Chapter 175: Dim Snake Eye
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 175: Dim Snake Eye
A moment later, Xie Bai and her group stepped out of the shop.
Feeling the warmth of the sun outside, Kairos’s eyelid finally gave a nervous twitch.
Am I really... into lolis?
Even now, he was still agonizing over this question.
Before meeting Xie Bai, he was confident that he would never harbor any untoward thoughts toward a child. As a genius who had risen from the common folk all the way to Dome Academy, his mental fortitude and sense of justice were far beyond those of ordinary men.
No matter the circumstances, his code of conduct was absolute: never betray a comrade, never abandon the weak, never lose oneself to temptation, and never retreat before a powerful foe.
How could someone like him have designs on a little girl?
Wait... I think I’m forgetting something.
Kairos suddenly snapped back to reality.
Xie Bai didn't seem to be an ordinary little girl at all.
He still vividly remembered the scene where she wiped out thirty assassins in a single strike. Those weren't just random thugs; they were high-ranking members of the Assassin Association.
During the trials Kairos had faced previously, he had dealt with those people more than a few times. Usually, he was the one struggling to escape while being hunted by two or three of them, only occasionally managing a mid-battle breakthrough to kill one or two in return.
Yet, the white-haired girl before him had effortlessly annihilated the very assassins who had hounded him for so long.
The thought sent a chill down Kairos’s spine.
He had actually been so deceived by her appearance that he’d forgotten how potentially dangerous she was.
A person like her truly couldn't be judged by conventional standards...
After a bout of internal struggle, Kairos finally managed to sidestep the "loli" issue by focusing on her power.
Xie Bai walked beside him, her gaze scanning the surroundings casually. She hadn't noticed Kairos’s complex internal monologue. Just moments ago, her quest panel had popped up again.
[- When the Dome Falls -]
[Emergency Side Quest: Dim Snake Eye]
[Description: On the way to Dome Academy, you have alerted the mastermind behind the scenes ahead of schedule. To nip the potential danger in the bud, the Assassin Association’s number one, "Dim Snake Eye," along with other assassins, has arrived in Villanova.]
[Current Objective: Locate and subdue "Dim Snake Eye" (Incomplete)]
[Optional Objective: Kill all other assassins]
[Optional Objective: Ensure "Kairos" survives]
[Optional Objective: Ensure "Nimo" survives]
[Optional Objective: Ensure "Ivy" survives]
I alerted the mastermind early? And this Assassin Association... I feel like I’ve seen that name somewhere before?
Xie Bai thought for a moment but confirmed she had no memory of hearing about an "Assassin Association."
But why did two names I’ve never heard of suddenly appear in the quest objectives?
Though she didn't quite understand how these two extra people were related to the quest, since they were listed as objectives, Xie Bai decided to keep an eye out for them.
Under the sweep of her Boundless Floating Light, she could sense the movements of everyone in Villanova. However, since she lacked specific information on the target, she wasn't sure which figure was the "Dim Snake Eye" she was looking for.
No need to rush, though. I’ll just head toward wherever a fight breaks out. Or...
She looked up at Kairos walking ahead of her.
I could just let this celebrity parade around the streets to bait them into attacking. That works too.
At that moment, Kairos suddenly felt a wave of coldness. He felt as if he had just been the subject of an extremely dangerous thought.
Forget it, I’m probably just overthinking things.
He immediately shook the thought away and focused on the path ahead.
*
Elsewhere.
Nephili sat at an outdoor table of a restaurant, elegantly sipping a glass of light fruit wine.
"Hmph... Good thing I’m a cut above the rest. I finally escaped that tavern."
Her gaze drifted toward the passersby.
"Come to think of it, did Teacher Vesparo really suffer a backlash just from divining Ivy? I’ve made it all the way here, and I haven't seen any signs of a backlash."
Thinking of this, Nephili drained the rest of her wine in one gulp.
"Whatever. Maybe Teacher Vesparo is just getting old and his strength isn't what it used to be."
She stood up from her chair.
"Let’s see just how strong this Ivy really is."
The moment she spoke, the shadow beneath Nephili’s feet began to spread.
The people around her seemed not to notice, allowing the shadows to crawl up their bodies. A moment later, the area surrounding Nephili was filled with murky, oppressive darkness.
[Dim Kingdom]
With Nephili as the center, a kingdom composed of shadows gradually expanded. Those ensnared by the shadows were instantly transformed into Shadow Puppets, becoming Nephili’s minions.
"In this day and age, what kind of assassin still does the dirty work themselves? That’s just asking to be exposed."
Nephili turned and stepped into the darkness, merging herself into the shadow world. Relying on the continuously expanding Dim Kingdom, Nephili slowly brought the entirety of Villanova under her watch.
*
At the same time.
Ivy and Nimo arrived at the city gates of Villanova.
After a series of twists and turns, the two were finally nearing their destination: Heavenly Mountain.
"Teacher Ivy, are you really sure you can find Kairos’s whereabouts?"
Faced with Nimo’s inquiry, Ivy immediately whipped her head around.
"What’s that supposed to mean? We’re almost at the destination, and you’re suddenly doubting your teacher’s abilities?"
Nimo shook his head.
"That’s not what I meant. I just suddenly realized that this matter doesn't seem simple. The enemy couldn't possibly be unaware that we’d come looking for Kairos."
As he spoke, he looked at Ivy’s petite face.
"If it’s just you alone, Teacher, it might be dangerous."
Ivy’s eyes narrowed slightly at Nimo’s words.
"You’re only realizing this now? Sigh... It seems your head really is even dumber than I thought."
Nimo looked at Ivy with surprise.
"Teacher... you realized this long ago? And you’ve already made preparations?"
Hearing this, Ivy put her hands on her hips triumphantly.
"Hmph! Now you finally see how amazing your teacher is!"
She stepped to the side and pulled out a deck of golden cards.
"Let me tell you something even more impressive. Even if I don't go to Heavenly Mountain, I have a way to calculate Kairos’s location right here."
Seeing Ivy’s smug expression, Nimo’s face darkened.
"So, Teacher Ivy... everything before this was just you trying to fleece my wallet?"
Ivy toyed with the floating cards and shook her head gently.
"How can you say that? I only came here because the success rate is higher in this vicinity. Otherwise, I wouldn't normally take a single step out of the academy."
Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Alright! I’ve found Kairos’s location!"
Seeing Ivy find Kairos in just a few seconds, the previously speechless Nimo instantly perked up.
"Where is he?"
Ivy continued to adjust the cards, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Hmm... according to the results of the Fate Cards, his location seems to be..."
Ivy paused.
"Villanova. Uh... right here."
With that, she looked up and turned back toward the city behind them.
Nimo followed Ivy’s gaze.
In the next second, his pupils shrank violently.
Villanova was currently being completely swallowed by a colossal, encroaching shadow.