Chapter 195

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Chapter 195. The Mastermind (5)

As ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍the Secret Burial Unit rapidly bored into the heart of the Sanctuary. At the very moment Hanbin came face to face with Cardinal Vargas.

NovelFire reader preview #7ccfe0bbb09e (issued 2026-07-17).

At the deepest part of the Sanctuary, Rupert's private chamber—completely sealed off from the outside—was silent.

Rupert was passing the time at his leisure, entirely unaware of any irregularity. He was watching Penelope, who lay sound asleep on a plush bed with her chin resting on her hand.

Pallid skin, shallow breaths, cold sweat trickling down her brow.

Completely defenceless, Penelope looked terribly frail. If Rupert were to wrap his hands around her throat right now, she would die without putting up the slightest resistance.

What was astonishing was the fact that this feeble Penelope was still resisting Rupert's Power even now.

"She's my little sister, but my, is she tenacious."

Rupert clicked his tongue in admiration.

In truth, all of this was being done purely on Rupert's own whims.

Because he was bored.

When he had been scrambling and competing with others, he had kept himself tightly bound in order to climb even one step higher……. But once he actually had overwhelming power and authority in his grasp, all the affairs of the world were not so very interesting.

Perhaps that was precisely why he paid such particular attention to Penelope and Clarisse.

They were, at least, beings who piqued his interest.

Just then.

—Thud.

The heavy door opened with a dull sound. Then, one after another, came what sounded like something being dragged along the floor.

"……?"

Rupert's brow creased.

"Ugh…… Ugh……!"

A figure crawling through the doorway, groaning as though in agony.

"Your…… Highness……."

"Vargas, what a wretched state you're in."

It was Cardinal Vargas, drenched in blood. One arm was bent at a grotesque angle and dangling limply, and one eye socket had caved in—the eye itself gone. The vitality of a dark mage was tenacious beyond measure, yet the figure before him now was no different from an insect half-crushed underfoot.

Rupert's first expression was not one of concern but of distaste. And following that, curiosity—then interest.

This was the Sanctuary. The End Order's new headquarters, whose location had yet to be revealed to anyone in the kingdom.

And Cardinal Vargas was a venerable ancient, having lived for over three hundred years. Even within the Order, he was counted among the most formidable.

For him to have come crawling in this state. There was no doubt something entertaining had occurred.

"Did something happen?"

Cardinal Vargas clawed at the floor with a blood-soaked hand and crawled toward Rupert. And with great effort, he did what he had come to do.

"That man…… has come."

"That man—who?"

"Han-, Hanbin…… and the Secret Burial Unit members…… appear to have…… converged……. Ghk! Ghk!"

Vargas could not finish his words and coughed up a clot of blood.

Hanbin? The Secret Burial Unit? Rupert gave a slight raise of his elegant brow.

And then he drew two names up from the depths of his memory.

"Hanbin? That Hanbin Ainsworth I know of?"

"Yes. Ghk! Ghk!"

"Oh ho."

A glint of peculiar light stirred in Rupert's eyes.

On the surface—a former Minister of Internal Affairs, and Britannia's greatest Alchemist. According to rumour circulating among the public, he had retired and vanished without a trace. And it was Lily Fontaine who had succeeded him.

But Rupert had been part of the Order for many long years. And as heir to the Rosemore Count Family, he had also been passed down knowledge that ordinary people were not privy to. From that position, there was no way he would not know of the Secret Burial Unit—which had suppressed the Order and the nobles who had collaborated with it for so many years.

Rupert was impressed.

"So Y&P truly did have a connection to Hanbin?"

It was intuition.

The series of incidents that had occurred within the Order up until now. The Y&P Trading Company, which had been expanding its influence at nearly the same time. And Hanbin and the Secret Burial Unit, storming in the moment Penelope was abducted.

Cardinal Vargas's worries all along had not been wide of the mark after all.

"This is no time for such composure. You must flee…… at once. That man, that man is a monster……."

In the face of a Cardinal coughing up blood, Rupert remained perfectly composed. Fleeing—utterly out of the question.

Of course, he understood Vargas's fear.

It was not something he particularly cared to hear……. But Rupert had spent years listening to the Order's senior figures chanting Hanbin's name like a prayer.

That he was the Order's supreme enemy. That he was the most feared adversary of dark mages.

Words like those.

But that was nothing more than the Order's collective trauma. Rupert found it frankly pathetic.

When he thought about it, it was simple.

Hanbin, back in his days as an active member of the Secret Burial Unit in his prime, was said to have been a Knight.

But now he was an Alchemist. Admittedly with the title of the kingdom's greatest attached to his name—but the Order clearly had a counter for Alchemy.

"Did you use the Magic Eater?"

"Yes…… I deployed it immediately, but…… Ghk! It had absolutely…… absolutely no effect……."

Rupert clicked his tongue and looked down at Vargas.

"Cardinal Vargas, what a disappointment."

Utterly pathetic.

If the man had walked in on his own two feet, it was rather an opportunity to dispose of the Order's long-standing nemesis—yet to be reduced to a half-dead state against a relic long since removed from the battlefield……

Rupert clicked his tongue.

What was immediately problematic at this juncture was not Hanbin's combat ability. The fact that Hanbin knew of this place meant that even if Hanbin were repelled, the Britannia royal family might already have pinpointed the End Order's headquarters.

Of course, with Rupert's Power, even this could be made into 'something that never happened.' It was a simple matter of erasing the memories of everyone involved.

But.

"Performing an alteration on that scale is such a headache."

His head was already beginning to throb. His peaceful time of rest had been thrown into complete disarray.

"I'm a bit annoyed, I'd say."

"Y-, Your Highness……?"

Rupert gave a casual flick of his hand, and as if by magic, Cardinal Vargas's body burst apart.

Splatter!

Dispersing like crimson mist in the air, it was drawn straight into Rupert's body.

The life force of a high-ranking dark mage who had lived for hundreds of years. That rich and potent energy made for an excellent offering—fuel that charged Rupert's Power.

"Hoo."

Rupert drew in a long, deep breath. A tingling sensation of power coursed to his fingertips.

Thud, thud—

With impeccable timing, the sound of footsteps came through the gap of the half-open door. Footsteps far too clear and deliberate—as if there was not even a thought of concealing them.

"How rude of me, not even knowing a guest had arrived. A pity. And no less than the former Minister of Internal Affairs himself."

Rupert flicked his fingertips and opened the door.

The heavy door swung wide open. Rupert composed himself with an unhurried smile, ready to greet his guest.

However.

"Hm?"

All that was visible was a dark, empty corridor. Beyond it, there was no one.

Just as Rupert felt a flicker of puzzlement.

An entirely unanticipated blind spot. A single beam of high-density compressed Heat Ray came surging toward the back of Rupert's skull.

"A brief conversation wouldn't hurt, would it?"

But Rupert neither turned around nor ducked his head.

Flutter.

The scorching Heat Ray that should have pierced Rupert's skull and vaporised his brain—the moment it touched his neck, it dissolved into white feathers and scattered.

"How rude. At least let a person finish spea—"

—Crack-crack-crack-crack!

There was no time to finish the sentence.

Front, back, left, right, ceiling and floor. Dozens of Heat Ray beams poured in from all directions.

Heart, throat, brain stem—vital organs and arteries. A lethality-saturated assault aimed with precise accuracy at nothing but the human body's critical points.

"My, my……."

Rupert's eyebrow twitched. Rather than swatting the air with his hand, he simply blinked once.

The dozens of crimson beams that had been tearing through the space toward him. Every last one transformed into red flower petals.

As fragrant rose petals scattered out of nowhere like snowfall. Rupert glanced around at his surroundings.

The attacks were pouring in, yet there was no sign of Hanbin to be seen.

Entirely uninterested in a fair and honourable duel—drawing attention, then striking from the shadows.

"Ahh, so this is the style."

Rupert recalled the rumours he had picked up within the Order.

By any means necessary. Through the most certain and efficient method available. The kingdom's hunting hound—whose only thought was to sever the enemy's throat.

Had Rupert been an ordinary person, he would have lost his life.

But it was meaningless. The Power Rupert held in his hands was Reality Manipulation.

No matter how many Heat Rays were poured upon him, Rupert simply converted them all into something else entirely. Flowers, soap bubbles, feathers—things entirely incapable of causing harm to the human body.

"Is that everything?"

The room had at some point transformed into something resembling a flamboyant noble's party hall.

The attacks had ceased. Wearing a smirk as he looked around, Rupert noticed one anomaly.

In less than thirty seconds while Rupert had been preoccupied with the attacks. Penelope had vanished. Rupert let out a hollow laugh.

"I heard the hunting hound showed no mercy. Yet it seems there's more heart in him than the stories let on."

It did not matter. Penelope could simply be retrieved later.

"What about at least showing your face before we talk? I have quite a few questions of my own."

No answer came. Rupert's voice echoed through the large room.

"……."

That voice, Jurgen was listening to from the other side of the wall.

Whatever else might be said, the top priority was extracting Penelope. Fortunately she had been safely extracted, and was in the process of being handed off to Aiden and removed from the front line.

'Reality Manipulation, as expected.'

Based on Clarisse's testimony and his accumulated experience, Jurgen had been predicting that Rupert was using a powerful Reality Manipulation.

And what he had just witnessed had confirmed it beyond doubt.

A power so formidable it made his skin crawl.

To think that Rupert had been at the very centre of the End Order. And furthermore, that very centre had been within the Rosemore territory.

There was no cause for despair. Penelope had been rescued. If Rupert could be dealt with here and now, the utterly exhausting fight with the End Order would at last be brought to a close.

Reality Manipulation was, without question, a truly troublesome and outrageous ability. But it was not completely without countermeasures.

After all, Manipulation was only possible following recognition.

In his experience, every dark mage required a clear recognition of the target in order to perform powerful Manipulation. If something was not within sight, even the most potent effect would struggle to induce an instant kill.

Jurgen gripped Dice tightly and quietly began building up Code.

Meltthrough. A lethal magic that scattered pseudo-magical radiation upon a target.

It was magic optimised for dealing with dark mages who regenerated endlessly. Since the concept of radiation did not exist here, it was also difficult for opponents to guard against in advance.

Just as Jurgen was about to invoke the magic.

"I know you're there."

The wall dividing Jurgen and Rupert melted away as though dissolving and vanished.

"Meltthrough."

He cast the magic without a moment's hesitation. Luminous fingertips.

The discharge of minute particles. Countless particles extended toward Rupert like the spread of a shotgun blast.

It was over.

Meltthrough was a magic honed exclusively to kill dark mages. Irradiated, Rupert would be tormented by agonising pain as though his body were being incinerated, and as he attempted to regenerate his body from a corrupted blueprint, he would destroy himself from within.

However.

"What a peculiar magic."

A transparent barrier manifested and blocked the Meltthrough.

The instant Jurgen's eyes flew wide in shock.

Slice—!

In the same motion as Rupert's gesture, Hanbin's left arm was severed.

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