The boss rose from his chair and spoke:

  “I expected my men to make it here. Did you really defeat them? Idiots... They chose their opponents themselves. Still, if you managed to overcome my experienced subordinates, that deserves respect. You are the first to come this far. As a sign of respect, I will honestly answer one question of yours.”

  Namkhai and Dalila immediately understood what they should ask. At that very moment, Andok’s voice sounded in their ears:

  “If he’s telling the truth, ask about his abilities. That will help you greatly in the fight.”

  But 1991 cut in first.

  “I didn’t even have an opponent. I waited for him. Explain yourself! And also what’s that weird thing on your head?” He pointed at the green mohawk.

  “This is my hairstyle. So this is how you chose to use your question.”

  “NO, WAIT!” Namkhai shouted. Delilah froze, unable to believe what was happening.

  “It’s too late. Your friend has already used the opportunity,” the boss said calmly.

  “YOU BASTARD!” Namkhai exploded.

  “What? I thought that’s what the boss meant.”

  “He didn’t mean that! I’ll kill you right now!”

  “Yeah, go on, try it. I’ll blow your head off then.”

  “Hahaha, you’re strange and amusing people. Very well… you will become my new subordinates,” he said, twisting into an unnatural, contorted stance.

  “What? What the hell are you doing?” Namkhai frowned. All three stared at him in confusion.

  “I pay well,” the boss added, not changing his pose.

  “How much?” Namkhai blurted out instantly, but at that moment Andok’s voice rang in his ears.

  “What?”

  “Ah… right. Sorry, man, but we don’t work for money. We need freedom.”

  “Sad to hear that. But if you change your mind and stay alive, you’ll find me. My name is Lightfix.”

  “Well… alright then. So what, shall we start fighting?”

  Lightfix raised his index finger, stopping them.

  “Don’t rush. First, I need to tell you about one important thing.”

  “A thing?” all three surprised.

  “Hm...” Andok’s voice murmured through the connection.

  “This is something that shaped me. It showed me the true path, forced me to change my moral compass, look honestly at myself, and finally gain stability in life. It is… a book.”

  “Just a book? I hated those in prison they’re boring as hell,” snorted 1991.

  “This is not just a book. It is the book of books. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else. I was incredibly lucky to discover it in archives erased by history itself. To me, it became faith.”

  “Don’t tell me…” Namkhai said, genuinely shocked.

  1991 and Delilah exchanged glances and looked at him.

  “Hm, you understand which book I’m talking about, don’t you?”

  “It seems so. In the monastery, we were told that in the past-long before outsiders were transported into this world many beliefs existed here. And one of them was incredibly widespread. Billions of people worshipped it.”

  “Billions?” Lightfix chuckled. “Heh. No wonder. It is perfect, after all.”

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “But… it’s forbidden everywhere,” Namkhai said cautiously.

  On the other end of the channel, the government staff turned to Andok.

  “What book is he talking about, sir?”

  “Hm…” Andok frowned. “I roughly understand what he means, but I’m not one hundred percent sure. What’s more surprising is where he even got it. All religions are strictly banned. The only exception is the monastery…”

  “The Bible…” Namkhai said quietly. “The book of books. After reading it, people changed and began living by its rules and codes. It penetrated human minds so deeply that it could control them however it wished.”

  “Come on. A book can really do that?” 1991 drawled skeptically.

  On the other side of the connection, both the operators and Andok visibly tensed.

  “The Bible…” Lightfix repeated slowly. “Perhaps that’s what it was called in the past. Either way, you must witness this masterpiece with your own eyes.”

  He slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his leather coat.

  All three instantly grew tense.

  “You are about to see something you will never see again in your lives. Be grateful you are allowed to behold it in person.”

  He pulled out a book and raised it toward the ceiling with both hands.

  Namkhai, Delilah, and 1991 stared at it without blinking.

  A bright, colorful cover.

  Muscular characters frozen in dramatic, impossible poses.

  And at the very top, written in large letters:

  “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.”

  Namkhai froze, unable to find the words.

  “So this is… what the Bible looks like. Truly… the book of books. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

  Delilah and 1991 also looked deeply impressed.

  On the other end of the channel, Andok was in absolute shock.

  “That’s enough of this nonsense. Attack immediately. And stop screwing around.”

  Lightfix calmly returned the manga to the inner pocket of his coat and said indifferently:

  “Since you don’t wish to work with me… then it’s simple. You will die here. Just like everyone else.”

  The trio immediately took battle stances, ready for a move, an attack anything.

  But Lightfix simply stood there calmly.

  Then 1991 cracked his fingers and Lightfix’s head exploded. His body collapsed lifelessly onto the floor.

  “And that’s it?” 1991 asked in surprise.

  They stepped closer. The body truly lay motionless, smoke still rising from the severed neck.

  “Uh… boss, I think we actually killed him…” Namkhai said uncertainly.

  Suddenly, darkness engulfed the entire room. The three didn’t even have time to process it before tensing up and in the next instant, the light abruptly returned.

  The corpse was still lying on the floor.

  But now, on the ceiling upside down stood Lightfix himself.

  They stared at the sight in complete disbelief.

  “What the hell? You’re on the ceiling. Then who’s this lying here?”

  Without saying a word, Lightfix waved his hands through the air, and the corpse on the floor simply vanished.

  “Huh? What kind of magic is that?”

  “It’s not magic,” he replied.

  “Then what is it?”

  “Science.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  1991 cracked his fingers again and blew up the one standing on the ceiling.

  At that very moment, a voice echoed throughout the room:

  “Useless, guys.”

  Namkhai turned around and saw Lightfix right in front of him. He struck instantly, sending him flying aside. Stepping closer, Namkhai froze in horror 1991 was lying unconscious on the floor.

  “What?! I hit him… what the hell just happened?!”

  He looked at Delilah. She was aiming her pistol straight at him. Namkhai immediately raised his hands.

  “Hey, don’t shoot! I thought it was Lightfix!”

  From Delilah point of view, Namkhai looked exactly like Lightfix. However, she could hear his voice, and because of that, she didn’t pull the trigger. She lowered the gun and wrote in her notebook:

  “Don’t trust your eyes.”

  Andok and his subordinates began analyzing the situation and came to the conclusion that Lightfix was likely using some kind of sensors or invisible drones.

  “Come out, you freak! Where are you? Playing with illusions? Fight like a man!” Namkhai shouted.

  Lightfix’s voice answered:

  “Fine. But you’re much bigger than me, so here.”

  Lightfix appeared in front of Namkhai but now he was several times larger, around five meters tall, so massive he barely fit inside the room.

  “Now that’s more like it,” Namkhai grinned and swung his fist, but in the very next second, something blunt smashed into his jaw, and he was sent flying.

  Behind Delilah, a small girl suddenly appeared one who looked just like her. Without hesitating for a second, Delilah struck. The figure instantly evaporated.

  “My, how cruel you are,” a voice echoed through the room.

  Namkhai pushed himself up from the floor, clutching his jaw.

  “I’ll end you, you rat...”

  He didn’t finish the sentence. A blow struck his head from nowhere, and he collapsed again.

  Delilah remained standing still. Several Lightfixes appeared around her, forming a circle and rushing in to attack. She didn’t even react the figures simply passed straight through her. Delilah dashed toward the corner of the room where there seemed to be nothing and reached out, as if trying to touch something. But she was too late.

  “How did you figure out I was sitting right there?” Lightfix’s voice sounded.

  She turned her head, searching for the source, and felt his presence above her on the ceiling.

  “I see… so you can sense me. Interesting. But can you sense this?”

  A turret appeared in front of her out of nowhere. Delilah couldn’t tell whether it was real or not, so she dodged just in case. A burst of gunfire tore through the room.

  The bullets were real.

  One of them struck her leg but not from the turret. From somewhere else.

  She fell to the floor.

  With a loud clang, a weapon dropped in front of her.

  “I don’t want to kill you too quickly,” Lightfix said calmly. “After all, I still haven’t met your fourth friend.”