Chapter 368 — Snakes Don't Like Spies
**Secret base of the Malfrin**
The room was drowned in controlled gloom.
A round table.
Four silhouettes around it.
The old pact‑bearer was already sweating.
Brakk sat calmly, one hand on his face.
— "Well…" he sighed.
— "You promised us a miracle plan. We're listening."
The pact‑bearer straightened his coat.
— "Very well… listen carefully."
He placed a parchment on the table.
— "Zahkariel is not simply a powerful jinn.
— He is the end of commitments.
— His strength does not come from magic… but from the pacts he breaks."
Mister Mind, the cracked mask, tilted his head.
— "Go on."
The pact‑bearer nodded.
— "Every broken pact feeds his existence.
— Every promise annulled strengthens his presence.
— But…"
He raised a finger.
— "If he is forced to maintain a pact, he weakens."
Silence.
Haya raised an eyebrow.
— "…wait.
— You mean we have to trap him in a contract?"
— "Exactly."
The pact‑bearer leaned forward.
— "We create a magical pact that cannot be broken without immediate consequence.
— A pact that demands he protect something.
— Or someone."
Bloodweaver, leaning against the wall, spoke for the first time:
— "And while he is bound to uphold that pact…
— his nature contradicts itself."
The pact‑bearer smiled.
— "Yes.
— He becomes unstable.
— His power drops.
— And then… you can hurt him."
Brakk slowly sat up.
— "…ok.
— I'll admit, that's not stupid."
Haya crossed her arms.
— "And how do we make him sign it?
— You gonna send him a form?"
The pact‑bearer coughed.
— "There is an ancient ritual…
— called the Absolute Engagement.
— If we trap Zahkariel in a circle of pact and a human host accepts the contract…"
Brakk raised a finger.
— "Stop."
Silence.
— "So you're suggesting we trap a millennial jinn…
— with a magical contract…
— hoping he accepts?"
The pact‑bearer hesitated.
— "…yes?"
Brakk covered his face with his hand.
— "Magnificent.
— Stupid… dangerous… improbable…"
He lifted his head with a grin.
— "I love it."
Haya burst out laughing.
— "Yeah, that's exactly the kind of idea that ends in disaster."
Bloodweaver nodded.
— "So it suits us perfectly."
The pact‑bearer exhaled, relieved.
— "You see! We can work together—"
Mister Mind suddenly laughed.
— "Hahahaha…"
Everyone turned to him.
— "…we don't need you."
Silence.
The pact‑bearer blinked.
— "Wait… I'm not looking for trouble…
— I just wanted to help…"
Haya smiled softly.
— "Rule number one, old man."
She spun a blade between her fingers.
— "Never trust assassins."
Brakk muttered:
— "That's exactly what I said… even I have to be careful…"
The pact‑bearer stepped back.
— "Wait… you're not—"
Mister Mind approached slowly.
— "You trusted the wrong people."
Bloodweaver left the wall.
His aura grew crushing.
The pact‑bearer paled.
— "Oh no… they really want to get rid of me…"
Brakk sighed.
— "What a bunch of psychopaths…"
---
**Flash fight**
The pact‑bearer panicked and summoned several pact creatures.
Twisted silhouettes emerged.
Mister Mind watched calmly.
— "Haya."
She raised a finger.
— "Two seconds only.
— Otherwise the hunters will sense the anomaly."
She snapped her fingers.
The world froze.
Silence became absolute.
Then—
BOOM.
She vanished.
A black trail ripped through the room.
Heads torn.
Bodies severed.
Creatures destroyed.
She reappeared, exhaling.
— "There.
— Quick cleanup."
Brakk stared at her.
— "…remind me never to piss you off."
---
**The interrogation**
Mister Mind stepped toward the pact‑bearer.
The old man trembled.
— "You must be wondering how to escape…"
He touched the fissure of his mask.
— "Maybe if you bow… we'll let you live…"
The pact‑bearer nodded frantically.
— "Yes! Yes! Exactly!"
Mister Mind tilted his head.
— "You don't wonder why I chose to eliminate you?"
— "I don't know!"
Mister Mind placed his hand on his forehead.
— "Oh… you want to deny?"
His eyes gleamed behind the mask.
— "Speak."
The pact‑bearer's mind cracked.
— "IT'S ZAHKARIEL WHO SENT ME!"
Silence.
Brakk's eyes widened.
— "…ah."
The pact‑bearer continued against his will:
— "He wanted to test if you had a plan against him!
— He wanted to know if Brakk was preparing something!
— He had to give you a real method… to earn your trust!"
Brakk froze.
— "…that jinn almost had me."
Bloodweaver shrugged.
— "See.
— You can never be too careful."
Brakk ran a hand through his hair.
— "How could I fall for it so easily…"
---
**Zahkariel's dimension**
Zahkariel watched.
A slow smile.
— "Brakk…" he murmured.
— "You're learning."
His eyes gleamed.
— "But not fast enough."
Chapter 369 — Sons, Fools… and the Total Absence of a Plan
The hopeless body of the pact‑bearer collapsed onto the stone with a dull thud.
Mister Mind slowly withdrew his hand.
Thin filaments of dark light dissipated between his gloved fingers.
— "His soul was already corroded by the jinn…" murmured the Puppeteer.
— "I only accelerated the inevitable."
Brakk watched the scene… then Mister Mind's hands… then his own wrists.
He shook them slightly.
— "Tell me, collector…" he began, voice pitched a little too high.
— "Do you do that to everyone… or should I start worrying the moment you stare at me for more than three seconds?"
Mister Mind slowly turned his cracked mask toward him.
Silence.
A heavy silence.
The kind that makes you rethink every life decision you regret.
— "Don't be ridiculous, Brakk.
— The most obedient puppets are those who believe they are free."
Brakk froze.
— "…I would've preferred if you'd just said 'no.'"
Haya sighed.
— "Stop talking like that, you'll scare our client.
— Our reputation is already catastrophic."
Mister Mind shrugged slightly.
— "It's only because Father wouldn't be pleased if I broke a client before payment."
Brakk blinked.
— "…that is absolutely not reassuring."
Mister Mind then stared into the void, where the soul had just been torn away.
— "He wasn't lying.
— But that was only the surface. Zahkariel didn't just send a spy… he left a trace."
With a gesture, he projected an illusion at the center of the table.
Not a vague image.
A perfect reconstruction.
You could almost smell the sulfur, hear the jinn's voice, feel the pressure of his presence.
— "Look, Brakk."
The illusion shifted.
Brakk appeared… surrounded by dark ethereal threads, tied to his heart… then vanishing into a fractured dimension.
Cold sweat slid down Brakk's back.
— "Zahkariel has already begun weaving your nerves," Mister Mind continued.
— "He doesn't want to possess you.
— He wants to make you an extension."
Brakk stayed silent.
Then:
— "…and you can cut that?"
Mister Mind:
— "I can do better.
— I can invert the threads."
He stepped closer.
Psychic pressure fell on Brakk like an invisible mountain.
His knees hit the floor.
— "But for that…" murmured the Puppeteer…
He leaned near his ear.
— "…I'll have to make you my puppet.
— Just long enough to trace him back.
— Your mind. Your memories. Your free will."
Silence.
Brakk lifted his head.
He smiled.
— "Listen to my thoughts, Mister Mind… Zahkariel tried to trap me.
— I'll turn his plan against him."
Mister Mind sighed.
— "Stop making that face.
— And yes, I already hear your thoughts.
— They're very loud, by the way."
Brakk:
— "That's because I'm thinking hard."
— "No. It's because you're panicking elegantly."
Beside them, Haya was vibrating with impatience.
Black electricity crackled around her, mixed with shadows and violet magic.
Even standing still, she looked ready to strike the entire world.
— "We're wasting time," she snapped.
A scythe of black energy appeared in her hand.
The blade looked like a crescent of nothingness devouring light.
Brakk struggled to his feet.
— "Stop the mental pressure… I'll find another way."
He tapped his temple.
— "That old fox Zahkariel wanted to play with me…
— He'll see."
He exhaled.
— "We just learned I'm the future apartment of a jinn…
— I'd at least like to choose the decoration."
Haya vanished.
No movement.
No step.
Just a brutal transition.
She reappeared in front of him.
Brakk jumped.
— "WHAT KIND OF SORCERY IS THIS AGAIN?"
— "Zahkariel is watching," she said, her voice doubled with a disturbing echo.
— "If we wait for the Puppeteer to finish analyzing your brain, the Hunters will arrive…
— and the jinn will have closed the breach."
She raised her scythe.
— "The plan?"
Brakk crossed his arms.
— "In case you forgot:
— I'm the one in charge…
— and I'm the one paying…"
Silence.
— "…so I don't have a plan yet."
Haya stared at the ceiling.
— "Unbelievable."
Mister Mind:
— "Are we really working for him?"
Bloodweaver approached calmly.
— "We're not in a hurry."
Brakk looked at him.
— "Oh really?
— Because I am.
— I'd like to avoid becoming demonic furniture today."
Bloodweaver:
— "Then find a plan."
Brakk inhaled deeply.
His smile returned.
A slow smile.
A dangerous smile.
— "Very well…
— If Zahkariel wants to play chess…"
He looked up at them.
— "…we'll flip the table."
Silence.
Haya:
— "What does that mean exactly?"
Brakk:
— "No idea.
— But it sounded good."
Chapter 370 — Strategic Meeting… and Imminent Catastrophe
Brakk crossed his arms, eyeing the three assassins.
— "Alright… first important question."
He pointed at Mister Mind.
— "You. Mister Mind, soul collector, a.k.a. the Puppeteer…
— That's way too stylish. Who gave you those names?"
Mister Mind answered calmly:
— "Father."
Brakk turned to Haya.
— "And you? Haya, the Reaper, a.k.a. the Black Lightning?"
— "Father too."
He turned to the third.
— "And you… Bloodweaver?"
— "Father."
Brakk fell silent.
Then:
— "…wait.
— Don't tell me it's the same Father for all three of you?"
Silence.
Brakk tilted his head.
— "You call him Father…
— but I seriously doubt he's your biological father."
Haya shrugged.
— "Good deduction."
Brakk continued:
— "So he's a mentor? A leader? A founder?
— An old demon?
— Some creepy guy who gives abandoned kids cool nicknames?"
Mister Mind replied without emotion:
— "Sorry, but we have no interest in revealing more."
Brakk sighed.
— "Fine… not that useful anyway.
— What matters to me are your abilities."
Mister Mind:
— "Soul manipulation.
— Psychic.
— Illusions.
— Mental and spiritual puppetry."
Brakk blinked.
— "…all that?"
Mister Mind tilted his head slightly.
— "Look at my name. You'll understand my powers."
Brakk pointed at Haya.
— "So you… black lightning and super speed?"
Haya smiled.
— "Not entirely wrong.
— Add dark magic…
— and arcana."
Brakk inhaled.
— "Alright… it's illegal to be that overpowered."
He turned to Bloodweaver.
— "And you… blood manipulation?"
— "Yes.
— Poison.
— Alchemy.
— Manipulation and inversion of senses."
Brakk stayed silent.
— "…ok."
He rubbed his face.
— "I literally hired a team of final bosses."
---
**Improvised Strategic Meeting**
Brakk paced the room.
— "Alright… let me think."
He raised a finger.
— "Plan number 1:
Mister Mind infiltrates Zahkariel mentally while Haya harasses him with pure speed and Bloodweaver attempts blood corruption."
Silence.
Mister Mind:
— "Impossible."
Haya:
— "He doesn't have 'blood' in the usual sense."
Bloodweaver:
— "And a pact jinn protects his mental core.
— I could invert his perceptions… but not control him."
Brakk sighed.
— "Fine."
He raised a second finger.
— "Plan number 2:
We overload him with contradictory contracts to destabilize his essence. While he tries to stabilize, we strike."
Mister Mind:
— "Theoretically interesting."
Haya:
— "But he *is* literally the principle of breaking commitments."
Bloodweaver:
— "You're trying to put out a fire… with contract fire."
Brakk:
— "Yeah, well, I'm trying."
He raised a third finger.
— "Plan number 3:
We force him to pact with an illusion.
If he accepts, we create a paradox."
Mister Mind thought.
— "Possible…
— but he'd sense the anomaly instantly."
Haya:
— "And if he gets angry, we die."
Bloodweaver:
— "Statistically, this plan kills us all."
Brakk sighed.
— "You're all incredibly motivated."
He paced again.
— "Plan number 4…"
Dramatic silence.
— "We make him panic."
Haya:
— "…"
Mister Mind:
— "…"
Bloodweaver:
— "…"
Brakk:
— "If we attack simultaneously his mind, his perception, and his pact anchor…
— maybe we can trigger instability."
Mister Mind answered slowly:
— "…that…
— could work."
Haya smiled.
— "Finally, an idea not completely stupid."
Bloodweaver nodded.
— "If we synchronize, we can create a breach."
Brakk grinned.
— "See?
— I'm a strategic genius."
And then…
A massive fireball rushed toward them.
Brakk:
— "…I spoke too soon."
Haya smiled.
Without moving.
She raised her scythe.
**SCHRAAAAK**
The fireball split in two, then dissipated as if it had never existed.
The room filled with heat.
They turned.
Four silhouettes stood before them.
Their auras crushed the air itself.
Brakk narrowed his eyes.
— "…well."
He sighed.
— "I suppose this is the moment someone says:
— 'We were looking for you.'"
Silence.
Brakk added:
— "And it's also the moment I wish I'd finished the plan."
Haya smiled.
— "Don't worry.
— Now we improvise."
Mister Mind:
— "As usual."
Bloodweaver:
— "I hate improvising."
Brakk muttered:
— "Me too."
He inhaled.
— "…alright.
— Who wants to bet they're at least rank S?"
Chapter 371 — The Reunion Nobody Ordered
The heat of the dissipated attack still floated in the air.
Then a familiar voice echoed.
— "Ahhh… you managed to cut my attack."
Valor smiled broadly.
— "I didn't expect that. Lya… you were right. They're stronger than the great Valor imagined."
Brakk muttered through his teeth:
— "Of course… had to be them."
Beside him, Haya stared at the newcomers.
Her gaze stopped on Lya.
And her expression changed.
— "…you."
The word was almost a blade.
— "You abandoned Father."
Silence.
— "You were what he cherished most… of all of us."
The atmosphere tightened another notch.
Nova, arms crossed, sighed.
— "Well… we don't really care about your family tantrums."
— "No, let me," Lya answered calmly.
She stepped forward.
— "So you really think what you and Father are doing… is something good?"
Mister Mind answered instantly:
— "Father has never been so disappointed in his life.
— After all he did for us…
— you thanked him like this."
Lya shrugged.
— "Think what you want.
— It no longer concerns me."
Her aura burst free.
The air vibrated.
Even Brakk felt pressure crushing his chest.
— "But if you're looking for trouble…
— you'll find it."
Ryn raised a hand.
— "Lya, stop.
— You grew up together.
— You shouldn't act like this toward them."
Brakk discreetly raised his hand like in class.
— "Strategic little intervention.
— I think this is not the time to fight them."
No one listened.
He kept going anyway:
— "My objective isn't them.
— The hunters don't interest me at all."
He gestured.
— "So… let's retreat."
Haya opened a dark portal behind them.
— "You're lucky we're not here for you."
Mister Mind tilted his cracked mask toward Lya.
— "You…
— and the other…"
His mask almost seemed to smile.
— "You will pay."
Bloodweaver added calmly:
— "For betraying Father.
— And for what you did to him after all he gave you."
Lya smiled.
A calm smile. Almost amused.
— "I'll be waiting.
— We'll see who pays."
Ryn sighed.
— "Seriously… let it go.
— You were friends, weren't you?
— Brothers and sisters even."
Lya answered without hesitation:
— "Not anymore."
Silence.
Then… Valor raised a finger.
— "Alright.
— Your family drama…
— keep it to yourselves."
Everyone looked at him.
Valor continued:
— "Because I came for one thing."
He pointed at Haya.
— "Another test."
Brakk muttered:
— "No… no no no… no test… not today…"
Valor smiled.
— "I launched an attack.
— She cut it.
— So now I want to see how far it goes."
Nova snapped her book shut.
— "Valor…"
— "Yes?"
— "If you start a fight here…
— Liora will kill you."
Valor thought.
— "Hm.
— And Ethan will butt in.
— Hm.
— And the city might explode.
— Hm."
He crossed his arms.
— "…fine.
— We'll postpone."
Brakk let out a sigh of relief so loud it sounded like he'd escaped his own execution.
— "Thank you.
— Really, thank you.
— I hadn't planned a civil war today."
Haya stepped back toward the portal.
— "Next time… we won't talk."
Lya replied:
— "Next time… come prepared."
Mister Mind stared at Lya for a moment longer, as if trying to read something he no longer understood.
Then he turned away.
— "We're leaving."
Bloodweaver entered the portal.
Haya followed.
Mister Mind vanished last.
The portal closed.
Silence.
Brakk looked at the hunters.
Then the sky.
Then the ground.
— "Alright.
— Can someone explain why all the dangerous people on the continent seem to know each other personally?"
Valor answered:
— "It's a small world."
Nova sighed.
— "No.
— It's just that you all had traumatic childhoods."
Ryn murmured:
— "That… is true."
Lya turned away.
And for a second…
Her smile disappeared.