"It's actually quite comfortable." Azrael had expected the Mark 3 to feel heavy and restrictive, like a suit of medieval armor. Instead, the advanced alloy felt natural against his skin; the internal systems adjusted to his body temperature and movements automatically.
With the AI handling the complex flight calculations, Azrael found himself soaring through his room with remarkable ease. It was almost surreal; he could literally close his eyes and let the AI take complete control, trusting it to navigate perfectly.
Of course, this level of automation came with its own risks. If someone hacked into the AI system, he'd be completely vulnerable. Thankfully, he could override everything with manual controls if needed. Given that this was the Empire of Aetherlight era, the chances of encountering any skilled hackers were essentially zero. Azrael had never heard rumors of anyone with such technological expertise in this world.
After thoroughly testing the suit's capabilities in his room, Azrael powered down the Mark 3 and stepped out of it. Almost immediately, Luffy started bouncing around excitedly, practically begging for his turn to try it out.
Azrael couldn't help but grin as he watched his friend zoom around the ceiling, whooping with joy. However, his amusement quickly gave way to more practical concerns. "This Mark 3 might have to last me a while," he thought grimly. "The materials I bought online this time won't be enough to craft another one."
The harsh reality was that he could only afford a bronze-level Portable Power Furnace and a bronze-level Primary Artificial Intelligence, both of which were purple quality but still insufficient for creating another Mark 3. All of the secret realms he had explored so far were disappointingly lacking in mechanical materials and components.
Ever since his dangerous encounter with the Crimson Oath Society, Azrael had become much more cautious about his choices and planning.
"I'll figure something out as I go," he decided, pushing his worries aside for now.
Creating the Mark 3 had depleted his savings, leaving him with just 600,000 Empyrean Dollars. He had originally planned to invest in crafting medical biological cards next, but recent events had completely disrupted those plans. Still, the Mark 3 wasn't a waste; it had already proven its worth.
Besides, he remembered Dareth's promise after the Elite Talent Cup competition. He could enter a bronze-level secret realm, which might finally provide him with the necessary materials.
Honestly, after everything that had happened today, Azrael felt a strange sense of relief wash over him. His current status within the organization meant that he didn't have to worry about the Crimson Oath Society viewing him as a threat, at least temporarily. In their eyes, he was now one of them.
"The real problem will come when they start giving me actual assignments," Azrael thought, his expression darkening slightly.
The next day passed uneventfully. After school ended, Azrael returned home to find Lian waiting for him. He was sitting casually on Azrael's sofa, as if he owned the place.
"Why are you here?" Azrael asked, though he had a sinking feeling he already knew the answer. "Did the Crimson Oath Society give you something for me?"
Lian nodded grimly.
Azrael's heart immediately sank. He had been hoping for more time before they started using him. "I guess I was being too optimistic," he thought bitterly. If whatever they wanted him to do went against his morals, he was prepared to report everything to the authorities and disappear that very night. There was no way he would hurt innocent people, no matter what contract he had signed.
Noticing Azrael's obvious concern, Lian tried to reassure him. "Don't worry too much. The society isn't going to throw you into anything dangerous right away. Someone with your potential is far too valuable to be used as disposable cannon fodder."
Lian understood exactly what this mission represented. The organization was clearly trying to gradually build Azrael's loyalty, starting with relatively simple tasks. He wouldn't be surprised if, someday, he'd have to address this young man as "Sixth Brother" or some other high-ranking title.
The thought made him chuckle slightly as he looked at Azrael's youthful face.
Shaking off these strange thoughts, Lian handed over a paper document. Physical documents were safer than digital communications; there were too many ways for electronic messages to be intercepted or traced. Plus, paper could be burned after reading.
Azrael accepted the materials and began reading through them carefully. After several minutes, he looked up with a questioning expression. "What exactly does the society want with this person?"
According to the documents, the target was Daniel, a bronze-level Lore Cardian who was apparently running an illegal flesh trade operation. Because of his status as a Lore Cardian, the local authorities typically turned a blind eye to his activities. In exchange for this protection, people like him were expected to serve the association when called upon.
Of course, the association got to decide when that "necessary moment" arrived.
Lian shrugged casually. "You know about all the chaos from the recent Elite Talent Cup incident. The association needs to expand its network of subordinates. This guy is just one potential recruit."
He handed Azrael another document, a contract that looked disturbingly familiar. "Your job is to convince him to sign it."
Azrael took the contract and asked, with forced casualness, "What if he refuses?"
"Then you kill him," Lian replied without any emotion whatsoever. "He's not exactly a pillar of the community anyway."
Azrael couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "As if the Crimson Oath Society is any better."
Lian noticed Azrael's lingering resentment about recent events and immediately switched to a more threatening tone. "Don't get any clever ideas about just killing him to avoid the real work. Don't forget you signed a contract, too."
Azrael had to fight to keep from smiling. "Sorry, but we're really not on the same side here," he thought. "And you have no idea what I'm actually planning."
Outwardly, he just put on an annoyed expression and muttered, "Fine, I get it."
Seeing Azrael's apparent frustration, Lian softened his approach slightly. "Look, don't be so upset about this. There'll be a nice reward waiting for you once the job's done."
They were both in the same boat now, so there was no point in making their relationship hostile.
"Actually," Lian continued, reaching into his pocket, "the society has already provided you with the necessary tools."
He pulled out a card and handed it to Azrael. The moment Azrael touched it, information flowed into his mind:
[Hidden Breath Pearl]
Rank: Bronze
Quality: Blue
Category: Item
Skills: [Hidden Breath]: Those below the bronze level will be unable to detect your presence. [Hide Trace]: Electronic equipment below the bronze level cannot capture your image or movements.
Note: These effects will be disabled when you launch an attack.
Lian was impressed by how well the Crimson Oath Society treated Azrael. Normal recruits never received this kind of support or equipment. Usually, low-level members were thrown into situations and expected to figure things out on their own. After all, if they died, they couldn't reveal any important secrets anyway.
"All right, that covers everything," said Lian, standing up and brushing off his clothes. "I'll be back at the same time tomorrow to check on your progress."
He paused at the door and added, without looking back, "I'll find an excuse to get Jerome away from here tonight. You need to be back before midnight, whether or not you've completed the mission."
Honestly, if Lian weren't worried about Lucian or Yan Wen checking up on Azrael unexpectedly, he would have arranged for Jerome to be transferred permanently. Fortunately, his position as branch president and his established relationship with Azrael gave him legitimate reasons to visit openly.
Someone of Lian's rank was handling Azrael personally for a simple reason: the Crimson Oath Society wanted to keep Azrael's true affiliation absolutely secret. Of course, Azrael seriously doubted that Lian was their only mole in the system.
Azrael nodded to show he understood the timeline.
As he watched Lian leave, Azrael finally allowed himself to relax slightly. He'd been afraid they might ask him to target innocent civilians or students. At least this time, his target was someone who clearly deserved whatever was coming to him.
"Well, I guess you can only blame your own bad luck," he murmured to himself.
Later that night, silver armor rose silently into the darkness, streaking toward an abandoned factory complex near the coast.