Second World

"What the… Instant kill?"

Jack had a problem processing what he just witnessed. He landed on the platform and used Inspect on the bodies. They truly had died.

A few pedestrians saw the incident. They were now running away for fear that they might get targeted next, or maybe they were running to alert the soldiers on the wall. In any case, it was not wise to stay here.

"Who is that?!" Jack heard Leavemealone's voice.

He was stuck in the guillotine machine. Jack and Arlcard were behind him and he couldn't turn his head to see them. Jack went and unfastened him.

"Jack?" He said after he was freed from the contraption.

"This is the second time I save you from a certain execution. You better give me a proper thank you this time," Jack said to him.

"What did you do?" Leavemealone asked. He didn't understand what just happened. He just saw thick red smoke circling him and all the guards were down on the ground.

"You truly don't know how to thank someone, do you?" Jack said with annoyance.

"We are wasting time here. Let's go," Arlcard said. He then flew in the direction of the palace.

"Damn it! So hasty," Jack uttered. He resummoned his gold dragon wings and said to Leavemealone, "Follow us. We are getting back on the person who almost has you executed. Can you keep up?"

Leavemealone took out a whistle and blew it. A large panther with two long protruding upper canine teeth appeared. It was Leavemealone's unique-grade steed, Swift Saber Panther.

Leavemealone rode the panther as it ran and jumped along the building's roof, keeping up with the two who were flying up there.

"What skill did Arlcard use just now?" Jack asked Peniel.

"I don't know," Peniel answered.

"Serious? There is a skill that you don't know?"

"There is no skill I know that looks like what we saw just now. At least not one that can kill a group of natives in an instant."

"Hm… What about a skill that looks different but can kill a group of natives in an instant?" Jack asked.

"This is no such… Well, if the native is a vampire. There are, but it doesn't create a red smoke and it also only affects one target," Peniel answered.

"What skill is that?"

"Excorsim or Unholy Exorcism," Peniel said. "Exorcism is the standard spell of the exorcist special class. Unholy exorcism is a non-standard spell that can be learned by the Inquisitor class. The two spells differed in a few details but both had a chance to instantly kill a demon, an undead, or a vampire. But as I said, they are single-target spells and the chance of the spells succeeding depends on the difference between the levels and grades between the targets and the caster."

"Those soldiers were lower level and lower grades than Arlcard, but the supervisor was a level 81 rare elite," Jack said. He learned about it after using Inspect on the sparkling vampire's body earlier. "That supervisor was probably placed there to deal with me when I showed up to save Leavemealone."

"Marcus wasn't aware that you can already deal with such an opponent," Peniel said.

"Which is a good thing. If he underestimates me, he will be caught off guard when we attack him," Jack said. "Anyway, that supervisor was lower grade but higher level than Arlcard. Do you think those two spells you mentioned could have instantly killed him?"

"If the opponent is a vampire, his age comes into concern too. That supervisor is a high elder, the same as Arlcard. I will say that the instant kill chance is very small, but why are we discussing this? The spells I mentioned is a single-target spell and it doesn't produce red smoke. What Arlcard did just now is not Exorcism nor Unholy Exorcism."

"Hm… Okay," Jack said. They were close to the palace by now.

Arlcard was the first to arrive. Most of the soldiers were at the city wall fighting the rebels, but there were still two soldiers guarding the palace's main entrance. Arlcard didn't waste time with stealth. He just flew directly toward the two guards.

Arlcard cast a spell and multiple dark lord's swords assaulted the guards. He also cast Dark Enchantment on his rapier and engaged the guards directly. The two guards were not his opponent.

Jack didn't immediately join. He stopped a distance away and used the communication device to contact Horatio. Leavemealone stopped beside him. After a short glance between Jack and Arlcard, Leavemealone went ahead and joined Arlcard.

"Hey, we are outside the palace now," Jack said to the communication device when he heard Horatio's voice.

"Okay. I will be shutting down the rune diagrams," Horatio said. "I don't know how long I can defend this place. Don't spend too long time."

"Understood," Jack said and stored the device.

The two guards were half-dead by then. With his joining, the battle soon ended. The three entered through the main entrance.

Jack touched the wall and sensed the place. "The rune diagrams are down. Horatio makes good on his promise," he said. "The remaining soldiers in this palace should be heading his way, which gives us more freedom to search around. Come on! We have to find the stairs to the basement as soon as possible."

"If it's the basement you are looking for, I know where the stairs are," Leavemealone said.

"You do?" Jack asked.

"Yes. After you left us to be captured. We were taken to the basement and kept there until we were brought to the execution ground."

"#@$!... I didn't leave you. I was teleported away by somebody else," Jack said.

"Whatever you say, man."

"You know. You are truly one ungrateful son of a b*tch for someone who has been saved twice."

"Enough chatter! Show us the way!" Arlcard said to Leavemealone.

"Please forgive him. It is his time of the month," Jack said.

Arlcard had no idea what that meant.

"Follow me," Leavemealone said. The three ran through the hallways with him at the lead.