Northern Africa, on the outskirts of the Eye of the Sahara..
Out of nowhere, Andre warped into existence as he looked at the barren land. He aimed his hand and aimed to flick his fingers forward, "Begone." He uttered as he released his middle finger from his thumb.
Boom!
A huge shockwave erupted as the barrier that is enveloping the Eye of The Sahara slowly disintegrated.
Gradually, the tall black towers slowly appeared to the outside world as Andre walked slowly towards the structures.
A minute before it happened, inside, Cris and Gobb sat in front of an elegant-looking man that looked like a butler. His hair and moustache were already white and adorned on his right eye was a monocle hanging on a thin golden chain clipped on his suit's chest pocket.
"Cris, Bearer of a Thousand Lifetimes, and Gobb, Wielder of The Omnicius, I welcome you into the ranks of the Illuminati. I suggest you forget your past masters and devote your time learning inside and achieving your limitless potentials." After a long time of scrutinizing, they were finally accepted into the organization. Although they should be happy, they were bothered by the man's last sentence.
"Why would we need to turn from our past? Our past is our conviction and reason why we are here." Cris stated.
"You are in a whole new organization now, Mister Cris." The man smiled amicably yet the two only found it terrifying to look at. "You need to forget the unnecessary things that only bind you down. It will only prevent you from advancing further."
"I'm sorry, Butler Kaleid. We want to join the Illuminati to save our brethren. If we have to forget them to enter, I think we cannot join the organization wholly." Cris then tried to stand up, but he was fear-stricken when he found out that he cannot move.
"Gobb!" Cris yelled with urgency. When he turned, he then saw Gobb staring at nothingness, with the light of his eyes dimmed.
"Sh*t." He cursed silently. He then heard Butler Kaleid stand up and walk towards them while saying, "You know, my master's orders are for everyone capable to enter the Hold be freely be able to join the organization as long as they do not betray."
"He made me take care of the organisation, and I developed it to the power that it is now. Do you know how? Hmm?" His smiling crescent eyelids stared straight at them as he leaned closer beside Cris' perspiring head.
"As usual, I let those capable join the ranks of the organisation, then make them choose. If they chose to remain and stay loyal to the cause, they would stay as they are. And, if they decline my offer.." His eyes suddenly burst wide open, revealing his demonic red elliptical pupil as he uttered the cold words, "..their bodies can just stay here emptied of their souls and replaced with the souls of my minions." His wicked smile then creepily extended to his ears, literally.
His smile wasn't that of a normal being, but a demonic one. Cris could feel the sharp teeth inside Kaleid's mouth even though it was as dark as the abyss. Feeling the deep sense of impending doom, Cris could only shut his eyes for what's going to happen next.
Kaleid excitedly raised both of his hands, one hand atop Cris and Gobb. He then started to speak an incomprehensible chant while Cris felt that his consciousness was slowly leaving his body.
Suddenly..
Boom!
The barrier surrounding Atlantis, which is the pillar of the Illuminati, suddenly collapsed, slowly disintegrating from existence, shocking everyone, including Kaleid.
Because of the shock, Kaleid had to stop what he was doing to the two, temporarily freeing Cris from the feeling of dying.
Cris panted with fear as he tried his best to turn around to where the sound came from. "I hope it's you.." He thought, holding onto that tiny bit of hope.
Outside, Andre continued to walk towards Atlantis while Solomon reprimanded him from inside his body, "Why did you have to be so ruthless with my barrier?"
"I should at least taste the feeling of destroying something of yours." Andre replied with a chuckle.
As he approached near, war cries from every side sounded as hundreds of men charged towards him. "I think I overevaluated the Illuminati." He muttered as he looked at the disappointing line up.
He then opened his palm, conjuring the Eternal Flame onto his hand, "I don't even want to siphon your powers. I'll just save some oxygen for the people who really need it." He then waved his hand and casted a huge wave of flame onto the charging force.
As if nothing was even there, the battlefield was immediately swept as the flame incinerated everyone it touched, not even leaving a single bit of ashes.
"Tsk. Poor men." Solomon clicked his tongue and sighed.
Andre just snickered and continued to stride towards the Illuminati. Suddenly..
"You can stay where you are, Immortal." From the shadows of the buildings, other shadows suddenly came out and gathered several meters away from them. Those gathered shadows then rose from the ground and there appeared Umbra, together with two three-meter shadows behind him.
"Oh, wow. Who do we have here?" Andre sneered mockingly, "Isn't this the shadow that I defeated way back? Who gave you the guts to talk to someone more powerful than you like that? The long period of time that you had away from me?"
"Enough. I am more powerful than you because of the knowledge that I possess. You are nothing but an old person from the forgotten ages. You know nothing of the true power of the universe." Umbra replied indifferently.
After he said that, silence pervaded the air. Seconds later..
"Pfft. HAHAHAHAHA!" Andre laughed hysterically as if he heard the funniest joke in all the realms.
"You? Powerful? That's the most hilarious thing I've ever heard this day!" He tried to control his laughter but he still laughed aloud. "Am I right, you guys?" He suddenly asked out of nowhere.
"It is, Lord." Suddenly, ten beings suddenly appeared behind him out of nowhere. They were the Five Glories and the Five New Godkings.
The sudden appearance of the ten powerful beings shocked Umbra to the core. Although his knowledge in the arts has become immense, facing eleven beings of the same if not a higher calibre than him still made him a little terrified.
"Do not overstep your bounds, Immortal." Umbra started to get serious as he stated coldly while facing them. "I am not the only one with the same strength as I am inside the Illuminati. We outnumber you inside our territory." He threatened.
"Hah." Andre scoffed, "Then go! Call your comrades and let's see the power of the mysterious Illuminati!" He spread his hands wide, welcoming other enemies to join.
And as expected..
Ruuuuuuumm….
Deep growls sounded from the earth as hundreds if not thousands of thick root veins snaked through the battlefield. Atop those veins was a dark-skinned woman whose looks seemed to be about 20-some years old. She wore a nature green long dress adorned with flora while her curly black hair that cascaded down to her bottom has a huge sunflower ornament on top.
When she descended from the roots that finally stopped going wild, Andre immediately smiled and bowed gentlemanly, "We meet again, Empress Everfree. Your beauty is still as magnificent as ever, Empress of Nature."
"You flatter me, Immortal God." Empress Everfree smiled slightly. Remembering their first encounter, Andre sighed internally. Empress Everfree is a woman who was kind in nature. She loves every living thing like she would her children. Unfortunately, due to him considering the mysterious Illuminati before as a threat to the world, he forced her to fight him.
If they met before he knew that she was a member, he would've pursued her and became her husband. But unfortunately or fortunately, Nari came to his life, introducing him to a love that he had never felt ever since his inception.
"I wasn't flattering you, Empress." Andre shook his head and chuckled. "I was stating the truth and only the truth. You are beautiful."
"Saying that, I would've wanted you as my partner." Empress Everfree smiled, "Unfortunately, you're threatening the organization that brought me to what I am today. We are foes now." She sighed.
"Yes. Unfortunately, I have to retrieve what is mine." He responded. "What is it that's yours inside Atlantis, Immortal God?" She asked.
"Its entirety." He answered seriously.
"Foolish!" Suddenly, a loud and arrogant voice shouted from afar. When they turned around, they saw a tall and furry man wearing a red fur coat and had a golden belt on his waist. In his hand was a long staff filler with Taoist inscriptions while behind him was a tail holding a clay jar.
From the Five New Godkings, Sun Wukong suddenly stared intently at the newly arrived person. He moved forward and shouted, "Who the hell are you?"
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