Three hours later…
Several hand-drawn illustrations by Cael had found their way to a distant location, now laid out across a large mahogany table.
A man in a black robe stood before them, hands behind his back, eyes locked on the images without blinking.
Standing beside him, Watch Captain Rourke gave a respectful report."Master Arclight, the second image sent by our mystery informant shows a short, stocky youth. His lower half is obscured in shadow, but the upper body is exposed. There's a prominent black mole on his left chest."
In this world, an Arclight was a tier above the elite—a practitioner whose power exceeded even the realm of martial warriors.
To the average person, warriors were the pinnacle of power. But to warriors themselves? Arclights were the true rulers of this realm.
Rourke continued, "We dispatched an undercover inspector to the textile factory. The youth has been identified—his name is Marcus Iron."
"According to the Bureau's records, Marcus was injured in an incident involving an Outsider God four years ago.Since then, his personality has changed dramatically. He used to have a temper, but now? He's polite. Quiet. Mild."
Arclight gave a subtle nod."Many who become lackeys of Outsider Gods undergo a drastic shift in demeanor."
Rourke added, "His parents both passed away within two years of that incident. He's lived alone ever since.We spoke with his neighbors—they all mentioned he always draws every curtain shut before leaving for work."
After several more observations, Rourke concluded:"The Inspection Bureau believes Marcus is highly suspicious. The drawings are accurate and credible."
Arclight was silent for a beat.Then he commanded, "Zane, bring the Soultrace Disc."
A second man in black stepped forward with a nod."Yes, sir."
Moments later, he returned, carrying a heavy oval-shaped metal plate—silver in color, etched with strange embossed sigils.
Thud!
The plate hit the table with a heavy, hollow thump.
Rourke glanced at the surface out of curiosity. The moment his eyes grazed the sigils, he recoiled as if struck in the skull.
Thoom!
A phantom echo rang in his mind. His stomach churned. He looked away immediately.
Arclight gave a mild warning."You haven't forged your Mindseal yet. It's dangerous to gaze at soul-glyphs unprotected."
Rourke lowered his head."Understood, Master."
Arclight then opened a small stone box, withdrawing four black crystals the size of fists. He slotted each one into the recesses around the plate's edge.
The fit was seamless. The workmanship? Impeccable.
Rourke caught a glance from the side.Black spirit crystals...Even a novice could tell—they were rare. Containing five times more source-energy than gray crystals, and worth ten times as much.
Arclight carefully placed one of Cael's drawings in the center of the plate.
He began to chant in a strange, guttural tongue."Muuni… Raghu…"
Suddenly, a whisper of wind stirred the room.
Whoosh!
A dim wave rippled through the air.
The metal plate trembled.
A hazy halo burst outward. Ethereal threads of light wove and writhed through the glow.
Rourke instinctively shut his eyes.
A heartbeat later, it all faded.
Arclight scowled."Hmph. That mystery sender used a cloaking technique—anti-scrying. Cautious fellow."
Rourke was dying to ask what had been seen.Was this the famous mystical divination?
What secrets did the master glimpse?
Arclight rubbed his eyes."A massive crimson radiance… definitely not a branch of our school's fire lore."
He chuckled lowly."This is likely infighting between Outsider Gods. Marcus serves one. The informant serves another. He's trying to get his rival exposed."
Logically? That made perfect sense.
Only an Arclight could perform anti-divination.
And in this world, Arclights were either state-sanctioned or devoted cultists. There was no such thing as an independent practitioner.
So if the tip-off came from a government Arclight—why hide their identity?
Meanwhile, back in Keats Block…
Cael activated the Eye of All-Seeing for another deduction.
Since the source was himself, the result came instantly.
He "saw":
A strange otherworldly chamber. A black-robed figure stared up at a blazing, colossal sphere of light—dumbfounded.
Notification:
Analysis Successful!
Proficiency +4Current: 38 / 1000Spirit: 2.3 / 13.3
Cael smirked.
"Staring into the sun from another universe, huh? Now that's perspective."
He murmured to himself: "I figured anyone with supernatural power would know how to divine secrets.
So I preemptively used my skills to find a way to cloak myself."
But what surprised him was that the Trueflame Seal had its own built-in aura suppression—effectively masking his energy signature entirely.
Cael's method was simple:He activated the seal, summoned a ball of light, and "ironed" the drawings like pressing fabric—burning away his own aura, replacing it with the foreign energy of the sun from another dimension.
This world had no sun. So when the Arclight detected that aura?
He couldn't make sense of it.
"Meow~"
A soft feline cry broke the quiet.
The black cat had sauntered over to the water bowl, drinking rhythmically.
Apparently, it had decided the two-legged human wasn't a threat.
No longer hiding beneath furniture, it claimed this space as its own.
Shelter. Food. No rain. No cold. Why leave?
Cael eyed the content cat and muttered, "I'm not made of coin, you know. Can't afford to feed a freeloader forever."
This young master doesn't raise idle pets.
Even cats must contribute.
Then, a spark of inspiration: "If the Eye of All-Seeing can analyze the Seal… maybe it can also help deduce how to tame small animals."
Just imagine…
If the black cat could be controlled completely—it could do things he couldn't.
Like passing secret messages.
Far more subtle than a sky lantern.
Cael checked his dwindling spirit value. "Tomorrow then."