"Promotion"

Returning to his body, Klein sat on his chair, took a paper and a pen and started writing his thoughts.

Since the last meeting, his gut was telling him that even if Mr. Emperor wasn't responsible for his transmigration, he at least knew much more than he did.

He didn't have a reason to feel like that, but the the look that Mr. Emperor looked at him with, was as if he had nothing to hide his eyes.

This, coupled with the warning of his intuition earlier, made him much more vigilant.

"Mr. Emperor is obviously a Beyonder and he is much stronger than Old Neil or even Mr. Hanged Man."

"Mr. Hanged Man should be as strong if not stronger than my captain, showing the strength of Mr. Emperor.", he wrote down.

"At the same time, Mr. Emperor doesn't even bother to hide his disgust for the orthodox churches."

Hearing Mr. Emperor mention that the people that held the power in the Kingdom were also strong Beyonders, Klein realized that his past life had been skewing his judgement.

Beyonders obviously existed, so how would the King and his ministers not want to possess this power?

Or even worse, how could someone become a King if he didn't have extraordinary power?

"If Mr. Emperor is part of the royal family, it would explain his knowledge and his disgust for the church.", Klein made a guess.

Back to Alexander, after his incarnation returned to reality, he didn't think much and quickly left his house.

Today is the day he was going to report his "findings" regarding the extraordinary gatherings taking place in Backlund.

In fact, he already emitted most of the information, leaving only the most basic and already well known knowledge.

Otherwise, how would he be able to explain how he, a Sequence 9 Lawyer, got this information?

Reaching the building and entering, he lightly knocked on the apartment's door.

This time it wasn't Natalie who opened the door like last time, but Ralph.

"I've been waiting for you, come in.", he motioned.

Entering the building, Alexander was surprised that no one else was here.

Wasn't a person supposed to always stay here?

Or does Ralph count?

Sitting down, he saw Ralph looking at him with a serious look on his eyes.

"Team Leader, this is the report for my task.", Alexander took a thin tiny book out of his pocket and pushed it to Ralph.

Ralph didn't pick it up but instead asked something else.

"Have you become familiar with the Lawyer potion?"

"I've already have a feeling that I'm able to get promoted."

"I even found the Barbarian formula in one of the gatherings.", Alexander replied.

"Very good.", Ralph clapped his hands.

By now, Alexander could see that clapping was most likely Ralph's quirk.

"One agent had an accident previously and unfortunately won't be able to continue his mission."

"The headquarters have pushed the mission to our team, but we have been short-staffed for some time now."

"Normally, I would wait for you to promote and become a Barbarian before giving you this mission, but are pressed on time."

"Give me the formula and I'll pick up the materials from the headquarters."

"Of course, the cost will be deducted from your future salary.", Ralph said and stretched out his hand.

Alexander didn't hesitate to do as told, but inwardly countless thoughts surged.

Wouldn't the agent that had an 'accident' be the Judge that he previously killed?

Are you going to give such a dangerous mission to the little powerless Sequence 9 me?

'Wait a minute, I'm not Sequence 9.', Alexander realized.

In the past two weeks, he had been pretending to be a Sequence 9 in reality and a very powerful Beyonder above the grey fog, causing him to almost forget his Sequence.

Looking up, he found that Ralph had already left, probably to get the materials for his promotion, and decided to wait.

Half an hour later, the door of the apartment opened and Ralph with a bag on his hand and a smile on his face appeared.

"You're very lucky, I found all the ingredients you need."

'Is it even luck when the royal family controls the entire Black Emperor pathway?', Alexander couldn't help but question.

"Before you can get promoted however, there is one more thing that you have to do." Ralph said and took a black key out of the bag.

The key had the appearance of a common key, with the only difference being that it was pitch black.

It would appear like a common everyday item to ordinary people and Beyonders of other pathways, but Alexander had a feeling of attraction to it.

'It should be an extraordinary item of the Black Emperor pathway.', he thought.

"This is considered an extraordinary item like the Notary contract you signed before."

"Its main function is to strengthen the contract that you've already signed."

"It's not that we don't trust you, but we have to follow the protocol.", Ralph explained with no shame on his face.

Looking at his innocent expression, Alexander couldn't help but want to curse out loud.

What strengthening the contract, what trust, do you think there is anyone that stupid?

Before he could finish that thought, the door of the apartment opened and a brunette woman walked in, Natalie.

Seeing the key in the hands of Ralph, a cheerful emotion appeared on her face.

"I loved this item when I used it before."

"It creates a black fog filled with symbols that floats all around you."

"It's so fun, almost like fireworks.", Natalie said with a smile on her face.

"Cough, cough, anyway."

"Hold it in your hands and say the words 'the contract is valid'.", Ralph interrupted Natalie and instructed Alexander on how to use the item.

Alexander took the key in his hands and instantly felt that this shouldn't be the complete extraordinary item, but only a part of it.

Its personality wasn't too high, only around Sequence 6.

This calmed him down.

If the personality of the item was too strong and it could affect him, he would rather fight than use an unknown item.

No longer hesitating, he spoke up.

"The contract is valid."

As he spoke those words, a black mist floated out of the key and rushed towards his body.

Alexander had already clutched the Distortion token with his left hand in his pocket, and was ready to distort any unwanted effects.

Just as the mist entered his body however, something inside him seemed to awaken.

Alexander thought [that a great will was awakening inside his body], but what awakened didn't seem interested in him and just assimilated the black mist.

He immediately understood what happened.

Part of his Duke of Entropy characteristic had been unsealed.