Scott scrutinized his status screen, his eyes flickering between various stats. I had anticipated changes, but damn, almost everything is different now.

His gaze narrowed, focusing on the tabs for energy sources and modified abilities. Abyssal Void? I have no idea what that even means. Shifting his attention back to his basic stats, he stared at Eldritch energy capacity, which had replaced mana. I don’t feel any different. Now I understand where the voice from earlier came from; it was definitely the war hammer talking to me, Scott pondered, ignoring the distant explosions, screams, and roars in the background.

The bloodthirsty cyclops continued hurling various projectiles at the fleeing champions, successfully thinning their numbers. However, the ruthless group showed no intention of halting their assault until every champion, guilty or otherwise, paid for the death of their kin.

“Damn it! We can’t keep this up. We’re all going to die at this rate,” a man cursed aloud, panting as he ran.

“Then do something about it, hero,” a lizardman running beside him retorted.

“No need to be a smartass, pal.” The exhausted man shot a glance at the snickering lizardman, his displeasure evident on his weary face. “I believe we should all collaborate. That's the only way we stand a chance at survival. After all, they surely can't overpower every one of us.”

Giggles erupted from several non-humans, while most humans simply ignored the man's words.

“We're already enduring the assault of those cyclops; it would be appreciated if you refrained from suggesting anything in the future,” the lizardman chuckled, sprinting ahead of the embarrassed man. He, too, knew the odds of defeating the cyclops were slim, but the thought of running for another day was unbearable.

If only there were a way to identify the troublemakers who angered the cyclops. I'll tear those inconsiderate jerks apart for making me suffer through this. Why couldn't... huh? The man's thoughts trailed off midway, catching a glimpse of a masked figure staring at him.

“Who the hell is this asshole, and why is he staring at me like that?” the man muttered to himself.

The man recoiled in surprise as he locked eyes with Scott. The world around him seemed to freeze, and the chaos of explosions and cyclops vanished. Before him stood a figure cloaked in yellow, and his attention was captivated by the delicate dance of flower petals swirling in the stranger's eyes.

The champion, bewildered, took a step back. “Who are you?”

The figure in yellow lifted its right hand, directing it towards the champion who took another five steps back. A seductive whisper then enveloped the man's ears. “Fight. You can win.”

The champion, still in a daze, queried, “I can?” His brows furrowed as he considered the possibility. “That's right. It might just be possible. I'm no expert on those cyclops, but aren't they supposed to have poor eyesight? Exploiting that weakness could work, couldn't it?” He spoke aloud, raising his head, only to find the figure in yellow had vanished.

He pivoted to one side, the reverberation of an explosion resonating in the air. Swiftly, he shifted his gaze to the opposite direction, where yet another explosion rippled through the surroundings. Despite the chaotic symphony behind him, the scene in front of him stood eerily still, devoid of any movement. The elusive cyclops, however, continued to elude his sight.

What’s going on? Where are those explosions coming from? Then again, who was that weirdo just now?

A shout filled the ears of the man, rousing him from his stupor, “Kaide, what the fuck are you doing? You’re going to get yourself killed.”

Kaide turned his head toward the familiar voice, but the person was still frozen in time. That was Jay’s voice, but how did he speak when he can’t even move? What the hell is going on?

“Get the fuck back here Kaide! Fighting those things is suicide!”

“The fuck are you talking about man. I’m right in front of you,” Kaide said as he reached for the body of the motionless man. Are they stuck in some illusion? He thought, but his hand stopped in front of the man but moved no further.

Huh? Why can’t I reach him? Kaide thought, a lingering sense of anxiety overwhelming his body.

“Kaide! Don’t…” an explosion cut off the champion’s words, and billowing darkness slowly enveloped the surrounding champions.

Kaide opened his mouth, but no words emerged. He attempted to retract his arm, but it remained immobile, and his body refused to obey his commands. The encroaching darkness swept relentlessly toward him, engulfing everything in its path.

What the fuck is going on? Why is this happening? Kaide struggled to move, but the darkness only seemed to approach even faster, and he couldn’t take respite in the fact that the surrounding explosions had disappeared.

“Somebody, anybody, please help me!” Kaide screamed within himself, but his screams only ushered in the darkness which greedily enveloped his body. His vision blurred, slowly morphing, and distorting as misty gray lights tore through the darkness.

That was an illusion? The man thought to himself, staring at the familiar mist and the towering rocks and boulders littering the road. What is that smell, and where is everyone? And why do I feel so weak? The champion struggled to lift a finger, as an intoxicating mixture of fresh blood and dried earth filled his lungs.

Several towering figures sprinted with maddening haste hundreds of meters ahead, their footsteps forcing tremors in the surrounding area.

Kaide stared at the running cyclops. Why are they over there, and why am I over here? The man tried to move again, but his body failed him yet again, his vision getting dimmer by the second.

Why do I suddenly feel tired and sleepy? It’s been so long, but I wish I could watch the Niners play one more match again… Kaide closed his eyes, and then silence followed.

Meanwhile, Scott stared at his right hand, his keen eyes focused on a tendril slithering up his arm, making its way to the mask.

How did I do that? Our eyes only met for a moment, but I unintentionally convinced him to attack the cyclops, Scott thought to himself, as his gaze shifted between the returning tendril and the system notification in front of his eyes.

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You have received the admiration of the lesser god of illusions! The lesser god of illusions is now watching you! The lesser god of mischief is now watching you! The lesser god of anarchy is now watching you! The lesser god of the mad cult is now watching you!

So many of them… Scott’s brows shot up as he read through the system’s notification. Did they all see what happened back there? I’m still not sure how I controlled that guy, but it seems my abilities have gotten more powerful after leveling up. Scott turned his attention away from the notifications, focusing on the chasing cyclops once more. Although none of them have reached level ten yet, their physical prowess is enough to smash everyone here to smithereens. Fighting them one on one will be suicidal. I have no choice but to take off the mask, Scott thought to himself.

“Guys, we can’t keep running from these lunatics. I think I have a way to escape, but you guys will have to trust me,” Scott relayed through the party communication channel.

“Please tell us, buddy. I can’t run anymore. I’m reaching my limits,” Slim wheezed.

“Are you confident your plan will work? Even if you aren’t, I’m sure it’s worth a listen. Your plans haven’t failed us yet. So, what do you want us to do?” Zara inquired.

“Come closer, first,” Scott instructed, and the skeleton and cat girl adjusted their speed, running alongside Ossie, who showed signs of fatigue.

“Don’t keep us in suspense, buddy. Let’s hear it,” Slim urged, curious to find out Scott’s plan.

“Before we get to that,” Scott paused, his voice turning serious. “I must warn you, under no condition are you allowed to scream or prostrate on the ground, okay?”

Zara and Slim instinctively glanced at each other, wondering what Scott had to say that would make them scream or prostrate on the ground.

“Um, yeah, sure. I definitely won’t be doing that,” Zara said.

“Same here, buddy,” Slim affirmed, fighting back his rising urge to laugh. “So, what’s the plan?”

“The long and short of it is that I'll be taking off my mask. Like I said, you can’t scream or prostrate,” Scott stated matter-of-factly.

Zara and Slim exchanged glances once more, and this time, even Ossie joined the non-verbal communication. “That's it?” Slim asked, his expression one of bewilderment.

“That's why I insisted you trust me. There's no time to explain; you'll understand when you see it. Again, you're not...”

Before the necromancer could finish, Slim and Zara interjected in unison, “We're not allowed to scream or prostrate. We got it.”

The necromancer continued, “Buddy, you should have some confidence in yourself, though. Being ugly isn't the end of the world, you know.”

Zara silently concurred with the necromancer's perspective.

“Wait, what? That's not what I... forget about it. You'll understand soon enough,” Scott sighed, reluctant to imagine the thoughts racing through the minds of the duo.

The group adeptly adjusted their running speed, skillfully avoiding the strike zones of the cyclops while lingering at the periphery of the running pack.

I hope this works. If not, we're in deep trouble, Scott thought to himself as he reached for his mask. His fingers slid underneath the slick surface, and he slowly peeled it away from his face.

You have forcefully stopped several lesser gods from watching you!

A raging inferno spontaneously appeared, competing with a pitch-black darkness which had enveloped the hound extermination crew. A lonesome figure in flashing yellow appeared within the darkness, its eyes burned as the stars while the surrounding mist parted, as if too scared to meddle with the otherworldly entity.

The nearby champions and the chasing cyclops stopped dead in their tracks, each staring at the abominable mass of yellow seemingly folding in layers in the billowing darkness.

The champions fixed their trembling eyes on the insidious being whose very existence appeared to defy the natural order. Regardless of age, species, or origin, they all shared a singular emotion: fear, in its purest form.

“What is that thing?” stammered a lizardman, his fingers trembling as he pointed at the sinister figure cloaked in yellow.

Multiple champions retreated in haste, and even the rampaging cyclops didn't dare approach. No one could recall what occupied the space before, but they were certain the figure hadn't been there all along. Silence dominated the scene, broken only by the faint but audible pulsating luminescence emanating from the beacons. A few champions held their breath, fearing the slightest sound might unleash a calamity beyond their wildest nightmares. Then, an insidious voice echoed from the darkness. “Well?” it said.

No one knew who moved first, but the champions fled the area without a second's delay.

“I can't believe that actually worked,” Scott muttered as he donned his mask once more. The surrounding darkness lifted, and the mysterious figure vanished, revealing the figures of the hound extermination crew once again.

Scott placed his hands on Zara and Slim's shoulders, his voice filling their ears. “Good job, guys. You handled this far better than I expected.”

The eldritch knight furrowed his brow beneath his mask, while the duo stood frozen, their mouths agape.

I knew something like this could happen, but at least they didn’t scream. It might take a while, but I’m sure they’ll recover from the shock. Scott patted the shoulder of the duo, while turning his head side to side. Where did Slim’s summon go? Scott pondered. I wonder where they’re summoned from. Although they appear from the ground, dirt and mud never sticks to their bones or clothes.

Scott then turned his attention to the beacons Zara and Slim accumulated over the past three days. It seems they were able to scam quite a few other people during my absence. I guess it’s only fair that I take care of these annoying glows.

He stretched out his hands, hovering them over the beacons. Tendrils escaped from his tattoo, wrapping themselves over the beacons faster than before. In less than a minute, the pulsating glows had all disappeared.

“That was easy.” Scott smiled behind his mask.

The lesser god of illusions wants to sponsor you! You have rejected the offer!

The lesser god of illusion insists on sponsoring… You have rejected the offer!

The lesser god of illusions wants to… You have rejected the offer!

The lesser god of… You have rejected the offer!

The lesser… You have rejected the offer!

Scott’s mouth opened behind his mask, staring at the audacious tendril doing as it pleased. It camped on the system window, actively rejecting all offers as soon as they emerged.

You’re being watched by 30 lesser gods! 15 lesser gods wish to… You have rejected the offer! You have been banned from eight sanctuaries!

The rogue tendril defiantly wriggled, disregarding the system's messages as it slithered back into the mask. Meanwhile, Scott stood between Zara and Slim. Coincidentally, all three wore blank expressions, mouths agape, while their minds buzzed with disparate thoughts.