Chapter 38: Young Master meets his End

"Good, but keep a good eye on Thousand Faces. He's bound to take some measures since we're shutting down his experiments here." Seraphina's words carried a note of caution.

"You're right," Claudia nodded, her expression becoming more serious. "Thousand Faces won't take this lying down. We dismantled his operation, but he'll have his suspicions."

Seraphina's demeanor remained resolute as she spoke. "For now, you'll need to think of a plausible excuse for the failure and go back to report. We'll stay in contract."

"As for the Fallar ..." Seraphina's voice became colder. "... I'll take care of them. You should go and assist my team if help is required. Don't show your face or identify yourself."

Claudia's lips tightened into a determined line, her commitment to their new partnership evident. "Understood."

Both nodded at each other before separating and going in different directions.

Seraphina navigated her way to the main experimentation hall. Claudia had told her about this facility's structure and gave her the necessary information on the Cipher.

Arriving at the said place, Seraphina found Claude Fallar along with several bodyguards.

She smirked after scanning everyone.

"Well, if this isn't the Young Master Claude?" Seraphina's voice cut through the air, carrying an air of amusement.

Claude Fallar, a man known for his cunning, turned to face her.

"You! What are you doing here?" His tone was tinged with irritation, but he maintained his composure.

With a sly smile, Seraphina stepped closer. "I heard you were having some trouble with your experiments. Thought I'd offer you my expertise"

Claude's bodyguards shifted uneasily as Seraphina exuded her aura.

She continued, her voice honeyed but laced with a subtle threat. "You see, we've decided to shut down this little operation of yours. It seems that your ambitions have grown a bit too reckless, even for your family's tastes."

Claude clenched his fists, but he didn't move to confront Seraphina directly. He knew better than to underestimate her. "You're meddling in affairs that don't concern you. I have the backing of the Covenant, you are nothing in the face of those."

She laughed, a melodic sound that contrasted sharply with the tension in the room. "Oh well, I guess you are just a puppet who knows nothing. Like a frog in a well, albeit a bit annoying but a frog nonetheless."

Claude's frustration was palpable, but he couldn't afford to escalate the situation further. He knew that challenging Seraphina openly would not end well for him, at least not here and now.

With a forced calm, he said, "What do you want, Seraphina?"

Her gaze bore into him, assessing him. "I want you to understand the consequences of your actions. The Cipher is a delicate balance, and your experiments were threatening that balance. You will cease your activities."

"I have no power over this. What you want from me, I can't grant you." Claude's jaw clenched.

"Then, I guess there is no use in keeping you alive." Seraphina shrugged before lunging forward and aiming her fist at Claude's head.

In the blink of an eye, her fist made contact with Claude's temple, and a surge of energy emanated from the impact point. Claude's eyes widened, and his body went limp as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

'What the fuck, how weak.' Seraphina thought before turning her attention to the bodyguards.

The bodyguards, shocked and outmaneuvered, hesitated for a moment before realizing the futility of their situation. Seraphina had demonstrated her formidable abilities, and they were no match for her.

Seraphina turned to face them, her expression unyielding. "I suggest you all leave quietly. You've seen what I can do, and I have no interest in unnecessary bloodshed today."

Her warning was enough to prompt the bodyguards to lower their weapons and hurriedly exit the experimentation hall, leaving Claude unconscious on the floor.

But before they could leave the main hall, all of their heads were cut.

'How ironic, killing these puppets with strings.'

With a sigh, Seraphina knelt beside Claude and checked his pulse to ensure he was still alive. She scanned the room for hidden seals and quickly found a formation that led to a hidden compartment.

She identified it as a Minor Blood Seal. The sealer was not experienced and had done a very sloppy job. But she couldn't be bothered and the quickest way to open it was to get the blood to which the seal was linked. In this case, Claude was the most probable.

Seraphina took out a dagger she had stored inside her inventory and proceeded to cut open the arm of Claude. The dripping blood was gathered on an empty sheet of sealing paper to form a rune that acts as a key.

After feeling satisfied with the result, Seraphina stuck the bloody paper onto the seal and waited.

It took a minute, but the paper started to burn and the seal broke soon after that, revealing the Cipher.

As Seraphina retrieved the Cipher and skillfully dismantled the Minor Blood Seal, disabling all the Duskins connected to it, her actions reverberated throughout the facility. The abominations, once controlled and unleashed with malicious intent, now stood still, their menace reduced to mere statues.

[Around the same time]

"Look, the abominations are stopping!" Isabella exclaimed while breathing heavily.

"Indeed, looks like Seraphina completed the objective," Sona said and felt relieved.

Isabella sat down to catch a break and Alexander sheathed his sword to lean against the wall for a rest.

Sona tried to contact Seraphina but got no response. "I hope she's alright."

About 50 meters from their location, Claudia, formerly known as Madame Ghost-Hand, was hidden inside the shadows. She was observing her new master teammates and was ready to intervene if things went south. But it was not needed as all Duskins stopped working.

Knowing that things here are going to be wrapped up soon by Seraphina, Claudia vanished into the night, returning to the Covenant to report the failure to Thousand Faces.

Seraphina soon regrouped with her teammates and the group headed back to the city for a good night's sleep.