others if they find out about my Intel about him, I decided to seek protection under his wing instead while also serving as his henchwoman in return for his protection."

Lily, who was perched on Scion's shoulder, looked over at Julian and then spoke to Scion's ear in her little hushed voice, [Master, based on her voice and pulse, body language, and the hypnotism, she doesn't seem to be lying. I tried to research about what a professional gamer is and found out that it was a profession or an occupation for the players to earn real-world money by being employed by all kinds of customers... all professional gamers were skilled, although not all of them are equally skilled, but at least that's the general definition of them.]

Scion got a general understanding of the terms in the game world and felt that she has yet so much to learn. If Lily wasn't with her, how could she have known about this important terminology?

As if patting a cat, Scion lightly scratched the little girl's head which the Lily found pleasurable as her arched in a rare sight of happiness.

She would only show this expression with Scion.

Then, [So you mean to say that you did not come here to threaten to expose him but actually to seek asylum from the enemies that might use this Intel to their gains and ruin the White Knight's business, is that it?]

Gaia's tone was austere but still restricted attractive hypnotism on it that the girl had no choice but tell them the truth, without her even knowing it.

"Yes!" she smilingly exclaimed, "Because I can tell if a man is destined for glory or not... and based on my past life's work and the things I've seen... I am a hundred percent sure that the White Knight will become a legend in this era!"

—past life?

Pistareen thought, is it the life she lived before she was freed and came back to Terroa?

But Gaia knew better. Because she was part of the extremely scarce few who knew about the truth of this world, she also knew that these Immortal Soul people that come to Terroa for whatever kinds of purposes are all different than what the Terrans knew of the "history" behind the term [Immortal] that're used to describe these [players].

Yes, practically and technically, these Immortals are all undying individuals.

If they die in Terroa, they basically has two options to choose from if they wanted to return; the first is to be revived in the closest Walled City... and the second is to be completely reborn again.

From Julian's words, she obviously chose second.

The Terrans knew that there are instances in the past six years since their first appearance where the same 'Immortal Soul' had managed to possess two bodies, thus, living two different lives.

Cases like these are true but were very uncommon because the life before and the life after the return to Terroa were fated to live different lives, even if the Immortal chose the same name. Only memories of their two lives were their link to each lifetime.

The conviction in Julian's voice is palpable and she didn't hesitate to state what was on her mind.

Gaia had her stats increased so much that she was already at the verge of ascension. For a beginner Immortal Soul like Julian, her power and spell was something impossible to resist.

Eventually, Scion couldn't help but ask, "What type of job are you capable of? Rather, what expertises can offer us just in case we consider talking about you with him?"

Still smiling and proud, Julian said, "Assassination and espionage."

The three 'juries' were taken aback.

Of all the professions in the game, assassins were the ones that are the rarest. One reason being it's because with the current technology in Terroa, no street is unriddled with detection posts and patrols for peacekeeping; another reason is the fact that it was a job that no "legal organization" will approve.

Pistareen was frowning, thinking it was a problem.

Gaia, however, thought that she might be of use.

Scion...she saw it in a different light; how can such a little girl be good with such a Hollywoodish job?

She obviously misunderstood.

Julian —no— Tirana, was already 24 years old this year and she was two years older than her and five years older than Rex.

Her 'body size' is the only thing small but her level of resolve and conviction in this decision was what made these three 'juries' think that what they were dealing with here isn't just a simple submission.

Finally, Pistareen asked something significant; "So tell us then, why did you decide to be of service to Sir White Knight and no one else?"

"Because I want to turn a new leaf... I want to live a new life different from my past."

Gaia seem to like this answer and asked, "Since it's clearly a matter of trust if we're going to allow you to meet with him, I will ask then... who were you in your past life?"

Julian straightened her back and because of the hypnosis and her weak stats, she didn't hesitate to give out an honest reply.

"I was once called Julia."

The two 'elders' were surprised and shocked. Did we just sent the Worldwide Manhunt Mission for the capture of this criminal?

So to think that "Julia" was already dead... and that she actually wanted to live a new life, turn in a new leaf, and seek protection under "Siva"..... now they finally understood why Julian said that she seeks both protection and employment with Siva.

Gaia trusted her hypnosis spell —she's in a False Immortal state right now and her spells can be cast up to Tier-10 in a normal swing of a hand.

A Tier-10 spell was enough to crush someone's mind easily so hypnosis was not too hard to use on a weakling like Julian.

Her answers since earlier were all her genuine thoughts and emotions.

She couldn't help but laugh at fate.

[Well, it seems that we found someone with a real identity here...] she told Pistareen.

"Can we trust her?" he asked.

[For now, I can honestly say that I trust what I've heard... but whether she'll be of use or if she'll be an obstacle will be up to him.]

Pistareen made a sigh.

Scion ask her, "Who is Julia?"

Gaia warmly smiled back at her, [Just a few days ago, there was a worldwide manhunt mission that's been issued in all authorities in Terroa with priority grade approved by The Terran-Human Alliance. It was a mission to hunt down a criminal called Julia.]

"Ehhh?!! You mean..." Scion snapped a look at the little girl in front of her.

[Her past self is Julia.]

"I see. There's not much change on her name if you think about it..."

[Is it really like that? "Julia" in the Terran Language refers to a personal quality of being an advocator; where "Julian" refers to a personality trait of being an apostate... so her choice of name was actually quite intriguing.]

Advocator and Apostate...

Considering the lives Tirana lived as a Terran, and the piled up regrets she had... it wasn't something very surprising. It may have been the reason why she chose to turn her back to the life she had lived as "Julia" and start all over again in rejection of that life as a new person, Julian, that, with the same set of skills and equipment, will NEVER live a life of a fugitive of even herself ever again.

She will live a life that she will find fulfilling in this second life and she will use her skills to a cause she found —no, discovered— to be right and just.

The «Memory Orb» she used at Siva that night had caught a glimpse of his true identity and his goals.

She found it as the "rightful" boss for her skillsets.

Why would she not side with him?

"Then let's just wait for him to go back."

When Scion spoke to here, Pistareen and Gaia's reactions became somewhat... awkwardly stiff.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked the two.

[It's not that there's something wrong. It's just that the situation right now with him is somewhat kind of complicated...]

"To put it simply, Lady Scion, he is not here in the Surface Continents right now."

"Eh? Not here... then where is he? Why didn't he tell me where he's going?"

[Ah, that's where it becomes complicated.]

Pistareen didn't say a thing and waited only for the Lady Oracle to tell her since she's the one with a higher authority than him.

Gaia whispered, [He was sent there as punishment for something grave he did.]

Scion's expression frowned and although it was still pretty, she was really worried, "Where is he?"

[If what Gabriel said is true, then he should still be either in Anazon Forest or is already in the Inner Continents... in the land of the Lightning Dragons, Horbe.]

"Gabriel?!!"

[Yes.]

With this as a primer, Gaia dismissed the still smiley and hypnotized Julian and began to tell Scion the situation between the Surface Continents and the Inner Continents; and the Original Terrans and the Dragons of the subterranean world.

*****

Naturally, Rex was unaware of the current things happening in the Grand Mansion. It's not that he's unable to know it since there is a Liberty Drone in the vicinity of the mansion. It's just that he was still unable to link up with the "Siva Network" through the subterranean Inner Continents.

Once Siva and Electra entered the 4km space of the walls of that City, the Fortress Country of the Lightning Dragon Tribe, five figures flew out with a flash of light and instantly appeared right in front of them.

Siva was shocked. It was a speed at least 1/1M of the speed of light —faster, even at his MAX speed output with BMA.

[That's approximately 1800kph, sir.]

'So that's around 500 meters per second!'

—fast! Monstrously so!

'That means it took them around eight seconds to travel from the fortress walls to meet us. If they'd attacked, I would have been toasted!'

Siva understood that in front of the Vajra, whatever he's so proud of in the surface continents will just be a joke in front of these Elemental Dragons from the Inner Continents.

And the fact that the Terran Alliance could contend against them was also proof that they aren't a force to be underestimated.

—to think I actually threatened an Alliance Seat in the War Council room back then and told him my own name...

It's not that he felt scared of the idea, but in terms of Terran power, here in the Inner Continents, the only reason why they are so powerful is because the Terrans have the strength of their numbers and the help of their "gifts"—just like Gabriel's— and their "arts" —just like Alexander's Resplendent Guardian Sword Legacy.

And perhaps, even, they still have «Runes» in their arsenal —which deals with the Dragon invasions.

There are many Terran Races here, a hundred or so, at least, and all of them were populated over at least a few tens of millions. Considering how they survived the Ragnarok Era back then, this was an amazing number to consider about..... for all these Terrans are survivors of his explosive wrath.

What manner of escape abilities did their ancestors employ back then wasn't important since he knew perfectly well that it was within Janus' transcription.

Each race is militarized in culture and was bred to be warriors trained to counter any of the Dragons when faced with them.

In all the years, the conflict between these "tribes" of the entire "Terran Civilization", have honed their battle culture and instincts to be strong, making the bloodline in their bodies surge with battle intent at the very sight of a stranger.

As such, the pressure Siva felt when the five had immediately released their Lightning Domains to put him down became evident. If he was any other Terran, he'd long have been crushed and burned by their Lightning Domains.

—only, Siva also had a counter for them.

——or rather, HE was the counter to them.

Electra stepped forward to mediate whatever it was that she feared happening.

The Dragon Guards didn't attack, thankfully. One of the five guards stepped forward, knelt down in front of Electra, and uttered respectful words of a subordinate.

"Princess. It is good to see you return. When we heard that there were three Blood Zealot teams led by a Priest that went to roam around our zones, we immediately dispatched an Elite Squad to protect the borders... only to hear a report that there have been sightings of two individuals coming from one of the sky holes... with one being a female Vajra so we dispatched reinforcing battalions to try and investigate the island. I had a hunch but it seems I have guessed correctly. Princess, you went out for so many weeks without contacting us and saying a word of it. The Matriarch couldn't stop worrying day and night whenever she received a report of one of our scouts being ambushed by the Blood Dragons' followers."

The four didn't bow down but stayed on guard with their weapons ready at Siva while the Captain of this team gave his report.

With a distance of 30m between each other, it will only take them all an instant to kill Siva if he shows any signs of hurting the Princess or the captain.

"How is my mother?"

"As usual." The captain replied gloomily.

Electra's face crumpled into worry as well.

Then she saw the situation and tried to pacify the tension, "I will give you my word. He...... he will not hurt me or you so don't make the situation worse by pointing your spears at him. Lower your spears now... please."

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