100: scapegoat

Xiang Yan's figure streaked rapidly across the sky, heading toward the capital of the Country of Monsters, and soon reached his destination.

As he headed straight for the Monster Emperor's residence, he ran into Mizuno Hiroshi's father, Mizuno Masao.

"Heavenly King Yin, when did you return?" Mizuno Masao asked hurriedly, his expression slightly surprised upon seeing Xiang Yan.

Xiang Yan's expression was solemn, his tone laced with a hint of anxiety: "That is not important. Where is Your Majesty? I have something important to discuss with him."

Sensing the urgency in Xiang Yan's tone, Mizuno Masao dared not delay and quickly replied: "Hiroshi is still out on a campaign, currently attacking Gaopeng City."

Xiang Yan frowned and pressed: "What is the specific location of Gaopeng City? This is a matter of great importance and cannot be delayed."

Seeing this, Mizuno Masao dared not conceal anything and immediately told Xiang Yan the location of Gaopeng City.

Having obtained the exact location, Xiang Yan did not hesitate in the slightest. With a movement of his body, he transformed into a streak of light and sped off in the direction of Mizuno Hiroshi.

On the battlefield, smoke filled the air, and blood flowed like a river.

Mizuno Hiroshi stood atop the ruins of a city that had just been conquered, wantonly unleashing his power.

Threads of dark purple energy surged from his body, passing through a small device and injecting into the bodies of the survivors, transforming them into Monsters of various forms.

Watching the ever-increasing number of Monsters under his command, Mizuno Hiroshi was filled with the thrill of conquest.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar aura approaching rapidly.

Mizuno Hiroshi's heart stirred, and a look of pleasant surprise washed over him.

"Senior is here!"

He immediately stopped the transformation and ordered his underling Monsters: "Kill all those who haven't been transformed yet!"

After saying this, Mizuno Hiroshi impatiently flew toward the direction from which the aura originated.

Soon, the two figures met in the air.

"Senior!" Mizuno Hiroshi had just wanted to greet him, but felt his wrist tighten as he was pulled by Xiang Yan and dragged toward the distance.

"Senior, this is..." Mizuno Hiroshi asked in confusion.

Xiang Yan's speed was extremely fast; the surrounding scenery blurred like light and shadow, retreating rapidly in Mizuno Hiroshi's eyes.

The whistling wind in his ears was deafening, but he didn't care at all; all his senses were focused on Xiang Yan's words.

"Your Majesty, I have found the greatest gift left for you by the previous Monster Emperor!" Xiang Yan's voice, carrying a hint of suppressed excitement, reached Mizuno Hiroshi's ears.

"What?!" Mizuno Hiroshi immediately felt an electric current surge through his entire body, and every cell in him trembled with excitement. After all, how strong was the previous Monster Emperor? One only had to look at the Sanctuary to know. A gift left behind by such an existence, and the greatest one at that—how incredible must it be!

"Senior, are you telling the truth?!" Mizuno Hiroshi's voice trembled slightly, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart.

Xiang Yan smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, when have I ever lied to you? As long as you can successfully inherit this gift, your strength will surely achieve a leap-forward growth, and you might even infinitely approach the level of the previous Monster Emperor!"

Seeing Xiang Yan again after several hundred years already made him extremely excited, and hearing Xiang Yan's description of this so-called "greatest gift" made his heart race and his blood boil.

At this moment, Mizuno Hiroshi felt a rush of heat go straight to his head. Already hungry for power, he now couldn't wait to obtain this gift immediately.

He suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked eagerly: "Senior, where exactly is the gift?"

Xiang Yan lowered his voice: "Your Majesty, beware that walls have ears. This matter is of great importance. Let's return to the Sanctuary to discuss it."

Upon hearing this, Mizuno Hiroshi suddenly realized.

After all, they were still on the edge of the battlefield, with many eyes and ears. If the Magical Girls were to overhear, it might create unnecessary complications.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his excited mood, and forcibly suppressed the curiosity in his heart, saying respectfully: "Senior is right. I will follow your arrangements."

Thus, the two turned into two streaks of light and sped toward the direction of the Country of Monsters.

Along the way, Mizuno Hiroshi's mind was filled with guesses and expectations about the "gift." A fire seemed to be burning in his heart, and he couldn't wait to see the treasure that would allow his strength to leap forward.

After returning to the Country of Monsters, Xiang Yan did not stop but brought Mizuno Hiroshi directly toward some remote, desolate areas.

The surrounding scenery became increasingly desolate, and the originally bustling city was gradually replaced by a barren landscape.

Mizuno Hiroshi was puzzled, but his trust in Xiang Yan prevailed. He followed silently behind Xiang Yan without asking another question.

Finally, the two arrived at a desolate plain where no one lived.

The wind roared, kicking up dust that filled the sky. Looking around, there was nothing but endless desolation.

Mizuno Hiroshi finally couldn't help but ask, "Senior, is the gift really here?"

Xiang Yan smiled, took out a flickering seal from his bosom, and handed it to Mizuno Hiroshi.

"Your Majesty, this is the greatest gift the previous Monster Emperor left for you."

Mizuno Hiroshi took the seal doubtfully; it didn't feel special.

"Senior, what is this?"

"This is the key to connecting to the Sanctuary," Xiang Yan explained. "As long as you refine this seal, you can directly establish a connection with the entire Sanctuary and mobilize its vast power. With the world being so large, you will be able to go anywhere, and our grand cause can truly be put into practice."

"Senior, is this true?"

Xiang Yan just smiled and said nothing more.

Mizuno Hiroshi did not hesitate any longer; he sat cross-legged and began to refine the seal in his hand.

The faint light emitted by the seal enveloped him, forming a huge cocoon of light.

Time passed second by second, and in the blink of an eye, seven days and seven nights had passed.

The cocoon of light suddenly shattered, and Mizuno Hiroshi's figure appeared from within.

At this moment, his entire existence seemed to be the center of the world; his every word and action could cause changes in the surroundings, as if it were no longer him adapting to the world, but the world catering to him.

Feeling the surging power in his body, Mizuno Hiroshi could sense that with just a thought, he could mobilize power that was truly earth-shattering.

He couldn't help but swell with pride, and a wild, arrogant smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"With this power, who else can contend with me? Magical Girls? They are nothing but ants!"

Xiang Yan watched the change in Mizuno Hiroshi's expression silently. How could he not know what he was thinking? To this, Xiang Yan could only say that he was still too young. According to the information Nelson gave him, at his level, he could at best bully Magical Girls who hadn't mastered the rules.

If there were even a single Magical Girl who controlled the rules, she could hang him up and beat him if she wanted to deal with him.

Of course, even so, it was an undeniable fact that this guy was now stronger than him. Fortunately, he had let Nelson leave a backdoor.

Xiang Yan silently activated his own seal.

"Your Majesty," Xiang Yan's voice carried a hint of gravity, "Although you have obtained the previous Monster Emperor's gift, this matter must absolutely not be publicized."

Mizuno Hiroshi was slightly stunned and frowned with some displeasure.

"Why? Now that I possess such powerful strength, why fear those Magical Girls?"

"Your Majesty, do not be careless." Xiang Yan's tone was more serious. "The strength of the Magical Girls cannot be underestimated; they also have the support of mysterious organizations behind them. If your power is exposed too early, it is very likely to attract their siege, causing the tragedy of the previous Monster Emperor to repeat itself."

Mizuno Hiroshi felt a chill in his heart, recalling the past of the previous Monster Emperor that Xiang Yan had told him about.

"Senior is absolutely right." Mizuno Hiroshi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness in his heart, "Then, in Senior's opinion, how should we proceed?"

Xiang Yan smiled slightly and induced him step by step: "Your Majesty must hide this trump card well; only you and I should know about this. Only in this way can we give the Magical Girls a fatal blow at the critical moment and wipe them out in one fell swoop!"

Although Mizuno Hiroshi was a bit unwilling, he thought that Xiang Yan's words were not without reason, and finally nodded, agreeing to Xiang Yan's proposal.

"Your Majesty is wise." Xiang Yan struck while the iron was hot. "To ensure nothing goes wrong, I suggest that you do not act rashly for the time being. Stay in the country and continue to consolidate your strength. As for other matters, just let your father and mother arrange them."

Mizuno Hiroshi, swayed by Xiang Yan's sweet talk and the influence of the seal, was fooled again. Without even thinking, he agreed.

Afterward, through a series of linguistic arts and extreme psychological manipulation, Xiang Yan once again got Mizuno Hiroshi to agree to let Xiang Yan go out and roam freely on his own.