Chapter 128: "With Blood, Sword, and Loyalty, Defend Humanity"

Boom—!

The pale golden light swept through everything around it, encompassing the entire Valley of Death, and finally dissipated with a resounding explosion.

The temple in the distance no longer exuded any "eerie" aura, and the once blocked entrance was now completely unobstructed.

"...!!"

Leroya, witnessing the scene before her, was wide-eyed with disbelief.

As a mixed-blood of three races, she had a strong intuition or premonition, and the moment she saw Samuel Young, she sensed that he was also something beyond ordinary, but...

This was far beyond "seems like"!

The power Samuel displayed exceeded Leroya's understanding by a vast margin. Simultaneously, a deep sense of awe and submission surged within her.

"..."

It wasn't just Leroya; the forty-six warriors of the Honor Legion standing nearby felt the same.

They would neither fear nor submit easily; otherwise, they would have chosen to follow Julian Belafila centuries ago.

However, the golden light emitted by Samuel seemed to strike directly at their hearts, even reaching their souls.

Naturally, this was also true for Ada, Leon, Mike, Chris, and all the Atlas employees present. They were all utterly astonished.

But then, the majority of the employees quickly displayed expressions of understanding, as if saying, "I knew it!"

After all, there were countless rumors about their boss, the most common and confirmed ones being "the Immortal," "Mind Reader," and "Opener of the Space Gate."

The most widespread and intriguing rumor among the core employees, however, was that their boss might be a "god."

As the rumor went, their boss could be a "god" walking among mortals, helping humanity to progress steadily and avoid straying from the right path.

Even though their boss had never openly confirmed or denied these rumors, he never stopped people from discussing them in private.

So, when Samuel released that golden light, removing the barrier that couldn't be explained by physical means, Ada and the others were only momentarily surprised before accepting it as perfectly natural.

Their boss having "divine power" was something so normal that it didn't warrant excessive shock or confusion.

"..."

Sensing the strong emotions around him, Samuel remained calm and indifferent.

He knew that one day the employees would witness the psionic phenomena he could create, which would only fuel the rumors within the company.

However, Samuel didn't bother to suppress them.

The more something is prohibited, the more curious and focused people become. Sometimes, allowing open discussion within certain limits is actually more beneficial.

For instance, under the influence of his psionics and the employees' belief that he was a "god," Leon, Mike, and Chris only experienced mild headaches as they approached the temple.

Meanwhile, Julian Belafila was under the sway of this influence, and the warriors of the Honor Legion lost control over their own bodies.

In a sense, it was the belief that he was a god that protected Leon and the others from the influence of Eukrat...

Samuel let out an almost imperceptible sigh, as if releasing a burden.

After a brief silence, he issued an order: "Captain Volokov, you and the ODST continue to maintain security outside, ensuring the safety of the employees."

"Investigators responsible for tactical operations, follow me inside the temple to deal with the abnormal entity Julian Belafila."

"You all heard the boss! Move, move, move!"

"Yes, sir!"

Upon receiving direct orders from their boss, the ODST quickly adjusted their defensive formation to better intercept, monitor, and protect the area.

Meanwhile, Samuel led the elite hunters and the tactical investigator team, consisting of Leon, Mike, and Chris, into the dark temple.

—

Inside the temple;

Tap, tap!

The sound of their footsteps on the marble tiles echoed loudly.

However, Leon and the others' helmet screens seemed to be severely disrupted; pulse scans were malfunctioning, and night vision was intermittent, making it difficult for them to maintain clear visibility.

Buzz—!

But as the boss illuminated a "golden light" within the temple's hall, the darkness and interference that had been troubling them were instantly dispelled.

At the same time, they clearly saw the interior of the temple.

Marble pillars adorned with gemstones lined the hall on both sides, the gaps between the tiles filled with gold, and the ceiling was engraved with intricate patterns and inscriptions.

At the end of the hall stood a towering statue of a goddess, about twenty meters high.

She wore a Gallic helmet and Roman-style heavy segmented armor, with a spear held high in her right hand.

The statue was dignified and elegant, resembling a goddess of war and victory, with no connection to death or darkness.

Under the golden light, everything appeared "splendid and majestic," drawing people to stop and admire it, even becoming entranced.

However;

Crack—!

With the sound of shattering glass, Leon, Mike, and Chris realized that everything they had just seen was an illusion!

There were no gemstones, golden lines, or exquisite murals, only dilapidated and crumbling pillars, and walls and tiles stained with dried blood.

As for the imposing goddess statue, it transformed into a hunched figure in a black robe, holding a staff, with a twisted, witch-like face.

!

Seeing this, the investigators and hunters felt a slight tremor in their arms, as their understanding and common sense were severely challenged.

Fortunately, they were all elite members of Atlas and had prepared themselves well. Within moments, they regained their composure.

Moreover, their boss continued forward fearlessly, giving them the confidence and assurance they needed.

The group reached the witch statue.

"Boss..." Mike looked around and said, "The intelligence we obtained from the abnormal entity indicated that this temple has an underground chamber."

"But there's no obvious entrance here. It seems the abnormal phenomenon is afraid of our arrival and has hidden the way down," Leon added.

"An illusion," Chris said in a deep voice, tightening his grip on his BFG, as if contemplating whether to use plasma to blast the witch statue.

"It is indeed an illusion."

As Samuel spoke, he raised his left hand slightly and made a fist.

Boom—!

The witch statue exploded.

However, the debris and fragments that should have scattered everywhere made no sound upon hitting the tiles, indicating that this too was an illusion.

Within a blink of an eye, all the debris and fragments vanished.

In the original location of the statue, a staircase leading down was revealed to everyone.

It seemed to be inviting them to descend further.

Seeing this, Leon was about to step forward when Samuel extended his left hand to stop him.

?

Leon was puzzled.

Samuel then spoke, "Following the route designed by the enemy is too passive. Besides, it's all too theatrical."

With that, Samuel lowered his left hand with a bit more force, and then stood with both hands clasped behind his back.

Boom… Boom—!

At that moment, Leon and the others felt the ground, which had been calm, suddenly begin to shake violently.

Within seconds, the entrance to the underground was torn open and enlarged by sheer force, until it was completely ripped apart.

Not only that, but the chamber that was supposed to be underground was forcibly "dragged" up into the hall.

The altar within the chamber, along with a spear placed on it emitting a faint purple light, and Julian Belafila, now dressed in Roman general armor, were presented directly in front of everyone.

?!

The tall, handsome Julian, with golden curls cascading down his shoulders, now lacked any trace of his former lordly demeanor.

He hurriedly knelt before Samuel, his voice echoing as he pleaded:

"Please, spare me! Let me go, a mere mortal! From now on, I swear not to harm any humans! I will become your vanguard, your sword, and clear all obstacles for you!"

Hearing such groveling words and seeing his terror-stricken expression, there was nothing left of the vampire and werewolf progenitor.

In response.

Samuel said nothing, instead drawing a 1911 pistol from the leather holster at his waist and aiming it at Julian Belafila's forehead before pulling the trigger.

Boom—!

A golden .45 ACP bullet shot out of the chamber.

Bang—!

Julian's head exploded.

The brain matter and foul-smelling blood that should have splattered everywhere were instead vaporized by the golden light.

Julian's headless body began to convulse violently, his once robust physique rapidly withering, while a faint purple mist seeped from his body.

No————!

Next, a heart-wrenching "female" scream echoed throughout the temple hall.

Thud!

Finally, Julian's headless body collapsed heavily to the ground, and everything fell silent.

Even the exquisitely crafted spear that had been emitting a purple glow gradually transformed into a warm, dignified pale golden hue.

"..."

Leon and the others watched everything unfold.

One moment, they had finally seen the target creature responsible for all these events, and the next, it was effortlessly killed by their boss. They even faintly heard what sounded like crying, but it quickly returned to silence.

At this moment, Samuel frowned slightly.

Because he heard that cold voice in his ear:

[The insignificant Eukrat has been plundered. You are the true lord of the nightwalkers and werewolves.]

Plunder,

The lord of the nightwalkers and werewolves.

Samuel had already realized, back when he obtained the [Reset] skill several years ago, that he had the ability to [Plunder].

It seemed that this was indeed the case.

The purple mist that seeped from Julian Belafila's body was the so-called "insignificant goddess of death," Eukrat, as described by the cold voice.

The investigators present couldn't see the mist itself, and even the hysterical screams emitted by Eukrat could only be faintly heard. This was because Eukrat was not a product of the physical universe; it needed a physical body to "manifest."

Julian Belafila had been the vessel Eukrat used to possess and parasitize.

Considering Leroya's testimony about "vampires and werewolves searching for humans suitable for sacrifice," Samuel could deduce that Eukrat was a Warp entity.

In terms of abilities, Eukrat possessed a degree of self-awareness and supernatural power, but it was far from being comparable to a true demon, which explained why the cold voice dismissed it as "insignificant."

This confirmed that, for now, the main universe was still safe.

After all, the creatures of Chaos were inherently treacherous, constantly scheming against and killing each other. Only when something or someone severely disrupted their balance would they potentially unite against a common enemy.

As for becoming the true lord of the nightwalkers and werewolves, this matched the scenes from the fragmented visions Samuel had seen.

Moreover, Samuel could sense that his physical strength and psionic power had been further enhanced.

After all, he had completely [Plundered] Eukrat.

Returning to the present, Samuel stepped over the now-mummified body of Julian Belafila and commanded Leon and the others: "Notify the technical team to come in, collect the remains of the abnormal entity, and examine and recover all useful items."

"Yes, sir."

Following Samuel's order, Leon and the others relayed the instructions to the technical team outside. They then spread out in groups of three to begin investigating the temple hall.

Samuel, on the other hand, approached the altar.

He gazed at the spear, now exorcised of its demonic influence, and after a few moments of thought, he reached out his right hand to grasp the intricately engraved metallic shaft.

He lifted the spear with ease.

The weight was moderate, but at two meters long, it felt a bit short. However... it seemed like it could change its size according to his will?

As he pondered this, the spear responded to Samuel's thoughts, extending its length to over two and a half meters, nearly three meters.

Boom—!

The spear's tip ignited with a pale golden flame.

With the spear in hand, Samuel left the hall and stood at the temple entrance.

"Mm! Mm-mm!"

From a distance, Leroya, spotting the spear, tried to say something.

Seeing this, Samuel immediately lifted the strong psychological suggestion he had placed on her, which had made her feel as if her lips were glued shut and unable to speak.

"Ah! Ha!"

Now free to speak, Leroya gasped for air, her eyes locked on the spear. She then muttered in Latin:

"That… that's the legendary Imperial Spear (Imperii Hasta.Δρυ)?! Ordinary people who pick up the spear will be bewitched and turned into mindless demon thralls.

Only those who are truly qualified can wield the spear, and that person will have the right to rule a vast empire... Wait.

Wait! I can feel it! He is the true lord, the rightful ruler of us nightwalkers and werewolves!"

As Leroya spoke, she found herself involuntarily kneeling on one knee before Samuel.

All the warriors of the Honor Legion were equally astonished. Leroya's words awakened deep feelings within them, allowing them to express the thoughts they could not verbalize.

Thus, all the warriors knelt before Samuel in reverence.

Leroya, representing the nightwalkers and werewolves, solemnly and devoutly swore in modern language:

"With my blood, sword, and loyalty, I will defend humanity and serve the true lord! I vow to protect honor and dignity until death!"

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