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Chapter 233: Hypaster is Actually Black Star's Leader!
🕑 Added 2024-09-23 03:49:12 +0000 UTC"Rhett, let's go in now and catch them off guard!" Black Star leaped off Fireclaw's back, his eyes gleaming with battle intent.
Rhett remained calm, ignoring Black Star's words. In this simulation, he had no intention of dealing with that group of villains. Instead, he looked up at the starry sky with a profound expression and said softly, "Steve, hiding around here is useless. Someone has already leaked your information. If you want the Blood Origin Orb, there are many ways to obtain it, but relying on brute force won't work..."
This enigmatic aura, coupled with his nonchalant tone, gave him the appearance of a wise sage who had seen through the world.
However, the only response he received was the faint chirping of insects and the occasional whisper of the night wind.
The name Rhett had just called out, Steve, belonged to one of the alchemy masters from the Circle Tower.
But there was no response, only silence. It seemed he had guessed wrong.
Of course, it was also possible that he had guessed right, but the other party was still unwilling to reveal themselves.
Regardless, Rhett decided to try calling out the names of the other alchemy masters one by one to gather more clues.
"Rhett, what are you talking about? The name Steve sounds familiar... Isn't he an alchemy master from the Circle Tower?" Black Star looked at Rhett in surprise. They had just landed, and he couldn't understand why Rhett was suddenly saying such strange things.
Rhett cast a faint glance at Black Star and sighed. He was not satisfied with the outcome this time.
"Give me a moment, and I'll explain later," Rhett casually brushed him off.
Then, he sat cross-legged on the ground, pulled out a bottle of Aurora Potion from his bag, uncorked it, and quickly drank it down.
Whether this simulation succeeded or not, he didn't want to waste any time and intended to make the most of it.
As the potion slowly took effect in his mind, increasing his mental strength at an almost imperceptible rate, Rhett patiently continued the process, having grown accustomed to it after countless simulations.
But Black Star, standing nearby, grew increasingly anxious, unable to understand why Rhett had suddenly begun training at such a critical moment. What about their agreement? He was eager to eliminate the villains!
Thus, two hours passed in silence.
Suddenly, a powerful mental shockwave struck Rhett's mind.
"He's here!" was Rhett's second-to-last thought.
The last thought was to end the simulation.
【Real Simulation Ended. Please choose one attribute to retain.】
【1. Constitution】
【2. Battle Qi】
【3. Mental Power】
"Choose Mental Power. Any gain is better than none," Rhett muttered, making his selection.
The scene shifted, and Rhett found himself back at the moment they had just landed.
He took a deep breath, scanned his surroundings, and mentally noted the time the ambush had occurred. Then, he activated the system again.
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day."
Buzz.
Ripples spread out.
Rhett called out again, "Akare, come out. I know you plan to knock me out with a mental shock and steal the Blood Origin Orb. Your information has already been leaked."
Black Star looked at Rhett in confusion once more, unsure of what was happening.
But Rhett remained unfazed, waiting patiently. When there was no response, he sat down again and continued consuming Aurora Potions.
By the time Rhett had absorbed the third potion, it was past 2 AM.
Estimating that it was almost time, Rhett suddenly opened his eyes and stood up, ready to locate the ambusher.
However...
His mind was suddenly struck with a powerful shock, and the next moment, he lost consciousness.
"Damn, still a step too late!"
【Real Simulation Ended. Please choose one attribute to retain.】
【1. Constitution】
【2. Battle Qi】
【3. Mental Power】
"Choose Mental Power!"
As the ripples faded, Rhett felt a surge of frustration. Being repeatedly ambushed without the ability to fight back was starting to get on his nerves.
"Let's do this again!" Rhett thought, determined.
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day!"
"Barton, come out..."
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day!"
"Matilda, this approach is futile. You'll never get the Blood Origin Orb..."
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day!"
"Akri..."
There were over a dozen alchemy masters in the Circle Tower.
Thus, Rhett conducted over a dozen simulations, calling out every name of the Grand Magi from the Circle Tower, using all sorts of carefully crafted deception.
But in the end, Rhett was left dumbfounded. No one responded!
Rhett was left puzzled.
After the last simulation ended, Rhett returned to reality.
He pondered deeply, "This doesn't make sense. I've tried every alchemy master from the Circle Tower, but none of them responded!"
"Could it be that the person doesn't believe me? That they insist on knocking me out and searching me before they'll stop?" Rhett furrowed his brow. If that were the case, the person was overly cautious...
"Rhett, what's going on?" Black Star asked, noticing Rhett's expression.
Rhett quickly composed himself and smiled. "Nothing."
He glanced around at the surroundings, and suddenly, a name flashed in his mind—the name of the Circle Tower's leader, Hypaster.
"No way..." Rhett's pupils contracted slightly. Even he found this possibility absurd.
That was the tower master! Why would he personally get involved in something like this?
But after a few minutes of contemplation, Rhett began to think that this guess made some sense. After all, the mental pressure that knocked him out wasn't something an ordinary Grand Magus could do. It had to be someone at the peak of the Grand Magus level, or even a Saint Realm mage.
From that perspective, Hypaster seemed like the most likely candidate!
With a deep breath and a "why not" attitude, Rhett once again activated the system.
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day!"
When the ripples appeared again, Rhett tried to maintain a composed demeanor and raised his voice:
"Ahem, if I'm not mistaken, Tower Master Hypaster, you must be hiding in the shadows. Master Neeru already informed me that you're extremely interested in the Blood Origin Orb..."
Then, Rhett opened his bag, showing its contents, and spread his hands, saying, "Unfortunately, I didn't bring the Blood Origin Orb with me this time. If you really want it, why not come out, and we can discuss the secrets of the orb..."
"Rhett, what are you talking about?" Black Star asked again, bewildered.
Rhett gave Black Star a brief glance, then scanned the area and sighed inwardly.
"Still no response?"
Shaking his head, he sat down, prepared to take out another Aurora Potion and meditate, thinking that this trajectory was beyond his ability to change.
Just as he was about to unscrew the bottle, the air suddenly grew thick with an eerie atmosphere.
The world fell silent; the space seemed to freeze.
Tap, tap, tap.
The faint sound of footsteps suddenly echoed behind Rhett.
His instincts screamed danger, and Rhett quickly turned around. His pupils contracted sharply as he tried to make out the figure approaching.
But it was as if a thick mist enveloped the person, obscuring their appearance no matter how hard he tried to see.
Thud.
In the next instant, Black Star collapsed beside Rhett, unconscious.
Rhett was startled, glancing at Black Star. He guessed that the young man had been knocked out by a mental shock but wasn't in immediate danger. Perhaps the attacker didn't want Black Star to discover their presence.
With a serious expression, Rhett spoke cautiously, "Who are you..."
"Hehe, Earl Rhett, didn't you just call my name?"
A gentle voice sounded.
An old man in a deep black mage robe slowly emerged from the darkness.
Rhett couldn't tell where the man had appeared from. One moment, there was nothing, and the next, the old man stood before him.
Recovering from his shock, Rhett felt a wave of disbelief. His eyes widened—this man was indeed a Saint!
It wasn't just a Grand Magus; the oppressive aura and the way he had appeared so mysteriously could only be the work of a Saint.
A Saint Realm mage, a figure of legend—Rhett had lived for over forty years but had never seen one in person.
Especially not Hypaster, the master of the Circle Tower, a man of unparalleled status, even among Saints.
Rhett's respect heightened to the utmost as he took a deep breath and said, "Honorable Saint, are you really the tower master of the Circle Tower?"
"Of course. And I'm very curious—how did you know I would be here?"
Hypaster's goal was indeed the Blood Origin Orb, but as a Saint Realm mage and the head of an organization, his actions were always shrouded in secrecy. Yet this lowly Magus had somehow figured it out, and that intrigued him. He needed answers.
Rhett remained silent for a while, calming his shock. After gathering his thoughts, he replied, "I don't have the power of foresight. These were just deductions."
"Deductions? Interesting. I'd like to hear how you deduced my presence..."
Hypaster's tone was calm, but Rhett could sense the authority behind it. If he couldn't provide a satisfactory explanation, this Saint might not let the matter rest.
Fortunately, this was just a simulation, so Rhett wasn't too worried. If things went wrong, he could always start over...
After a brief pause, he boldly replied:
"This all started with a deal I made with Black Star. I once traded with him for a Rock Lizard's bloodline potion, and he agreed too easily.
At the time, it didn't seem unusual, but later, I learned that the person who brought the Rock Lizard bloodline potion was a wanted traitor of the Circle Tower. That's when I noticed something was off.
In my view, given my relationship with Black Star at the time, it seemed strange for such a large organization to trade something as valuable as a bloodline potion with an outsider. Wasn't that too coincidental?"
Hypaster frowned slightly, nodding as he listened, "You make a good point, but what if it was just a coincidence?"
Rhett remained composed and continued with a smile:
"Of course, I understand that coincidences happen, but it was enough to make me suspicious and investigate further.
In my subsequent dealings with Black Star, I subtly gathered information and confirmed that he had connections to the Circle Tower. When Master Neeru came to me, his interest in Leanne's situation and his urgent need for more information led me to conclude that you must be interested in the Blood Origin Orb."
"So... you thought I'd personally come to seize it? But why me and not someone else? A Grand Magus should be more than enough to deal with you," Hypaster stroked his graying beard, speaking calmly. Rhett's direct use of his name had been the most suspicious part. After all, Hypaster had absolute confidence in his ability to remain undetected by a mere Magus.
"Because... I believe Tower Master Hypaster is a good and righteous man," Rhett replied confidently. Though he had learned about Black Star's connection to the Circle Tower through the text simulation, that didn't stop him from using the outcome to backtrack some reasoning.
Think about it—would the leader of an organization dedicated to fighting evil be someone who casually disrespected life?
Rhett didn't think so.
And that was why, even in the simulation, when Hypaster tried to steal the orb, he merely knocked Rhett out rather than harming him.
Most Saints wouldn't go through such complicated, life-respecting measures—they'd likely be more direct and brutal...
"Heh, this is the first time someone has called me that..." Hypaster chuckled.
"Isn't it true? Why else would you create an organization to fight evil? Which extraordinary person would be so kind and righteous?" Rhett countered.
Meeting Rhett's unwavering gaze, Hypaster fell silent for a long time.
Then, with a long sigh, he finally spoke, "Yes, who would be so bored as to do such a thing..."
Seeing this, Rhett's heart settled completely! If it had been speculation before, Hypaster's reaction now confirmed it for Rhett—Hypaster was indeed the leader of Black Star's organization.
Rhett's curiosity about this organization grew, and he couldn't help but ask:
"Tower Master Hypaster, may I ask why you founded this organization with such a peculiar approach—'defeating evil to become the greatest villain'? Wouldn't it be simpler to just punish the wicked directly?"
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