Early in the morning, Tiamat Academy was in an uproar. Students were terrified, and professors roamed the campus with worried expressions, tension rising in the air.


    The previous night, a mysterious force had secretly stolen the Law Cores of two students from the Time and Gravity faculties, turning it into the hottest topic of discussion.


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    "I can''t believe someone managed to steal Law Cores without killing the targets!" one student whispered in disbelief.


    "Yeah, it''s bizarre. Normally, losing a Law Core means death... but they survived," another replied, shaking their head.


    "True, but what''s the point of survival now? They''re are now basically useless. I heard those two are the offspring of some world-level powerhouses. Imagine how furious their families must be right now."


    "Absolutely! Time and Gravity are even rarer than Space Cores, after all. Losing them is a catastrophic blow for any faction," someone else chimed in.


    "Do you think the Evil Seekers are behind this?" one student whispered nervously.


    "Who knows? Maybe it''s the Darkness Seekers, like the Degaro family. They''re infamous for their devilish use of Law Cores," another replied, his tone hushed but filled with suspicion.


    "The Degaro family? But they aren''t the only ones with Darkness Law, right? You''re just specting. Besides, I''ve never heard of anyone being able to steal Law Cores—it''s unthinkable!"


    "True," the other agreed, frowning. "The most shocking thing is that even the Star Dominators—those higher powerhouses—couldn''t track down the culprit. It all happened right under their noses."


    "Maybe a hidden faction is pulling the strings again," someone muttered darkly.


    The conversation fell silent for a moment, the weight of the implications pressing on everyone. If such an act was possible, it could shake the bnce of power in ways no one had anticipated.


    ---


    The culprit, Aengus, carried on as usual, attending ss and keeping up appearances. He spent his time engaging with Elita, who seemed visibly shaken by the previous night''s incident.


    Elita lived alone in her residence, and the fear of a potential intruder haunted her. Aengus offered herforting words, all the while plotting his next move: infiltrating her father''s quarters.


    Little did anyone know, Elita''s father was not any ordinary man. He was a great Professor of Time Law and a World Dominator powerhouse with big influence in the Academy.


    This fact made Aengus tread carefully, as any misstep could mean disaster.


    After the ss, Aengus casually approached Elita as they walked together.


    "Elita, can you help me with something?" he asked, his tone light and friendly. "I need to visit the market urgently, but I''m unfamiliar with the ce. Would you mind being my guide?"


    "Ah...me... Sure, Zyth," she replied with a warm smile, using the false name he''d introduced himself with. "I don''t mind at all. I''m free tonight."


    "Great, let''s move then." Aengus shed her a smile.


    As the two headed toward the distant market, Aengus'' real n was already in motion.


    Meanwhile, one of Aengus'' clones, disguised as Elita, made its way toward her father''s living quarters.


    The clone mimicked her mannerisms and behavior with near-perfect precision, ensuring that no one could distinguish the imposter from the real Elita.


    This task required wless execution, and Aengus was confident in his ability to pull it off.


    ---


    After some time, Aengus—disguised as Elita—arrived at his destination, having passed through severalyers of security checks undetected.


    Standing before the grand door, he/she lightly knocked.


    Momentster, the door opened, revealing a man who appeared to be in his early forties. However, his true age far exceeded a century.


    In the world of Seekers, advancing through significant stages ofprehension granted extended lifespans, as their physiques were purified and strengthened with each breakthrough.


    "Elita, you''re here!"


    The man, wearing a pair of spectacles, looked genuinely surprised to see his daughter at his private quarters. It was an unusual urrence.


    Despite hisposed demeanor, he exuded an air of authority and immense strength. Though his raw power might not surpass Aengus, his mastery of Time Law was on another level, making him a potentially formidable adversary.


    Aengus maintained the perfect facade, his expression worried and hesitant like her''s, fully aware that even a minor misstep could jeopardize his carefullyid n.


    "Yes, um… I was scared to stay alone at my ce, so…" Aengus replied, feigning fear and hesitation in Elita''s voice. He didn''t look in the eye, like she had resentment in her heart.


    "Oh, take a seat, sweetheart. Take a seat," Professor Escanor said gently, though there was a subtle undertone of suspicion in his gaze as he observed her every action.


    He guided her to a chair, his concern evident despite his analytical demeanor.


    Professor Escanor''s skepticism wasn''t baseless—his rtionship with his daughter had been strained ever since her mother''s death, a tragedy for which she med him. This rift had caused them to live separately, avoiding close contact.


    Still, he couldn''t entirely dismiss the possibility that she might genuinely be frightened by the mysterious events of the previous night.


    Sitting beside her, he asked cautiously, "Are you scared ofst night''s incident?"


    Elita—or rather, Aengus—nodded, avoiding direct eye contact. Aengus, fully aware of the estranged rtionship between father and daughter, knew the nuances he had to emte.


    "Yes," he answered softly.


    Professor Escanor, his suspicions slightly lifted, responded, "Yes, I can feel it, sweetheart. But don''t worry, we will catch him soon," he said confidently.


    "Did you catch him?" Aengus asked in a curious tone.


    "No, sweetheart. We are still conducting the investigation. Me and a few Time Law Seekers rewound time at the ce to see what happened in a projection. But you know what? That person took the disguise of an innocent student to fool us all. He even showed us the middle finger, as if he knew each and every move. He is truly cunning," Escanor said, gritting his teeth.


    "Oh, he''s that powerful?"


    Escanor sneered.


    "Heh, don''t worry, sweetheart. He won''t remain unscathed for long. We n to call in a Diviner who practices the Law of Fate," Escanor added, putting down his sses.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Law of Fate? Does such aw really exist? I''ve never heard of it..." Aengus muttered doubtfully, both inwardly and outwardly.