Awe of power is an inherent human instinct, etched into our genes during ancient times for the better survival of the tribe.
This is even more true now on 'Longevity Island,' a blatant, dangerous human forbidden zone.
Therefore, not only Liu Ma and others held this thought, but many students shared similar notions.
In their view, a powerhouse like Tendo, who could fully conquer a collapsed region, was the undisputed pillar of support in this unfamiliar environment.
Hitching your wagon to a powerhouse is not shameful.
Consequently, as everyone arrived on the beach, they tacitly approached the area where Tendo and Caroline were standing.
As a result, the initially scattered groups on the beach unconsciously formed a semicircle centered around Tendo.
Before the crowd on the beach could decide on the next exploration plan, the vine thicket at the edge of the blue-gray sand suddenly moved.
The deep purple vines in the jungle parted slowly as if alive, revealing a path that had been trodden flat inside.
The path was covered with a thin layer of moss, clearly indicating frequent use.
Next, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the jungle and slowly walked onto the beach.
It was an elder whose temples were touched with silver frost, approximately sixty years old.
The elder was tall and straight, dressed in a well-tailored, medieval-style tailcoat.
Fine silver threads were intricately embroidered onto the black fabric, shimmering coldly under the pale light. A pristine white cravat was neatly tied at his neck, and even his black leather shoes were meticulously polished, with not a single grain of sand clinging to the tips.
This extremely exquisite attire was utterly incompatible with the wild and treacherous environment of Longevity Island, like an oil painting nobleman who had strayed into the wilderness.
However, what was more intriguing than his clothing were the monocle on the elder's face and the cane in his hand.
The monocle was fastened to the elder's collar by a silver chain, its lens reflecting the faint light.
The cane was like a work of art; its tip was carved with a blooming white jade rose, and its body was wrapped in a deep brown wood grain.
These two 'antiques,' almost extinct in the current era, combined with the elder's anachronistic clothing, made him exude an air of temporal displacement and 'oddness.'
Perhaps because they sensed no 'danger' from him, or perhaps believing that with so many people present, an 'unarmed' elder could pose no threat to so many 'Star Envoys.'
A male student in a blue-and-white training uniform boldly stepped forward and asked curiously, "Elder, are you...?"
Looking at the male student approaching him, the elder didn't respond, merely raising his hand to adjust the monocle on the bridge of his nose.
His movement was as elegant as if he were attending an afternoon tea party, conveying no sense of 'malice.'
But the instant he completed this motion, an extremely thin black light suddenly appeared.
Its speed was so fast that its trajectory was completely invisible.
Sizzle!
There was no scream, no struggle.
The male student didn't even have time to react before a thin line of blood appeared across his neck.
The next second, his head rolled off his neck and struck the blue-gray sand with a thump.
Blood sprayed like a fountain from the severed neck of the headless body, splashing onto the surrounding sand.
The blue-gray sand, saturated with blood, quickly turned into a bizarre dark brown color.
Meanwhile, the student's head, lying on the sand, still had its eyes wide open, clearly showing he had not anticipated this turn of events at all.
The sea breeze continued to blow, the vines continued to sway, but an overwhelming silence instantly engulfed the entire beach. Over two hundred students were frozen in place, as if under a paralysis spell.
The anime's camera first focused on the elder's expressionless face, and then began to focus one by one on the significant 'characters' in the crowd.
The first to appear was Tendo. Facing the sudden appearance of the elder and his act of instantly killing a student with a wave of his hand.
While the dimensional viewers couldn't see the gaze hidden beneath Tendo's black eye-band, they could clearly notice that Tendo's expression had turned somewhat cold.
Next came Caroline.
Though she hadn't anticipated this scene, in her calmness, she immediately drew her weapon.
It was a 'Data Dart' that had clearly been modified and upgraded.
The camera then shifted to others.
Chen Xing, drawing his blade, was expressionless and quick in his movements.
The friction between the sheath and the blade of the Demon Blade created a soft sound, breaking the momentary silence.
Yeshen Lin quietly retreated half a step, her figure hidden in the shadows of the crowd.
Liu Ma frowned, instinctively activating his Star Origin and Star Core, his horns and skin glowing golden.
Isabelle covered her mouth, her face pale, yet making no sound.
Chen Kong stood rooted, his expression bewildered, his face deathly white.
It wasn't the first time he had witnessed death firsthand, but seeing a familiar person die so miserably and defenselessly right in front of him.
The feeling and shock it brought were countless times more brutal than anything described in books.
After a brief period of silence, the anime's camera returned to the elder.
It was at this moment that the dimensional viewers finally understood what the black light that killed the first student was.
Hidden among the rose petal patterns at the end of the cane was a razor-thin black blade.
The blade was stained with a droplet of bright red blood, shining coldly under the pale daylight.
Under everyone's gaze, the elder slightly moved the hand holding the cane.
The next second, the blood droplet clinging to the white jade rose tip was elegantly flicked away.
Then, he lowered the cane.
As the cane lightly touched the sand, it made a muffled, heavy sound, as if it had tapped the heart of some creature.
This single sound brought everyone instantly back to their senses.
Facing the stunned crowd, the elder looked down at the head that had rolled near his feet, its pupils filled with disbelief, his face completely devoid of expression.
It was as if he hadn't just killed a person, but merely snapped a branch blocking his way.
Indifferent and without a shred of pity.
After a moment of silence, the elder finally spoke.
His voice was like aged bronze soaked in ice water, carrying a strange, husky sound of years.
"Longevity Island is not a place you should be."
As soon as he finished speaking, the vines in the distant jungle suddenly shook violently.
The next second, countless deep purple vines rapidly spread onto the beach along the path the elder had taken.
In just a few breaths, a massive, impenetrable dark purple net of vines wove itself onto the beach, completely blocking the path for the group to retreat to the transport ship.
After trapping everyone, the elder slowly spoke again.
"You should not have come here, and you do not belong to this era."
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