"You should deactivate the spell." I told Isadora.
"Mh? Why?" She raised an eyebrow.
"The spell is going to affect me too." Having the gravity affinity doesn't make me immune to it.
"Oh, okay." Isadora deactivated the spell and released the trapped monster.
The monsters three eyes were bloodshot with fury, it opened wide in a blood curling scream.
-SCREECH!!
'Identify weak points.' I commanded my skill.
Several red dots–visible only to me–appeared all over the monsters body. Some were at the joints, where bone met ligament.
Its eyes, entire stomach and tongue were red too. Each of them weak points.
I could feel the fluctuation of mana in the area the moment Isadora casted her spell, making dozens of mana circles manifest in the sky.
A storm of crimson spears charged towards the monster, causing it to shield its eyes with two clawed hands.
I used the distraction to appeared above the monster, unnoticed. I swung my katanas in a downwards vertical strike, while at the same time increasing gravity on myself, making me descend faster.
-SLASH!!
The slashes sounded simultaneously, cutting through one of the arms it used to block, green blood spraying out of the stump.
-SCREECH!!
The monster let out a high-pitched painful growl, and swung one of its large arms at me, but I was long gone.
I appeared at its hind leg, my blades carving through muscle and bones, separating the leg.
The monster let out another shriek, but didn't sit idly by. Despite missing one leg it still jumped high into the air, slime falling from it.
The ground shook when it landed, a small crater forming under its huge frame. It swung a clawed appendage at Isadora.
-BANG
A loud bang sounded when when the hand connected with a barrier made from moonlight, cracks spreading across the barriers surface.
Isadora was unfazed by the attack.
A portal materialized in front of me, I entered without hesitation, emerging above the monster.
Isadora casted a magic circle underneath the monster, increasing the gravity around it and me included.
I plummeted fast towards the trapped monster, raising my katanas above my head.
-SWISH!!SWISH!!SWISH!!
Acidic slime shot out from the spores on the monsters back, heading straight for me.
Another portal materialized in front of me, but this time the acid projectiles disappeared through it, setting them off course.
With the projectiles gone, my descend was unobstructed.
"DIE!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
–SHLICK
My katanas stabbed through the monsters brain, emerging from the roof of its mouth.
The monster let out a final scream before its struggles ceased, dropping lifeless to the ground.
[Exp Gained: 1500(3)]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
"Are you okay?" I asked Isadora, still standing on the lifeless body of the monster.
"Yes." She said, dispelling the barrier around her body. "How much Exp did you get?"
"1500 and you?" I jumped off the monster, scattering dust when I landed.
I returned the armor back to the inventory. The slime and green blood disappearing along with it.
Isadora followed suit, both of us dressed in Imperial attire.
"500. And I'm on level 11, you?" She pulled out a small book from her inventory.
"15. What's that?" I asked curiously, referring to the book.
"A journal. I use it to document all the monsters we killed." She opened the book and started scribbling.
I peered over her shoulder and saw her sketching the frog monster and one of its henchmen.
She was really good at drawing.
"Froghemoth and Frogminion." I read a loud. "Is that what they are called?"
"That's what I'm calling them." She said.
'Just casually renaming monsters.' I thought.
"Those are pretty good." I praised.
"Thanks." She never took her eyes out of the book.
"Hate to break it you; but you have to hurry up." I said, gazing off into the forest. "It seems our battle have not gone unnoticed."
Several monsters were making their way over to our position with frightening speed.
"Done." She closed the book, opened a portal and stepped through.
I followed close behind.
********
"My Prince, Saintess. Where have you been?" Mila asked when Isadora and I emerged from the portal.
She let out a relieved sigh when she saw us.
"We were out having fun." Isadora threw herself on the plush sofa.
"There is no problem with having fun, but could you please take the Shadow Legion with you next time?" Mila asked. "They were in complete disarray with your sudden disappearance."
"How are we supposed to have fun knowing that we are being watched?" Isadora countered.
"Please, Saintess?" Mila pleaded, her voice softening.
"Fine." Isadora grumbled. "You know I don't like it when you do that."
"Thank you, Saintess." Mila had a victorious smile on her face.
"My Prince?" Mila turned her attention to me. "I have collected all the data you requested."
My gaze shifted towards the stack upon stacks of papers layered on my desk.
"Uggh." I grunted, making my way over.
'I know I asked for this, but I didn't expect there to be so many.' I took the seat and started looking at the first paper.
'What the fuck am I suppose to be looking for?' I was completely clueless.
"Remember that time I said I won't sit by while you do all the work?" Isadora asked.
"Yeah." I said, without moving my gaze away from the paper in my hand.
"I take it back. You're on your own." The door closed behind her before I could say anything.
"Tch. Traitor." I said, grabbing another piece paper.
'Wait. Can't I use [Identification] in a situation like this too?' The thought suddenly struck me.
'The description does say that I can gain any piece of information I wish for. Doesn't that mean that I can use it to understand whatever it is going on in these papers.'
The thought made sense to me, so I activated the skill without a second to waste.
An influx of information entered my mind. Dates, numbers, expenditures, income, increases, decreases.
All of it entered my mind at once, causing a slight headache. It would've certainly overwhelmed me if I hadn't added a few stats to my willpower earlier.
Once all the info settle into my mind one thing became painstakingly clear: funds embezzlement and tax evasion.
And this is being shown in every piece of paper for the last two hundred years. The corruption is so blatant that one had to be blind to miss it.
A wave of unrelenting fury surged through me.
The knowledge that there is being stolen from the Empire–my Empire, Isadora's Empire–caused a wave of overwhelming killing intent to erupt from me.
"Mila." I called out, my voice lowering with restraint fury.
"Y-yes, My Prince?" Mila, who has been quietly standing at my side and felt the emotions radiating from me, was trembling slightly.
"Who is in charge of the Empire's finances?" I asked.
"W-well, usually it is supposed to be the Emperor, b-but because His Majesty is not well-versed in this field, he left it in the hands of the financial advisors." The words spilled out of her mouth, careful not to attract my fury.
"I want them in front of me in the next fi–." I stopped myself when another thought crossed my mind.
"Get Isadora here. Now." I ordered.
Mila hurried out of the office, instantly acting out my orders.
I picked up the scroll that contained the authority of an Emperor and unfurled it.
"Since I have the authority of the Emperor, that means I also have authority over you, right?" I asked to no one in particular.
A moment later the Shadow Legion materialized in the office and wordlessy dropped to one knee. Submitting to me.
A dangerous smile crossed my lips.