Alibi

After four long days of travel, Strider and Silvia finally arrived at the Cromwell Barony.

The familiar sight of the towering stone walls and sprawling fields of the barony filled Silvia with a sense of relief.

Unlike the political web of deceit and power struggles in the Maxwell Duchy, the Cromwell Barony was simple, stable, and welcoming.

The carriage rolled to a stop, and servants immediately came forward to receive them.

The Barony's guards stood at attention, their gazes filled with respect for their young lord and lady.

As Silvia stepped out, she took a deep breath of the cool night air and murmured, "It's good to be home."

Strider, who had remained silent for most of the journey, finally smirked slightly. "Indeed."

That night, the entire Cromwell family gathered for a grand meal in the main hall.

It had been two weeks since the whole family sat together like this, and laughter and warmth filled the room.

Silvia, eager to share her experiences, spoke about everything she had witnessed in the Maxwell Duchy—the political maneuvering, the arrogance of nobles, and the constant deception.

"The nobles in the duchy… they're all the same, thinking only about their own benefit."

Silvia's expression darkened as she spoke.

"They care nothing for loyalty or righteousness. Even the so-called noble families are rotten to the core."

The head of the Cromwell family, Lord Graham Cromwell, listened to Silvia's words with a thoughtful expression.

"You have seen the reality of nobility now, Silvia," Lord Graham finally spoke.

"In the empire, strength is everything. Those who have power dictate the rules. If you want to protect what you care for, you must stand at the top."

Strider remained quiet during the conversation, merely observing.

Silvia had truly matured during this journey, her innocence slowly being replaced by a realistic view of the world.

Baron Graham placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice steady.

"You've seen the harsh reality, but don't let it shake your heart."

Baroness Eleanor embraced her gently.

"You're strong, my dear."

Elric smiled warmly. "We will always protect you."

Darian and Victor chuckled. "Anyone who troubles you will answer to us."

Finally, Strider, ever calm, whispered, "You are not alone, Silvia. The world may be cruel, but we stand beside you."

After finishing the meal, Strider returned to his room, his mind already moving toward his next step.

As he sat in silence, Strider's thoughts drifted toward the success of his clone technique in the assassination of the nobles back in the Maxwell Duchy.

The technique he had used before was limited—it could create a temporary clone, but the range of control was restricted.

This was a weakness.

The clone had been useful for creating an alibi during the noble assassinations, but if he wanted to operate more freely in the empire, he needed a stronger technique.

Strider opened the System Mall using his System Points and began searching for an advanced clone technique.

After filtering through countless techniques, his eyes locked onto one that caught his attention—

[True Shadow Technique - 3000 system points]

True Shadow Technique

Allows the user to create a single clone that exists indefinitely.

Creates a single clone that can move independently within a wide area.

The clone retains combat abilities, but its cultivation is one full realm weaker than the original or main body.

The clone can perfectly mimic the host's behavior, voice, and movements.

If the clone is destroyed, the main body will instantly receive all of its memories and experiences before dispersal.

Strider's eyes gleamed with interest. This technique was perfect.

His current cultivation levels:

Qi Cultivation: 7th Layer of Core Building

Physical Cultivation: 5th Layer of Core Building

With this new True Shadow Technique, his clone would be at the 5th Layer of Energy Accumulation Realm in Physical Cultivation—an extremely strong disguise.

The best part?

Physical cultivation could not be easily measured, meaning his clone would be indistinguishable from his main body and appear to have no cultivation like his main body.

Strider immediately purchased the technique using his System Points, feeling the information and understanding of the skill flow into his mind.

The next step was creating the clone.

Sitting in a meditative posture, Strider activated the True Shadow Technique.

A dark aura began to swirl around him, and soon—

A perfect duplicate of himself emerged from the shadows.

Strider observed the clone carefully.

It looked, spoke, and moved exactly like him. There was no flaw in appearance or mannerisms.

"From now on, you will stay here in the Cromwell Barony," Strider instructed his clone.

"You will resume my work as a teacher and protect the barony in the shadows."

The clone nodded, taking on the role of acting as the real Strider Cromwell in the barony.

With this, Strider's main body was free to move independently across the empire.

To move unnoticed in the empire, Strider needed an alias.

His new identity would be Lester D. Raizel, a wandering cultivator and monster hunter.

Under this name, he would:

Hunt monsters to earn Spirit Stones.

Make connections with influential noble families.

Recharge the System and prepare for the next simulated copy world.

Strider smirked.

His clone would ensure his presence in the barony remained unquestioned.

His main body, disguised as Lester D. Raizel, would be free to move without being tracked.

With his plans set, Strider stepped out of his room and gazed at the night sky.

Everything was proceeding smoothly.

He had eliminated threats to Silvia.

He had gained an alibi in the barony.

He had a new identity to operate in the empire freely.

Now, it was time for him to take his next step—

Exploring the empire, growing stronger, and preparing for the next great move.

With a final glance at the Cromwell Barony, Strider vanished into the darkness.

Using teleportation, Strider once again emerged in the heart of Daemon Territory, his figure blending seamlessly with the shadows.

He once again donned the devilish persona of Lester D. Raizel and walked toward the Royal Black Inn with a sly grin.