Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 221 221: ReflectionTimeless AssassinC221 221: Reflection
Muiyan Faye had expected a bit more drama— perhaps some crying, some shouting, or at the very least, a little public rage from Dupravel Nuna in the aftermath of his son's kidnapping.
But to her mild disappointment, the Black Serpents Guildmaster kept his composure remarkably intact.
Even if he was boiling on the inside— which she had no doubt he was, given every intelligence report painted him as a doting father who spoiled his son rotten— Dupravel did not crumble, did not shout, and most certainly did not break down.
At least not here. Not in front of everyone.
Instead, he stood tall, face unreadable, expression carved from stone, still playing the part of a dignified Monarch, even as the ashes of his enemies cooled at his feet.
'Tch… guess you don't reach Monarch status without learning to bury your emotions somewhere deep,' Faye thought, exhaling lightly as she shook her head in disappointment— before letting her gaze drift to the one person she was actually worried about.
Leo.
Leo clutched Jishan's dagger like it was the last thread tethering him to consciousness, his fingers locked tight around the hilt as his breaths came in ragged, uneven pulls, each one sounding like it might be his last before passing out of exhaustion.
"Leo… are you okay?" Faye asked, her voice softer than usual— gentle, almost maternal— as she quickly uncorked a healing potion and pressed the cool glass vial to his lips.
*Gulp*
Leo drank greedily, the vibrant blue liquid sliding down his throat in heavy swallows.
Warmth spread through his body almost instantly, rushing like a current through torn muscle and fractured bone, sealing micro-tears, soothing skin lesions, and igniting a burning sting deep in his dislocated shoulder as it began realigning on its own.
"That was a valiant fight, kid… You did well to survive," came a calm, measured voice from nearby.
Mu Jianlong— the Mu Clan Patriarch— approached with the quiet dignity of someone used to commanding rooms without raising his voice, as his gaze fell to Leo with a rare flicker of respect.
"It's unfortunate," Jianlong continued, kneeling beside him and picking up the camera that was still live and rolling, "to see young talents like you being targeted by those cowards. The Evil Cult pretends to be righteous, but all they do is prey on the weak while dressing it up as justice."
With a flick of his thumb, he shut the camera off, ending the universal broadcast abruptly.
"You two— Rodova instructors. Get your boy to the medical bay. He's been through hell and needs proper care immediately."
His tone was firm, not demanding but still absolute— like an order given out of concern and not authority.
Faye and Major Hen exchanged a brief glance before nodding in sync, as without wasting another second, they each took one of Leo's arms, supporting his weight between them as they prepared for ascent.
And with that, they leapt out of the pit— one level at a time— carrying the bloodied champion out of the crater, away from the battlefield, and toward the recovery he so desperately needed.
However, as they made their way there, they all looked back at the incident that took place in a different light, with each focusing on a different aspect of what unfolded.
Hen looked back at the incident with rage bubbling in his heart, as he completely bought into the narrative that the Evil Cult was the most despicable organisation in the universe that needed to be eradicated at any and all costs.
In his head, he thought about likely upcoming scenarios where the righteous alliance might put-up a recruitment notice to prepare a war-force against the Evil Cult, as he thought about leaving his teaching job and signing up for it, just to do his part in eradicating Evil from this universe.
However, contrary to him, Muiyan Faye saw this event as something else entirely.
From Faye's perspective, this attack was a grand success for the Evil Cult, with them succeeding in sowing fear and chaos into the universe and kidnapping Darnell Nuna.
However, she also felt anxious for the fallout that was about to take place in the near future, and whether or not the cult was ready for it?
Having successfully kidnapped Darnell Nuna put them in a war-path against the righteous alliance, where sooner or later a massive conflict was sure to unfold.
Finally, Leo's takeaway from the event was perhaps the most inward-facing of all, as he cared little for his own injuries, the cult's escape, or even the fact that his actions had been broadcast to every inhabited quadrant of the universe.
Because all he could think about— all he could truly feel in this moment— was how monstrously powerful the Monarchs who had stood above him were.
Mu Jianlong, Dupravel Nuna, The Enigma Wade—
He had fought valiantly today, spilled blood, broken bones, and clawed his way through four Grandmasters to claim victory for Rodova, and for a fleeting moment after he achieved it, he had felt invincible.
But then they appeared.
And everything he had accomplished felt small.
Insignificant.
Their very presence warped the space around them— as their auras didn't simply exude power; they imposed it, like their existence itself bended the laws of reality.
'The pressure that Dupravel Nuna exuded when he said, 'Stop, Nobody moves—', it made my blood chill as my body flinched and refused to obey my own head.
What level of strength must he have? That I can't even disobey an indirect command of his that he spoke casually?' Leo wondered, as he felt his heart sink in his chest.
Today he realized that there existed a level of strength so far beyond his own that even a thousand versions of himself wouldn't make up a fraction of their pressure, and it made him feel slightly depressed at how weak he was in the grand scheme of things.
Leo had witnessed Wade say, "I can't sense them in this solar system," with the same calm he might use to comment on the weather, as if searching an entire star system for two people was as trivial as glancing around a room.
'Their attacks… could split this asteroid in half if they wanted to. Maybe even the planet beneath it. And they're holding back,' Leo thought, his lips tightening as he exhaled slowly, every throb of pain in his body now eclipsed by the weight of that realization.
'So this… this is the difference between those who command the universe and those who fight in it. This is what it means to be at the peak.'
And yet, despite the inadequacy curling in his gut, despite the humbling force of their existence crushing down on his pride, Leo didn't feel despair.
He felt hunger.
He felt resolve.
Because today, he had witnessed the peak for the first time.
Today, he had seen what it meant to be a 'Monarch' versus a 'Monarch level talent', as he realized just how far a distance he needed to travel, before he could be proud of himself as a warrior.
And although he wasn't quite there yet, Leo had confidence in himself that if he continued to survive, he would surely get there one day.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 222 222: AftermathTimeless AssassinChapter 222 222: Aftermath(Sky-God Arena, A Few Minutes After the Collapse)
As Muiyan Faye and Major Hen escorted Leo to the medical bay, they briefly glanced at the Sky-God Arena stands, which looked almost as chaotic as the pit they just exited.
The echoes of chaos that had started alongside the explosions had not yet fully faded, however the violence that had erupted along with it was beginning to finally settle down.
This was the kind of quiet that followed only after enough blood had been spilled to silence even the loudest of voices, as everyone involved was too traumatized to make idle chatter.
The scent of blood and charred flesh lingered in the air, layered over by the pungent smell of spilled innards, as the blood of the dead soaked into the cracks of the once-pristine Sky-God arena tiles, with at least a few thousand seemingly having lost their life to the chaos.
Of the guards assigned to the event, most were dead, and those who weren't had either fled the arena perimeter in panic or were currently being held at blade-point by frightened survivors who could no longer distinguish between protector and traitor.
The guard's uniform that once meant safety, now meant suspicion, as most innocent guards seemed disgusted by the colors they wore.
And with law and order in the arena having completely crumbled beneath the weight of panic, fear, and betrayal, it was eventually the universal army soldiers who restored control.
Scattered throughout the stands, lobbies, and upper boxes— men and women of the army who had come to the venue as nothing more than spectators, cadets, and off-duty officers— recognised the failure of local law and order and voluntarily stepped up to fill the gap.
They stepped forward not as envoys of any singular faction, but as soldiers bound by the unspoken code that when law crumbles and chaos reigns, it falls upon those forged in discipline to rise and restore order.
A lieutenant from the Second Interstellar Fleet took charge of the south gate, rallying survivors and redirecting foot traffic.
A pair of seasoned border scouts coordinated medical retrieval units, organizing triage zones and flagging priority evacuees.
A Transport Ship Logistics Captain seized a downed communication node and reactivated the long-range broadcast grid, issuing a universal distress alert and lockdown directive, as he ensured that all transport services in and out of the Sky-God Arena were suspended within minutes.
Air traffic lanes were sealed. Portal rings locked and suspensor trams along the asteroid's inner tunnels were put on lockdown.
"This facility is now under military lockdown. All civilians are to return to their designated lodgings immediately. Anyone in need of medical attention is to report to the central triage zones.
For now, remain calm, remain still and cooperate with the army, and I assure you that you will be assisted in a timely manner."
The announcement echoed from commentary booth loudspeakers as the voice speaking through it sounded crisp, commanding, and left no room for argument.
And remarkably, people listened.
Because for the first time since the explosions had begun, someone was speaking with an authority that could not be faked— an authority born not from titles or uniform, but from steel nerves, clean orders, and battlefield experience.
The arena grounds, once trembling with fear and violence, began to move like a machine rebuilding itself. Order, however fragile, began to take root.
Telepathic mages helped calm those in hysterics, while non-lethal stun drones patrolled the upper stands, ensuring no further outbreaks of violence occurred.
Within the hour, every civilian not marked as medically urgent was quietly escorted back to their lodgings under firm but measured military supervision, with all exits sealed and movement restricted as the entire complex shifted into lockdown.
Interrogation units began working in silence, collecting witness testimonies without drawing attention, while senior warriors traced the arcs of magic still lingering in the air, scanning for residual mana signatures and reconstructing the sequences of battle that had unfolded within the arena's stands, to recognise the exact culprits.
And through it all, Leo and the other injured members of the circuits team, remained guarded behind Major Hen, Professor David, Principal Alric and Muiyan Faye, as the Rodova teachers ensured that their students got the best medical treatment possible, while also shielding them from pointless inquiry interviews.
No low level officials could pass into the Rodova recovery room to ask the children questions, as Alric chased them away with the sternest of rebukes.
For now at least, it seemed like Leo could recover in peace, as the Rodova medical staff tried their best to restore his battered body to peak condition.
—----------
(Meanwhile Commander Jackson)
Commander Jackson was one of the highest ranking Universal Government Official present in the arena when the explosions happened, and he was one of the few who had followed Muiyan Faye into the pit, during the early stages of the explosion's aftermath.
Since he was sitting right above the Rodova Teachers balcony during the Circuit's, he kept a close eye on Faye throughout tournament, and was quick to follow her into the pit, when she leapt in—
And what he found out next, was not something unexpected.
Faye seemed to bang on the golden barrier separating her from Leo like her life depended on it, as in that moment he saw the desperation of a mother trying to save her own child in Faye's eyes.
'They are definitely related by blood…. No simple guard would become this desperate to save an asset—' Jackson assessed at that moment, as he theorized that Faye and Leo were definitely related by blood, making him one of the Mu Clan descendants.
And his delusions only grew stronger when he saw Leo being targeted by the Evil Cult, and when the Mu Clan Patriarch walked towards him when everything was said and done, as adding those two incidents with the information he already had on Leo and Muiyan Faye, Jackson no longer had any doubts about the background of Leo Skyshard.
'The cult wouldn't try to kill one of their own, if Leo was even remotely related to them, they wouldn't have tried to execute him live on air—'
'And the usually reserved Mu Clan Patriarch talking to a boy his age is definitely a sign that he recognises him to be a spawn of the clan—'
Jackson theorized, as after exiting the pit, he joined the rest of the universal army soldiers in restoring law and order, as he made his contribution by taking command of the investigation unit.
He immediately began working on how to get to the bottom of what happened here today and find out who all were responsible, as he made an extensive list of suspects who needed to be interrogated, including some very important names like Principal Alric and the Geneva Academy Principal, however, he conveniently left Muiyan Faye and Leo Skyshard from the investigation list, as he thought he knew better than wasting time on squeaky clean assets.
And so, through a remarkable stroke of timing, an avalanche of chaos that drew attention elsewhere, and the calculated discretion of one man in the right position, Leo not only survived the Evil Cult's ambush but somehow emerged from the wreckage even more spotless than he'd entered it, as the disaster that could have exposed him, ended up doing the exact opposite— and solidified his image as an unfortunate victim of the cult that reinforced his cover as a memory loss warrior from the Mu Clan in the most ironclad way possible.
Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 223 223: PropagandaTimeless AssassinC223 223: Propaganda
(Damien Alcazar's POV, The Sky-God Arena Housing Wing, Lockdown Day 1)
Damien Alcazar was not at all happy to be forced into a lockdown.
In fact, he was positively seething.
The man had tolerated many inconveniences in his career such as diplomatic delays, hostile audits, and the occasional assassination attempt, but being treated like some common civilian under house arrest, locked inside a glorified hotel suite while his schedules burned to ash outside, was a humiliation he could not quietly accept.
As enraged, he stormed toward the door for the third time that hour, boots clicking sharply against the polished tile, as the reinforced panel slid open with a smooth hiss to reveal the same soldier stationed outside.
"You again," Damien snapped, eyes narrowing.
"Listen closely, boy, do you have any idea who I am? I am Damien Alcazar, The patriarch of the renowned Alcazar clan, I run Brughe Industries. I sit on the trade councils of five star systems. I don't have the time to sit on my ass while you lot stumble through your little investigation." Damien complained, however, the soldier did not even so much as blink at his outburst.
This entire floor was filled with snobby guests who liked to complain thrice an hour, however, his orders to not let any of them out were absolute.
"I understand, sir," the young man said, voice filtered through his helmet, as he tried his best to not sound aggressive, "but under military directive 7-A, all civilian guests have been ordered to remain within their quarters. This facility is under lockdown until further notice. If you step out without clearance, I'll be forced to detain you."
"You'll what?" Damien said, his voice rising as a vein throbbed near his temple.
"You'll detain me? For what, exactly? I'm not some riot starter or cult freak! I came here after buying an official ticket to watch a damn tournament, but I had no idea I'd be stuck here like a jackass!
Who's compensating me for my business losses right now, huh? Your mother?" Damien shouted, spittle coming out of his mouth which landed on the soldier's gear, however, he still did not so much as twitch.
"I'm only following orders, sir. Please step back inside."
Damien stared at him fuming, nostrils flaring, but there wasn't much more he could do in this situation other than whine, as although he might be a big fish in a small pond in his own solar system, when compared to the ocean called the Universal Government, he was simply a nobody.
"Damned evil cult bastards…" he muttered, storming back inside, "as if the death toll wasn't enough, they had to drag my schedule down with them too.
If I someday manage to get my hands on one of those damn cult operatives, then I'll personally suffocate a couple of them to death!"
He complained, as he blamed it all on the Evil Cult when he had no-one else to blame for his current inconvenience.
—-----------
Damien Alcazar wasn't the only one who felt pissed at the Evil Cult operatives over the Sky-God Arena attack, as newspapers and media channels across the universe spread the same narrative amongst the masses.
And while the footage of the attack had been too public, too widespread for the government to tamper with the facts of what happened, they still tried to distort the reasoning behind why the Evil Cult did it, to make it more palatable to the masses.
A couple hours after the event, footage clips specially prepared of the explosions, the murders, the golden barrier that sealed Leo underneath, and the chaos that followed, was distributed to select channels.
As that was where the official spin began.
As all Government channels were instructed to run the same story, laced with pre-approved Government propaganda, where every title was marked in bold, reading the same line that said :
"A Black Day at the Sky-God Arena – Evil Cult Strikes the Heart of Our Youth"
The lead paragraph read:
> "In what experts are now calling the deadliest civilian attack on tournament grounds in the last five decades, operatives believed to be affiliated with the extremist organization known as the Evil Cult of Ascension infiltrated the Sky-God Arena security years prior to this event and triggered coordinated acts of terror across all major stands.
Preliminary estimates indicate over 2,000 confirmed casualties and nearly 5,000 more critically injured or missing.
While the motives behind the attack remain unclear, military officials believe it was an attempt to destabilize faith in the circuits, attack the next generation of warriors, and strike fear into the heart of the universal population."
Below the opening summary, casualty heatmaps were already being distributed— holographic models of the arena that now pulsed red in several key quadrants.
One particular quadrant, the eastern elite stands, had suffered the worst damage, with nearly 800 confirmed deaths, many of them being popular warriors or leaders of powerful clans.
But what caught the eyes of readers most weren't the death tolls or the damage estimates, but rather the choice of words printed in every article.
As every single official report declared one singular message as the truth :
> "The Evil Cult intended to destroy our future. But they failed."
Yet despite the universal government refusing to hide the scale of the attack, they made sure to twist the motivation into something palatable. Something heroic. Something that didn't send the general public into fear-driven chaos.
They didn't say the cult had come for anyone specific.
They didn't mention the kidnapping of Darnell Nuna at all.
They didn't say how the cult managed to infiltrate arena security through years of forward planning and planted sleeper agents.
They didn't mention how the safety barrier they deployed had withstood dozens of monarch-level strikes.
Instead, the narrative they presented was something clean and simple as a big time terrorist attack that was caused due to a lapse in security measures.
Tragic, yes.
Brutal, absolutely.
But ultimately, an attack on "hope," and not on the system in particular.
And so, by nightfall, the universe mourned.
Black banners were hung across flagship channels.
An official moment of silence was observed at 1800 hours Galactic Standard Time.
Donations were gathered for the families of the dead.
And calls for revenge and extermination of the Evil Cult echoed louder than ever.
However, behind the scenes, the real mood was less about mourning and more about alarm.
Across encrypted channels, commanders and strategists gathered. Threat assessments were drafted. Cult watchlists were revised and expanded. And several neutral solar systems, ones previously hesitant to join hands with the universal alliance, now pledged military cooperation in the crackdown against the Evil Cult, their resolve hardened by the live footage of burning seats and collapsing stands.
For now, there were no suspects named publicly.
No specific demands issued by the Evil Cult for the Darnell Nuna.
No blame directed toward any particular clan or organization working in tandem with the Evil Cult.
But there was tension.
And the universe…. shaken, bleeding, and unsure seemed to be eagerly waiting for the hammer of judgement to fall, as everyone now waited for the Righteous Alliance's official reaction to this dastardly attack.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 224 224: Mounting PressureTimeless AssassinC224 224: Mounting Pressure
(Dupravel Nuna's POV, Black Serpent Guild Headquarters, Planet Twin Fang)
While the average civilian was bound by military curfew, locked behind hotel room doors with no freedom to leave, Dupravel Nuna faced no such restrictions.
A Monarch did not ask for permission.
And so, not a soul dared stop him as he left the Sky-God Arena behind, vanishing from the asteroid without a word, as he returned to the central headquarters of the Black Serpents on the shadowed plains of planet Twin Fang.
It was here, behind the soundproof obsidian walls of his private office, that the cold mask he'd worn throughout the crisis finally cracked.
He ensured not to show his real emotions before the common public, and even when alone with his so called allies he kept his cool, however, once inside the privacy of his office, before the only man left alive who knew him as something more than the guildmaster, he finally flipped out.
*CRASH—*
The million MP desk shattered as his fist slammed down on its polished surface, shards of glass scattering over the stone tiles, as Dupravel stood trembling with rage, shoulders heaving beneath his tailored robe, teeth clenched so hard the veins on his neck bulged.
"They have my son, Antonio… they took my son, my blood, my heart!"
His voice broke.
The terrifying, cold-blooded killer who ruled one of the most feared assassin guilds in the universe now stood with tears in his eyes, lip trembling, face pale with helpless fury.
"He's just a boy… He doesn't have the stomach for this… he's soft… too kind for this damn world… he won't survive this kind of trauma—"
His voice cracked again, as his fingers curled and uncurled, searching for something to break, to punish, to kill, but there was nothing left in the room for him to destroy that would help bring Darnell back.
Antonio, The Black Serpents Vice Guildmaster, long-time partner, and the only man who dared speak to Dupravel without fear, stood at the corner of the room with arms crossed and a tired sigh forming on his lips.
"Calm down, Dupravel. Your blinding love for that boy is exactly what made him a target. If you did not keep doting on him like a fool in public over the years, nobody would target a small kid like him to get to you–"
Antonio's words were blunt, honest and dangerous, but they were also necessary.
"The righteous alliance is already putting pressure on us," Antonio continued, eyes sharp, voice low. "They're claiming they don't trust your emotional state right now… They've demanded we hand over the Timeless Assassin's skill scroll for 'safekeeping' before you go and trade it away for your son's life."
*CRASH—*
Another crash— this time a steel ornament slammed into the wall, shattering against the stone with a sharp clang, as Dupravel turned, eyes blazing with fury.
"Damn right I'll trade it. I'll give them my own heart if they ask for it, Antonio. My life. My soul. I'll crawl across broken glass if it gets him back, you hear me?!"
Dupravel's voice shook the chamber, as Antonio said nothing at first, and only simply closed his eyes and breathed.
Because Dupravel Nuna, for all his tactical genius and unrivaled bloodlust, had always been a simp for his late wife, and after she died, all that irrational, obsessive love was poured into the one thing she left behind.
Darnell Nuna.
Antonio had never seen his friend's heart falter in the face of enemy armies or assassination attempts, but show him a scrape on his child's knee, and he unraveled like a nervous wreck.
Dupravel was a Monarch, yes.
A living weapon who could slaughter armies.
But at his core, he was still just a man clinging desperately to the only person he had left to love.
"If that's really your attitude," Antonio muttered, his gaze hardening.
"Then I agree with the alliance. Maybe we should hand the scroll over. Because if you can't think clearly now, then you don't have the stomach to protect it." Antonio said, as the glare that Dupravel gave him in response, could have easily killed someone faint hearted.
"I'll skin you alive where you stand if you even whisper such a statement again!" Dupravel threatened as he took a step forward, eyes cold now.
"You and I both know what that scroll means. It's not just a treasure, it's leverage, it's power.
The only reason we're untouchable in the universe is because of that scroll. The only reason the universal government doesn't meddle in our business is because they're scared that we might hand it to the cult."
His voice lowered, deadly calm.
"If we hand it over now, even under the banner of 'safekeeping,' it'll never come back. And without it… we're just another faction. Just another guild. Our respect, our immunity, our equal standing with the great clans… it'll vanish overnight."
Antonio's brow furrowed— but this time, he allowed himself a smile.
"Good," he said. "So you haven't gone mad."
Dupravel scoffed and turned away, waving him off.
"Of course I haven't. I'm not stupid. I would not hand over that scroll under any circumstance.
But the question is, has the Evil Cult even demanded for the scroll? Have they spoken about any ransom? Any demand?" Dupravel inquired, as—
"Nothing yet," Antonio admitted, shaking his head.
"No message… no conditions. Just silence."
Dupravel clenched his fists tighter.
"And us? Have we found anything?"
"I've dispatched every shadow we have. Our best scouts, sleeper agents, even mobilized our affiliate groups.
Finding Darnell is the guild's only priority for now." Antonio replied, as Dupravel nodded in understanding.
"Good. Because if we don't find him soon, I don't think I'll be able to control my bloodlust anymore…. At which point, entire planets will feel my rage—" Dupravel warned, as Antonio shuddered.
From time to time, Dupravel succumbed to violent episodes of unrestrained bloodlust— periods where his rage boiled so fiercely that he partook in the indiscriminate slaughter of entire civilizations, not out of necessity or strategy, but simply because his thirst for carnage refused to be quenched.
This was one of the side effects of binding with the 'Urn Of Death', the artefact that was both the source of his strength, and the reason behind his insatiable bloodlust.
As even Antonio feared standing across Dupravel when he was having one of those days, as when he lost control, he was known to forget the distinction between even friend and foe anymore.
This was part of the reason behind why he was forced to hunt down the previous dragon Noah.
As after one of his indiscriminate killing episodes, whereby he wiped out an entire planet under protection of the Du Clan, he was forced to pay reparations by helping the alliance hunt down Evil Cult targets, until he got his hands on the Timeless Assassin's skill scroll which changed everything.
By having the scroll, all his previous transgressions were pardoned, and he was given status akin to a big clan patriarch, elevating the status of the entire Black Serpents Guild in the process.
However, now with his son kidnapped, all that precariously achieved progress was on the brink of unraveling, as the pressure to give up the scroll mounted from all sides.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 225 225: InterrogationTimeless AssassinC225 225: Interrogation
(Dupravel Nuna's POV, Interrogation Chamber, Black Serpent Guild Headquarters, Planet Twin Fang)
Twelve hours after his office rampage, Dupravel Nuna stood deathly still in the center of a circular chamber buried deep beneath the Black Serpent Guild's core facility.
It was a place sealed from light, sound, and prayer. A place built for nothing but violation.
The floor of the room was etched with ritualistic glyphs soaked in old blood, the dried stains a proof of all the previous horrors that took place over the years.
And at the center of it all, sprawled atop a stone pedestal, lay the freshly delivered corpse of a transcendent warrior, which the guild had specially procured by killing a guildmaster of a small time guild.
"He's a match," Antonio said as he pulled the cloth away from the body. "Same mana signature type, similar size, it's exactly what you requested."
Dupravel said nothing, as he simply raised his hand and summoned the urn.
*HISS*
The temperature in the room suddenly dropped a few degrees, as from a fourth dimensional space emerged an urn.
It didn't float, it glided in Dupravel's palm, as the white glyphs written on its silver body glowed faintly.
Antonio couldn't help but shudder in its presence, as although he had seen Dupravel perform this ritual to bring back the dead at least a hundred times now, he still couldn't help but tremble, everytime he witnessed the act.
"Mahumta, Falleva, Mareba, Makumbaya!"
Dupravel chanted out loud in the old tongue, as he slowly unscrewed the top of the urn.
*SHHHHK*
A dry hiss escaped the urn, like breath from a forgotten tomb as it unsealed successfully.
Then, as Dupravel tilted it, a thin stream of dark black ash trickled out ever so slightly, which Dupravel cupped carefully, before closing the urn at once.
"Mahumta, Falleva, Mareba, Makumbaya!"
He chanted again, as he signalled for Antonio to pull open the dead man's mouth.
*Open*
Antonio did as asked, and held the dead man's mouth open, as Dupravel slammed the ash into the dead man's throat before smothering the dead man's face with his palm, as he channeled his mana through the dead body.
The reaction was instant.
*THUMP*
The corpse arched violently.
*CRACK*
Ribs snapped inward, the skin split across the sternum, and from within that tear— light appeared.
There was a faint flicker of white light, followed by a loud scream.
"ARGHHHHH—-"
A voice roared through the room, however, creepily, it did not originate from the dead man's throat, but rather from inside his lungs, from his very soul.
The body spasmed, convulsing as Jishan's soul, now forcefully anchored into this foreign flesh, clawed its way back to the surface of consciousness.
*GASP*
The eyes flew open.
And then, silence.
Until Jishan looked up and saw Dupravel standing above him, calm, composed, and smiling.
"No... no, I died... I died... I— what is this?" Jishan croaked, his voice warped, broken, as fear appeared in his eyes.
"Oh, you died alright," Dupravel said coolly, crouching beside the table.
"But now you're back. And you're going to answer a few questions for me, Jishan. Because a summoned soul bound by my urn cannot lie." Dupravel said, as he ran his fingers evilly across Jishan's terrified face, enjoying every second of this intimidation.
"No… no… nooo—"
Jishan trembled. His fingers twitched, clawing at the slab, but his limbs barely responded, as fear bloomed across the new face he wore.
"You can't move…. You can't do anything but breathe and talk unless I will you to. And currently I don't…. I don't want you to move, so you can't—" Dupravel said with a smile, as Jishan finally understood the position he was in.
Soul Magic was one of the most difficult magic in the universe, and there were not more than 3 recorded cases of there being Grandmaster or higher tiered Soul Mages.
Hence what Dupravel did here today, by anchoring his soul to a foreign body, was nothing short of impossible, as this was logically impossible to achieve.
And yet, here he was, back alive, staring at the one man he hated the most, while being completely in his command.
"Where is my son?" Dupravel asked, his voice soft, his smile gentle.
As Jishan hesitated…. Even tried to resist the question with all his might, however, something within him broke instantly, as he simply couldn't help but start blabbering.
"I... I don't know. I wasn't told. I was always meant to die... I was disposable. They didn't tell me the plan beyond the attack... ."
Dupravel's eyes narrowed, as he did not like the answer even one bit.
"Fucking Evil Cult Bastards….. I wasted my strength by resurrecting this clown, he knows nothing—" Dupravel cursed, as in his anger he pulled Jishan's hand to his face and began biting off his fingers one by one, as he caused unimaginable pain to Jishan's body.
"ARGH… ARGH…. AAA…" Jishan screamed, but there was no one in the room who gave a fuck.
As Antonio simply let out a long sigh and said "Although he doesn't know about Darnell… he might know something else about the Evil Cult that we can use…. Ask him about that—"
He suggested, as Dupravel stopped with his harming spree for a second, and turned to look towards Jishan with cold eyes.
"What do you know about the cult? Tell us everything—" He commanded, as with tears rolling down his eyes, Jishan began blabbering everything he knew about the cult.
"The elder I reported to was known only as Mighty Mouse… he was the one who orchestrated this entire operation, the mastermind who began laying the groundwork for this attack as far back as…" Jishan began, his voice quivering as the truth spilled out uncontrollably.
And for the next two hours, he spoke without pause.
He told Dupravel everything—
Right from the start about the brothers he trained with since childhood, the rituals they endured, the secret codes and phrases they used to identify one another across planets, the black-market arms routes that armed them, the financial sources that sustained them, the sanctuaries they built in remote systems, the cult's organizational hierarchy, to the names of the other two transcendent operatives who had taken Darnell Nuna and disappeared through the spatial rift.
He confessed it all, like an obedient little pet too terrified to bite, even as he trembled in fear with every answer he gave.
And yet, when the last word left his mouth and the truth stood fully exposed before Dupravel, there was no mercy for him.
There was no reprieve.
There was only a slow, cruel smile that curled across the Guildmaster's face, one that promised pain not out of necessity, but out of twisted indulgence.
"Well done," Dupravel said softly, stepping closer, his voice almost affectionate now. "Now that you've served your purpose... I get to kill you again, this time slowly… this time properly… this time for fun."
And so, against a backdrop of screams that tore through the stone halls like cursed music, Dupravel made good on that promise.
Six more hours of pain followed.
Six more hours of inventive cruelty, not because he needed to extract anything more, but simply because he could.
As only when the ashes had been wrung of all their agony did he finally let Jishan's soul crumble into silence, granting him the one mercy he had withheld until the very end— oblivion.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 226 226: Muted CelebrationsTimeless AssassinC226 226: Muted Celebrations
(Rodova Team Villa, Lockdown Day 2, Sky-God Arena, The Private Villa Sector)
While Dupravel Nuna spent his night buried deep within the underbelly of Twin Fang, torturing the soul of a resurrected cultist to wring every last shred of truth from his ash-bound lips, the students of Rodova, though far removed from the same level of darkness, carried their own burdens in the aftermath of the attack.
Those who had recovered enough from their injuries, and had enough strength in them to stand, talk, and keep down solid food were gradually moved from the medical bay to the Rodova team villa, where they were quarantined just like the other commoners in attendance, held under lockdown as the investigation continued.
Yet even though they had technically emerged as champions of the tournament, crowned atop the leaderboard with glory that once would've been cause for thunderous celebration and wild banquets, there was no festivity in the air.
No cheers, no parties, not even a quiet toast.
Because the Sky-God Arena, once a grand hall of competition and pride, had become a massacre site, and with over two thousand corpses still being processed just a few kilometres away from them, nobody seemed in particularly high spirits.
The atmosphere within the Rodova team quarters was muted and hollow.
Even as food trays came and went, and instructors occasionally checked in, the students mostly kept to themselves, drifting between rooms or sitting together in the common space, the silence broken only by the occasional conspiracy or whispered memory of the chaos they'd witnessed.
"There was a guard… just a few rows above where we were seated," Kohli murmured, as he sat cross-legged on the floor, rubbing his arms absently, "he was a sleeper agent, I saw him switch sides mid-fight with my own eyes…. That man cut down two families before he was stopped."
"I heard that too," Boxer nodded grimly, seated beside him with his back against the couch. "They said his badge and uniform was fake, but he had real weapons, the actual government-issued short knife…. Which makes me wonder how he got it."
"I heard worse," DP added, eyes darting from one side of the room to the other, lowering his voice. "Word going around is… someone from the Universal Government wanted this to happen. That the casualties were mostly relatives and affiliates of the Six Great Clans, and the higher-ups just let it happen to reduce their influence…"
"That's bullshit," Yu Shen muttered from his place near the window, arms crossed, and face angry. "If that's true, we're not just looking at some cult war… this would be a full blown galactic war."
"Yeah, well… a big war feels kind of likely right now, doesn't it?" Drake said, his voice dry, his fingers tapping nervously on the glass of water in his hand.
Minerva didn't speak.
She just sat quietly at the corner of the table, listening, her eyes hollow and distant, as she did not add anything to this pointless discussion.
Then—-
As the front door suddenly opened, all heads turned.
There, standing on the threshold, covered in fresh bandages and an arm brace, was Leo, who moved with an awkward motion, unlike his usual grace.
For a heartbeat, nobody said anything after looking at him, until—
"AYYYYYY—LOOK WHO'S BACK!" Enzo shouted, springing to his feet with a massive grin as he rushed forward, arms wide open like a man welcoming home his long-lost brother.
Without hesitation, he wrapped Leo into a tight, bone-crushing hug that made Leo's ribs throb just from the contact.
"Damn, man! You really pulled it off… we saw the whole thing—twice! Professor David taped the whole fight, and we saw it together last night." Enzo grinned, stepping back slightly, clapping him on the shoulder with genuine warmth.
One by one, the rest followed suit.
Boxer was next, pulling Leo into a rough, one-armed hug with a toothy grin and a muttered, "You crazy bastard, I thought you were done for when you fell in that pit… good to see you alive and okay my man."
Then came Kohli, eyes misting as he hugged him quietly, not saying much, just holding him a moment longer than the others.
Followed by Yu Shen, who gave him a warm smile and a firm handshake.
"Thank you…. By winning the circuit's you made my dream, and the dreams of all the Rodova captain's before me come true. Because of you, I can sleep just fine, because God knows I wouldn't have, if Rodova lost and I did not win my match," Yu Shen said, as his eyes watered up.
He was usually a pretty chill guy, however, Leo knew exactly how much winning the circuit meant to him, and now that he had the chance to properly express his gratitude, he did just that.
"It was a team effort, I didn't bring us to the finals alone," Leo replied, as Yu Shen gave him a curt nod, before leaving the queue as Minerva stepped forward last.
"Welcome back." She said in a soft voice before giving him a shy hug, as Leo smiled back.
And just like that, the atmosphere within the Villa shifted.
The grief didn't vanish, the fear didn't disappear, but for the first time since the explosions… there was warmth.
There was a cause for celebration, as no longer did the team talk about gloomy stuff but rather excitedly recalled Leo's battles against the Geneva warriors.
And even though Leo stood in the center of it all, letting each hug, handshake, and smile wash over him like waves against a stone, his mind remained quiet, calculating, detached.
He didn't particularly like the attention, or the physical touch, but he did his best to endure and blend in, as he did not want to kill the joy of his teammates, who did deserve this happiness after all the hard work they had put in through the season.
'Su Yang, you fool…. If only you were here, I'm sure you would have enjoyed this…' Leo thought, as he let out a deep sigh.
As although Leo had recovered enough to return, Su Yang, who had received a gaping wound straight through his abdomen during the circuits, was yet to be medically cleared and was expected to remain in the medical bay for a couple more days.
That aside, it was rare for Leo to miss anyone, as his memory loss had stripped away most of the emotional ties he might have once had, leaving behind a void whereby he seldom craved company.
But slowly, almost imperceptibly, Su Yang had started to become an exception.
These past few months of training together and pushing their limits side by side had caused Leo to grow slightly fond of him, and while it was not enough to be called true friendship, it was still enough to make his absence noticeable.
Their relationship had grown to a point where Leo no longer minded his company, and on some days, even preferred it to being alone, which was a huge milestone for someone as cold as him.
"Oh? You're back?" A female voice interrupted his thoughts, as Muiyan Faye looked at him with her usual stern gaze restored.
"Once you're done greeting everyone, come meet me in my room, I need to prepare you for some questions that the investigators might have for you later," Faye instructed, as Leo gave her a curt nod in response.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 227 227: An unexpected offerTimeless AssassinC227 227: An unexpected offer
After greeting everyone present in the living room, Leo moved towards Muiyan Faye's private quarters which were also located on the ground floor.
However, as he moved towards her room, the male teammates in the room began making some inappropriate jokes.
"Oh how I wish to be alone in instructor Faye's quarters…. She's quite a looker that's for sure!" Kohli said, as he ran his fingers through his hair and put forward a lewd face.
"But she won't invite you alone in there, Kohli… you're not a champion like Skyshard here…" DP teased, as the others chuckled.
"Go get her, tiger! Make sure you listen to every advice she has to offer— cause that's how you improve your performance!" Enzo added, as Leo shot them all a disgusted glare before knocking softly on Faye's door.
*Knock*
*Knock*
Faye opened the door with her usual stern face, before stepping out, as she looked at the rowdy bunch chuckling in the living room.
"I heard that…." She said, as she threw them all a death stare, which instantly made Enzo, Kohli and DP turn ashen white.
Of Course they were just joking…. Messing with Leo for the sake of it, however, for instructor Faye to have heard it made them scared to their core.
Thankfully, she took no further action and just gestured for Leo to get in, as they seemed to get a free pass just for today.
—------------
(Within Muiyan Faye's Room)
As soon as Faye closed the door behind Leo, she began weaving a series of layered spells such as noise cancellation barriers, anti-surveillance wards, and a few other glyphs Leo didn't quite recognize.
However, they were all designed to secure the room for maximum privacy, so that the two could have a proper discussion without having to worry about any of their conversation leaking to the outside world.
Faye moved with quiet urgency, her expression sharper than usual, her presence heavier, as Leo could tell right away that whatever she had to say wasn't going to be ordinary.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, his voice cutting through the silence.
But she didn't answer.
Not yet.
Not until the final ward dimmed into place, and the last flicker of ambient mana settled into stillness.
Only then did she turn to face him, her eyes unreadable, her posture rigid—letting him know without saying a word that what followed would matter.
"We are currently in a difficult position," Muiyan Faye confessed, as Leo felt his stomach drop a little before stabilizing.
He did not like how the conversation opened on a grim note, however, he simply gestured for Faye to continue.
"I can't tell you the bits that might implicate you, should they scrutinize your memories later, so I will tell you this story in a way where you will have to connect a lot of the missing context yourself and draw your own conclusions at times," Faye explained, as Leo nodded in understanding.
"My real name…. Is not Muiyan Faye, my real name is actually Mu Fan," Faye said as she removed her artificial hair and make-up, revealing her true stunningly beautiful appearance to Leo.
The real her did not have black hair and brown eyes, but rather red hair and gray eyes, that made her look much more intense than her disguise.
With her being a transcendent level warrior, she looked as young as any student of the academy, and Leo could easily make-out how Mu Fan was sure to have many suitors based on how beautiful and exquisite she looked.
"I am a branch leader within the Mu Clan, but my real affiliation lies somewhere else, somewhere alongside—" She paused, as she gestured towards the direction of the Sky-God arena, letting Leo make the connection on his own.
Nodding, Leo immediately picked up on the fact that Faye was associated with the Cult, as surprisingly, this revelation did not shock him one bit.
He had always suspected this after the kind of Ghost Sleep visions he saw, and today just happened to be a confirmation of his hypothesis.
"Even the Mu Clan has no idea where my loyalties actually lie, as I'm undercover in the academy under the clans orders.
Which is why, after your survival, the Mu Family Patriarch was the first to come and greet you, as in that short public exchange, he sent me a private message" Faye spoke, as Leo raised a concerned eyebrow at this revelation.
"The Mu Clan Patriarch's third son, has been cast out into the universe with no memories of his past, nor any recollection of his connection to the clan.
However, unlike you, he's not doing well for himself.
His talent is merely that of a 'Grandmaster' tier individual and his progress as a warrior has been unsatisfactory.
He is a stain to the Mu Family main branch, which is why the patriarch is planning to secretly replace him with you within the clan—" Faye said, as Leo felt shivers run down his spine as he heard those words.
"Currently, everyone within the upper echelons of the universe is digging into you and your past after your performance in the Circuit finals, and it's only a matter of time before someone finds out the real truth behind your identity.
Although, the attention of major organisations currently is more preoccupied with the attack that happened, sooner or later, their attention will fall back on you, which is why it's imperative we act fast" Faye said, as her own face contorted into an ugly smile.
"Almost everyone is assuming currently that you're a hidden spawn of the Mu Clan.
Because it's simply not possible for children born outside the six great clans or some known powerhouse, to have such terrifying bloodline potential.
And even the Mu Family Patriarch is assuming that you're my own son.
Which is why he's willing to adopt and replace you with his third son"
"I—I am the great granddaughter of the Mu Clan God. Making my blood one of the purest within the Mu Clan, and although I'm not from the main family, my influence within the Clan is significant.
The current patriarch is my grand-uncle and he absolutely insists that I convince you to become the third young master," Faye said, as her voice cracked slightly.
"And if you take the offer, it won't be a bad decision.
The Mu Clan is powerful, they will help take care of your past, ensure that all criminal records of 'Leo Skyshard' are wiped clean, and that an extensive history of you actually being the third young master is forged.
You will live the life of a king.
Have access to unlimited resources.
Struggle for nothing.
However…. Should you accept this offer, I will never return your memories to you.
Accepting this offer means saying goodbye to your old life forever.
It means that you ditch being Leo Skyshard and accept your identity as Mu Wudan, and that will be that.
However, if you reject it, know that with the amount of scrutiny on your back, someone somewhere might find out that you're actually not supposed to be in Rodova, that you're actually a wanted criminal, and put a massive target on your back.
However, that way, I'll return your memories after you manage to join the Black Serpents.
The choice is yours…..
Joining the Mu Clan means security and prestige.
While choosing to live your life as Leo Skyshard, means you continue to struggle like a worm and continue being put in difficult situations throughout your life.
So…. What will it be?" Faye asked, as Leo's face cracked into a daunting smile.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 228 228: ChoiceTimeless AssassinC228 228: Choice
Leo understood the gist of the situation based on Mu Fan's explanation.
Although she couldn't explain the whole picture clearly, she still told him enough for Leo to draw his own conclusions.
And the key takeaways Leo had from her speech were:
1. Faye belonged to the Evil Cult. She was a member of that universally hated group, which most likely meant that his own backer was the Evil Cult as well.
2. Faye was actually a part of the Mu Clan, and the Mu Clan seemed to have no idea that she had defected.
And although Leo had no clue as to why the Mu Clan planted her in the Rodova Military Academy or what her official role within the clan was, if he had to guess why, Leo assumed that one of his classmates this year, who seemed to be from a commoner background, was actually a Mu Clan descendant. And after thinking back on the very first day of the academy, where Su Yang beat up a poor, innocent kid who claimed to have memory loss, Leo became even more sure that perhaps that kid was none other than Mu Wudan.
3. Somehow, there seemed to be a misunderstanding amongst the higher powers in the universe that he was perhaps from the Mu Clan. This misunderstanding may have stemmed from his memory loss and bloodline prowess, and it was exactly this rumor that the Mu Family Patriarch wanted to capitalize on.
4. Since Mu Wudan was such a disappointment to the family, the Patriarch wanted to replace Wudan with him in the clan to save face and show the universe that his bloodline had not run cold. The Su family had Su Yang, and the Yu family had Yu Shen, which made their social appearance look strong. Hence, if it were to be revealed that Leo Skyshard was actually Mu Wudan, the social image of the Mu Clan would be elevated several times, and the Patriarch would be able to lift his head with pride at having Leo as a son versus the actual Wudan.
5. However, while it was the Patriarch's wish for him to take the place of Mu Wudan, it seemed like Muiyan Faye did not want the same for him. Although she offered him a choice, her putting the caveat that he would have to let go of his previous identity if he accepted it was indicative of her true thoughts.
In conclusion, Leo understood that Faye had only offered him this choice today because she expected the Mu Clan to approach him separately as well and try to entice him with the same offer, which was why she decided it would be better if it came from her rather than someone else. However, in her heart, she did not want Leo to take the offer.
And thankfully for her, Leo had no intentions of living his life as the Mu Clan young master either.
He truly cared for the well-being of his family, and their safety and security were his first priority.
Hence, although he understood that rejecting the Mu Clan's offer meant gambling with his future—where his real past may be exposed at any moment—Leo still chose to take that risky path, as it was the only path whereby he could help his family.
Smiling, he looked straight into Faye's eyes as he said, "I choose option two. Fuck the Mu Clan, I'm only interested in joining the Black Serpents and getting my memories back—"
As listening to his words, Faye immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
*HUFF—*
Faye exhaled sharply, her lips curling into a small smile.
"Good choice…. I know it wasn't an easy one, but you choosing it regardless shows character, Skyshard. Many people can only dream of being a prince of the main clan. But you don't care for it. You're truly a unique one," Faye complimented, as Leo simply shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance.
"I know in my core I'm not a prince…. However, did you see how many princes I wiped clean in the finals? My talent is no weaker than them either—" Leo replied with pride, as Faye nodded in agreement.
"It for sure isn't, and trust me, I'll do everything I can in my power to keep you safe. As long as I'm alive… I'll try my best that no harm befalls you. Even if it means adopting you as my son," Faye said, her voice cracking slightly when she said 'son'.
It was a big deal for her to take Leo in as her son, even if it was only for the sake of creating an alibi.
As declaring him as her child would significantly lower her standing within the Mu Clan, as no longer would she be seen as a virgin who could be shipped off to another clan in times of political crisis which would anger many elders within the Clan.
However, despite the consequences, Faye was ready to face it all.
As if Leo was ready to reject the life of a prince for the sake of the mission, then she too was ready to make sacrifices on her part, to give him as legitimate of an identity as she could.
"It will take me some time to get your background created… and I'm sure it will be very difficult to curry favors within the universal government to manipulate the record books after this terrorist attack.
However, I'll still get it done. Rest assured, Skyshard. I'll do my best to protect you—" Faye assured again, as she began to put her makeup back on, signaling that the conversation was nearing its conclusion.
"What about the current active investigation about the terrorist attack? You think they'll call me to take my testimony?" Leo asked, as Faye shook her head.
"Unlikely. If they wanted to call you, they would have the moment you were medically cleared. The fact that you're here means they don't suspect your involvement," Faye assured, her confidence allowing Leo to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Alright then, I guess I'll take my leave—" Leo said, walking toward the door, as Faye nodded and gave him permission to walk out.
—-----------
*Clink*
As Leo closed the door after exiting, Faye immediately pulled out the communication crystal she had been hiding.
On the other side, the Evil Cult elder had been listening to their entire exchange live, and only after Leo left did he speak the first words.
"The boy is grounded, Faye. He doesn't seem to have his ego inflated after the Circuit win, nor does he seem to be the type that actively chases glory or fame. He… possesses the qualities to be made the next dragon," the man said, his voice deep, calm, and calculated— as he seemed very cautious in his optimism regarding Leo having the qualities to become the next dragon.
"I told you! I told you he's perfect to become the next Dragon Candidate. If only you introduced him to the Cult, he wouldn't have been targeted so rashly—" Faye complained, as the man on the other side rebuked her instantly.
"If I had introduced him, your cover alongside his would already be blown. It is only because of the genuine threat to his life in the attack that nobody is suspecting the boy of foul play. I'd say it all played out pretty well in the end," the man replied, his tone razor-sharp and mercilessly logical.
"He's not ready to be crowned Dragon just yet… but I'll speak about him to a couple more elders I trust and do my best to have his past records cleaned. The Cult will start investing in Leo Skyshard from now on… that much I promise," he said before terminating the connection, as Faye felt a slow, confident surge built within her—not from relief, but readiness, as the game seemed to be moving into its next phase.
The cult was finally ready to support Leo from the shadows, and that was the first big step in his journey to officially becoming a Dragon.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 229 229: Investigation FindingsTimeless AssassinC229 229: Investigation Findings
(Commander Jackson's POV – Temporary Investigation Center, Sky-God Arena Perimeter, Lockdown Day 2)
After forty eight hours of nonstop investigation, dozens of witness interrogations, and two sleepless shifts at the helm of the Sky-God Arena task force, Commander Jackson finally compiled his preliminary report on the terror attack.
Unfortunately, it wasn't much.
As he found no smoking gun. No names of any central mastermind that had orchestrated the assault. Nor any hot trails that could help trace the kidnappers of Darnell Nuna.
What stood before him was a massacre that was meticulously timed and flawlessly executed.
As it seemed to have been carried out by independent sleeper cells that self-destructed upon mission completion, leaving behind no loose ends.
Still, despite the lack of credible cult witnesses to interrogate, the task force did manage to extract a few critical insights— none of which were particularly comforting.
—
[1] Infiltration Method: Completely Unknown.
Despite extensive testimony from surviving guards and patrolmen with no known cult affiliation, no one could explain how the sabotage of the central battlefield had taken place.
The explosives that triggered the collapse of the arena's core had been planted into the structural joints days before the event.
With the shocking part not being that they were planted early— but rather that they were never noticed in the days that followed.
No maintenance worker, no engineer, no safety overseer, observed anything out of the ordinary, and even safety sweeps failed to pick up on anything.
The bombs weren't cloaked in advanced stealth fields or hidden inside dimensional pockets.
They had been left out in the open— but still camouflaged so effectively that no detection system picked them up.
Which led to the next, more disturbing point.
—
[2] Camouflage Beyond Current Alliance Capabilities.
The materials used to mask the explosives were of unknown origin, and likely not from any recognized manufacturer or faction within the Universal Alliance.
Even high-level mana filtration and thermal spectrography failed to detect residue from the explosives post-detonation.
Which meant that in essence, the bombs were disguised using a technique that surpassed the scientific and magical detection standards of even the top-tier laboratories and tech divisions across allied territories.
Not a single blacksmith or engineer within Alliance ranks could replicate the camouflage method, as that discovery alone made one thing clear: the evil cult wasn't just surviving in the shadows— but also thriving in science and technology.
—
[3] No Evidence of Cross-Communication Between Operatives.
Cross-referencing arena security footage, movement logs, and mana footprint data yielded another unsettling revelation: the attackers had no contact with each other before or during the mission.
No signals. No hand gestures. No overlapping paths.
Each operative functioned independently—executing their task with surgical precision, fully aware that they would not live to see the next sunrise.
Their compartmentalized instructions ensured operational integrity. No individual had enough information to compromise the whole plan and even if one or two failed or were discovered, the rest would proceed unimpeded.
The mission had no single fail point—only a system of zealots, bred to obey and primed to die.
—
[4] Primary Target: Darnell Nuna.
Timeline sequencing and multiple eyewitness accounts confirmed what many had already suspected. Darnell Nuna—the son of Monarch Dupravel Nuna and rising prodigy of Geneva Military Academy—was the main target of this attack.
The strike unit responsible for his capture demonstrated superior coordination, carried better equipment, and operated under a more refined chain of command.
Their exit strategy involved spatial displacement technology far beyond civilian-grade capabilities, suggesting this team was deployed from the highest echelons of the Evil Cult.
Beside Darnell, the others who lost their lives in this attack were mostly Veteran warriors, political enforcers, and high-profile cult enemies.
As only after those objectives were met, did the surviving agents descend into chaos, where they began killing indiscriminately to achieve maximum chaos.
—
[5] Compromised Government Infrastructure.
Perhaps the most damning observation of all was the uncomfortable truth about internal corruption.
The bombs had been planted too cleanly.
The weapons, supplies, and disguises too easily smuggled in.
The infiltration was not a fluke—nor was it simply the result of lax security.
It was assisted.
Official credentials used during the attack were authenticated and cleared through legitimate channels. Several of the fallen operatives had been granted arena access via fully verified command logs.
Which meant only one thing—
The cult had allies inside the system.
Not rogue hackers. Not bribed freelancers.
Sympathizers.
Sleeper agents embedded within the ranks of the Universal Government itself.
And if that was true, then no branch was safe.
No perimeter reliable.
No alliance secure.
—-------
Jackson let the report fall onto the edge of his desk, its hard-light projection flickering softly as he leaned back in his chair, his temples throbbing from the weight of what he had just confirmed.
The Sky-God Arena incident wasn't just a terrorist attack.
It wasn't even a massacre.
It was a message.
A demonstration by the cult for the righteous alliance.
With the message being that—
"We can reach you. We can take your children. We can do it under your nose… and you won't even know who we are."
As just thinking about it, Jackson exhaled sharply, fingers tightening around the edge of the desk.
It wasn't the attack itself that bothered him.
But rather the systemic corruption that did.
The current government structure was hollow, with thousands of Evil Cult sympathizers holding top ranks, and weeding them out was surely going to be a pain.
"I need to start building a team I can trust… It may take me two to three years to get to the bottom of this, but given enough time, I'm confident I can uncover the full truth.
The current reach of the Evil Cult extends far beyond anything we previously imagined, and if they aren't stopped soon, they'll replace the existing government from the inside out without anyone realizing it until it's far too late.
This isn't just a rogue threat anymore… It's something the War Generals and the Sovereign Gods themselves will have to get involved in eventually.
Because if left unchecked, this could mark the end of the Righteous Alliance as we know it."
Jackson whispered the words to himself, lighting up a cigar with slow, deliberate fingers as the full weight of the situation finally settled on his shoulders.
For nearly two decades, the Evil Cult had been uncharacteristically silent, fading into obscurity, with their influence seemingly withering after the death of their last Dragon.
And for a time, it truly seemed as though they'd lost the will to rise again.
But what they had actually done was lie dormant, gathering strength in the shadows, as they waited for the right moment to strike.
The attack on the Sky-God Arena wasn't an isolated incident.
It was a signal flare marking the start of the Evil Cult's resurgence.
And now, the universe was on the verge of plunging back into chaos, as the eternal war between light and darkness prepared to erupt once more.
This time, Jackson could feel it in his bones that only one side would emerge from the storm intact while the other… was sure to be annihilated, as this attack was a clear indication that the two factions could surely no longer coexist together, whereby they simply ignored the existence of the other.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 230 230: Come If You DareTimeless AssassinC230 230: Come If You Dare
(Darnell Nuna's POV – Unknown Planet, Evil Cult Custody, Day 3)
'I thought the Evil Cult's base would be like something out of a necromancer's dungeon… damp stone walls, iron chains, the stench of rotting flesh, and skulls arranged like décor,' Darnell mused as he sat by the window, peering out over the shimmering skyline of what looked like a rather well-functioning city.
But to his surprise, none of those dark fantasy clichés applied.
He wasn't tied up. He wasn't being tortured. Hell, he wasn't even being watched all the time. His room had a real mattress—high quality too—fluffy pillows, clean sheets, and a panoramic view of a sprawling city bathed in warm dusk light.
Occasionally, people even knocked politely before delivering his meals.
'Is this really the Evil Cult?' he wondered again, brow furrowed, spoon halfway to his mouth.
The food was good. A little rich for his taste, but seasoned well.
*Knock.*
*Knock.*
The sound snapped him from his thoughts, and he quickly turned toward the door as it slid open with a soft hiss.
An old man stepped in—short, well-dressed, with laugh lines carved deep into the sides of his cheeks and a gentle twinkle in his eyes that didn't match the reputation of the faction he supposedly served.
"Good evening, young master Nuna," the man said warmly, his tone so relaxed it almost felt like a grandfather greeting a grandson.
"I'm called Mighty Mouse," he added, offering a light bow.
Darnell blinked. "Mighty what now?" he said, letting out a laugh. "That's your name?"
"Well," the old man chuckled along, "a nickname, really. One I've carried for some time. People remember it better than my real one, so I've grown quite fond of it."
"You Cult folks really aren't what I expected," Darnell admitted, still chuckling. "You're more polite than half the academy instructors I've had."
"We do our best to make guests feel welcome," Mighty Mouse said, pulling up a chair and sitting with a soft grunt. "Tell me something, Darnell—may I call you Darnell?"
"Sure."
"Tell me… how was your childhood? What kind of memories did you make with your father?"
Darnell's face immediately lit up, his smile stretching wide as he leaned forward, enthusiasm bubbling in his voice. "He's the best. Strongest man in the universe, hands down. I used to watch him train guild members from the shadows, thinking he was like some mythical beast. But he's not all scary, y'know? At home, he was... soft. Funny, even. The way he used to brush my hair or scold me when I stole sweets from the kitchen…" his voice softened, "I bet he's worried sick for me right now."
A sudden wave of guilt washed over his face, and his eyes lowered to the table, the smile slowly fading.
Mighty Mouse observed all of it calmly, nodding with a thoughtful hum, but internally, his assessment was cold and clear.
'Emotionally untrained. This boy wears his emotions on his face, and has the maturity of a seven year old.
Even Though he's grown up physically, mentally and psychologically he's worse than most five year olds. Dupravel has truly failed to give him a proper upbringing'
Still smiling outwardly, he leaned forward and gently tapped the table.
"You miss your father?" he asked, kindly.
"Of course!" Darnell responded instantly.
"Well then, let's do something about that," Mighty Mouse said, producing a small scroll of paper and a glowing communication crystal from his robe. "I'll give you the coordinates to this planet. And with this crystal, you can record a message. Let him know where you are. We will forward it to him and then he can come pick you up if he wants."
Darnell's eyes widened.
"Wait, seriously? You're letting me send a message? Just like that?"
"We're not monsters, dear boy," the old man said, smiling as he placed both items in front of him.
Darnell picked them up slowly, his voice filled with surprise. "AYYY, you folks are nice!"
Mighty Mouse chuckled again, though his eyes remained unblinking as he watched Darnell begin recording, the red shimmer of the crystal capturing every word.
"Hey dad! It's me, Darnell! I'm okay, don't worry! These cult people haven't hurt me at all… They actually gave me a great room, with food and all, and there's this guy named Mighty Mouse—haha, yeah I know, funny name—who's been really nice to me. Listen, I'm sending you the coordinates they gave me. You can come get me on this planet, alright? I miss you. Please come soon…"
As Darnell kept talking, Mighty Mouse leaned back slightly, steepling his fingers with a quiet hum of satisfaction, as everything was going just as planned.
—-------------
(A few hours later, Planet Twin Fang)
A miscellaneous package was delivered to planet Twin Fang a few hours later, containing a copy of the message Darnell had recorded for his dad.
The package, after being verified by the Black Serpent Guild security, quickly made its way up to the guild masters office, where Dupravel played it with the desperation of a man clinging to his last thread of sanity.
The moment Darnell's face appeared in the projection— smiling, alive, and blissfully unaware of the storm his disappearance had caused— Dupravel's composure crumbled.
As the recording played with cheerful innocence.
> "Hey dad! It's me, Darnell! I'm okay, don't worry! These cult people haven't hurt me at all… They actually gave me a great room, with food and all, and there's this guy named Mighty Mouse—haha, yeah I know, funny name—who's been really nice to me. Listen, I'm sending you the coordinates they gave me. You can come get me on this planet, alright? I miss you. Please come soon…"
As the words ended and the light from the projection flickered off, Dupravel remained frozen in his seat, staring at the empty air as the silence in his chamber thickened like smoke.
Then his shoulders began to tremble.
One breath. Two.
And suddenly— he cracked.
The first sob escaped his throat like a growl, as tears streamed down his face unchecked. He didn't try to hide them. Didn't bother wiping them. His heart, hardened through decades of bloodshed, shattered like brittle glass in the face of his son's voice.
"Antonio…" he choked, his voice raw. "Where is he? What are those coordinates?"
Antonio, who had been standing silently at the edge of the room, immediately stepped forward and keyed the numbers into his data-slate.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The screen pulsed once, then displayed a name.
Antonio's hands froze mid-air, the color draining from his face, as the name that showed up terrified him.
"I-I-It–" Antonio stuttered as Dupravel frowned.
"What is it? What?" Dupravel urged, as Antonio finally blurted out the name.
"Ixtal…"
"He's on Ixtal… God help us… he's on Ixtal."
Dupravel's head snapped toward him.
"What?" he barked, though the dread had already begun to seep into his veins.
Afterall, Ixtal was the cult's spiritual homeland. The birthplace of the Timeless Assassin… the current residence of the Evil God Soron.
As for a second, even Dupravel looked stunned. Turning pale and paralyzed by the weight of what that name meant.
Any other planet in the universe, and he would have marched in today with the full wrath of the Black Serpents—torching countries, breaking sanctums, razing the soil itself if need be.
But not Ixtal.
Ixtal wasn't a place you attacked.
Ixtal wasn't a place you infiltrated.
Ixtal… wasn't a place you left alive.
And as the full realization crashed over him, Dupravel let out a monstrous roar and hurled the data-slate in Antonio's hand across the room, as he shattered it against the far wall.
*CRASH—*
He flipped his obsidian desk, splintering it clean in two, even though it had been delivered just this morning.
*SMASH—*
A gilded bookshelf collapsed beneath his fists, tomes of assassination records spilling like corpses onto the floor.
*CLANG—*
The ancestral blades mounted on the wall clattered down as he slammed his shoulder into the steel panel.
Antonio didn't move.
He knew better than to interrupt the hurricane.
Dupravel's chest heaved, teeth bared, fists bloodied from the wreckage.
"He's surrounded by monsters," he growled, voice low and venomous. "They knew I couldn't reach him there. They planned this from the start. They sent this message to tease me!"
And for the first time in decades—perhaps centuries—Dupravel Nuna felt something he rarely admitted to, even to himself.
Helplessness.
Because his son wasn't just kidnapped.
He was on Ixtal.
And nobody—absolutely nobody—walked onto Ixtal uninvited and came back out alive.
Not even Monarchs.
Contact - ToS