Arknights, I'm going to beat Kal'tsit, really?

Page 11

Of course, some people use red gold or Originium ingots for trading, but since the lives of Sarkaz mercenaries can end at any time, they never convert their earnings into currency.

"Mission accomplished, where's the reward?" Cain casually tossed the bag onto the dirty ground with a dull thud.

“Wow, as efficient as ever, Cain—a rising star in the Scar Market.” The Sarkaz who responded was exceptionally tall, with skin like aged black iron and long, pale hair flowing wildly. Most striking were the black mask covering his face and the pair of enormous, twisted black horns on his forehead—no wonder the Sarkaz were called demons; this guy was terrifying just standing there motionless.

He is Scarface, the ruler of Scar Market, a one-eyed giant skilled in conquest and strategy. Usually, a mere mercenary wouldn't warrant his personal appearance. But "Cain" is an exception, an exception who etched his name into the very marrow of this region in the shortest amount of time.

When Cain first arrived at Scars Mall, he fell into a trap familiar to the veterans: he was tricked into accepting a bounty on a tough nut to crack. Those bastards were waiting to see this arrogant newcomer torn to shreds by his enraged target, his body hanging like a rag doll at the mall entrance.

However, the ending defied everyone's expectations. When the mob roared and charged, Cain didn't even draw his sword. Some incomprehensible magic silently activated, and the menacing attackers were instantly reduced to a pile of broken bones. Amidst the horrified gazes and cacophony of shouts from the countless mercenaries watching, Cain simply pulled out a rusty dagger and, like handling a monstrous beast awaiting slaughter, precisely and coldly slit their throats.

From beginning to end, those seasoned Sarkaz warriors showed not a single sign of struggle. The mercenaries of Scar Marketplace were used to scenes of flying flesh and blood and clashes of Originium Arts, but this bizarre sight of being silently stripped of the ability to resist and left to be slaughtered was the first time it had sent chills down their spines.

From that time on, the name "Cain" became synonymous with efficiency and death. He handled dozens of bounties without fail, and every target ultimately became the iconic, bulging, bloodstained sack in his hand.

The remnants of the old Sarkaz court, the Scarred Marketplace itself, and even the Sarkaz Military Council representing the will of Regent Theresis, all extended olive branches. But Cain silently rejected all offers.

After receiving his hefty reward, Cain turned and left. The crowd automatically parted to make way for him. No one dared to meet his gaze, much less follow him—the few unfortunate souls who had tried to track him down were now swaying stiffly in the wind on the rusted steel frame at the entrance to the Scarred Mall, serving as the most conspicuous warning.

Navigating the labyrinthine shantytown and abandoned pipes, Cain slipped into a secluded safe house. The heavy iron door closed behind him, shutting out the outside noise and prying eyes.

His tense body finally relaxed slightly. The next moment, the Sarkaz image surrounding him flickered and peeled away like a poorly signaled image, revealing his true appearance: a young, somewhat tired gray Lupo youth—Kane.

With his disguise removed, Kane let out a long sigh of relief. Infiltrating Kazdel was far from smooth sailing. When he encountered his first Sarkaz patrol in the wilderness on his motorcycle, he had hoped to use the "Ansetta Simplification Program" to quickly learn the language and extract information.

However, upon seeing his Lupo appearance and the conspicuous Columbia off-road motorcycle, greed instantly overwhelmed his reason, and he launched a brutal attack. Kane was forced to defend himself and retaliate, leaving his entire squad forever lost in the sandstorm.

This encounter forced him to change his plans. While in Colombia, he had prepared for his incursion into Kazdel, one of which was to "copy" and refine a disguise spell from a comedian known as "Taskmaster".

That guy only knows how to use this magic to perform slapstick comedy. His lack of skill leads to poor results. For example, hair grows on the horns of the transformed Kalipni, and even though it's a Liberi, it has animal ears on its head.

Kane reconstructed the spell model, at least visually, to perfectly simulate the appearance of a Sarkaz—the texture of the horns, the feel of the skin, and the sway of the tail were all flawless. The only fatal flaw was the feel: the seemingly hard and sharp horns were surprisingly soft to the touch, while the leathery tail felt like fluffy fur.

This is why Kane meticulously crafted the character of "Cain": a taciturn, ruthless, decisive, and unapproachable mercenary.

This kind of approach would invite fear, hatred, and potential attacks; without absolute strength to back it up, it's suicidal. But Kane is a master strategist—he perfectly counters the Sarkaz.

The Sarkaz are scorned as "demons" and seen as symbols of the Oripathy scourge, primarily due to their race's high adaptability to Originium Arts and their equally astonishing susceptibility to Oripathy. Kazdel's harsh living conditions further contribute to the persistently high rate of infection.

Kane, on the other hand, possesses near-absolute control over Originium. His initial "performance" was proof of this: he directly triggered an acute rampage of Originium within his targets, the violent Originium energy instantly destroying their central nervous system and turning them into helpless living corpses.

"It's been almost half a month, and we still don't know where the Tower of Babel is." Kane scratched his hair in frustration.

Colombian news reports claim the Saarkaz civil war has lasted eight years, but that refers to the point at which the Military Council and Babel completely broke off relations. The real fighting began about three years ago, when the Military Council firmly controlled Kazdel, while Babel used the highly mobile Rhodes Island to wage guerrilla warfare on the outskirts of Kazdel.

Both sides repeatedly fought for several key resource points, neither willing to give in.

Chapter 31 The Assassin in the Purple Smoke

The two sides clashed multiple times, with the Military Council gaining the upper hand with its overwhelming numbers and resources, while the Tower of Babel struggled to hold on with its ingenious and superior tactics—Kane knew that this must be the work of the legendary "evil spirit of the Tower of Babel."

"Recently, the royal army in the heart of Kazdel has been frequently mobilized, with a large number of elite troops being withdrawn... The final battle between the two sides is probably just around the corner. *Kazdel curse*, they can't even touch the Tower of Babel!"

Anxiety gnawed at Kane's nerves. He had to admit that the despair emanating from Kazdel, a land steeped in blood and fire, Originium dust, and Oripathy, was like an invisible miasma, gradually infecting him and replacing his original composure with rage.

An unexpected turning point arrived. The large-scale mobilization of the Military Council was not aimed at a final battle with the Tower of Babel—their sights were set on Victoria, which was in a power vacuum. This former hegemon was in turmoil due to the vacant throne, with the dukes each harboring their own ambitions and eager to make their move. One of them even came up with a foolish "brilliant plan": he actually tried to invite the infamous Sarkaz militia to enter the country and stir up trouble, attempting to profit from the chaos.

To seek help from a tiger is foolish; to dance with the "demons" is tantamount to digging one's own grave. After careful consideration, the Sarkaz Regent Theresis decided to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His campaign against Victoria was not for the sake of a single city or territory, but to leverage Victoria's resources and chaos to leave the mark of Sarkaz revenge across the entire continent of Terra.

The sudden depletion of Kazdel's homeland forces became the opportunity for Babel's counterattack. Their plan was clear and bold: to regain control of the mobile city of Kazdel. With Princess Theresa, the Demon Lord, on the throne, regaining control of the Sarkaz race's voice and future direction would not be difficult—at least that's how it was depicted in their strategic blueprint.

"Quickly! Send more men over!"

"We have no intention of being enemies with that prince, but... the path of the regent is more in line with the reality of the Sarkaz's survival and more in line with the future we expect."

Babel's operations in Kazdel became increasingly frequent and effective, leaving the remaining military council forces stretched thin and unable to contain its infiltration. The numerous mercenaries entrenched in the "neutral" gray area of ​​Scar Marketplace naturally became the targets for mobilization.

Although Scarred Marketplace is mercenary territory, and they only act for bounties, the vast majority of mercenaries have long embraced the Sarkaz vengeful ideology promoted by Regent Theresis. They readily answered the call and joined the fight against the Tower of Babel.

Many people may still harbor a naive fantasy: as long as the Tower of Babel is destroyed and those "outsiders" surrounding Her Highness—especially that lord and the evil spirits—are completely driven away, then their beloved Princess Theresa will eventually "see the error of her ways" and return to the embrace of her people.

Kane had no interest in the ideological conflict between the two kings or in the uncertain future of the Sarkaz. He was neither a Sarkaz nor a follower of either side. His sole aim remained the Tower of Babel.

Through repeated eavesdropping and investigation, clues about the movements of the Tower of Babel gradually became clear in his hands. However, this progress came at a price—a rumor quickly spread: "Cain is unusually concerned about the Tower of Babel."

From then on, whenever he stepped into a crowd again, the gazes directed at him remained intense, but the meaning behind them was entirely different. Inquiry and curiosity were replaced by cold rejection and wariness.

Babel's reputation within Kazdel had already plummeted due to its past historical entanglements—especially the numerous conflicts between foreigners and the Sarkaz. Had it not been founded by Theresa, Babel would likely have faced far more than just expulsion.

Kane didn't care at all; as long as the owners of those gazes didn't dare to make the first move, he wouldn't bother with them. He followed the complicated route, preparing to return to the secluded safe house.

Unbeknownst to him, a wisp of thin, almost ethereal purple smoke was silently spreading along the cracks in the rusted pipes, like a living thing, precisely enveloping the space behind him.

锔——!

The fog suddenly thickened and became viscous, and a cold light shot out from the surging purple smoke without warning! It was as fast as a ghost, aimed straight at Cain's back, without sound or killing intent, and even the blade itself swallowed all reflections, like a death kiss formed from the shadow itself.

At the critical moment, Kane's Originium Sensing System sounded an alarm—not because he heard anything, but because he sensed the instantaneous change in Originium Arts behind him, which suddenly closed to a fatal distance.

Pure instinct drove him to tumble forward in a disheveled manner. The cunning and deadly sword strike barely grazed his shoulder blade, the blade only tearing through his clothing and a shallow layer of flesh. For a top assassin, this was a serious blunder.

For Kane, the horror of that moment far outweighed the stinging pain in his shoulder—absolute silence, absolute concealment! Had it not been for his unique sensitivity to Originium, he would already be a corpse on the ground. He quickly rolled to his feet, assuming a defensive stance.

The attacker's second stab followed immediately, the attack as fierce as a storm, without any intention of conversation. Thick purple smoke swirled around, completely engulfing the assassin's figure, leaving no trace.

Kane knew swordsmanship was not his forte, so he dared not be overconfident. The ring on his left hand, carved from pure Originium, suddenly glowed faintly. He instantly activated several basic yet powerful Originium Arts: a howling gale rose from the ground, violently tearing and dispersing the purple smoke surrounding him; a blazing fireball slammed into the spot where the assassin had stood moments before, causing a small explosion; and gleaming white calcium crystals rapidly covered his exposed skin, forming a temporary but sturdy armor.

But the real killing move was hidden behind it—he was going to snap the assassin's spine! Such ruthless Originium Arts meant he couldn't believe the opponent wasn't an infected. He unleashed his full control over Originium, targeting all the nearby Originium stones.

Boom! BOOM—!

Like a powder keg that had been ignited, many nearby piles of inferior Originium suddenly exploded violently! The scorching blast wave, carrying the shockwave of the explosion, spread out and instantly destroyed several small, structurally fragile warehouses.

Even more deadly was that the high concentration of active Originium dust and the violent energy shock generated by the explosion acted as a fuse, instantly triggering Oripathy in several nearby Sarkaz Infected! They let out shrill screams, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably, and Originium crystals rapidly proliferating on their skin, already showing signs of entering the late stage of Oripathy.

Within the smoke, the assassin's figure momentarily faltered due to the excruciating pain and loss of control caused by the Originium within her body. It was this momentary lapse that created a fatal flaw in her perfect stealth—the purple smoke swirling around her fluctuated violently.

Without hesitation! Seeing that his repeated assassinations had failed and the target's counterattack had already begun with bizarre and deadly results, the assassin immediately decided to retreat. A thick cloud of purple smoke exploded and spread out as if detonated, then mysteriously dissipated rapidly along the airflow from the explosion, as if it had never existed.

Zero Weapon Bar is Fin vs. House; However, Kane's counterattack was not entirely ineffective. In the instant before the smoke completely dissipated, his sharp eyes caught a glimpse: a small tuft of purple-red hair, as if stained with the colors of night and blood, carrying a proliferating Originium, drifted down from the center of the dissipating smoke and lay silently on the dusty and gravelly ground.

The Tower of Babel, inside the Rhodes Island.

"Ascalon's mission briefing has returned—the control node in the Kazdel core area has fallen into our hands as planned; the operation was a success." The intelligence officer quickly deciphered the encrypted message, then his voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief:

"But... what's more...?! She... she had an accident after the mission and was injured?!"

The exclamation, like a boulder thrown into still water, instantly drew the attention of several elite operators in the command room. A lean Sarkaz man, his face mostly concealed by a mask, quickly approached the control panel, while another burly, composed Phildian man also walked over with a furrowed brow. As former colleagues of Ascalon, they knew the assassin's strength all too well. How could a simple intelligence-gathering mission have resulted in her injury? Something extremely serious must have happened behind the scenes.

Could it be that some royal prince has set up an ambush?

The intelligence officer continued reading the supplementary instructions personally encrypted by Ascalon: "After the mission's established objectives are completed, proceed with additional intelligence gathering according to procedure."

Recently, a mercenary codenamed Cain has emerged in the Scar Market. His Originium Arts are exceptionally unique, and he has quietly eliminated several troublesome targets. Intelligence indicates that this person has been paying close and sustained attention to the movements of the Tower of Babel.

Initial observation and assessment revealed clear malicious intent, posing a potential threat. In accordance with elimination procedures, I decided to assassinate the target to eliminate the threat. The target successfully evaded the assassination attempt and, during the counterattack, used unknown methods, directly triggering acute symptoms of Oripathy within me, hindering my actions and preventing the elimination from being completed. It is recommended to raise the alert level for this target and thoroughly investigate their background and the source of their abilities.

"Trigger an acute attack of Oripathy?" The burly man from Phidiah asked gravely.

"Are you sure this isn't a backlash caused by Ascaron's overuse of Originium Arts?"

“She wouldn’t make such a basic mistake,” the masked Sarkaz man said in a deep, certain voice.

"Her self-control...is far beyond that of ordinary people. The report clearly states that it was triggered...this is very strange."

With the looming threat of war looming, the main forces of Babel were fully engaged in preparing for a final assault on Kazdel, leaving them with no elite troops to delve into the details of a single mercenary. However, the bizarre abilities "Cain" displayed—capable of threatening Ascalon—and his clear malice towards Babel, were like a poisonous thorn that they could not completely ignore.

Ultimately, the decision-making body could only issue a compromise order: to instruct the informant in Kazdel to collect and compile a detailed intelligence file on "Cain" as much as possible.

Chapter 32 Ascalon's Flaw

After that harrowing assassination attempt, the name "Cain" vanished completely, as if sunk to the bottom of the sea. He never set foot in the Scarred Marketplace again to take on commissions, nor did he ever appear in any dilapidated tavern to gather information. This "rising star" who had suddenly appeared in the Sarkaz mercenary circle, shining so brightly, disappeared even faster than he had risen.

Rumors and gossip circulated in the shadows. Some Sarkaz boldly asserted that this madman must have made too many enemies and finally met his match, being quietly "dealt with" by some master; others speculated that he might have been secretly recruited by some force, transformed into a poisoned blade, hidden in its sheath, waiting to be drawn and drink blood at the crucial moment.

However, the truth is quite different. Kane went into hiding because he had obtained a crucial clue—the sudden, deadly attack, which seemed to have broken the trail, actually made the attacker's identity almost transparent to Kane.

Purple smoke-like Originium Arts, unparalleled and silent assassination skills, Sarkaz operating in the core area of ​​Kazdel—besides Princess Theresa's shadow guard, Ascalon, there is no other candidate who meets all these demanding conditions.

Ascalon, in her childhood, survived a cataclysmic disaster thanks to her unique Originium Arts, and was prophesied by the Cyclops to be "the sword that slays kings, the spear that kills rulers." The meaning of this prophecy is ominous: her blade is destined to end the life of at least one king. Assassinating a foreign monarch? The probability is slim. Therefore, the target indicated by the prophecy is most likely from within the Sarkaz.

Faced with such a blade "born to kill kings," the normal reaction would be to nip it in the bud. But the Sarkaz Demon Lord, the benevolent Theresa, did something astonishing—she and her brother Theresis adopted this wild and untamed child. They personally taught her knowledge and, more importantly, imparted to her deadly martial arts. Ascalon did not disappoint this nurturing, eventually growing into the most fearsome Shadow Blade in Sarkaz, her infamy not being overtly renowned—because once she struck, she never missed.

When the two kings broke ties, her choice was unexpected—she sided with Theresa.

This is puzzling: why wouldn't an assassin with blood on her hands and walking in the shadows follow Theresis, who is more in line with the logic of "might makes right"? No one can see into her inner world, and few people truly understand her.

She was merely Theresa's most loyal shadow guard, the sharpest blade in her hand. Therefore, Ascalon's motive for assassinating Kane is not hard to guess: his previous investigations of Babel, while yielding some intelligence, had also successfully attracted Babel's attention.

Ascalon had likely been following him for some time and, with his experience navigating the darkness, had seen through the malice hidden beneath Kane's words—behind that seemingly inclination towards the Tower of Babel lay a cold calculation.

“This is the Sarkaz’s elite fighting force. They’re much harder to deal with than those so-called business elites in Colombia.” Kane was confident that his disguise and deception could even fool the executives of Colombian companies—but this hypocrisy was easily pierced by the Sarkaz’s hidden blade, and he almost paid a terrible price.

“But risks and opportunities always go hand in hand…” Kane’s lips curled into a smile as he twirled a deep-colored Originium crystal between his fingers.

"Ascaron... Juling VSI (IV) Tumor Qi Ba Er [E Dad, you are truly my lucky goddess.]"

This Originium was the very one that had sprouted and detached from Ascalon's body when she briefly lost control due to an acute attack of Oripathy. This type of Originium, highly assimilated from human tissue, differs from Originium mined naturally.

Originium is a carrier of information. This special crystal naturally contains a portion of Ascalon's life information. Kane has already analyzed its contents—mostly dry physiological data: muscle fiber density, adipose tissue distribution, connective tissue structure… To Kane, this information itself is worthless.

However, a faint yet resilient connection exists between this Originium and its "mother," Ascalon. It is this connection that provides Kane with a path to follow. Like a patient hunter, he weaves an invisible thread.

"Get moving, Ascalon," Kane murmured to himself, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thick walls to a hidden corner of Kazdel.

Return to your lair, return to the Tower of Babel... guide me.

--split line--

Inside the USS Rhodes Island, Babel.

"That's the situation, Doctor. What's your opinion on this report?"

The command room was dimly lit, and a huge tactical map slowly rotated on the central holographic projection. Two elite operators—the Sarkaz whose face was hidden behind a veil and the composed, burly Feydia man—presented Ascalon's mission briefing to the operations commander of Babel.

The commander was slender, wrapped in a large, long gray trench coat. His face was completely hidden in the shadow of the gray hood, and even if someone tried to peek from an angle, they could only see a completely black mask that covered his entire face.

It's hard to imagine that the "Babel Demon," who instilled fear in all of Kazdel and everyone following the war, was actually so refined. He didn't possess the imposing physique of the Sarkaz, nor did he seem to have earth-shattering Originium Arts. All he relied on was the mind hidden behind his hood and mask, a mind brimming with endless tactical wisdom and ruthless decisiveness.

The doctor silently perused the report, his gaze piercing through his mask and settling on each line of text. After a moment, his specially processed, calm voice rang out:

"Inducing and accelerating the progression of Oripathy... Recall Ascalon first. A written report alone cannot accurately assess her current physical condition; we need the medical department's specialized equipment for a comprehensive examination." His gaze swept over the section at the end of the report concerning "Cain," and he paused.

"As for Cain... let's put that aside for now. If his Originium Arts can truly achieve the effect described in the report—directly inducing Originium lesions in infected individuals—then many of our operators wouldn't be a match for him. His Originium Arts also have research value; if possible—it would be best to capture him."

Every power has two sides—if this person can accelerate the outbreak of Oripathy, does that mean they might also possess the ability to suppress or even reverse its course? This concerns the fate of countless infected individuals, and its significance far surpasses the outcome of a local war. And this is precisely what the Tower of Babel is so eagerly seeking.

Chapter 33 Terra Personal Flight Device (Rudimentary Version)

[Or rather, this is about controlling Originium itself.]

A cold, absolutely rational voice echoed in the doctor's mind; it was his own voice, the judgment made by the prophet.

This is impossible. Only Priscilla and I can control Originium—and she hasn't awakened yet. I also have no grasp on the current state of Originium. This is just a special manifestation of Originium Arts—everything will be resolved once Ascalon returns.

The conversation went unnoticed by anyone—this schizophrenic-like situation did not cause the doctor the slightest discomfort; he continued to handle all the tasks and combat deployments of Babel in an orderly manner.

This is a technology called "gray pin"—originally intended for use on subspace navigators to maintain their cognition, logic, and memory, ensuring that the subspace course would not deviate due to the navigator's madness.

Its specific effect is to implant an unshakable personality into the mind of the victim. This personality will not grow, change, or deviate. Therefore, when the dominant personality makes a mistake, it will warn you that this technique is not without a way to break it. As long as you firmly believe in your own understanding and are convinced that the current situation needs to be changed and that you can no longer continue with the original plan, your strong willpower can persuade the nailed personality to become dormant.

Clearly, this cunning and decisive evil spirit of the Tower of Babel also had such a "gray pin" firmly driven into the depths of his mind.

"Moved."

After two days of meticulous sensing and patient surveillance, Ascalon's trail finally shifted significantly—Kane clearly "saw" her moving rapidly towards the outskirts of Kazdel. It seemed the injuries he inflicted hadn't caused Ascalon any truly fatal trouble, and the Shadow Blade was finally preparing to return.

Kane knew perfectly well that against someone like Ascalon, whose stealth and counter-surveillance skills were ingrained in his very being, it was nothing short of a pipe dream for a novice like him to try and silently follow him.

His only strategy was to loosen the noose around his prey's neck—creating a significant distance and relying entirely on the faint connection he had with the Originium for long-range tracking. This distance was so vast that if Ascalon could still detect his presence… then Kane was out of options, forced to abandon his disguise, defect to Theresis's side, and attempt to participate in the destruction of the Tower of Babel.

With his familiarity with the complex terrain of Kazdel and his unparalleled stealth skills, Ascalon moved like a shadow between the mercenary strongholds and the royal army's patrol routes, without disturbing a speck of dust or leaving a trace.

Kane could only "see" her general path through Originium Sensing, which made him feel a little regretful that he couldn't analyze her amazing "mist" Originium Arts—if the battle had lasted longer... he could have mastered this technique, and everything would have been much easier.

Kane's chosen route was simple and direct—traversing the towering steel domes of Kazdel. These "canopies," composed of massive metal plates and rusted steel beams, are the city's barely maintained "roofs" after countless wars, serving as both scaffolding for urban repair and the last line of defense against natural disasters and bombings.

They stood like the exposed spines of behemoths, held together only by heavy chains and rivets, without any protective railings, and with tens or even hundreds of meters of empty space beneath their feet. The Sarkaz, though fierce, wouldn't risk their lives every day. Except for a few sentries stationed high above, their eyes as sharp as hawks, Kane proceeded unimpeded.

As for the Sentinels? Kane's approach was remarkably "merciful"—he precisely induced a brief, controlled activation of the Originium within them. The intense dizziness and excruciating pain would instantly strip them of consciousness, plunging them into a coma. He deliberately controlled the intensity to avoid immediate death. After all, if all the Sentinels along the way died from "acute Oripathy," even a fool would see the problem. As for whether anyone might slip and fall while unconscious… that would simply be considered a workplace injury. Kane felt no qualms about it.

Following closely, Kane finally arrived at the edge of Kazdel's fortifications. The scene before him was completely different from the sleek, towering alloy walls of Tremont. The walls of Kazdel themselves were a history of war written in steel and scars.

The massive breach was barely filled with crudely welded steel plates, and layers of repair marks crawled across the wall like ugly scars. The charred bullet holes and torn metal edges silently told of the past carnage. It was less like a city wall and more like the unhealed, immense pain of the Sarkaz.

Ascalon's signal...has it already crossed the city walls? Tsk, a secret passage, huh? Kane sensed the rapidly receding trail and his heart tightened. The other side had already leaped into the vast wilderness, their speed would increase dramatically—the distance would widen!