Then, at the same time as the attack moved towards Veydran in a sweeping arc, Veydran instantly realized the fatal threat. Abandoning its pursuit of Yuri, he shifted his full focus, commanding the colossal necrotic serpent to turn and shoot toward the incoming attack instead.Yuri, observing this high-speed reaction, merely wore a cool, dangerous smirk.!!!“Scorching Death Scythe!” Yuri called out in that moment, his energy exploding even further as the sheer, suffocating heat caused the greenery far below and across the ridge to wither and instantly combust into ash.“Delight of the Fallen...” Yuri called out as his tone dropped into a low, terrifying whisper.SWOOSH—!An ethereal crimson energy split directly from his body, and in the next instant, it formed an identical clone! Transforming from ethereal mana into solid physical reality, two Yuris now hovered side by side in the sky, both holding massive scythes as they watched their initial attack carve its path toward Veydran.Wi

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!A divine, blinding crimson light exploded from Yuri's body and his massive scythe, Kagetsura, shattering the eerie silence of the pocket dimension!For one terrifying instant, the entirety of the Realm of Eternal Withering became completely dead silent. The desolate sanctuary was violently bathed in an oppressive, incandescent crimson aura. Everyone trapped within the Realm of Eternal Withering was struck utterly motionless with profound shock, the Ginsenbark Elders who had just been arrogantly celebrating, convinced that their Guild Master was about to claim an effortless victory, watched in paralyzed horror as their jaws dropped in absolute disbelief.Then—CRACK.A sharp, violent fracture appeared across the colorless, ash-grey heavens!Veydran's condescending smile and absolute certainty of victory vanished in a single second. Cold sweat broke out across his forehead as his heart seized in terror, he realized with absolute clarity that what was unfol

“The Hanging Corpses?” Zane asked at that moment, tilting his head as he looked over at the scythe-wielder.“They are a specialized, top-tier assassin guild. Do you honestly believe a ruthless assassin group would send a single strike wave and simply quit when their target survives?” Yuri replied smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Sooner or later, we shall inevitably encounter them again. Therefore, we are going to patiently wait for them to track us down, as they will most certainly find us without a shadow of a doubt.”“So where exactly are we going to wait for them to show up?” Zane inquired, adjusting the collar of his robes.“Down in that town,” Yuri answered, extending his index finger to point directly toward the bustling settlement of Thistleford resting below the mountain ridge.“But, Elder... engaging in a high-tier combat situation within a densely populated town will inevitably drag innocent citizens into the crossfire!” Zane expressed with immediate concern, hi

“Mmh...” Conri hummed at that moment, his deep voice resonating softly within the chamber. “It seems it is truly time to face the past...”“You don't have a choice at all, Conri,” Elpis said at that moment, turning his gaze toward the glowing orbs floating in the air. “In truth, none of us have a choice. Not a single great family in Verdantia possesses clean, native roots, except for the Stormcaller and Shadowfen clans, which we have already dealt with since they failed to understand their place... and not to forget the Pecunia family. But as for the rest of us... your Bluemoon, my Evergreen, Lumina, Ignis alongside Ember, Riverwind, and Frostveil...”Elpis paused, taking a slow, heavy breath. “All of our ancestral roots do not originate from Aetheria. We are runaways from the Higher Realm... No, I shall not merely call us runaways. We were all expelled rejects, cast out by some within the powerful clans we originally hail from."Elpis’s sharp emerald eyes narrowed with a serious expr

Days went by, and with each passing day, while Yuri's party remained resting in Thistleford, the assassins of the Death Companions kept coming one after another.Thunder roared almost every single day as Zane incinerated the incoming hitmen as part of his rigorous task and practical training. Yuri had explicitly laid down a strict rule: the battles were absolutely forbidden from spreading beyond the boundaries of the town, and throughout every single confrontation, no structure in Thistleford could be damaged, nor could a single civilian be harmed. Zane was forced to exercise absolute control over his destructive magic.With each passing day, as one wave of Death Companions was eliminated, the next assassin sent to take their place arrived significantly stronger. Yet this escalating difficulty meant nothing to Zane, he stood his ground, maintaining his absolute focus, and eliminated every single cutthroat who dared step into his path.Meanwhile, the four conscripted sea bandits were