Chapter 315: No Brain

The true Truth Union?!

Astonishment crept up Andrew's and Hood's faces when they heard what had been said.

The hint about enemies from the Path of the Flaming Sword lying under Machine Loop from Boss Lin had already been proved a set fact, and the purpose of the two scholars coming here was to find them, which was why they hadn't been too surprised at first.

However, the appearance of 'Ethereal Wisdom' Grantham Ymir was downright creepy.

It was as if the two of them were seeing a ghost.

This face from the textbooks suddenly appearing before them was like a joke that average students usually cracked—how a great man of science that should have been dead for thousands of years suddenly jumped out of his coffin and appeared before them.

It was both astonishing and frightening.

And the words "the true Truth Union" had caused everything they knew about their own organization to come crashing down. Who was Ymir, one might ask?

Ymir was the founder and first Chairman of the Truth Union, creator of the steel city Norzin, originator of the school of scholars. At the same time, he was also the first Supreme-rank scholar, known as 'the source of all earthly knowledge,' 'a being of true wisdom,' and 'Ethereal Wisdom.'

In other words, Andrew and Hood came here hoping to catch the thief in their own house but ended up catching an ancient predecessor.

Moreover, the other party had told them that their house was fake, and where they were now was the true one... The thief had claimed himself as the true owner.

Even if he really were Ymir, then he was a fake.

The Truth Union didn't need a scholar that had vanished a thousand years ago to assume leadership to contract them. At present, the spread of the 'Wisdom-Seeker' faction internally enjoyed great success, and it would just be a matter of time before the Truth Union will become whole. If it were known that Ymir had appeared here, all that would come out of this would be unnecessary trouble and division.

Moreover, Ymir had appeared here under these circumstances. By joining the dots, it was clear that he was a part of the Path of the Flaming Sword and also their enemy.

The Truth Union absolutely mustn't acknowledge this former founding father that had turned bad. But before Andrew could say anything, Joseph spoke first.

Staring at Raziel above him, the Great Radiant Knight sneered, "So, you are Ymir just because you claim to be him?

"If so, then the identity of that great being who is long dead is way too cheap. Any Supreme-rank changing his appearance can claim to be Ymir, then. Who would believe that?"

...Just being a Supreme-rank isn't cheap! Andrew couldn't help giving a silent jibe.

Even so, he still gave a stony-faced nod, expressing his agreement to what had been said.

However, Joseph also realized that if this person before them was truly Ymir as he self-proclaimed and was a member of the Path of the Flaming Sword, then the Truth Union would irrevocably be shaken...

In spite of that, what seemed like a direct jibe by Joseph was actually a linguistic trick. For example, those words "Great being who is long dead" both doubted the identity, yet at the same time elevated the other party's status. If the other party was truly Ymir, then logically, he wouldn't be that mad.

It's really no coincidence that Sir Indomitable Sacred Flame can have such a large fan base... thought Andrew to himself as he cast a glance at Raziel.

Now... All that's left is to see that fellow's response.

Raziel maintained his unassuming smile and shrugged. "I'm not Ymir, if you all deem that I'm not him. Ymir is a name that has already become rooted in history as a decadent symbol that is recited over and over. Indeed, he's not much of a great person."

He continued on, "I go by Raziel now, just an academic seeking out interesting things to research and nothing more."

Joseph kept his vigilance up, scanning all the homunculi that hadn't moved an inch. "Is this an interesting project that you found?"

Now they were deep in enemy territory and on a Supreme-rank scholar's turf. This meant that the other side was prepared, and even if his original body was weak, there would likely be weapons and equipment that could absolutely crush them...

If it came down to a fight, odds of victory were slim.

Joseph had already sent a distress signal to Secret Rite Tower, and it would be pragmatic to buy as much time via engaging in conversation.

"It was," Raziel replied.

Andrew put forth a long-held conjecture that he had. "The 'Clay Idol' Project was something approved by all members of the Truth Union and something I personally signed off, yet there wasn't a single objection raised for such a bottomless pit of manpower and resources. It's pretty unbelievable when thinking about it now... It was you that influenced us, right?"

Raziel raised his hand at the circular beehive-like structure spanning far above him and said with a beaming smile, "That's right. See those tiny rooms emitting green light?

"Inside every one of those rooms is a layer of gray matter of every scholar that acts as a medium for thought inducement."

The entire structure was made up of countless small rooms, and the lights emanating for each were different.

There were approximately several hundred rooms that were green.

Andrew was stunned, then went numb as a tingling sensation came over him.

Gray matter of every scholar?

Did this mean that he had access to the brains of every Truth Union member?

How had he achieved that?

Cutting open one's skull and extracting a layer of brain cells all the while the subject was unawares... Just the thought of that caused Andrew's entire body to go numb as a kind of hysterical madness crept up within him.

While Joseph was no scholar, he, too, experienced the eerie dread that had swept across the entire place.

Doesn't this mean that the being before us is capable of manipulating the entire Truth Union... An enemy this frightening... Is this what a true Supreme-rank is capable of?

Raziel chuckled. "Have you forgotten? "Every scholar has to go through a medical examination and undergo one every subsequent year as long as they are members of the Truth Union, which was done in cooperation with the Church of the Dome."

Church of the Dome!

The name of this now defunct religion popping up thoroughly shocked everyone present.

So that was the case...

Hood suddenly pointed at the cavity in Raziel's skull and asked, "Then... What about that? Did you run some sort of thought inducement experiment on yourself?"

Joseph instantly gripped the hilt of his sword as the veins on his forehead appeared on the verge of bursting. He had an impulse to reach out and clasp that brat's mouth. This isn't the time to mention such a thing! Don't you know any common sense when we are in a confrontational standoff?!

As expected, Raziel froze up, then his face scrunched up as he tilted his head strangely and gave a low, eerie laugh. "Not really..."

He placed a hand into that hole and swirled it rapidly, smirking as if he was enjoying it, then spoke in a manner that was between humming and croaking. "That bookstore owner that you all believe in is really impressive, heh. He came prepared and tried to reverse control my mind. However, it was completely seen through by me."

He withdrew his hand that was now covered in blood but devoid of any brain matter. "Hahahaha... Never expected it, huh. As long as I have no brain, how can you hope to control me?"