Chapter 362 — Back to the Guild and the Trauma Named Valor
Liora and Ethan kept walking toward the guild.
Ethan walked calmly… then his face changed.
— …wait.
— What? asked Liora.
— Valor is going to kill me.
Liora burst out laughing.
— What do you mean?
— You know Valor… he's going to say I'm a fraud because I didn't finish off Zahkariel.
— Oh yes… today you'll hear "the great Valor" at least fifty times.
Ethan paled.
— I'm going to live a nightmare… he already contests my rank…
Liora placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Sorry.
— No… it's fine… well, not really… but anyway… too late.
— I'll try to calm him down.
— If you succeed, I'll build you a statue.
### Arrival at the guild
They arrived in front of the building.
Ethan stopped.
— …oh no.
— Courage, said Liora. Let's go in.
They entered.
The hunters present immediately stood up.
— Commander!
— Ethan!
They greeted respectfully.
Ethan muttered:
— If only respect could stop Valor from talking…
They climbed the stairs and entered the elite hunters' hall.
Liora announced:
— We're back.
Ryn raised his hand.
— Welcome back, Commander.
Lya turned to Ethan.
— So? How was the day?
Ethan shrugged.
— Honestly… pretty good.
Valor immediately straightened up.
— And the mission?
Ethan answered calmly:
— I was in the middle of smashing the jinn… when Liora intervened and asked me not to eliminate him.
Silence.
Then.
Valor slowly stood.
— …don't tell me… you failed to eliminate the jinn…
He placed a hand on his chest.
— …to the point the commander had to help you…
He raised a finger toward the ceiling.
— Whereas the great Valor slaughtered Agniryos, incarnation of primordial flames, until he wanted to commit suicide.
Shadow sighed:
— Oh no… he's about to start "whippin."
Valen calmly raised his hand.
— For the record… I was the one who eliminated Agniryos.
Valor turned his head.
— You just stole the victory at the last moment from the great Valor.
— …
— But the great Valor is so merciful he doesn't hold it against you.
Arelis burst out laughing.
— Being that deep in denial isn't human.
You refused to finish him off because you wanted to flex.
Valor ran a hand through his hair.
— The great Valor can't help it… he radiates natural charm.
Liora rolled her eyes.
— See… exactly what I said…
"Great Valor" here, "Great Valor" there…
Ethan sighed.
— And he mixed everything up… he doesn't want to understand…
Liora added:
— And honestly… I think you would've struggled more than Ethan.
The whole room went: Ooooooh
— Ethan was the perfect counter to the jinn.
Annabelle stood up.
— And he didn't eliminate it?!
No. Refusal. I refuse to accept this.
Marie looked at her.
— You talk like that to the commander now?
Elyon crossed his arms.
— Mom… clearly you're not respected in this guild.
Arthur looked at Béatrice.
— Look at them… still bickering.
Béatrice sighed.
— Normal… they're single… they've got nothing else to do.
Naël exploded.
— YOU TWO ARE EXHAUSTING US!
We get it, we're single, no need to remind us every three minutes!
Béatrice patted Arthur's shoulder.
— Don't listen to him, darling… he's just salty.
Naël threw his hands to the sky.
— I can't take it anymore… I'll end up dating my dignity just to have peace.
Nova slowly closed his book.
— Why can't you let me read in peace…
You're always bickering…
Lya answered without looking at him:
— Nobody asked you. Just keep reading your book.
Nova reopened his book.
— …one day I'll go live in a library.
Valen murmured to Zarion:
— He says that but he'll come back if there's a fight.
Zarion nodded.
— He'll come with his book.
### Meanwhile
Valor stared at Ethan.
— So… you didn't eliminate the jinn.
Ethan crossed his arms.
— I almost did.
— The great Valor wouldn't have hesitated.
— The great Valor would've talked for ten minutes and the jinn would've left out of boredom.
The whole room burst out laughing.
Shadow slammed the table.
— That one's certified!
Valor placed his hand on his chest.
— The great Valor speaks because his words carry weight.
Ethan replied:
— Yeah… mostly sound weight.
Liora raised her hand.
— ENOUGH.
Immediate silence.
— Mission accomplished. Nobody died.
That's already very good.
She looked around the room.
— And if anyone says "great Valor" more than three times in the same sentence…
She smiled.
— …I'll assign them to administrative duty.
A shiver ran through the room.
Valor whispered:
— …the gre—
…Valor… will be quiet.
Chapter 363 — Plans within Plans (and Oversized Egos)
Brakk sat alone in a dark room, slumped on a couch far too expensive for someone meant to be discreet.
He stared at the ceiling.
— …what a shitty day.
He sighed deeply.
— Not only did I not get what I wanted…
but now how am I supposed to absorb this jinn…
He placed a hand over his face.
— Normally Ethan should've put him in a critical state…
just enough for me to absorb him without resistance…
He clenched his teeth.
— But if I absorb him like this… my consciousness might be crushed by his.
Silence.
— Great.
I want to get stronger and I end up as a mental roommate with a cosmic demon.
Another sigh.
— Damn commander… because of her my plan fell apart…
He slowly sat up.
— Now I need to find a plan that lets me absorb the jinn… without losing my mind…
He crossed his arms.
— …so a plan that works… that's discreet… that's fast…
and doesn't end with me turned into furniture.
He thought.
Thought again.
Thought some more.
— …fine.
I'll think about it later.
He slumped back down.
— For now I'll play along.
A slow smile spread across his face.
— But if I get the jinn's powers…
His eyes gleamed.
— Llan… Aeris… Nyra… Vareth…
He chuckled.
— Believe me… I'll deal with you.
Then he stopped.
— …first I need to survive Ethan.
No skipping steps.
---
### Meanwhile — somewhere beyond the normal rules of space
Zahkariel observed the world from his fractured dimension.
He smiled.
— That little one is so cunning… even I have to be careful.
He crossed his arms, floating in a space made of shattered pacts.
— I thought he had no plan…
but he had everything arranged to let me defeat Ethan…
He narrowed his eyes.
— A double‑edged blade.
He tapped his chin.
— If I'm not careful in how I manipulate him…
I could end up hurting myself.
He burst out laughing.
— That would be embarrassing…
a millennia‑old spirit manipulated by a human with too much ambition and not enough wisdom.
A dangerous smile appeared.
— My perfect host…
He closed his hand.
— I'll make sure you're profitable… and useful.
Silence.
Then he added:
— …and if I can possess you along the way… bonus.
---
### Back with Brakk
Brakk stood and paced the room.
— Okay… let's go over this.
He raised one finger.
— Option 1: weaken Zahkariel myself.
He thought.
— Bad idea.
I saw what he did to Ethan… and Ethan is a living anomaly.
He raised a second finger.
— Option 2: push him into a disadvantageous pact.
He raised a brow.
— Possible… but I'd have to be smarter than a jinn older than several eras.
He raised a third finger.
— Option 3: make him fight someone even more dangerous.
He stopped.
— …no.
He shook his head.
— Because if that someone wins, I get nothing.
And if the jinn wins, I die.
He sighed.
— I love plans where I'm doomed in every scenario.
He sat back down.
— So… conclusion:
He looked up.
— I'll have to play the long game.
A cold smile appeared.
— Gain his trust…
make him dependent…
push him to anchor himself deeper into this world…
His eyes gleamed.
— …and devour him when he lets his guard down.
He clapped his hands.
— There.
Simple plan.
Manipulation, betrayal, absorption.
He thought.
— …sounds like me.
---
### Meanwhile — Zahkariel
Zahkariel laughed to himself.
— He thinks he's going to manipulate me…
He tilted his head.
— How cute.
A fragment of an ancient promise burned around him.
— Humans always have this illusion…
that they can control what they covet.
His smile widened.
— Perfect.
He spread his arms.
— Keep believing that, Brakk.
His voice grew darker.
— The more confident you are…
— …the sweeter your fall will be.
---
### Narrator
And so…
One prepared a plan to absorb a jinn.
The other prepared a plan to possess a human.
And somewhere…
Ethan was probably eating.
Because him…
— …he deals with conspiracies after lunch.
Chapter 364 — The Puppeteers and the Happy Idiots
### Hunters' Guild — Elite Hall
Nova was still reading.
No one knew for how long.
Maybe hours.
Maybe chapters.
Maybe since the Stone Age.
He turned a page.
— …interesting.
Naël looked at him.
— Brother… what have you been reading for three arcs?
Nova, without lifting his eyes:
— A treatise on unstable dimensional structures.
Silence.
Arthur:
— So… a book to put you to sleep?
Nova:
— No.
A book to understand why you're all alive by sheer miracle.
Lya burst out laughing.
— That's savage 🤣
Ethan sat with arms crossed.
— I'm telling you… that jinn is coming back.
Valor sniffed.
— Of course he's coming back.
He realized he stood no chance against the great Valor.
Ethan slowly raised his head.
— You… I'm going to end up hitting you just for world peace.
Liora sighed.
— Not in the guild.
Ethan:
— Outside then?
Liora:
— Not in the city.
Ethan:
— And in an uninhabited desert?
Liora thought.
— …I'll answer after the report.
---
### Meanwhile…
Shadow stared at the ceiling.
— I don't know why… but I feel like something's brewing.
Valen nodded.
— Same.
Zarion frowned slightly.
— Something's moving.
Arelis:
— Well… as long as it's not here, I'm fine.
The narrator coughed.
— Spoiler: it's here.
---
### Meanwhile — Brakk
Brakk walked down an empty corridor.
His footsteps echoed.
— Okay… I need to play this carefully.
He stopped.
— Too carefully, even.
A voice appeared behind him, calm, almost amused.
— You think a lot for someone who's panicking.
Brakk sighed.
— Could you stop appearing like that?
Zahkariel, half‑visible, floated behind him.
— No.
— I like it.
— It adds drama.
Brakk crossed his arms.
— What do you want.
The jinn tilted his head.
— Nothing.
— Just to talk.
Brakk:
— Jinns never talk "just."
Zahkariel smiled.
— Good.
You're learning.
---
### Mind Game
Zahkariel slowly circled him.
— You want my power.
Brakk didn't answer.
— You want to absorb my essence.
Still silence.
— You want to surpass Llan… and all the others.
Brakk clenched his jaw slightly.
— Keep going.
Zahkariel chuckled.
— You know… I could give you part of my power.
Brakk raised a brow.
— For free?
Zahkariel burst out laughing.
— Don't insult me.
— Nothing is free.
— But… an exchange is different.
Brakk:
— What exchange.
The jinn stepped closer.
— A pact.
Silence.
Brakk thought:
Of course.
The guy is literally the concept of broken pacts.
Signing with him is like asking a shark to guard your leg.
Zahkariel continued:
— I give you a portion of my power.
— Not enough to threaten me.
— Enough to make you superior to the others.
He smiled.
— And in exchange…
Brakk:
— Yes?
— You guarantee me something.
Brakk stared at the jinn.
— What.
Zahkariel whispered:
— That when the time comes…
you won't oppose me.
Heavy silence.
Brakk's mind raced.
So he wants future access.
A precise moment.
An opening.
He's preparing something.
Brakk smiled.
— You know… I don't like pacts.
Zahkariel:
— Neither do I.
— That's why I break them.
---
### Meanwhile — Guild
Ethan sneezed.
— I swear someone's talking about me.
Valor:
— Normal.
Everyone talks about the best.
Ethan:
— I wasn't talking about you.
Nova suddenly lifted his eyes from his book.
— …
Lya:
— What?
Nova:
— There's a disturbance.
Valen:
— Where?
Nova:
— Not here.
He closed the book.
— But it concerns us.
Zarion murmured:
— …it begins.
---
### Back to Brakk
Brakk looked Zahkariel straight in the eyes.
— I refuse.
The jinn smiled.
— Good.
— If you had accepted too quickly, I'd know you were an idiot.
Brakk:
— Maybe I am.
— But not suicidal.
Zahkariel laughed.
— Perfect.
He began to fade.
— We'll talk again.
— When you're more desperate.
Brakk watched him leave.
Then murmured:
— Or when you are.
---
### Narrator
Two manipulators.
Two predators.
Two opposing plans.
And in the middle…
A group of powerful idiots who don't yet know…
…that they're about to be involved.
Chapter 365 — When Snakes Ask Other Snakes for Help
Brakk sat in the darkness, slumped in a luxurious armchair that probably cost more than a small kingdom.
He stared at the ceiling.
For a long time.
A very long time.
— …I'll show him… he finally murmured.
A slow smile spread across his face.
— I'll show Zahkariel how it's done.
He crossed his arms.
— He thinks he's clever… thinks he's superior… thinks I'm just an ambitious human willing to crawl for power…
He leaned forward slightly.
— I'll find a way to weaken him… and I'll seize his powers.
Silence.
Then…
He placed a hand on his chin.
And began to think.
Very seriously.
He imagined a plan.
Then a second.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
Then a fifth involving dimensional poison, three ritual sacrifices, and a goat that hadn't asked for anything.
He stopped.
— …no.
He shook his head.
— Too complicated.
He sighed.
— Damn jinn…
He stood and began pacing the room.
— He knows perfectly well it'll be hard for me to find a way to weaken him.
He clenched his teeth.
— He wanted to disrespect me…
He froze.
— He thought I'd be blinded by the chance to gain power easily…
He stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then chuckled.
— He wanted to humiliate me.
He placed his hand over his face.
Then ran his fingers back through his hair, revealing a thoroughly detestable smile. The kind of smile that made reasonable people want to change continents.
— He'll see.
He snapped his fingers.
— I have a plan.
Dramatic silence.
He raised one finger.
— I'll ask for help…
He raised a second finger.
— …from the assassins' guild.
His smile widened.
— The Guild of Malfrin.
He walked slowly toward the window, gazing down at the city.
— A guild capable of rivaling the four great guilds of the world…
He tilted his head.
— A guild specialized in impossible contracts…
He shrugged.
— And in guaranteed betrayals.
He thought.
— …actually they're a lot like me.
He nodded.
— Yes. We'll get along just fine.
He stretched.
— Zahkariel… you'll see what happens when someone else plays dirty.
He let out a short laugh.
— You tried to humiliate me…
His gaze turned cold.
— I'll show you what professional humiliation looks like.
---
### Meanwhile — Zahkariel's fractured dimension
Zahkariel floated in a space made of fragments of ancient pacts.
Burned promises drifted around him like conscious ashes.
He watched Brakk through a dimensional fissure, like someone enjoying a particularly entertaining show.
He smiled.
— Brakk…
He tilted his head.
— It will always amuse me to watch you squirm in my hand.
He slowly closed his fist, as if crushing an invisible prey.
Then burst out laughing.
— HAHAHAHA…
A fragment of a broken oath ignited beside him.
— Ambitious humans are my favorite…
He crossed his arms.
— They always think they control the game…
He watched Brakk pacing the room.
— When they're already pieces on the board.
He narrowed his eyes.
— Well, well…
His smile widened.
— The Guild of Malfrin?
He chuckled.
— Interesting.
He reclined into the void as if settling into an invisible armchair.
— He's calling assassins to weaken a millennia‑old jinn…
He raised one finger.
— Either he's incredibly intelligent…
He raised a second finger.
— Or incredibly suicidal.
He thought for a moment.
— Probably both.
---
### Back with Brakk
Brakk was already rummaging through an old metal box sealed with several confidentiality runes… and a label that clearly read:
**"Open only in case of extremely stupid idea."**
He opened it.
— Well… let's see…
He pulled out several scrolls.
— Debt contracts…
— Political favors…
— Blackmail letters…
— Ah.
He smiled.
— Personal invitation.
He examined the black seal engraved with a stylized blade wrapped in chains.
— It's been a long time…
He blew off the dust.
— Last time I contacted these guys, I almost lost a kidney.
He thought.
— Well… technically I have two…
He shrugged.
— Strategic investment.
He sat back down.
— The Malfrin love impossible missions.
He tapped the scroll.
— And weakening a pact‑bound jinn…
He clenched his teeth with excitement.
— That's clearly impossible.
His smile returned.
— So they'll love it.
---
### Zahkariel's dimension
The jinn still watched.
— Call them…
He whispered.
— Call as many snakes as you want, Brakk…
Bright fissures spread across his space.
— I love watching predators fight each other.
His gaze darkened.
— And when they're exhausted…
His voice grew deeper.
— …I'll devour the survivor.
---
### Narrator
And so…
Brakk prepared a plan to weaken a millennia‑old jinn… by hiring a guild known for assassinating its own clients when they pay late.
Zahkariel prepared a plan to possess a human… while letting him believe he was in control.
And somewhere…
At the hunters' guild…
Ethan was probably eating something.
Way too much something.
Because him…
He doesn't plan conspiracies.
He punches them.
After dessert.