Fang Li's words, though devoid of any hostility, slightly tensed the surrounding air.
However, the Crimson World Denizen known as "Corpse Retriever" showed no concern. Instead, he truthfully answered Fang Li's question.
"Call me Lamies, and it'll be alright." He introduced himself as such. "At least, in this state, that's what everyone calls me."
Hearing this, Fang Li continued to gaze at the ongoing battle ahead. Observing the consecutive bursts of Red Lotus flames and deep blue flames, almost as if speaking to himself, he uttered a line.
"Then I'll call you Lamies, at least until you come out of the Torch you're possessing."
Upon hearing these words, the gentleman named Lamies responded with an amazed nod, saying, "Being able to see clearly that I'm currently inhabiting a Torch, you truly aren't an ordinary human."
"It's not something to be surprised about," Fang Li replied somewhat indifferently.
Then, Fang Li slowly turned his head, lifting his gaze towards Lamies.
"After all, I can clearly see the inner workings of the Torch, and there's another presence inside as well."
With these words, a chill began to rise within Lamies.
Because Lamies saw it.
He saw Fang Li's eyes.
A pair of ice-blue eyes.
Eyes that seemed to directly pierce through one's vulnerabilities.
No.
These eyes didn't just see weaknesses.
They saw things that undoubtedly surpassed what others could imagine.
Otherwise, there would be no way to explain the chilling sensation.
"...Is it safe to say you truly live up to being the one that 'Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed assassin' has set her sights on?"
As if trying to conceal his own expression, Lamies slightly lowered the hat worn on his head, covering his eyes, and spoke so.
"It seems I can understand why the Reiji Maigo (Midnight Lost Child) fell into your hands."
Fang Li raised his brows slightly.
Regarding Lamies, Fang Li still vaguely remembered some information.
This Crimson World Denizen, often called the "Corpse Retriever," had an impressive background.
—The "Spiral Organ."
Mention this name, and no Flame Haze or Crimson World Denizen would be unfamiliar with it.
Because this name belonged to the most outstanding Unrestricted Spell Master in the Crimson World.
Including Fuuzetsu/Seal, many excellent Unrestricted Spells were created by this Crimson World Denizen, bringing substantial influence and advancement to the development of Unrestricted Spells.
And this "Spiral Organ" was Lamies.
The "Corpse Retriever" Lamies, while residing in a Torch, earned this title by collecting the Power of Existence from hundreds of years of Torches.
The reason for doing so was because Lamies wished to restore an item given to him by a former lover.
An item that Lamies didn't even get the chance to see, as it was damaged.
Restoring an item that no longer exists is a monumental task for a Crimson World Denizen and even a Flame Haze whose power relies on existence.
Fortunately, the reputation of being the most outstanding Unrestricted Spell Master was not unfounded.
Over the course of several hundred years, Lamies, while collecting Power of Existence, successfully developed Unrestricted Spells in this field. However, driving this Unrestricted Spell required an exceptionally large amount of Power of Existence.
Contrary to other Crimson World Denizens, Lamies had no intention of achieving this by devouring human Power of Existence. Lamies believed that such an approach would inevitably lead to retaliation from Flame Haze, posing too great a risk. Instead of taking such risks, Lamies chose to take his time and gradually achieve his goal.
Thus, Lamies inhabited Torch's bodies, allowing himself to manifest in this world without consuming the Power of Existence. Simultaneously, he slowly collected the Power of Existence from Torches on the verge of extinguishing, showcasing to the world that he was a harmless entity, unlikely to attract the attention of Flame Haze.
Of course, this meant that Lamies, unable to manifest his true form and restricted from freely using the Power of Existence, was almost equivalent to being completely powerless in combat. Hence, Fang Li harbored no sense of caution towards Lamies.
Unexpectedly, Lamies was aware of the fact that the Reiji Maigo (Midnight Lost Child) was within his body. This was something Fang Li had not anticipated. As a result, Fang Li turned his gaze back to Lamies.
In Lamies' eyes, the ice-blue Mystic Eyes had vanished, reverting to a pitch-black hue. Seeing Fang Li's reaction, Lamies gave him a reassuring smile, but the words that followed were impossible to ignore.
"In fact, I received a commission from the 'Bal Masqué' as a consultant and set up an Unrestricted Spell in this city. Once it succeeds, I'll receive a substantial amount of Power of Existence as a reward."
This unexpected piece of information caused Fang Li to narrow his eyes slightly. He remained silent, urging Lamies to continue.
"I can't tell you the effect of the Unrestricted Spell, as it would violate the commission. If that happens, not receiving the reward would be a minor issue. The real problem is that if behemoths like the 'Bal Masqué' catch wind of it, my future actions will become troublesome," Lamies said with a seasoned voice. "However, I can tell you that driving this Unrestricted Spell requires meeting a certain condition. Once that condition is met, the Power of Existence driving the Unrestricted Spell will be directly extracted from your body. Do you understand what I mean?"
Fang Li naturally understood.
This meant two crucial things.
Firstly, once the Unrestricted Spell is activated, if the inscribed Unrestricted Spell is triggered, Fang Li, whose Power of Existence has been absorbed, may disappear. After all, Fang Li is still a human, and once devoured by the Power of Existence, death is inevitable.
Secondly, the 'Bal Masqué' targeting the Reiji Maigo (Midnight Lost Child) might not come to Misaki City. Because, commissioning Lamies to set up an Unrestricted Spell in the city, they could just wait for the Unrestricted Spell to take effect without the need for anyone to drive it, achieving their goal effortlessly.
Fang Li didn't know what their goal was. He only knew that he might have fallen into a trap set by the 'Bal Masqué'— a trap that was still being arranged. Moreover, Fang Li knew that even asking Lamies wouldn't help. Otherwise, Lamies wouldn't allow contact with Fang Li.
Therefore, Fang Li posed another question.
"Why did you tell me this?"
Upon hearing this, Lamies couldn't help but smile.
"Because I don't want to offend either the 'Bal Masqué' or a human treated so cautiously by the 'Bal Masqué.' I just want to quietly accomplish my goal and avoid offending anyone who might pose a threat to me, including you," Lamies said with sincerity. "I only wish to complete my objective peacefully, without making enemies."
Leaving behind these words, Lamies' body transformed into a flock of birds, disappearing on the spot. Witnessing this, Fang Li only stared at the gradually receding flock of birds, lowering his head in contemplation.
...