Chapter 194

Chapter 194: It Was Him

The casually joking voice carried a magical pull, making everyone instinctively turn toward its source.

A plain-looking middle-aged man in an ordinary gray robe materialized in their view, wearing a mild smile. As one of the Empire’s Alchemist Guild’s top officials, the Hand of Nightmare typically buried himself in labs or schemed behind the scenes. The West Coast’s maritime families existed in an entirely separate world from his, leaving them clueless about the smiling man’s true identity.

But Grand Commander Mintai’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.

“Hand of Nightmare—Wiseman Newton! You’ve truly resurrected!” The old man’s voice held wariness, yet deeper still lay primal dread.

“I’m far younger than you, old Mintai. Why die before you?” Wiseman chuckled, lightly pressing his weathered staff downward.

Surging magic forced the black spear piercing Mintai deeper, pinning him to the ground. The ground’s stones shattered as a massive barb-covered spider erupted from the earth.

Necromancer skill: Summon Sword Spider.

The weapon impaling Mintai wasn’t a spear—it was the sword spider’s leg.

Impossible.

How could a sword spider grow so large?

Shock flooded Mintai’s eyes. The famously unflappable Grand Commander now faced genuine peril. Though pierced, he’d twisted at the last instant to avoid vital organs and spine—no fatal wound. One powerful strike to sever the leg would let him escape, then use Xuzu Psionicist secret techniques to heal fully.

But against this colossal spider, he stood helpless.

He channeled all his power into repeated blows against the leg, yet his inner strength vanished uselessly, like stones sinking into the sea.

Time bled away. The commander’s wounds worsened, blood pooling, organs and bones creaking under mountainous pressure.

The Hand of Nightmare pressed his staff lower.

The sword spider screeched eagerly, stabbing a second leg through Mintai. With a violent pull, it ripped the Xuzu Kingdom’s legendary commander in two.

Blood, bone shards, and viscera arced skyward under the spider’s brute force—a macabre blossom shower, dazzling yet horrifying.

Silence smothered the beacon platform.

A single attack slew a level 50 peak expert.

Xuzu’s greatest psionicist.

And the killer hadn’t even moved—his Summoned Beast did the work.

What monstrous power enabled this?

None knew.

But all understood: one gesture from this man meant instant death.

Before this Grim Reaper incarnate, both Young Talents and unflappable family heads alike burned to flee. Even Yunlang and Flying Sail clans couldn’t stay put.

Yet none dared twitch under Wiseman’s calm gaze and the hill-sized spider’s eight watchful eyes. A single misstep meant annihilation.

Surveying the trembling West Coast elites, the Hand of Nightmare nodded approvingly. “Apologies for the late introduction. I’m Wiseman Newton, foreign affairs executive of Delos Empire’s Alchemist Guild. Delighted to join your Sea King Festival. Lighting ten beacons seems… diverting. Surely you’ve no objections?”

His mild words froze the family heads’ blood.

While “Wiseman Newton” meant little, “Delos Empire’s Alchemist Guild” rang foully familiar—a universally notorious name.

A grand explosion, human experiments, poison spreading, assassinations, and invasions—wherever the Alchemist Guild appeared, war and unavoidable death followed. They acted like the Empire’s blood-stained cleaver, capable of turning thousands into bloody corpses with a single sweep.

Now that this man claimed to be the Alchemist Guild’s officer, everything became clear.

This was the Empire’s grand scheme!

The colossal power must have targeted the West Coast long ago, secretly building Zhenlu Arena to infiltrate Faero Bay while gathering intelligence and forces. Now, with preparations complete, the Sea King Festival—a gathering of powerful figures—became their hunting ground.

Ironically, the maritime families’ leaders remained unaware they’d become prey. Busy scheming against each other, they ended up trapped together.

"Begin the ceremony. Show everyone who truly rules these waters," Wiseman told the silver-haired woman. "Bring the magical contracts. I’m sure Faero Bay’s leaders will gladly cooperate with the Empire. Let’s settle this quickly for everyone’s peace of mind."

Facing the towering Wiseman, the smirking silver-haired woman, the emotionless giant knight, and the terrifying sword spider, each family head tasted bitter helplessness.

Losing the fire altar meant little, but signing those contracts would shackle their bloodlines forever. Yet refusing meant their families might perish today. What choice remained but surrender?

Suddenly, a black glow laced with lightning tore through the sky, shattering the stalemate like a heavenly blade.

The silver-haired woman and giant knight instantly raised defenses. Even Wiseman’s smile faltered. The mountain-sized sword spider shrieked, crossing its bladed limbs to block the strike—

Useless.

The spider’s limbs—which had killed a level 50 Xuzu Psionicist—snapped like bamboo. With a thunderous crack, the light bisected the creature.

Caustic green fluids flooded the beacon platform as the spider’s twitching halves collapsed. Its severed limbs trembled, echoing the beast’s final terror.

Amidst the shock, a figure landed gracefully opposite Wiseman of the Hand of Nightmare—black-haired, dark-eyed, with a plain black sword at his waist.

"The Count of Saint Tower Island?"

"Lionheart Arena’s Elder Faye?"

"It’s him!"

Though attending the festival, Midi had been dismissed as just another Young Talent despite defeating Xuzu’s expert Liufeng. After all, personal strength alone meant little here.

Yet now, this teenage Demon Swordman had one-struck the spider that killed Mintai! Such power matched the Empire’s officer himself—unthinkable for ordinary adventurers, surpassing even major families’ heritage.

Who was he?

"Long time, Mr. Wiseman," Midi said calmly.

Wiseman studied the youth who’d once killed him. After a pause, he smiled ruefully. "Indeed… Midi Asreks."

The name shattered the silence. Noblewomen gasped, Young Talents gaped, family heads murmured—

Midi Asreks.

The ultimate Demon Swordman. Genius commander. Hawk Brigade leader. Queen of Magic’s lover and comrade. Belmar Kingdom’s founding hero. Bearer of the Sword of Victory and Guardian. Arad’s greatest legend, outshining even Delos Empire’s elites.

Him!