Around the carriage, five black figures emerged from the darkness, their outlines gradually becoming clearer as if black statues were rising from ink. Barrett recognized them as five assassins draped in black cloaks, wielding blood-red curved blades.

The coachman jumped down from the carriage, now without horses. His disguise had completely fallen away, revealing a long sword in his hand. He began to circle the carriage, pacing slowly.

Though Barrett was confined to the carriage, he managed to catch a glimpse of the coachman's face by turning his head. It was a handsome yet sinister face, with cold, cruel eyes.

Barrett was startled. He had seen this face before on a wanted poster in the Baharuth Empire.

"You're Lord of Despair—Clovis Daguerre!"

The coachman, or rather "Lord of Despair," Clovis Daguerre, nodded slightly and smiled, "I didn't expect anyone here would know my name."

Barrett had heard about Clovis Daguerre from other adventurers and on the wanted posters. He was an assassin who killed without a second thought, living only for gold. Countless souls had fallen under his blade, and he possessed an extremely terrifying Innate Talent—Despair Domain.

Through some method, he had expanded the range and intensity of the Despair Domain to unimaginable levels. Within this domain, he controlled everything, knew everything, with infinite power and speed, while his opponents' mental and physical strength were severely diminished.

Anyone entering his domain, no matter how elite, became nothing more than livestock in a slaughterhouse.

He also had a similarly ruthless brother—Slam Daguerre. His brother possessed a different, yet equally terrifying Innate Talent, but unlike Clovis, Slam was usually employed by the nobility of the Baharuth Empire and rarely made appearances.

These two brothers should be in the Baharuth Empire. Barrett couldn't understand why he was encountering Clovis Daguerre in the capital of the Kingdom, and trapped in his domain at that. Judging by the situation, there was no doubt he was here to kill him.

Barrett tried again to stand up from the carriage seat, but it was still futile. Sweat poured down his forehead as he glanced at EeDeChi, who was still blissfully asleep in her seat despite the imminent danger. Barrett couldn't tell if EeDeChi was under a sleeping spell or if she was just drunk from dozens of bottles of wine.

"Ah," Clovis sighed with a hint of disdain. "I didn't expect that a orichalcum-level adventurer, favored by the princess of the Kingdom, would be so disappointing. What a letdown."

He stared at Barrett. "Are you already unable to move? This is just a binding spell. Don't adventurers have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves? Show them to me. Don't make me so bored."

"Are you both really going to be killed so easily by a single stroke of my sword?" Clovis raised his longsword and pointed it at Barrett's chest. "That would be a waste of my time, considering how long I've been driving the carriage for you."

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Indeed, a killer sent by Princess Renner's rivals. Barrett swallowed hard, recalling how he had warned EeDeChi about the murky waters of noble power struggles in the Kingdom, advising her not to get involved. EeDeChi didn't listen, and now trouble had arrived.

In this pitch-black "Territory of Despair," aside from the domain's master, Lord of Despair—Clovis Daguerre—there were also five silent assassins surrounding the carriage.

"What a beautiful night, wasted on two adventurers." Clovis looked up at the sky. In the Despair Domain, the sky was devoid of any light, dark and oppressive, like a black bowl covering the earth. The carriage was trapped within this black bowl.

Lord of Despair took a step forward, his sword only a few centimeters(2 inch) from Barrett's chest. With a slight thrust, the blade could pierce Barrett's skin and drive straight through his heart.

"Yawn~" A long yawn came from the carriage. EeDeChi finally woke up, stretching her mouth open. The adventurer captain, bleary-eyed, blinked and asked, "Why did the carriage stop? Are we home already? Hmm, why is it so dark here?"

Can't you see what's happening? Barrett stared at the sharp tip of the sword pressed against his chest, inwardly cursing.

EeDeChi looked around, slowly understanding the situation. She frowned and was about to say something, but Barrett gave her a glance signal. She seemed to understand, slumping back down on the carriage seat.

"I don't know who I've pissed off, but can you at least tell us why we're about to die?" Barrett grit his teeth, sweat pouring down his forehead.

Clovis sheathed his sword, looking relaxed. His tone was indifferent. "Alright, I'll tell you. It'll help you die with fewer regrets. Maybe that'll make two fewer ghosts clinging to me, haha.

"Odys Malcon Waverly hired me. That old man's useless, but he's got plenty of money. I wanted to kill him and take all his money, but my brother wouldn't allow it. So, I took his commission to kill you instead."

Odys Malcon Waverly. Barrett silently repeated the name, memorizing it. He didn't know this person, but he had heard of the Waverly family.

The Waverly family is the leading noble house in the northern part of the Kingdom, controlling several major gold mines and overseeing the Kingdom's gold coin production. With their wealth derived from these lucrative mines, the Waverly family is incredibly rich.

There are rumors that their blood runs with gold, which is obviously an exaggeration, but it still hints at the family's immense wealth.

Such a long-established, prosperous noble family, which has been thriving for centuries, would undoubtedly align with the second prince in the Kingdom's power struggles, opposing Princess Renner. Barrett and EeDeChi finally understood why they were ambushed and surrounded.

"Do you have any last words?" Clovis said with a cold smile. "If you don't speak now, you'll never get another chance. Time's running out for you."

"I want to know how your Innate Talent—Despair Domain—can be expanded to such an extent," Barrett asked, forcing himself to stay calm. "It doesn't make sense."

There are three major supernatural powers in the world: magic, martial arts, and Innate Talent. Of these, Innate Talent is a natural ability that one is born with and cannot be significantly enhanced through training, often serving as a supplementary skill.

"I don't mind telling you, since you won't be able to share it anyway," Clovis said, sheathing his sword for the moment. He rolled up his sleeve to reveal a silver-gray bracer on his arm. The bracer was engraved with blood-red waves, and red light flickered on and off, like flowing blood. Even through the air, a sense of murderous intent could be felt.

"This was an artifact obtained by an adventurer in the Eight Greed Kings Desert. My brother killed the adventurer and gave me the bracer. With it on, both my domain and my will, all my powers, are amplified. It's as if…" Clovis looked at the bracer on his arm, clenched his fist tightly, "I can control the world!"

EeDeChi looked around at the pitch-black surroundings, her expression filled with sorrow. "This is bad. We're in big trouble."