Freedom Jumper-Chapter 176: Just a Puppet

Following the mysterious murder that occurred within the darkness of an alley — only brightened by a flickering mana lamp above a side door, Elijah didn't immediately jump into action.

Already, the older and mysterious man had turned twice after walking outside the alley. Elijah tailed him, but was seemingly moving in random directions, albeit, looking for a specific place he only knew the general location of. His guard was up, and always resulted in outmaneuvering the enforcers patrolling the streets.

"Stop!"

Elijah's words sent a shock through the man, and even revealed his aged face through the dim lights of the street.

Brown tailored pants, black shoes, and a white button-down shirt that seemed just a tad bit too big.

Turning around, the man spoke in a confused tone — desperately trying to pinpoint the person who had shivered his timbers. "Huh? Who was that?!"

"I did..." Elijah's body appears from thin air, revealing deep blue eyes that shimmered in the deep orange lights of the street.

"Nightstalkers!"

The man did not hesitate one bit, and began running while suffering through his keys. Suddenly, he stopped — standing directly over a sewage drain.

"Did you kill that enforcer?" Elijah asked while pointing an artistic dark metal knife in his face.

"I did not! I swear!"

Elijah stood firmly planted to the ground. "So you're telling me the key you shoved into that man's body did not kill him?"

"I-I... I don't know!"

Dink!

The keychain he had been fumbling with had finally released a key, a black key with silver engraving, and one hell of a complicated pattern.

Elijah tried his best with his confused mind, but failed to stop the key from falling through the sewage drain. "Dammit! What the hell are you—"

"Who are you?" The man's tone instantly shifted once he had let go of the key.

If Elijah wanted to, he could dive into the sewage drain. Unfortunately, he had another problem to worry about.

Behind Elijah was an enforcer that was slapping a baton in his hand. A man who was acting all high and mighty because of the rights he currently has.

"What! ... Are you two doing out here past the curfew?!"

Without hesitation, the man stepped forward exclaiming his grief and worry for the young boy dressed in black. "He was chasing me! I only wanted to return home in-time for the curfew but I didn't want to reveal my address to him! Please sir... you must believe me!"

Elijah refused to turn around. "Have you ever heard of a murder with a key as the murder weapon?"

"If you are talking about the murders that are the reason for the curfew, they happened with all kinds of weapons. I suggest you reveal yourself and follow me kindly. Both of you must come to the HQ with me..." Slap!

The Enforcer made his plan clear. While he partially believed the story of the aged man, he obviously couldn't ignore the fact that this was a thirteen or fourteen year old kid.

However, just as Elijah was beginning to activate his invisibility runes, the old man suddenly turned around with another key gripped between his fingers.

SHING!

A key that had been pulled out of the man's pocket headed directly for the Enforcer's chest, and was just barely misdirected by Elijah's artistic blade.

Elijah almost tumbled to the floor from the awkward parry.

The man's life was not extinguished, but instead knocked out with the palm of Elijah's wrist.

"Old people will always be old people... fragile brains."

Elijah quickly activated his invisibility and picked up the key that had flown to the left of the ordeal.

Not a single thought went through his mind on the way back to Richter's flat besides the fact that the man was purely a puppet. This fact was so obvious it only took a single second for Elijah to realize after the many changes in the man's direction.

From murdering an Enforcer, to acting as peaceful as one can be, to then outright lying to an Enforcer while painting Elijah as a villain, then finally trying to salvage the situation with another kill.

It was like the man was a puppet, and acted not on instinct, but achieving a single goal of killing no matter the cost.

One other fact was true as the night was dark. The key was not just a weapon, but something far more mysterious. After all, who in their right mind would use a key as a weapon?

...

Richter's flat was as silent as can be.

Niko was seen sleeping hilariously in his reclining chair while Richter was seen passed out in his bed from a night at the bar. The door was wide open, revealing Richter's half-clothed body laying soundly on his stomach.

'Hey... at least he is gathering with people. Making friends...'

Elijah removed his black jacket and invisible runes, unbuttoned his black long-sleeved shirt, slid off his black tightly knit pants, and picked up the floristry white and blue blanket that was laying next to his chair.

A few sips of water were taken before walking out to the balcony. The glass door slid open like butter, revealing the sounds of frogs and crickets masquerading in the night.

In Elijah's mouth was an orange being chomped on violently. Not even the peel was separated as Elijah had specifically wanted the compounds found in the peel. Also, he felt very lazy at the moment.

"There are a lot more secrets to this world than I can imagine..."

"Magical keys, supernatural abilities, beast seeds, war, and internal strife. Honestly, life here may seem a lot more 'free' than in Astraea. But honestly, nothing can beat their simplicity..."

There was an unknown amount of knowledge Elijah must attain if he ever wants to think about destroying The Void. Furthermore, he needed to figure out why the war was happening in the first place, and which kingdoms are on which sides.

Elijah fully expects for the world to be filled with secret organizations. One of which relates to the murder he had just witnessed.

The reason behind this is because of the simple fact that the man was a puppet. Likely, the key that was dropped into the sewage was done so on purpose, which would be picked up by another puppet.

Time will only be able to explain the events. In fact, there might be something in the newspapers related to the aged man Elijah had knocked out in the morning!

Thankfully Elijah decided to keep his face hidden...

...

Dawn arrived with Elijah rubbing his eye — basking his bare chest in the morning sun that passed through the trees. For some odd reason, Elijah decided to go out for a morning walk — even when his sleep quality was horrendous.

Whispers of a successful night were heard while passing through the streets of the dense part of the Hunting District. Just as Elijah had hoped, the news was already out to the public, and plastered across the front page of a newspaper that Elijah had paid ten Genny to acquire.

"Tillard Gonfrey, A 67 years old man found guilty of murder and attempted murder in the Northern Market District of Sefrah."

The details of said murder were exclaimed to be from a blunted knife that caused far too much internal bleeding.

However, Elijah knew very well that something else was at play. An aspect that the House of Order preferred to keep hidden...

Now that Elijah was reading through the details and circumstances of the murder, he remembered that the poor soul who had died slumped to the ground immediately — without even so much as a scream!

Obviously there was a magical factor at play, and the key to figuring out what it was...

Well... frёewebnoѵēl.com

The key!