Eternal Thief

Seeing the area of the Demon Emperor Domain, Ace was naturally curious about this mysterious territory, and his second job mission, which required him to stand on top of the tallest building of the demon race, was also related to this place.

Because the Demon Temple was somewhere in the Emperor Domain.

As more and more areas appeared, Ace didn't dare to blink his eyes, afraid he would lose the track of the place.

However, soon when the map stopped expanding, Ace's eyes went widened in disbelief when he finally saw the location of Lightning Orb!

'T-this? It's in the imperial domain!' Ace was gobsmacked when he saw the indicator pointing in the middle of the emperor's domain!

Although the exact location was still hard to see because the zoom-out area was quite large, the surface location was completely accurate.

No matter how many times and from which side Ace looked at the map, it was really inside the most guarded place of the mighty demon continent, the Demon Emperor Domain!

After ten seconds passed, the fate map vanished with a system notification.

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[Did the host want to activate the location again?]

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"Activate your head!" Ace retorted in exasperation.

He was appalled by this revelation. If this orb were anywhere but the Imperial Domain, he would've already started planning how to approach that place and retrieve it.

But now, he didn't even know where to start. His skills just weren't enough to infiltrate the imperial domain without being noticed.

Ace calmed himself and then asked, "Moira, are you all right?"

He knew he couldn't do anything about this current situation, so racking his brain over this matter won't make it less troublesome or dangerous.

"Yes. I'm fine, nothing happened, and it feels like… natural." Moira's uncertain yet elated voice sounded.

Ace was glad that nothing had happened this time. "Alright, thank you for your help. You can keep resting. I need some time to think about what I just see."

"A-alright, if you need my help, don't hesitate to ask," Moira reply softly.

Ace chuckled and didn't reject her goodwill.

However, his expression went grave the next moment as he again thought about the position of the lightning orb.

'I also found two elemental orbs in the azure wind continent and the lower lands on top of that.

'But here, it just keeps getting difficult and difficult. Someone claims both orbs, and one is missing, while one is probably in the hand of the most powerful family on the continent.

'I wonder if humans didn't know about those two orbs in the lower lands, or they simply just didn't care, or someone left them there to mature, or they were just formed after the royal lands stopped paying attention.

'However, this wasn't the case here. The imperial domain had complete control of the entire continent, and anything that interested them, they took it. No one could compete with them for it.'

Ace frowned. 'Although I can't infiltrate the imperial domain individually, I have the chance to enter it now. Who would've thought the demons would give me the invitation themselves?

'But Archie's identity still isn't enough for searching the elemental orb. I would be restricted in that place or who knows what kind of training awaits Archie once he entered the imperial domain.

'I won't have a chance to roam that place freely, and if I dared to show anything out of the ordinary, they might suspect me. Furthermore, the moment I stole that elemental orb, if it was really in the hand of some influential figure, then I would be exposed!

'Then leaving that place alive would be even more impossible than entering it. I might even have to abandon this chain mission if I want to gasp at this chance of acquiring the elemental orb.

'Elemental Orb is more important right now, and my entire plan was depending on acquiring it and becoming more powerful. Without a power boost, I would put myself in danger if I went to the institute's treasury or library.

'This would also result in alerting the demons, and I would lose my chance to complete my job mission before 5 years as well as I have to give up on the lightning orb in a long run as well.

'In contrast, I could complete my job mission if I planned this well and acquired the elemental orb in the process. Even if something goes wrong and I don't get the chance, I could remain hidden and still have the chance for a comeback.

'I still have more than a decade before the chain mission ends. This trip to the endless sea might be an excellent opportunity if I looked at it in another direction.'

Ace's lips suddenly curled into a conniving smile. 'Archie's identity isn't enough. I need someone who could move freely in the emperor domain, and no law awareness realm cultivator paid much attention to this person, either. I wonder if this demon from the Imperial Family who invites Archie secretly is strong or not…'

Ace suddenly felt like everything was falling into place on its own as he made a new plan, which was completely opposite to his previous one.

Now that he knew the lightning orb was in the imperial domain, he had to add this place into consideration, and the royal demon institute was no longer that critical either. Not for now, at least.

At this moment, Ace suddenly narrowed his eyes, and he flipped his hand. His violet student badge appeared, which was blinking at this moment.

With a thought, he activated it and saw a small notice.

"Special Student Archie Soul Life, come to the Special Instructor Quarters No.03 on Soul Assassin Royal Tower Floor No.99 the next morning. I'll be waiting."

It was more like an invitation than notice and Ace was astonished when he guessed it was probably from a special grade instructor!

'It couldn't be because this person wanted to accept me as a personal student since it's meaningless with the selection in one month. It might be for some other purpose.

'Nevertheless, I can't reject it or dodge this meeting. It would be foolish to offend a special grade instructor.' Ace frowned slightly and stowed the badge away.

In the end, Ace sighed ruefully, 'I need to wake her. She would be extremely useful with her set of skills in this situation and in the imperial domain as well. I hope she'll be in a good mood, though.'

Ace smiled wryly before he closed his eyes and sent his voice into the private space of the Faceless Thief!

---

The four Royal Towers of the Royal Demon Institute were the symbols of four disciplinary houses.

Each tower was a thousand-meter-tall and had a hundred floors.

The higher the floor was, the more advanced the facilities and benefits of cultivating on such a floor will be, and that's what made these four towers so unique and desired by everyone.

Floors 1 to 10 were open for ordinary-grade students to use training and cultivation facilities. Floor 11 to 30 was for extraordinary students. While Floor 31 to 60 was for Special Grade Students.

The Floors from 61 to 80 were prohibited areas, and only those with special permits were allowed to enter these floors because these floors were for core grade students only.

On Floor 81 to 90 lived the instructors of Ordinary and Extraordinary Grades of the royal demon institute.

From floor 91 to 99 were the quarters of Special Grade Instructors and the personal students of Housemasters.

Lastly, the 100th floor was occupied by a Housemaster.

At this time, in the Soul Assassin House Tower, Floor No.100,

Bodach was sitting imposingly with a faint smile on his face while facing him was a Nightmare Demon who was none other than Jefferson!

However, Jefferson had a silver badge in his hand, which was the symbol of an instructor!

Bodach spoke smilingly, "So, how was it?"

Jefferson had an expressionless face before he stowed the instructor badge away and respectfully answered, "He's alright, but I don't know why Master made me approach him and even arrange for him to join the Prince's Alliance."

Bodach smiled mysteriously and say, "Heh, that little fellow has the potential to be a core student and rank within the top ten at that. It's in his nature which you won't see very often.

"As for why I sent you, isn't it obvious? After me, you'll be the next Housemaster and Tower Master of the Soul Assassin House, and you should start taking students. If that little brat becomes a core grade student, you'll be his teacher, and you can't refuse this time."

Jefferson's emotionless face suddenly showed a frown, as if he was unwilling.

Bodach completely ignored his expression and continued, "As for why I arranged him to go into the prince's alliance and asked the Fifth Prince to look after him in the Imperial Domain, it just equaled the battlefield."

Bodach's empty smile turned ghastly at this moment. "If that Ampersand thinks that I have gone senile, then he's already lost this time!"