The primary reason why Caesar chose to make a move was because there were simply too many people watching the area, especially next to a small, house-sized building without many entrances. Not only did that indicate something suspicious inside this place, such as an important item or person, but it also gave him the confidence to wait for an opening. It wouldn’t hurt, anyway.

He waited next to the closed door, counting down the minutes in his head until it opened. Good, he thought as he rushed in before it closed again. Inside the building was a bed, where a man slept with a book splayed across his lap.

Have to do this quickly. Scattered around the room were plenty of notable items, including a few interesting colored gems placed on a desk, an open backpack on the floor, and some heavier artifacts he likely couldn’t take. Although the current effect allowed him to make no noise when moving or breathing, rummaging through the place would still make plenty of sound, as only his footsteps were muffled.

He made his decision quickly and brushed the gems into his pockets, making as little noise as possible. They stopped glowing once safely tucked underneath his clothes. Then, he walked up to the sleeping man and grabbed the book off his lap, fortunately not waking him up in the process.

Caesar opened the door and sprinted away into the night. He had already made it halfway to the exit portal before a guard finally stopped staring into the distance and turned to see the door ajar. A shout rang out in surprise, and only a few people looked over in interest.

He exited the dungeon with haste and appeared yet again in another grasslands, also different from last time. It gave him the chance to flee on his Kelpie, and he smiled in excitement as he checked the loot.

[Item]: Fire Gem – Rank 2

[Rarity]: Uncommon

[Effects]: A material imbued with fire.

Eight different gems of various elements, full of energy, gave him confidence to practice crafting. Their effects were well documented in books around the three kingdoms, having been used to create many different potions or artifacts. But the spellbook interested him much more.

[Item]: Heaven Sees All

[Rarity]: Rare

[Effects]: Contains knowledge on the Divination spell [Eye of the Storm]. Requires pre-existing Aeromancy knowledge to learn.

Although the Rare spell only worked during thunderstorms, it just so happened he had a minion who could call them into existence.

----

At night, “Gollj” headed down the dark, dead streets where nobody ran around. Sometimes, he’d discover rotting food at the entrances to some of the houses. He arrived at a silent warehouse near the ports, the rhythmic sound of waves providing stragglers a small measure of calm for their lost world.

A guard with eyes still bright and untouched by plague stood at the door, dressed in blackened rags. Since the fish inside were contaminated by the disease, only rot remained, leaving behind a terrible smell which dissuaded others from coming near. His willpower was certainly commendable.

Alta slipped the severed head out from a small pack and shoved it into his face with manic eagerness. “Here’s proof,” he said, smiling.

“I see it.” The man took a good, long look at its countenance. “What happened?”

“Castellan told us about her. So when I found her wandering around the city like a little rat, I just followed her to her hole until she let down her guard.” Gollj then made a slitting gesture on his own throat.

He gave a low hum. “You can go back now,” he said, taking it into the warehouse while another gaunt man replaced him.

Alta grinned wider and shouted his thanks before fleeing back into the night. To dispel Masquerade, the object or person needed to take fairly heavy damage. Light cuts or smacks wouldn’t work. Thus she felt it reasonable to take the risk, since they’d likely not disfigure the face to help verify its authenticity. Perhaps even Divination might fail, due to her Divination Resistance.

She took out the Pax Society’s messaging artifact, twisting and rubbing it before Rilia’s face appeared in the blue orb. “Hello, Rilia. There’s a problem at Placto. Plague.”

“What? Are you alright?” The elf’s face creased with worry.

“Yes, but we might need some support. How quickly can you send someone here?”

“A few weeks. We’ve got an apothecary but he’s currently out doing something else. He’ll come back soon, but don’t do anything to endanger yourself!”

“Got it. Thanks for everything,” Alta said.

She put away the artifact and changed forms again, into the slender man who would be their third teammate. For now, he’d patrol the streets without rest, watching and waiting for the Fox Cult to make their next move. He expected them to try and contact the spy at New Traxis to make sure Gollj’s words were true. Perhaps, he’d even receive a little reward from them.

They might not find the spy after all. I suppose it matters not.

Now, he simply had to wait until Caesar arrived before contacting the Pax Society about what happened. The death of Gollj meant the leakage of Fox Cult information to the castellan, but that would naturally take time. Enough time for her lord to return, and then, lead them into an ambush.

----

A few weeks later, it was time. Caesar had come to Placto unopposed by anybody because his steed was much too fleet and stout. It warned all others to stay far away from the pair’s combined might.

Before entering the city, he simply unsummoned Alta to recall her to his side. They walked into the city together with the forms they used to enter the Pax Society.

“What did you discover?”

Alta recounted the events which occurred. “Plague, faking my own death, and simple patrolling, Caesar. Weeks ago, I sent word to the Pax Society about the plague, so an apothecary will arrive soon.”

“Very interesting. Any noticeable patterns?”

“Yes. The Fox Cult, although commonly using disgusting areas to hold their weekly meetings, rarely use the sewers.”

When Caesar entered, all the ducks fled except for a single one who looked smarter than the others. It approached him and quacked, as if it knew who the true lord was. He smiled and brought out a souvenir – rank zero meat from a Rare animal. It fluttered away happily with the piece in its mouth, to feed it to its family.

Alta took him to a location deeper inside the city yet still hidden from others’ prying eyes, where he could test how the plague affected him and his summons. He began the testing, starting with safe options before branching out to the others.

With the Ring of Disease Protection, he was safe from the illness that pervaded the plague section of the city. His Doppelganger ignored its effects as well, and his hippo’s barrier prevented the disease from affecting those still covered. However, once it shattered, the disease would affect the entity, shown by the rush of essence from a few nearby rats which fortunately cured them almost immediately. Or he could use his Skeleton Mage and forgo both entirely.

Which decision to make? He took out the Geomantic Locus secured from the Earthlord Python’s corpse and gave it to the Skeleton Mage for a quick glance. Even though it was undead and thus had different catalyst requirements from normal humans, the catalyst would work.

I suppose I should rank it up. But first, I need plentiful essence to make sure it survives. Rank two at least, but only the Fox Cult will have that much.

“Time to spring the trap, Alta.”

“Yes. They should’ve discovered the death of Gollj already and seen us enter the city. I expect the house to contain an ambush of up to a dozen rank two people.”

He smiled and unsummoned her. “Then, let’s give them what they want.” From the Skeleton Mage came three javelins, swirling with energy, which he placed into the crook of his arm.

----

Caesar slowly trudged back to the lakeside house and glanced around the forest road. The area looked completely isolated from the rest of the city, and from what Alta had reported over the past few weeks, nobody would come. Perfect, he thought. Finally I can cut loose.

A massive python rose from nowhere and flickered its tongue out, before flashing yellow lights into the trees. It turned its head to him and nodded, then sent a flurry of earthen spikes into a specific direction.

His Kelpie manifested in front and galloped forwards, quickly finding a horrified man hidden beneath the underbrush and burning him alive with a flaming hand. Although he tried to fight back, with whirling shadow blades forming around him, a blast of necrotic energy shot forward and blew the man’s arm apart. Blood stained its fangs red before it returned.

The Tomb Hippo who had materialized beside him protected them all with barriers and supported them with mighty spells. Essence flowed from their recent kill and began to float around them, disappearing first near the Kelpie.

The three powerful beasts and the monarch who commanded them walked towards the door to the house, staring warily at it. Caesar ordered his spellcasters to blast it down. Withering Blasts and Fragmentation Orbs shot forwards, damaging the walls heavily, until something roared and they stopped.

The dust cleared to reveal a house already riddled with large holes that he didn’t make, and two beasts poking their heads out. Another man and a woman sat on their backs, frowning at Caesar’s team. Three others hung around the beasts’ feet, already shaking in fear.

“Four Level 25s and three rank twos? That’s quite the overestimation,” he said mockingly before unsheathing the Umbral Drinker.

No more words were exchanged between the two parties. The beasts and their men charged, all aiming at Caesar. Earthen energy flowed underneath and imbued the Earthlord Python with stronger spells, which it used to create a Dust Storm right onto the enemies. More energy flowed and changed into Fragmentation Orbs, sent flying into the house again.

A Glass Lizard came out of the dust first, fast and flexible, picking up one of the auxiliary men with its tail before biting at the Kelpie who charged to meet it in combat. Their teeth tore at each other. The horse took more damage from the lizard’s sharp scales than it could deal in return. The enemy two riders, seeing the advantage their steed held, flung themselves off to continue the attack. The Kelpie allowed them past before suddenly turning its head and unleashing a fiery claw onto the weaker man. It strangled him, and the Kelpie – now protected by a barrier – tore itself away from the fight to finish him off.

The male rider exclaimed in surprise but still struck forwards with his lance. Caesar dodged behind his hippo and manifested the crown onto his head, before taking out one of his Squalls to hurl into the dust. A pained growl made him smile in satisfaction.

Agility and Strength, he thought as he turned to the lancer. The man struggled against the might of his hippo, failing to disengage in time as Caesar dashed past and stabbed the Glass Lizard. He and his Kelpie worked together to bring it down before the horse trotted towards the lancer. More fire flowed forth.

His eyes widened as a paw suddenly struck his barrier. The other transformed enemy, a Mistwalker Lion, had already appeared right in front of him. Caesar dodged and retreated, allowing his Kelpie to fight for him.

That woman must’ve continued to use her Illusion ability to fool them all, allowing the beast to avoid most of his Earthlord Python’s attacks and successfully generate a mist for it to travel through. It had only taken so long due to the lucky few hits acquired from True Strike, occasionally used in between Fragmentation Orbs. With her sight clear, she activated another ability on the python, turning it against Caesar completely. Another orb formed in its mouth and shot towards him instead.

Good hallucinations! He allowed the attack to shatter his barrier, a few of the fragments digging into his skin and Umbral Shroud. Although each fragment was indeed weakened by the Damage Resistance of Pharaoh Blessed, they could still damage him past the shattered barrier unlike other spells.

That sacrifice gave him time to unsummon the python and immediately resummon the Stormheart Oak. It lashed the entire area in lightning, fortunately hitting the remaining two invisible lackeys creeping around the sides. As the Kelpie went for the kill, his Tomb Hippo cursed the lion with impotence, weakening its pounces.

Caesar had just enough time to dodge a swipe from its claws and flee to his hippo. The woman on the lion’s back launched herself off and tried to flee, but without much Strength or Agility, he easily ran after and stabbed through her chest.

[Notice]: Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 27! +2 Free Stat Points

His summons finished off the remaining ambushing party and stayed where they were, listening for any others. They heard nothing. Caesar walked to them and ordered the Kelpie to wander the area while he waited for the Hallucination ability from the woman to wear off.

Meanwhile, he collected the corpses into one spot and rummaged through their clothes. Although the two beasts could not wear rings, he still found four Rings of Disease Resistance. Their three lackeys also each carried a bundle of potions: Mana, Stamina, and Health – all fortunately Uncommon.

Next, he planned to go to the sewers to confirm one of his suspicions. Could the plague be dungeon phenomena? This level of power from the Fox Cult is disproportionate in this city. Since the apothecary would take a few more days to arrive, he felt that he had enough time to investigate.