A Strike of Vengeance

"Found one!" "Oh?" "Reporting to Your Eminence: we've discovered a stable otherworld! It's fifteen meters above the ground, opening onto an undeveloped forest dominated by conifers. No signs of civilization have been detected, no dangerous creatures have been spotted, and there are water sources and wildlife!" "Abandon it." On the fifteenth floor of the Silent Spiral, Mercury Trojan lay languidly across a plush rug of cool tones. Leaning against a gray wolf weighing over two hundred kilograms and clad in a simple dressing gown, she looked as though she were on vacation. A young girl wearing kitten-hood pajamas was curled up in her embrace, eyes closed in sweet slumber. Mercury Trojan stroked the girl's delicate, petal-soft cheek with the back of her knuckles, treating her as gingerly as a precious work of art. All around her, sorcerers clad in black-feather coats bustled about. Most were occupied with creating Empty Doors and scouting what lay beyond them—an Empty Door could lead to virtually anywhere imaginable: magma, subterranean depths, high altitudes, deep sea, or even Void Realm turbulence. Without well-crafted defense mechanisms, opening every single Empty Door was tantamount to knocking on death's door. "Keep the two conditions firmly in mind: a civilized society must be observed, and it must be a lawless zone where the reach of that civilization is weak. Underground facilities such as sewers are ideal, followed by slums, and at worst, suburban mountain forests or beaches," Mercury Trojan said. "If it doesn't satisfy both conditions, there's no need to report to me." She extended two fingers, gently swirled her glass, and downed the chilled lemon crow-blood wine in a single gulp, followed by a soft hiccup. "Your Eminence, the probability is simply too low," a stern-faced youth in black feathers said. "Although we have the miracle 'Endurance' to continuously increase the uses of the Empty Door sorcery spirit, each sustain consumes a significant amount of sorcery power. Moreover, this miracle is Sanctuary-tier, so only the four of us can cast it... Out of over a hundred experimental logs, only two safe Empty Doors have appeared. If we strictly require both conditions, it might take thousands of tests." "We still have time," Mercury Trojan said indifferently. "Don't forget, this is not an escape, but a strategic relocation. The Four Pillar Cult's cause will descend with us upon a new realm. If we arrive in a savage wasteland, even the Four Pillar Gods will abandon us. Only by continually dragging civilizations into the Abyss can we please the supreme Four Pillar Gods." "Praise be to the Four Pillars that uphold the world, granting us bliss and peace," the crowd chanted in unison. "Your Eminence," a handsome boy in a black feather robe asked, "since we are going to a new world, why didn't you let Mr. Olewa come along? Mr. Olewa was already a Legendary Sorcerer ten years ago. Even if someone claimed he was the strongest in Senluo, surely no one would object!" "Of course I wished Olewa could keep following me." Mercury Trojan set down her glass, and the stern-faced youth immediately refilled it. "But he is already... useless. "In pursuit of the Thousand Wishes Inheritance, his soul suffered severe, repeated trauma on Ruby Mountain. I expended countless resources merely to temporarily preserve his life, yet his consciousness was thoroughly shattered—he was no different from a corpse. I was powerless to fix it." "Your Eminence is deeply compassionate to your subordinates, supremely benevolent and kind," the onlookers praised one after another. "Out there, without my focused maintenance, he couldn't even move on his own," Mercury Trojan said. "I brought him down not to have him guard the Silent Spiral, but because I didn't want others to learn that Olewa was already a candle in the wind. "I simply didn't expect Silver Lantern to use the Grand Law of War to initiate the trials, much less that Olewa would actually spawn a new consciousness within the Trial of War." Another cheerful boy clad in black feathers asked inquisitively, "Since Mr. Olewa has a new consciousness, why not bring him down?" "Because he can no longer be considered human," Mercury Trojan said. "The Four Pillar Cult has no need for non-human believers. Besides..." She looked toward the crowd and snapped her fingers, gesturing for everyone to raise their glasses. "Indeed, Olewa was Senluo's foremost sorcerer and the wasteland's strongest legend, but you are the Black Feather Guard that I personally forged. My expectations for you are far higher than they ever were for Olewa. As long as I have you by my side to challenge a new world, what do I have to worry about, even without Olewa?" "A toast," she said, raising her cup. "A toast!" Her words stoked the Black Feather Guard's blood into a fever pitch. Gulping down their crow-blood wine, they felt ready to conquer kingdoms and bleed dry for Mercury Trojan. "Still, losing Mr. Olewa really is a pity," a bespectacled youth in black feathers sighed. "Water sorcery was never renowned for sheer lethality, yet Mr. Olewa carved out the terrifying renown of the 'Extinction Pope.' The Sanctuary Sorcerers of the Harp Sun Alliance would instantly retreat upon encountering him. Aside from fellow legends, even Sanctuary Sorcerers struggled to survive in his presence—a testament to the dread evoked by 'Frost Extinction.'" Everyone nodded in agreement. Mercury Trojan smiled faintly. "Now that he remains on the tenth floor, paired with the trial's mechanics, no one can cross his winter. He has fulfilled his purpose, giving his all until the very end." She added, "With him holding the line, we don't need to worry about the Harp Sun Alliance... or whatever ragtag pursuers might come. We can search for the Empty Door to the new world in peace." "Found it!" Suddenly, a black-feather sorcerer cried out in excitement. "Beyond the Empty Door passage is a suburban forest, but there are traces of a road in the distance!" Mercury Trojan's pupils constricted, yet she kept her composure. "Maintain the passage and send scouts inside for further reconnaissance. Charlin, well done." A rush of heat flushed the sorcerer's face. He had never imagined Mercury Trojan would remember the name of a mere One-Wing Sorcerer like him. "I live and die at Your Eminence's command!" "Though, I don't have much to reward you with right now. Hmm..." Mercury Trojan glanced to the side and noticed the wine was finished. The stern youth nearby moved to fetch more, but she checked him with a look. Picking up two glasses, she walked over to the cask in person to pour. "I hope you won't mind that this crow-blood wine isn't fine enough." "Your Eminence!" Charlin hurried over, longing to spare her the chore yet not daring to interrupt. His throat tightened with emotion as he accepted the glass. "A toast." Mercury Trojan clinked her glass lightly against his, moving the other black-feather sorcerers to sheer envy. Charlin's face flushed with supreme honor. "A toast!" A faint smile touched the corner of Mercury Trojan's lips. She tipped her head back, preparing to drain the crow-blood wine— *Crack!* The cask detonated with a deafening roar, unveiling a magnificent downpour of blood! Amid droplets of sweet, bloody wine, a dull, unassuming blade sliced through the air. The sound lagged a beat behind its trajectory as the air unable to escape in time piled before the edge, condensing into a thermobaric shockwave! From the day the Kill-All-Crows Cult was reduced to ruins, from the night he had been forced to slaughter his own brethren, Black Crow had been waiting for this single slash. He closed his eyes and dreamed this slash. He opened his eyes and envisioned this slash. He gripped his blade and trained this slash. He loosened his grip and contemplated this slash. Every piece of bread he ate was to have the strength to deliver this slash; every drop of water he drank was to have the focus to strike true with this slash. He was no sorcerer. He was illiterate. He knew no sorceries. He had nothing at all—except this one slash. And so, with this slash, let everything come to an end. Mercury Trojan remained frozen in the posture of drinking. Her pupils began to shift; she had already perceived the danger. A Sanctuary Sorcerer required only a single thought to— *Schink!* As the sonic shockwave carved a ripple of vengeance through the rain of blood, Mercury Trojan's lovely head soared into the air! Black Crow stepped forward, crushing the cask's wooden splinters underfoot. With a subtle flick of the blade, he reduced her headless corpse into dozens of shredded pieces in an instant! The other sorcerers could barely react. They stared dumbfounded at Black Crow standing amidst the rain of blood and wine. Behind his grotesque crow mask and enveloped in his black-feather cloak, he seemed like an avenging fiend crawled straight out of Hell to claim their lives.