The Great Story-Merchant, Venerable Stefan Tilmore, turned his gaze toward Yuta—a look that was cold and transactional rather than that of a subordinate to a master. Yuta returned the stare with an equally cold expression.
Speaking while looking toward a door that had materialized out of thin air, Tilmore said, "Great Creation Venerable Yuta, the Awakening Gem, the Evolution Gem, and the Eclipsis Sword are easy to obtain; they are right here in the vault."
"However, the Nefaritas Fruit from the Challenge Realm and the four vials of Narrative Chaos from the River of Narrative Chaos are extremely difficult to acquire. They are located within the Ten Forbidden Zones of the Ruler's Path."
"As for the Narrative Time Cultivation Scroll and the Origin Dao Cultivation Scroll—obtaining them is impossible. There is only one copy of each. It took me six full eras to acquire them—do you understand? Six full eras. Not merely billions or quadrillions of years, but a span of time incalculable to a being of limited mental capacity."
"Why would I give them to you, Great Creation Venerable Yuta? Sometimes, even status is of no use; after all, I am on the same level of power as the Absolute Venerables."
Yuta let out a deep sigh as his hair turned black, signaling that BO 00-01 was taking control of the situation. Yuta's attire shifted to a light-colored shirt and trousers, with a scarf covering his mouth—a transformation that made the Great Story-Merchant, Venerable Stefan Tilmore, swallow hard.
He spoke in shock, gazing at BO 00-01, who stared back with cold, emotionless eyes while an aura of death permeated the space. "So, it is you—the Master of the Death Path, BO 00-01. You have transformed your path into an Existential Demon Gem, and..." "You managed to evade my path guardian—or rather, the follower I assigned to track you—and escape into the territory of a truly impressive Ruler-Path expert. Yet, what does Death want with me?"
BO 00 01 did not utter a single word; he merely stared for several seconds, causing the heart of the Great and Venerable Story-Merchant, Stefan Tilmore, to plummet in sheer terror.
Then, BO 00 01 spoke in a voice so cold and steeped in death that it radiated a terrifying power—a force so overwhelming that even for an entity who had lived through eight full eras, witnessed the War of Paths eight times, and stood on the brink of the ninth, it was daunting.
"Great and Venerable Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore, you know that the original Dao Manuscript and the Narrative Time Manuscript belong to their true owner: the Ruler-Path Master and Great Creator, Yuto. As for your claim of searching for them for six eras—stop the hypocrisy. If your words were true, how did Sky Forest—bearer of the Original Narrative Dao fragment—and Ricardo—bearer of the Narrative Time fragment—undergo their training?"
"I do not care how they came into your possession, Great and Venerable Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore. You had best return them immediately. This is not personal; it is business, after all, and you know that."
"You had also best accept the terms we offered; this is not a request. Furthermore, if you believe yourself to be on the same level as the members of the Ruler-Path Empire, you are dreaming—and such trivial dreams will lead only to your death."
The Great and Venerable Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore remained silent. Although he realized the Master of the Death Path was right, relinquishing two such treasures was incredibly difficult. Even though he had no personal use for them—deriving no benefit from the Original Narrative Dao or Narrative Time—they were... They would prove highly valuable to him in the future, should he wish to trade them for "World-Demon Gems" from the fantasy realm.
Nevertheless, he found himself compelled to hand over both scrolls—one bearing the symbol of the "Narrative Time Wing" and the other the "Origin Dao Wing."
Yuta regained control; a faint smile played on his lips as his hair reverted to white, his eyes to crimson, and his attire returned to its original state. He stowed the items away in his personal dimensional space while fixing his gaze on the "Great Honored Story-Merchant," Stefan Tilmore. Stefan was visibly grinding his teeth in annoyance, yet he was powerless to act; he was well aware of the consequences of attempting to kill Yuta or even moving against him.
Stefan rose without a word and headed toward the storeroom door to retrieve the remaining resources Yuta demanded, ignoring the latter's look of blatant mockery.
Yuta mused inwardly, his tone dripping with sarcasm: "Great Honored Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore... the time has come for revenge. You robbed me several times in my past life—stealing resources from the palace treasury for your own enjoyment, didn't you? Isn't it finally time to pay back what you took?"
Yuta spoke in a cold tone, causing Stefan to stare back in shock and suppressed, indescribable rage. "I want the remaining scrolls regarding the 'Sacred Scribe Assassination Concept' and 'Narrative Chaos,' as well as the other scrolls you're holding, Great Honored Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore."
"Do you think I don't know you blocked those scrolls—and the fragment of the Assassination Concept—from reaching their intended heirs? Listen closely: if you don't bring out what belongs to me within half an hour, I swear I will show you my true power." "...It seems you are aware that I can return to my true body whenever I wish, and you are well aware of my true power—aren't you?"
The expression of the Venerable Great Story Merchant, Stefan Tilmore, twisted into anger as he gripped the door handle, turning his gaze toward Yuta, who was sipping a cup of tea with a faint smile.
A system screen appeared before Stefan Tilmore—who had been intent on killing Yuta at any cost—as he was now being ordered to return items of unparalleled rarity.
[Venerable Great Story Merchant Stefan Tilmore: It has been detected that you possess items related to the Imperial Palace of the Ruler Path. You had best return them within half an hour, or the Imperial Army will be lying in wait for you.]
[Do not be surprised if the Venerable Heavenly Blessing Elizabeth, the Venerable Lotus Flower Jihao Yuxuan, and the Venerable Final Board Ping Tao Xin come to kill you. Consider yourself warned, Venerable Great Story Merchant Stefan Tilmore.]
Stefan Tilmore's eyes narrowed as he listened to Yuta's words—words that brooked no argument. Moreover, facing the Venerable Heavenly Blessing Elizabeth—one of the Unifiers—alongside two of the Four Rulers, would be extremely dangerous for him.
He spoke, attempting to appear calm as he opened the door: "As you wish, Lord Emperor, Great Creator, and Master of the Ruler Path, Yuta. I shall bring everything belonging to the Imperial Family, as well as the items belonging to the families that possess the Twelve Sacred Existence Trees."
A look of astonishment appeared on Yuta's face as he listened to the Venerable Stefan Tilmore, the Great Story Merchant, never expected to return what he had once stolen.
In his past life, he had been a master thief of the highest caliber, stealing numerous vital treasures—items he would later need—which caused Yuta complex problems during the War of Paths.
One of the consequences involved two descendants who failed to evolve correctly; this led to the death of "Gowther"—a fragment of the Concept of Assassination. Because Stefan's understanding of that Aspect had been flawed, it caused adverse side effects for Yuta whenever he attempted to wield it.
Thirty minutes passed before the Great Story Merchant, Stefan Tilmore, returned from the private vault of the Market of Mysteries. He tossed a beautifully crafted bag toward Yuta, wearing a faint smile laced with anger and resentment.
He then turned his gaze to the System screens, smiling with the satisfaction of victory and revenge against the person who had made him suffer for over 70,000 years—suffering caused by the theft of items essential to maintaining the stability of the Ruler Path Empire.
Stefan Tilmore had ultimately met his end at the hands of Astratus, the Great Outcast Messenger, during the War of Paths. Astratus sought vengeance for the death of Gowther—a sub-concept of the Path—which had occurred after Gowther's physical body was destroyed and he reverted to his true form as a mere fragment. That loss had threatened to plunge the Ruler Path into chaos.
[Sacred Scribe Aspect Training Manual: Recovered
Supreme Observer Aspect Training Manual: Recovered
Cosmic Arbiter Aspect Training Manual: Recovered
Master of Classifications Aspect Training Manual: Recovered] Recovered:
System and Balance Wing Training Manual
Dao Origin Wing Training Manual
Trial Master Wing Training Manual
Narrative Chaos Wing Training Manual
Assassination Concept Wing Training Manual
Mystery Mist Wing Training Manual
Narrative Time Wing Training Manual
Absolute Imagination Wing Training Manual
Absolute Protector Wing Training Manual
34× Fantasy World Demon Gem
Empress Xiao Yi's Robe
Forgotten Library Seal of the Kentai Kingdom
Book of Unknown Origin
Records of the First 45 Path Wars
45× Material 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 Tilmore—who was barely concealing his rage and resentment.
Yuta took a deep breath, stared at him for a few seconds, and spoke in a tone filled with clear menace: "Great, Venerable Story Merchant Stefan Tilmore, from this day forward, you will be the prime suspect if any item goes missing. Rest assured, the 'Great, Venerable Outcast Messenger' Stratus will not be merciful this time; he will come to sever your head when..."
"That is why you should try to preserve the family bond between yourself, Madeline, and Chloe before they are retrieved. Do you think I don't know that you use words of kindness and..." "If you resort to villainy to achieve your goals—as you said—and any harm befalls them because of your selfishness, rest assured I will tear you limb from limb. Do you understand me, Esteemed Master Story-Merchant Stefan Tilmore?"
Stefan Tilmore let out a rough sigh, his eyes reddening as he glared at Yuta. He spoke with indescribable rage, yet Yuta vanished for a split second.
Yuta reappeared instantly in his original body, unleashing his full power. Stefan Tilmore was utterly shocked; how could Yuta possess such strength despite being only a Level 4 Wing-ranker?
Deciding to let it slide and act as if nothing had happened—for there are times when one must simply show who is in charge—Yuta immediately returned to his current body, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
He stood up right away without saying a word, leaving Stefan Tilmore bewildered for a few moments before the merchant followed him in silence.
Elsewhere, Jiya, Madeline, and Chloe were strolling through the Market of Mysteries—a place resembling a garden, yet exquisitely beautiful.
Jiya, however, was puzzled by her surroundings. She felt a slight pang in her heart that lasted a few seconds before vanishing, deepening her bewilderment.
She looked at the two young women and asked, her tone calm yet tinged with confusion, "Do you love Master Stefan Tilmore, the head of the Market of Mysteries, or would you like to come with us to the Casiral family estate?"
The two young women stared at her for several minutes without uttering a word. Suspicious, Jiya noticed something in their hair—an object resembling a hair clip, though it looked rather peculiar. She then... ...plucking it from their hair...
Then, she repeated the question—in a tone she hadn't realized she possessed—"Do you want to come with us, Madeleine and Chloe? I am serious. After all, you know who I am. Telling the truth is better than covering it up and living to regret it deeply."
Both Chloe and Madeleine remained silent for a few seconds. Then, Madeleine spoke while resting her head against Jia's chest—a gesture Chloe mirrored—saying, "We don't want to stay in this place; we loathe it. We are merely tools to achieve the goals of the Great Creator, Yuto. Please, help us. Life here is hell; he has used us repeatedly for his own interests and desires, turning us into sexual objects—though we have always resisted."
Jia didn't say a word; she had been bewildered since entering this place, with everything leaving her confused or unsettled. Her gaze shifted toward Yuto—whose facial features were obscured—and then to the "Great and Revered Story Merchant," Stefan Tilmore, whose face was entirely shrouded in blackness.
She looked at Yuto, who was surrounded by an overwhelming, bone-chilling aura of black and red, while he stared at Stefan Tilmore with eyes as black as an abyss.
In an instant, a portion of the Great Story Merchant Stefan Tilmore's body vanished, dissolving into golden mist—signaling his death.
Jia watched in shock as a beautiful woman—the Revered "Heaven's Blessing," Elizabeth—pointed her hand toward him with a faint smile.
Elizabeth spoke in a calm tone, looking at both Yuto and Jia: "It seems the Market of Mysteries has come to an end; for in the end "That revered, majestic figure—the great storyteller Stefan Tilmore—was a traitorous rebel against the Empire. He sought to usurp the Imperial family's assets. Is there any compelling reason preventing me from killing him? Isn't that right, Great Architect Yuto?"
Yuto remained silent; he was stunned by the sheer power of the Revered Majesty, the Heavenly Blessing Elizabeth. It made him realize that whoever had killed her in his past life must have been incredibly powerful—or else a scheme had been orchestrated specifically to bring about her demise.
Moreover, he had never expected her to possess such terrifying strength; even in his previous life, he had rarely seen her unleash her power.
Yet, the fact that a Revered One—someone who had reached the Absolute Realm and fought in the War of Paths eight times—could be killed was shocking, even to him. After all, he should have been on her level, given that he was her senior by five full eras.
She turned her gaze toward "Good Word" (Chloe) and "Bad Word" (Madeline), opening her arms with a warm smile. "Good Word, Bad Word—come here and hug Auntie Normana."
Their expressions shifted to sheer delight as they looked at her and immediately ran toward her, leaving Gia stunned and unable to comprehend what was happening around her.
However, she began to grasp the situation bit by bit as a strange, colorless mist—which seemed to possess a hue of its own—gradually dissipated, revealing that it had been influencing her mind.
She turned her gaze toward the Revered Majesty Elizabeth, Yuto, Madeline, and Chloe, trying to understand the situation and the connections binding them together.
"Greetings, My Lady—Revered Majesty Elizabeth. I am Gia Guilford. It is an honor..." "It is a pleasure to meet you." Jia's tone was calm as she introduced herself.
This caused the Venerable Great Sky-Blessing Elizabeth to smile faintly while gently patting Jia's hair. She spoke, "I have waited impatiently to meet you, my dear Jia. You are strong, yet at the same time, incredibly vulnerable. Nevertheless, you must cultivate both yourself and your power so that you may defeat those stronger than you—using nothing but your intellect."
Jia did not utter a single word; yet, she felt such a profound sense of familiarity with the Venerable Great Sky-Blessing Elizabeth that she felt no annoyance at the patting of her hair. Instead, she was overcome with such happiness that she instinctively pressed the Venerable's hand against her own cheek.
Elizabeth laughed as she looked at her, then turned her gaze toward Yuto and spoke in a calm tone: "Venerable Great Creator Yuto, can you take charge of both 'Good Word' and 'Bad Word' for the next three years?"
"Yes, Venerable Great Sky-Blessing Elizabeth, I can certainly do that—and with great pleasure. After all, 'Bad Word,' 'Good Word,' and I share a close bond; isn't that right?"
Chloe and Madeline nodded happily as they looked at the Venerable Great Sky-Blessing Elizabeth. She let them go, and they hurried over to Yuto, grabbing his arms with beaming, joyful smiles on their faces.
The Venerable Great Sky-Blessing Elizabeth then tore through the fabric of existence, creating a passage that led back to her abode, leaving Jia behind to gaze after her, trying to fathom who she truly was.
The rift in space began to close rapidly, causing Jia a moment of anxiety, though she soon regained her composure. Her facial expressions betrayed her realization that the world of the Mystery Market was collapsing following the death of its ruler—the Great Story Merchant, the Honorable Stefan Tilmore.
They found themselves back in the ordinary world outside the Mystery Market; Chloe and Madeline jumped for joy, laughing aloud.
Watching them play and act like those who had finally tasted freedom after a long period of enslavement, Jiba remarked, "One is the embodiment of 'Bad'—Madeline—and the other is 'Good'—Chloe. Am I right? But who, exactly, are they?"
Yuta remained silent for several seconds, trying to find an answer that would satisfy her, yet he could not find the words to quench her curiosity. "I met them at a certain point in my life, but I don't know—and no one knows—who they truly are. They have existed for an incredibly long time—spanning eighteen eras. There is evidence suggesting they existed long before even that; simply put, they are far older than I am, older than the Honorable Sky's Blessing—who lived through three full eras and is now in her fourth—and older than the Great Story Merchant, who lived through eight full eras and died during his ninth."
Jiba sighed as she listened to Yuta, deciding to leave the mystery for another time. She and Yuta headed toward the car, followed by Chloe and Madeline, as they set off for the city of Berhais; their time in the Mystery Market had come to an end