Chapter 178: The Annihilated Masters of Kamar Taj
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Tread!
John walked up to the second floor, the sound of his footsteps echoing slightly.
He frowned as he saw the wooden door of the room at the second landing tightly closed. Remembering the man in the black robe, alarm bells rang in his heart, fearing another trap.
Raising his right hand, he channeled a burst of magic power into the Sling Ring.
Buzz!
A red fireball suddenly appeared above his palm, exuding scorching energy. Without hesitation, he controlled the fireball to shoot toward the wooden door.
Boom!
The fireball struck the wooden door, which exploded instantly. The room beyond was dark due to the heavy curtains.
With a gentle wave of his hand, John parted the curtains, allowing bright sunlight to flood the room.
The previously dark room became very bright.
However, in John's eyes, it was just a study, empty except for the shattered door fragments on the floor. It seemed as if the man in the black robe had not entered.
"John, if we do go in and look, we might find him. After all, the space is locked, so it's impossible for him to leave using space magic."
Hearing the reminder, John nodded.
He strode into the study and looked around but found nothing unusual.
Turning his thoughts, he said to the sorcerer behind him, "Mitchell, you are best at detecting spells. Check if there are any abnormal traces."
Mitchell nodded, closed her eyes slightly, and concentrated. As her magic power surged, she held the Sling Ring in her right hand and swept it lightly.
Sparks quietly emerged from her hand, scattering around and enveloping the entire study.
John and the sorcerers waited for the results.
Soon, Mitchell walked to the middle of the study, stepped on a piece of the floor, and said, "There is a dense mass of dark energy here. The other party likely left through this place."
"They probably moved directly downward through the floor. I suspect they may be in the basement. According to the villa's layout, there is a basement below."
Hearing Mitchell's analysis, John hesitated. This was his first mission, and encountering such a complex situation gave him a headache. He preferred direct battles.
His original plan was to inspect the entire villa to prevent accidents. But Mitchell's analysis made sense, especially considering the instructor and Master Lockhart behind him.
"Let's divide into two groups. One group will go to the basement with me, and the other will explore the villa to prevent accidents."
"Send a signal if there is any abnormality. Don't act rashly."
The sorcerers looked at each other. Although they felt it was risky to separate, John was the captain, and his orders had to be obeyed.
Mitchell and Yuno stood with John, while the other four sorcerers formed the second group. The two sides separated immediately.
The four sorcerers walked up the stairs to the upper rooms, while John led his group downstairs, heading back to the living room to enter the basement.
Upon reaching the living room, they approached a small room at the back. Inside, they found an iron basement door firmly locked by a chain.
John frowned. Even though they could travel through objects, they couldn't bypass the locked door.
After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand gently, and a light blade appeared.
Boom!
The chain broke with a crisp sound.
John opened the iron door on the floor, revealing a dark staircase leading down.
With a flick of his wrist, a ball of light emerged and descended into the basement.
After a quick assessment, he sensed a faint dark presence, but it didn't seem recent.
He quickly descended the stairs, finding the basement cluttered with debris and no signs of recent activity.
Realizing something was wrong, he said, "Let's find the others."
Mitchell and Yuno nodded quickly, also sensing something was off.
Tread! Tread! Tread!
The three of them hurried up the stairs, passed the second floor, and headed to the third floor.
Their short sticks glowed with a faint orange-red light, ready for battle.
They scanned the rooms on the third floor but found no one.
They continued to the rooftop on the fourth floor.
Reaching the rooftop, John's eyes narrowed as he gripped his short stick tightly.
An altar was placed in the middle, surrounded by numerous corpses. A man in black robes knelt opposite the altar, chanting, exuding dark power.
The four missing sorcerers were on the altar, clearly visible and in desperate condition.
Furious, John rushed forward with his short stick, followed by the two sorcerers behind him, their eyes burning with anger.
These were the bodies of their friends, desecrated on the altar.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
As they ran, the environment changed instantly. A strong buzzing vibration sounded, making them dizzy. They tried to cast magic but found their hands uncoordinated and weak.
Their eyes bloodshot, they lay limply on the ground, struggling.
Immediately, the scene changed. The altar and corpses disappeared, replaced by their living teammates, also struggling on the ground.
John realized it had all been an illusion.
They had walked into a trap.
But it was too late.
He could only watch with bloodshot eyes as the man in black robes approached, wearing thick headphones.
"You are the sorcerers of Kamar Taj my Lord told me about," the man taunted. "You don't seem very smart."
"With a simple illusion, you rushed in recklessly."
The man in black robes lifted John's limp body and patted his face.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
John glared angrily, wishing he could burn the man to death with his gaze.
But the buzzing continued, and his body remained limp.
The man in black robes continued taunting, "My Lord told me to be cautious of Kamar Taj's sorcerers."
"Looks like I was overly cautious."
He lifted John's right hand and removed the Sling Ring, waving it in front of John's eyes before pocketing it.
This made John feel desperate. Without his magic ring, how could he fight?
Seeing John's expression, the man in black robes grew bored and moved to Mitchell and Yuno, also taking their Sling Rings.
He collected all seven Sling Rings in his hand, satisfied.
These were valuable. Offering them to his master would earn him great rewards.
Turning his attention to the seven sorcerers on the ground, he saw them as perfect sacrifices for his Lord. He hoped his Lord would reward him by refining the two sorcerers into puppets or allowing him to successfully sacrifice them.
Touching the thick headphones on his ears, the man in black robes smirked.
In this era, they still used ancient melee combat while he utilized modern technology.
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