Chapter 494: A Full-Proof Plan ’We’re here.’ Azel thought as he observed the citadel in front of him. It looked so... big. There were massive gates that simply couldn’t be compared to the gates in the Grayside. The difference was staggering, like comparing a shack to a palace. These gates were made of black iron reinforced with enchantments that glowed in the darkness. They rose at least fifty feet high, maybe even sixty, and were wide enough for ten people to walk through side by side without touching shoulders. There was even traffic in front of these gates. Dozens of Reapers moving in and out in a steady stream, merchants with carts full of goods and groups of skeletal soldiers marching in formation. He could see Grim Reapers of various ranks positioning themselves on the walls at the gates while guards stood at attention with weapons ready, watching everything that moved with sharp eyes. The walls themselves stretched up and disappeared into the darkness above. Torches burned with blue flames along the battlements, casting eerie shadows. This was a real Citadel... not some lawless outpost like the Grayside. "Alright... is everyone ready?" He asked while looking behind. Mira, Irielle and Rene were there. Everyone looked serious and for good reason too. If this failed then they would be on the run in an unfamiliar Citadel and while Azel knew that they would survive, they would sustain some injuries in the process and be on the run for who knew how long. Weeks maybe and months if they were unlucky and they didn’t have that kind of time. A month sounded like a lot of time but he had already used a quarter of it just to travel through the Underworld. There wasn’t much time left and the pressure was mounting with each passing day... Every hour counted right now. They slowly approached the gates and there were a lot of eyes on them. Reapers stopped their conversations to watch them pass. Some pointed at the badge on Azel’s chest while others whispered to their companions but nobody dared to stop them, especially after seeing the badge on Azel’s right breast. A Rank 3 was not to be messed with. That much was clear from how people moved out of their way like water parting around a stone. They reached the gates of the Citadel and Rene tried as much as possible not to be in awe of this whole place. His eyes were wide as he looked at everything around them... The massive architecture, the glowing enchantments carved into every surface and the sheer scale of it all made him want to gawk but he kept his mouth shut like Azel had told him to. ’Good boy.’ "Welcome to the Bonehall Citadel. May I please see your identification..." The Guard said, his voice sounded formal like he’d said these words a thousand times. Azel removed the badge and showed it to the person that looked like a white orc. He had massive tusks that jutted from his lower jaw and his skin was pale as bone. He had to admit, the system of these Reapers was easy to bypass. The badges weren’t linked to a certain reaper because they needed powerful people in their ranks. If you were powerful enough to be a Rank 3, impersonate one and step into the Citadel, you had to be worth investing in. Strength was valued above all else in the Underworld and power made right down here but they weren’t easy on the thieves at all. You would have to answer questions that only a Reaper of that rank would know. Specific questions that required insider knowledge... Irielle had gotten the usual questions they asked Rank 4s during her information gathering and he used the new Item customizer feature to create a guidebook for all the questions the reapers would ask. It had cost him a significant amount of FP but it was worth every point. If one was able to answer it correctly, then they would be let into the Citadels and officially become a Grim Reaper that could move anywhere which meant free passage between all Citadels, access to resources and no more hiding. The reason he had chosen to come to a Citadel was because of the fact that Identified Reapers could use the Teleport stone to move between Citadels. He planned to use the teleport stone to move to the Citadel closest to the Undead King’s castle, the Nightfall Citadel. It would save them a week or two of travel through dangerous territory. ’It’s a full-proof plan honestly.’ He thought. Strength was good but one needed to have the brains and planning to take advantage of every situation. Planning separated the living from the dead down here... brains over brawn when possible. "Your badge is authentic but I’m asking for your Reaper identification card that proves you’re a Reaper. Without that, you will be considered a trespasser and be taken for trial." He said, his tone leaving no room for argument or negotiation. Azel clipped his badge back onto his chest. "I as well as my squad lost our Identification cards in a fight with hundreds of Hellspawn." He said and they nodded. The guard looked at their robes carefully, examining every detail. It was high quality fabric but looked quite filthy as well, torn in places from combat, stained with blood that was both black and red and dust covered the hems with slight burn marks on the sleeves. So he couldn’t refute their words that much... They looked like they’d been through hell itself. "I see..." He said and the small section of the gates opened with a grinding sound of metal on metal that echoed. "Please return your weapon into your badge, you will be taken for questioning now." With a thought, Azel’s Reaper weapon disappeared into wisps of black smoke and returned into his badge. The sickle vanished completely like it had never existed. Out of the small section, several reapers wearing white robes emerged. They moved in formation, disciplined. They took them inside without a word, their faces expressionless behind their hoods. ... They were taken to a big building inside the Citadel. It was made of the same black stone as everything else in this place. Once they were inside, the temperature dropped noticeably. Their breath came out in visible puffs in the cold air. The interior was sparse and functional. There were stone walls without decoration and stone floors that were polished smoothly and doors leading to several rooms as well. "We will be taking your robes now, understood?" The first one asked while looking at them with calculating eyes that missed nothing. There were about two of them and they were Rank 4 except that they were wearing these white robes instead of the standard black. Azel wondered what they were for but they looked like interrogators. Irielle visibly paled. With this question, it proved that the information that she had told about not having to take their cloaks off was wrong. ’Thankfully Master prepared for this scenario.’ She thought, relief flooding through her chest. "May I ask why?" Azel asked while raising an eyebrow, playing his role perfectly. "It’s an order that came directly from King Bael’zaroth. There are two living humans that have come from the surface into the Underworld. Every Citadel is ordered to check the unlicensed in case they were planning to use the Reaper’s cloak to hide their life force." He said and then looked at them directly with hard eyes. "Please take off your clothes." ’I see so he’s aware of me and Rene but not the other two...’ Azel thought as he took off his robe without hesitation. The girls did the same, moving quickly. They revealed that they were wearing expensive underworld robes underneath. Dark fabric that glowed slightly in the light. Irielle had snagged a lot from a stall when they made their escape from the Grayside. She’d grabbed anything that looked valuable and well-made, stuffing them into Azel’s inventory. The underclothes were dark and well-made and held nothing that would indicate they were living beings. "I see..." The guard said as the robes were handed to him. He examined them briefly, running his fingers over the fabric. He gave them a nod of approval. Two men in white approached them from a side door. Both of them were Rank 3s. Their badges gleamed in the dim light and their presence was more imposing than the Rank 4s. "I’ll be the one questioning you." The first Rank 3 said as he motioned for Azel to bring out his hand. Azel did it without complaint and they cuffed him immediately. Metal clamped around his wrists with a click that echoed. "These cuffs will prevent you from using Death force or your Reaper weapon..." The badge was on the robes so it was not like they had access to them anyway but he had to commend the thorough security. The others were cuffed similarly and taken to another room down a different hallway. Irielle gave him a trusting smile as she entered the room with her interrogator and the door shut with a heavy thud. Mira looked nervous but kept her composure while Rene was trying to be brave, his small fists clenched. Azel was led into his own room down yet another hallway. The moment the door shut behind them, the room’s light flickered on. A single rune on the ceiling glowed with pale light. The interrogator took a seat at a simple wooden table while Azel was forced to kneel with his hands behind his back. The stone floor was cold against his knees and the chill seeped through his clothes. It was really like he was a criminal being processed but that was how it was in the Guidebook. The Reapers without proper identification were considered criminals until proven innocent by a test of knowledge. Guilty until proven otherwise... There were no lie detectors because this was the Underworld, not Earth and Reaper weapons couldn’t be used as a source of verification as there were multiple types of the same Reaper weapon. Sickles, scythes, daggers, spears, all variations existed across the ranks. "Alright, your first question. What is your name and what Citadel are you from?" The man asked, pulling out a notebook and a pen. Azel concealed a smile behind a neutral expression. "My name is Tharne Coldreach." Azel said clearly. "And I am from the Nightfall Citadel." The man brought out a small copy of the Book of Hell, featuring the names of the active Grim Reapers. The pages were yellow with age and the binding was worn from use. He flipped through them quickly, his finger running down the lists of names. The man winced as he read through the pages. There had been many Rank 3s, 4s and 5s killed as of late but the most surprising one was even a Rank 2. The losses were mounting faster than they could replace them. "I don’t see your name in here, Tharne Coldreach. Why is that?" The Grim Reaper asked, looking up at him with suspicious eyes. Azel gave the answer that he as well as the others had decided on during their journey. "Why would it...? My name as well as that of my team has been erased from the Book Of Hell." The guy practically widened his eyes in shock. Nobody admitted to it that fast. Most people made excuses or tried to deflect the question. However Azel was not done speaking. "When a Grim Reaper does not report or step in a citadel for six months, the Book of Hell that lays in the secret chambers of our King, Bael’zaroth automatically erases their name and it will be erased in the copies as well." Azel said calmly, like he was reciting common knowledge from training. "It’s common knowledge amongst people of my Rank." The man’s eyes widened even more and then he coughed, clearing his throat awkwardly. "You’re right... it’s common knowledge for Rank 3 Reapers and above to know this. I will accept that answer." He said, making a note in his book. He almost believed that this guy was actually a Grim Reaper now. Only Reapers of Rank 3 and above knew that there was an Original Book of Hell kept in the King’s chambers. The lower ranks didn’t know this detail... Either he was really a Reaper or just a well informed bastard who’d done his homework incredibly well. "The next question... what was your last major operation?" "We went to the Outer Wastes for the past six months, patrolling the borders and culling the Hellspawn there." "Ah, it was your team that did that? There have been a great reduction of Hellspawn there as of late. The reports mentioned significant progress." "Yes, it was us." Azel said. ’No, you can’t laugh yet...’ He thought, keeping his expression completely neutral. He was clearly going to be free.