17. Status Recovery

Ezekiel abruptly stood up, his eyes carefully scanning the surroundings, and he furrowed his brow. 

Mai and the others had also become alert, rising to their feet.

*Crack. Crack. Crack*

Several black fissures appeared high in the sky, which suddenly turned red. Human figures emerged from the cracks, floating in the air, observing the group. They all wore black hooded cloaks, resembling monks, but when the wind passed, their hoods flew off, revealing their faces. They looked exactly like humans, except for their different skin and eye colors. More figures emerged from the cracks, quickly forming a large army. Some had horns on their foreheads, some on the sides of their heads, while others had large black wings on their backs. Some resembled gargoyles, and others were like centaurs with blue skin and yellow eyes. They all carried weapons, and one person rode a large red lion that seemed to be made of lava with a reddish-orange hue.

The figure was a man with medium-length black hair, glowing purple eyes, and deathly pale skin. He looked down at the cyclops, who writhed in pain. 

Ezekiel studied them all and suddenly raised his eyebrows.

"They are from the Netherworld," he murmured, causing the others to raise their eyebrows and begin discussing quietly among themselves.

"Are these the ones Mr. Weisheng mentioned in his books?" 

"It looks very much like them. The descriptions were very accurate." 

"We can't stay here." "But we have no chance of escaping." 

"We have to tr.," Ezekiel muttered.

He suddenly knelt and humbly bowed.

 The others followed suit, except for Mai, who still had no idea what was happening.

Netherworld? Isn't that the same as Hell? Does it mean that Heaven also exists? Her heart raced. Is there a god? Can he save Anya and Walder?

The figure looked down at Ezekiel and made a slight nod in the same direction. 

A person with black wings flew down and landed two meters from them. He had thick black taurus horns on his forehead, his eyes were purple, and he had black skin. He opened his mouth, but the cyclops interrupted him by groaning loudly in pain.

"Wya, shut him up. I'm getting a headache from that." the figure ordered with a cold voice.

Wya nodded and quickly flew towards the cyclops, clenching his right hand.

*Smack*

The cyclops' body quickly flew up in the air, and a figure flew towards him, impaling him in the throat with a black harpoon.

*Crack*

The neck broke loudly, and the cyclops fell silent, now lifeless in the air. 

Another person made a hand gesture, and it floated into a crack.

"Why do you bow to us?" the figure suddenly asked.

"We are honored to meet you for the first time," replied Ezekiel without looking up. 

The figure furrowed his brow. "Really? Odd, we have never been here before. I hate liars." 

Ezekiel's head suddenly lifted, and something invisible began to tighten around his neck, visible handprint marks appearing on his skin. He gritted his teeth, clearly in pain. 

Mai raised her eyebrows, her heart pounding.

"Stop." she said loudly, sending a sharp gaze at the figure. 

He looked down at her and blinked a few times. "And who are you to command me?"

"I am M...M," Mai answered, her heart now racing in her throat. 

She admitted she was daring. Why was she suddenly unafraid of death?

"M? You must be so insignificant that no one wanted to name you. How pitiful," his voice was mocking, and he suddenly jumped off the lion, flying rapidly towards her. 

Before she could blink, he hovered in front of her in the air. 

Ezekiel and his group slowly turned their heads and looked at them.

The figure studied Mai from head to toe, then suddenly furrowed his brows and burst into loud laughter echoing throughout Marbella.

"Have you seen yourself lately? You look like someone who has rolled in something worse than crap."

His words made her furrow her brows, and she touched her face. When she felt her forehead, she remembered the wound. Was it really that bad? She snorted and clenched her fists hard, feeling nails dig into her skin, causing a tingling sensation. With a quick motion, she struck out at the figure.

*Bang*

The impact echoed, and she hit an invisible barrier that sparked when she hit it. 

"Child's play," the figure shook his head, but suddenly, he adopted a serious expression.

"Kneel." he commanded loudly. 

Mai suddenly felt invisible hands grab her arms, trying to pull her forward towards the ground. What the hell? She looked at the figure and gritted her teeth. I won't kneel for him.

She resisted with all her energy, feeling a terrible pain in her back that quickly moved up to her neck, feeling ice-cold, and she shivered. 

When the figure saw how stubborn she was, he furrowed his brows and suddenly looked at Ezekiel, who had witnessed it all.

"Is she always this stubborn?"

"I..." Ezekiel began.

"Who gave you permission to speak?" the figure asked with a cold voice.

*Crack*

"Argh!" Ezekiel's right wrist broke, and he gritted his teeth.

"Let him be." Mai said with a weak voice.

"No one can command me except Lord Melech," the figure said, looking at Mai again.

"Die." His voice was icy.

Mai felt a cold hand clutch her heart, and it pounded loudly in her ears. Is this where I'm supposed to die?

*Puchi*

Something sharp pierced her heart, and she felt a burning, tingling sensation that turned into a numbing feeling. Her body lost balance, and she fell to the ground, landing on her back, staring at the red sky. Would she be revived again by the dark space? Was Kenta okay? She hadn't seen her sister in two years, and this wasn't how she had imagined meeting her. Warm tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, and she felt a burning sensation on her skin. No, I'm not ready to die. With her last strength, she clasped her hands together.

*Ping*

You have activated Status Recovery.

A delightful warm feeling spread through her body, as if she were lying in an onsen in the mountains of Japan. She felt it extend to her fingertips and in her heart, which began to gently tingle, almost ticklish.

The figure was heading towards Ezekiel, but suddenly, he noticed a dog and a woman by the pile of furniture, causing him to furrow his brows.

"Wasn't that why I sent him away? The useless cyclops."

"Eucliff, why is she lying there?" His voice was piercingly cold.

A man landed in front of Anya, bending down to study her from a distance. He furrowed his brows and looked at the figure.

"Leader. I don't know why it's not on her anymore. I'm sure it's her we've tracked it to."

The figure went to Anya and bent down, but as he was about to touch her with his long, unsightly fingers, Mai suddenly opened her mouth.

"Don't touch her." Her voice was cold and hoarse but clear.

Everyone stared at her, and she abruptly sat up, clenched her fists, and ran full speed toward the figure, striking his back.

*Bam*

The invisible barrier appeared again. 

Mai gritted her teeth. The damn barrier. She didn't give up and kept striking like a madwoman.

*Bang. Bang. Bang*

The figure turned around, looked at her, and blinked a few times.

"How did you survive?"

He reached out towards her, but she dodged by quickly turning aside.

*Swish*

The figure furrowed his brows at the sight and tried to clutch her throat again, but she evaded once more. 

Mai raised her eyebrows at the sight of her swift movement, and her heart beat faster. It gave her new hope, and she smiled. She struck him again.

*Bang. Bang. Bang*

The figure grunted and now seriously tried to grab her with both arms.

Eucliff, who had been watching from the sidelines, facepalmed and commented.

"We won't have time to conquer the neighboring lands if we waste time."

The figure clenched his fingers together, and black smoke formed around them. He swung forcefully at Mai, who blocked with her bare fists.

*Bang*

She stood still in the same spot, making the figure furrow his brows.

"I was too easy on you. Die!"

He swung hard at her, and she blocked again, but the smoke on her fists suddenly crawled towards her. She felt her body burst into flames, and her heart stopped for a moment. Her body fell to the ground like a starfish, and she stared at the red sky.

*Ping*

You have activated Status Recovery.

Once again, Mai felt something warm spreading through her body, and she could move her fingers again.

"Kill them all but bring the woman with us." the figure commanded coldly.

Eucliff bent down, but as he was about to touch Anya, Mai spoke with a warning cold tone.

"Don't touch her."

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her. "Impossible. That was flames from the Netherworld."

The figure suddenly turned towards her, furrowing his brows, and squinting his eyes.

"What are you?" His voice was still cold, but there was an undertone of nervousness.

"Your worst nightmare." Mai gave him a sharp look.

*Whoosh*

Her eyes emitted a whitish glow resembling white flames dancing violently.

"Eucliff, deal with her." commanded the figure, and his voice echoed.