Chapter 317 Chapter316-Just a Sword
John looked at Mr.9 with a smile that seemed to stretch forever.
Although his face was adorned with that smile, his eyes were as cold as ice, devoid of any trace of emotion.
Silently activating the Eye of Artemis, Mr.9's attributes immediately unveiled before John:
[Mr.9: Elder member of AGHHO. Among the ten elders, he is ranked ninth. Inherently, he is an incredibly formidable assassin class. Years ago, in pursuit of the essence of assassination, he joined AGHHO and has since executed hundreds of assassination missions without a single failure...]
[Level: 420]
[Attributes: ...]
It suddenly dawned on John.
No wonder Saphir, even with his Arcane Skill, couldn't overcome this man who was at a staggering level of 420.
In fact, from the moment Saphir began his skirmish with 54, John had already entered the room.
He merely concealed his presence, remaining unseen.
Consequently, every detail of the previous battle had unfolded before John's very eyes.
"Where did you... spring up from?" Mr.9 squinted, fixing an intense gaze upon John.
This AGHHO elder, who had effortlessly dominated since his appearance, now unprecedentedly revealed deep solemnity.
He sensed a profound danger emanating from John.
Not because John emitted a gripping aura – quite the opposite.
John showed no aura whatsoever at this moment.
Even though Mr.9 could visibly see a living person standing before him, his spiritual probe detected no presence.
This was what truly instilled fear in the heart of this AGHHO elder.
For an assassin, the greatest peril lies not in the visible threats but in the silent shadows that approach undetected.
Among all classes, the spirit power of the assassin class stands paramount, with their probing abilities second to none.
If even an assassin class cannot detect someone encroaching upon them, it signifies that this individual possesses strength far surpassing that of an ordinary assassin.
As he gazed at John, a nebulous figure emerged in Mr.9's mind.
This figure bore no discernible face, no unique identifiers, resembling an ordinary man.
Yet, it instilled in him an unforgettable dread.
That silhouette was none other than the guild leader of AGHHO, a true demigod-level assassin, a pinnacle that every individual of this class aspires to, yet seldom reaches.
In response to Mr.9's inquiry, John smiled faintly, "You need not concern yourself with who I am. Just know that now that I'm here, you shouldn't entertain any hope of leaving this place alive."
He continued, "I'm genuinely astounded that you've sunk so low as to exploit innocent civilians as a source for your energy augmentation. Considering the depths of such heinous acts, it's plausible you've committed them more than once."
"It's no wonder many label AGHHO as the parasite of the Godslayer Continent. Now, it appears there's truth to that claim."
Mr.9 scoffed coldly, replying without hesitation, "Since you're aware, there's no point in feigning innocence. Yes, those ordinary people were indeed captured by us. A bunch of talentless wretches, good for nothing but nourishing us with negative energy. What other purpose could they serve?"
He added, "In the Godslayer Continent, might makes right. With the power and capital we possess, who dares to question our methods?"
A look of disdain marred John's face as he realized there was no common ground between him and these morally bankrupt fiends.
With a sudden sweep of his hand, John caused the very fabric of space to ripple.
[Abyssal Prison (Divine Skill)]: A gift from the Abyssal Warden, upon invocation, it can seal and bind a region spanning 1,000 yards. The one who unleashes this skill can freely modify the ORDER parameters within this confined space. Save for time-space, all fundamental elements are susceptible to manipulation...
To Mr.9's horror, the ambient light around him seemed to recede, replaced by an enveloping darkness devoid of any shadowy elements.
Moreover, it seemed as if the foundational elements in the air started to roil.
By the time he lifted his head again, he found himself within a sealed void.
Save for John, who calmly floated at a distance, Saphir and 54, who had previously been engaged in combat with him, had vanished entirely.
"Welcome to the Abyssal Prison," John's voice echoed serenely throughout the void, resounding like a deep bell. "Since you believe your strength allows you to lord over the fate of ordinary people, I assume you wouldn't mind if I were to dictate yours?"
"Enough with your tricks and illusions," Mr.9 retorted defiantly, "If you wish to judge my fate, you'll first have to prove you possess the power to do so!"
With a roaring shout, Mr.9 instantly vanished into stealth mode, merging with the shadows.
[System Prompt: You have been targeted by Assassin's Intent... You have been targeted by Assassin's Intent... You have been targeted by Assassin's Intent...]
[Assassin's Intent (Legendary Talent)]: Exclusive to the assassin class. Only when an assassin reaches a specific level and cultivates the heart of an assassin can they awaken this unique skill. Upon release, it can lock onto an adversary, predicting their next move. When assassinating a targeted enemy, it grants a 10% boost to one's destructive capabilities...]
That familiar sensation of being targeted washed over him.
Yet, John wasn't the least bit surprised that Mr.9 had mastered the Assassin's Intent.
After all, even his six assassins, the highest-ranked of whom was merely codenamed 88, had managed to cultivate the Assassin's Intent.
It wasn't a stretch for this elder member of AGHHO to have done the same.
Having crossed blades with these native NPC powerhouses so many times, John had grown accustomed to their rhythm of attack.
He instinctively turned to look behind him.
As expected, the very next moment, Mr.9 emerged from the shadows at John's rear.
The dagger in his hand emitted a faint, eerie glow, aimed directly at John's back.
A mere thought crossed John's mind, and the space beneath his feet shifted.
A gust of wind blew, scattering Mr.9's form like dust in the breeze.
The attack, which seemed so certain a moment ago, dissolved into nothingness.
John chuckled softly, raising his hand, and an invisible force sent Mr.9 flying. "Is this the great strength you boasted of, the power to dictate the fate of mere mortals?"
John's voice dripped with sarcasm, his eyes glinting with an endless chill.
Fear filled Mr.9's eyes.
He couldn't believe that his most adept skill of stealth and shadow-play proved utterly futile against this young man donning a grotesque mask.
Even though the entire space seemed shrouded in shadows, he felt as exposed as if under the blazing midday sun.
Desperately, Mr.9 tried to locate a weak point in the flow of energy within this realm, but no matter how much he searched, he found nothing.
This was unmistakably a complete space, not the mere barrier-type construct he had initially surmised.
"Who... who exactly are you?" Mr.9 asked, riddled with doubt.
The ability to casually create an entire space, wasn't that a feat only a deity could achieve?
Even the AGHHO guild leader, whom he deeply feared, did not possess such wondrous capabilities.
John didn't bother answering Mr.9's questions.
With a simple wave of his hand, Mr.9 was suddenly overwhelmed by an intense pressure, as if all the elemental properties around him were converging and squeezing him from every side.
Terrified beyond measure, Mr.9 hastily vanished into the shadows, fleeing that area.
John's lips curled into a smirk as he effortlessly summoned a pale blue energy blade into his right hand.
[Divine Blade (Divine Skill) (Level 7): This skill allows the user to manifest a weapon from their divine power. The attributes of the weapon are determined by the skill's level, the character's level, and the character's divine power. The starting attributes of the Divine Blade include +800,000 damage points and a 25% critical hit rate.]
Against an NPC of this caliber, there was no need for John to bring out weapons of the Divine Palace tier.
The energy blade radiated with a sharp brilliance, dazzling even in this bizarre space.
"You can materialize energy into tangible weapons? My God, isn't this a technique reserved for demi-god tier beings? You... you look so young, who exactly are you?"
Mr.9 cried out in astonishment, fear evident in his eyes.
John gave Mr.9 a chilling glance, the corners of his lips twisted in disdain.
"Assassins might be adept at stealth and assassination, but those are mere surprise attacks. In a direct confrontation, you can't even measure up to any other class. In this realm, your assassin techniques are utterly worthless before me."
"You said the strong should dominate the fate of the ordinary. Now, in your eyes, am I not the strong?"
With a swift motion, John unleashed a blade of light that lunged straight at Mr.9. Despite trying to dodge, Mr.9 found himself hopelessly outpaced, forced to watch in horror as the blade drew ever closer.
"No!" Despair welled up in Mr.9's heart, manifesting in a terrified scream.
Light flashed, and the blade, swift as lightning, pierced straight through Mr.9's form.
His expression froze.
He looked down in disbelief at the gaping wound in his chest, his eyes quickly dimming into lifelessness.
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