On the steep, lengthy stone steps, the glow of the Red Moon illuminated the central section, casting richer shadows on the sides. Enzo moved down step by step, a bit brisk and eager but not in a hurried or anxious manner, fully confident in his good fortune—believing himself a true winner of life, uncatchable by the night-watchers. As he approached the end of the steps that connected several pathways, Enzo, once considered a monster, suddenly felt a sense of awareness and turned his head toward the shadowed corner at the very base. There, he saw a figure sitting in quiet contemplation, somewhat blurred in appearance due to the lighting, with a typical East-Balran appearance in dress and posture. The figure reached for a box of matches, struck one with a swift flick, and let the light spill gently onto the edges. Enzo didn’t pause to take in the other’s appearance. Suddenly, a vivid image flashed before him: the figure tossed a match over as if presenting a gift—then, as the match neared, a dramatic surge of flame erupted, and from the blaze stepped a man in a formal suit, wearing a top hat! Seeing scenes and sounds that should not have been seen or heard was the daily experience of the "monstrous"—now a seasoned "winner," Enzo had grown accustomed to it, fully believing his intuition without hesitation, and leapt forward with a sudden, decisive motion, vaulting over the steps and rolling twice on the street below. Meanwhile, the brown-skinned secret figure, Ove, suddenly rose, twisted his body, and swung his arms, throwing the match toward where Enzo had been standing. Before it even touched the ground, the crimson flame stretched and surged upward, reaching high into the air, majestic and splendid. Amid the surge of flame, the figure of Caine in a black formal suit, wearing a half-high hat, with his refined, slightly neutral features, emerged clearly—only to find his target gone. Ten seconds earlier, he had noticed someone swiftly descending the stairs, as if evading something, which led him to suspect this person was his new secret companion. Seizing the moment, he quickly performed a "dream divination," receiving the revelation that the person was connected to the Rose School and was, in fact, not a good one. With this insight, Caine immediately prepared to act. Unfortunately, due to the time pressure, he had not yet had the chance to deploy the "Paper Angel" from the recorded "Crumbling Hunger" to disrupt his companion's spiritual intuition, and thus, he came up empty-handed. At that moment, his secret companion, Ove, had already reached the final step of the staircase and was now rushing forward toward Enzo, who had just risen. Enzo sensed the movement and, without attempting to dodge, simply shifted slightly to the side, easily deflecting the otherwise ordinary attack. Then, he drew his gun smoothly, quickly aimed, and fired, striking off the chest of Off. Blood gushed out, and the secret figure Off wavered before collapsing, his breathing growing rapid and weak. Kline seized the brief moment, vanished from sight, and materialized in front of his target, blocking his escape route. Enzo suddenly felt an inexplicable, indescribable odd sensation, and immediately closed his eyes, holding them tightly shut. He didn't know why he was doing this, but as a mid-tier extraordinary being on the "Fate" path, trusting his intuition was instinctual! Soon after, Enzo turned in a慌, trying to rely on his spiritual intuition to surge into another street, yet the man in the hat and suit—unremarkable in appearance—reappeared directly before him once again. All around, back and forth, Klein’s figure continuously vanished and reappeared, as if rushing at high speed around Enzo, always intercepting his path before he could react, yet never making direct attacks. No matter which way Enzo turned—or whether he used his extraordinary abilities—the figure in black formal attire, wearing a half-high hat, remained steadfast. For a brief moment, Enzo, eyes closed, thought he was facing not one opponent, but an entire group. The "Traveler" is always capable of creating the effect of a siege by himself! For just ten seconds, Enzo, still unable to break free, found his thoughts suddenly stalling, his movements slowing down, as though someone had poured glue into his mind and joints. Just as harmoniously as the "Master of Secret Figures," Klein maintained a distance of less than ten meters from Enzo every time he flashed into view—constantly weaving an invisible "spirit thread" to subtly guide and control him! Not quite... he's not attacking—he's just blocking. Not... waiting for the night-watchmen. But with another purpose. Enzo's heart tightened as he closed his eyes, and suddenly his foot caught a stone, throwing him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground, his pistol flying several meters away. Thump! The pain and shock broke through the stiffness, restoring his fluid rhythm. Unfamiliar with such surprises, Enzo—always the winner—had long relied on these unlikely events to gain the upper hand and secure victory. As he prepared to charge straight toward the end of a side street, leap over the railing, and plunge into the sea, relying on fate to resolve his predicament, a new image flashed through his mind: He was gasping, coughing violently, unable to straighten his back or lift his legs! Illness! Could the enemy infect me? He never launched an attack—just blocked the path of my escape, forcing me to stay in this area, gradually catching the illness without being noticed! Enzo was first startled, then filled with profound joy. The "Green Blossom" ring he always wore came from the followers of the "Primordial Moon." Once activated, it could easily treat various less severe illnesses and injuries! That was truly "luck!" Enzo feigned unaware of the contagious disease in the air around him, braced his hands, and launched forward, following the route he had envisioned, heading straight toward the end of the street and the railing. Just after taking two steps, he suddenly coughed, unconsciously slowing down. His cough didn't subside as it normally would—it grew fiercer and fiercer, as if he were forcing his lungs to expel everything into his throat. Meanwhile, the figure of Kline, wearing a top hat and formal attire, flashed into view behind the target, maintaining a distance of nearly ten meters. At that moment, Enzo spread his arms, sending out ripples of invisible energy from within. This seemed like a pure spiritual storm, sweeping and gusting outward, affecting every spiritual entity around it—bringing intense dizziness while simultaneously spreading calamity. Caine too felt a growing sense of danger; even as Enzo extended his arms, his own form had vanished from his original position and reappeared halfway up the steep staircase. Seeing that his intended plan—to eliminate the target before fleeing—had failed, Enzo abandoned the idea and continued toward the railing at the end of the street. He sensed that if he delayed any further, some of the "Night Watchers" would soon catch up, further complicating the situation. As a lucky one, a winner, he believed that the more chaotic the scene, the greater his chances of escape. At this point, having repeatedly changed direction in a haphazard escape, he passed by the secret figure, Off, whom he had previously shot in the chest. On the left index finger of Off wore a golden ring set with a ruby. As the ring flashed with a blood-like glow, the wounds on Off's chest began to pulse and heal, propelling him upward as he opened his mouth wide and lunged toward Enzo, who happened to pass by. Inside his mouth, his tongue seemed to lose all sense of solidity, transforming into a flowing mass of blood and flesh. "The Blood Ring!" The ring Off wore was precisely the "Blood Ring" that Caine had obtained from Mr. X. It could either randomly cause the wearer to abandon thought and transform into a beast, or, alternatively, allow the wearer to deeply grasp and strengthen their own flesh and blood—provided they did not die instantly or suffer complete purification. Even severe injuries would gradually heal and restore themselves. Additionally, it came with several flesh-and-blood magic effects, making it an exceptionally suitable and magical item for a Secret Companion. — Before Kline set out to find a new secret companion, he wasn't sure which path the target belonged to or what its sequence number was, so he made thorough preparations, having Off wear the "Ring of Blood." This way, it would appear as though Off were the main figure, with Kline as the supporting player—though in reality, it was the exact opposite. As Enzo just passed by where Off lay, his knee suddenly stung, as though he had sustained a minor injury from his earlier fall. A thought flashed through his mind, and he instinctively knelt down. Then, he felt a figure streak past overhead, only to miss him! Off's sudden assault still failed to make an impact on the "winner." Enzo was about to smile, but as he resumed his full-speed sprint, a new sense of unease struck him, and he instinctively curled up, shielding his vital areas. At the same time, the secret companion Off suddenly expanded, then exploded silently. Clusters of flesh and blood surged into a gale, sweeping across a wide area and whistling past Enzo, striking him with force. One of Kline's preparations was to harness the evolved ability of "creeping hunger," planting "blood-and-muscle bombs" within the Enigma's body! With a sharp sound, the golden ring embedded with a ruby settled onto the street stones, and Kline's figure materialized beside Enzo. He raised his left hand, making the gloves darken as if composed of individual particles, and uttered a word dripping with evil and decay: "Slowly!" Enzo narrowly avoided most of the damage, but his body, though lightly wounded, suddenly stilled, his struggling motions noticeably slowing down, and his curled posture gradually shifting. Then, as pain caused his eyes to open, he caught sight of a figure in a black formal suit, wearing a half-high hat. "Ah!" Enzo gasped sharply, lifting both hands to shield his eyes. Blood seeped steadily from between his fingers. "Monster?" Watching the target writhing in pain on the ground, Caine arched his eyebrows slightly and continued manipulating the "spirit thread," swiftly completing the initial control. This time, no unforeseen interruptions disrupted the follow-up, and Enzo, whose body had begun to develop small scales amid his half-mad state, was unable to resist. Caine smoothly deepened his hold. Time passed steadily, and suddenly Enzo rolled over and stood up, taming the subtle scales that had emerged. He placed his hand on his chest, bowed respectfully to Caine, then walked to the side, bent down to pick up the golden ring set with a ruby, and placed it on his left index finger—perfectly matching the emerald-set ring on the other hand. Caine restrained himself from glancing at his new companion with the secret doppelgänger, allowing Enzo to attend to the remaining blood and traces at the scene. After finishing this, he carried the doppelgänger into the shadowed corner of the street and soon disappeared.