The Exalted Grand Merchant of Stories, Stefan Telmore, cast a gaze toward Yuta—a look that felt more like a cold, transactional assessment between peers than the deference of a subordinate to a superior. Yuta returned the look with equal detachment.
Gesturing toward a door that had materialized out of thin air, Stefan spoke:
"Exalted Grand Architect Yuto, the Gem of Awakening, the Gem of Evolution, and the Sword of Aclobis are easily acquired; they are already in my inventory."
"However, the Nafaretas Fruit—found only in a Challenge Realm—and four vials of Narrative Chaos from the River of Narrative Chaos are extremely difficult to obtain. Do you even know where they are? They lie within the Ten Forbidden Zones of the Sovereign's Path."
"As for the 'Narrative Time' training scroll and the 'Origin Dao' training scroll—those are impossible to procure. There is only one copy of each, and it took me six full eras to secure them. Do you understand? Six full eras—not just some incalculable number of 'tilliars' or 'szilliars' of years, which would be beyond the grasp of any entity with limited mental capacity."
"Why, then, should I hand them over to you, Exalted Grand Architect Yuto? At times, even rank holds no sway; after all, I exist at the same absolute power level as the Exalted Grand Sovereigns themselves."
Yuta let out a deep sigh as his hair shifted to black—a sign that BO 00 01 was taking control of the situation. His attire transformed into a light-white shirt and trousers, with a scarf covering his mouth. Seeing this, the Exalted Grand Merchant of Stories, Stefan Telmore, swallowed hard. He spoke, his voice laced with shock, as he gazed toward BO 00 01—who returned his stare with a cold, emotionless expression, the very presence of Death permeating the surroundings:
"So, it is you—the Master of the Death Path, BO 00 01! You transformed your path into an Existential-Path Demonic Gem, nurtured it, and even allowed your Path Guardian—or perhaps your subordinate—to defect to the Sovereign Path. Truly impressive. But tell me, what does Death want from me?"
BO 00 01 did not utter a single word. He simply held his gaze for several long seconds—a silence so intense that the heart of the Great Venerable 'Story Merchant' Stefan Telmore plummeted, gripped by sheer terror.
Then, BO 00 01 spoke, his voice chillingly cold and heavy with the essence of Death. Every syllable radiated a terrifying, lethal power—so overwhelming that even for a being who had lived through eight full eras—witnessing the 'War of the Paths' eight times over, with a ninth now looming on the horizon—it was truly harrowing.
"Great Venerable 'Story Merchant' Stefan Telmore, you are well aware that the original *Dao Manuscript* and the *Chronicle of Narrative Time* belong, by right, to the Master of the Sovereign Path—the Great Venerable 'Architect' Yuto. As for your claim that you have been searching for them for six eras—spare me the hypocrisy. If what you say were true, how did Sky Forest—who possesses the *Dao Manuscript* fragment—and Ricardo—who holds the *Chronicle of Narrative Time* fragment—come to cultivate those powers?"
"I care not how they fell into your hands, Great Venerable 'Story Merchant' Stefan Telmore. You would do well to return them—immediately. This is nothing personal; it is, after all, merely business—and you know that as well as anyone." "It would be best for you to accept what we have sold you; it is not a request. Furthermore, if you imagine yourself to be on the same level as the members of the Ruler's Path Empire, you are dreaming—and your dreams are trivial, destined only to lead to your death."
The Venerable Great Story-Merchant, Stefan Telmore, did not utter a single word, even though he knew the Master of the Death Path was right. Yet, parting with two such treasures was difficult. While he had no personal use for them—as they were intended for a Master of the Origin Dao Wing and a Master of the Narrative Time Wing—they would have been immensely valuable to him in the future, potentially fetching a high price in Fantasy World Demon Gems.
Nevertheless, he found himself compelled to hand them over. He produced two discs: one bearing the symbol of the Narrative Time Wing, and the other, the symbol of the Origin Dao Wing.
Yuta regained control, a faint smile playing on his lips. His hair reverted to white, his eyes returned to a crimson hue, and his attire shifted back to its original form. He stowed the discs away into his own personal dimensional space, all the while fixing his gaze upon the Venerable Great Story-Merchant, Stefan Telmore, who was gritting his teeth in clear annoyance. Yet, there was nothing he could do; he was well aware of the consequences that would follow any attempt to harm or oppose Yuta.
Without another word, Stefan rose and headed toward the door—the entrance to the storeroom—to retrieve the remaining resources Yuta had demanded, all the while ignoring Yuta's gaze, which was filled with undisguised mockery. Yuta mused to himself, his tone laced with mockery:
"The 'Venerable, Illustrious, and Great Merchant of Tales,' Stefan Telmore—the time has come for retribution for the many times you robbed me in my past life. You pilfered resources meant for the palace treasury and kept them for your own enjoyment; isn't it high time you returned what you took?"
Yuta spoke in a cold, detached tone as he fixed his gaze upon the man—leaving the 'Venerable, Illustrious, and Great Merchant of Tales,' Stefan Telmore, staring back in a state of shock and suppressed, indescribable fury:
"I want the remaining scrolls concerning the 'Concept of Assassination,' the 'Sacred Scribe,' and 'Narrative Chaos'—along with all the other scrolls you've held back, Stefan Telmore."
"Do you think I'm unaware that you intercepted scrolls intended for the two descendants, as well as a fragment of the 'Concept of Assassination'? Listen closely: if you don't bring me what is rightfully mine within half an hour, I swear I will show you my true power... You're well aware that I can return to my original body whenever I choose, and you know exactly what my true power entails—don't you?"
Stefan Telmore's expression twisted into rage as he gripped the doorknob, his eyes locked onto Yuta—who sat there, sipping his tea with a faint, knowing smile.
Suddenly, a system interface materialized before Stefan Telmore. He was consumed by a desperate urge to kill Yuta at any cost—for Yuta was now demanding the return of items that were, in every sense, beyond rare. [The esteemed and illustrious Stefan Telmor, great purveyor of tales—it has come to light that you are in possession of items linked to the Imperial Palace of the Ruler's Path. You would do well to return them within half an hour; otherwise, the Imperial Army shall be upon you.]
[And do not be surprised if the Venerable 'Heavenly Pool' Izlabith—along with the Venerable 'Lotus Blossom' Jihau Yuxuan and the Venerable 'Patch' Ping Tao Xin—decides to kill you. You have been warned, O Venerable 'Great Story-Merchant' Stefan Telmore.]
The eyes of the Venerable 'Great Story-Merchant' Stefan Telmore narrowed as he listened to Hyun's words, which left no room for argument. Furthermore, the presence of one of the 'Heavenly Pool' Izlabith's subordinates, alongside two of the 'Four Rulers,' posed a grave danger to him.
Attempting to maintain a composed demeanor, he spoke as he opened the door:
"As you wish, O Emperor, Great Creator, and Master of the Ruler Path, Yuto. I shall retrieve everything belonging to the Imperial family, as well as the possessions of the families who hold the twelve Sacred Trees of Existence."
A look of astonishment crossed Yuto's face as he heard the words of the Venerable 'Great Story-Merchant' Stefan Telmore; he had not expected him to return what he had stolen.
In his previous life, Stefan had been a master thief—a high-caliber one at that—who had pilfered numerous vital treasures that Yuto would later require. This had caused Yuto significant, complex problems during the 'War of the Paths' that he had once led.
Because his two descendants had failed to develop properly, 'Gauther'—a fragment of the concept of Assassination—had perished during that past War of the Paths. Moreover, Yuto's own flawed understanding of his 'Wing' had led to adverse side effects whenever he attempted to wield it—a consequence of the events that had unfolded both before and after that time. Thirty minutes passed. The Venerable Great Story-Merchant, Stefan Telmore, returned from a private storage unit in the Market of Mysteries, carrying an elegantly shaped pouch. With a faint smile—tinged with both rage and resentment—he tossed it toward Yuta.
He then turned his gaze toward the system screens, a subtle smile playing on his lips—a smile reflecting the joy of victory and the satisfaction of exacting revenge upon the very person who had caused him to suffer for over 70,000 years in his previous life. This suffering stemmed from Yuta's seizure of elements that were essential to the continued existence of the "Ruler's Path" empire.
In his past life, Stefan Telmore had met his end at the hands of the Venerable Great Outcast Messenger, Astratus, during the War of the Paths. This was an act of vengeance for the death of Gother—one of the "sub-concepts" of the Ruler's Path. Gother had been on the verge of total destruction; his physical body had been obliterated, leaving behind only his true form—a mere fragment. Had he perished, the Ruler's Path would have descended into chaos, as one of its core concepts would have ceased to exist.
[Training Manuscript for the Sacred Scribe Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Supreme Observer Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Cosmic Arbiter Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Master of Classifications Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Order and Balance Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Origin Dao Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Master of Trials Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Narrative Chaos Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Assassination Concept Wing: Recovered.]
[Training Manuscript for the Mist of Mysteries Wing: Recovered.] The Narrative Time Wing training manuscript has been recovered.
The Absolute Fantasy Wing training manuscript has been recovered.
The Absolute Protector Wing training blueprint has been recovered.
[34× Fantasy World Demon Gem recovered.
Empress Xiao Yi's Robe recovered.
The Forgotten Library Seal of the Kentai Kingdom recovered.
A book of unknown origin recovered.
Chronicles of the First 45 Path Wars.
45× Materials of unknown origin.]
He immediately placed the bag into his personal system storage to prevent any further theft attempts by the "Great Venerable Story Merchant" Stefan Telmore—who was struggling mightily to conceal his simmering rage and frustration.
Yuta took a deep breath, fixed his gaze upon him for several seconds, and spoke in a tone laced with an unmistakable threat:
"Great Venerable Story Merchant Stefan Telmore—from this day forward, you shall be the prime suspect whenever any item goes missing. Rest assured, the 'Great Venerable Outcast Messenger' Astratos will not be so merciful next time; he will come to sever your head when..."
"For now, try to maintain the familial bond you share with Madeline and Chloe—before they are eventually reclaimed. Do you think I'm unaware that you manipulate the concepts of 'good' and 'evil' to serve your own ends? As I said: if any harm befalls them because of your selfishness, know that I will tear you limb from limb. Do I make myself clear, Great Venerable Story Merchant Stefan Telmore?" The venerable and esteemed "Merchant of Stories," Stefan Telmore, let out a harsh sigh as he gazed toward Yuta with bloodshot eyes. He spoke in a tone laced with an indescribable fury—at which point Yuta vanished for a split second.
Yuta reappeared in his original body, unleashing his full power, leaving the venerable Stefan Telmore utterly stunned. How could he possess such strength while only at the fourth level of the Wing realm?
Choosing to remain silent and pretend nothing had happened—for there are times when one must demonstrate who is truly in charge—Yuta instantly shifted back to his current form, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
Without a word, Yuta stood up and walked away. Stefan Telmore, left bewildered for several moments, followed him in complete silence.
Elsewhere, Gia, Madeleine, and Chloe were wandering through the Market of Mysteries—a place resembling a garden, yet of extraordinary beauty.
Gia, however, felt unsettled by her surroundings. A sharp, fleeting pain pierced her heart, lingering for a few seconds before vanishing, which only deepened her bewilderment.
Turning to the two girls, she asked—her voice calm, yet tinged with a hint of confusion as to why she was even posing the question:
"Do you have feelings for Mr. Stefan Telmore, the head of the Market of Mysteries, or would you prefer to come with us to the Casiral family estate?" The two girls stared at her for several minutes without saying a word. Growing suspicious, Jiya noticed something in their hair—it looked like a hair clip, but it appeared rather peculiar, so she reached out and removed it.
Then, she repeated her question, her tone carrying a firmness she hadn't even realized she was capable of:
"Would you like to come with us, Lady Madeleine and Chloe? I mean it. After all, you know who I am. It is better to tell the truth now than to hide it and end up regretting it bitterly later."
Chloe and Madeleine remained silent for several seconds. Then, Madeleine spoke, resting her head against Jia's chest—a gesture Chloe mirrored.
"We do not want to stay in this place. We loathe being here. We are merely tools for his objectives. Please, Honorable Great Creator Yuto, help us. Life here is a living hell. He has used us repeatedly to serve his own interests, and he even sought to turn us into sexual objects—but we have always resisted him."
Jia did not utter a word; she had been bewildered ever since arriving in this place. Everything around her left her confused and disoriented. She cast her gaze toward Yuto, whose facial features remained obscured, while the face of the Honorable Great Story-Merchant, Stefan Telmore, appeared entirely pitch-black.
Yuto stood surrounded by an overwhelming, chilling, dark-red aura, his eyes as black as the abyss itself as he fixed his gaze upon Stefan Telmore.
In an instant, a portion of the Honorable Great Story-Merchant Stefan Telmore's body vanished, dissolving into golden mist—a clear sign of his demise.
Jia watched in shock as a beautiful woman—the Honorable Heavenly Blessing, Islabeth—extended her hand toward him, a faint smile gracing her lips. Speaking in a calm tone while looking toward both Yuta and Jiya, she said:
"It seems the market of mysteries has come to an end. After all, the esteemed Stefan Telmore—the great 'Merchant of Stories'—was a traitorous rebel against the 'Ruler's Path' Empire, having seized property belonging to the Imperial family. There is no compelling reason for me not to kill him, is there, esteemed Yuto of the 'Path of Creation'?"
Yuta remained silent; he was stunned by the sheer power of the esteemed Islabeth of the 'Path of Heavenly Blessings.' It made him realize that whoever killed her in his previous life must have been incredibly powerful—or perhaps a complex scheme had been orchestrated to make her defeat possible.
Moreover, he had never expected her to possess such terrifying strength; even in his past life, he had rarely seen her unleash her power.
Turning her gaze toward 'Good' (Chloe) and 'Bad' (Madeline), she opened her arms, a warm smile gracing her face:
"'Good' and 'Bad'—come here and give Auntie Normana a hug!"
Their expressions shifted to sheer delight as they looked at her, and they hurried straight toward her—leaving Jiya standing there, stunned and unable to process what was unfolding around her.
Yet, as the colorless—and simultaneously colored—fog began to dissipate, Jiya gradually started to grasp the situation, realizing that the mist itself had been exerting an influence over her. She turned her gaze toward the Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith—as well as Yuta, Madeline, and Chloe—trying to make sense of the situation and the connections that bound them all together.
"Greetings, Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith. I am Gia Guilford; it is an honor to meet you."
Gia's tone was calm as she introduced herself.
The Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith offered a gentle smile, patting Gia's hair as she spoke:
"I have been waiting eagerly to meet you, my dear Gia. You possess great strength, yet at the same time, you are incredibly vulnerable. Even so, you must cultivate both yourself and your power—learning to defeat those stronger than you through the sheer force of your intellect."
Gia said nothing, yet she felt such a profound sense of familiarity toward the Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith that she was not at all bothered by the patting of her hair. On the contrary, she felt such overwhelming joy that, quite instinctively, she pressed the Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith's hand against her own cheek.
Islabith laughed as she watched her, then turned her gaze toward Yuta and spoke in a calm, measured tone:
"Most Venerable Great-Creator Yuto, would you be willing to take charge of both 'Kind Word' and 'Harsh Word' for the next three years?"
"Certainly, Most Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith—I would be more than happy to do so. After all, 'Harsh Word,' 'Kind Word,' and I share a very close bond—wouldn't you agree?" Chloe and Madeline both nodded happily as they gazed at the Venerable Islabith of the Celestial Blessing. She left them to head toward Yuta, whom they promptly grabbed by the arms, their faces beaming with pure joy.
The Venerable Islabith of the Celestial Blessing tore through the fabric of existence, creating a gateway that led back to her own abode—leaving Giya to watch her, her eyes searching for some clue as to who this figure might be.
Reality began to fracture rapidly, causing Giya a moment of alarm. However, her expression soon returned to normal as she realized that the realm of the Bazaar of Mysteries was collapsing following the death of its ruler, the Great Merchant of Tales, Stefan Telmore.
Suddenly, they found themselves back in the ordinary world, outside the Bazaar of Mysteries. Chloe and Madeline leaped for joy, laughing aloud.
Watching them—as they frolicked and behaved like those who had finally tasted freedom after a long period of enslavement—Giya spoke:
"Who exactly are you two? 'Bad-Word' Madeline and 'Good-Word' Chloe—am I right? But tell me, who are you, really?" Yuta remained silent for several seconds, searching for an answer that would satisfy her; yet, he could not find a single word that might quench her curiosity:
"I encountered them at a certain point in my life, but I do not know—and no one truly knows—who or what they actually are. They have existed for an immense span of time—at least eighteen eras—and there is evidence suggesting they existed long before even that. To put it better: they are far older than I am, older than the Venerable 'Heaven's Blessing'—who has lived through three full eras and is now in her fourth—and older than the Venerable 'Great Story-Merchant,' who lived through eight full eras, perishing during this, his ninth."
Jiya sighed as she listened to Yuta, deciding to leave the truth for another time. She and Yuta headed toward the vehicle, followed by Chloe and Madeleine, and they set off for the city of Berhais—their time at the Market of Mysteries having come to an end.