Paragon of Skills

Chapter 285

Jacob looks at the entrance of one of the six Dungeons that Harvald Ashenvale mentioned. It’s in a close-by mountain, with many signs saying NOT to enter the place.

Other than that, it’s a pretty simple portal.

He said that his wife, probably with the help of this cult, set these Dungeons up for her children?

It was an interesting thought… to set up an inheritance through Dungeons. Jacob instinctively understood that there were probably two layers to this: being worthy of the inheritance and making it so that only her children would be able to get it.

What are the chances that this inheritance has been cursed to high heaven? Jacob ponders. But it doesn’t matter. I’m lucky enough that it should all be well.

Yet, despite the self-declaration of luck, Jacob is missing something. Not too far behind him, cloaked in a Rainbow Skill that provides him with unbreakable stealth, is…

“Astabazos! Damn it!” Delefagus looks at the ranks of the Dark Champions and the high-pitched female Dark Champion shrugs while their temporary leader scrambles to get Jacob Cloud on the scrying mirror.

“You know how he is. He thinks he could have killed Jacob Cloud months ago.”

“I know he’s an idiot,” Delefagus replies. “I just didn’t know that he would actually go and risk his own life like this.”

Korrath, the Dragonkin Dark Champion who lost to Vyrrak, shrugs, “with Astabazos’s Skill, he does have a good chance of killing Jacob Cloud. He’s undetectable until he gets one foot from you. Not even Cloud should be able to react to that.”

Delefagus, who, in the most paranoid way possible, records everything that happens to Jacob Cloud through many scrying spells, looks at five different mirrors that have just detached from the walls.

Soon, he’s caught up on what, exactly, happened while he was busy with his experiments.

The Dark Champions, who have been lounging around the laboratory, not really interested in Astabazos’s fate, perk up when they hear Delefagus swear out loud.

“Dead pupils of Asmodeus,” the Dark Champion says, making everyone raise an eyebrow at his blasphemy.

“What’s happening?” Korrath asks.

“I don’t know how I missed this,” Delefagus starts slowly. “Ashenmere was previously infiltrated by the Cult of the Apocalypse.”

One might think that an Evil God Cult wouldn’t mind another Evil God’s Cult. In a way, they could be called ‘colleagues,’ in the eyes of outsiders. Yet, few in the entire world have as much hate for other Cults like, well, other Cults.

Let’s put it like this.

Cultists see their God as essentially the way to… salvation. At least, for most Gods that aren’t outright insane like the God of Madness. Cultists see ‘civilians’ as fundamentally lost sheep who need to be brought into the flock or slaughtered for a higher purpose. Therefore, despite the massacres that most Cults perpetrate in the name of their cause, they don’t have a deep hate for civilians. At most, they thoroughly hate Knights, but that’s because a Knight’s entire existence is predicated upon fighting the likes of them.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Therefore, Cults see other Cults as the ultimate enemy. They see them as someone trying to impose their own twisted truth onto the world.

Civilians, for example, are treated like idiots who don’t know any better—and disposable flesh, most of the time. But still, there’s no particular hatred for the masses.

Yet, when it comes to other Cults, there are not many who hate them more than one slightly different Cult.

“If the Cult of the Apocalypse is involved,” the high-pitched female starts saying, “does it mean we’re about to enter Armageddon?”

Everybody goes very, very still at that.

“No,” Delefagus says, almost trembling. “The Primordial Cults have always existed.”

Korrath, the Dark Champion Dragonkin, takes a beat, and, unusually serious, goes to a table and sits down.

“Karma would make us encounter a Primordial Cult like this? While we’re all gathered, during the Generation of Legends, and with the Leader of said generation and Astabazos in front of a Dungeon of that kind?”

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” Delefagus says, uncertain. “We don’t even know if—“

“It’s useless to talk about this now,” the high-pitched woman says. “We’ll just deal with whatever comes our way. And look, Cloud is about to enter the Dungeon.”

Delefagus, sighing, turns toward the mirror and sees Jacob Cloud examining the wall.

“He agreed to retrieve the inheritance of the Ashenvale because he wants special permits to enter the mines. We should thank his ingenuity,” Delefagus says. “But there’s no way he’ll be able to enter that.”

“Why?” The woman asks.

“If it’s a Primordial Cult’s Dungeon, then it’s blood-bound, if not soul-bound. Even with the Grimoire, Jacob Cloud will never be able to—“

“The Dungeon’s portal lit up,” Korrath says, pointing at the mirror.

Delefagus, who has been looking at the Dark Champions, suddenly whirls on his feet and finds the Dungeon Portal not just opaque and dark like before. It has now turned into a multicolored vortex.

“What the hell?” The Dark Champion frowns. “How is that even possible?!”

Jacob looks at the Dungeon and then back at the Grimoire.

[Dungeon of the Deathly Traps]

[Requires two people to enter and special conditions to be activated.]

[Special conditions met.]

Jacob sees the portal activate despite the fact that he has done nothing to make it work.

He scratches the back of his head and shrugs.

“I have five more of these to go through. I better hurry up.”

Behind him, just a few feet, is Astabazos, who receives a mental communication from Delefagus himself.

You idiot! That’s a Primordial Cult’s Dungeon! Do not enter it! I don’t even know how Cloud activated it! You’ll be found out, Astabazos! Don’t ruin the damn mission!

Astabazos shoots back telepathically.

Unless I’m one foot from him, he won’t be able to perceive me, Delefagus. I do not plan on revealing myself until he starts struggling and is in mortal danger. At that point, I’ll reap his life from his body.

Astabazos can feel the frustration through the telepathic link in Delefagus.

And how do you plan on making it out alive?! It’s a Dungeon full of traps laid by the Primordial Cult of Apocalypse, you moron! We have bigger fish to fry than your petty personal grievances.

But Astabazos simply stops paying attention to the words coming through the telepathic link that connects all the Dark Champions.

He took her away from me, Astabazos thinks, looking at Jacob Cloud. Who does he think he is? Does he even know who Infernals really are?

The handsome Infernal man feels a strong hate coursing through his body at the thought of Jacob Cloud taking away Iskara from him.

And not just him. Once I’m done with you, you little rat. You bastard without a lineage… I will take away that slave’s life. That disgusting creature must perish. And if his owners are too spineless to put an end to him, I’ll do it personally.

Astabazos smiles sardonically. He has already gathered information on the Blood of the Devils.

He favors a girl. He requested the Headmaster heal the girl personally. I’ll take her first from him, just like I took Iskara from Jacob, and I’ll make her into an unrecognizable monster. I’ll let that slave believe he can save her, just to dash all his hopes.