The ascent of the SSS rank primordial of corruption-Chapter 36: Sorry for being so late

A bang echoed through the sewers and the door shuddered before finally collapsing in front of Ethan.

The thugs behind took a step back, their faces quivering with fear.

They numbered more than 15 in total, many being at the intermediate levels of the awakening stage and with two of them at the peak of the awakening stage.

But still, under the cruel gaze and terrible aura emanating from Ethan, none of those thugs had the courage to step forward.

After a split second of staring at each other, one of the thugs tried to speak: "Wait! You want Mr. Gobini? We can-"

Unfortunately for them, Ethan had no intention of talking.

Before the bandit had even finished his sentence, a mana slash appeared from Ethan’s blade, quickly silencing the bandit.

"Die by my sword..." Ethan muttered, his sword glowing with energy as he prepared another attack. "That’s the only thing any of you will do!"

Ethan roared as he swung his sword, another mana slash being launched at the bandits who struggled to dodge.

One unlucky man let out a miserable scream as his ribs were broken and his torso split open by Ethan’s attack.

This one’s body barely had time to collapse to the ground before another miserable scream echoed through the sewers and another lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

The bandits began to flee, but Ethan didn’t stop.

With every breath, a cut was sent through and a miserable scream echoed as the lifeless bodies piled up at his feet.

Even warriors at the peak of the awakening stage could barely withstand three blows before collapsing.

Just over a minute after the start of the battle, which could best be considered a one-sided massacre, Ethan found himself alone once again.

His heavy breathing quickly stabilized and he tried to control his feelings.

"Just a little longer, hang in there and I’ll find you..." Ethan murmured, feeling his connection with Victoria pulsate more strongly than ever before he began to move once more.

***

"Do you have any idea who it might be, Miss Eve?" The thug accompanying Eve asked, his face clearly worried.

"I don’t know, but mana is agitated..." Eve spoke, biting her lower lip.

She had confidence in the ability of her father’s men to stop any enemy other than the Count’s men.

But even so, she was unable to erase the anxiety in her heart.

"Miss Eve... There’s something approaching-" The bandit’s words were suddenly interrupted.

All Eve saw was a faint ray of light emerging from the darkness, slashing the throat of the man accompanying her.

"E-Ethan?" She spoke in a trembling voice.

Eealizing the source of the attack, she even tried to grab the gun at her waist.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

A powerful hand grabbed her face, lifting her into the air before throwing her down.

A loud crack sounded as Eve’s skull shattered against the floor, her brain being crushed by Ethan’s grip and her face being reduced to nothing but a bloody mass with eyes and teeth.

"What a waste..." Ethan didn’t even spare a second glance towards Eve’s corpse before going on his way.

In Gobini’s lair, the prisoners trapped in the suspended cells woke up as a powerful shock spread through the metal structures, causing them to scream painfully.

Despite the screams, Gobini didn’t shake as he placed runes around a stone altar, the center of which formed a perfect fit for the golden crystal he held in his hands.

"Now... the most important thing-" Gobini lifted the crystal, bringing it to the fitting with hands trembling with excitement.

However, his hands stopped at the last second and he heard the heavy door to the room open with a loud bang.

Gobini turned back quickly, his eyes taking on a frightened expression as they met the murderous intent-filled eyes of a bloodied man.

"Who are you? What have you done to my daughter?" He asked as he stepped back cautiously, his hand going down to the hilt of the short sword he carried at his waist.

Ethan heard those words, and his eyes passed over the ugly man, the crystal he carried and the prisoners who lay in agony just above Gobini.

His eyes finally focused on Victoria.

There were bloodstains on her mouth and on her dress, her shoulders were shaking and her eyes watering as she looked at Ethan with a mixture of surprise and relief.

In her mind, her life was already over and she would never see Ethan again, her only hope of a happy future.

But now, even though the aura released by Ethan’s body would be frightening to anyone else, to her, that aura was warm and cozy.

Like an unholy power that was trying to destroy everyone but her.

[Victoria’s corruption has greatly increased and has reached the limit of the initial stage, breaking through this limit will guarantee great rewards].

A notification from the system reached Ethan, but he didn’t even read it before walking towards Victoria, ignoring everything around him.

"Are you all right? Sorry for being so late, I’ve had a few setbacks..."

Ethan spoke, his voice calm and loving as he wiped the blood from Victoria’s mouth, his eyes that shone with a powerful murderous intent hitting the woman like the eyes of a husband full of love.

"I’m fine... It’s not my blood..." Victoria replied as she looked away from Ethan, her heart beating fast and seemingly completely oblivious to their current situation.

Hearing those words, Ethan smiled as he noticed a severed finger on the ground, not far from where Victoria was trapped.

Without any difficulty, he freed her and brought his lips close to hers.

Unfortunately, the couple couldn’t enjoy each other’s presence for long, interrupted by a bang followed by an angry voice.

"So you had a fucking lover? You cheap whore! Now I understand why you were so resistant..." Gobini held the crystal firmly in his hand before pressing it against the stone altar socket.

In the next second, a golden energy filled the room and the screams of the prisoners ceased completely.