Chapter1: betrayal
It was a suffocating winter night...
The silence was suddenly torn apart as lightning split the sky, leaving behind a fleeting glow like an open wound.
This was followed by a deep, wild, guttural roar of thunder... like an ancient dragon awakening from its slumber, roaring at the world.
Threads of light danced between the clouds, not as a fleeting beauty, but as written wrath, as if the sky was declaring its vengeance.
Two people stood in the rain, red liquid dripping down their entire bodies.
The rain had indeed washed the blood off them...
With difficulty, one person clung to the leg of one of them. Their right hand was severed, and so were their legs. They were floating in a pool of blood.
"My Prince, I beg you, forgive me, please!"
The recipient of this plea merely cast a look of disdain at him with cold eyes, then raised his leg, brutally crushing the man's head. His eyes widened in blasphemous hatred before his soul left his body.
The unknown person raised their head, revealing the scene. They were standing inside a palace that had already been destroyed. Blood flowed to their feet like the calm sea's waves. The source was dozens of bodies, no... thousands of bodies!
"Dillon, it's time for us to go."
"Yes..."
The two flew with inhuman speed through the sky, tearing the air behind them.
"Listen, Theodore, do you really think this will work?"
"..." He didn't reply, only focusing on his path.
Dillon sighed and did the same.
After a long journey through the sky, they reached a desolate place.
"Let's descend."
'Looks like we've arrived,' Dillon thought internally.
They descended slowly to be met by the sight of a deserted temple. They advanced forward and were met by a giant wall with words written in an incomprehensible language that looked like enchantments.
"What is this?"
Showing no interest in his companion's question, Theodore stepped forward. He stood before the wall for a few seconds and began reciting:
"Othra val'khaen...Rex tyr'vhael. Zerath khaelor em'kai...vel threx mor."
Dillon was stunned by these unfolding events but quickly composed himself.
"Theodore, answer me, how did you learn this language and when?" he asked with suspicion.
Theodore glanced at him from the side before opening his mouth.
"You will know in time."
Before Dillon could add anything, a light flashed from the wall, and the wall itself disintegrated. It wasn't demolished or broken, but vanished as if it had never existed.
Theodore walked through it, and Dillon followed.
'How does he know all this? It's impossible in his state, because we discovered similar places before, but he was ignorant of them. Was he lying? Or did he learn it recently? But how?' Dillon pondered to himself.
For some reason... a sense of danger rose within his heart.
The two walked in silence. After a few minutes, they reached a spacious area.
A tall person stood in the middle, their features hidden by shadows. It was a statue. Behind it was a wide tomb. They approached it slowly, staring at it for a moment before...
"Shing..." The blade slid out quickly. Its wielder lunged towards his opponent with terrifying speed.
Its edge neared the opponent's heart.
"Huh?"
Dillon was surprised by what was happening, but he quickly recovered and tried to dodge the attack.
"Tick...tick...tick..." Blood dripped from his shoulder. Although he dodged, the attack was faster.
"Theodore, explain your actions now," Dillon said in a threatening tone, his face darkening. He unleashed his aura, causing the attacker to quickly retreat.
"No need to explain anything to a dead man."
Theodore resumed his attack, vanishing into thin air in the blink of an eye. He appeared behind Dillon, targeting his blind spot, and launched a fatal attack.
"Do you really think you can defeat me with cheap tricks?"
A sword suddenly flashed in the air, blocking Theodore's attack. He was shocked and retreated about 100 meters, sweat beading on his calm face.
Dillon had already recovered. He clasped his hands together, looking at his opponent with a gaze of tyranny and arrogance.
"Are you done playing? Explain everything now, or die."
Theodore gritted his teeth in anger and lunged towards Dillon, repeating his attack and shouting, "Die!"
"Haaah~" Dillon sighed. He returned his sword to his wrist before drawing another.
"Dance of Hell, Sword of Darkness, Fourth Form."
He calmly drew his sword. Shadows shimmered beneath him and on his sword. With lightning speed, he bypassed Theodore, leaving him stunned.
He sheathed his sword as if he had never drawn it.
"Night's Flash."
Emitting the sound of an explosion, the ground beneath them and the ceiling above them burst due to the attack.
Theodore's chest split open, leaving a deep gash.
"Grrr-!" He vomited blood and fell to his feet.
Dillon sighed with regret and disappointment.
"So, will you tell me why you betrayed me before you die, or not?"
"Heheheh," he smiled cunningly.
"What is this? Have you finally lost your mind?" Despite what he said, he was tense.
"You are truly stupid," Theodore said this before taking out a symbol.
Dillon's pupils widened with anger and hatred.
"Theodore, you damned wretch! Don't tell me?!"
Theodore looked at him with hatred before crushing the symbol with his hand.
"No-!"
Before Dillon could react, a white light illuminated the place, engulfing it in its glow.
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After the light faded, what Dillon feared most appeared.
"Heaven Organization!"
Three figures emerged in the sky—a man and a woman in their late twenties, led by an old man whose head was filled with gray hair.
"Oh, dear Theo… has this villain managed to hurt you?"
Theodore rose into the sky as all his wounds healed rapidly.
"Rasil! You damned old bastard!" Dillon roared in fury.
"Fshh—"
"Argh—!"
A beam of light pierced through Dillon's shoulder, leaving a hole behind.
"What… Light magic?!" Dillon was shocked as sharp pain tore through him.
"No… no… no… I need to think of something. Think! Think! Right… I need to heal myself first."
"Huh? Why isn't it working?!" Dillon froze, then looked toward the old man, Rasil.
"So you finally noticed… Did you think we would come unprepared?"
"Magic Nullification Crystal?!"
The crystal was capable of completely suppressing a target's magical abilities.
Dillon gritted his teeth and thought.
"No matter… it's still too early to give up."
"Fshh—"
Interrupting his thoughts, another attack struck—but this time, he narrowly dodged it.
"Damn it!"
"Fshh—"
"Slash—"
"Fshh—"
Attack after attack rained down on Dillon, but he had already adapted. Dodging them became easier.
"Spear of a Thousand Men!"
Hundreds of blazing spears appeared behind Dillon.
Rasil's eyes widened in shock.
"Go!"
The overwhelming attack surged toward the four.
The woman raised a magical barrier—but it shattered instantly.
"What?!"
"I'll help!" the man intervened, adding another layer—yet it too shattered.
"Damn it!"
"Tsk… useless," Rasil muttered as he formed another barrier.
The spears finally stopped.
"Hmph. That attack is pointless. Just accept your death."
Hearing that, Dillon smirked.
"What's with you?" Rasil felt something was off—
Then suddenly, hundreds of blazing spears shot straight toward him!
"What?!"
This time, his defense failed.
Dillon's attack pierced through them.
Without wasting a second, Dillon fled at full speed.
"...Pathetic."
Rasil appeared again, his body covered in blood and wounds.
As for his subordinates… they had died in the most horrific way.
"He's always been a nuisance to my plans. I will kill that bastard tonight!"
"My lord… please, leave this matter to me."
Theodore spoke—fully healed.
"Hmph. Had you been any slower, you'd be dead. What can you possibly do?"
"I understand that well, my lord. But now that bastard is severely injured. Trust me… let me handle him."
After a long stare, Rasil allowed it.
"Cough—!"
"Damn it… I need to escape quickly!"
Dillon ran as blood poured from his body.
"What is this… hahaha… I can't believe it…"
His eyes burned with fury as he realized—
His escape route was blocked by a massive wall.
"That's enough. Accept your death."
Dillon recognized the voice and smiled bitterly.
He collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.
He tried to speak—
But Theodore's blade had already pierced his chest.
"Blegh—!" He spat out a large amount of blood.
"This is your end… Dillon."
"Heh… did you really think I hadn't discovered your betrayal? I knew long ago… I just never thought it would be with Heaven Organization."
"...So you knew."
"Tell me… why? You know they walk the wrong path. They oppress and kill under false justice. Was it for power? Answer me!"
"...It was because of you."
"What?"
Dillon didn't expect that answer.
"It was YOU! Everything revolves around you! The genius of a century! The future ruler! You had everything!"
"...Oh… so you were jealous."
A hint of pity appeared on Dillon's face.
"Theodore… you really are…"
He raised his head and looked at him coldly.
"Pathetic."
Theodore's eyes burned with hatred as he lunged forward.
"DILLON!"
"Heh… did you really think I'd let you kill me so easily?"
He pulled out a small sphere glowing with golden light.
It rose into the sky, expanding.
"What?! A magic bomb?!"
Theodore shouted in shock—
But it was already too late.
"If I die… we die together, my partner—HAHAHA!"
Dillon laughed hysterically—
"BOOM—!"
The explosion swallowed everything.
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