That evening, Abigail's summoning space.
"Hand of Annihilation?" Abigail looked at Aiden, somewhat surprised. "Your Excellency, why the sudden interest in this?"
"Hoho, isn't that the treasure Qimora has always wanted? Planning to compete with her?" Hasbinis teased from the side. "Or perhaps planning to use it as a proposal gift?"
"Seems like you two are progressing well... I have many excellent potions here that can promote marital harmony. You know what I mean. Care to try?" Lamia flicked her tongue from her nearby seat.
"That's enough, all of you. I already said you're overthinking things," Qimora sighed, then finally turned to Aiden. "Warden, you know I've always been searching for that item. If its whereabouts were known here, why would I have asked you back then?"
At Abigail's gatherings, the Grand Witches shared Authority-related intelligence to some extent. Simultaneously, to minimize competition as much as possible, they generally pursued different Authorities. If the other Grand Witches knew the location of the Hand of Annihilation, they should have told Qimora, or at least offered it to her under certain conditions.
"Of course, I know. But what I wanted to ask wasn't its location, but its abilities and effects," Aiden clarified his question.
After obtaining intelligence from the Smiling Scales that Mr. Blood Robe was inquiring about the Hand of Annihilation, Aiden decided to ask the Witch Coven about it.
The plan to have Veronica interrogate Sophie and forcibly extract intelligence for free was proven feasible, but judging by Sophie's reaction, this method couldn't be used frequently.
Aiden decided to use this method on Sophie again only when deemed absolutely necessary. Anyway, she was still in his prison; he could observe for a while first.
Before searching for the Hand of Annihilation's location, Aiden felt it was better to understand the item first.
"Your Excellency, perhaps first answer why you want to know," Abigail asked calmly.
Aiden looked back and forth between Qimora and Abigail, then answered: "Intelligence I've gathered indicates Mr. Blood Robe seems very interested in the Hand of Annihilation. Two years ago, he inquired about the Hand of Annihilation from an intelligence organization."
As soon as Aiden finished speaking, Qimora hand, holding a cigarette, froze. "What?"
"A competitor. That's truly bad news for you," Lamia looked at Qimora.
"It could be considered disastrous news. This opponent is the Saint of the 'Hatred' Authority," Abigail remarked.
"Actually, he also holds the Unique Authority of 'Hatred'," Aiden added another blow.
"..." Qimora remained silent.
"The inquiry was two years ago. If he found its location back then, perhaps he's already obtained it?" Vera interjected as a reminder.
"Well, I guess he most likely didn't get it," Aiden stated confidently.
"You know again?" Hasbinis asked. "Basis?"
"Anyway, I have one. Can't say one hundred percent certain, but the possibility is high," Aiden shrugged.
The Smiling Scales' intelligence fees weren't cheap, and searching for a Unique Authority wasn't a small matter. Aiden felt unless necessary, Mr. Blood Robe wouldn't idly inquire about this.
He likely needed this item to complete Mephilia's trial. If he had obtained the Hand of Annihilation, he should have immediately come to kill 'Aiden Galord'.
After a moment's silence, Qimora spoke: "The Hand of Annihilation... As an object, its appearance is said to be a transparent glove. It allows the wearer to become invisible at will and pass through walls. This glove is essentially intangible; it can be worn even without a hand, merely needing to be held."
"That's it?" Aiden asked.
These functions clearly weren't enough to kill someone who could be resurrected by a goddess.
"There's one more thing. It's said that item can make anything it touches disappear. If the target is intangible, just a snap of the fingers is needed," Qimora continued.
"Snap your fingers, and people turn to dust? Sounds a bit terrifying," Aiden mimed snapping his fingers. This description suddenly reminded him of a certain purple sweet potato demon from comics and movies in his previous life who made half the world's population disappear with a snap.
(TN: 紫薯精 (Zǐshǔjīng) - Purple Sweet Potato Demon/Spirit. A common internet nickname for Thanos.)
"That description isn't accurate. 'Annihilation' doesn't disintegrate things; it makes them vanish completely, returning to nothingness. No ash or residue remains," Abigail corrected.
"Permanently disappear?" Aiden's expression immediately turned grave.
Being able to make anything vanish without a trace, like putting it in the recycle bin and emptying it... the power of this Unique Authority was somewhat exaggerated.
"Logically deduced, direct use should result in temporary disappearance," Qimora replied. "To completely erase something likely requires paying an equivalent price. If one wanted to permanently erase a specific person..."
"The user might also disappear," Abigail added.
Aiden nodded. This point was rather similar to the Codex Anomos; beings other than Dominators couldn't gain the complete acknowledgment of a Unique Authority.
Meaning, unless Mr. Blood Robe became the Dominator of the "Void" Authority, if he wanted to use the Hand of Annihilation to eliminate Aiden, he himself might also vanish without a trace.
"Excuse my asking, but could it be that person's purpose in seeking the Hand of Annihilation... is precisely to deal with Your Excellency?" Abigail suddenly asked.
Aiden thought for a moment, then nodded. His antagonistic relationship with Mr. Blood Robe was public knowledge to the Witch Coven.
"This complicates things. The resurrection method I gave Your Excellency cannot handle this situation. Using the Hand of Annihilation requires a price..." Abigail paused. "...But if the holder is the Saint of the 'Hatred' Authority, the situation might be different."
"The power of 'Sacrifice'?" Aiden immediately understood.
"Precisely," Abigail nodded. "Although not entirely certain... theoretically, it should be feasible."
The power of "Sacrifice" could transfer negative effects suffered by the Authority holder to a willing victim, or directly seize the victim's body for one's own use.
If the price for using the Hand of Annihilation could also be transferred using the "Sacrifice" power... then the opponent simply needed to find a victim and would have nothing to fear.
"That man... did he really succeed in finding the whereabouts of the Unique Authority?" Qimora murmured thoughtfully.
This was a question she was currently concerned about. If Mr. Blood Robe hadn't found it yet, there was nothing to worry about. But if he had found it, even if he hadn't obtained it, it indicated the Hand of Annihilation's current situation made it difficult to acquire.
"I think he probably did find it," Aiden answered. "The intelligence organization he found is called the 'Smiling Scales.' I wonder if you've had any contact with them?"
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