Ch.376Betrayal (2)

There is very little known information about devil worshippers, and they possess abilities that defy common understanding.

The most prominent example is necromancy. Even necromancy was treated as top secret until it became publicly known.

While it doesn’t completely resurrect the dead, it’s an ethically reprehensible act. Scholars debate whether it’s magic or sorcery.

This is because performing necromancy requires rituals like sorcery, yet it has systematic aspects like magic.

Thus, necromancy has become the identity of devil worshippers, and people are well aware of how dangerous it is.

However, necromancy isn’t simply the ability to animate corpses. That’s just what’s publicly known; in reality, it encompasses various abilities.

Such as summoning the spirits of the dead for conversation, or temporarily transferring one’s soul elsewhere.

Particularly, those who have completely mastered necromancy can even switch bodies when their physical lifespan ends.

That’s why some devil worshippers have extended their lives this way, and why human trafficking became their main business.

While offering sacrifices to the Father of All Things is part of it, they primarily seek suitable bodies for themselves.

However, this wicked method was known to only a select few among devil worshippers, so its existence wasn’t widely known.

“M-Mother! Wake up! Someone call a priest quickly!”

“W-Why did she suddenly collapse? What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything! She was rushing over, and when I grabbed her, she just collapsed!”

Currently, the entrance of Halo Academy was in chaos due to an unexpected incident.

The knights guarding the main gate were frantically attending to an elderly woman who had collapsed on the ground.

They were shaking her body to wake her up and performing whatever first aid they knew. Despite their efforts, the old woman remained motionless.

[That’s because she’s dead.]

A man was looking down at them from above. As he watched their helplessness, one corner of his mouth curled upward.

Normally one might think he was a magician, but his appearance was rather unusual.

His entire body was dyed black, giving an impression of murkiness, and was generally featureless.

Though completely naked, he had no genitals, like an unfinished sculpture.

His face was smooth like an egg, with only a mouth, creating an eerie impression.

[I should hurry before that woman arrives.]

The man muttered and moved into the academy. That elderly woman was nothing more than a trap or a time-buying tactic.

His target was Isaac, the greatest enemy within the academy.

[No matter how blessed he is by false gods, he can’t block a soul. I’ve prepared for this. Sheep can’t win.

He recalled all the troublesome tasks he had undertaken to eliminate this single target.

Normally, he would have switched bodies like changing dolls whenever his body’s lifespan ended, but that became nearly impossible after his human trafficking business was exposed.

The Empire of Minerva, his sanctuary, had launched a major crackdown, with neighboring countries offering support.

At this rate, the slave trade would be completely eradicated. That’s why he had taken action personally.

[Living in that body wouldn’t be bad. I hear he’s surrounded by beauties. Even an elf queen. I should have done this sooner. Hehe.]

The man, or rather the soul, moved toward Isaac’s location with a lecherous laugh. He was currently filled with anticipation.

While the exposure of devil worshippers was painful, fortunately, their detailed abilities hadn’t been properly revealed.

This operation exploited that gap. Even when he briefly possessed the old woman, the church’s clergy didn’t notice anything.

Even Kate, the Grand Inquisitor, didn’t detect him. While she might notice his exposed soul form now, possession after certain preparations would be undetectable.

[Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will always be victorious. This is no different from the past.]

He had gathered as much information as possible about Isaac, including the fact that he was favored by the gods.

Without proper preparation, any possession attempt would have failed. Being favored by gods meant strong divine power.

However, he had taken measures to penetrate divine power by sacrificing numerous offerings.

Once divine power is breached, consuming a soul is simple. Divine power is merely a shield; it cannot change the essence of a soul.

This was a fact he had learned through changing numerous bodies, leading to several realizations.

[It’s fortunate he’s human. If he were another race, I couldn’t even attempt this.]

First, the races must match. A human soul entering an elf or demon body?

Since human souls have relatively shorter lifespans, there’s a high probability of mental collapse.

Beast-folk might be better, but they have animal-specific habits. This would cause significant discrepancies in daily life.

Therefore, the necromancy technique the man used—possession—is only possible between the same race and gender, and humans outnumber all other races.

Of course, brief possession of different genders is possible, as with the old woman, but only for short periods.

He had spent hundreds of years searching for suitable bodies, and even used the old woman’s body for this operation.

[Is that it?]

Finally, following the information he had, the man arrived at Isaac’s dormitory.

Despite the dormitory’s magnificent exterior and tight security, it couldn’t possibly block a soul’s intrusion.

This wasn’t magic but an ability closer to “sorcery.” The man invaded with a sinister smile.

Being a soul, he was invisible and undetectable to everyone, and even walls posed no obstacle.

[Once I steal his soul, the rest is just manipulation.]

When you steal a body, the original owner either ascends or wanders the mortal realm—either way, they’re essentially dead.

He could simply find another body with his ability. The man began searching each dormitory room for Isaac, starting with the first one in the corridor.

[Not here.]

That was the room of Isaac’s fiancée, Marie, but she was currently in class.

The man passed through the wall to the next room. What he saw made him flinch.

“Get up! You can’t fall from just this!”

“Huff… huff…”

“There are many in this world stronger than me! Get up now!”

“Y-Yes…!”

A man’s roar like a lion’s and a female knight collapsed before him.

It was Hawk and Adelia. While Hawk barely broke a sweat, Adelia was on the ground, breathing heavily.

Yet she never let go of her sword, demonstrating her unwillingness to give up.

The man looked back and forth between them and instinctively realized this wasn’t his target.

[Red hair with golden eyes… but he’s not young, so it’s not him.]

Though similar in appearance to Xenon, he wasn’t young. As the man was about to pass by them—

“…”

As if aware of the man’s presence, Hawk stared directly at where he was.

Hawk, with his generally jovial appearance, now wore a fierce expression that exuded tremendous pressure.

Even the man, knowing he couldn’t be seen, shrank considerably.

Despite being in soul form, he felt like prey before a predator, his blood running cold.

“Haa… haa… What are you looking at?”

“Nothing. Must have been my imagination.”

“Then I’ll continue.”

“Come.”

Fortunately(?), it seemed to be a mistake. The man remained frozen in place as Hawk resumed training.

Is this what they call weak-kneed? Just eye contact felt like putting his head in a lion’s mouth.

[W-What kind of bloodline…]

The man hurriedly left the room. Lions truly beget lions—the father was also formidable.

Perhaps there was something special about that bloodline. The man shuddered as he moved to the living room.

[…There he is.]

As soon as he entered the living room, he found Isaac, the root of all this.

Currently, he was napping on a small bed in the living room.

His hair, usually tied up, was now loose, revealing his magnificent red locks.

[…He’s annoyingly good-looking.]

The man grumbled, watching Isaac sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the world.

He was irritatingly handsome—a high bridge of the nose symbolizing good looks, a slender jawline, and appropriately long eyelashes.

With his long hair, he almost mistook him for a woman. Despite having changed countless bodies, the man had rarely encountered someone as handsome as Isaac.

Fame and wealth from the Biography of Xenon, plus beautiful women including his fiancée.

Before being the greatest enemy of devil worshippers, he was simply an irritating existence. The man nodded, affirming that he had made the right decision.

Once he claimed Isaac’s body, he would possess everything. Even if discovered, it wouldn’t matter.

He could threaten by harming Isaac’s body, or simply escape if necessary.

Just imagining people clutching the empty shell and wailing made his entire body tingle with excitement.

[But…]

Who is this? Before claiming Isaac’s body, the man looked at what Isaac was hugging like a doll.

Like Isaac, this being had red hair and was so beautiful it was hard to tell if they were male or female.

Most notably, there was a sprout on the head and wings on the back.

Judging by appearance, it resembled an angel from literature, but the man dismissed this possibility.

Even in his life that transcended human lifespan, he had never encountered angels.

Perhaps Isaac had a hidden child, and he had attached wings to the child. Naturally, those wings would be fake.

[But wasn’t he not even in his twenties? Then what is this?]

As the man was puzzling over this fact absent from his information—

Flash-

Ariel’s eyes, who had been sleeping soundly in Isaac’s arms, suddenly opened. Golden eyes resembling Isaac’s.

Then she turned her gaze and looked “directly” at the man in his soul state.

If Hawk had seen him by chance earlier, Ariel was undoubtedly facing the man.

[W-What…]

As the man was startled, Ariel wriggled out of Isaac’s arms.

Throughout this, Isaac didn’t wake up. He needed to recharge after mentally exhausting events.

Eventually, Ariel rose from the bed and stretched her tiny hand upward.

Grab!

[W-What?!]

She caught him. No, he was caught.

The man couldn’t help but be shocked as Ariel grabbed him in his soul state.

After all, in over hundreds of years, beings who could see him in soul form could be counted on one hand.

Moreover, even they could only see him, not directly affect him. But Ariel had touched him directly.

What was happening? While the man was confused, Ariel, who had grabbed his foot, blinked and then acted.

“Aang.”

Plop-

Ariel put the tip of the soul’s foot in her mouth. And her action didn’t stop there.

“Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.”

Like sucking on delicious food, she began to inhale from the man’s feet upward.

Starting from the feet, she moved past the knees and thighs, finally reaching the groin.

[Aaaagh!! L-Let go!!]

Despite being a soul, the man screamed in pain and struggled. He tried to escape but to no avail.

Finally, he reached out to Isaac to claim his body, but it was all in vain.

His hand, which had almost touched Isaac, gradually moved away. Ariel had begun to suck in his torso.

[W-What…! What is she?! What is she?!]

“Slurp.”

[T-This… wasn’t in the plan…!]

Slurp-

Finally, Ariel ate even the soul’s head. She chewed thoroughly as Isaac had taught her and swallowed it down her throat.

“Burp.”

A refreshing burp and.

Poot-

A cute fart. After farting, Ariel looked behind her.

Unlike the dark soul from before, pure white energy was rising into the sky, as if signaling purity.

After watching until the energy penetrated the ceiling and disappeared, Ariel turned her gaze back to Isaac.

Throughout the entire incident, Isaac remained sound asleep.

“Yawn…”

Ariel wriggled back into his arms to catch up on her missing sleep.

Isaac reflexively embraced her gently as she entered.

As if nothing had happened, the father and daughter continued their peaceful slumber.

“Isaac! Isaac! Please open the door quickly!!”

Kate, who arrived belatedly, knocked roughly on the door.