Chapter 26: Shadows in the Basin
The basin opened before them like the jaws of a buried titan.
Gnarled trees clawed upward, their bark pale and warped like stretched skin. Murky swamps bubbled faintly in the corners, and jagged stones jutted from the ground like broken bones. The air hung thick and foul, as though the land itself whispered that intruders should either leave or die.
Elton led the way with steady steps, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow. Behind him followed Zoro, Christy, and Cedric, their formation tight and silent. Talia had long since split away, joining another sect unit. Now only the four pressed deeper, swallowed by the ghostly stillness of the cursed basin.
Around them, disciples from the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect marched in organized ranks. Iron Fang warriors and Fighting Brawlman disciples advanced nearby, their movements loud and forceful. Even the shadowy Night's Light Devouring Church crept forward in grim silence, their black robes flickering with faint violet light. Distrust lingered between every force, sharp and unspoken.
Rogue cultivators watched from the fringes, skulking near tree lines or pretending to follow. Others waited higher in the cliffs, ready to descend when opportunity appeared. And deeper still, demons stirred.
One demon in particular followed silently. His body twisted into a humanoid frame, spikes running down his back like a row of jagged spears. His hatred was suffocating. His brother had been slaughtered by the Church. Now he stalked them with patient malice, a predator tasting vengeance on his tongue.
Hell began to unravel within the basin.
Venomous beasts lashed from brush and stone. Spiked insects swarmed like flying daggers, their wings vibrating with poisonous hums. Cursed traps blinked alive, exploding with corrosive force when triggered. Distant roars cracked the air, carrying signals across the basin like drums of war.
Numbers held their own power.
Even with the chaos, the combined might of the sects crushed the threats. Silver-Tier Five demonic beasts surged into battle, only to fall beneath volleys of spells, martial techniques, and coordinated fury. The basin demanded blood, and blood was given freely.
Elton's group advanced with lethal efficiency. Zoro's twin katanas sliced through undergrowth and flesh alike, every stroke precise. Cedric's burning dagger slashed with fiery bursts, leaving nothing alive in his reach. Christy's wind-laced palms exploded with chaotic force, scattering threats in spiraling waves. At the center, Elton's instincts guided him unerringly. Every strike of his Ki pierced where it mattered most.
Zoro halted suddenly, his eyes narrowing toward the right. "We are being watched," he said coldly. "Three from the Night's Light Devouring Church. They have shadowed us since we entered. Always fifty paces to the flank."
Cedric growled low in his throat. "So they are tracking us."
"I think they are waiting for a mistake," Zoro replied.
Elton remained silent, though his thoughts churned. The inner voice had already whispered a darker truth.
"The fools walk straight into a slaughterhouse," it murmured with cruel amusement. "The main path is real, yes, and the treasure lies there. But the cost will bury most who enter. We, however, have another route. The true weapon—the treasure that can rewrite the sky—lies closer. Guarded, yes. But not drowned in death like the other path. Let them bleed while we reap what matters. And boy… Gold-Tier monsters lurk at the edges, waiting for the survivors."
Elton clenched his jaw. He knew the voice was manipulative, but it had never lied.
They crossed into a clearing ringed with leaning monoliths and a half-flooded marsh. Elton finally spoke, his voice even but deliberate.
"You ever notice," he said, "that the obvious path usually carries the heaviest risk? Especially when every sect rushes blindly into it."
Cedric arched an eyebrow. "You suggesting we play rebels and take a side path?"
"I am saying," Elton replied firmly, "that another way exists. It may lead to the same destination, or perhaps something greater. Either way, the price will be lighter."
Zoro's sharp gaze locked on Elton's, his silence full of calculation.
Christy, however, stepped closer. Her eyes softened, but her tone was steady. "Elton, you believe that?"
"…Yes," he admitted after a pause.
She smiled faintly. "Then I believe it too."
Elton blinked. "Just like that?"
Christy tapped her temple with quiet confidence. "My eyes have never failed me. And besides my parents, no one commands my trust more than you as of now."
For a fleeting heartbeat, Elton's chest tightened. The basin's foul air seemed lighter, warmer. But Christy had already turned forward, her Aka Boshi Tengan flickering briefly.
In that instant, her enhanced vision revealed Elton's body cloaked in white lightning, radiant like a star hidden in storm clouds. Her breath caught. Heat rose faintly in her cheeks, but she quickly looked away.
The four continued forward, their steps carrying them onto the less-traveled path.
Behind them, the three disciples of the Night's Light Devouring Church whispered among themselves. Their leader frowned, his voice low. "They strayed from the central march. Bold or foolish—we will see soon enough."
"They avoid the path of treasures," one muttered in confusion. "Why?"
"They think they know better," the leader hissed. "If they are wrong, they will become food for the forest. If they are right, we will take whatever they uncover."
Hours passed. The terrain shifted unnaturally. Beast corpses lay melted, as if dissolved by corrosive energy. Roots moved faintly underfoot, alive with hunger. Strange fungi pulsed with dim light while jagged black stone gleamed faintly with arcane residue.
By the time the sun sank behind the jagged cliffs, silence consumed the basin.
No beasts.
No screams.
Only stillness… and mounting pressure.
Elton felt it humming through his bones, a thunderstorm waiting to break.
They were close now.