Even with his will as firm as steel, Ebner couldn't help but feel his mind waver as he looked at the three demonesses encircling him—each with a figure and beauty that could topple cities in her own way.
After all, Demonesses—especially those who were in, or had once experienced, the stage of "Pleasure"—possessed a seductive power over men that went far beyond ordinary supernatural effects. Every subtle movement, every glance, carried an irresistible allure. Any man who got close would sink gradually into infatuation, like one moving from mild intoxication to a deadly addiction, until he became utterly enslaved by the ecstasy a Demoness could bestow. It was something no ordinary man could resist.
Whoever's controlling these three projections doesn't seem to understand how to truly tempt a man... stripping them so bluntly only ruins most of the mystery.
As Ebner muttered this to himself to divert his focus, he suddenly noticed that as his suppressed desire began to surface, the space around him grew thick and viscous, as if trying to imprison him where he stood.
At once, golden scales spread across his skin, and with the power of the "Dragon," he tore himself free from the restraint in an instant, leaping out of the encirclement of the three demonesses.
Since his desire wasn't that strong to begin with, the sealing effect was limited.
"Impossible!" Katarina's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. She could no longer maintain her calm, blurting out, "How can you have so little desire leaking out? That's not right…"
But before she could finish her words, her body trembled violently, as if struck by some sudden backlash.
Desire? So she was trying to stir up my emotions from the start? First creating an oppressive atmosphere to incite fear... and when that failed, switching tactics to provoke lust...
So emotion is the trigger condition for this Sealed Artifact's power? Hmm… judging by how she just reacted, it attacks anyone whose emotions fluctuate—meaning it doesn't distinguish between friend and foe!
Also, though this "Katarina" looks identical to the one in Owen's memories, it doesn't make sense for a Demoness to first try provoking fear rather than lust...
Maybe she isn't the real "Saintess of White" after all!
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ebner saw Katarina quickly regain her composure. Apparently wary of a sudden attack from Owen, she blinked several times in quick succession, creating distance between them. Meanwhile, the three demoness projections once again closed in around him.
This space isn't that large. What good is it for her to pull back a few meters? With Owen's physique, he could cross that gap in one leap.
And those demoness projections... they can use "Pleasure" and "Charm," but they're not actually attacking...
Why? Unless, within the space created by this Sealed Artifact, no one is allowed to initiate an attack. Anyone who violates the rule might suffer punishment?
So "Katarina" is pretending to retreat out of fear, when in reality she's trying to lure me into attacking her?
Interesting... I was wrong earlier—this space isn't from the "Fool" pathway.
It has its own rules, its own hidden space, and it monitors emotion and psyche... That's more like a fusion of the "Arbiter" pathway and others!
As for the demoness projections and the attempt to control my spirit threads—that must be the work of the real person behind all this.
Still, this Sealed Artifact is impressive. It even blocked off the entrance to Alvin's Quiz Labyrinth. Otherwise, my main body could've simply opened the Pure White Eye and released Yaloran's avatar—no need for all this guesswork.
Fortunately, I brought another item for protection. Otherwise, I'd have to pray to Mr. Fool for help.
With that thought, Ebner ignored the approaching projections and took a card from his pocket.
Once the "seal" was lifted, a pair of fleshy wings, resembling those of a bat, appeared in Owen's hands.
These were the wings Yaloran had torn off the former "Bloody Archduke," Ayr von Nois, during the chaotic battle outside Bayam. They retained a permanent "mythical creature" trait and carried the authority he once wielded as an angel—to manipulate others' bodily fluids.
Ebner took a deep breath, using his powers to soothe himself while channeling spirituality into the wings.
If a demigod of another pathway tried to use them, they would likely lose control immediately, as if staring into a mythical being. But as a demigod of the "Spectator" pathway, Ebner could rely on layered psychological cues to neutralize that danger.
Of course, just like "Dragonization," the time of use must not exceed a certain limit. Otherwise, even with mental or spiritual treatment, the madness and chaos would corrode the user until complete loss of control.
The moment Ebner activated the wings, "Katarina" and the three demoness projections flushed crimson. Their bodies trembled, and they collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.
A flood of hormones surged within them, driving them to indescribable peaks of sensation. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed through their minds—culminating in a total loss of restraint.
Instantly, the air around Katarina grew visibly viscous and began to collapse inward, compressing her no matter how she struggled.
It was like watching a glass vessel being crushed in a hydraulic press—ready to shatter at any second.
As for the three demoness projections, they had already vanished without a trace.
Just as Katarina was about to be crushed into fragments, her figure abruptly appeared on the far side of the space—leaving behind only a paper effigy where she had stood.
A paper substitute? Of course... This "Katarina" was either a disguise or a marionette controlled by the mastermind!
And judging from the habits of that "Craftsman Trio," it's most likely the latter, unless we're dealing with exceptions like Master Luo or Master Tan.
Even as he mocked the situation inwardly, Ebner didn't intend to let her escape. He continued to manipulate Katarina's bodily fluids, causing her to lose consciousness again for a few seconds—long enough for the sticky barrier to close in and crush her once more.
Seeing that she couldn't break free—and that using another substitute would only mean being destroyed again by her own Sealed Artifact—Katarina looked deeply at Ebner, then slowly closed her eyes.
The next moment, Ebner's vision blurred, and he found himself back in the carriage parked in the alley. Across from him sat a beautiful woman with her eyes closed.
But she was already lifeless.
As expected, a marionette. The real mastermind must have withdrawn the Sealed Artifact and abandoned the puppet to escape.
As that deduction formed, Ebner examined the corpse carefully and suddenly murmured,
"So it was Tracy's mother…"
Because Owen had once been intimately acquainted with her, Ebner recognized her at a glance.
Tracy's mother must have somehow fallen into the hands of that hidden enemy and been turned into a marionette. That's how the 'Bizarro Sorcerer,' or perhaps a 'Scholar of Yore,' learned of the feud between Katarina and Owen...
Then the mastermind set up this trap, hoping to kill Owen for some greater purpose.
Too bad for them—Owen had already been replaced!
No wonder they tried to provoke my 'fear' first... and why their demoness projections were so clumsy at seduction...
It all makes sense now.
And using demonesses throughout the setup—clearly meant to shift suspicion toward the real Katarina and hide their own identity.
They're counting on most Beyonders not understanding the abilities of the Craftsman Trio, huh?
Too bad for them... I know the "Fool" too well. My understanding of this pathway probably ranks just below the Ancient Sun God himself!
After reasoning everything through, Ebner roughly deduced the enemy's Sequence and methods. He then summoned his main body. Taking back the wings and gently lifting the corpse on the seat, the main body drew out a monocle and placed it over her left eye.
…
Daphne Priestley, vice president of the secretive organization Secret Order, was the most powerful member apart from their missing leader, Zaratul, a Sequence 3 "Scholar of Yore."
But at this moment, Daphne looked rather disheveled. The effects of those wings had been too terrifying; even thinking of the sensations they caused made her legs go weak.
Those wings... they're definitely an angel-level artifact! That level of lust—utterly perverse! she cursed silently as she slipped through the gaps of history, relieved that she had withdrawn in time.
Several minutes later, she emerged from "history," took a long detour, and carefully used a Sealed Artifact to erase all traces of herself before quietly returning to the rented house in the southwest district of Trier.
Of course, she didn't forget to alter her appearance, height, and aura—taking on the guise of a female parliamentarian she had used as a long-term disguise.
Once inside, Daphne finally let out a long breath. She changed out of her clothes and was just about to wash up when that familiar sensation struck again. Her body trembled violently, and she collapsed on the spot.
In her blurring vision, a figure had appeared on the chair across the room—female, alluringly curvaceous, young and beautiful, wearing a slightly ill-fitting blue dress.
Except for the monocle on her left eye and the dress she wore, she was identical to the marionette Daphne had just lost—the Demoness of Affliction, Rena.
As Daphne stared at her in utter shock, Ebner, who had found her through "Decryption" and "Retracement," canceled his invisibility and stepped out from the side. Mimicking the tone of a certain divine child, he smiled and said,
"Don't throw away your marionettes so carelessly—they can be tracked."
(End of Chapter)