The follower moved slowly through the area.
His footsteps were silent, his eyes scanning cautiously as he passed through the dark corridors until he reached a distant room deep inside the factory.
He opened the door and turned on the light.
The room was filled with money and gold.
Artifacts were carefully arranged, open crates scattered around, and countless files neatly lined up on metal shelves.
The follower approached without hesitation.
He grabbed every file he saw, flipping through them in a flash before storing them inside the storage ring on his hand.
Any evidence. Any information. Any paper bearing a name or a seal—everything was taken.
Then—
The door opened behind him.
Erik entered.
His face was cold, his eyes steady, his voice low and harsh.
"— So you're the rat who sneaked in."
The follower exhaled slowly.
"— Haaah… I didn't expect you to arrive this early."
Erik polished the head of his spear with his hand, the metal ringing sharply under the light.
"— You have interrupted the will of the Exalted One, insect. You must be ready for punishment."
The follower glanced at the artifacts with indifference.
"— I wonder… how much would these sell for? Maybe a million dollars?"
He paused.
"— Or… perhaps I should trade the information I have with the authorities. Who knows how much I'd earn?"
He looked up at him.
"— What do you think, Erik Griefnmark?"
Then he added calmly, provocatively:
"— By the way… are you the ones directing the black mages? Or is it another group?"
Erik's expression changed.
"— You despicable bastard… are you trying to toy with me?"
The follower replied lazily:
"— Hmmm… who knows."
Outside
Martin pressed the detonator.
Boom.
The ground shook near the site.
Martin hid behind a large rock, gripping his spear, breathing rapidly.
"Soho said it would take about seventeen minutes before the supervisor starts suspecting something…
He told me to detonate the bomb on time to draw them out."
He smiled nervously.
"Does that guy actually think instead of sleeping during classes?"
Shadows moved.
The followers appeared.
Martin charged suddenly.
It didn't take long.
Ten people.
Four minutes.
Martin stood there panting, staring at the factory, his heart pounding violently.
Then—
An explosion erupted from the upper floors of the factory.
Two figures flew into the air, locked together.
Violent sparks.
The deafening clash of blades.
Martin froze.
"— What is that…?"
He focused harder.
"— That's… my brother… and Soho?"
Soho landed on the ground, still wearing the follower's outfit.
He stood up, brushed the dust off his shoulder, and said:
"— Haaah… I didn't expect this. They didn't tell me you were this strong."
Erik charged without a word.
The clashes followed one after another.
In the forest
Martin was fighting dozens of followers.
His steps faltered. His breathing broke.
He was close to his limit.
Then—
The hunters who had been held captive emerged.
Five men.
Their auras were weak—but real.
They joined him.
The forest turned into a battlefield.
A massive crowd on one side…
And Soho and the Blood Priest on the other.
Back to Soho and Erik
Erik was overwhelming, not allowing Soho to close the distance.
Every clash shattered the ground beneath their feet.
Every missed swing sliced through rows of trees behind them.
The earth cracked.
Jin hesitated.
Then made his decision.
He stopped.
Staring at Erik charging from afar.
He raised his hand.
Gathered energy.
Released it.
A void sphere.
It crossed Erik's vision, passed right by him—
And erased what remained of the factory behind.
Erik looked back in shock.
The battle halted.
Then—
He tried to grip his spear.
He couldn't feel his hand.
He looked to his right.
His arm had been completely erased.
He tried to retrieve his spear.
In that moment of tension—
Jin charged.
He severed Erik's other arm.
Erik collapsed to the ground.
Then stood up again.
He roared in rage:
"— I am Erik Griefn! You will not defeat me like this!"
Jin looked at him coldly and spoke:
"— Shadow Bind."
(Shadow Bind: An advanced form of the binding skill in black magic. It manipulates shadows using dark mana, forming chains of shadow.)
Shadow chains emerged.
They wrapped around his body, tightened violently, restraining him completely.
Soho was covered in wounds.
His clothes torn.
Blood leaking from his mouth.
He struggled desperately to maintain the spell.
He looked at him with pity and said:
"— I'm sorry… but luck was on my side again today."
Martin appeared before them and fell to his knees.
He looked at the scene.
And cried.
Then—
The sound of helicopters.
They arrived.
Dutch hunters appeared at the site.
The forest had become a burning, devastated battlefield.
And the factory…
Destroyed.
Half of it had been completely erased by the void.
End of the chapter.