Chapter 38: A Graduation Ceremony in Crimson!

In the increasingly sweltering heat of summer, the month of midsummer May slipped away in silence. On June 6th, the first weekend of June, Zorn celebrated his graduation ceremony.

It was mid-afternoon. On the lawn of Ogran Academy of Nobility, adjacent to the man-made lake on the north side, the graduation ceremony was exceptionally lively and boisterous. Long tables were laden with delicious cakes, biscuits, dried fruits, candies, and light alcoholic beverages. Young noble students, dressed in their finest, savored the tasty desserts and delicacies, enjoying the promise of a bright future amidst laughter and joy.

Standing in a corner, Zorn scanned the crowd immersed in a sea of merriment. A moment later, he withdrew his gaze and continued to sample the food. Though he was among the crowd, he and those around him felt as if they were in two different worlds.

The food was digested rapidly, yet it did not convert into "Aura" or "Evil Energy." Instead, it transformed into vital nutrients, nourishing his physical form as it slowly grew. Having digested the offerings over the past half-month, Zorn had filled his sequence level experience bar a few days prior. Both the "Aura" and "Evil Energy" of his peak Rank 1 sequence had reached their respective limits.

Collecting his thoughts, Zorn reflected on the achievements of the past two weeks. First, the steam factory purchased for 5,400 pounds had begun operations, with the first batch of simply trained pharmacist apprentices starting work under the guidance of the potion master, Vladimir. At the start, the production efficiency was quite dismal, and most of the output consisted of substandard rejects.

However, after starting the factory and placing a simple [Spirit Statue] in his office, Zorn felt the roar of steam surging and the waves of the new era flowing by. The evil characteristics of the [Evil Warlock] seemed to be masked and diluted by the booming waves of steam. The power of the authority wielded through the simple [Spirit Statue] proved exceptionally effective. After just a few days of subtle influence, Zorn could sense that the students who had just graduated from public universities were becoming increasingly diligent and eager to learn, bursting with enthusiasm and demonstrating great initiative in helping the factory resolve various issues. A "corporate culture" had quietly taken shape.

With the success of the steam factory and the steady functioning of the [Stigmata] during this period, Zorn, already at the peak of Rank 1, was on the verge of transformation. Today! This bloody graduation ceremony might be the opportunity he needed.

...

[Star Mark · Fighter] (30th Anniversary Exclusive Commemorative Edition) (Untradeable)
Level: 1 (99%)
[Talent]
Aura Intent · Iron Bone (SS-Rank): You possess the will and body of iron.
[Skills]
Basic · Skull-Cracking Fist: LV0 (95%)
...
[Evil Warlock] (World-Class BOSS) (Special Template)
Level: 1 (99%)
Evil Warlock Spirituality: You can devour all spirits of pain, distortion, panic, despair, aberration, and death, using them as food!
Immortal Divinity: Unknown
[Talent]
Lingering · Resurrection (SSS-Rank): After death, you can resurrect at the moment of passing (5/5).
Evil Spirit · Authority (SSS-Rank): You can grasp the roots of spirituality and reshape them.
...
[Skills]
Life Drain: LV0 (34%)
Forbidden Weaving: LV0 (21%)
Calamity Orb: LV0 (14%)
Scythe of the End (Forbidden Technique): LV0 (3%)

...

Beyond his sequence levels, many of Zorn’s extraordinary skills and spells had also progressed. Many transcendents were unaware that extraordinary skills and spells had proficiency levels that could be upgraded, and they never dedicated themselves to such training. Zorn had a slight advantage here. It was only "slight" because the churches, evil cults, and other extraordinary factions were well aware of this knowledge.

As Zorn was lost in thought, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching stealthily.

"Good afternoon, Miss Jolia!" Zorn turned, holding his wine glass, a warm smile on his face.

"Oh! You noticed me!" Jolia exclaimed softly, a playful smile playing on her lips. Today, she wore a blue-and-white low-cut court ballroom gown, her chest pale as snow, and adorned with blue-and-white floral lace in her hair. She looked like a noble tulip, breathtakingly beautiful. Added to this was the natural charm that blossomed after she became a witch, drawing the attention of nearly all the men and young nobles. Even though she had left the crowd to come here, many young nobles were still willing to linger nearby, waiting for her.

"You look beautiful today," Zorn raised his glass, offering his praise without hesitation.

"Thank you!" Jolia smiled.

"But... you are too conspicuous!" Her expression faltered slightly, a flash of nervousness appearing in the depths of her bright pupils, along with... fear! Witches always liked to walk on the edge of playing with fire, but this time, she was facing an "envoy."

"However, today is a grand feast for the students; one should indulge in their youth and vitality, shouldn't they?" Jolia’s trembling heart calmed slightly. She blinked her bright eyes and spoke softly, "Classmate Zorn, may we go to the dance floor for a Pofis duet?"

A Pofis duet? That was an intimate dance for lovers. Zorn’s brow twitched slightly. As expected, Jolia continued, "If you make any excessive demands after the dance, Jolia would be unable to refuse!"

Zorn’s eyelid twitched. Was this Stockholm Syndrome brought on by abuse? Still, once the Rose Witch, who loved to toy with hearts, was captured, she would find ways to please her master. Although Zorn was nominally the envoy of the [Master], he was the actual master she had encountered. However, with so many people watching, if he were to do that, he feared many hot-blooded young protectors of the flowers would come looking for trouble.

"How is the progress of the Blood Shadow Rose recently?" Zorn shifted the topic.

Jolia straightened her expression and lowered her voice. "My mentor, Ms. Hazel, has finally made some progress based on the Mist and Valley information I provided. It is said... they seem to have found a clue deep within a valley in the Misty Mountains to the north. Furthermore, following your instructions, I informed them that a rat plague in Ogran City was imminent. The successive rat infestations in Ogran and the disasters surging from the deep sewers have perfectly verified the greatness of the Lord. This has made Ms. Hazel and the Bishop of the Blood Shadow Rose trust me even more. They are desperate to know more."

Listening to Jolia’s account, Zorn narrowed his eyes at her and said in a low voice, "When the time comes, the Lord will naturally provide guidance. Unlimited demands and the greed that follows will only invite misfortune!"

Hearing this, Jolia firmly etched everything the envoy said into her mind. The [Blood Shadow Rose] had begun to explore the [Ruined Kingdom]. By handing over this "epic-level trap" of an exploration journey to the [Blood Shadow Rose], Zorn could safely develop and grow within Ogran City. The other evil spirits were also operating in the shadows to varying degrees.

From the *Ogran Steam Daily*, Zorn had also seen proposals and decisions regarding the "Duke of Curtain Fire" in the legislation. Clearly, this person, who was pushing to strangle the great BOSS [Evil Warlock] Zorn Corrick, was also using Ogran City as his canvas, carving his own "Stigmata." This made Zorn feel the pressure of the internal competition among fellow BOSSes. None of them wanted to be the food served on the table. If that was the case, then he would compete—compete with all his might!

As he was thinking, Zorn suddenly felt the air grow slightly sultry, and he couldn't help but loosen the tie on his shirt. He sniffed hard at the air. He smelled something different, or rather, something familiar. The ceremony was underway, and the cruel, bloody color of death and slaughter was about to bloom.

Although the Rose Witch Jolia did not have Zorn’s acute sense of smell, she noticed some details in his actions and made her own discovery. "What is it?" she asked in a low voice.

"We need to move away from the crowd," Zorn said flatly. "Perhaps we could take a stroll by the long corridor; the adjacent teaching building can also provide us with some cover." Zorn scanned the nearby corridor and teaching building, proposing the idea.

The Rose Witch Jolia felt a slight tremor in her heart. Was something... going to happen? She steadied herself and said, "Of course, no problem."

As Zorn led the Rose Witch Jolia further away from the dance area, he turned back. A cloud of gloom had already shrouded the dance area, growing increasingly sinister, while those within it remained completely unaware. As the eerie gloom thickened, the strange aura in the air became more suffocating.

"Ah!" A sharp scream shattered the liveliness of the graduation dance. The bewildered crowd looked over, only to see a pitch-black hole, like the mouth of a well, appear in the center of the lawn. The lady who had just been there seemed to have fallen into it. A few concerned men leaned over to take a look, wanting to offer help. The hole was pitch-black and bottomless; the lady who had fallen in was already nowhere to be seen.

While everyone was still in shock, "Ah!" Another high-pitched, piercing scream rang out. A giant "Calamity Rat," standing a full meter tall, had appeared on the dining table out of nowhere and was gorging itself on biscuits. A girl near the rat was overcome with panic and screamed! Hearing the girl's cry, the giant gray rat leaped from the table and tackled her. It bit down fiercely.

The screaming stopped abruptly. Bright red blood quickly soaked through her white dress, blooming like a red flower. For a moment, it was as if the crowd had been hit with a pause button, and the air itself seemed to stagnate. Everyone was frozen by the horrific scene.

The next moment! Horror, panic, screaming, and chaos erupted through the crowd like a tidal wave. People began to flee in all directions. Immediately after, one black hole after another appeared on the lawn. A massive number of wild cats, gray rats the size of small dogs, and "Calamity Rats" standing a meter tall poured out like a tide.

"The bloody ceremony amidst the [Rat Plague] has arrived!" Standing in the second-floor corridor of the teaching building, Zorn looked down at the scene with a cold, indifferent expression.