I changed the book cover.[This one's original]
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It has been two days since Karl vanished, and everyone is searching for him - the media, the police in Chicago, international criminal organizations, the personnel of Cypress, and Cillian's henchmen. The general public sees him as a beloved icon and role model, unaware that he is actually a notorious criminal holding valuable information.
News channels are buzzing about the sudden disappearance of an S-ranked auror, speculating that it might be the work of a devil.
The disappearance of their academic administrator has made a huge impact on the university's cadets and the overall flow of the economy and the thoughts of the people. Unlike in novels where the death or disappearance of a character marks the end of their role in the story, the reality is far different.
"There are countless techniques and methods for developing your Aura," I explained as I walked around Ruby, who was seated on the floor with her legs crossed in the personal training area.
After finishing my daily classes, I returned to my dormitory and found Ruby pleading with me to train her. There had been no significant events in the past two days.
"Which one is the best?" she asked with a tilt of her head, her eyes still closed.
"Any and everyone," I responded.
"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled.
"Just keep practising what you've been doing, make modifications, tailor it to your needs," I said. "Remember, your body is capable of anything, it's your mind you need to deceive and focus on."
A figure appeared from the shadows of the room, its face emotionless.
"What's going on?" I asked telepathically.
"Executives from the Caraxes group are disappearing every hour," the figure replied.
"Someone is finally using their intelligence, instead of attacking me directly," I said. "Make sure to protect those who are still left, and don't forget about the support staff like cleaners and assistants. Keep a watchful eye on the relatives of everyone involved."
"Train however you want. I'm not a great trainer, to be honest. I gave you some advice, but it's up to you to interpret my words. I have to go, something has come up," I said, making my way towards the door.
"You never really told me who you are. I only know your name, and that you're definitely not normal. You know I'm a devil, you know my darkest secrets. Isn't it only fair that I know everything about you in return?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, the world doesn't work on fairness. You're an assassin and a spy. Consider finding information about me as a part of your job," I replied.
"There's a reward, a prize, a fee we get for every piece of information we extract. What would be mine?" she asked.
"Your reward?" I asked, opening the door.
"Yes," she replied.
"Me," I said as I left, closing the door behind me. I could hear her shout from inside, "The offer interests me. I accept."
Upon returning to my penthouse, I found Karl still tied up in the corner of my office room. He hadn't had any food or water for the past two days, but that was of little concern to me. Karl was an auror, after all, and could survive without sustenance for up to two months.
As I sat at my desk, a shadow appeared in front of me, holding a note. "There was only this note in the room," the shadow said, extending its hands and releasing a cloud of black smoke that had a peculiar odour.
I took the note from the shadow and read its contents. It read, "You have been warned. If you don't turn over Karl Fischer to me, I'll take out your people one by one. You have 24 hours to make a decision. Don't underestimate me or suffer the consequences. I am always watching."
Flipping the note, I found the city map imprinted on the note with a point that served as a location.
"Why doesn't this anonymous person simply come and take Karl Fischer if he is always watching?" I said with a chuckle as I faced Karl, who was clearly intimidated.
"Do you know this person, Karl?" I asked, waving the note in my hand as the chains binding his mouth released. However, I received no response.
"Just teasing you, I know who it is, Saira Lewis", after all, she is also a half-devil. But unlike Ruby, her lineage is not royal, so she will remain half-devil throughout her life.
"Get new leaders for the group. None of the people Saira captured are still alive, if any of their family members try to make a scene, kill them, women and children alike, these guys weren't sane either", I instructed as the shadow figure in front of me vanished.
"Everything's good, but how did Saira figure out that Caraxes is my group? Or maybe she didn't," I pondered with a huge grin on my face. "She's bluffing."
----[Time: 11: 13PM]
I was now at the Rosemont Horizon, a bustling concert venue, apparently owned by Caraxes group. It was the perfect location for a music event, attracting crowds from all over the city.
I had just stepped out of my black Chevy Camaro and was walking towards the back of the concert venue from the parking lot. I was dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit consisting of a black hoodie over a dark grey shirt, black jeans, and sports shoes that matched the shirt.
I looked like any other teenager, definitely not from the 90s. All around me, I saw young adults and teenagers dressed in vibrant and colourful t-shirts, adorned with chains and accessories.
The concert was being held by the Starlets, a popular all-female band consisting of Gia, Cleo, Nia, and Skye. They were known for their electrifying performances and had a massive following among the youth.
I didn't bother with getting a pass to enter. Instead, I sneaked in and stole the identity card of a backstage helper. As I wandered around, I kept an eye out for any signals, but even after an hour, I had received none.
Suddenly, a brown-haired woman wearing black round glasses approached me and handed me a tray of water bottles. "Quick, come here," she said.
"Get moving, everyone's so occupied," the woman exclaimed as she handed me a tray of water bottles. "Take this to the sound deck and don't forget to leave some bottles in the dressing room as well," she added, panting from the effort.
"Understood, ma'am," I replied, taking the tray and pretending it was heavy to match her exhaustion. I made my way to the dressing area first, ready to carry out my assigned tasks.
As I entered the room with a light tap, I was faced with the four members of The Starlets, who were all dressed up and in the middle of a conversation with the organizer. I approached the dressing table and placed the eight bottles on it, trying to avoid drawing too much attention to myself.
"You're new here, aren't you?" one of them asked, though I couldn't tell which one it was. They were all wearing similar dresses and wigs, making them look almost identical to each other.
"Yes, ma'am," I answered, feeling a bit nervous under their gaze.
"Why so nervous?" another one chimed in, a third from the left.
"Am I?" I replied, scratching the back of my head. "I don't know why." I thought to myself, 'I hate this.'
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