Warlock Apprentice

The puppet theater was quiet, with the only sounds being the crackling of flames from the candles and Labu’s footsteps as he ascended the altar.

When Labu reached the peak of the altar, he exhaled a deep breath, then turned to glance at Frode.

Frode gave him a slight nod. This gesture seemed to instill courage in Labu, who knelt reverently at the center of the altar’s highest platform, like a devout Knight.

Everyone awaited the arrival of the Miracle.

Yet, nothing happened, only a faint ray of light descending upon Labu’s head through the crevice in the puppet theater’s roof.

Others could not distinguish whether this light, visible for the swirling Dust in the air, was sunlight or a gift from the World Will.

As confusion filled their minds, Labu’s eyes suddenly widened, staring straight ahead as though something was there before him.

But no one else saw anything. Some quietly suspected that Labu was merely acting... until a vast, overpowering presence abruptly descended.

It was the first time anyone had felt such an overwhelming aura—grand, lofty, infinite—imbued with sanctity and oppression. Though they could not discern its nature, everyone instinctively fell to their knees.

Under this presence, they all felt as insignificant as drifting Dust.

Especially Sir Sabel; beyond his own feelings of insignificance, the Demonic Fiend within him shrank with such humility it seemed ready to dissipate from his body.

”Is this the descent of the World Will?” Though they saw nothing, their hearts were filled with speculation.

Among them, only Labu—the focal point of the ceremony—could see what was truly happening.

In Labu’s vision, he did not see the World Will; he saw a dark Void and, standing distant within it, a faintly discernible silhouette.

It resembled a tree.

Though it was far away, Labu inexplicably felt that it was a towering giant tree.

Something on that tree seemed to beckon him.

Labu wanted to move forward, to seek whatever was calling him from the tree, but his feet seemed bound, unable to take a step. As his impatience grew, he noticed the tree slowly fading into the depths of the Void. Yet, the sensation of being summoned did not disappear; instead, it grew louder, nearer, and even synchronized with his heartbeat.

It felt as though it was approaching him.

What could it be? As Labu wondered, a faintly glowing dot floated across the Void to hover before him.

Looking at the light dot before him, Labu hesitated for a moment, then reached out, attempting to grasp it.

But just as Labu made a move, the light dot stirred once more, streaking through the air like a shooting star, tracing an exquisite path before plunging into Labu’s brow.

After the light dot entered his brow, Labu initially felt no changes. But in the next moment, countless images surged forth like an avalanching flood, crashing into his consciousness.

Labu felt as if his head was about to explode, the unprecedentedly sharp pain instantly consuming him.

Fortunately, the next moment, Labu’s vision turned completely black, and his body collapsed limply onto the altar, falling into a profound unconsciousness...

The inheritance ceremony officially concluded with Labu’s loss of consciousness.

The immense aura also dissipated. Everyone rose from their knees, gazing at the unconscious Labu on the altar with complicated expressions in their eyes.

...

To outsiders, this inheritance, rich with ceremonial mystique, held profound significance. But to Angel, it was merely the act of brushing a branch of the Ability Tree.

After the ceremony ended, Angel observed briefly and determined that Labu had indeed acquired the Authority of Mist of Sin, though he was still undergoing the Fusion phase. Once the fusion completed, Labu himself would understand some of the Mist of Sin’s functionalities.

However, it was slightly disappointing. After examining closely, Angel discovered that while Labu had obtained the ability, his compatibility was not absolute. He could not fully inherit the Mist of Sin’s Authority.

Some functionalities remained incomplete or unrealized. Which ones exactly, only Labu would know upon awakening.

Labu remained unconscious for most of the day, only stirring awake at around four in the afternoon.

Upon waking, Labu was still in a haze, seemingly engrossed in comprehending the newfound knowledge and information within his mind. Despite curious inquiries from those around him, Labu did not respond.

This state persisted until dusk when Labu finally felt his overwhelmed thoughts somewhat calm, granting him enough clarity to consider other matters.

Faced with the crowd’s questions, Labu pondered briefly before recounting his earlier experience in condensed detail.

Truthfully, Labu’s Fusion process, apart from pain and dizziness, bore little else worth mentioning. What intrigued everyone was the nature of Labu’s newfound abilities.

On this matter, even Labu felt uncertain. Although he had undeniably acquired new powers, they remained theoretical—he had yet to fully grasp their effects.

Thus, a group of researchers promptly escorted Labu to the Demonic Fiend Research Institute for in-depth analysis of his abilities.

Angel paid some attention but did not follow up further. As Labu regained consciousness, Angel already sensed that he had acquired the ability to ”suppress Demonic Fiends.”

Suppressing Demonic Fiends is the most critical ability for the Sin Hunting Group and the one Angel valued most.

This ability forms the cornerstone of Demon Hunter creation. It holds essential ties to both the formation and treatment of Demon Hunters.

With Labu possessing this ability, Angel could finally relinquish responsibility for the Demonic Fiend Laboratory. All other capabilities were secondary; this one sufficed.

Angel stopped concerning himself with Labu’s abilities, but Frode remained deeply invested in Labu’s Authority acquisition.

Through continued research at the Demonic Fiend Laboratory, the scope of Labu’s capabilities gradually came to light.

Beyond suppressing Demonic Fiends, Labu also gained the ability to sense Mist of Sin, allowing him to detect its origins. However, this sensing capability was vague, failing to pinpoint specific locations. It functioned more as an early warning system to prevent Mist of Sin from encroaching upon Originheart City.

Additionally, Labu obtained the ability to ”control Demonic Fiends.” He could traverse the Mist of Sin freely and exert control over some Demonic Fiends. This ability was highly beneficial for the Sin Hunting Group, enabling Labu to enter the Mist and capture suitable Demonic Fiends for Demon Hunter Fusion.

Unfortunately, Labu’s control ability wasn’t particularly strong. Against more powerful Demonic Fiends, he still required cooperation with Demon Hunters for effective capture and control. Moreover, once a Demonic Fiend fused with a human, he could only suppress it, not purge it from the host’s body.

Currently, Labu’s known abilities consist of these three. They are far from the full Authority of Mist of Sin, but they already provide significant support to the Sin Hunting Group and the Demonic Fiend Laboratory.

Furthermore, with these abilities, the Sin Hunting Group’s reserve members could finally proceed with preparations for Demonic Fiend Fusion...