The Extra's Rise
Chapter 654 - 654: Masquerade Auction (1)

After getting thoroughly humbled by Alastor—a experience that left me with a renewed appreciation for the vast gulf between Ascendant and Radiant rank—I soon departed the Northern continent. Not because of the beating, of course. Alastor's lesson had been delivered with the precision of a master educator, and while my pride was bruised along with several other parts of my anatomy, I bore no resentment. If anything, the sparring session had shown me exactly how much further I had to grow.

No, I left simply because there was nothing more for me to accomplish in the North. The Ashen Territories extraction was proceeding smoothly under Rose's capable management, my relationships with the Northern nobility were secure, and most importantly, I had urgent business elsewhere.

The Red Chalice Cult.

The name alone was enough to make my jaw clench with barely suppressed fury. The Red Chalice was sophisticated organization with tendrils reaching into the highest levels of society, with power that led them to draw against the Eastern continent even after they got reinforcements from the rest of the world.

And they had something that I was going to steal

Rose remained in the North, coordinating the final phases of our extraction operations. Her business acumen was invaluable for ensuring we maximized profits while maintaining good relations with the local authorities. Besides, for this particular mission, a smaller team was preferable.

I kept the nine-star Dullahan Skeleton with me in my spatial storage—a magnificent specimen that would eventually serve to upgrade Erebus's current form. My bonded Lich currently inhabited an eight-star Blood Wyvern Skeleton, impressive in its own right but nowhere near his full potential. Of course, the upgrade would have to wait. Erebus was still consolidating his power at seven-star, and attempting to integrate a nine-star skeleton before he'd evolved into an Arch Lich would likely destroy him entirely. Patience was key when dealing with undead evolution.

For this mission, I'd brought only Reika with me. Two people could move through the Empire's territories with far less scrutiny than a larger group, and her particular skill set was perfectly suited for what I had planned.

"Master," Reika said as we sat in the comfortable cabin of the self-driving car, her violet eyes meeting mine with a mixture of curiosity and concern, "isn't the Cult primarily based in the Eastern continent?"

Over the past few days, she'd grown noticeably more comfortable around me. The nervous stammering had largely disappeared, replaced by a more natural warmth that made my chest tight with affection every time I witnessed it. She was still formal—old habits died hard—but there was an easiness between us now that hadn't existed before our confession.

"It is," I confirmed, watching the countryside roll past our window. "But they have a significant branch operating within the Empire. The same branch that housed Bishop Vale."

The moment I spoke that name, Reika's expression darkened like storm clouds gathering on the horizon. Her hands clenched involuntarily in her lap, and I could see the old memories threatening to surface—memories of pain, experimentation, dehumanization at the hands of a man who'd viewed her as nothing more than raw material for his twisted research.

Without hesitation, I reached over and placed my hand on her head, stroking her silver hair with gentle fingers. "Don't worry," I said softly, moving my hand down to cup her cheek. "He's dead. And this is revenge."

Reika leaned into my touch, her tense muscles gradually relaxing as warmth returned to her eyes. A faint smile curved her lips—not the brilliant joy I'd seen when she confessed her feelings, but something quieter, more determined.

"Yes, Master," she said, nodding with renewed resolve. "For everyone they hurt."

I smiled back at her, feeling that familiar surge of protective fury that arose whenever I considered what she'd endured. The Red Chalice had taken a vibrant young woman and tried to break her into a weapon. They'd failed, but the attempt alone was unforgivable.

"It's time to begin our infiltration of the Red Chalice," I said, my voice carrying the weight of absolute conviction. The Heavenly Demon clone was my ultimate goal, but tonight would lay the groundwork for everything that followed.

Reika's eyebrows rose slightly. She knew I had plans regarding the Red Chalice, of course—I'd briefed her on some of our objectives—but I could see her curiosity about what exactly I intended to accomplish tonight.

"Master," she said after a moment, "how exactly will we approach this mission? The Cult's security will be formidable, and infiltrating their stronghold seems..."

"Impossible?" I supplied with a grin. "Not quite. You see, Reika, we're not going to sneak into some hidden fortress in the dead of night. We're going to walk through the front door."

Her confusion was evident in the slight tilt of her head. "I don't understand."

"Tell me," I said, settling back in my seat, "what do you know about high society's... darker entertainments?"

"Very little," she admitted. "My training focused more on combat and infiltration than social customs."

"Well, here's something they don't teach in most academies," I said. "When you have enough money and power, there are certain... exclusive events that cater to very specific tastes. Auctions where items of questionable legality change hands for astronomical sums. Private exhibitions featuring artifacts that most governments would prefer remained lost. Underground markets where the wealthy can acquire things that simply don't exist in legitimate commerce."

Understanding began to dawn in Reika's eyes. "And the Red Chalice operates such events?"

"They host one of the most exclusive masquerade auctions in the Empire," I confirmed. "Once a month, in a different location each time, they gather together the continent's most morally flexible elite and sell them things that would make a normal person's skin crawl. Rare poisons, forbidden magical artifacts, experimental serums..."

Reika was quiet for several minutes, processing this information. When she finally spoke, her voice carried a note of disbelief. "They're that brazen? Operating in the open, even within the Empire's borders?"

I shook my head. "Not exactly. The attendees don't know they're dealing with the Red Chalice directly. As far as most of them are concerned, this is just an exclusive auction run by wealthy collectors with questionable ethics. The Cult operates through intermediaries and shell organizations."

"But how do they avoid detection? Surely the Empire's intelligence networks—"

"Would shut them down immediately if they knew," I finished. "The problem is that some figures of considerable power within the Empire are secretly cultists themselves. They've never been exposed, and they use their positions to provide cover for operations like this."

Reika's expression darkened further. "Corruption at the highest levels."

"Exactly. This is the most dangerous things about Cults, their ability to infiltrate. To the outside world, tonight's auction is just another gathering of eccentric collectors."

Reika nodded slowly, clearly beginning to appreciate the insidious nature of the Cult's infiltration. "So we attend as potential buyers?"

"As a wealthy couple with exotic tastes and deep pockets," I confirmed. "The kind of people who wouldn't ask too many questions about provenance as long as the merchandise is sufficiently unique."

"And once we're inside?"

I smiled, but didn't elaborate on the specifics. "We gather intelligence, identify key players, and set the stage for our real objective. Tonight's auction is just the first step."

Reika looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but she'd learned to trust my planning over the years.

The transport began to slow as we approached our destination—a mid-sized city in the Empire's eastern provinces, chosen specifically for its proximity to several known Red Chalice safe houses and its reputation for hosting discrete gatherings of the Empire's more questionable elite.

"Master," Reika said as we prepared to disembark, "what identities will we be using?"

I grinned, producing two sets of forged documents from my spatial storage. The papers were works of art, complete with magical authentication seals that would pass even close scrutiny.

"Meet Lord and Lady Ashworth," I said, handing her one set. "Recent heirs to a mining fortune from the southern provinces, newly wealthy and eager to spend their inheritance on interesting acquisitions. They're known to be reclusive, which explains why no one at the auction will have met them before."

Reika examined the documents with professional interest. "These are excellent forgeries."

"The best money can buy," I confirmed. "Along with magical alterations to our appearance that should be sufficient to maintain the deception for one evening."

We spent the next several hours in preparation. I used an artifact to alter my hair color and facial structure, aging myself slightly and adding the kind of soft features that suggested a life of wealth and excess. Reika's changes were more dramatic—her distinctive violet hair became auburn, her violet eyes shifted to brown, and her typically pale complexion took on a warmer tone.

For clothing, we'd acquired the kind of ostentatious formal wear that screamed new money trying too hard to impress. My suit was cut from expensive fabric but with slightly gaudy gold threading, while Reika's gown was a masterpiece of imperial fashion that managed to be both elegant and just flashy enough to suit our cover identities.

The masquerade element simplified things considerably. While our magical disguises would hold up to casual inspection, the ornate masks we wore provided an additional layer of concealment that would make recognition nearly impossible.

As the sun set over the city, painting the sky in shades of crimson that seemed disturbingly appropriate, we made our final preparations. The auction was being held in a converted mansion on the city's outskirts—officially a private art exhibition, complete with legitimate security and proper documentation.

"Ready?" I asked, offering Reika my arm as we approached the mansion's entrance.

She took it with practiced grace, every inch the wealthy socialite. "Ready, darling," she said, her voice taking on the affected accent of imperial nobility. "I do hope they have something truly special for sale tonight."

Together, we stepped into the lion's den, ready to face whatever horrors the Red Chalice had prepared for their distinguished guests.