Chapter 27: The One Above All, Sora and the Sage's Grimoire

(Third Person)

Thirty years ago, before the extinction of the Summon Race, Sora Magestus, the last witch, was captured by Lancelot Ardglass, one of the seven corrupted holy knights, and was presented to the Grandmaster Kervil Isambard. 

Sora Magestus knew that her end was near.

"Seraphim," she whispered as she was forced to walk despite being heavily wounded and chained. 

[Yes]

"Activate Delete Skill," she commanded. 

[Confirmed. Delete Skill has now been activated]

[Notice: Skills that have been acquired will now be under Deletion. Once begun, it will never be recovered]

Sora smiled.

"What are you smiling at, witch?" one of the holy knights slapped her.

It was painful, but Sora had to endure it. She refused to give in to the pain they had been inflicted on her. She knew all her hard work would be paid off soon. 

She accidentally stumbled on her chain, which made her captors pissed. She had difficulty getting up, but suddenly, another Holy Knight pulled her chain, and she fell on the rough ground. 

"Be careful with that woman, Emporio," Lancelot said. "If she dies with the way you handle her, the Grandmaster will kill you."

"As if this witch will die just by pulling her. This bitch was a pain for us to begin with. Imagine her rebellion?" the Holly Knight Emporio replied.

[Noticed: Deletion completed]

"Thank you, Seraphim. Thank you for accompanying me until the end."

[I existed for the sole purpose as your aid, Sora. Thank you for believing in me when nobody would]

"My last wish is for you to go and join our creator, Seraphim."

[Accepted…]

Without Seraphim's disappearance, Sora had finally heaved a sigh. Her death was inevitable. She had foreseen it. That's why she made preparations. 

Sora was the last descendant of the Great Sage who was not corrupted by the Ancient Snake and the last keeper of the Sage Grimoire, a powerful book with the strongest Skill written there. If the book falls into the wrong hands, Orion will be in great danger. 

Before surrendering herself to the knight, Sora instructed her most trusted low-rank mage to perform summoning ten years after her death. And she hoped her plan would work. 

Right in front of her appeared a man clad in holy armor. He was wearing the golden helmet of a knight. Without her unique Skill, she couldn't see this one's status or his skills. But something she couldn't pinpoint. 

Behind him was a man who was smaller in frame and looked fragile. Sora knew that the man was not the Grandmaster Kervil Isambard. The man was not the same person she had seen one hundred years ago!

"Leave us," the young man ordered the other knights, which they immediately followed. 

After closing the door, the man looked at her with a menacing smile.

"Now then, what should I do with you," he said villainously. 

"You're not the Real Grandmaster! You're an impostor!"

The man laughed. 

"The name is Isodor Chaney, and this guy is Kervil Isambard. But that was a long time ago. What you were looking at is my puppet. He is my toy."

"You! How dare you!"

"Unique Skill: Jezebel the Mistress of Manipulation. Your beloved Grandmaster now is my toy, and with his unique Skill, Hermes, the king of stealing, can steal your unique Skill, even the Skill that the book of Sage's grimoire had."

"I see," Sora replied. She was thankful she had deleted her skills and kept the book safe. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have the grimoire or skills. My unique Skill had deleted all of it; none was left," she smirked. 

"What!?" Isodor screamed out of anger and read her status. She was empty, with no magic and even Skill. "You piece of trash!"

Sora smirked at him. 

"Guards!" Isodor screamed, and two guards immediately entered the room. "Take this woman and schedule her execution tomorrow in the center of the plaza and let every citizen watch it. I want their heart covered with fear and will never rebel against us!" 

"Yes, Grandmaster."

The two knights took Sora out and disappeared.

 Isodor bit his nails as he sweated, not because of his armor but the possibility of his Master's anger towards him. His Master was expecting him to offer the Grandmaster, Sora's Skill, and the Sage's grimoire. 

"What will I do? The Master will kill me!" he whispered to himself.

Suddenly, the sound of a growling stomach made him flinch and swallow hard. 

"Where is my food, Isodor?" His Master said. 

Isodor immediately prostrated in front of his Master as an apology for the failed mission. 

"Forgive me, Master, but the witch had already deleted all her skills using her unique skill," Isodor said. 

"And the grimoire?"

"The grimoire was not with her, Master."

A loud growl came from his Master. 

"You are useless, Isodor. I have given you enough time to gather it for me! Now, I can't appease my hunger," his Master replied. I shall devour you and that pathetic Grandmaster."

"Master, please, no! I'm begging you!" Isodor suddenly stood up and was about to run when a black slimey mass appeared before him and around the Grandmaster. "Please, Master, I'm begging! Plea-"

The black-slimy, slippery mass wrapped and covered the two. A struggle was happening inside for a few seconds until it calmed down. The slippery, black-slimy mass returned to the one sitting on the throne. 

(Manipulation skill: Jezebel has obtained)

(Steal skill: Hermes has obtained)

[Devourer's Skill has now devoured Jezebel and Hermes's Skill. Ready for evolution]

[Devourer has now evolved into Gluttony]

(Notice: The Seven Sins has already acquired]

[Ultimate Unique Skill: Capital Vices successfully obtained]

Hmm. Finally. It seemed like devouring that good-for-nothing Snake was not a waste at all…

The one who was sitting on the throne smiled maniacally. 

"Now then, what shall we do?"

The person finally stood up from the throne, looked at the nearest window, watched the direction of the sunset, and laughed. 

The person's evil laugh resonated with the four walls of that room.

Sora was executed the next day in front of everyone by burning alive. Even so, she never gives in to the corrupted Holy Knights. 

One of those who watched her burn alive was Raiden, Sora's friend.

"This world is already corrupted, Sora. Why do you still believe that everything will change?" 

"Because I believe Orion and its citizens deserved a new beginning where people don't suffer, and those in power will be thrown out," Sora said while smiling."Someone will come in ten years after my death, and that someone will be the key to this world's freedom."

It was the last smile Raiden had seen...

(Present)

As the sun slowly fell above the sky of the lawless town of Levaerûn, inside a certain mansion in the innermost part of the territory of the Spriggan faction.

The current leader of the Spriggan faction, Raiden, put some of her silver hair at the back of her pointed ears as she shifted her gaze upon the demon wearing a butler suit standing a few meters away from her.

Her seemingly emotionless gray eyes dwelled on the butler she tasked to observe the person who took her attention.

She was wearing a black gothic dress made of delicate black taffeta and cotton fabric with a skirt down to her upper knees, revealing her black straps connected to her black thigh-high socks. A huge part of her arms was covered with black arm sleeves. She's also wearing a black and white fabric headband on her head, an elegant set of clothing that greatly complements her porcelain white skin.

Her eyes shifted back towards the currently descending sun that could be seen at the huge glass window she was standing on. 

"How was it, Dareth?"

Dareth, who was standing a few meters away from her, slowly bowed his head and spoke gently. "Half of the town is now under his control."

"Did he manage to acquire Leal's advanced class skill?"

Dareth shook his head. "Leal didn't use his strongest skill."

Raiden nodded. "Knowing Leal, that's fairly expected." She shifted her face back to Dareth. "Now, that person, is he really a Summon?"

From the information I gathered, there is a good chance that he is a Summon. I can't see any tricks in his opaque eyes."

Raiden paused for a second and shifted back to the currently dark sky. 

"You did a good job, Dareth; take your rest."

Dareth bowed his head. "Yes, Lady Raiden."

Dareth silently left the room and closed the door, leaving Raiden behind, staring at the dark sky.

She remained silent and unmoved for a few seconds before slowly breathing out. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.

"Ten years, just like what you said. He's finally here, your boasted valiant hero, Sora," she whispered. "I only hope he chooses the right path."