Orpheus and others had returned from their five days of training inside the special dimension.
Currently, he was getting ready to see Katherina and her gang. He had promised to visit the next day but couldn’t because of the training.
”You two have something to say, don’t you?” He asked them because he noticed they had been staring at him since their return. They must have something to ask but didn’t know how to ask him.
”Yes, master. We want to know why you did that during the mock battle? Knowing your strength, you would have won without doing something like that.”
To Lilith’s question, Orpheus responded.
”I see. So you, too, were curious about why I did that. It’s not hard; I’ll explain to you.”
”What will happen when someone usually cold does something out of his character?” Orpheus asked.
Both girls standing beside him exchanged a look before Amber responded.
”It will surprise everyone.”
”Good. During a fight, you can use any means possible to win. Fighting is not noble; there is no rule. I’m known for being expressionless; I rarely talk with someone. Imagine someone like that making joke out of the blue; even Quinn would be caught off guard no matter how experienced she was. And it was what I did. It was also punishment for her behavior. She was too curious. The result of the fight will calm her down for a while.”
The girls finally understood why their master did that; he did that because he was simply annoyed. Now they think about it; their teacher seemed especially interested in their master; during their training, she would try to target him.
‘Well, she can become a good subordinate later.’ Lilith, who knew to some extent the identity of their master, expected Quinn to become Orpheus’s subordinate in the future.
”Let’s go,” Orpheus said; he took the two with him as they left for the capital again.
•••••
In a mansion owned by Quinn, she sat on her bed in a black negligee, biting her thumb.
”Damn you, Kyle, you dare to shame me like that. I’ll be sure to pay you back, you little pervert. To think I thought he was a mysterious genius, but he is nothing but a pervert behind his mask. How dare.”
She took one of her dolls and started beating it out of frustration. She beat the poor doll until she was satisfied.
Like Orpheus had expected, suffering such humiliation left Quinn fuming; she forgot about her desire to know more about him; all was left was a burning desire to teach.
It was exactly what Orpheus desired but what he hadn’t expected was what followed.
”Wait a moment.” Quinn embraced the doll that became worn out after getting violently beaten.
Quinn felt like something was not right and contemplated for a moment. As a result, the corners of her lips couldn’t help but tilt upward.
”So, it was your goal. I have got fooled. Too bad for you, I won’t fall for your trick Kyle; I will find out what you are hiding.”
Orpheus would have never expected that after venting her frustrations, Quinn would soon discover that something wasn’t right.
•••••
After the initial discomfort they experienced every time they teleported, the girls observed their surroundings; as expected, they appeared inside Katherina’s office. She was sitting on a big chair smoking with her sisters and brother present.
When she saw them, she immediately threw away the cigarette and straightened her body.
”Evening Mr, leader.” Because she didn’t know Orpheus’s name yet, she decided to address him as a leader; he was their leader anyway.
While Katherina’s brother looked at Orpheus respectfully, Aileen, the rapier-wielding woman, glared at him. She still hadn’t accepted Orpheus as their leader, but she knew nothing would change even if she were to cause a tantrum. He was strong without a doubt; his goal to have all the gangs in the capital under him was achievable as well but what Aileen could not accept was the fact that the gang they painstakingly created and nurtured in an environment where it was hard for women to survive, became something else property overnight. It was a bitter truth to swallow.
”It seems that nothing happened while I was gone,” Orpheus said, scanning the whole base; nothing happened; the Vermilion gang didn’t make any movement during the past two days, which was within his expectation.
Katherina nodded before giving him a detailed report on the Black Snake gang names, the old and new members she recruited.
”Not bad, 250 members: Hundred and thirty Level 7, Sixty Level 6, Fifty-six Level 5 and Four Level 4 Origin masters.” Orpheus read the report and nodded, pleased with the number of members. As for their strength, it was still low, but with what he had in mind, they would become stronger soon enough to strike fear in the other gang’s hearts.
Aileen was glaring at Orpheus, who had put his feet on the table after taking her sister’s seat. She stopped when the two girls standing behind Orpheus glared at her. She shivered, feeling a sheep before two dire wolves.
”Let’s begin. I have something for you. Call the other members to join us on the training ground. Orpheus said before disappearing.
Katherina did not ask how he knew they had a training ground; she just ordered her sisters and brother to call the old members while she would bring the newcomers.
Five minutes later, all the gang members were present. Orpheus didn’t introduce himself again because he had already ordered Katherina to do that.
What surprised him was that nobody said anything when they saw him, except for the initial surprise present on their face; they were obedient, patiently waiting for their new leader to speak.
”You will step into the portal over there.” Orpheus pointed at a strange portal on his left.
Everyone except for Amber and Lilith looked at him with confusion.
”Wait, what? We are going inside?” Katherina took a step back unconsciously.
“Of course, I prepared it for you. Don’t worry; I made sure of keeping the degree of danger low for the first time, so none of you will die, probably.”
“… Die?”
Orpheus, who rarely smile, smiled radiantly. Amber shook her head, feeling pity for the gang members.
When the group saw his smile, they all retreated unconsciously. Even Lilith, who had spent a little time with him, trembled slightly in fright.
As for Aileen, she felt her hair standing up.
“Okay, who is going first?” Orpheus asked with a sadistic smile. None of them dared to step forward. Two hundred and fifty gazes were looking at him as though asking, ‘Leader, Do you think we are crazy enough to enter such a suspicious-looking portal?’
Aileen was the first one to open her mouth.
”You don’t expect us to go in that, right?”
Orpheus didn’t answer; Aileen frowned.
”We will not take a step forward if you don’t explain what is with that thing!” She said while pointing to the portal. The portal kept shimmering as if it could stop at any moment; it gave a dangerous vibe.
The others nodded to her words; they felt chill just by staring at the portal. Only Katherina and Stella remained quiet, but the two did not seem keen to enter that place either.
“Is it so?” Orpheus grinned. “Unfortunately, all of you will have to enter there tonight; you don’t have the choice. It’s an order, not a demand.”
“Over my dead body!” Aileen gritted her teeth.
‘Not only do you take over my house, but you want to die? Never in hell.’ She thought but dared not to voice out her thought.
Orpheus’s grin became wider; he stopped Lilith, who was about to step forward, then raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Katherina’s expression paled. A dangerous feeling invaded her, warning her that something bad was about to happen.
But unfortunately, she was too weak to stop it.
An instant later, Two hundred and fifty magic circles appeared one per person. The magic circles encircled the gang members’ bodies and sealed their movements. It happened in an instant, not giving them the time to act.
“Hey, what are you doing!?” Aileen asked with a pale face.
“L… Leader, this is not nice.” Katherina looked at Orpheus indifferently, but her back and neck were sweating crazily from nervousness.
However, Orpheus ignored their pleas and pointed to the portal.
Then, the magic circled and moved towards the portal, carrying the gang members.
“Wait, wait, wait! What are you do–”
“See you in six hours.” He interrupted them with a smile and waved my hand in farewell.
The gang members tried to struggle out of the magic circles, but they were too weak to stop his skill. In less than ten seconds, they were gone, leaving only Orpheus and the two girls.
”Master, don’t tell me you send them to that place?” Amber inquired. One place came to her mind seeing Katherina and her subordinates disappearing. That forest she almost died in.
”Yes, I sent them in the inner zone,” Orpheus responded with a smile; however, Amber shuddered hearing his answer. That forest was divided into three zones: Outer, Inner, and Core Zone. Previously, Amber stayed in the outer zone, so when she heard Katherina’s group was sent to the Inner zone, she knew only hell awaited them there.
”I wonder how dangerous that forest is.” Lilith was curious but had no idea that Orpheus had a plan for her.