met free Chapter 7 You Don't Want To Either
Chapter 7 You Don't Want To Either
Night fell as black as ink, spilling across the western edge of the northern continent's coastal border. The salty sea breeze, whipping sand and gravel, lashed against the castle's stone walls, uttering a mournful whisper, much like Snow Serin's silent, stealthy movements. Having activated his demonic form, the Void Demon's body moved through the spirit world like a true spirit being, its skin seemingly covered by a thin, dark film, concealing most of its aura. It easily passed through all the obstacles and barriers of the real world, without even disturbing the candlelight within the castle.
The candlelight in the castle's master bedroom cast a dim glow, illuminating the figures sleeping in each other's arms. Border Baron Rodney Hawke's breathing was steady, and even in his sleep, his muscles exuded the explosive power of a Sequence 6 Corrupted Baron. The scabbard of his sword by the bedside was inlaid with the emblem of the Solomon Empire, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the dim light.
His wife, Leah Hawke, was curled up beside him, her eyelashes fluttering. The keen senses of a Sequence 8 Listener made her furrow her brow even in her sleep, as if she could hear the hidden sounds flowing in the darkness. She suddenly opened her eyes, startled awake, but was clearly still slow to react.
Snow stepped out of the spirit realm, his footsteps landing on the carpet without making a sound. Almost instantly, he uttered the Abyssal word without hesitation—"Slow."
The power of the foul words spread like an invisible wave within a radius of seven or eight meters. Baron Hawke opened his eyes abruptly, instinctively trying to rise to protect his wife, but found his limbs felt like lead, his muscles stiff and unable to move; even lifting an arm required immense effort. Lady Leah's scream caught in her throat; her body lay rigidly on the bed, helplessly watching a tall, dark figure reeking of sulfur approach, her eyes filled with terror.
Snow didn't waste those two seconds. His eyes flashed darkly, and he instantly appeared beside the bed. He clenched his right fist, and crimson magma and pale blue flames suddenly erupted, transforming into a giant flaming sword more than two meters long. The heat from the burning sword distorted the air, and even the candlelight was scorched and flickered violently.
Baron Hawke's eyes flashed with horror. He tried to use his "Twisting" ability to change the trajectory of the flaming greatsword, hoping to twist this deadly attack into the void or a wall. However, his sluggish body slowed his thoughts by half a beat. Even more deadly, a strange face suddenly appeared before him—the phantom of Xalatas was grinning at him, its eyes, dripping with black liquid, filled with malice. The invisible mental shock made him momentarily dazed.
"Pfft—"
The magma sword fell without hindrance, and scalding flames instantly engulfed Rodney Hawke's upper body. The sound of bones shattering was masked by the crackling of the flames, and the thick bed beams were cracked by the aftershocks, the cuts appearing to have melted from the intense heat, gleaming with a dark red luster.
The corrupted baron of Sequence 6 didn't even have time to unleash his twisting abilities before he fell to the overwhelming power and speed. Before his extraordinary traits could even be released, he was enveloped and dragged by countless tentacles emerging from the shadows.
As soon as the two-second time limit expired, Lady Leah's body regained its movement, and a sharp scream almost pierced her throat. But a cold hand covered her mouth in time, carrying the aura of the abyss and shadows, yet strangely exuding a seductive power.
Snow had de-demonized and returned to his human form, though a faint crimson tinge remained in his eyes. "Think of your children." His voice was deep and gentle, yet possessed an irresistible penetrating power that struck Leah's soft spot as a mother.
As a Sequence 8 Listener, Leah was already extremely sensitive to all kinds of whispers. The demonic seductive power contained in Snow's words entwined her mind like vines, instantly freezing her churning fear and anger. She trembled all over, and tears welled up uncontrollably, sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the back of Snow's hand, still faintly warm.
Snow gently wiped away her tears, his movements as tender as if he were soothing a frightened cub. "This is a heartbreaking thing, but for survival, for the sake of those who are alive, we must remain strong, mustn't we?" His gaze swept over the family portrait on the bedside table, the two children's smiling faces innocent and carefree. "Look, how adorable these two children are. Can you bear to let them face this fear?"
Shadows surged behind him, and the phantom of Saratas appeared. She licked her lips, her eyes full of amusement. Having just devoured Baron Hawke's spirit, she was sharing the Baron's memories with Snow through a contract—the castle's defenses, the list of extraordinary beings who were loyal to him, and the power struggles on the border were all clearly presented in Snow's mind.
Rodney Hawke's body, along with the bloodstains, had long been swallowed by the shadows. Only a faint smell of sulfur and the dim light of candlelight remained in the room, as if the killing had never happened. The guards and servants outside the castle were completely unaware of this and continued to stand guard at their posts.
Even though Snow didn't prepare a serious ritual magic to isolate the connection between the inside and outside of the room, the high rank of the Dark Empire Blade itself was enough to allow Snow to skip the tedious ritual process and directly achieve the effect of a near-perfect ritual. Snow constructed the incantation, and Xalatas responded in one go. That's why it's called a Dark Priest artifact.
The room was deathly silent. As the listener, Leah could clearly hear her own and Snow's breathing. Her neck hadn't been snapped immediately, and she hadn't been strangled to death. Her body gradually stopped trembling, and the terror in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by a deep sense of bewilderment and helplessness. She looked at the man who had killed her husband, yet in his words and eyes, she sensed a glimmer of hope for survival.
"Your name?" Snow stroked her cheek, the coldness of his fingertips making Leah shiver, but she dared not flinch.
"Leah...Leah Hawke." She spoke tremulously, her voice thick with nasal tone, barely audible.
"Lia, a very nice name." Snow smiled, a hint of feigned gentleness in his smile. "Well then, Ms. Leah, I need you to do something. Tomorrow, summon all the extraordinary individuals under the Baron's command—those loyal to the Baron, poison them for me; as for those who have served you faithfully, I might consider keeping them."
He paused, his gaze deepening. "As a reward, you and your children will be in no danger. Your eldest son will even have the opportunity to reclaim the Hawke family barony in the future."
"My ambition is great. The count is my goal. I don't want to get too stained with the blood of innocent people. I look forward to the day when I can return everything that belongs to you. After all, only flowing blood has a soul. The world may be cruel, but it should still have a trace of warmth."