Tumultuous Events (2)

"To the right!!" Ciemnosc shouted as Hidden 1 and with the remains of the Hidden squad in a circle with each of their backs against one another and with the rear of their circle against the car, which somewhat protected them from direct incoming enemies as the believers could still hope onto the car. Immediately, the right side of the circle put on defensive tools nonstop right before swords, fists, kicks, and even corpses lunging at them could arrive from the darkness and with their vision damaged by the strong lights pointing at them.

CLANK~!! PAM PUM POM POM, THUD THUDD! PAM CLANK POM POM.

The right side of the circle then became assaulted by dozens of believers, their every attack against them turning futile yet again, with Hidden 1 taking the lead to chain his weapons and send them like throwing knives but with swords directly against the assaulting enemies.

While on the other hand, there were about 20 corpses of Moribund Yearning Cult believers at the front of the circle and more than 50 at the left of the circle. Every time that Ciemnosc looked at his next prey, that person would look back in a bit of a scare before seeing a sword flying right towards in-between their eyebrows.

It has only been about a minute, but the first few seconds of the battle that resulted in Ciemnosc killing literally 20 of their brothers and sisters in just a couple of seconds was vivid in everyone’s memory still. And as there were 20 corpses in front of him, the rest of the believers were too damn aware of the 100% death rate. So they ignored commands and focused on the left side of the circle to attack and kill an easier target; much easier.

But despite Ciemnosc not moving away from his position and making the other side grit their teeth seeing how he didn’t fall into any obvious trap, yet still managed to keep raising his killing count to the point that those nearest to him began mimicking his actions and put ropes or chained their weapons to throw them away and fatally strike the believers.

It was a sight that was boringly simple, to say the least, but it was also how Hidden 1 got the rest of the Hidden squad to remain alive. While Ciemnosc was doing his job, and kept on killing while shouting every once in a while to reinforce their defenses, on the other side, the 10th stage of the Spiritual Condensation Realm cultivator was being approached by another Spiritual Condensation Realm cultivator.

“Boss, we have to strike now. Losing 100 was way beyond of what we should’ve even have suffered in the first place. They are not going to be taken down at this rate!” The bulky, tall 10th stage remained with crossed arms and looked at the battle unfolding still. He then looked at the mansion before answering his subordinate’s demands. “If we go there…and there is something…what then?”

“Boss, if there was, we would’ve been attacked, we’ve made too much noise, and something should’ve happened already. The guy was taken out of their car from before, and the other one getting scared was purely an act, I’m sure of it!” The subordinate insisted and insisted. Finally, he seemed to have made the boss enter within reason as he heard him say, “We are moving! Get rid of those dying insects and let’s get back to our camp. We mustn’t remain here any longer!!”

“Let’s go!” - “Finally. I was getting all excited watching them die…” - “I’m gonna enjoy this…”

Step, step step, step step step…

With the Link Consolidation Realm taking place in the fight as they could be seen moving from all the way to the back, where they could see the battle occur, to closer and closer to the circle of the Hidden Squad. Hidden 1 was just killing another 5 believers at the same time with only one throw of his blade when he chose to not continue anymore.

Step, step…

The reason? He began walking with his arms to the sides of his body, the Hidden squad didn’t have to be told how to fight, only whenever a strong enemy almost breached in or they made a mistake and either needed to be told what to exactly do in each specific situation or for another Hidden to aid them so as to not fucking. die

Right now, as Ciemnosc walked forth and was getting to meet the incoming Link Consolidation Realm cultivators, his cultivation base began raising on its own, stage by stage and with each step he took, which wasn’t slow nor paused.

5th stage of the Spiritual Condensation Realm, 6h, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th… …1st stage of the Link Consolidation Realm!! 2nd stage, 4th… 8th stage, 9th stage, 10th stage… 1st stage of the Phrenic Realm!!

“Haa, that feels good,” Ciemnosc exhaled out with his back seemingly turning like jelly at the sensation of his bones and skin no longer being suppressed 24/7 when suddenly, something unexpected happened in his body.

Clinlingling ting~.

‘Err…I broke through.’ Ciemnosc looked awkwardly as his aura raised to that of the 2nd stage in the Phrenic Realm. Not only he but the Link Consolidation Realm looked at him so stupidly they almost turned stupid for real. From behind, Ciemnosc could sense the glares of all believers and even more so of his Hidden squad looking at him incredulously.

“Hidden 1, what the fuck?!” - “Hidden 1, you always had this cultivation? Or is it new no, just what the fuck?!” - “So you could’ve saved us earlier! How dare you Hidden 1! After you get us out of this alive, you’re fucking dead meat for the sect!!” - “Wow~, Hidden 1, you were this powerful!”

“The hell?!” - “How can they have such a strong cultivator on their side?!” - “Fuck fuck, fuck~!” - “Everyone let’s join up. He can’t think he can- he can kill all of us if we go all out, can he?! Ca-c-c- can he?!”

Different teams and different reactions; the believers were too stunned to care about fighting right now as…it was more than obvious that everybody that wasn’t from the Self-Mutilating Honores Sect was going to die now, and not even their strongest boss would last even a slap from this little kid.

However, right at these moments, suddenly once more. Exactly as the Link Consolidation Realm cultivators stopped walking forwards, there seemed to be some movement beneath their feet, and, just as they glanced down instinctively, Hidden 2’s hands and head came out from the ground and grabbed the strongest one’s thighs…before burying him deep into the earth.

“!!!” Everyone in the Moribund Yearning Cult became extremely panicked, with Hidden 1 being so powerful, their enemy’s leader, and now as there really seemed to be something going on around the mansion - the believers of the cult rushed to all sides, fleeing the mansion and even some Link Consolidation Realm cultivators of the cult were the same.

“Hidden 1, let’s run?!” Hidden 8 yelled out, already dragging his feet to wait for Hidden 1’s orders. But since Hidden 1 didn’t order anything, he didn’t really move away. Nobody also dared to take their car back. It was still left alone there and with a distance of only 10 meters between it and the mansion.

“Follow me!” Ciemnosc shouted before rushing to the mansion’s entrance itself. The Hidden squad was taken aback but had little time to think about it as they could only follow. When arriving before the door leading to the mansion, Ciemnosc turned around and, with his bare hand taking a knife-like stance, he went over and beat the neck of each team member of team 2.

Crack crack crack crack…

“!!” Seeing them dying one after the other, falling to the ground like snakes dancing to a tune but instead of upwards - backwards, team 1 received a shock alright, but Hidden 1 stopped after killing the last team 2 member and faced them with his hands down and blade on his back.

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“...aah!” - “...help, help me over here!” - “...Uaagh!” - “...” - “...” - “...”

The mansion was 200 meters wide, but possibly not even half that amount in length from the entrance to its other extreme. As for its whole territory, Ciemnosc could already tell when he and his squad heard the ongoing screams and sobbing last cries before ultimately dying far in the distance, they were more than a hundred and they all fell over a short couple of minutes…for sure, nobody survived for those who went out there trying to flee the mansion.

As for what killed them, maybe they would get to know that very soon…

“Okay, from now on, everyone is silent. Shhh.” Ciemnosc seemed 20 points more reliable now, for some strange reason, as he put his finger in the middle of his mouth and clearly told them what was important or else he wouldn’t be seen as the leader right now as well as because he had the strongest cultivation base and they were inclined to obey him.

Creaaaak~...

Ciemnosc opened the door to the mansion and slowly entered. His figure was shrunk as he lowered his shoulders and his waist to a bit of a lower height. Hidden 12 repeated his actions as she entered right behind him and with Hidden 8, 9, 10 and 11 following right after them. In a way, it was crazy to think that from 20 sect disciples, only 6 remained up until now; just now.

Ciemnosc and his Hidden team entered the mansion slowly. They were damn alert as they remembered what Hidden 13 went through. And Hidden 10 and Hidden 11 started sweating profusely, doing their best to gulp down noiselessly as they entered it.

The entire mansion had a large staircase 30 meters in front of the door which might as well be the main hall. It had a large corridor that went from all the way to the left to all the way to the right, and its walls and ceiling were of a silver, metallic ‘dead’ and dull color. While the floor seemed to be made out of carpet-like wood, which was so thin it made one think they would break it and fall into a bottomless hole of fear.

Once they were in, and without much of a warning, lots of cult believers rushed in some tens of seconds after them. Some had their robes ragged, torn, and even smeared with filth of any kind. Some had their bodies wounded, blood or pus coming out, and some others had strange ‘semi-images’ that gave the ‘wrong’ impression that a large being was latched right onto their upper backs and looking down at the cult believers as soon as they entered the mansion.

Just to check around themselves, the Hidden team became at ease when confirming none of them had such ghostly figures looking down at them from above…and appearing to be sticking right out of their upper backs - almost from their shoulders.

“...” Ciemnosc motioned for the team to move out so as to not meet any Link Consolidation Realm cultivator that remained, or any other for that matter. The team thought that it was safety measures, and though it was indeed so in a sense, for Ciemnosc…it was more so that they wouldn’t be involved in the fuck ups of others.

STEP STEP STEP STEP STEP STEP…

Suddenly, from above their heads and just as they were passing over a kitchen and dining room for servants, perhaps strong footsteps sounded accompanied by a screaming male voice in reaction to it as if they had just turned around from hearing these steps and had seen something. “Aaaaahh! Nononono NO AH NO!”

“...ah? Hahh,” but suddenly, the footsteps disappeared. While the male voice continued on being so agitated that its gasps and bemoans for air were audible even from the floor below where the Hidden team was on. Yet, just as soon as those footsteps appeared to come to reality, so did the second sudden scream from the floor above followed by real sounds this time. “ANHANHAHAHA NONOGKU-”

Crrreeesshhhhkk-ckrsheerr~~~...! HWP HWP HWP…blrraagrrrggghhh…bugsh bugsh bugsh.

The male voice suddenly stopped, of course. And he still had breath and strength to scream for some more time as the sound of the trajectory from where his voice came changed subtly until he no longer seemed to be alive anymore, and his voice disappeared altogether.

“AAAAAAAAH!!!...” A similar sound from another male, high pitched this time, sounded to their right just as they were all looking up at the ceiling where it had become beyond quieter in just a moment. The Hidden squad immediately looked down and to their right, only to see a wall that indicated the end of the corridor to the east.

“No, no no-n-o n-o non- o-no -blwhtrhwrarkrrr-” A female voice came to be this time, from their left, as they looked to their left and saw a very blacked out shadow’s back coming out from a room with a young girl’s legs flailed from the front of that shadow with diverse organs of her body flying out of the room with lots of blood to accompany it and make a beautiful painting with midair.

STEP STEP STEP STEP… STEP STEP STEP… STEP STEP STEP…

“!” Ciemnosc opened his eyes wide as he heard footsteps of someone coming down the stairs from various points in the mansion, some surrounding them and some far away at other wings and sections of the mansion. But all at the same time, after screams came from above and as if the ones below were attracting them to the main floor.

Step step step step… step step…

Those footsteps continued on and on, not like Ciemnosc witnessed before in the little orphanage, they seemed to come down, and following this, they moved exactly away from where the Hidden team was practically paralyzed on the spot. Following their movement, they really seemed to not have seen them. Though they could not see them as well, even when having the main staircase clear in their eyes from which many of those sounded out.

Step step!

Suddenly, Hidden 12 ran away in some direction to their left. Ciemnosc looked at her back with his head tilted to the right and his eyes glaringly open at her disappearing into the distance. Even if she was scared dumb, with the affection she had for him, she should’ve at least held his hand, no? Really, how dumbie.

Step step!... Step step!... Step step!...

Following the chain reaction of things, as Ciemnosc let her go wherever she thought she should go, the rest of the Hiddens took themselves for granted and ran away wherever they could. Some went to the stairs with the clear idea that since they had gone down just now, they would be better off on the floor above; while some others directly hid somewhere or ran to hide somewhere.

‘...’ Ciemnosc was no longer shrinking his outlining figure as if to cover from any corners where he might get ambushed or if for some reason a levitating object decided to hurl itself towards him. He looked around. He was now completely alone with dust particles all around him and making quite the dense screen that seemed to move with one’s eyes.

‘...Well… At least I won’t have to care about them anymore, right? Though I better figure out this fun place first so that my future practice partner won’t die on me, sigh, so dumb.’ Ciemnosc thought, putting away the blade at his back and his unique tools, gaining an image of looking innocent and harmless, just a little kid in a scary mansion at night with blood on his black and tight outfit for sneaking around.

Step step step…

And so, Ciemnosc made his way into searching for a way within this mansion. Or even if he could not deal with it for whatever reason, he could at least do his best to stay well and alive until morning came. Not early morning, as it was already close to that hour, but the morning that was full of yellow light and illuminated the entire forests and mansion within them at the very least.

As Ciemnosc walked, he went over to the southern east wing at the front of the mansion and stepped onto a large, almost empty hallway that went for more than 80 meters long but not by that much. There were shelves for books, wine, accessories, and even clothes on the left and right sides of the hallway, and it was almost 20 meters wide.

Oh, of course. There was also this young man’s body with a robe belonging to the Moribund Yearning Cult right below him as he was hanging from the ceiling and the upper sections of both walls at the height he was being suspended in the air by his own tendons, veins and even genitals’ skin which were clearly not on his body since his crotch was pure bones with some remaining muscle attached here and there irregularly.

It didn’t have arms anymore, nor feet, while his head was bloated as if he had been drowned tens of meters below the water’s surface and for more than a century, somehow remaining fully intact…for what was even left of flesh and organs that is. Its eyes were directly reversed of their colors. He had a ‘black sclera’ and minute white eyes without pupils or irises, simply smallish spheres of white in the middle of his fully black eyes.

When Ciemnosc passed below this young man, its eyes followed wherever sound was made, which Ciemnosc didn’t bother to hide, and that with every 20 steps he made, the young man’s body would tremble and move as if he was being brought back to life.

“...” With a smirk, Ciemnosc crossed over the hallway around the corner, he looked back at the young man still hanging in midair and smirked, his eyes pretty much challenging as he looked back, and his smirk was of a derisive nature. But when he looked ahead, the same young man with his feet back was just 2 meters in front of Ciemnosc under a dim, dark red light small room interconnected to several other hallways, some barely 1 meter wide and one leading to the western north wing of the mansion.

A switch was to the left of Ciemnosc on the wall right at the corner of the long hallway. Meanwhile, Ciemnosc almost pointed at the young man at the waist with his right index finger and say something about not being polite to suddenly appear from one place to another without making any sense; but stopped himself just as he was feeling the young man crook its head backwards when he was about to speak those words.

Ciemnosc smirked once more, but this one was a smirk that denoted no emotion nor sentiment and yet shared coexistence with the gloominess and absurdity of the dimly, dark red light up above hanging from the ceiling…but from which no lamp nor spotlight was there, to begin with.

…