Eternal Thief

Ace looked at dumbfounded Shadow who was looking at him as she had seen a ghost and said while grinning, "Remember, I'll take whatever I want and whenever I want, because I'm a… thief!"

"T-thief?!" Shadow was naturally astounded by Ace's arrogant words, as he seemed quite proud when he said he was a thief. 

However, she quickly snapped out of her stupor and said coldly, "Let's go. We have little time!" She didn't have time to rebuke Ace right now, but she took a mental note to do so. 

Ace also knew time was of the essence, and they had to leave this Demon City before that Demon Duke Livy could act. 

However, Ace and Shadow's expression suddenly changed when they saw a doom-like dark barrier covering the golden sky!

"He found out and active the protection array of the city to trap us inside!" 

Shadow's heart was heavy as she knew Livy had found out about her betrayal much sooner than she expected, and now she was trapped inside the city with Ace! 

Ace's expression also wasn't much better as he looked at the dark array barrier covering the sky, and he could feel its prowess, 'This is probably a Grade-1 or even Grade-2 Array!' He deemed.

"Do you have some spot where we could hide? Buy me one day and I can get us out of here… well, probably." He asked Shadow.

Ace again pinned his hopes on the system's upgrade and rewards he didn't get after completing the mission. Furthermore, he didn't receive any notification after he stole a soul material or thief point, which means the system will only properly work after the upgrade. He just had to survive for one day. 

"Escape from this Legendary Grade-2 Protective Array, You? Stop dreaming. Only a Legendary Grade-3 Rune Crafter can escape out of it alive, and even he had to pay the enormous price!"

Shadow simply thought Ace was spouting nonsense because he was a martial cultivator and his cultivation also wasn't high enough to overpower the array. Furthermore, if he could escape legendary grade arrays on his own, why did he end up captured and need her help? 

'So, they used Legendary Grade for Grade Treasures. That's what a Legendary Grade is, but I still don't know if the legendary body was a Grade Body or not.'

Ace suddenly enlighten, but he didn't have time to further ponder over this matter since he knew she didn't trust his words and he had to convince her. 

"We don't have any other way unless you can get us out of here, right?" Ace questioned. 

He knew Shadow also can't leave this place, and she was now in cohort with him and if she turned back now Demon Duke Livy might get rid of her within moments. 

Shadow also knew this, and she only betrayed Demon Duke Mansion after considering this point as well. She never thought that could leave here without paying some price in the first place. 

"Let's see if you could keep your words or not. I'll give you a day and if your words were empty… heh." Shadow snorted viciously and only showed the slightest killing intent before she turned around and move in a specific direction of the ocean demon city. 

Ace didn't mind her attitude, and he quickly heeled her as he thought mockingly, 'Heh, once the system upgrade was complete, my stealth would be enough to deal with you.' 

---

While Ace and Shadow were moving toward Shadow's secret hideout, the entire Ocean Demon City was in an uproar because of the abrupt activation of the protective array.

This array was only used when the city was under siege or some powerful enemy tried to hurt the citizens. That's why every native demon was panicking and the demon's guards horridly arrive at their allocated posts.

However, at this moment, an imposing voice rang through the entire city. "Don't worry, my citizens and esteemed guests from other cities. The city is not under any siege. The array was active because a traitorous demon dared to rescue a prisoner, who was probably an intruder from another race! 

"This act is unforgivable and punished by thousand deaths. That's why I'm issuing a Demon Detain Red Order!

"Any information on the traitor (Night Demon) or prisoner will be rewarded by 5,000 Peak-Grade-1 Qi Stones.

"100,000 Peak-Grade-1 Qi Stones, if anyone can capture the prisoner (Alive).

"50,000 Peak-Grade-1 Qi Stones, for the Traitor Night Demon's (Dead or Alive). 

"This Red Order will remain intact until its completion, and so does the proactive array. Any casualties that occur because of red order will be compensated by my Duke Mansion, so do your best to capture those two threats to our race!" 

With this, the imposing voice faded. 

But the citizens and other demons who came here for either trade or some other reason instantly become excited after the announcement. 

The dark ocean demons knew this voice belong to their chief, Duke Livy and with no hesitation, they get to work and start hunting Ace and Shadow. Their appearances were also made public soon after Livy's announcement. 

Ace's actual face and Shadow's mask face, but because of her Night Demon Subspecies unique and distinctive traits, like dark eyes and pronghorn horns, anyone can discriminate at a glance. 

Inside the Demon Duke Mansion, 

Demon Duke Livy was nonchalantly sipping over something as if he wasn't worried about two criminals at all. He knew those two can't leave the city with the array active and eventually, those two will be in his hands. 

However, right at this moment, the hall door snapped opened and a Dark Ocean Demon, clad in dark armor, entered with panicking expression. 

"Oh, are they captured already?" Livy coolly asked as he fiddled with the big wine cup in his hand. He assumed since no one would dare to enter like this if this wasn't the case.

The demon guard's face turned paler and quickly speak sheepishly while trembling slightly, "M-my L-lord… the n... name board set up by the Demon King has gone… m-missing!" 

'Bang…' 

"What?! Impudent!" The wine cup in Livy's hand instantly shattered as his nonchalant expression finally changed while he roared with killing intent, "Who dared to be so insolent, stealing the Demon King's gift?! They do not know the meaning of death!" 

Even if Ace and Shadow manage to somehow escape his grasp, Livy won't react like this, since both of them were like ants in his eyes. But this matter was just too grave because this was directly related to a Demon King! 

He might lose his life if he didn't recover Demon King's Gift because this was blunt disrespect toward Demon King himself, losing his gift right under his nose. Furthermore, his father would skin him alive even if Demon King show some leniency for Old Demon Duke's sake. 

"It has to be those two wretches! Increase their bounty by two folds, and I want them alive no matter what. Report it to me the moment you spot them. I'll deal with those degenerates myself!" 

Duke Livy's expression was livid as he ordered and quickly leave the Demon Duke Mansion and start searching himself with his powerful martial sense. This matter was no longer about two criminals, as this concerned his wellbeing. 

'But how could those two ants even touch the Soul Trapping Banyan Tree's timber without being effective? It can't be that foreign invader. No! It was probably that wretch who wanted to avenge her tribe by making things difficult for my Dark Ocean Demon Tribe! 

'It was indeed a mistake to keep that ungrateful wretch alive, and she now caused this enormous blunder. I'll skin her alive once I found her and make her wish she was dead!' 

Demon Duke Livy's eyes were filled with ruthlessness and wrath. He never even considered it was done by Ace because he wasn't from the demon race, nor he was powerful enough to enter Livy's eyes. 

Livy was only after Ace because of the reward he will get from the demon king once he handed over Ace to him. But he was on the verge of getting punishment not to talk about the rewards! 

---

Ace didn't know his action of taking a mere name board has made Demon Duke Livy himself act, and now a wrathful Qi Soul Realm Expert was searching for him and Shadow like a mad dog! 

However, he wasn't feeling calm right now either because he heard the announcement himself and this make him even warier of this place because he will always escape before anyone could understand the situation or people would at least find out about it, much later. 

But here beyond lower lands, these races possess unimaginable and powerful means to instantly react and counter him, just like Livy did. Now, the entire demon city was hunting him down and if he made even a little bit of mistake, he'll be done for. 

This also made his mood gloomier since the thieveries in the future won't be a piece of cake anymore, and he had to think twice before starting a theft! 

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