Slaughter Begins

Scholar Path, Sequence 9: Reader.

The abilities of this transcendent sequence manifest in reading, browsing, and listening, specifically through a superior memory.

The memory of a Reader reaches the level of photographic recall.

This is the most fundamental ability of a Reader, while their advanced ability is interpretation through reading.

For example, reading an ancient text to decipher the meanings and secrets hidden within.

Arthur found this ability tailor-made for a scholar; no talent is more effective than photographic memory.

"Interpretation" is linked to "reading"; the more books one reads at this stage, the stronger the ability to interpret becomes.

One can hear "subtext" that ordinary people cannot, perceive the "hidden meaning" buried in journalistic literature, and uncover the mysteries within obscure ancient texts...

This fits Arthur's future career planning perfectly.

At the same time, [Reader] has certain taboos.

Reading too much knowledge and secrets, or interpreting ordinary interpersonal relationships and political shifts, poses no major problem.

Once it involves the transcendent realm, excessive "interpretation" easily invites "misfortune," leading to inexplicable death or distortion.

The [Reader] reminds him: "Clear your mind."

Just as Arthur attempts to empty his mind, the roaring outside shatters the void in his thoughts.

"Captain! We've arrived at Blue Bay Island!"

The Sailor disassembles the anchor shank, secures the anchor arms with hemp rope, and they heave the anchor overboard together.

The double-fluke anchor plunges into the seabed, the Great White Shark shudders, and it slowly settles into the quiet of the harbor.

Arthur emerges from the deck and says in a deep voice, "Go to the tavern and enjoy yourselves."

After this voyage, Arthur is certain that the Black Devil Order is targeting him.

Under his suggestion, Arena should have taken action, though he wonders if reinforcements have arrived yet.

Arthur calms himself, gathering transcendent power in his eyes until they shimmer with a crystalline light.

Donning his leather coat and carrying the Fear Musket, he steps off the deck and heads toward the bustling Battleaxe Tavern.

Relying solely on Arena is not secure enough; I must put more effort into Deacon Wallace.

Arthur enters the Battleaxe Tavern surrounded by pirates.

He quickly changes his appearance, swapping into a simple linen shirt and wide-legged burlap trousers, donning a notched tricorn hat to disguise himself as an ordinary pirate.

Sun-Shadow Grocery.

The owner of the grocery store lies leisurely on a chair outside, toying with an oyster shell in his hand while humming an unknown tune.

Arthur knocks three times on the counter and says coldly, "Contact Deacon Wallace. Tell him to come here; say I have intelligence on the Black Devils."

With those words, he turns and leaves, heading toward the tavern owned by the Stuart family.

The believer of the Shadow Temple hasn't even had time to react before Arthur's figure vanishes.

"Black Devils?!"

The believer looks left and right, terrified that a cultist might jump out. "God of Light above! Bless me so I don't run into bad luck!"

He immediately uses the secret contact method of the Shadow Temple to inform Deacon Wallace of the urgent intelligence.

"The Black Devil Order is a cult condemned by the Orthodox Church. Staying on Blue Bay Island is too dangerous; the Rhine Church is safer.

Deacon Wallace won't blame a believer, a believer who held his post, for leaving.

No! I am going to Rhine Island to request assistance from Father Roberto!"

After sending the message, this believer of the light immediately heads to the harbor, preparing to board a small boat and leave Blue Bay Island.

"Cautious Baker" of the Black Devil Order happens to be returning to the Blue Bay Island harbor by ship, docking near the Great White Shark.

Baker looks at the empty Great White Shark, reveals a bloodthirsty smile, and turns to the sailors behind him.

"Seal the harbor! No one is allowed to leave!"

"Yes!"

The grocery store owner, preparing to flee, runs straight into Baker, who has just returned from the sea.

Baker frowns; the ritual is about to begin, and he cannot let anyone out to spread the word.

"Oh~, the stench of a believer of the light~"

Baker scrutinizes the newcomer, confirming the target is a mere believer of the light rather than a cleric or transcendent of a faith system, and reveals a confident smile.

"Die, believer of the light!"

Baker flashes to the side of the grocery store owner and lands an uppercut to his chin.

The grocery store owner rolls on the ground, clutching his mouth and wailing.

"Stand up! Believer of the light! Let's have a fair contest!"

Baker grins and laughs loudly, "The loser gets hanged!"

The grocery store owner immediately knelt on the ground, "You have the wrong person! Absolutely the wrong person! I am not a believer of the Light!"

"I am a believer of the Shadow! I worship the great Black Sun!"

The grocery store owner was filled with guilt; in order to survive and continue dedicating himself to the Church of Light, he had no choice but to verbally deny his faith.

He was enduring humiliation for the sake of the Light, and once he returned to Rhine Island to report to Father Roberto...

Baker wore a suspicious expression: "The Black Sun? That secret cult from the New Continent?"

"Yes, yes, yes! That is the very Black Sun!"

The cautious Baker scrutinized the other man carefully; there was a very dense aura of Light, the kind that clearly came from someone who frequently visited the Church of Light.

The aura of Light and Shadow lingering on him was not dense enough—was he a believer of the Shadow Temple?

It was impossible for him to be one of the Black Sun's people.

"The Black Sun is also a sun; no matter what you believe in, stand up and duel me!"

Baker laughed wildly, circling the grocery store owner while kicking and punching him.

One minute later, the grocery store owner's corpse was hung from the wooden crane on the pier by a linen rope.

Arthur arrived at the tavern and saw Arena fully prepared: helmet, breastplate, arm shield, and studded leather armor.

She was wiping her longsword with a cotton cloth; the crossguard featured a special griffin hilt, and the grip had deep grooved textures.

Seeing Arena's sword, Arthur felt a slight shock in his heart; he had actually forgotten to acquire a suitable longsword for himself.

A good sword was a necessary condition for executing the Despair Waltz, and without one, his combat power would drop by 70%.

Arena looked at the empty-handed Arthur and asked curiously, "What is the ability of a Scholar Sequence 9?"

"It doesn't sound like a combat sequence; do you not need a suitable weapon?"

Arthur's mouth twitched slightly, skipping over the topic, and he quickly said, "I notified Priest Wallace; if nothing goes wrong, he will arrive within a day."

Arena frowned slightly, looking Arthur up and down: "What did you notify him about?"

She did not remember telling Arthur that the Black Devil Order had been active recently, so where did he get the news?

Arthur told Arena about being hunted.

"Then why didn't you go directly to Rhine Island? It would be safer there."

"Because I was confirming one thing: whether the target was just anyone, or if they were coming specifically for me."

"And then?"

"I discovered that they were coming for me, forcing me to return to Blue Bay Island."

Arthur asked the ultimate question: "Could we have reinforcements?"

Arena's lips curled up slightly, a look of certain victory on her face, her voice echoing in the room.

"An enforcement squad from the Church of Night is supporting our Blue Bay Island and will arrive tonight."

They would arrive tonight.

Arthur let out a long breath; the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Let's see who is whose prey!