Chapter 376 — Bad Grade, Worse Discovery
Souls swirled around Mister Mind's hand.
They formed a dense, vibrating sphere, like a small dark sun filled with whispers.
Brakk grimaced.
— …You really plan to swallow that?
Mister Mind replied calmly:
— Of course.
He opened his mouth…
and swallowed the sphere.
Silence.
His shoulders trembled slightly.
— Hmm…
He closed his eyes.
— Yes. I can feel my power increasing.
He took a deep breath.
— Well. I think we've eaten well.
— It's time to leave and put our plan into action.
Brakk looked around.
The lifeless bodies.
The overturned tables.
The heavy silence.
— Honestly…
He ran a hand through his hair.
— I can't even imagine what they went through.
— Mental overload… then you ripped their souls out just like that.
He fixed his gaze on Mister Mind.
— Such cruelty.
— Do you really have no heart?
Haya shrugged.
— You know assassins like us don't have feelings.
Brakk twirled his finger around his temple.
— Yeah, I noticed.
— I just hoped it was a joke.
Haya opened a portal.
— Well. People are coming.
— We'd better leave.
Bloodweaver frowned.
— One of them gives off a powerful presence.
Mister Mind tilted his head slightly.
— In that case, we should eliminate them too.
Brakk raised his hands.
— NO.
— We already destroyed an entire restaurant over a bill.
— We're not starting a bonus massacre.
He pointed at the portal.
— We leave.
They vanished into the rift.
---
**A few minutes later**
Four hunters arrived at the restaurant.
They were still talking as they walked.
— Seriously, said Delta, tank rank B, these labyrinth weapons are incredible.
— Maybe we should keep them.
Xander, ice mage rank B, raised his grimoire.
— Honestly… this book is worth a fortune.
— But it's also super useful.
— I can summon a blizzard with a single page.
Valentine, light archer and healer rank A, nodded.
— My arrows doubled in power with this artifact.
— If we sell them, I'll cry.
The group's leader, Evans, walked ahead.
Officially a rank A swordsman…
but secretly a rank S lightning mage.
The guild listed him as A because he registered as a swordsman.
But in practice…
he was called the King of Lightning.
Or the God of Thunder.
Evans sighed.
— Keep them.
— A useful artifact is worth more than gold.
Then he entered the restaurant.
…
His smile vanished.
…
Silence.
Valentine covered her mouth.
— …What… what happened to them?
Delta looked at the bodies.
— Their eyes…
— It looks like their souls were removed.
Valentine shook her head.
— No…
— If it were a classic soul extraction, they would have screamed… resisted… moved.
She trembled.
— Here… it looks like they were frozen…
— then emptied.
Evans clenched his teeth.
— Such cruelty…
— They hadn't asked for this.
Xander looked around.
— Who could do something like this?
Valentine knelt beside a body.
Tears streamed down her face.
— I'll try a large-scale resurrection.
She raised her hand.
Evans gently caught it.
— No.
She trembled.
— But—
— Don't waste your mana.
His voice was soft, but firm.
— Even if you resurrect them…
— they won't be themselves anymore.
He looked at the bodies.
— Their souls are gone.
Valentine lowered her head.
Evans gently wiped her tears.
— We can't do anything for them.
He stood up.
— We'll report this to the guild.
Delta muttered:
— Yeah… and I feel like we're in for a nightmare mission.
Xander sighed.
— I bet it'll end with "track down the culprits."
Valentine sniffled.
— Of course it will…
Evans placed his hand on his sword's hilt.
— Whoever did this…
— we'll find them.
Then he added:
— And if they're still around…
— they'll regret not paying the bill.
Chapter 377 — Punishment Falls… and Someone Takes It
**Hunters' side**
Evans was furious.
You couldn't see it.
His face stayed calm.
His posture straight.
But the air around him vibrated faintly.
Small sparks crackled at his boots, the ground melting beneath them.
He showed nothing to his comrades.
But the lightning around him was far from discreet.
Delta swallowed.
— …Okay.
— Whoever did this is a monster.
Xander, clutching his grimoire, nodded.
— Seriously…
— What could be the purpose behind such a vile act?
Valentine, tears still in her eyes, slowly raised her head.
Her gaze shone with golden light.
Her voice trembled… but her magic was icy.
— Whoever did this has no heart.
— My anger… and divine judgment will fall upon him.
She raised her hand.
A gigantic magic circle appeared in the sky. Divine runes carved in light unfolded like a celestial clock.
— **Judgment of the Heavens.**
---
**Brakk's side**
Haya looked up.
— …Ah.
The sky turning black in the middle of the afternoon is never a good sign.
The sky darkened.
A massive magic circle rotated slowly above them.
Bloodweaver stepped back.
— This doesn't smell good.
— We'd better run.
Brakk looked at the sky.
— Yeah… that reeks of divine magic, "immediate problem" level.
He glanced at the circle.
Oh… pretty.
They activated dramatic vengeance mode.
Then—
A colossal beam of light struck.
Directly.
On Mister Mind.
— **JUDGMENT OF THE HEAVENS**
Reality cracked.
Space tore apart.
The ground shattered.
The world trembled under the impact.
Brakk stepped back, shielding his eyes.
— Well, there you go.
— The heavens themselves want to punish you.
Haya smiled.
— For once I agree with them. And I have to admit, that was stylish.
The light vanished.
A smoking crater remained.
Silence.
…
At the center of the crater, Mister Mind stood.
His coat burned.
His mask more fractured than before. Blood ran down his arm.
His body bore several deep wounds.
But he laughed.
Then burst out laughing.
— Hahaha…
— What a pitiful attack.
His flesh began to regenerate slowly.
— To think they try to avenge themselves like this…
— It's almost cute.
He cracked his neck.
— Judgment of the Heavens, huh?
— Ridiculous.
Brakk stared at him.
— You know normal people would've died like… a thousand times just now?
Mister Mind shrugged.
— I am not "normal people."
---
**Valentine's side**
— And I've seen worse.
— Once Bloodweaver tried to cook.
Bloodweaver: That was an accident.
Haya: We almost died.
Suddenly Valentine spat blood.
— Kh— !
Evans caught her.
— Valentine!
She breathed heavily.
— The one… who did this…
— managed to wound me…
She raised her eyes.
— He survived… my attack…
Evans frowned.
— Of course.
— Whoever did this isn't a small fry.
A gentle light enveloped Valentine. Her healing magic acted automatically, repairing the backlash damage.
Xander asked:
— But… how did your spell find him?
Valentine caught her breath.
— The Judgment of the Heavens doesn't target a location…
— it targets a spiritual imprint.
She closed her eyes.
— I used the residual energy left on the victims…
— their memories… their last emotions…
Her voice trembled.
— The hatred… the fear… the confusion…
She opened her eyes.
— The spell followed that link to the culprit.
Delta murmured:
— So… no matter where he is…
— Yes.
— If he's tied to the crime…
— the heavens see him.
Evans murmured:
— Interesting…
Then he looked at the restaurant.
— Crime scene.
He placed his hand on the ground.
An electric clone appeared behind him.
— No one enters.
The clone crossed its arms.
— And I'll stand guard.
— I hope no one tries to steal the chairs.
Delta sighed.
— Seriously, even your clone talks?
— Of course.
— It's me, but less friendly.
Xander: It's always disturbing.
Clone: I find you disturbing too.
---
A white-haired figure casually walked out of the nearby bakery.
Carrying a loaf of bread under his arm.
The Frost Dragon. In human form.
He passed by them.
— Hello.
They answered automatically:
— Hello.
He bit into his baguette.
— Hmm. Not bad.
Then he continued on his way.
The narrator sighed.
— Honestly… we've seen everything now.
An ancient dragon buying bread while a mystical massacre unfolds next door.
---
**At the Guild**
The hunters arrived at the entrance.
They came face to face with:
Nova.
Valor.
Lya.
Ryn.
Nova smiled.
— Hey Evans!
— What brings you here?
Evans answered coldly.
— We just came from a horrific scene.
Valor frowned.
— What do you mean?
Xander explained:
— Dead humans.
— Their souls ripped out.
Valentine added:
— But they were frozen…
— like petrified.
— Normally… a soul extraction causes panic, resistance, screams…
— Here… nothing.
Ryn murmured:
— Such cruelty…
— Who could do this?
Lya answered immediately:
— Mister Mind.
Evans raised a brow.
— How so, "spit it out"?
Lya sighed.
— I mean the puppeteer: only he could do something this twisted.
She crossed her arms.
— He floods the brain with information…
— the victim becomes paralyzed…
— Then he rips out the soul while the mind is locked.
Valentine covered her mouth.
— Such… cruelty…
Nova sighed.
— Seriously…
— Can't we have ONE normal week?
Valor crossed his arms.
— If the great Valor meets him, he'll show him what a real attack is.
Ryn murmured:
— You say that every time…
Nova added:
— And every time we end up in the hospital.
Valor: Because everything gets interesting when the great Valor is here.
Lya rolled her eyes.
— Lord, give me patience…
— Or give me a stick.
Chapter 378 — Spiritual Counterattack
Mister Mind slowly raised his hand.
Dark spheres appeared around him.
Inside…
were the souls he had absorbed in the restaurant.
They floated, trembling.
— It's because of you… that this woman was able to find me, he said calmly.
Brakk narrowed his eyes.
— Wait…
— Didn't you *eat* them?
Mister Mind sighed.
— I absorbed them.
— But that doesn't mean I can't summon them.
Brakk froze for two seconds.
— So…
— Not only do you stop them from following the cycle of souls…
— but you also summon them like Pokémon?
Mister Mind slowly turned his cracked mask toward him.
— I hope you have a good excuse.
The souls trembled before him.
Bloodweaver sighed.
— Don't tell me you're not going to erase the spiritual imprint you left.
— You know we can be tracked.
Mister Mind replied calmly:
— I'll use it to counterattack.
— She dared to strike me… even though I made sure those people died without feeling anything.
Brakk frowned.
— What do you mean, "without feeling"?
A slow smile spread across the fractured mask.
— I could have manipulated them with my threads…
— forced them to slaughter each other… fully conscious… unable to resist…
Silence.
Brakk stared at him.
— This guy is seriously messed up…
— How can you think of that without a shred of emotion?
Mister Mind shrugged.
— What do you expect me to feel?
— I was very kind, actually.
Brakk sighed.
— If you say so…
Haya smiled, visibly amused.
— Let me handle the counterattack.
---
**Through the spiritual imprint**
Valentine blinked.
The world around her seemed to crack.
Then—
Black hands emerged from the void and grabbed her.
She tried to move.
Impossible.
Voices whispered around her.
— Help us…
— Free us…
— We are the scourges…
Distorted figures surrounded her.
These weren't the souls absorbed by Mister Mind.
They were curses invoked by Haya.
Valentine trembled.
— W-who's there…?
A silhouette appeared before her.
A young woman.
Terrifying aura.
Cold smile.
Shadows vibrating around her.
Haya.
But only Valentine could see her.
Haya tilted her head slightly.
— So it's you… the pathetic rank B hunter… who launched that attack?
Valentine couldn't speak.
— Did you swear an oath?
— Or do you just throw divine spells around like a drunk mage?
Valentine trembled, paralyzed by the pressure.
Haya slowly raised her hand.
— Let's see if your soul resists better than your spell.
She was about to seize Valentine's throat—
A hand caught hers.
Lya.
Haya slowly turned her head.
— By what right…
— does a traitor like you dare touch me?
Lya stared coldly.
— You'd better let her go.
— I won't let you curse her.
Haya smiled.
— You think a traitor can stop me?
Lya replied calmly:
— Try me.
For a second…
their auras clashed.
The spiritual dimension trembled.
Ryn shouted from the real world:
— Purification spell!
A pure light exploded.
The curses screamed.
The black hands vanished.
Haya looked at her hand… slightly smoking.
— Tch.
---
**Back to Brakk's side**
Haya reappeared before them.
— These hunters…
— they're annoying. Always meddling in things that don't concern them.
Brakk crossed his arms.
— Yeah well, at the same time…
— you tried to strangle a healer remotely.
— Not exactly subtle strategy.
Bloodweaver added:
— And you said *I* was the one drawing attention.
Mister Mind was already thinking.
— Interesting…
— That white-haired woman reacted instantly.
Brakk rolled his eyes.
— Oh great.
— So now we've got an angry healer, an overprotective traitor, and a motivated group of hunters.
He sighed.
— Honestly…
— I just wanted to intimidate Llan in the first place.
The narrator chimed in:
— Yes.
— As usual, Brakk wanted a simple plan.
— And as usual, the universe said no.
Brakk muttered:
— I hear you when you say that.
Chapter 379 — Old Friends… According to Zahkariel
Zahkariel was casually chatting with the Frost Dragon.
— Wouldn't you like to help me carry out my plan? asked Zahkariel, far too relaxed for someone probably plotting something illegal in at least twelve dimensions.
The dragon exhaled a frosty cloud.
— And why should I do that?
— You could do it as an old acquaintance… old friends.
The dragon stared at him for a long moment.
— Since when are we friends?
Zahkariel placed a hand on his chest, feigning injury.
— You visit me every day from the higher realms… surely we've ended up becoming friends, right?
— I come to check that you haven't destroyed another cosmic plane out of boredom.
— Exactly. You worry about me. That's friendship.
The dragon narrowed his eyes.
— Why do I feel like you're trying to trick me?
— Because you're suspicious. That's how you show affection.
— …I'm going to crush you.
— Gratuitous violence. Another proof you care about me.
The dragon sighed.
— Then why didn't I know we were friends?
Zahkariel raised a finger like a professor about to say something outrageous.
— Because the best friends don't need to say it. They understand each other instinctively. And that's exactly what happens between you and me.
Silence.
Icy wind.
A pebble fell.
— No, said the dragon simply.
Zahkariel pretended to think.
— Fine then… unilateral friends.
— That doesn't exist.
— It does. I invented it.
The dragon closed his eyes for a few seconds, as if counting to a thousand to avoid committing murder.
— Fine. What do you want me to do for you?
— You know it's hard for me to materialize in the mortal world… so if you gave me a body, I'd be very grateful, my dear friend.
The dragon froze.
— Am I dreaming, or are you making a fool of me?
— Not at all. Look at my face. Does this face lie?
— Yes.
— Okay, bad example.
Zahkariel continued calmly:
— And I'd also need your help with two or three… little details.
— When you say "little," how many catastrophes does that mean?
— Technically? None.
— Off the record? Maybe a local war.
The dragon sighed deeply.
— Fine. I'll do what you asked.
Zahkariel raised an eyebrow.
— And you don't want anything in return?
— You said we were old acquaintances. That's enough.
A slow smile spread across Zahkariel's face.
— Hmm… I really like this version of you. Very cooperative. Very… manipulable.
— I heard that.
— Of course. It was for you.
The dragon tilted his head.
— Honestly… if you can have the body of a dragon… why want a human body?
Zahkariel shrugged, with an almost childlike smile.
— Because it's my thing. And I'd still like to play with it.
Silence.
— …You're truly deranged, said the dragon.
— Thank you. I work hard to maintain my reputation.
— A real lunatic.
— Visionary. The word you're looking for is visionary.
— No, no. Lunatic.
— We can say both.
The dragon rolled his eyes.
— You know every time I help you, something goes wrong.
— Statistically false.
— Last time, you caused the collapse of a kingdom.
— It was poorly built.
— You made a god disappear.
— He was breathing too loudly.
— You released a forbidden entity.
— She was bored.
— …
— See? I do people a favor.
The dragon stared at Zahkariel for a long time… then sighed.
— I'm going to regret this.
Zahkariel wore a far too satisfied smile.
— Oh yes. But at least you won't be bored.