Legacy of Hatred

Chapter 532: Done

Liam might have limited experience dealing with formations, but he couldn’t help but find them completely unfair now.

The battle was already difficult as it was, but the formation made it straight-up impossible, even erasing everything Liam and his companions had achieved, as if spitting in the face of their efforts.

The healing halos weren’t even the end.

Humanoid golden giants soon rose from the new encirclement, identical to the ones Liam had destroyed earlier. Except, there were five of those now, which multiplied the reinforcements’ power.

Initially, there had only been four Priests. Five more had teleported there, and the giants doubled the reinforcements at that level. With the Inquisitor, there were basically fifteen enemy branching experts in the area. At least, there should have been.

Branching experts didn’t die easily. They could also escape if things got rough. Jessica hadn’t tried to do so because her grudge with Liam ran deep, but Dominic might have succeeded if he had realized the danger earlier.

Colleen and Whispering Wind had reunited near the battlefield’s center with nothing done. Their fights against the Priests hadn’t gone anywhere, with both sides only showing superficial injuries.

However, Black Hound was different. Despite having fought two Priests on his own, one bald head was in his hand as he stared warily at the reinforcements. He had actually managed to kill one branching expert while outnumbered.

Sadly, that praiseworthy feat couldn’t do much in the current situation. Even if Black Hound were to repeat it, the number of enemies was just too overwhelming.

’Grace should be outside the encirclement,’ Liam thought, not feeling any desperation. He knew he had done his best. All he had to do was keep fighting and laugh if he ended up dying. Such were his great Master’s teachings.

Still, rather than fighting right away, talks happened, and they started with Black Hound.

"Is this the Dragon King’s idea of peace?" Felix shouted at the encirclement, pointing his hand at Inquisitor Cornelius. "Killing righteous servants of the Kingdom to protect that?"

The indignation Black Hound felt was evident in his voice. The shape Inquisitor Cornelius had assumed after transforming truly was an insult to Felix’s years of service.

After all, it seemed that the justice Felix had upheld as a Chief Enforcer hadn’t been for the Kingdom or cultivators at all. It had been to protect monsters.

Sadly, Felix found no supporters among the white-robed cultivators. They were all in on the secret. If anything, many belonged to the same species Inquisitor Cornelius embodied.

"Black Hound, the Church is serving peace," Inquisitor Cornelius declared. "In a world ruled by otherworldly lineages, how could mere men matter? Only elevating them can grant them the position they deserve."

"You meant turning them into monst-" Black Hound began to say, only for the black streak that flew through the battlefield to silence him.

The streak headed directly for Inquisitor Cornelius, even taking into account the blind spot caused by his damaged left eye, but he just waved his hand to intercept it.

The ethereal arrow that had tried to take the Inquisitor by surprise dispersed, not even having the chance to explode, once again bringing every gaze to the hooded figure on the scene, creating an awkward atmosphere.

"What?" Liam groaned, lowering his bow. "They are healing. Kill them before they can recover."

"Your manners are appalling," Red Boar commented, but still stepped forward, and Liam followed.

The path was clear, but the pair’s advance still made many gasp in surprise, especially on Liam’s side. Everyone could see how hopeless the situation was, but he still hadn’t given up. Liam, a mere rooting expert, was heading toward certain death without showing any hesitation.

"You are indeed worthy of your talent," Inquisitor Cornelius exclaimed, obviously meaning Liam. "But that very talent makes you blind to the struggles of your peers."

Liam really didn’t care about talking, but the gazes around him changed at those words. Envy and resentment tainted what had previously been awe and respect.

The change was understandable. Now that everyone had learned about Liam’s alleged talent, his amazing feats took a backseat, becoming nothing more than natural consequences of some inborn trait.

"Can’t you see?" Inquisitor Cornelius continued. "It’s easy to fight when you were born with strength. It’s why the Church wants to empower all men."

The comment irked Liam a bit. He had indeed been born with some great advantages, but there were huge drawbacks, and the Inquisitor was belittling all his efforts to overcome them.

Liam started summoning items, throwing them at specific targets. The cultivators instinctively caught them, only to find themselves with elixirs and healing pills in their hands, all rank 2, all of perfect quality.

The process stopped after Liam had delivered over thirty of those, a quantity that even Guild’s branches would struggle to own. He was merely arming his side as best he could, but he added a declaration to it.

"I don’t know how many of us will make it out," Liam stated. "But be sure that I’ll avenge you all."

"None of you will make it out," Inquisitor Cornelius announced. "Especially not you. It’s a pity, but your ideology can’t be allowed to exist."

"Then, you should have killed me sooner," Liam revealed.

"What are you-?" Inquisitor Cornelius began to ask before everyone in the area understood what Liam had been talking about.

An ominous, powerful aura suddenly spread through the air, coming from the center of the yellow swamp. Liam’s side still had one branching expert unaccounted for, and his laugh soon echoed through the night.

"It’s done!" Master Vermillion cried, his voice pushing away the yellow fumes, revealing the laboratory he had set up right in the middle of that poisonous hell. "Now this is what I call alchemy!"

Master Vermillion was on his feet, a cauldron below him, a brown pill between his lifted hands. He didn’t hesitate to crush it, and everything turned black. For some reason, despite being fully awake and aware, Liam couldn’t see or feel anything anymore.