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Chapter 653 Lumian's Choice

The Pride Armor remained motionless.

Franca extended her hands, barely lifting the silver-white full-body armor and tucking it back into her Traveler's Bag. Only then did she relax and call out, "It's all right, it's all right."

Jenna emerged from a dark corner on the other side, and Anthony suddenly appeared at the warehouse door, seemingly prepared to roll and escape at any moment.

In a matter of seconds, Lumian somersaulted back from a high window, eliciting a chuckle from Franca.

"Damn it, we managed Hisoka just fine, but our own Sealed Artifact nearly wiped us out. Good thing we had substitutes. Otherwise, we might have been severely injured, if not dead," she remarked.

Jenna commented calmly, "This could be a funny story for Ghost Face."

Having moved out of the market district, she now had plenty of free time. Though she still owed Franca a large sum of money, she had enough assets to cover it. Thus, while completing the Tarot Club mission and trying to act, she could afford to watch a play once a week, buy magazines, newspapers, and books she had longed for but couldn't justify purchasing, and indulge in department stores and certain restaurants she had once yearned for.

Franca let out a hollow laugh.

"Who would have thought this armor would hold such a grudge? Hey Lumian, what did you do to it?"

she inquired, directing the subsequent questions to Lumian.

Lumian spread his hands.

"Wasn't it just a backstab?

"I thought it would be fine after disengaging and waiting for it to calm down."

Franca nodded repeatedly, offering him a way out.

"That's right, I thought so too.

"It's all because of that armor! It doesn't feel like armor at all!"

After a moment of pondering, Franca said, "I wonder when it will forget that you stabbed it in the back. For now, you'll have to leave it with me."

"Alright," Lumian said, feeling a twinge of regret. Such a useful Sealed Artifact was temporarily unusable.

He glanced at Hisoka's severely damaged corpse and the seemingly unscathed Beyonder characteristic, stowing them away in his Traveler's Bag. He said seriously, "I hope that the operation against the Minister of Industry will commence after the Sealed Artifact is completed. Though its negative effects will undoubtedly be severe, Desire Apostle and Wraith are definitely very useful, even if they can only unleash a portion of their abilities."

"Indeed," Franca replied, filled with anticipation.

She then turned to Lumian and asked, "Hisoka is already dead. You've achieved your goal in the Southern Continent. Where are you going next? Are you returning to Trier with us?"

Lumian shook his head, as if he had already considered the answer to this question.

"I plan to stay in the Southern Continent for a while longer."

"Why? To investigate Tizamo Town and the Hisoka matter? That doesn't seem necessary," Jenna expressed her confusion.

Lumian chuckled.

"This is a Hunter's paradise, don't you think?"

Without waiting for Franca and the others to inquire further, Lumian explained seriously, "After all that has transpired, I've come to realize something. For a Hunter to act well and digest swiftly, they must undergo diverse experiences.

"What I mean is, a Hunter's path is more straightforward compared to other paths. It's unlike Demonesses who must navigate pleasure, pain, while contemplating abstract and philosophical concepts which are often more intricate.

"As long as a Hunter is immersed in chaos, conflict, and constant combat, they can excel. Combat is akin to hunting. Chaos and conflict invariably breed numerous conspiracies. Provocation smoothens these conspiracies, arson secures victory in battle, and the aftermath of such incidents reaps the lives of enemies and the spoils of victory."

Observing Franca, Jenna, and Anthony's puzzled expressions, Lumian smiled and continued, "It's been just over half a year since I ascended from Sequence 9 to Sequence 5. Why?

"Because I've been either passively or actively embroiled in a series of events. Through perpetual chaos, disputes, and battles, I've grasped the principles of performance and found opportunities to act."

"In essence, a Hunter doesn't engage in elaborate acting before reaching High-Sequence Beyonder status. Though I possess some insight into fate due to my characteristics, it's also linked to determination and willpower. It's an integral part of combat.

"Hunters are forged in the crucible of blood and fire. They thrive amidst chaos and conflict. If I aim to grow stronger, I must pursue these elements. The Southern Continent offers precisely that."

Thus, Lumian could swiftly assimilate the Reaper potion and strive to become a Sequence 5 Fate Appropriator of the Inevitability pathway.

Only by truly mastering some of fate's abilities could Lumian hope to uncover any connection between Loki and the ancient castle when he next confronted him.

According to Franca, Lumian had to locate the respawn point of an enemy capable of resurrection and camp there!

Certainly, the path to becoming a Fate Appropriator came with its own set of risks. Lumian's chances of encountering Circle Inhabitant Voisin Sanson would significantly rise, whether due to the convergence of an Outer Deity's Blessed resulting from the world's rejection or the convergence of Inevitability powers.

Despite his yearning for such an encounter, Lumian was aware that he wasn't prepared to face a demigod, lacking the corresponding strength. A high-level Beyonder he could hire wouldn't be able to constantly keep an eye on him, and the moment of encounter was beyond his control.

Franca couldn't hide her envy upon hearing Lumian's plan.

If only the Demoness pathway's acting were that straightforward.

The early stages with Assassins and Instigators were relatively direct, but as time went on, it became more complicated.

Sigh. When I first met Lumian, I was clearly at a higher Sequence and stronger than him. It's only been half a year, but the tables have turned… Franca felt a mix of sorrow and impulsive emotions.

After sending Franca, Jenna, and Anthony back to Trier, Lumian entered Suite 7 on B3 of Hotel Orella, signaling for Lugano to leave.

Then, he carefully extracted Hisoka's lifeless body from his Traveler's Bag and positioned it in front of Ludwig. With a grin, he remarked, "Here's my end of the bargain. Is it edible?"

Ludwig, clutching a silver child's knife and fork with a steak laid out before him, sprung up from his seat. As he examined the torn, half-Devil-like, and bloodied remains, a mix of desire and hesitation played across his face.

It was clear he was tempted but wary.

After more than ten seconds, Ludwig delicately picked up the child's utensils and resolved himself.

"A tiny bit."

Without awaiting Lumian's reply, he crouched down and extended the child's knife and fork toward Hisoka's still open, flaxen-colored eyes.

Amidst the slicing sounds, Ludwig retrieved the Devil-like eyeballs, one on the fork and the other on the knife's tip.

Then, he poured a glass of orange Gwadar with one hand.

"There's caffeine in this. Not suitable for children," Lumian pointed out.

Ludwig glanced at the enticing beverage, then at the eyeballs on the child's utensils, and the half-Devil corpse on the ground. He fell silent.

Lumian also fell silent.

After a few moments, Ludwig submerged the eyeballs into the orange-yellow Gwadar, deliberately puncturing more holes with his fork to allow the liquid to seep out.

Then, he lifted the drink and squatted beside Hisoka's corpse, bringing the glass to a spot where some blood still dripped.

Bloop! Bloop! Bloop! Three drops of sulfur-scented blood fell into the fading orange beverage, swiftly tinting it with the color of blood.

Ludwig swirled the liquid in the glass and consumed it.

Lumian observed as Ludwig finished his drink, noting a clear boost in energy. Curious, he inquired, "What's the effect of this?"

Ludwig licked his lips and responded, "Permanently enhances my spirituality, allowing me to keenly sense the aura of the Abyss. I can also command a few lower-level undead creatures.

"Only the first glass has this effect. Subsequent drinks of a similar nature can only temporarily heighten my perception and restore some spirituality."

Ludwig's tone carried a maturity as he spoke on such matters.

Not bad… but only you would dare to consume such a messy thing… Lumian criticized inwardly. He stowed away Hisoka's remains and retreated to his bedroom, initiating a letter to Madam Magician. The focus was on reporting Hisoka's apparent identity, his speculations, and the issues with Tizamo Town. Additionally, he proposed that the reward for these unexpected discoveries should be the transformation of Hisoka's Beyonder characteristic into a Sealed Artifact.

Having neatly folded the letter, Lumian produced a jagged black crystal clump and arranged a ritual. He called forth Madam Magician's doll messenger.

Upon its emergence, the doll messenger emitted a disdainful sound, pinching its nose.

It pointed at Hisoka's Beyonder characteristic and remarked in a sharp voice,

"Pack it into a box! It's filthy!"

Lumian retrieved a small paper box from his Traveler's Bag and stuffed the black crystal clump inside.

"Tie it up."

"Stuff it in another box."

"Use another box to contain them."

The doll messenger continued with its requests.

Finally, it begrudgingly picked up the box and carried the letter away.

…

Port Pylos's patrol team.

Reaza informed Camus, "All the problematic team members have been purged. The rest are undergoing individual reviews. You are part of it too."

"How's Kolobo?" Camus asked with concern.

"He's fine. We went to the Earth Mother Church to hire a Doctor," Reaza replied calmly. "The major issue now is that we haven't apprehended Twanaku. Moreover, we're certain that he's both a Wraith and a Desire Apostle."

"How? Isn't he too powerful?" Camus felt a twinge of fear at the thought of potential retaliation from Twanaku.

At that moment, a patrol team member entered the office and informed Reaza and Camus, "Captain Reaza, Boss, the straw hat guy is back!"