Rosago on the Run and Rosago on the Way

MI9? Why were MI9 agents here? Even if they'd learned where the manuscript was hidden from that kid, they couldn't have arrived this quickly...

Had MI9 set the whole thing up to ambush me?

Rosago, the Marionettist, watched two women—one tall, one short—step out of the shadows and block his path. His heart sank as possibilities raced through his mind.

But he soon dismissed that suspicion. There were only two of them. No other "ambushers" were in sight.

They must have a Mystical Item that lets them use something like Spirit World Traversal. That's how they got here in time... My earlier divination did show some danger, but it was within what I could handle...

Relieved, Rosago seized the initiative. His Wind-blessed Marionette flew into the air and thrust out its hands, sending more than a dozen Wind Blades slashing toward the heroic-looking woman.

Rosago kept up a basic defense while trying to control the Spirit Body Threads of the petite woman wearing a golden mask.

His spiritual intuition told him the heroic-looking woman was the real threat. He planned to keep her occupied with his Marionette, turn the other woman into one, then fight three against one.

It was a sound plan, but the petite woman stayed more than ten meters away. Whenever he advanced, she retreated, firing all kinds of spiritual bullets at him.

They came prepared for me... They know I'm a Marionettist? They even know the range of my ability? Who leaked it? Even the embassy doesn't know that much... Could it be the Secret Order?

Using the predictive instincts he had gained as a Clown, Rosago nimbly dodged her bullets and tried again to close the distance. When he still failed, he frowned. Retreat began to look appealing.

Meanwhile, the heroic-looking woman dodged the Wind