Chapter 387: Archery Palace Mystic Mark
Chapter 387: Archery Palace Mystic Mark
"I'm sorry..."
As the square-faced middle-aged man sighed, a golden emblem of a bow-wielding centaur emerged from the mirror and floated before Leon and the Red-Haired Commissioner.
"It's not that I don't want to help, but we can't afford any mistakes with the Watchtower Palace, so..."
"I understand."
After glancing in surprise at the Archer emblem floating in the air, a smile appeared on the Red-Haired Commissioner's face. She then grabbed Leon's wrist and nodded slightly.
"You're also helpless. Compared to our situation, ensuring the safety of the Watchtower Palace is more important."
"I know... It's hard on you."
The Archer Director sighed, feeling a bit guilty towards the Red-Haired Commissioner. He turned to leave but suddenly spun around in astonishment upon noticing the movement at the other end of the Celestial Sphere Mirror.
"Wait! What are you doing?"
Seeing the Red-Haired Commissioner pulling Leon towards the golden path in the air, the square-faced middle-aged man exclaimed, "Stop! That's for you! He's just a Third-Class Purifier. What use does he have for your mystic mark?"
"Don't worry, Sir Archer."
After pressing Leon's hand onto the golden path, the Red-Haired Commissioner shook her head.
"Leon is more capable than you think. Even if you gave me your mystic mark, I couldn't catch up to the Nightmare King. But if it's given to Leon, it might surprisingly have an amazing effect!"
"..."
"Fine, do as you please!"
Looking at Leon, who had remained silent since the beginning and showed no signs of a 'strong aura,' the square-faced middle-aged man couldn't hide his disappointment. He shook his head and pulled the curious Pisces Director away from the range of the Celestial Sphere Mirror.
The Taurus Director, with a slightly surprised expression, glanced at the red fork on Leon's collar and then revealed a look of understanding. He regained his amiable demeanor and smiled encouragingly.
"Good luck, young man. If you can truly help Lady Olivia through this crisis, I'll give you an amazing gift!"
"..."
"Ah!"
Leon, startled by the sudden pinch on his arm, shook his body and quickly thanked him.
"Thank you, Sir Taurus. I'll do my best!"
"Yes, but remember to be careful. If there's truly no opportunity, don't force it. Lady Olivia's safety is also important."
After reminding the two to be cautious, the Taurus Director seemed to remember something. He scanned Leon's face and then hesitantly said:
"Also... if you still want to drink, after this matter is resolved, I can send a batch of wine without the spoken incantations..."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Leon, who was examining the mystic mark, was surprised by her sudden mention of wine. He recalled the mouth-numbingly spicy wine in the Netherworld and couldn't help but blush, waving his hands frantically.
"No more! We're done with it! No need to... Huh?!"
"Drink! We want to drink!"
"Alright, wait for it!"
The Taurus Director smiled and shook his head as he looked at Leon, whose mouth was forcibly covered. He then turned off the Celestial Sphere Mirror.
...
Great, an unexpected bonus.
The Red-Haired Commissioner, delighted with her discovery, retracted her hand from Leon's mouth and rubbed his shoulder. She then happily put away the Celestial Sphere Mirror and asked with a smile:
"About the Archer Director's mystic mark, have you figured it out?"
Hearing her words, Leon instinctively looked at the slate.
[Name: Archery Palace Mystic Mark (Mystic Art, Temporary)]
[Appearance: A golden centaur emblem holding a longbow. When directly illuminated by sunlight, it displays a dazzling halo like a solar corona, revealing three bright golden arrow patterns.]
[Ability: Can temporarily use the 'Anomaly' mystic art of the Archery Palace.]
[Cost: For each anomalous object targeted, using the Archery mystic art once will consume one arrow. Once all three arrows are used, this temporary anomalous object will disappear on its own.]
[Archive: Feeling indebted to the belief of the Virgin Bureau Director, Lady Olivia, and unable to lend a hand, the current Archer Director of the Purification Bureau created this mystic mark, which can be used a total of three times, at the cost of three years of his own lifespan.]
The abnormal entity marked by this emblem will experience a significant enhancement of its effects the next time it is activated, lasting until the end of that use. The specific degree of enhancement is equivalent to the "Abnormal Enhancement" mystic art personally released by the Sagittarius Director.
[Appraisal: These are three life-saving hairs that the Archery Bod sacrificed his lifespan to obtain. Monkey, you must cherish them and must not use them to enhance the abnormal entities you forge.]
[Contamination Value: 0.1]
"Finally figured it out, I guess..."
Lyon looked at the note in the file that read "at the cost of three years of lifespan" and said with a complex expression:
"Actually, although the Sagittarius Director can be stubborn and his words may sound a bit cold, he seems to be a decent person."
"Uh-huh."
Hearing Lyon's words, the Red-Haired Director nodded and said:
"The Sagittarius Director is upright and serious, placing great importance on rules. Although he's not as amiable as Sir Bull, he is indeed not a bad person. The Pisces Director is a bit peculiar but can still be trusted.
Or you could say that, apart from Aquarius, among the remaining eleven directors, although each has their own minor issues, most of them are still quite good."
"..."
Most of them are still quite good... meaning there's at least one or a few who are not good, or even very bad?
Understanding the Red-Haired Director's implied meaning, Lyon, feeling a bit speechless, couldn't help but ask:
"Even directors aren't necessarily good people... Director, has the Purification Bureau always been so lax all these years?
For example, now that the Nightmare King is invading, such a major event, the Scorpion Chief and you don't get along, so he doesn't come to help? Over so many terms of directors, has no one ever thought about managing things properly?"
"Not that no one has thought about it, but how do you manage?"
The Red-Haired Director sighed upon hearing this and, somewhat helplessly, spread her hands:
"Directors are a given. Whether they can inherit the mystic arts depends entirely on their aptitude. Many times in the past, the bureau couldn't even gather twelve directors. The Zodiac Palaces and mystic arts they represent are among the bureau's most important trump cards.
Even if the person with the aptitude is a bad person, having a director is better than not having one. After all, no matter how bad they are, they are still human and won't truly turn to the Demon God or other entities that seek to destroy humanity. In critical moments, they generally stand up."
"..."
That's true...
"As for the various branch bureaus, it's even more complicated."
Patting Lyon's shoulder, the Red-Haired Director continued:
"Most of the cleaners in each branch bureau are recruited and trained by the branch directors themselves. The vast majority of cleaners below the branch director level have never even been to the headquarters.
They have no means to contact the headquarters, and the orders they receive are relayed by the branch directors. They are not familiar with the headquarters' situation... for example, if the headquarters' orders conflict with mine, whose would you follow?"
"That's simple."
Lyon answered without hesitation:
"If you haven't had a drink, I'll follow yours. If you have, I'll follow the headquarters'."
"..."
Tsk, I should have used a different example...
Seeing that Lyon gave an answer without even a second's hesitation, the Red-Haired Director rolled her eyes and said irritably:
"In any case, the branch directors have a lot of power and a high degree of autonomy.
The directors of the Non-Zodiac bureaus are relatively weaker and can only suppress ordinary True Deities with the help of the Zodiac Palaces, so they are relatively more obedient. However, the directors of the Zodiac bureaus, like the board directors, have Lyon Values between 60 and 70. Without considering the mystic arts, their strength is roughly on par.
And I, with the Zodiac Palace's enhancement, can reach a maximum Lyon Value of over 70, making me stronger than many directors. As long as I don't directly break face and openly defy the bureau's rules, the headquarters has no good way to deal with me. Understand?"
"Pretty much."
"Understand, then let's get to work."
Leaving a few strands of bright red hair on Lyon's shoulder, the Red-Haired Director withdrew her hand, got up, and left the office, heading toward the stairwell.
"Come on, let's go upstairs to get something. It might come in handy when dealing with the Nightmare King!"
(End of Chapter)
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