Once Albedo had killed all of the Abyssal Worshippers, the dimension around him shattered like glass. Crimson light and shadow cracked the false chamber apart and snapped the world back into place.

With a shudder, the world snapped back into place. Albedo found himself reappearing in the SkyRail chamber. The runes and frost all around him vanishing and the atmosphere that was once frosty returning to a normal temperature.

Before Albedo could even adapt to the rapidly changing situation, another change occurred, but this one thankfully more tame.

~KSSSHHHH!~

The doors hissed open with a rush of air, and in an instant, the SkyRail’s chamber was stormed, but thankfully, not by more cultists.

But armored figures in Imperial coats. Their coats all had a crystal combat regalia etched with gold sigils of the Human Empire, it was the Imperial Police Force.

Leading all of them was a man who moved with a confident swagger. He was tall, with long silver hair tied back in a sharp tail, and blue eyes. Alongside the standard uniform, his had special red accents on the coat, and he had a golden Imperial cloak billowing behind him.

His presence burned the environment like the sun, and his eyes settled on Albedo the moment he entered the room. Still, Albedo instantly recognized who he was after seeing him from the Novel.

Killian Starwind.

Holy Rank.

Prince of the Human Empire.

Miranda’s elder brother.

And one of the Three Heads of the Imperial Police Force.

“Well well,” Killian muttered, tilting his head, his hands behind his back as he looked around the room, spotting the ashes of various defeated cultists all around, “You’re still alive.”

Albedo, leaning back against one of the cabin walls, casually holstered Havoc and Ruin as if he hadn’t just committed mass murder on a group of possessed cultists.

He tilted his head in confusion once he heard that final statement from Killian, “Disappointed?”

One of the officers nearby stiffened at the words, but Killian simply laughed, a clear, ringing sound that felt more like polished steel than joy.

“Hardly. Just… surprised,” Killian admitted, “Your battle took the longest. We’d nearly assumed the worst. Especially given you had no backup.”

“No backup?” Albedo’s voice still had that confused tone as he spoke, “Were we supposed to have any?”

Killian offered a half-smile, stepping further into the room. The remaining officers fanned out, scanning the area, murmuring about Abyssal residue and forensic runes as they scoured the room for more proof of the exchange.

“Lucian was ambushed by worshippers on the edge of Campus, but he had Miranda with him,” Killian said, almost conversationally.

“Two guards died but they managed to survive. William & Morgana were also attacked, but they survived, though they also lost some of their guards.”

Albedo’s jaw tightened slightly at that, this wasn’t how it was in the Novel. While Lucian was attacked, he was the only one, the others weren’t.

However this time, not only did the Abyssal worshippers send more attackers than in the Novel, but they also attacked the Nobles, meaning the plot was already beginning to deviate.

Before he could think about that deeper, Killian continued speaking, “But you? You were the only one who fought alone, and the lingering abyssal energy here is rather…..intense.”

Killian crouched down beside one of the scorch marks on the wall, all that remained of the hybrid monstrosity Albedo had eradicated.

“You didn’t just survive,” Killian said, “You overwhelmed all of them. Solo. No wards. No guards. No help.”

He glanced up, his blue eyes narrowing with interest as he stared at Albedo with a soul piercing gaze.

“How?”

Albedo met his gaze, “Trade secret. There’s a reason I’m #1.”

Killian barked another laugh, “Oh, I like you. Most people piss themselves under a Holy Rank’s aura.”

“Maybe you’re just not that scary.”

That earned a few tight gasps from the nearby officers, but Killian’s smile only widened.

Albedo wouldn’t of talked like this to many other Holy Ranks, but he knew Killian’s personality from the Novel, and he’d be dumb to not at least get a good impression on a Holy Rank person he can trust.

“Cocky. That’ll get you far. Or killed.” He stood up again, brushing off his gloves, “Still, jokes aside, I’m going to need you to come in.”

“Why?”

“Standard protocol,” Killian said, already walking away, expecting to be followed, “You’re a student at Zephyr Academy, a high profile one, and you were attacked. Besides, you are now officially flagged as a potential Abyssal Target.”

“I thought I already was. Aren’t all the top prospects always Abyssal Targets?” Albedo asked.

“Not like this.” Killian turned slightly, serious for once, “This wasn’t scouting. They sent a group like this after you, and did it in a very public place. They intended to take you.”

Albedo didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

Killian took the silence as understanding and continued speaking.

“We’ll keep this quiet,” the Holy Rank continued, “The last thing we need is panic among the unawakened. But I’ll say this, from what we gathered, yours was the most coordinated attack.”

“Lucky me.” Albedo said sarcastically.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

They reached the platform outside the train, a few more Imperial officers joining the escort, forming a protective bubble as the onlookers on the station tried to glimpse what was going on.

“I can assign you a protective detail,” Killian offered, sounding oddly sincere, “At least until we finish our sweep and confirm no more threats remain.”

“No thanks,” Albedo said, brushing past him.

Killian paused. “Really? After all this?”

“I don’t need anyone watching me. But…”

He turned slightly, meeting Killian’s gaze.

“I do have a request.”

“Go on.”

“Assign someone to protect my sister. Gwen. I don’t want her unguarded, even for a second.”

Killian raised an eyebrow, then nodded, “Reasonable. I’ll have two officers stationed near her school and residence. Covert. Discreet. You have my word.”

Albedo nodded.

“Then we’re square.”

Killian studied him for a beat longer, then chuckled once more.

“Miranda said you were interesting. She undersold it.”

“I get that a lot.”

The two said nothing more as the train station’s crystalline walls reflected the orange rays of the setting sun.

And somewhere, far beyond the horizon, the Eye of the Abyss shifted, watching.

***

Once his conversation was finished, everything was quite efficient. Albedo had headed to the station and given a basic testimony about what happened and then mead hime.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Police was very efficient, cleaning up the site quickly and by the time Albedo had finished his statement, the SkyRail was already back operating without a trace of what had happened.

Meanwhile for Albedo, he had head home, the sun beginning to dip beyond the horizon. Gwen as out, still at the Academy attending one of her club sessions.

Albedo had triple-checked her routine before he made it home. Two officers would be stationed nearby now. Trusted ones, Killian promised. That would have to be enough… for now.

The house was quiet when he stepped inside. He slipped off his shoes, locked the door, and climbed the stairs in silence. Every movement was mechanical, an echo of routine, until he entered his room and shut the door behind him.

He exhaled.

Then he rolled his shoulders, sat on his bed, and closed his eyes and checked his Gift, looking at the 8 Gifts he had inherited.

After browsing through all of their descriptions using the System, he ended up only activating 2 of them. The others were either detrimental to him, like Gifts that connected him to the Abyss, or were just useless.

However, these 2 were very useful.

Voice of Beasts – Can communicate with ( not control ) Beasts.

Mirage Body – During battle, illusions of yourself occur naturally, confusing attackers. Can swap places with any Illusion on demand.

He focused on testing Voice of Beasts first. Channeling the power of the gift, a warm sensation brushing across his mind as his thoughts extended outwardly instinctively.

He wasn’t reaching for mana, but something different.

A thread or a whisper.

And then…

“You are not prey.”

Albedo stiffened and his eyes snapped to the window where he saw a bird – a hawk, sitting perched on a nearby rooftop, its sharp eyes staring directly at him.

Albedo didn’t respond out loud and merely nodded before breaking the connection.

However, he confirmed that it worked and how to use it.

That meant…Beast Taming, he thought.

His earlier ideas weren’t just viable. They were optimal. Beast Taming was one of the most difficult electives, not just because it was extremely expensive resource wise, but because it took an extensive period of time to build a relationship with the beast.

Even if you contracted the beast, it could still ignore calls alot of the time and coordination took time, but with this Gift, it would make things much easier for Albedo.

He clenched his fists.

I’ll be more than just a tamer, he thought. I’ll turn them into a force no army can stop.

He stood, walking toward the mirror.

Now let’s test the other one.

He activated Mirage Body.

At first, nothing happened.

Then.

His reflection in the mirror twitched.

And split.

An illusion stood beside him. Then another formed a few feet to his right, crouched in a battle stance. A third stood behind him, ghosting his every motion. Each of them mimicked his posture but ever so slightly out of sync, like echoes in a hall of illusions.

This is… Albedo narrowed his eyes.

He flicked his hand forward.

One illusion moved first, as if it had anticipated the attack. Another moved half a second behind, delayed, drawing a different weapon. A third crouched low, mimicking a defensive stance.

‘They react based on potential actions I might take.’ He grinned as he thought.

The illusions shimmered, not quite solid, but enough to distract and confuse. He focused, locking his thoughts onto the one nearest to the door.

With a snap of intent.

~SHHHT!~

He vanished and reappeared at the illusion’s location, replacing it instantly as the fake dispersed like vapor.

He thought of all the possibilities for using that swapping ability. It could be used for dodging, ambushing, repositioning and more. It was essentially a tactical gold mine.

Against a powerful opponent, every misread movement could mean a fatal opening. Now? He could flood the battlefield with false signals and punish anyone foolish enough to bite.

The synergy between his high-speed mobility and Mirage Body was exceptional.

This makes Infernal Mode even more lethal.

Albedo let the illusions fade and collapsed onto the bed, thoughts racing as he finally looked at the final thing he needed to do.

He looked at the system that floated in front of him, displaying a notification since this morning.

[ DING! Host has completed the Zephyr Academy Entrance Exam! Host is rewarded with a Beast Egg! ]

***

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep