Hero of Darkness

One hour had elapsed since the carnage had finally ceased. Kahn, displaying his immense power, had mercilessly wiped out the rebels and the monstrous creatures, leaving no being alive. He showed no mercy, not even sparing a single survivor out of pity.

In the current moment, Kahn had concluded his inquiries about a crucial factor that would ultimately determine the outcome of this rebellion. As he reflected on the information gathered, a somber tone laced his words as he declared...

"I understand now... it is time to bring an end to this."

The Reality Separation spell dissipated into thin air, and the forces of Kunlun were greeted with the sight of a Fearless Warrior suspended in mid-air, completely unscathed by any visible injuries. Instantly, they became alert and bolstered their defenses, anticipating another assault. However, what unfolded before the captains and soldiers manning the warships left them utterly speechless.

To their astonishment, there was not a single trace of the enemy on the battlefield. No lifeless bodies, no splatters of blood, not even a shred of clothing remained on the bare ground. Aside from the devastated terrain, with uprooted trees and the remnants of shattered warships strewn about, there was no evidence to suggest that a colossal battle involving millions had ever taken place.

This peculiar phenomenon was not limited to this particular front alone. Kahn had cunningly utilized his Dimensional Domain, which now spanned a massive perimeter of 25 kilometers, capable of accommodating millions of corpses. By employing his Quicksilver and Shadow Swap abilities repeatedly, he efficiently transported the slain adversaries into his domain while simultaneously replacing himself with cosmic replicas. This strategic maneuver allowed him to effortlessly collect the spoils of war.

Kahn 'Greedy' Salvatore was not one to squander such an astonishing assemblage of monsters, powerful magic, and skilled fighters. Rather than letting their numbers go to waste, he saw an opportunity to bolster his own formidable Legion force.

Additionally, the saint warriors who had led the troops were nowhere to be seen. They had vanished just as mysteriously as the enemy forces, leaving no trace behind.

"Take charge of clearing the battlefield and ensure that the citizens are informed that their perceived imminent doom has been vanquished by the representative of the Fenrirborne Tribe." he commanded his subordinates before disappearing from the scene.

After the passage of 10 minutes, deep within a vast, dark, and oppressively humid hall, an archaic formation illuminated the surroundings with a dim, red glow. Spanning several hundred meters, this ancient arrangement served as the focal point of the scene.

Scattered across various locations within the formation were the severed heads of different monster species, each one belonging to the very creatures that had ruthlessly besieged the city walls. These grotesque remnants served as a macabre testament to the fierce battle that had recently unfolded.

At the heart of the formation, a 4th stage saint with the head of a rhino was seated.

Blergh!!

He suddenly stood up as the magic formation backfired and hurt him instead.

Standing at an imposing height of two meters, the saint's face contorted in a mixture of agony and anger as he retched, splattering his once pristine white garments with his own crimson blood.

"What in the world is happening?! How can they all be dead?!" the saint bellowed furiously, his voice echoing through the hall in a display of his seething rage and frustration.

Interrupting the saint's outburst, a voice chimed in with an apologetic tone…

"Sorry about that."

Stab!

Stab!

Stab!

Suddenly, from out of the shadows, dozens of chains made of darkness and predatory aura lashed out, slicing through the air with deadly precision before impaling the 4th stage saint's body with a sickening squelch.

The saint's eyes widened in horror and disbelief as the dark chains tightened around his form, constricting his movements and causing him to gasp in agony. Blood spilled from his wounds, pooling on the ground beneath him as he struggled to break free from the grip of the darkness elemental chains.

As he fought against his restraints, a figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the dim light of the formation.

It was Kahn whose face twisted into a wicked grin as he surveyed the scene before him.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" he mused aloud, gesturing towards the impaled saint with a flick of his wrist.

"It seems that I have stumbled upon a rather unfortunate soul, caught in the act of relishing in a fetish by decorating his room with severed heads."

The saint gurgled and coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as he struggled to speak.

"W-who...who are you? Why are you doing this?"

Tap!

Tap!

A magnificent blue wolfkin materialized from a rift in the fabric of space, its piercing gaze fixed unwaveringly upon the revered rhino saint.

"So you're the one I was tasked to kill as my final objective?" spoke Atreus.

Confusion and frustration engulfed the saint's thoughts like a tempest.

"What in the world is happening? Why am I unable to harness my world energy or cast any spells?" he pondered, his mind a whirlwind of disbelief and dismay.

Struggling to even shift his position, he felt a profound sense of helplessness settle upon him.

Observing the saint's plight, the blue wolfkin's eyes widened in astonishment.

"My goodness... This is the first encounter I've had with someone of the esteemed Shaman class. Individuals possessing such a rare classification are as scarce as the mythical phoenix." he remarked, his gaze momentarily shifting to the hall adorned with a macabre display of severed monster heads.

The saint, caught in a state of complete bewilderment, found himself unable to fathom how he had been so easily discovered; his mind swirled with disbelief.

The brawler saint, undeterred by the unsettling ambiance emanating from the hall, nonchalantly remarked...

"I surmised that you must have been in close proximity in order to exercise control over all those formidable monsters."

With an air of confidence, he continued...

"Locating this concealed hideout, cleverly disguised as a mountain through the cunning employment of an illusion barrier and a handful of artifacts with stealth-enhancing properties, wasn't as arduous a task as one might imagine."

Thud!

Thud!

However, in the blink of an eye, his hand slipped, and an object clattered to the ground.

Instantaneously, a paralyzing dread enveloped the rhino saint, leaving him frozen in sheer terror as his gaze fell upon the ghastly sight before him...

The 4 severed heads of his fellow saints.