Beberapa hari kemudian, Lex duduk di atas transportasi umum tercepat non-teleportasi di Tilaiya. Bisa dibilang ini kereta, kecuali faktanya tidak butuh rel dan bisa melaju dengan kecepatan supersonik.
Saat kereta melesat, getaran halusnya memberi latar yang stabil, Lex duduk di dekat jendela, menatap cakrawala kota yang mendekat. Menara-menara tinggi menusuk langit, berkilau di bawah sinar matahari, tiap bangunan jadi bukti kekayaan dan kejayaan ibu kota Tilaiya.
Hari-hari sebelumnya dihabiskan untuk persiapan yang menyiksa demi hari ini. Ia menyelidiki tata letak kota, jadwal pernikahan, urutan acara yang diperlukan, sekaligus menyusun beberapa rencana dengan bantuan Pel.
Ia butuh gambaran soal apa yang harus diharapkan dari seorang Celestial, dan penjelasan Pel hampir memastikan dugaannya. Pada dasarnya, tidak ada harapan baginya untuk menyembunyikan apa pun dari Celestial itu. Bahkan saat duduk di kereta ini, dengan pakaian silumannya, ia bisa yakin ayah sang pewaris sudah tahu ia akan datang, dan melihat setiap gerak-geriknya.
Satu-satunya cara Lex bisa berhasil dalam misinya adalah jika Celestial itu tidak ikut campur. Jika ia melakukan apa pun, bahkan sekadar menciptakan hambatan tak langsung, Lex tak punya harapan menang.
Tapi karena 'taruhannya' tidak terlalu penting, Lex bisa berasumsi Celestial itu akan menonton, bukan ikut campur. Tentu saja, ini dengan premis Kenta tidak terlalu berharga bagi Darmin, atau ayahnya yakin bahwa bahkan setelah kabur ia akan kembali. Lagi pula, tidak ada gunanya menaikkan taruhan sejak awal jika ia berniat ikut campur, atau setidaknya itulah pendekatan yang Lex rencanakan untuk tujuan saat ini.
Dengan tiap detak jantung, gelombang kepercayaan diri mengalir dalam dirinya, diyakinkan oleh pikiran bahwa ia sudah cukup siap. Lagi pula, di bawah bimbingan cincin kayunya, akhirnya Lex sempat memeriksa perpustakaan naga beberapa hari terakhir ini.
Sebagian besar bukunya di luar jangkauannya, dan butuh pengetahuan prasyarat yang tidak ia miliki, sehingga ia tak bisa memahaminya meski bisa mengerti tiap katanya. Tentu saja, ada beberapa buku yang bahkan ia bisa ambil manfaatnya.
Tapi semua itu tidak penting. Yang benar-benar penting adalah Pel menuntunnya ke satu buku yang tidak hanya bisa ia pahami, tapi juga berisi pengetahuan yang bisa ia gunakan secara praktis, langsung dari misi ini. Yang ia butuhkan hanyalah menguasai teknik tertulis itu.
Jika sistemnya sedikit berbeda, dan menunjukkan berapa banyak kemajuan yang ia buat dalam mengolah tekniknya hingga mahir, maka saat ini jelas akan terlihat bahwa ia, dengan kemampuan analisis baru dan pikirannya yang kuat, telah memahami 0,1% dari teknik itu!
Angka persentase itu mungkin terdengar buruk dan menyedihkan, tapi hanya jika tanpa konteks. Teknik yang ia pelajari bukan teknik spiritual, jiwa, atau tubuh. Sebaliknya, ini khusus untuk digunakan oleh Dragons Might! Saat Dominasinya tumbuh lebih kuat dengan menyerap Dragons Might, ia juga bisa menggunakan teknik yang sama!
Tapi meski hanya bisa memahami sedikit, itu sudah cukup di levelnya. Ia bisa memengaruhi Dominasi secara halus, dan mengubah efeknya pada orang lain. Dominasi tak lagi harus menekan atau membebani mereka, tapi bisa membuat mereka merasakan berbagai emosi atau sensasi berbeda.
Tentu saja Lex belum menguasainya, ia baru cukup paham untuk mengurangi rasa kehadirannya lebih jauh. Ini membuat orang, bahkan saat melihatnya, akan mengabaikannya secara bawah sadar.
Efeknya sangat lemah sekarang, tapi saat memperkuat pakaian silumannya, hasil keseluruhannya cukup terpuji.
Ia berencana memperkuat lagi kemampuan silumannya dengan membawa Fenrir, tapi mendapati anak itu tertidur lelap setelah kembali dari Frigra. Kenapa anak ini tidur sebanyak itu?
Ia hanya bertanya retoris, tapi Pel memberi jawaban tulus. Lex telah memakai jimat pengikat yang sangat ampuh dan kuat pada Fenrir untuk mengikat mereka berdua, menjadikan dirinya selalu sebagai tuan. Ia memperoleh jimat itu dari Emporium, dan selain mengikat hewan peliharaan dengan tuannya, jimat itu juga menghubungkan kultivasi mereka.
Jika salah satu lebih kuat dari yang lain, melalui ikatan itu, mereka akan saling memengaruhi, menaikkan kecepatan kultivasi keduanya.
Jika Lex punya tingkat kultivasi lebih tinggi, itu bagus untuk Fenrir. Tapi jika anak itu berusaha mencapai level lebih tinggi, lalu menopang kultivasi Lex, ia akan menabrak penghalang. Ini karena teknik kultivasi Lex selalu berada sejauh mungkin dari normal. Seperti mengikat anak itu ke gunung dan memintanya menyeret gunung itu.
Sama sekali tak mungkin.
Jadi, saat ia menghadapi situasi kultivasinya naik, ikatan itu menghentikan kenaikan secara paksa. Jika ada satu hal yang menyelamatkan, itu fakta bahwa semua energi berlebih dalam tubuhnya hanya akan memperkuatnya lebih jauh dalam realm yang ada, bukan membahayakannya. Jadi pada akhirnya, Lex membantunya dalam jangka panjang.
Saat kereta perlahan memperkecil jarak antara dirinya dan kota, antisipasi Lex tumbuh. Bangunan-bangunan di kejauhan kini jadi bentuk yang jelas, masing-masing menandakan satu langkah lebih dekat ke momen aksi. Berbeda dari kota tempat ia pertama kali tiba, ibu kota ini terasa lebih buatan dan kurang jadi bagian alam, tapi itu hanya secara perbandingan.
Lex mengumpulkan pikirannya, tak lagi melamun sembarangan, dan bersiap turun. Merencanakan dan mempersiapkan itu bagus, tapi pada akhirnya penampilannya yang akan menentukan segalanya.
Begitu kereta berhenti, Lex turun dan seolah lenyap ke dalam kerumunan. Kota itu sangat padat, karena makhluk tak terhitung dari berbagai ras berkumpul untuk ikut dalam perayaan. Ini cara mereka menikmati kemurahan hati Darmin, sekaligus memperkuat hubungan dengan organisasi netral ini.
Ikatan yang lebih kuat tidak berarti mereka mengharapkan bantuan dalam urusan sendiri, tapi bahwa mereka bisa menikmati lebih banyak keuntungan di wilayah Darmin.
Secara keseluruhan, antara turis, penduduk lokal, personel keamanan, dan dignitas asing, kota itu sangat padat. Bahkan untuk kultivator dan ras yang bisa terbang, lalu lintas di udara sangat padat. Mengantisipasi situasi ini adalah salah satu alasan kenapa Lex tiba di kota beberapa jam sebelum upacara berlangsung.
Tanpa suara, dan tanpa menarik perhatian, Lex perlahan mendekati pusat kota, tempat istana megah menonjol bahkan saat dikelilingi begitu banyak bangunan megah. Masuk ke acara itu tidak sulit bagi Lex karena ia punya undangan, hanya memakan waktu. Tapi mencapai Kenta setelah di dalam, itulah rintangan sebenarnya.
Semua tamu akan mendapat tempat khusus untuk bebas menonton upacara, atau bahkan berkeliaran. Tapi area tempat upacara berlangsung hanya bisa diakses segelintir orang yang merupakan tamu penting, kerabat, atau berperan dalam upacara.
Situasi idealnya adalah mencapai Kenta di dalam istana tepat sebelum ia dibawa ke altar upacara utama.
Pelan dan mantap, seolah tidak terburu-buru sama sekali, Lex mendekati istana tanpa menarik perhatian. Ia juga menajamkan indranya, mendengarkan berita terbaru soal pernikahan. Bahkan rumor bisa berguna, jadi ia tidak mengabaikan apa pun.
Namun meski kecepatannya lambat, dalam beberapa jam, Lex telah menavigasi kota raksasa itu dan mendekati istana. Enam jembatan putih menghubungkan kota dan istana, yang dibangun di atas pulau melayang yang dirantai ke tanah.
Meski Lex bisa menyelinap dengan mudah, ia ikut mengantre dan melewati antrean seperti biasa. Saat mencapai gerbang, ia sengaja batuk keras untuk menarik perhatian penjaga di dekatnya, sebelum menunjukkan undangannya.
Setelah masuk, ia diam-diam mengikuti para tamu yang berjalan melintasi jembatan, menikmati seluruh kemegahannya. Meski Lex awalnya tidak berencana jalan-jalan, ia membuat pengecualian karena merasa ada sesuatu yang tak biasa pada jembatan dan kastil itu. Instingnya sepertinya menangkap sesuatu, tapi terlalu kabur untuk memberi perasaan yang jelas.
Meski begitu, begitu mencapai ujung, dan akhirnya mendekati pintu istana, Lex menyimpang dari tamu lain. Ia tidak tertarik pergi ke tempat yang ditentukan, ia hanya perlu mengetahui di mana Kenta berada.
Misi infiltrasi miliknya akhirnya dimulai.
A few days later, Lex found himself sitting in the fastest, non-teleportation public transport on Tilaiya. For all intents and purposes, it could be considered a train, except for the fact that it did not require a track and could travel at supersonic speeds.
As the train hurtled forward, its soft vibrations providing a steady backdrop, Lex sat by the window, fixated on the approaching city skyline. Tall towers pierced the sky, glinting in the sunlight, each building a testament to wealth and glory of the capital city of Tilaiya.
The past few days had been spent in painful preparation for today, as he thoroughly investigated not only the layout of the city, the itinerary of the weddings, the necessary proceedings, but also thought out several plans with the help of Pel.
He needed some insight into what to expect from a Celestial, and what Pel told him pretty much solidified his ideas. Basically, he had no hope of hiding anything from the Celestial. Even as he sat in this train, in his stealth suit, he could be assured that the heirs father already knew he was coming, and saw each and everyone one on his moves.
The only possible way for Lex to succeed in his mission is if the Celestial never interfered. If he did anything, even so much as creating an indirect obstruction, then Lex could not hope to win.
But since the 'bet' was not anything too significant, Lex could assume that the Celestial would watch, but not interfere. Of course, this was on the premise that Kenta was not too valuable to Darmin, or that his father was confident that even after escaping he would come back. All in all, there was no point in raising the bet to begin with if he intended to interfere, or at least that is the approach Lex planned on taking with his current objective.
With each heartbeat, a surge of confidence coursed through him, reassured by the thought that he was prepared well enough. After all, under the guidance of his wooden ring, Lex finally got to checking out the dragons library in the last few days.
Most of the books were beyond him, and required some prerequisite knowledge that he lacked, making it so that he could not understand them despite being able to understand the individual words. Of course, there were a few books that even he could gain from.
But none of that mattered. What was truly important was that Pel had guided him to a single book that he could not only comprehend, but contained knowledge that he could put to practical use, right from this very mission. All he needed to do was master the written technique.
If his system was a little different, and showed him the amount of progress he made in cultivating his techniques to proficiency, then currently it would clearly show that he had, with his newfound analytic skills and powerful mind, comprehended?0.1% of the technique!
While that percentage may sound abysmal and pathetic, it was only so if there was no context. The technique he was learning was not a spiritual, soul or body technique. Instead, it was one specifically to be used by Dragons Might! As his Domination grew stronger by absorbing Dragons Might, it could also use the same technique!
But even though he could only understand such a small amount, that was already enough at his level. He could subtly influence Domination, and change the effect it had on people. It no longer necessarily had to suppress or pressure them, but could instead make them feel various different emotions or sensations.
Of course Lex had not mastered that yet, he barely understood enough to reduce his sense of presence further. This made it so that even if people saw him, they would subconsciously ignore him.
The effect was very weak right now, but when augmenting his stealth suit, the overall result was commendable.
He planned on further augmenting his stealth capabilities by bringing Fenrir, but discovered that the pup had fallen into a deep sleep upon its return from Frigra. Why did this pup sleep so much?
He had only asked the question rhetorically, but Pel had provided him with a sincere answer. Lex had used a very potent and powerful binding talisman on Fenrir to bind the two together, keeping himself as the master always. He had procured the talisman from the Emporium, and other than binding the pet with the master, it had the effect of linking their cultivations.
If one of them was stronger than the other, through their bond, they would influence the other as well, raising the speed at which they cultivated.
If Lex had a greater cultivation level, that was great for Fenrir. But if the pup tried to gain a higher level, and thereby support Lex's cultivation, it would hit a roadblock. This was due to the fact that Lex's cultivation techniques had historically been as far outside of normal as possible. It was like tying the pup to a mountain and asking it to drag the mountain along.
It just wasn't possible.
So, when it encountered a situation where its cultivation was rising, the bond forcibly stopped that rise. If there was a single redeeming factor in all of this, it was the fact that all the extra energy in his body would only strengthen him further within his existing realm, and not harm him. So ultimately, Lex was helping him in the long run.
As the train steadily closed the gap between him and the city, Lex's anticipation grew. The distant buildings were now distinct shapes, each one signifying a step closer to the moment of action. Unlike the town where he originally arrived, the capital felt more manufactured and less a part of nature, but that was only comparatively.
Lex gathered up his thoughts, no longer musing randomly, and prepared to disembark. Planning and preparing was all good, but ultimately it was his performance that would determine everything.
As soon as the train stopped, Lex got off and seemingly vanished into the crowds. The city was jam packed, as countless beings from a multitude of races had all gathered to take part in the festivities. It was a way for them to enjoy Darmin's generosity, as well as strengthen their connections with this neutral organization.
A stronger bond would not mean they expected any help with their own matters, but that they could enjoy more benefits within Darmins territories.
All in all, between the tourists, locals, security personnel and foreign dignitaries, the city was jam packed. Even for cultivators and races that could fly there was immense traffic in the air. Anticipating this situation was one of the reasons why Lex arrived in the city hours before the ceremony happened.
Silently, and without attracting any attention, Lex slowly approached the center of the city, where a grand palace stood out even when surrounded by so many majestic buildings. Getting inside the function was not difficult for Lex since he had an invitation, just time consuming. Reaching Kenta once he was inside, however, would be the true obstacle.
All guests would have designated spots where they could freely watch the ceremony, or even roam around. But the area where the ceremony was taking place could only be accessed by a select few who were important guests, relatives or played some role in the ceremony.
The ideal situation was to reach Kenta inside the palace right before he was brought to the main ceremonial altar.
Slowly and steadily, as if he was not in any rush at all, Lex approached the palace without attracting any attention. He also kept his senses peeled, listening in for any latest news regarding the wedding. Even rumors might end up being useful, so he did not dismiss anything.
Yet even with his slow speed, in a couple of hours, Lex had navigated his way through the massive city and approached the palace. Six white bridges connected the city and the palace, which was built on a floating island that had been chained to the ground.
Although Lex could have slipped by easily, he got in line and passed through the queue normally. When he reached the gates, he intentionally coughed loudly to attract the nearby guards attention, before showing him his invitation.
Upon gaining entry he silently followed the guests who walked across the bridge, taking in all its majestic glory. Although Lex did not originally plan on sightseeing, he made an exception because he felt there was something usual about the bridges and the castle. His instincts seemed to have picked up on something, but it was too vague to give him a clear feeling.
Nonetheless, once he reached the end, and finally approached the palace doors, Lex finally veered away from the other guests. He had no interest in going to his specified space, he only needed to find out where Kenta was.
His infiltration mission was finally beginning.
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