Chapter 52: Chapter 52
Having acquired a new ability, Jenkins was naturally eager to test it out. He mulled it over and realized that since his transmigration, he hadn't made a single enemy worth taking revenge on. What a failed transmigrator he was. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ n0velfire.net
Papa Oliver helped by catching a few stray cats from the street. Jenkins plucked a few strands of fur from them, wound them around a piece of cursed black metal, and pressed them onto a piece of paper cut into the shape of a cat.
He began to softly chant a bizarre incantation, trying his best to visualize the symptoms and causes of influenza as he did.
"The influenza virus is a shell of protein and some simple... the virus spreads through saliva, respiratory droplets, or other means... H7, that's hemagglutinin... it hijacks the body's genetic material to reproduce... the clinical manifestations include..."
When he opened his eyes, the stray cats were all lying sprawled on the ground, looking as if they were on their last legs.
"Is it really that powerful?"
Papa Oliver stood at the warehouse door, a safe distance from the cats. His voice was muffled by a mask. "What kind of disease did you describe? How could it be so effective? It shouldn't be. Hurry up and end the spell, don't turn my shop into a plague zone!"
Jenkins immediately lit a match and burned the cat-shaped paper and the fur. The piece of black metal now looked as if it had been severely weathered by a sandstorm, completely useless.
"I just took high school biology and saw one of those animated shows about red blood cells getting lost."
Knowledge is power. His faith in the Legacy Sage was not misplaced.
The poor stray cats spent a full day recovering in Papa Oliver's shop before regaining their strength. After receiving their payment for the experiment—a strip of dried fish—they departed, seemingly satisfied.
After all, neither Papa Oliver nor Jenkins were monsters.
With the weather finally clearing up, the secret gathering could be held once again. Jenkins checked the advertising section of the Dockworkers' Union Paper, and just like last time, he climbed out of his bedroom window and onto the tree outside. He summoned his black robe in the shadows and then ran swiftly toward the outskirts of the city.
Whether by coincidence or design, this gathering was located in the woods right next to the public cemetery. From there, he could even see the stone path he and Papa Oliver had walked along before.
Jenkins was once again the first to arrive. He scrambled awkwardly up a tree, letting the dense branches conceal him. Only when the familiar figure of Mr. Hood appeared did he leap down with a flourish.
It was a stark contrast to his clumsy ascent.
"Oh, by the Lady, who are you?"
Mr. Hood exclaimed, turning as if to flee.
Without a word, Jenkins summoned the pentagram emblem of his spirit. Mr. Hood, still rattled, took a deep breath and conjured his own emblem, a small red bird.
"Mr. Candle, your disguise is truly impressive. A short lady, this time."
As he spoke, he took a few steps forward and leaned against a tree trunk, the branches' shadows perfectly cloaking his body.
"Thank you. And congratulations on leveling up."
Mr. Hood froze, looking at Jenkins in astonishment. Though Jenkins couldn't see his face, he could imagine the shocked expression.
As his level increased, the Eye of Reality had undergone some changes. It could now perceive more than just spiritual auras; he could see the phantom skull within a deathly presence and even the empty ability bubbles of other Enchanters.
MrMagic, MrBlackCat, and Miss Skylark arrived one by one, each revealing their emblem to verify their identity. But after waiting a long time, there was still no sign of MrBirchwood.
"Perhaps he had something to attend to and couldn't make it?" Jenkins ventured.
"Or perhaps... he's already gone," MrMagic whispered with a sigh.
The group's gazes drifted in unison toward the cemetery. During that ferocious, rainy night, A-01-2-0198 had, for some reason, broken its usual pattern and relentlessly peddled its flowers to passersby. That was why it had run out by the time Jenkins encountered it.
According to current tallies, at least thirty people had made a transaction with A-01-2-0198. That was only the number they could confirm; the poor souls who refused the trade or never realized what had happened were likely far more numerous.
"Let's hope he's safe," Mr. Hood said. "We'll use the weather to determine the time of our next gathering. That way, if MrBirchwood was simply busy, he can join us then."
The five of them offered a silent prayer for MrBirchwood, a man whose face they had never seen, before beginning the night's meeting.
As always, Mr. Hood began.
"On that stormy night, the Ice Envoy of the Club of Light Chasers attempted to activate the statue of a heretical god, but their plot was thwarted by the Scribes."
Miss Skylark and MrBlackCat drew sharp breaths. Jenkins and MrMagic, however, remained calm.
One had been a participant, and the other had likely learned of the events through different channels.
"I also know a few things about that night."
As expected, MrMagic was about to speak on the same topic.
"The major churches all attempted to use divination to determine the origin of the demon that wounded the Ice Envoy. They discovered that, just like that octopus, it originated from a painting. It's a Mysterious Object, now designated A-10-2-9116, the 'Painting of Inner Desires'."
Jenkins's brow furrowed slightly.
"A demon?" he asked quietly.
MrMagic, likely deeming the information of little value, elaborated, "Yes. Enchanters from at least ten Orthodox Churches saw him. He matched the descriptions from myths and history: black hair and black eyes, a combination never before seen in this epoch."
Jenkins knew the Church was hunting for the "man in the black robe," but he had no idea that the sword master he had painted would be classified as a demon.
"Do demons really exist? I'll have to ask Papa Oliver when I get back," Jenkins thought to himself. He nodded at MrMagic, who then gestured for him to share his information.
"What I have to say also concerns that night."
Jenkins paused for a moment before relating a carefully selected truth. "The Church's divination revealed that A-10-2-9116 was taken by a man in a black robe. He possesses the ability to block divination, and the robe itself is likely a Series A, B, or C item. The police are now pursuing him on charges of burglary and murder. I'm sure we all have other ways of knowing unregistered Enchanters like ourselves. If you see anyone wearing a black robe, be extremely careful."
He had barely finished speaking when the others instinctively took a step back. Except for Jenkins, all four of them were cloaked in black robes.