Chapter 72: In the Shadows of Darkness

Chapter 72: In the Shadows of Darkness

"You've done well. It seems you've obtained the item?"

Seated on a stone chair, a man cloaked in a black robe smiled as he looked at the mage before him. His appearance was utterly unremarkable, making him seem like an ordinary person. However, a mere glance at his face would immediately dispel such an illusion.

Beneath the black robe was a gaunt, yellowed face, as if scorched by embers. His cheeks were marred with patches of hardened material. As he spoke, his facial muscles twitched, and faint sparks could be seen flickering between the cracks of those patches. Indeed, he seemed like a walking human furnace, radiating such intense heat that anyone near him would be forced to retreat.

This was a Destruction Mage. They had cast aside the shackles of mortality, using their bodies as furnaces to absorb and harness the boundless flames from hell. Their veins did not flow with blood but with magma. Their chests did not harbor hearts but roiling torrents of fire.

In truth, from the moment they absorbed the infernal flames, they ceased to be human, becoming something more—a creature born of hellfire.

"Yes, just as you expected, Master..." Hearing the Destruction Mage's words, the mage before him respectfully bowed his head and reached into his robes, producing a peculiar amethyst ring.

The mage was a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, so plain that he might easily be overlooked. Unlike the Destruction Mage, this man wore a luxurious white robe trimmed with gold, adorned on the back with the image of an eagle in flight. In its talons, the eagle clutched a white scale.

If a spellcaster—like Fina—were to see his robes, she would surely cry out in astonishment. For this symbol belonged to one of the most powerful spellcaster organizations on the continent and a core member of the Order Alliance—the White Tower of Heaven.

The mere sight of this emblem would command respect, but to the Destruction Mage, the man before him was nothing more than a pawn, to be discarded once used. A foolish traitor.

The Destruction Mage's eyes gleamed with a cold smile as he regarded the man. The world viewed the Church of Doom as greedy and evil, yet they did not tolerate betrayal. To any follower of the Church of Doom, the moment they decided to abandon order and embrace chaos and destruction, they made their final choice.

They might fight to the death against the guardians of order, but that did not mean they would admire betrayal. To the Destruction Mage, once a decision was made, one had to be responsible for it. Whether one fell into chaos or clung to order, they had to remain steadfast until the very end.

Anyone who made a choice and then abandoned their faith could never be trusted by the Church of Doom. Their fickle nature revealed their lack of true belief. Whether it was a fanatical pursuit of destruction or a staunch defense of order, neither was evident in such people.

In truth, these individuals were nothing more than selfish, foolish pawns with some limited usefulness. They were not like the Twilight Legion, a group of traitors clinging together for warmth—a pitiful, weak organization. The pilgrimage on the path of destruction was a sacred ritual, not to be sullied by the half-hearted.

Those who wavered could never be allowed to mix in and tarnish it. The Destruction Mage knew why the man before him had betrayed order—it was nothing more than a desire for revenge, family honor, or the death of loved ones—all meaningless. Once one embraced destruction, they had to be prepared to be utterly destroyed themselves.

Even the faithless would meet an equal fate in the end. The words of the Council of the Dead were indeed wise: No being can escape death. And in the face of the impending Day of Destruction, all are equal. If not for the fact that he still needed the man's power, he would have eliminated this traitor long ago.

With this thought, the Destruction Mage suppressed his inner thoughts and once again looked at the mage before him. He snapped his fingers, and the ring floated silently into his hand.

"With this ring, we can lift the seal on the border. Very good. The Church of Doom will not forget your contribution. You will get everything you desire. Now, you may leave. Remember, bring the sacrifices on time."

"Thank you, Master. It is my honor to serve you." Upon hearing the Destruction Mage's words, the middle-aged man's face lit up with a mix of reverence and fear. He bowed deeply, suppressing the joy in his heart, and replied in a low voice. Then, a light enveloped him, and in the next moment, he vanished into the air.

As he watched the man leave, a barely discernible look of disdain flashed in the Destruction Mage's eyes. In the end, it was merely the ignorance of mortals. Time stopped.

As Alex darted out from the bushes, everything around him froze. The wind, shadows, light, even the flickering flames and flying sparks—all halted in place. Like a phantom, Alex leaped forward, the cold gleam of his Severing Sword cutting through the air before silently piercing the back of the nearest cultist.

Righteous Backstab!

The cultist's body trembled slightly, but there was no reaction. Alex didn't care. He rolled forward swiftly, simultaneously drawing out his sword and slashing at another cultist.

Virtuous Slash!

The silver blade traced a silent arc in the air, slicing across the cultist's neck, before darting like a serpent to plunge into the throat of a third cultist.

Friendship Strike... okay, I can't keep making this up.

Of course, Alex didn't dare to use any skills. He had stopped time, but time would eventually resume. He could easily unleash a Holy Storm and turn these cultists into dust, but once time resumed, the sound of his skill would also echo out.

Fortunately, thanks to the Zerg enhancements, Alex's speed was now incredibly fast, almost on par with a speed-boosted Zergling. Not to mention, in the world of Dark Souls, Alex had long mastered the art of efficiently eliminating enemies. He moved through the cultists like a ghost, the gleaming sword light slicing through them as gently as a breeze.

In just a blink, with the silver light touching the ground, Alex's figure silently appeared beside the last cultist. He turned his head to glance back.

At that moment, time began to flow again.

"Splurt!"

Simultaneously, the first cultist Alex had stabbed had his chest burst open, blood spraying out. The cultist's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but collapsed powerlessly to the ground.

It was like the collapse of dominoes—one by one, the cultists silently fell to the ground, lifeless. Their eyes were wide open, as if they couldn't comprehend what had happened to them. They didn't know that they had actually died seconds earlier, only now experiencing the process.

All in all, it's quite useful for assassinations.

Watching the scene unfold, Alex nodded to himself. Time manipulation in assassinations was indeed unpredictable. If paired with a poison-laced dagger, it could yield even better results. Even if the target thought they had escaped, Alex could just rewind and try again. Or, like this, deliver a swift, fatal strike and retreat without the enemy ever having a chance to react.

In any case, everything went smoothly.

Sheathing his sword, Alex turned and gestured to Fina, who was hiding in the bushes.

Saving lives comes first.

(End of Chapter)

🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟

Hello, beloved readers and supporters!

I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:

📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!

💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.

👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!

Patreon.com/anish_44