Damned Healer-Chapter 628: Foretelling A Disaster
Darian's actions repeatedly challenged the limits of every clan master's imagination in the city. No one had ever seen someone so young and so powerful. He wasn't just strong; that attack alone gave him enough power to kill them as well.
Even Sylvanos was stunned, because he had misjudged things. Darian's strength far exceeded his expectations. Throughout the history of their race, there had been two other occasions when a true heir of the Roc God had appeared.
But none of them had truly met the main prerequisite left behind by that deity: the heir had to stand on a level beyond comprehension. Without that being clearly fulfilled, the race could not fully accept them.
Since Sylvanos hadn't been sure about that point, he had limited himself to merely offering his support to Darian. But now…
"He finally reached it…"
Sylvanos murmured with a trembling voice. His race could finally break free from all its shackles and also hand everything it possessed over to the chosen one.
Suddenly—
"Damn it, you've gone way too far!"
A voice filled with indignation echoed from the stands, making everyone turn around. Shock spread when they realized the one shouting was Niara.
She continued, keeping a dry, accusatory tone: "Just look at the age of this senile old man! Is it really something to be proud of, intimidating an elder who's already one foot in the grave? You already slapped him around, slaughtered his descendant, and spat on the honor of the entire clan. You hit whoever you wanted, killed whoever you felt like, and now you're still provoking him? This isn't a fight, it's bullying!"
Niara's words left the crowd in an uncomfortable silence. It didn't sound like a defense, but rather a detailed inventory of all of Caofeng's defeats. It was vicious, especially coming from her, since she had been the first one to beat the old man senseless earlier.
Niara went on, wearing an expression of almost convincing outrage: "The Clan Master is already injured! Don't tell me you didn't notice? If he fought you now, wouldn't he just get beaten like a mangy dog? Ah! I get it now… you feel sorry for Caoming going to the afterlife alone and want to send his grandpa along to keep him company? Why not just take the rest of the clan with him too, to make sure—"
"SHUT UP!" Caofeng roared, his voice booming like thunder.
Visibly offended by the interruption, Niara shot back: "Hey, you grumpy old man! Can't you tell who's good and who's bad anymore? I'm here wasting my breath to defend you and—"
"GET OUT OF HERE!" Caofeng let out one final roar, but his voice failed miserably, coming out hoarse.
Suddenly, the old man's eyes rolled back, and he staggered. Clan members rushed to support him, only to be met by a spray of blood as he violently vomited.
"Wow… so that's what 'mental damage' looks like?" Ailik commented, his eyes shining with genuine, innocent admiration.
Darian took a deep breath and restrained himself to keep a serious expression. Niara was really completely unrestrained, with no brakes at all.
But Niara hadn't done it just to mock him. She hadn't thought about it consciously, but she felt she had to provoke him so everyone would realize just how severe that old man's injuries were.
"Looks like he's more badly injured than I thought. He won't dare step onto the stage," Sylvanos commented.
At that moment, Caofeng couldn't even release half of his normal power. If he fought Darian now, he would die like a fool.
With a dark expression, Caofeng swallowed the blood rising in his throat and said, "You brat, you used some kind of evil art to destroy the arena. Now that you no longer have that power, killing you will be easy."
Hearing this, the spectators realized that, indeed, things seemed to be just as Caofeng said. Darian appeared to have no energy left, and his previous attack looked like a one-time event that couldn't be repeated.
Niara started trembling and covered her mouth, holding back laughter with all her strength.
No strength left? Darian hadn't used anything besides the black power, which wasn't even his third most important power right now. People couldn't feel anything coming from him, and since that previous attack had been extremely terrifying, they mistakenly assumed he had weakened after using some kind of self-sacrificing technique.
Darian shrugged, indifferent. "Then please, respected Clan Master Caofeng, why don't you come up to the stage and fight?"
Caofeng sneered. "I don't need to do anything! You committed a serious crime and violated the City's laws. You maliciously destroyed something irreparable, like the inscription, along with the arena itself. There's no way for you to pay for that. You must be executed for your crimes, and you're nothing but a condemned man, completely unqualified to challenge me!"
Suddenly, a golden rune appeared in Caofeng's hand, and the remaining martial stage trembled. Then countless runes appeared above Darian's head, as if the dome of the heavens itself were pressing down on him.
*Rumble!*
Before Darian could even understand what was happening, he sank into the ground. The earth beneath his feet collapsed, forming a massive pit. Even so, he remained upright, standing firm.
"How dare you!"
Sylvanos stood up in fury, gripping an emerald bow. A pitch-black arrow materialized on the string, aimed straight at Caofeng. The two Protector Elders behind him also had their bows drawn, ready to act.
"Release Darian immediately, or you will die," Sylvanos demanded coldly.
"This is an internal matter of the City. Your race has no jurisdiction here. He broke the City's rules and will be punished!"
At that moment, the master of the Moon River Clan also stood up, and a golden rune appeared in her hand. In the blink of an eye, the pressure on Darian increased once again.
Besides the main seal, the Sacred Treasure also possessed four auxiliary runes, held by the four clans of the city. These auxiliary runes could channel a portion of the Sacred Treasure's power, a privilege granted by the Treasure's own spirit.
Seeing two clans joining forces to suppress Darian, Saelil quickly turned to Jason. "Clan Master, please help Darian!"
She felt relief when she saw her clan master take out his golden rune. However…
When his rune lit up, the pressure on Darian increased yet again. The crater at the center of the arena only grew larger.
"Clan Master?!" Saelil stared at him in disbelief.
"Rules are rules. Darian violated the City's laws, and it is my duty to maintain order. How could I ignore my responsibility?" Jason replied without a trace of emotion.
"You're really a bunch of idiots. Looks like you want the two of us to wipe out the entire City. Fine, this little game was fun while it lasted," Niara said calmly, as her wings spread open.
The entire atmosphere changed completely with that single movement. It was as if the world itself was reacting, foretelling a disaster.
"Not just you two. Everyone standing by his side must also be arrested and properly investigated," declared the master of the Morning Star Clan. Without hesitation, he activated his golden rune as well.
The four joined forces against Darian.
Niara and everyone standing beside Darian showed murderous light in their eyes. Everyone in the arena knew that Caofeng had blatantly cheated in that fight. A clan master had lent his own power to someone in battle. If Darian hadn't done what he did, would these people really have saved him?
Darian remained calm on the surface, standing within the crater, but inside, his anger had reached its limit.
The four clans deserved no mercy. He had come to the city to observe the situation and take the Sacred Treasure, but apparently, there was no longer any need to waste time. He could simply use force, kill everyone, and take what he wanted.
*BUZZ* 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Space hummed, and suddenly all four clan masters groaned. They shuddered, and the terrifying pressure on Darian vanished without a trace.
"Alaric, what do you think you're doing?!"
Caofeng shouted, confronting Alaric. In Alaric's hand was a violet-gold seal. It was he who had relieved the pressure on Darian. Instantly, all attention turned toward him.
Jason also shouted angrily, "City Lord, are you abusing your authority to violate the City's laws?!"
"Darian maliciously damaged the arena! He is most likely a spy of the Nether Beasts! Aren't you afraid of the Sacred Treasure's judgment?!" the Moon River Clan master yelled.
Alaric looked at the four and said coldly, "I am the City Lord, and I have the authority to deal with Darian. If you don't like it, feel free to file a complaint with the Sacred Treasure. However, let me warn you: no matter how much you covet my position, do not act arrogantly in front of me while I am still the City Lord. Otherwise, if I lose my temper, not even the Sacred Treasure will be able to protect you."
"You…!"
Realizing that Alaric intended to protect Darian at all costs, the four were furious.
Niara and Darian focused their gazes on that figure and snorted. This City Lord had no idea what kind of disaster he had just prevented. If he had hesitated for another five seconds, the entire city would have been reduced to irreversible ruins.
But… at least there was someone with a minimum sense of decency in that place. Darian didn't mind waiting a little longer. He didn't want to act like a tyrant who came only to take what didn't belong to him just because he felt like it.
"Can the City Lord freely break the rules? Even if you are the commander, the laws are not decided by you! If you wish to change them, shouldn't you ask permission from the Sacred Treasure?"
At that moment, a calm voice echoed, and more than ten figures appeared above the arena, in the sky. Immediately after, the temperature rose sharply, making everyone feel as if they were inside a furnace.
Everyone's eyes changed. On the robes of those sixteen figures was a clear, unmistakable mark. It was the symbol of the royal family of the Primordial Empire.
Moreover, all sixteen were at the absolute peak of the Heaven Saint Realm, emitting a dense and crushing aura. They were undoubtedly stronger than the four clan masters… and there were sixteen of them together.
"Primordial Empire?!" the three clan masters murmured in unison. Only Jason smiled.
Sylvanos's pupils shrank. He hadn't expected the Empire to send sixteen figures this powerful. And judging by their stance, it seemed they had come to restrain the City Lord.
Niara smiled faintly. It seemed fate truly wanted a bloodbath. And both the city and this Empire looked like they were competing to see who would be the first to earn that distinction.
