The Smiling Death

Somewhere in an unknown location.

Deep beneath the earth, within a vast hall swallowed by darkness, silence reigned.

Ancient stone pillars stretched endlessly into the shadows, while dim lanterns cast only enough light to reveal the outline of a throne forged from twisted black thorns.

Seated upon it was a lone figure.

The man was completely concealed beneath a pitch-black robe that covered him from head to toe. Not a single part of his body was visible—not even his face.

Only an oppressive aura filled the chamber. Beside the throne stood an elderly man.

His dark brown hair was streaked with gray, and deep wrinkles marked his weathered face, revealing his age to be around sixty.

He waited respectfully with his head lowered.

After several moments the robed figure slowly opened his eyes beneath the hood.

The old man immediately spoke.

"My Lord... You’ve returned."

He hesitated before asking,

"What happened?...Is Alaric truly dead?"

A deep sigh echoed through the empty hall.

"...Yes."

The figure known as Darth leaned back against the throne.

"Once again...we failed."

Disappointment lingered in his voice.

"I expected nothing more than a group of Master Rank students. So tell me... Why was someone possessing Transcendent-level power present on the battlefield?"

He rested his elbow upon the armrest, supporting his chin with one hand.

His tone grew noticeably colder.

"We’ve lost Alaric. He possessed the potential to reach Mythborn one day. What a waste."

The hall fell silent.

Then Darth’s body suddenly stiffened. His hidden eyes widened beneath the hood.

He immediately rose from the throne. The elderly servant was startled.

"My Lord? What happened?"

Darth ignored the question.

His voice became unusually grave.

"Impossible."

The old man frowned.

"My Lord?"

Darth slowly clenched one fist.

"My connection...to Alaric’s soul...has disappeared."

The servant’s expression instantly changed.

"What?! That’s impossible! Alaric formed a Soul Covenant with you a year ago. According to the pact, his soul should have been belong to you. It shouldn’t simply vanish. You even control his dead body, that was proof of it."

"I know." Darth’s voice remained calm. "That’s exactly what makes this impossible."

He closed his eyes, replaying the final moments he had witnessed through his undead puppet.

Again. And again.

Searching for anything unusual.

Then one face appeared clearly within his mind. The young man with black eyes.

"...Amon."

The servant looked up.

"Amon?"

"The one Alaric was obsessed with killing?"

"Yes."

This time, Darth’s voice carried a faint chill.

"I underestimated him."

He slowly turned toward the darkness beyond the throne.

"That boy...isn’t ordinary. With a single attack...He severed the connection between my soul and Alaric’s soul withing his undead vessel."

He slowly clenched his hand.

"Do you understand what that means?"

The servant swallowed nervously.

"No, My Lord."

"It means... someone has interfered with a power that should have been untouchable."

Darth felt uncertain. He disliked uncertainty. Especially when it involved someone he knew almost nothing about.

He slowly turned toward his servant.

"Liam."

The old man immediately bowed.

"Yes, My Lord."

"I want everything. His birthplace. His family. His academy. His friends. Every mission he has completed. Every unusual event surrounding him. Leave nothing out."

His voice became colder with each word.

"I want to know exactly who...Amon...really is."

Liam lowered himself even further.

"As you command, My Lord. I’ll begin gathering information immediately."

Without another word, the elderly man disappeared into the darkness.

Darth remained standing alone before the black throne. His gaze lingered silently in the distance.

For reasons he couldn’t explain he had a feeling.

The young man named Amon might be more dangerous problem than anyone could ever anticipate.

---

Far above the sleeping mountains. The night sky suddenly shimmered. A brilliant streak of golden light shot across the heavens with unimaginable speed.

From a distance, it looked like a falling star descending from the stars themselves.

It crossed countless mountains, rivers, and forests in only a few breaths, leaving behind a radiant golden trail that illuminated the clouds.

Its destination Eriye Village.

The golden light descended from the sky before slowing just above the village.

It landed gently in the center of the village square. There was no explosion. Only a soft ripple of golden mana spread quietly across the ground before fading into the night.

The villagers who had rushed outside after witnessing the distant explosion turned toward the newcomer.

Gasps echoed through the square. Standing beneath the moonlight was a man dressed in an elegant noble suit of white and gold.

Golden embroidery decorated the cuffs and collar, while a long white cloak rested upon his broad shoulders. His golden-blond hair, touched by the moonlight, shimmered like flowing sunlight.

A pair of brilliant golden eyes calmly observed the surroundings.

Although he appeared to be no older than thirty, his presence carried an indescribable dignity that made everyone instinctively lower their gaze.

No one dared approach him. No one even spoke. The pressure surrounding the man was overwhelming, yet perfectly restrained.

He quietly looked around the village before softly whispering a single name.

"Seraphina."

His calm voice carried both concern and certainty.

Without another word, he began walking. His footsteps were calm and elegant.

Every villager instinctively stepped aside, creating a clear path before him.

None of them knew who he was. Yet every instinct warned them not to stand in his way.

The mysterious nobleman continued through the village until he stopped before a simple wooden building.

It was the village’s healing center. Warm light still escaped through its windows despite the late hour.

His golden eyes rested upon the building for a brief moment.

Then without hesitation.

Alistair Luminous gently pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.

But he was not the only powerhouse who came to this village.

There was another one present as well. But he couldn’t come out because of Alistair. Talk about bad luck.

So all he could do was wait.

---

[A/N: After thinking for a long time when I was not uploading chap for few days, I decided to make some changes in story. So ended this arc much earlier. Well Then let’s move forward and see what I had planned. Hehehe~]