Eternal Thief

Under the astounded looks of the crowd, the Young Marquis actually kneeled in front of Ace’s cloak, and even Ace was startled by the Young Marquis’s action.

Ace couldn’t help but glance at the Abyssal Bone Marquis, who had closed his eyes at some point, clearly didn’t want to witness this scene, and he looked at his shadow. He naturally suspected this sudden action of the Young Marquis was related to the Vaultkeeper.

At that moment, the pale-faced Young Marquis, with trembling all over, said in a hoarse voice, “Please forgive my previous transgression against the Lord! My actions were solely mine and have nothing to do with my clan. If the lord wants to vent his anger, I’m the only one responsible!”

The crowd drew cold breath as they watched this unrealistic scene of the infamous Young Marquis of the Abyssal Bone clan not only kneeling in front of someone but also pleading lenience.

Furthermore, the Abyssal Bone Marquis was standing a few meters away, and some of them instantly suspected it was the Marquis who had forced his son to do it because his son had probably offended this person who had a mysterious connection with the Dread Duchess.

After all, at this point, everyone had already firmly believed that Ace was the VIP sitting in the Romm-1, and Abyssal Bone Marquis was probably doing it not to draw the Dread Duchess’s irony, and buried this matter right here and now.

Realization also dawned on Ace at that moment, as he wasn’t a fool. Eva had already told him within the Abyss that only strength was eternal, and Abyssal Beings greatly revered and feared those with power over them.

The Abyssal Bone Marquis, no matter how overbearing and arrogant he was, or his son, who held disdain towards everyone, they were nothing in front of the Dread Duchess, an Abyssal-Half King!

“Young Lord, we should get going now.” The Vaultkeeper’s indifferent voice rang in Ace’s head, urging him to go back so he could come back as soon as possible to capture that daring bastard.

As for the Abyssal Bone Marquis, the Vaultkeeper didn’t even mention him and clearly didn’t care about the Young Marquis kneeling in front of Ace as if it were only the most natural thing in the world.

Ace also didn’t think much about the Young Marquis as he had already forgotten about him, and if the former didn’t cause trouble for him, Ace wouldn’t even remember him after today.

“Forget it.” Ace impassively commented before he turned into a shadowy mist and vanished without a trace. It was the Vaultkeeper again!

The onlookers were startled as they couldn’t sense Ace’s presence anymore, and even the Abyssal Bone Marquis opened his eyes with a hint of shock and apprehension.

But he also sighed in relief since this meant the matter was most likely over, and looked at his son, who was still kneeling in a daze, and barked, “Let’s go!”

—

After that small yet significant event outside the Obsidian Myriad Hall, peace returned to the hall.

At this moment, deep within the Obsidian Myriad Hall, the Hall Proprietor sat alone within the luxurious chamber reserved only for his rank, surrounded by silken curtains, polished iron furniture, and a ceiling gem-lit with soft glow stones.

Yet despite the comforts, his expression was grave, and his back was damp with cold sweat. His mind still replayed the terrifying pressure of the Vaultkeeper and the unfathomable calm of the hooded young figure at his side.

Every time he thought of that gaze, hidden beneath the shadowed hood, it was as though the void itself had looked back at him.

The Hall Proprietor slowly sipped a goblet of black spirit wine, though its warmth did nothing to settle his nerves.

He had already relayed the entire encounter to the Marquis—the true power shielding the Obsidian Spirit Hall.

However, the Marquis had merely fallen silent, then coldly instructed: “Deaf, blind, mute. Offend no one.”

This was the only sentence he received before the Marquis cut off the connection, as he was afraid of meddling in this situation himself, and the Hall Proprietor became a scapegoat!

Those words had left a deeper chill in the Hall Proprietor’s marrow than any scolding could. He knew well that when the Marquis chose silence, it meant the matter was too perilous even for him to speak, and he was utterly helpless to have an opinion. Despite wanting to escape, he couldn’t, for his family was still within the Marquis’s territory.

So, he was waiting… both for the storm to pass, and for the mysterious troublemaker—the one who had consigned the Ancient Abyssal Permit—to come calling, as promised.

His heart thudded as he thought, ’I hope this matter won’t spiral beyond us… Neither I nor the Marquis wishes the Obsidian Spirit Hall to be shattered in the aftermath. I wish I had retired when I had the chance…’

He was still lost in this heavy contemplation when suddenly, the lights flickered.

The glow stones above guttered once, then dimmed into a pallid haze, their radiance swallowed unnaturally fast.

In the corners of the chamber, shadows began to pool unnaturally thick, sliding down like ink. The Hall Proprietor’s heart palpitated as he froze.

As an Abyssal Being, he could see in the darkness, and it even brought them comfort. But now, the darkness was different. It wasn’t the mere absence of light. It was like a living void, swallowing not just sight but even presence.

His chest tightened. He opened his mouth to bark an order, to summon guards, but the air itself turned viscous and heavy, choking sound before it could leave his throat.

The luxurious chamber that moments ago was filled with calm elegance was now drowned in pitch black, smothering, suffocating.

At this moment, from the void, two ghostly-blue flames snapped open!

They were not flames of fire, but eyes. Cold yet regal and unyielding. They stared into him as if he were nothing but dust beneath their gaze.

The Hall Proprietor’s heart palpitated violently. He recognized that aura instantly—it was the same he had felt from the Permit’s consignor.

The mysterious expert, who has challenged the Dread Duchess’s dignity, has appeared!