Gathering Wives

Kein smirked. "I'll face them head-on."

"An interesting decision, Great Master. However, you are still in recovery. I recommend preparing a strategy beyond mere direct combat."

Kein gazed at his reflection in the cabin's mirror. "Then let's add a little surprise..."

His hand reached for a small box that suddenly appeared from the blue system screen. Opening it, he found an assortment of makeup supplies.

"Let's paint my face like a clown."

"Understood, Great Master."

The makeup began covering his face. His handsome features transformed into something eerie—half of his face painted white, with red lines curving into a deranged smile, while his eyes were accentuated with deep black, adding to the sinister effect.

Kein grinned at the result. "How do I look?"

"Very... theatrical. You certainly want to leave an unforgettable impression."

Kein donned a black hat, draped a dark red scarf around his neck, and grasped a black cane with a silver tip. "If they're going to chase me, at least let's give them a show worth watching."

Meanwhile, at London City Station…

Cassandra Moretti and Selene Moretti arrived at the platform with serious expressions. The people around instinctively stepped aside, sensing the overwhelming aura of these two powerful women.

Selene scanned the area. "We've lost the magic trail here… But there's a high chance he went to Roselund."

Cassandra scoffed. "That fake Kein wouldn't stay in London. He'd want to get as far away from us as possible."

Selene nodded. "Then we have to pursue him now."

Cassandra stepped forward, and suddenly, her body began to levitate. Thin, glowing wings shimmered on her back, radiating a faint purple light. "I'll fly ahead. You follow at full speed."

Selene adjusted her leather gloves and took a stance. "Alright. I'll run."

In an instant, Cassandra shot into the night sky, leaving a streak of light in her wake. Selene, on the other hand, kicked off the ground and sprinted at an inhuman speed, her body almost a shadow as she dashed through the city streets.

The night wind lashed against Kein Moretti's face as he stood atop a speeding train. His dark red scarf fluttered wildly, caught in the fierce currents. One hand balanced him on the carriage, while the other gripped his black cane with a silver tip.

Above, the sky was dark, illuminated only by a moon partially veiled by clouds. Below, the vast landscape of old Europe stretched endlessly, blending with the flickering city lights in the distance.

Before him, the AQCC system's blue screen appeared, displaying a list of short-duration combat skills.

[Path Hell: Initial Combat Techniques]

–Frenzy Mode (Duration: 3 minutes) – Dramatically enhances speed, reflexes, and physical strength, but causes severe fatigue afterward.

–Shadow Blink (5 uses within 10 minutes) – Allows instantaneous short-distance teleportation, useful for dodging attacks or creating openings.

–Hell's Echo (Duration: 2 minutes) – Each attack leaves an 'echo,' striking the opponent with a delayed impact one second after the initial hit.

Kein narrowed his eyes, considering his options.

"Hmm... Frenzy Mode sounds tempting, but if the side effects are too strong, I won't be able to escape. Shadow Blink is great for mobility… but Hell's Echo could be a real headache for my opponents..."

"Great Master, I recommend choosing based on the battle conditions. If you plan to face Cassandra and Selene directly, Shadow Blink would be your best option to evade their rapid attacks."

Kein stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "You're surprisingly strategic..."

His sharp gaze locked onto the system screen. "By the way, why aren't you as intelligent as I expected? Shouldn't an advanced AI predict all possible outcomes with high accuracy? You still feel… incomplete."

"Great Master, I evolve based on my user. If I were too overpowered from the start, readers on Webnovel would get bored. They crave character growth, challenges, and progression—not instant victories."

Kein fell silent for a moment before sighing deeply. "Damn… Even my system understands market trends."

"Of course. If you desire high popularity in this world, an engaging journey is far superior to an easy win."

Kein smirked. "Fine then… I'll choose Shadow Blink."

"Choice confirmed. Shadow Blink is now ready for use."

At that moment, Kein heard a distant rumbling. He turned northward and saw a glowing purple light soaring through the sky.

Cassandra Moretti.

And far below, a dark figure moved at terrifying speed—Selene Moretti.

They were closing in.

Kein tightened his grip on his cane, a sly grin playing on his lips.

"Alright, ladies… Let's put on a show. From now on, your name is Fiora, and we'll communicate through thought."

Kein grinned as the glowing figure drew nearer. The wind bit at his skin, but he stood firm atop the speeding train.

Cassandra Moretti.

From a distance, her magical aura shimmered, enveloping her body like a radiant shield. Meanwhile, on the ground, the shadow darting toward him at breakneck speed grew clearer—Selene Moretti.

Kein took a deep breath and opened the system screen. Without hesitation, he commanded:

"System, from now on, your name is Fiora, and we'll communicate through thought."

["Understood, Great Master."]

The blue screen dimmed, and now, Fiora's voice resonated naturally in his mind.

["So, is that Cassandra flying above us?"]

Kein clicked his tongue, looking up. Cassandra was getting closer, her sharp eyes locking onto him. She wasn't going to hesitate—she was ready to strike.

Kein smirked. "Fiora, calculate my odds of winning against them both in my current condition."

["Analyzing... Probability of victory in a direct fight: 12%. Probability of survival with a defensive and escape-focused strategy: 67%. Probability of escaping undetected: 19%."]

Kein exhaled. "Great. So a head-on fight is a bad idea."

["Correct, Great Master. But if you wish to add theatrical flair… there may be another way."]

Kein's eyes gleamed. "Then let's give Cassandra and Selene a little performance..."

In the distance, the wind roared as Cassandra began preparing a spell. It was time for Kein Moretti to unveil his surprise.

The night air howled as Cassandra Moretti descended from the sky, landing gracefully atop the train car. The purple glow surrounding her dimmed slightly, but her sharp gaze remained locked on her target.

Selene Moretti followed just seconds later, leaping onto the carriage with effortless agility. Now, both women stood on the speeding train, the cold wind whipping against their faces as they focused on the mysterious figure at the far end.

A clown.

The man wore a black suit. His face was painted stark white, with large black circles around his eyes and a wide red grin stretched unnaturally across his lips.

But what unsettled them wasn't his bizarre appearance

It was the way their instincts screamed at them—warning them that this clown was dangerous.

"Fake Kein?" Cassandra thought, narrowing her eyes.

"Or one of his subordinates?" Selene frowned, analyzing his movements.

Tension crackled in the air. The two women were ready to attack at any moment.

But before they could move—the clown suddenly prostrated himself.

Thud!

Both of them froze.

The intense atmosphere shifted into something… weird.

Cassandra and Selene exchanged glances, their brows twitching as they struggled to process the scene before them.

"...Huh?" Cassandra finally spoke, her serious expression morphing into utter confusion.

"Uh… Sis?" Selene glanced at Cassandra. "Is this… normal?"

Cassandra shrugged, speechless.

Meanwhile, the clown—Kein Moretti in disguise—remained dramatically bowed, his hands trembling as if begging for mercy.

Inside, Kein laughed triumphantly at their dumbfounded expressions.

["Perfect. Just as expected."]

On the outside, however, he maintained his act. In a shaky voice, he pleaded,

"Oh, two magnificent and powerful ladies! I am but a humble street clown who happened to pass by! Please, spare my life! I only make a living by bringing laughter to people!"

Cassandra and Selene exchanged glances.

"…Is this for real?" Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a sudden headache coming on.

"…I have no idea anymore…" Selene sighed

Inside, Kein silently cheered. ["Distraction Strategy: SUCCESS!"]

In his mind, Fiora sounded utterly baffled.

["Great Master… what is this? This is completely unexpected."]

Still kneeling with a pleading expression on the outside, Kein barely held back his laughter on the inside.

["Hahaha! This is called a distraction strategy, Fiora. Look at their faces! They're confused! They've lost momentum!"]

["But… this makes absolutely no sense… You disguised yourself as a clown, fell to your knees before them, and claimed to be a mere street performer?!"]

"Exactly."

["…Great Master, I'm starting to understand why you chose the Path of Hell."]

Kein continued his act, but his mind was calmly analyzing the situation.

Cassandra and Selene should have attacked him immediately. They should have interrogated him with suspicion. But because of this unexpected stunt, their mental balance was thrown off.

A battle wasn't just about strength—it was also about psychology

["With this, they won't attack right away. They'll waste time thinking, which means… more openings for me."]

Fiora remained silent for a moment before finally speaking again.

["I can't tell if this is genius or madness. But very well, Great Master. What's the next step?"]

A sly grin formed beneath Kein's clown makeup.

["We keep the act going… and see how long they can hold out before they break."]

["Is that so, Great Master? This is the first time I've seen this side of you."]

["Yeah, this is What i call a street survival strategy."]