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Perhaps because their trump card had been compromised, the men in black robes couldn\'t hide their shock. They hesitated and stepped back. With half of the people here currently at the level of sword masters, the best strategy they could employ would be to block all variables using the outsider\'s debuff ability and then overwhelm with sheer numbers. Indeed, the strategy itself was quite well-crafted.

However, just as they wielded a rather unique power, Davey knew how to handle an equally alien strength. The power of the abyss, the might of Baersha. The force held by the fragment of Thanatos, the reckless god of the abyss that defied all worldly rules, excluding the power of the gods, manifested fully here.

Crash!

"Wow... An intriguing power, freezing all mana yet moving independently. Although, it feels quite eerie."

Crack...

Contas, the Great Emperor, twisted the neck of a man caught in his grasp, snapping the entire body, and tossed it aside before approaching Davey. "It doesn\'t wear off easily. A truly potent brew."

"It takes out even a Swordmaster in one go, after all."

"Do you know? Emperors usually wear artifacts that neutralize poisons," Contas remarked, implying he thought he would never lose in any drinking duel. "But you seem fine, perhaps you have a similar antidote?"

"You just can\'t handle your liquor, Great Emperor."

"Ha... Hahaha... I\'m at a loss for words, almost to the point of irreverence," Contas said calmly, a glint appearing in his eyes.

Just as he was about to step forward to block an incoming attack aimed at Davey...

Ting...

Along with a faint bell sound, a black-robed man who had been targeting Davey froze in mid-air.

Ting.

Suddenly, a bell branch and a whip appeared in Davey\'s hand. With a swift motion, he flicked the bell branch toward the man.

[3rd Grade Lightning Technique]

[Blade of the Azure Dragon]

[Thunder Pearl]

Boom!!!!

With a thunderous sound, the black-robed man who had been frozen in mid-air was charred to black, instilling an atmosphere of terror among everyone. From then on, the situation turned one-sided.

Displaying superhuman strength, the Great Emperor twisted and tossed the black-robed men coming at him, while Illyna and Boris protected the sleeping knights, slashing down any adversaries who came within range.

"Cough... Please, spare me..."

"Don\'t worry. You won\'t die."

Thud!

After rendering a pleading man unconscious with a blow to the back of his head, Davey threw the limp figure toward the Great Emperor.

"He\'s the one who was pulling their strings. He must hold some rank. Use him wisely."

"Hmm. Indeed, Muek said we\'d need at least one survivor. So, what will you do now?"

"You\'re really asking?"

At Davey\'s question, Contas gave a cold smile. Among the black-robed men, only one had disappeared amidst the chaos. It seemed he was the one behind all this.

* * *

"Pant... Pant..."

A man gasped heavily as he sprinted through the forest. His hood, once concealing his face, now billowed wildly with his intense movements.

"Damn... Damn it! How can he release that barrier at will?!"

He was well aware that Illyna de Pallan, the owner of the divine sword and the Princess of the Pallan Empire, along with Emperor Contas, were beings far beyond the level of a Swordmaster. He understood that each of them was a monstrous force akin to a strategic weapon. He also recognized the commander of the Reinforce Alpha Knights, positioned between these formidable figures, possessed skills comparable to theirs.

Among them all, the most enigmatic and incomprehensible entity was the Saint of the Continent, a being transcending even the others.

Yet, he held unwavering confidence. Armed with an overwhelming wealth of information, he had meticulously analyzed his enemies and fully assessed the capabilities of his own forces. After conducting numerous simulations, he had concluded that he could indeed defeat them.

However, when that man suddenly unleashed an inexplicable power, all his carefully laid plans unraveled.

"Damn it! Damn it! At this rate, he\'ll surely kill me!"

The reality of his failure filled him with profound dread. Despite being explicitly instructed to observe and refrain from direct engagement in his mission report, he had been lured by the allure of recognition, impulsively making contact with the enemy. Success would have earned him accolades, but now, in failure, his only prospect was death.

In a state of panic, he attempted to escape but stumbled over a tree root, falling awkwardly. Undeterred by his fall, he quickly scrambled to his feet and resumed his sprint.

Whoosh...

Shreeeeeeek!! Swish!

"Arghhhhh!!!"

However, fleeing did not mean the enemy would simply allow him to escape. The arrow that flew from the depths of the forest was no ordinary metal-tipped projectile. Somehow, it seemed to possess a life of its own, deftly maneuvering through the trees and striking him with pinpoint accuracy, crippling his mobility.

"Urgghhh..." Desperately, he tried to extract the arrow that had pierced his calf and shin. However, a searing agony radiated throughout his body. "Gah?! Did the arrow explode inside me?!"

When the arrow punctured his leg, it appeared to detonate from within his waist, embedding itself deep in his flesh. It had not fully exploded but had contorted, making its removal a gruesome choice—either cut the flesh with a knife or amputate the leg entirely.

Thud… Thud…

"Ugh..."

Of course, he did not have the luxury of time. His skills were top-tier expert level, not even Master class. There was no reason two Master class users could not chase someone like him down.

"Ughhh... I can\'t die... I can\'t," he muttered, dragging himself on the ground, trying to get as far away as possible.

However, the faint sounds of two approaching figures made his heart race. They seemed to be approaching cautiously, perhaps wary of any potential traps, but he instinctively knew. The damn Saint of the Continent, who was chasing him, was toying with him. He felt like prey being hunted. The roles had completely reversed, and he knew that once he ceased to be entertaining, the hunter would strike him down like the grim reaper.

Dragging himself away, he felt a sense of relief, thinking he still had some time.

\'Your complacency will lead to your downfall!\'

Just a bit further and he would reach the hideout he had prepared. If he could get there, there was a way to escape their encirclement. But then...

Shuffle… Shuffle…

Distinct footsteps resonated in the forest.

Tap… Tap… Boom…

Thunder rumbled, and a drizzle began. The light rain quickly transformed into a torrential downpour, saturating the dark forest. Despite being immobilized by the arrow, he dragged himself across the ground, slowly raising his head. Like a rusty, unoiled door, his widened eyes met a familiar figure before him.

"You, you are..."

Lightning struck, briefly illuminating a shadowy face. The man stared down at him.

"What did I tell you? Not to rashly provoke him."

"Ch... Chief!"

"Choose your words carefully. Remember, the birds listen by day, and the goblins by night," the young man said calmly as he approached leisurely, placing a hand on the man\'s cheek.

"Isn\'t it ironic? Not only have you lost valuable subordinates, but you\'ve also heightened the enemy\'s guard. And you even exposed yourself to Emperor Contas..."

"Please, spare me! I was just... I was just..."

"I understand, I understand very well. How could I not comprehend your intentions? After Emperor Contas got drunk and fell asleep, the others weren\'t exactly in their right minds either. In such a situation, if an outsider could momentarily restrain their power, there would be no better opportunity." He spoke softly and compassionately, patting the man on the shoulder.

Hope flickered in the man\'s eyes, thinking perhaps this man, referred to as the leader, might show him mercy. But he was mistaken.

Swoosh!

From the leader\'s hand, a dark, tentacle-like appendage shot out, accurately piercing the man\'s forehead.

"But you defied my order. I explicitly told you not to move."

Gasping, the man did not die instantly but spasmodically shivered as if begging for his life. Desperately reaching out, he grabbed the young man\'s leg. The young man clicked his tongue in annoyance and shook off the hand.

Suddenly, a mass of tentacles rose, transforming into four or five jaws, and began to chew and swallow the man. With eerie sounds, the tentacled monster consumed the man without a drop of blood spilling.

Satisfied, the young man retracted his tentacles and said, "It\'s about time you came out."

From the woods, two figures emerged—Davey and Illyna. Illyna looked distressed, perhaps because she had witnessed the horrific scene. In contrast, Davey locked eyes with the young man and commented, "You concealed your face. You\'re quite an intriguing character."

"Nice to meet you, Davey O’Rowane, the Saint of the continent."

Davey approached with a dark demeanor. "From the looks of it, you hold a higher rank than the one you just devoured?"

"Modestly speaking, I hold the title of leader."

Davey smirked at the young man\'s response.

"Davey... he seems dangerous."

Maybe it was due to the strange aura emanating from the young man shrouded in darkness, Illyna murmured anxiously. However, Davey\'s actions were undeterred.

Thunderbolts crashed from the sky, striking and consuming the young man in an instant. Illyna was surprised since the thunderbolts seemed to be controlled as they struck the same target sequentially.

The thunderbolts were so powerful that they could even harm sword masters. The ground where the thunderbolts struck glowed red, and the sand around it transformed into glass as it could not endure the immense heat.

Roar!! Roar!! Boom!!

Yet, even amidst the lightning, the young man stood unharmed.

"A mere scarecrow," Davey muttered dispassionately.

The young man chuckled. "You\'re quick to catch on. But maybe it\'s time to call it a day?"

At his suggestion, Davey laughed menacingly. "According to whose wishes?"

"Well... I was offering an opportunity... Not everything goes as one might hope."

Davey remained silent at his words.

"In this case, hand over the item discovered in the ruins of Hermesia."

"This?" Davey nonchalantly pulled out a glowing red orb. "The Red Dragon Eye."

"Indeed. It\'s precisely what we\'ve been searching for. Let\'s negotiate. Hand it over, and we won\'t harm you. There\'s no need for us to fight, don\'t you think?"

Davey seemed annoyed at his words. "Seems like you\'re trying to provoke me, knowing what I\'d say."

"Indeed. Someone like you would never agree. So let me be clear. Hand it over, or..." The young man paused. "I\'ll take the life of your precious younger sibling."

As soon as he finished speaking with a light finger snap…

Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep!!!

A loud alarm rang from a small artifact Davey pulled from his pocket. Davey\'s face was filled with horror as the artifact crumbled to dust in his hand.