Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

The Cardinal quickly took back his hands and stared at Ning with wide, angry eyes. "You dared to touch me when I wasn't looking?" he asked.

"You dared to ask me to cut myself. So why not?" Ning said. "And don't get too angry. Being angry isn't good for your health. Tell me, did your scar come from when you were angry by some chance?"

The man reflexively touched his scar and narrowed his eyes.

"I will ignore what you just said," he said. "But, I cannot ignore the fact that you wish to kill either the Pope or one of the other 2 Cardinals."

"Or none," Ning added.

"What?" the Cardinal asked.

"I came to check if either of you four is the one I'm looking for. I never said one of you was guaranteed to be the person," Ning said. I have 2 more people far away in the world that are also my target. Once I confirm here that none of you four are it, I will leave the island and travel away."

The man frowned at those words, giving it a long pause and thought as he went through what was said. "You are being serious about it?" he asked.

"Of course," Ning said. "I'm always serious. Okay, maybe not. But this time I am."

The man thought for a bit. "What exactly are you looking for?" he asked. "When you touch me, what were you looking for?"

"I… have a power," Ning said. "When I touch people, I can tell whether they are human or not. I'm looking for someone that is non-human."

The man frowned. "Non-human? What do you mean? Like an animal?" he asked.

"No, not exactly an animal," Ning said. "More like… a being created out of nothing."

"Something created out of nothing?" the man asked, frowning for a moment. "Like a god?"

Ning's eyes widened slightly and he smiled. "Yeah, kind of like a god," he said. "Or a de—"

"Like Zurinus?" the man asked again.

Ning couldn't help but chuckle a little at those words. "Actually, exactly like Zurinus," he said with a shrug.

The old man's eyes narrowed for a second. "What… do you mean?" he asked.

Ning gave a lopsided smile. "I think you know what it means," he said.

"Surely you don't…"

"Yes," Ning said. "I'm going to kill Zurinus."

Gasps of shock and surprise went through the hallway.

"Sir Ning, what do you mean by that?" Tim quickly asked.

"Wait, what do you mean you're going to kill Zurinus?" Jasmine asked.

Tanaya looked up, her eyes flashing in surprise as well. She looked for any signs of joke on Ning's face but she couldn't find any.

Galamor and the rest of the paladins were equally confused as well.

"Explain to me what you mean?" the Cardinal asked. "What are you trying to say?"

"Exactly what you're hearing," Ning said. "If any one of the Cardinal or the Pope turns out to be Zurinus in disguise, I'm going to kill them."

The Cardinal glared at Ning with a look of pure shock. "How… how dare you! How dare you say that about his lord and—"

"Better to not let things be known by everyone," Ning said and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the people around the room swayed as they lost the last few seconds of memories instantly.

Ning also took down an anti-communication barrier that he had set up in the room, just in case Zurinus had some way to listen in to one of his follower's conversations.

Ning knew that it didn't work automatically as it would with a Planetary will who knew anything and everything that happened around their planet.

However, a constellation could put contingencies into work where it would work in similar ways, so he couldn't let the thing find out just yet that he was after him.

As the anti-communication barrier came down, the Cardinal looked at him and spoke.

"You dared to touch me when I wasn't looking?" he asked.

"Yes," Ning said. "What are you going to do?" He leaned forward. "Do you think I'm threatened just because you shout? Just because you sit there with a group of paladins surrounding you, do you think you are safe from me? The only reason you haven't seen me before today is because I let you live your life as it did."

"I planned on meeting you all normally when I could. But if you want to, we can speed that up as well."

A sharp metal was already on Ning's neck on the back, pressed slightly against it as Galamor spoke. "Step back from the Cardinal if you do not wish to lose your head," he said in a grim voice.

Ning continued staring into the Cardinal who had now broken in a bit of sweat.

He slowly leaned backward and felt the blade move along with him. Galamor was doing what he was supposed to, but he was also not trying to hurt him.

"You're a good fighter," Ning said, twisting his head around toward Galamor. "I barely heard you taking your blade out."

Galamor's eyes narrowed, unsure of how he could take this compliment. He looked toward the Cardinal for some assistance, but the Cardinal seemed very scared at the moment.

Ning's words had shaken him.

From the Cardinal's perspective, just seconds ago, he had just found out that Ning had secretly touched him while handing back the dagger.

Then, as soon as he had found that out, he had been threatened by Ning, and not in a simple manner as well. The man could only wonder what Ning could have done to him at that moment if he wanted to.

The Cardinal of Life felt as though death was right around the corner. And the one that showed him the direction to that corner was Ning.

Ning sat in a relaxed manner. "Don't be scared," he said. "I'm not going to kill you, or even hurt you. I don't hurt anyone who doesn't hurt me first. You are safe."

The Cardinal took a few heavy breaths before looking back at Ning. Ning gave a small rueful smile. "If you're feeling scared at the moment, I can leave. We can talk some other time. However, do tell me if you know when the Pope will be leaving on his little parade. I kinda don't have a lot of time to waste waiting for him to do so."

The Cardinal simply scoffed. "Stay back," he said.

Galamor nodded and moved away, placing his sword back on its sheath, and stood by the wall along with the many other paladins. The Cardinal then looked back at Ning. "I have another matter to talk with you," he said.

"Oh? What matter?" Ning asked.

"Captain Tanaya here mentions that a serial killer has potentially entered our country and that you were the one who notified her of this. Is that correct?" he asked.

"Braval? Oh yes," Ning said. "But that was nearly a month ago. I'm not sure if he's still here or not."

"How did you know he had come here a month ago?" the man asked.

"I won't be revealing how I know that," Ning said. "Why do you ask me of this?"

"The Pope can't walk out into the parade as long as there is danger in the country, and if this serial killer you speak of is indeed in the country, then the Pope won't leave his dwelling for a long time," the Cardinal explained.

"So… if I want the pope to leave his little home, the criminal needs to be gone?" Ning asked.

"We just have to confirm whether the information you gave us is true or not," the Cardinal said.

Ning rubbed his chin for a second as he mused about something. "I have a proposition for you if you will hear it."

"What proposition?" the Cardinal asked.

"If I can capture this killer and hand it over to you guys, will you give me a chance to meet the pope?" he asked.

"I can't let you come close to the pope," the Cardinal said quickly. "I am given the task to protect him at all costs."

Ning frowned for a moment. "But…" the Cardinal said for a moment. "I might be able to get you close to one of the two other Cardinals. Will you do it for that?"

"The Cardinal of Coins?" Ning asked.

"If you wish to," the Cardinal said. Ning smiled and reached out for a handshake. "It's a deal then," he said.

The Cardinal hesitated for a second before reaching out with his hands as well. He shook his hands and was relieved to find out that nothing happened to him.

"If you won't mind, I will be needing her for whatever I will do tonight," Ning said.

"Tonight?" the Cardinal gave a look of surprise.

"Of course," Ning said. "Why would I waste time waiting at all? I'll do it as fast as I can."

The Cardinal couldn't help but be rather suspicious about it all. "You are not acquainted with this criminal, are you?" he asked.

"No," Ning said. "Never even seen the man. I only know about him."

The Cardinal still held on to the wooden box with the dagger, so he didn't think Ning was lying at all.

"Alright," he said. "I will wait for whatever you will do. Just don't do anything illegal."

Ning smiled and nodded.

"If that is all, then I will leave right away. The sooner I can get to this criminal, the sooner I can be done with my work here," Ning said and stood up.

"Until we meet again," he said and walked out.

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