The black-clad man and Cresto exchanged glances, utterly taken aback by the scene unfolding before them—those two were actually fighting.
Hadn't this red-haired man freed Mona Lisa from the painting? Then why would Mona Lisa attack him? And why had Mona Lisa been sealed within the painting in the first place? What on earth was really happening?
Bang, bang, bang! Mona Lisa and the red-haired man clashed several more times, their strikes evenly matched. Neither could gain the upper hand.
"Hah! I have more pressing matters to attend to today. I'll let you off the hook for now!" The red-haired man retreated several dozen steps, sneering. "Once I've dealt with these affairs, I'll come after you again!"
Mona Lisa sneered in turn, "Just another mongrel. Do you really believe I fear you? If I hadn't just been unsealed and my power hadn't yet recovered, do you think you'd even stand a chance?"
The red-haired man cast a cold glance at Mona Lisa, then turned away. "Fine. I'll give you half a month. In half a month, I'll personally pay you a visit. Let's see if you can remain so arrogant then!"
With that, the red-haired man took off into the skies, vanishing beyond the clouds.
Mona Lisa made no move to stop him but instead lowered her gaze to Heaven Island below. "I sense a familiar presence…"
With those words, she sped toward the auction house.
Cresto quickly stepped forward, intent on blocking her path. Though countless questions swirled in his mind, the auction house hosted individuals of utmost prominence—allowing Mona Lisa to barge in was out of the question.
"Stop right there!" Cresto shouted.
"So noisy. Be still!" Mona Lisa turned her cold gaze upon the charging Cresto, her dark brows knitting together.
Cresto felt as if time itself had frozen around him. His vision blurred, and before he realized it, Mona Lisa had disappeared right before his eyes and made her way into the auction hall.
"Dammit!" By the time Cresto came to his senses, Mona Lisa was already gone.
"Infuriating!" Cresto roared angrily. He had protected Heaven Island for over a decade, and never had anything happened before.
When Cresto rushed into the auction hall, Mona Lisa had already subdued Talabova and Stovich. Thɪs chapter is updated by ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt
"Let go of the Young Master and Miss!" Cresto shouted furiously at Mona Lisa.
Mona Lisa completely ignored him, instead speaking to Talabova and Stovich. "If I'm not mistaken, you two should be inheritors of the Eye of God, right?"
"You know of the Eye of God?" Though Stovich was shaken, he still stepped forward boldly, saying, "What are you planning? If you're daring enough, face me directly!"
Talabova glanced at her "reckless" brother in astonishment. It was the first time she'd seen him display such courage.
Mona Lisa spoke calmly, "What am I planning? Have the inheritors of the Eye of God truly forgotten who the founder of your organization was?"
Talabova and Stovich exchanged a look. The founder of the Eye of God? Apart from the Supreme Commander, no one else knew of them. Even as the son and daughter of the Commander, Stovich and Talabova themselves were largely in the dark.
Mona Lisa extended her hand, and two crystal spheres flew out from Talabova and Stovich's arms.
As the spheres landed upon Mona Lisa's palm, they emanated a dazzling radiance. In an instant, the entire Earth appeared within the glow, and as Mona Lisa casually tapped the spheres, the scene shifted to show the current events across the globe—far more detailed than any satellite imagery.
"Impossible!" Shock lined the faces of Talabova and Stovich as they stared.
The Art of Knowing! This was the forbidden secret technique of the Eye of God. Through this art, the inheritors of the Eye of God could survey any corner of the world and even uncover the hidden mechanics driving its operation!
But how did Mona Lisa access the Art of Knowing?
"Hmph, what are you so surprised about? I'm the one who taught it to Da Vinci in the first place!" Mona Lisa said indifferently. "But your current grasp of the Art of Knowing has deteriorated; you're nowhere near unlocking its full potential."
As her words fell, a flicker of surprise crossed Mona Lisa's gaze. "Oh? Someone dared to probe my presence? How amusing!"
With a snap of her fingers, a crisp shattering sound echoed in the air, as if a mirror had been broken.
Ripples appeared, and soon, a nondescript middle-aged man stepped into view.
"Commander!" Cresto exclaimed in shock upon seeing the man.
The Commander of the Eye of God had not been seen for countless years, and yet here he was today—a moment of utter disbelief.
"Cresto, step outside and ensure no one approaches," the man instructed calmly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.
Cresto responded solemnly, "Understood, Commander!"
Once Cresto departed, the middle-aged man turned to Mona Lisa. "Miss Mona Lisa, am I the one you're looking for? Would you now release my son and daughter?"
Mona Lisa raised an eyebrow. "I had no intention of harming them. After all, they are my juniors."
"Come here at once!" the man commanded Talabova and Stovich.
With fearful glances at Mona Lisa, the siblings quickly hurried to stand behind their father.
"You are now the Commander of the Eye of God? And what is your name?" Mona Lisa asked nonchalantly. "You must already know my identity, don't you?"
The man nodded. "Indeed. The records of the Eye of God document your existence clearly. Elisabeth di Anton Maria Nolde Geraldine, Lady of the Abyss."
Mona Lisa's brow furrowed ever so slightly. "So you're aware that I am also one of the founding members of the Eye of God, alongside Da Vinci?"
On hearing this, Talabova and Stovich were utterly stunned. The revelation was overwhelming—staggering in its implications.
The man nodded once more. "Indeed. According to legend, you and Master Da Vinci jointly established the Eye of God. You taught him the Art of Knowing and made immense contributions to its formation."
"Oh? Since you know that, I suppose you understand what must be done." Mona Lisa spoke calmly.
The man nodded again. "Years ago, when you and Master Da Vinci utilized the Art of Knowing to probe Earth's future, you glimpsed the gears of fate. The backlash from the Art inflicted grave injuries upon you and Master Da Vinci. In desperation, Master Da Vinci used the Sealing Technique to confine you within the painting to preserve the immortality of your Divine Sense. But Master Da Vinci, having sustained severe injuries, ultimately perished."