I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 69

Wandering through the maze-like alleys, Aozaki Touko had a relentless urge to ruin people. However, before she could even feel happy for a few seconds, the lights that came on at Garan no Tou made her heart sink to the bottom. With a heavy heart, Touko pushed open the door to the agency on the fourth floor.

"Welcome back, Teacher Orange. Dinner will be ready soon. Please rest for a while, Teacher Orange."

With impeccable manners, Asagami Fujino bowed to Touko with her hands folded in front of her, served Touko a cup of hot tea, and then continued cleaning Touko's doghouse.

"Um, Fujino, are you alone? Where is that guy?"

"The master went to visit an old friend and just left. Teacher, do you have something urgent to discuss with the master?"

Seeing Fujino pull out her formal attire, Aozaki Touko put down her teacup and slammed the formal attire she used to contact Kenneth onto the table. With a forced smile, Aozaki Touko pulled Fujino to her side.

"Fujino, take a rest for a while. It's been so long since we master and disciple have seen each other. Let me check your studies."

Faced with Aozaki Touko's earnestness, Asagami Fujino struggled a few times but couldn't stand up, so she looked at Touko, who was gripping her hands more and more tightly, with a pitiful expression.

"Teacher, can I put my studies aside for a bit? I need to clean up first. Teacher, this is too much..."

After struggling for a long time, Fujino, who greatly respected Aozaki Touko, couldn't find a more subtle way to say it, and could only look at Touko in front of her with expectant eyes.

"It's okay, we can clean anytime. Fujino, tell me about the current situation at the Clock Tower and how that guy reacted after he came back."

With the strong-willed woman locked up and the woman on top of her, Aozaki Touko didn't give Asagami Fujino a chance to break free. Faced with the oppression of her teacher, Fujino, who had no ability to resist her loved ones, was about to cry.

"But teacher, this is really messy. It's okay if you don't care, but Lord Kenneth will be back soon. It will be very difficult for me if Lord Kenneth stays here."

With a thunderous roar, Aozaki Touko was struck as if by lightning. Only then did she realize that Asagami Fujino hadn't cleaned for her. Clutching her trembling heart, the devastated Touko slumped onto the sofa like a salted fish.

"Teacher Orange, Lord Kenneth is coming back soon. Teacher, you should take a shower first; you smell... a little..."

Having survived a near-death experience, she was bound to suffer a final blow; Touko's resolve was utterly shattered. Realizing her words were rude, Fujino bowed several times to Touko before picking up the broom again and continuing to sweep up the mountain of takeout boxes. Staring blankly at the tirelessly busy Fujino, Aozaki Touko felt as if her comforting coat was leaking.

Chapter 178 Weaving and Abnormalities

Meryl.jpg

While Orange was secretly grieving, Kenneth wandered through the labyrinthine alleyways and met his target: the Mother of Guanbuzi City, hidden in one of the alleys. Just like last time, she was waiting for her destined one at the end of the alley.

"Hey buddy, wanna come over and take a look?"

"Of course, please also see how I can avoid a bad future."

With light steps, Kenneth walked towards the Mother of Guanbuzi City. The Moon Spirit Essence Liquid mimicked a chair. It was the same spot, the same man, but the mindset of the person involved had undergone a complete transformation.

"Young man, you're joking. I can't see your future. It seems you survived. Can you tell me how you did it?"

Driven by curiosity about the unknown, the Mother of Kanbuko City was eager to know how Kenneth had found his way out of the fog. Kenneth didn't refuse her question and recounted his past to the fortune teller who had shown him the way. Meanwhile, at the intersection of alleyways, Kyoushinko, completely veiled in black except for her beautiful eyes, quietly served as his bodyguard.

"What an amazing experience! The secrets of the world are indeed beyond the imagination of an old woman like me. But congratulations anyway."

As a mortal, the eyes of the Mother of Kanbukoshi could see a future she could not bear. Omniscience is a curse, and knowing the future is also a curse. Being able to maintain one's true self after witnessing so much tragedy, the Mother of Kanbukoshi deserves Kenneth's equal treatment, both morally and logically.

"Are you blind?"

Beneath the black veil, one eye had turned grayish-white, and the pupil of the other eye was cloudy.

"I can see, but I can only see what I don't want to see. You have to give up something to get something in return. It's a fair trade, isn't it?"

With nothing but magnanimity in his words, the old man answered Kenneth's question with an attitude of seeing through the world. After sensing the state of the Mother of Guanbuzi City, Kenneth raised his finger.

"Yes, you have to give something for something you get, but I don't think I've paid anything for the last time's enlightenment. I'll make up for it this time."

The aura of the Third Law Palace surged, and according to the blueprint of the Starry Sky Realm, the eyes of the Mother of Buzi City returned to translucent blue under Kenneth's magic.

"Is this magic? It's amazing."

"It's magic, something I obtained under your guidance. If you need it, I can also cut off anything you don't want to see."

Kindness begets kindness, and hatred begets hatred. The old man in front of him is the starting point of Kenneth's survival journey. As long as the old man speaks, Kenneth will remove the curse on those eyes for him, even at the risk of altering the timeline.

"No need for that. This is a curse I have to bear. I'm quite happy that I can point the way for those young people."

Having understood the thoughts of the woman from Guanbuzi City, Kenneth did not force her, for believing his own good would only lead to bad results. For the same reason, the old woman before him deserved Kenneth's equal treatment, and Kenneth would not trample on her principles; Kenneth respected her choices.

"The agreement we made is still valid. Just dial that number whenever you need it."

Having achieved his goal for the night and feeling relieved, Kenneth turned and headed towards the exit. Watching Kenneth leave, the Mother of Buzi City looked down at the crystal ball in front of her.

"Is the agreement still valid? What a domineering guy..."

In the intricate alleyways, Kenneth and Crazy Nobuko walked one after the other. The starry sky reflected in the puddles shattered with each step of their shoes, and the rising full moon gradually brought a sliver of light to the dark, sunless depths.

"Kyōnobu, do you believe in fate?"

"My lord is the mandate of heaven, and the mandate of heaven is my lord. Everything has been predetermined, and under the mandate of heaven, my heart remains undisturbed."

Using a riddle that followed the same pattern, Kyonoko gave Kenneth's question in a mysterious and enigmatic way, and the sincerity in his words made Kenneth feel the other's persistence once again.

"Yes, destiny is predetermined. People always say it's all about timing and fate, and they always want to break free from their predetermined fate. But can they really guarantee that the fate they break free from isn't part of destiny's arrangement?"

With a rhetorical question, Kenneth picked up where Kyoshino left off. Kenneth felt he was almost becoming a philosopher when it came to destiny. The higher one stood, the farther one could see. Having barely made it into the ranks of the elite, Kenneth was constantly contemplating his own existence, the concepts of chance and inevitability, destiny and defying fate. Each thought led to two contradictory paths, and Kenneth was left bewildered about the future.

"When did I become so indecisive? As for fate, it's a matter of belief; if you believe, it exists, if you don't, it doesn't. All I have to do is survive!"

With his unanswered thoughts put to rest, Kenneth's state of mind was once again elevated. The confusion in his eyes vanished, and Kenneth took another step forward.

Everything in this world is a test, and every tribulation is meant to temper and refine us. Our Lord's agent, unwavering in heart and undisturbed in mind, possesses true strength through sheer willpower.

"Yes, a strong will is fundamental. I have to admit that I can't compare to you in this respect."

You flatter me; I am merely carrying out the glory of my Lord.

As soon as the words were spoken, Kenneth and Kyoko stopped in their tracks. At the corner of the alley, a figure was squatting on the ground, carefully examining the corpse that was right in front of them.

"Did you kill these people?"

Unfazed by the mangled corpse, Ryougi Ori, clad in a red jacket, stood with her hands in her pockets, looking at Kenneth several dozen meters away. With a cheerful smile, Ori walked towards the unmoved Kenneth.

"Yes, some debris in the mud, I just sent it to where it was supposed to go."

With her right hand reaching towards her lower back, Ryougi, increasingly unable to control herself under the stimulation of the bloody smell, came within ten meters of Kenneth, signaling Kyoshinoko, who was about to unleash a delusional mental attack, to stop. Kenneth calmly looked at Ryougi, who was tilting her head and looking up at him.

"Can you tell me what it feels like to kill someone?"

Gazing at Kenneth, Ryougi Ori, unable to contain herself any longer, asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for so long. Ori could sense that the man before her was abnormal, far more abnormal than she had ever seen. Struggling to suppress the murderous urge within her, Ryougi Ori awaited Kenneth's answer.

"Killing, well, it's a bit disgusting the first time, but you get used to it. If I had to say, it just changes the shape of the flesh, nothing special."

Ryougi Ori didn't detect any killer aura on Kenneth when she got close to him. However, Kenneth didn't deny that his hands were stained with blood, which made Ryougi Ori curious about his condition.

"Are you abnormal? Why don't you care about the people who died at your hands? Just how many people have you killed?"

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Ryougi Shiki asked Kenneth a series of questions, her breathing growing heavier, like a studious student.

"Abnormal? I am indeed abnormal. Why should I care about those who died at my hands? They wanted to kill me, so why can't I kill them? People always have to bear the consequences of their actions. As for how many, do you remember how many slices of bread you've eaten?"

Something was wrong. The man before him was far more abnormal than he had imagined. Years of suppressed agitation surged up, and a voice kept echoing in Ryougi's mind: 'Kill him! Kill him! You will be free if you kill this man!'

Torn between inner turmoil and the conflicting emotions of Ryougi, Oori's spirit oscillates between being human and a murderer. Sensing Oori's mental state, Kenneth, intrigued, wonders what choice Ryougi will make.

"Hey! You said that anyone who tries to kill you will face consequences. I want to know what the consequences would be if I wanted to kill you!"

With barely suppressed murderous intent, and unable to contain himself any longer, Zhiya trembled as he asked the final question. Raising an eyebrow, Kenneth replied nonchalantly:

"The consequences? That depends on my mood. If it were you, I might give you a few more chances before considering the cost."

Kenneth's answer completely snapped Ryougi's nerves. A cold glint shot out from under her clothes, and with a bloodthirsty smile, she thrust her dagger straight at Kenneth's throat.

Zheng——! !

With a single finger, Kenneth deflected the short sword that Ryougi Ori attacked. Smiling, Kenneth gestured for her to continue. A red glint flashed in her eyes, and the weaponless Ori relentlessly attacked the man before her using the Ryougi family's fighting techniques.

Without needing any magic, Kenneth simply blocked all of Ryougi's attacks with a blur of motion. The Clock Tower does offer self-defense classes, and while Kenneth knew his fighting skills couldn't compare to Bajiquan or freestyle wrestling, his perfect physique was more than enough to deal with Ryougi.

With the boost of boundless energy, Ryougi, an ordinary person, gradually fell into a disadvantageous position under Kenneth's defense. In the gap between the dense punches, Kenneth's right hand formed a blade and slashed directly at Ryougi's shoulder. The continuous force, like a surging wave, entered her body, and Ryougi, who was already holding on, lost her balance and stumbled backward against the wall.

"I'm sorry, it seems you failed."

"Yeah, I failed. You're monstrously strong. Are you even human?"

Completely oblivious to being tortured, Ryougi Ori leaned against the wall, standing up and simultaneously gripping the short sword embedded in the wall in her palm. She hadn't forgotten that the man before her had said he would give her many more chances.

"What a stubborn guy. Let's call it a day for tonight. In your current state, a few more attempts won't change the outcome."

Moving forward, Kenneth completely disregarded whether the origami would be unethical enough to ambush him, an old man in his twenties. With Kyoko in tow, Kenneth arrived at the exit of the alley.

"Hey! How am I supposed to find you?!"

Having tucked the short sword back into her waistband, Ryougi Shiki, having vented her emotions, watched Kenneth's retreating figure with great excitement.

"Looking for me? No need to search for me deliberately. We are both extraordinary, and we will meet eventually."

In the winding alley, Kenneth's figure had already disappeared. Ryougi covered her heart with her right hand, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest. After understanding Kenneth's meaning, Ryougi felt relaxed for the first time and walked towards the other side of the alley with an expectant look on her face.

Chapter 179 Oranges

The orange streetlights illuminated the entrance to the alley. As the footsteps grew clearer, Kenneth and Kyoko emerged from the dark alley. They glanced back and saw that the unusually alleyway hinted at a wild, demonic nature.

"Let's go, Kyoko, that's enough for tonight."

At Kenneth's command, Kyoko sheathed her dagger, glanced at the darkness behind her, and followed Kenneth into the crowd. Shortly after Kenneth left, a red figure landed on the ground along the intricate pipes, and Ryougi Shiki, 18P color, trembled as she plunged the dagger into her arm.

The killer's bloodlust made Shirasumi Rio unbearable of Kenneth's abnormality, but her animalistic instincts made her fear Kenneth instinctively. The dagger twisted between her muscles, and under the stimulation of pain, Shirasumi Rio let out a beast-like roar.

"I'll kill you, I'll definitely kill you!"

With a whimper of a wounded beast, Shirasumi Rio, drawn by the scent of blood, retreated into the darkness on all fours. Shirasumi Rio's intrusion didn't bother Kenneth; she was just a beast devoured by the Origin, truly a waste of tens of thousands of years of human evolution in a single night. Moreover, compared to that beast, Kenneth was more concerned about Ryougi Shiki's condition. The Root Shiki hadn't appeared; instead, he had encountered Origami, representing the Yang side.

"Is it not time to say goodbye yet, or is my progress not yet unlocked?"

With his mind filled with thoughts of the root of the matter, Kenneth returned to the Hall of Garan and went up the rusty stairs to the fourth floor, where he saw Asagami Fujino putting down her broom and bowing.

"Lord Kenneth, welcome back. Dinner will be ready soon, please wait a moment."

"Thank you for your hard work, Fujino."

Thanks to Asagami Fujino's cleaning, Aozaki Touko's office finally looked somewhat habitable. Seeing the somewhat excited Fujino walk into the kitchen, Kenneth turned his attention to Aozaki Touko, who was lounging around like a couch potato.

"Hey, Cinderella, how much did you earn from laying bricks today?"

In a teasing tone, Kenneth sat down next to Aozaki Touko. His gaze swept across Kenneth, and Aozaki Touko, who had lost her dreams, straightened up and peacefully folded her hands over her lower abdomen.

"Kill me. I have no money, but you can have my life. Life is not worth living."

Aozaki Touko has given up. Let it be. Her apprentice has run away, and she's spent all the money she's made. She's not afraid of being wronged. Aozaki Touko is too lazy to even make excuses for Kenneth anymore.

“How could I bear to kill you? Money can be earned back. You've been my hardworking and dedicated employee.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Aozaki Touko was fully revived. As a spendthrift, Aozaki Touko didn't have the habit of saving money. If she hadn't been too embarrassed to ask for money recently, Aozaki Touko, who was used to living a carefree life, would never have accepted Araya Souren's commission to design that lousy apartment.

"You sucker... Pshaw, boss, you mean you're going to let me off the hook? I knew that little bit of money was just a drop in the ocean for you. I was narrow-minded. I apologize. I shouldn't have imagined your magnanimity with my limited understanding..."

The flattery was relentless; Aozaki Touko wished she could instantly transform this body and give it several more mouths. However, Kenneth's next words caused Aozaki Touko's tea-serving gesture to freeze in place.

“Dead people can’t create value for me. I’ll lock you in the basement and make you do endless hard labor 24 hours a day.”

"Boss, you must be joking, right? You must be joking! I've done great service for El-Melloi, I've even shed blood for you!"

Faced with Aozaki Touko's tearful complaints, the heartless Kenneth responded with a look that scrutinized the farm tools. Kenneth looked down on the things Aozaki Touko had taken; given Touko's hard work, taking some things was understandable. But given Touko's "I'm sorry, I'll do it again" attitude, in order to get the tool to work obediently from now on, Kenneth felt it necessary to smash some of the farm tools in front of him.

"Do I look like I'm joking? I've put the debt on your tab, and the interest will be 25%. Until you pay it off, your salary will be paid at 25%!"

"No! Boss, just kill me already, or I'll compensate you with myself! Boss, please don't cut off my salary!"

With her glasses on and thick skin, Aozaki Touko flaunted her leg in a seductive manner, kicking it in front of Kenneth. The smell of sweat from the past few days filled Kenneth's nostrils, and he moved a few steps to the other side in utter disgust.

"Give me a break. Even a pervert passing by on the street wouldn't dare to lay a hand on someone like you. I'm not some kind of devil. I'll give you a chance. You have business dealings with Rosie, right? I have some projects to give you."

Rita Rosian—Kenneth hadn't forgotten this wealthy woman. Chaldea's funding needs were astronomical, and Kenneth needed a stable and substantial cash flow. Rosian's businesses spanned the mage world, and she was quite influential within the Dead Apostle faction; in short, there was a market for her.

“Luo Jie’an, I’ve been in contact with her all along. Big boss, you want to ship your goods through her? As the middleman, I’ll reluctantly take 36% of the commission.”

Kenneth was dark-skinned, and Aozaki Touko was even darker. Kenneth glanced at Touko, who had already started rubbing her hands together, and threw a stack of documents at her face.

"With your skills, making these things shouldn't be difficult, right?"

hiss! !

Taking a deep breath, Aozaki Touko stopped playing around and carefully examined the documents in her hand. The documents were none other than the design blueprints that Kenneth had obtained from analyzing the blueprints of the Starry Sky Realm. They contained information on magic eyes, special physiques, and even some fantasy species.

With Aozaki Touko's technology that has reached the threshold of the Third Law, plus Kenneth's data, these materials can be artificially created. Kenneth doesn't have time to do this, so it's perfect to leave it to Touko. In addition, with Rosian's market that has been operating for hundreds of years, the value created by the mystical side is enough to support the construction of Chaldea.

"You still really trust me. The mystery here is magic, isn't it? Aren't you afraid I'll kick you out of that position?"

Having studied Einzbern's technology, Aozaki Touko's hands trembled slightly. The fewer people who know about mysteries, the better. To be honest, Aozaki Touko couldn't quite understand why Kenneth would entrust her with something involving the Third Law.

"If you can do that, I don't mind moving you to a lower position. After all, you're still incomplete. Whether you can go further depends on whether you're qualified."