I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 44 Luna-Evelyn

At the entrance of the Whispering Woods, an unusual commotion was brewing.

A long, gleaming white limousine rolled up, capturing the attention of everyone nearby. Though luxury cars were not a rare sight here—this forest often drew wealthy hunters eager to flaunt their prowess—this car was different. It bore the insignia of the World Order Agency, the single most powerful and influential organization spanning the twin worlds of Arcadia and New Earth.

Founded with headquarters on New Earth, the World Order Agency existed to safeguard its people, ensuring the chaos and danger of Arcadia did not spill over into New Earth's delicate peace. It was exceedingly rare for them to appear here, in Arcadia itself, making their arrival nothing short of a spectacle.

As the limousine came to a smooth halt, the driver stepped out, catching even more eyes. Dressed in an immaculate white suit emblazoned with the Agency's emblem on his sleeve, he looked quite refined. The emblem—a design symbolizing two Earths merging—seemed to glow faintly on his arm.

The driver swiftly reached for the back door and pulled it open. Four figures emerged, each drawing a hush over the gathered crowd.

The first to step out was a young man with tousled brown hair with an expression of bother likely annoyed by something. Next came a beautiful young woman, her glasses giving her a sophisticated air. Following her was a tall man with a warm smile.

But it was the final figure who left everyone breathless.

She stepped out with a quiet elegance, her very presence almost otherworldly. Long, lustrous silver-grey hair flowed down her back in a meticulously braided French plait, reaching her waist. Her eyes, like deep rubies, held surveyed the scene with an air of calm detachment.

Though her expression was serene and composed, the lack of any discernible emotion only heightened her beauty, making her seem even more regal and untouchable.

She wore a perfectly tailored white suit dress, the fabric sculpted to her figure with graceful precision. At her hip hung an exquisite sword, its hilt engraved. Her three companions, dressed in similar attire.

The four agents radiated an aura that went far beyond their appearances, each of them emanating quite aura. Their crisp, immaculate suits spoke volumes—they were not ordinary operatives but the Elites of the World Order Agency, an elite team assembled for only the most important of missions.

"Let's get this over with," muttered the young man with brown hair, his voice filled with annoyance. His name was Stephen, and his impatience was barely masked. The long journey from New Earth to Arcadia, and then to the country of Aurion, had drained him, but that wasn't the main reason for his irritability. The real source was the mission's leadership—or rather, his lack of it.

For the first time, he wasn't in charge.

Stephen was no ordinary agent; in his early twenties, he'd already reached an impressive A-Rank, an achievement that placed him among the strongest in his age group. His skill and tenacity had earned him a place within the Agency's elite ranks. Typically, he led missions, gathering the respect of those under him. But this time, he'd been assigned to follow someone else's lead.

He cast a sidelong glance at their leader, the silver-haired woman standing calmly at the head of their group. She couldn't be older than eighteen, yet she was rumored to be among the Agency's most talented agents. Her name was Luna-Evelyn, an S-Rank powerhouse.

Stories of her success were practically legend—missions completed with flawless precision, even those marked S-Rank, which only the most capable could dream of handling. She had never failed.

When Stephen's superiors informed him that Luna-Evelyn would be leading the mission, he'd kept his resentment hidden, swallowing his pride in silent obedience. He knew her reputation, knew it was well-deserved.

He wasn't the only one aware of her prowess; both Ophelia and Julius, the other two members of their team, had a deep respect for her, and while they were aware of Stephen's frustration, they were openly excited to work under Luna-Evelyn's lead. They were eager to see, firsthand, what made her the prodigy everyone spoke of.

The four had never worked together before, nor had they tested their strengths against each other. Each of them was a skilled fighter in their own right, but their combined power was no accident. The Agency had handpicked each member of this team for a purpose. This mission, deep within the Whispering Woods of Arcadia, was of utmost importance.

The moment the four Elites of the World Order Agency stepped out of the limousine, the surrounding crowd of hunters and bystanders scrambled to capture the scene. Phones, cameras, and even enchanted recording devices were raised, flashing and buzzing as people attempted to document every detail of the team's arrival.

Yet, without so much as a glance at the crowd, the four agents strode forward and entered the ominous boundary of the Whispering Woods. Their destination was a place whispered about in hushed tones—the Asmodeus Garden, the ninth layer of the forest. It was one of the deadliest places in all of Aurion, a region so feared that only a handful of hunters and exorcists had dared to enter.

Even fewer had returned from it, and no one had ever ventured beyond the ninth layer to the rumored final layer, the Tenth. The fate of those who had tried was shrouded in mystery, though anyone could say that no one had returned alive to talk about it.

Despite the danger, Luna-Evelyn and her team had a mission to fulfill. They were tracking a dangerous fugitive, a man well known to the World Order—Krainel Salvador. Once a prestigious member of the same Elite Circle to which Luna-Evelyn belonged, Krainel had deserted five years earlier, betraying the Agency.

Worse, he had stolen a priceless artifact during his flight: a book belonging to a Devil, the highest-ranked demons. The Agency had reason to believe Krainel was hiding within the Asmodeus Garden, and it was Luna-Evelyn's task to find him, eliminate him, and retrieve the artifact.

All four agents moved with blinding speed, navigating the dense forest without wasted movements. Luna-Evelyn led the way, her movements almost effortless, while her three companions pushed themselves to keep up. Even so, she was clearly holding back, her true speed nowhere near its limit.

"Ms. Luna, perhaps we should rest a bit," Ophelia finally spoke up.

They had reached the Third Layer of the Whispering Woods, known as the Murky Woods, in just an hour. This speed was extraordinary; it could take ordinary hunters a full day to cover the same ground. Luna-Evelyn halted, glancing back at her companions.

Stephen, though silent, was breathing heavily, his labored breaths barely concealed. Ophelia and Julius didn't bother to mask their exhaustion, both leaning slightly to catch their breath. They were skilled enough to continue if needed, but Ophelia was right—resting here could give them an edge if they encountered the strongest Demonic Beasts rumored to inhabit the deeper layers.

Luna-Evelyn nodded her head. She gestured toward a thick patch of trees that would offer some cover, and the team moved off the main path.

"Ten minutes," Luna-Evelyn stated almost coldly before stepping away, vanishing silently into the forest shadows.

Stephen scowled. "Tch, if we're slowing her down, she should just say it."

Ophelia chuckled, leaning back against a tree. "Oh, we are slowing her down. Frankly, we should be grateful she agreed to rest at all." She gazed into the canopy with a faint smile, catching her breath.

"As expected, the Elite Circle is on another level entirely," Julius murmured as he sat beside her.

Ophelia nodded. "I've crossed paths with some of them before, but Miss Luna-Evelyn is something else entirely."

"She's barely eighteen and already an S-Rank. That's… inhuman," Julius muttered, half to himself.

"Hey, calling a lady a 'inhuman' isn't exactly gentlemanly, Julius," Ophelia teased.

He laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Fair point. I find her remarkable—amazingly beautiful, even—but she's clearly operating in a different dimension."

"Do you have no pride?" Stephen scoffed, eyes narrowed.

"Pride? I prefer honesty. You could try it, Mr. Stephen." Julius grinned, his words edged with playfulness.

Stephen clicked his tongue in irritation, but Ophelia interrupted before tensions rose. "Since we've been handed Krainel's case, we might have to work together for more than a day. Let's try getting along."

"More than a day? Not a chance. I say we find this guy and take him down before sundown," Stephen retorted, tightening his fists.

"Do you even know who Krainel Salvador is?" Julius asked with an arched brow, his voice calm but pointed. "He was in the Elite Circle before you were out of training. You might want to keep that in mind, Mr. Stephen."

"Huh?! Say that again?" Stephen growled, fists clenched, as Julius merely chuckled, unruffled.

Just as the quarrel could go on, Luna-Evelyn reappeared catching them all off guard.

"Is… is there a problem?" Ophelia asked, nervously breaking the silence.

"..."

Luna-Evelyn didn't respond to the question directly, her red eyes shifting deeper into the woods. "Someone's in danger," she said simply, then vanished.