Material world.

Back on the battlefield where the Dark King and the Cult Leader had fought, a heavy and ominous silence had settled over the charred crater.

The land around it had been completely ruined. The earth was split open, blackened by fire and magic, while smoke rose endlessly in the air. In the distance, entire forests burned like giant torches, their flames spreading across the horizon.

Above, the skies churned with dark clouds. Faint thunder rumbled through the heavens as ash drifted down like snow, covering the battlefield in gray. The air itself felt heavy, as though the world had yet to recover from the clash that had taken place here.

Somewhere in the crater, dark shadows suddenly materialized on the ground. A moment later, a towering figure in black armor stepped out from it.

After exiting the portal, the lich just silently stood there and gazed at the dark skies. The pale green flames visible through the gap in the helm flickered softly.

"Indeed, what a waste..."

Those words couldn’t help but escape his jaws once again.

What he had done was truly regrettable. But what was done could not be undone. And now, there was only one thing left for him to do...

Keep moving forward.

According to the plan laid out by Volgron and him, the Storm King should have been fighting several azirai at the moment.

The lich had kept an eye on Adam throughout his life. But in doing so, he had also discovered something unexpected.

Edward Turner.

Despite being labeled as nothing more than a B-grade talent, the young man had advanced through the ranks at an unbelievable pace. Again and again, he achieved things that should have been impossible for someone like him.

It was obvious that he carried a great secret. And because of that, Edward had become the lich’s next best option to serve as the contender for his vessel.

He turned toward the distant battlefield, where, he believed, the Storm King was currently fighting.

But suddenly, he paused.

Something felt... strange.

Where was the four-headed monster?

The lich turned toward the center of the crater, where his undead servant should have been. Soon, the flames in his sockets constricted.

He found the monster where he’d left it.

But he found it in pieces.

The creature had been dismembered over and over again, its body hacked into countless chunks scattered across the crater. Limbs, flesh, and bones lay everywhere in a gruesome mess.

Worst of all, not a single drop of blood remained inside the corpse. It had all been drained out and splattered across the ground, staining the blackened earth.

The Cult Leader immediately went on guard.

And it was in that moment that he felt the shift in the air. The ground beneath him trembled ever so slightly, warning him that something was coming

Without warning, the ground beneath the lich exploded apart. A giant blade of crimson blood burst upward from the earth like a violent tide, its edge sharp and unstable as it cut through the air.

The massive blood blade shot straight toward the lich’s torso, cutting upward with enough force to split him apart.

The Cult Leader was surprised at how close the attack had gotten to him before he realized it. But what shocked him even more was...

"As I thought," he muttered coldly as he rapidly retreated, narrowly dodging the scarlet slash.

But at that exact moment, a figure suddenly appeared behind the lich, as though he had woven himself into existence at the very spot the lich had retreated to after dodging the crimson blade.

Rank 4 Spell: Amplify Gravity!

Boom! 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The gravity in the lich’s surroundings suddenly became significantly stronger, causing the lich to lose balance and crash to his knees instantly. The ground beneath him caved in as his body sank deeper into it.

Rank 4 Spell: Blood Bind!

Thick crimson ropes burst out from the ground, lashing out toward the lich’s struggling figure. Over a dozen of them wrapped around his legs, waist, torso, arms, and neck, tightly pinning him in place.

A moment later, the newcomer stepped forward and walked around the lich. His brown eyes flickered with traces of crimson, and on his back, a pair of identical short swords was strapped. And on his waist, an unassuming-looking lantern was fastened.

The flames in the lich’s sockets flared savagely as his gaze locked onto the person.

"Marden... so it was you, after all."

The Heavenly Demon indifferently stared at the lich’s kneeling figure. "Where is he?"

"Heh." A cold chuckle escaped the lich’s jaws. "So that’s it..."

Realization dawned on the Cult Leader as he finally connected the dots.

"You two were working together all this time," he continued. "You must have helped him alter the portals’ rune magic."

The Heavenly Demon’s expression turned ruthless as he stepped forward and delivered a solid punch to the lich’s face.

"Where is he?!" He roared.

The lich’s helm clattered on the ground. And yet, there was not a single scratch on his seemingly indestructible skull.

"You seem to have grown quite audacious," the lich said in a cold voice.

The next moment, the Cult Leader mentally sent a command to him.

But nothing happened.

The flames in the lich’s sockets flickered with surprise and confusion. "You... managed to get rid of the imprint? No wonder you’re so bold."

"I will ask you one last time," the Heavenly Demon’s voice thundered as he began to weave hand seals. "Where is Adam?"

Earlier, when the Heavenly Demon was making his way toward the battlefield, he sensed both Adam’s and the Cult Leader’s presences suddenly disappear. A few minutes later, the lich’s presence appeared again, but Adam’s was still gone.

And somehow, the mysterious connection the Heavenly Demon shared with the Dark King had also vanished.

No matter how much he tried to deny it, he could not stop himself from thinking the worst possibility.

"Dead."

The Cult Leader’s word sounded like judgment in the Heavenly Demon’s ears.

"He’s dead."

The Heavenly Demon froze for a brief moment. But just as quickly, he discarded that possibility. The corner of his lips curled into a wicked smile, and he said:

"You think death is going to stop him from killing you?"

With that said, he quickly retreated as he cast a spell at the immobilized lich.

Rank 4 Spell: Sanguine Armory!

In the next moment, a thousand crimson weapons rained down from the heavens.