Hearing Yuiyui Gokadoin's outburst, Evangeline stepped forward and glanced curiously at the motionless figure standing behind the door:
"What? Do you know who that is?"
As she spoke, Evangeline examined the youth, or rather late teen, with greyish-white skin inside the room:
"That skin tone doesn't seem much different from those grey-white draconic beasts we defeated when rushing here earlier."
"And if it's someone you know in reality, they wouldn't be standing there guarding the True Dragon's legacy. Right, is it a copy?"
Hearing Evangeline's words, Yuiyui Gokadoin took a deep breath and calmed down somewhat.
She retreated several steps, creating distance, then looked again at Luo Shu's expressionless copy inside the room before sighing in relief:
"It seems we won't be attacked as long as we remain outside the door?"
Lorena nearby couldn't help glancing at Yuiyui Gokadoin, asking with some surprise:
"For someone like you, a puppeteer, to be so wary, and that earlier comment about the Hidden Management Department's monster... Could it be that the guardian inside is a copy of that Director Luo Shu from the Hidden Management Department?"
Hearing this, Yuiyui Gokadoin remained silent for a moment before saying:
"It's him."
"Oh?" Evangeline immediately showed interest upon hearing Luo Shu's name: "That rumoured Demigod who joined the SDS?"
"I believe he wasn't rated as one of the Thirteen Apostles, was he?"
Hearing this question, Lorena nearby promptly explained:
"The Thirteen Apostles are evaluated based on quotas from various countries after the Five Great Powers report their internal powerful individuals."
"Only those officially rated as 'Demigods' by their respective countries according to allocated quotas are granted the title of Thirteen Apostles."
"Since Director Luo Shu belongs to the semi-official organisation SDS, he isn't included in these evaluations."
"Hoh." Evangeline curled her lips, looking quite interested: "So he's what you'd call an unorthodox Demigod then?"
At these words, Yuiyui Gokadoin couldn't help widening her eyes and turning to stare at Evangeline.
Meanwhile, Lorena, nearby, calmly stated:
"Factually speaking, that's indeed the case."
Hearing Lorena agree, Yuiyui Gokadoin's expression turned somewhat dazed.
Because Yuiyui Gokadoin's reaction was so noticeably unusual, Evangeline turned to look at her in confusion:
"What, is there something wrong with my assessment?"
Hearing this, Yuiyui Gokadoin pressed her lips together before saying in an unnatural tone:
"I don't know how you've come to understand that one from the Hidden Management Department, but in the Onmyou Agency, Lord Hao personally ordered that if we encounter him during missions, we may choose to abandon all tasks."
"Hao? Is that the rumoured first Demigod?"
Evangeline pressed for an answer, but before Yuiyui Gokadoin could respond, she stroked her chin and remarked:
"In that case, it seems that Luo Shu also has some ability. Just to be safe..."
At this point, Evangeline turned her gaze towards the path they had come from:
"Should we consider cooperating?"
Seeing Evangeline suddenly address the intersection, Lorena immediately tensed up, watching the crossroads warily.
Just then, the clack of leather boots echoed.
Immediately after, a man and a woman appeared on the path they had taken.
"You are..."
Staring at the two newcomers, Lorena's face stiffened, and cold sweat trickled down her forehead:
"Vasily the Dragon Slayer and Vera the Impaling Lord from the Russia Union... To dispatch all your Apostles at once..."
The Thirteen Apostles announced internally among the Five Great Powers were selected by each nation and mutually disclosed as a deterrent.
Naturally, the thirteen slots were not divided equally.
Broadly speaking, the allocation was: China Union - 3, America Union - 3, Britain Union - 2, Russia Union - 2, France Union - 3.
Among France Union's three, one slot was tacitly reserved for Germany Union's own selection, though it was counted under France Union's roster.
This was an unspoken understanding among the Five Great Powers.
And now, standing before Lorena were the golden-haired man and woman—the only two Apostles of the Russia Union.
Vasily Leonid, the Dragon Slayer.
Vera Andreyevna, the Impaling Lord.
At that moment, Evangeline, with one hand on her hip, expressed surprise:
"I thought whoever was tailing us was some minor character, but it turns out they're colleagues?"
Tilting her head, she smiled and asked:
"So, how about cooperating?"
"If we gather three Demigods, that copy of Luo Shu inside probably won't stand a chance, right?"
Hearing this, the bear-like, burly blond giant Vasily replied gravely:
"No need for such trouble. The guardian inside will be handled by us."
As he finished, Vera beside him added calmly:
"A two-on-one is our respect for a Senior Demigod. Moreover, adding you, a British Union Apostle, would only hinder us in battle."
"Fair enough."
Evangeline seemed to understand their perspective well and voluntarily stepped back, saying:
"In that case, as Russian warriors, you wouldn't mind me observing, would you?"
In response, Vasily strode forward calmly:
"Once we obtain the True Dragon Legacy, any subsequent matters can be left to the diplomats."
Evangeline raised an eyebrow, watching as Vasily and Vera entered the room, then paused thoughtfully:
"Damn. Although I only meant for these two to test the guy inside, there's a real risk the mission might fail."
Hearing this, Lorena couldn't help but exclaim:
"Then why did you..."
Before Lorena could protest, Evangeline raised a finger to her lips:
"Quiet now. It's about to begin."
...
Meanwhile.
In the spacious hall.
Vasily, upon entering the hall, surveyed his surroundings before finally fixing his gaze on the greyish-white, black-haired young man standing at the centre of the hall:
"I don't see any passages or the like. Are you certain the True Dragon Legacy is here?"
At that moment, Vera, standing nearby, said calmly:
"Vasily, look up."
Hearing this, Vasily raised his head and immediately spotted a stone-carved door faintly depicting a heart shape on the golden ceiling.
Seeing this, Vasily understood at once:
"So the entrance is above us?"
By then, Vera already held a sharp spear in her hand:
"To avoid being attacked while opening the door, we should send this Senior Luo Shu away first."
Hearing this, Vasily shook his head and raised a hand to stop Vera:
"Let it be, Vera. Leave this to me."
As he spoke, Vasily pushed up the sleeve of his right arm, revealing a metallic arm beneath, silverish in colour.
He stretched his right hand, then stared intently at the motionless 'Luo Shu' in the centre of the hall, focusing on the greyish-white scales on the exposed parts of its body:
"Against something created by dragonkind, the Sword of Saint George that I possess is far more effective."
No sooner had he spoken than Vasily's right arm rapidly began to melt and transform, ultimately shaping into an enormous blade over three metres long, resembling an arm.
On the blade, patterns of angel wings lit up one after another, and faintly, it seemed as though a child's clear voice could be heard singing hymns.
After unleashing the Demigod Rank Abyss Artefact Sword of Saint George fused within his body, Vasily looked up at Luo Shu fifty metres away, his expression calm as he stated:
"My apologies."
"Blame it on being a dragon!!"
The instant his words fell, Vasily leapt into the air, swinging his right arm downward in a slash, and a crescent-shaped radiance bloomed within the hall.
The Dragon Slayer's Sword, specialised against dragonkind, descended fiercely!
And then...
Clink!
Mid-air,
Vasily's face froze.
Beneath the three-metre-long great sword formed from his right arm,
The black-haired youth with greyish-white skin raised his hand and extended a single index finger, pressing the pad of his finger against the sword's edge!
In that moment,
Yuiyui Gokadoin, watching from the entrance, seemed to hear the words her ancestor Hao Asakura often repeated:
'How insignificant...'
And just then, the replica that had blocked the attack with a finger slowly lifted its head, its black eyes lighting up with golden and red glows.
The moment he saw those eyes lift, Vasily's expression changed drastically:
"Not good, run—!!"