My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 356: The Golden Dawn Organisation

He began making his way toward the settlement, intending to extract some local intelligence.

As he prepared to descend the path, his attention was caught by a group of young children playing nearby.

"Let’s play magus!"

"Yeah! I’m going to be the Ice Magus, Vorden!"

"Then I am Flame Magus Ragna!"

"No fair, I wanted to be Vorden," a small girl muttered, her lip trembling.

"But you're a girl; you have to be Light Magus Sarah."

"Fine," she agreed, though she continued to pout.

Ethan approached the group.

"Hey kids, what are you all playing?" Ethan asked, offering a friendly smile.

The children immediately grew wary.

"Excuse me, mister. Who are you?" the oldest boy questioned with a suspicious look.

"I’m just a traveler. I lost my way and happened upon you all playing here, so I thought I’d ask for directions."

The children’s tension eased slightly.

"We don't really know the way out of here. If you need help, you should go talk to the elders in the village," the boy suggested.

"I see, thank you. Could I ask you one more thing?" Ethan said, maintaining his smile.

"What is it?"

"I heard you playing magus earlier. Do you actually know what a magus is?"

The children immediately puffed out their chests with pride.

"Of course we do! Maguses were like gods who walked among the people thousands of years ago."

"So, there aren't any maguses left?" Ethan pushed further.

"No way. The word 'mana' disappeared thousands of years ago, and all the maguses vanished right along with it," the boy explained.

"You’re a grown-up, mister, but you don’t know something so basic?" the little girl asked, her voice full of suspicion.

"I come from a very distant place where such history isn't taught. Thank you for your time, little ones. Here, take these fruits from my home as a gift."

Ethan handed them several apples that possessed lifespan-increasing properties.

Even if these children never stepped onto the path of a magus, they would now enjoy an extra 200 years of life.

"Thank you, mister!" they chirped, happily accepting the fruit.

Leaving them behind, Ethan headed toward the village to see what the elders might know.

Once inside the village, Ethan noted how prosperous it appeared.

The residents seemed genuinely happy, and the overall vibe was peaceful.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where to find the village chief?" Ethan asked a man selling vegetables.

"Who's asking? I've never seen your face around here," the vendor replied, squinting at him.

Ethan produced a silver coin, and the man's suspicion evaporated instantly.

"Hehe, certainly, sir! The chief’s house is right over that way," the vendor said, pointing out the direction.

Ethan made his way to the chief's residence. Upon arrival, he found a middle-aged man tending to some flowers.

Ethan smiled inwardly. This individual was no ordinary villager; he radiated the aura of a high-level expert, at least Tier 2, comparable to a Star Level entity.

"Greetings, village chief," Ethan called out.

"Hello. Who might you be?" the chief asked with a calm demeanor.

"Chief, I’ll be direct. I am a researcher traveling the world to uncover why mana suddenly vanished. Do you have any insights?"

The chief remained silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry, I know nothing about that."

Ethan watched his micro-expressions. The man was clearly gripped by a deep-seated terror.

Ethan sighed. There was definitely something in this world capable of causing such a reaction.

Ethan allowed a fraction of his aura to leak out, and the chief instantly collapsed to his knees.

"Please, forgive me, my lord! I didn't realize who you were!" he cried out in horror.

"Relax, I have no intention of hurting you. Just tell me what you know. What are the major powers in this world?"

Once he regained his composure, the chief provided the details.

Currently, a single faction held absolute dominion over the world's power.

Mana hadn't entirely disappeared; it had simply grown incredibly sparse.

However, there were rare pockets where mana remained concentrated. On the rare occasion a magus emerged, that faction would move in to force their submission.

Those who dared to resist were simply erased from existence.

Ethan now had a lead on where to find the answers he sought.

He obtained the general location of this organization’s headquarters. Though no one knew its official name, every magus was aware of its presence.

The chief couldn't give exact coordinates, but he suggested that if Ethan displayed magical power in a major city, they would find him.

Ethan then traveled to the kingdom's capital.

The city was massive.

Dressing himself in the attire of a high-ranking noble, Ethan entered a high-end restaurant.

After finishing a lavish meal, he refused to pay. Instead, he brandished wind magic, threatening to level the establishment if the owner insisted on the bill.

The owner feigned terror, but Ethan caught the flash of coldness in the man's eyes.

Ethan had targeted this specific place because he sensed the owner was a Tier 5 expert.

He was certain the man was a plant for the organization.

A person of that caliber wouldn't be running a restaurant without a hidden agenda.

Afterward, Ethan checked into an inn.

He felt certain he would receive visitors before the night was over.

Ethan could have investigated the higher realms first, but he chose the lower world because villains typically targeted the weak for their schemes.

Late that night, while Ethan was snacking, a knock came at the door.

He smiled. Five people were outside, all Tier 5 or higher.

The restaurant owner was among them.

Ethan swung the door open and immediately began shouting at the owner.

"What? You brought these pathetic thugs to intimidate me? I'll destroy you, you bastard! I showed you mercy this morning, but it seems you don't know what's good for you."

This time, the owner showed no fear, only a chilling gaze.

"If he refuses, I want the pleasure of torturing him myself," he told his companions.

"We represent the Golden Dawn organization. You have two choices: enlist or die," the leader stated flatly.

"I’ll join, obviously. I’ve been looking for you guys everywhere," Ethan replied. He then glanced at the restaurant owner. "Don't tell me this grumpy old fool is a magus too. What an embarrassment."

The recruiters were stunned. They had expected the boy to resist given his arrogant attitude.

This created a complication. If a magus agreed to join, they were forbidden from harming them by organization law.

"You little brat, I challenge you to a duel! When you lose, you'll be my slave!" the restaurant owner, Jay, bellowed.

Internal conflicts between members could be settled through challenges.

"Jay, settle down. We have to finish the induction first," the leader said, pulling out a banner.

"Place a drop of your blood on this banner, and you will be one of us."

Ethan scrutinized the banner with his fourth-dimensional eye.

The artifact contained a hidden, sinister pattern. It was an evil treasure designed to bind its victim's soul into slavery.

Ethan wasn't about to take a gamble on its power level. Instead, he manifested a drop of blood and infused it with a fragment of the soul of a space monster he had captured earlier.

Boom! The banner flared with light before going dark.

It had accepted the offering and successfully enslaved the essence of the space monster.

"It's done. You are now a servant of the Golden Dawn. Now, you must face his challenge," the leader commanded arrogantly.

Ethan’s gaze turned icy. "Who gave you permission to order me around?"

Boom!

His fist connected with the leader, sending him flying like a broken doll. The man bounced across the ground six times before losing consciousness.

In that moment, the others realized they weren't dealing with a novice, but a monster.

Despite this, Jay attacked, unable to let go of his bruised ego.

Ethan snorted and slammed him into the floor with ease.

His goal was to draw out the real leaders, not these small fry.

"Move. They need medical attention."

He barked the order at the remaining three.

They were still in a state of shock.

"Yes, sir!"

They tore a magical paper, and a portal materialized.

"Please, sir, follow us."

Ethan stepped through the rift.

They arrived in a world of lush, vast greenery.

"This is the outer rim of the Golden Dawn headquarters. If you reach Tier 10, you'll be permitted to enter the inner sanctum."

Ethan then released an aura that far exceeded Tier 10.

"Forgive us, my lord! We were blind to your true power and acted disrespectfully. I will summon the emissary immediately to escort you inside."