Damned Healer

Darian looked like someone about to massacre everyone there. Hirel ran after him in a hurry.

"Lord Darian, wait!"

At that moment, the sky trembled and countless figures brandishing weapons, their bodies already radiating intense chaotic power, appeared.

"Who dares invade…?"

A female voice cut off mid-shout when she saw Darian.

Darian stopped and then stared at that woman with intense blue eyes. "What's up? Not gonna say hi to your Boss?"

He spat the words sarcastically. That was Remira; when she heard it, her eyes narrowed... then she forced a crooked smile.

"Well, well, it's you, boss... welcome?" she said, clearly trying to hide her discomfort.

Darian noticed a big difference on her face compared to before: less arrogance, less ferocity. She'd matured a bit in that time — which meant things had been rough for her.

He also felt something and activated his curse. He noticed a black karma on her, denser than average. That hadn't been there before; back then, he hadn't even felt it or needed to trigger the curse to see it.

"General Remira, you're colluding with a spy?! You betrayed the sect!!"

Right then, tons of powerful figures arrived and surrounded them. A Chromaraic in golden armor stepped forward with murderous intent.

"Fuck off, Lachlan!" Remira shot back coldly.

Lachlan was one of the Four Generals, the number one—Remira's main rival. She clearly hated him.

Remira turned to him and her expression brightened.

"Now that my boss is here, you think I'm scared of you? If it weren't for those old bastards supporting you, I'd've kicked your balls ages ago!" she snarled, unloading all her frustrations.

Darian snorted. He barely knew this woman, but she was using him to intimidate others without hesitation. Still, she wasn't weak or mediocre; there had to be a reason she acted like that.

He was sure—since he arrived he'd been reading the karma of people at the gate with his curse. That's why he'd killed them without thinking. Now, facing this other General and his lackeys, he saw the same thing in all of them.

Their karma was very dense, nowhere near Remira's, which meant terrible deeds in this life. The sect was rotten inside, and Darian had no patience or mercy left.

As for Remira, something had happened to her. Darian couldn't detect traces of that terrifying immortal bloodline she'd once had. She seemed like a plain Chromaraic–demon hybrid now.

"Since you admit he's a spy, there's nothing more to say! Capture them! Anyone who resists will be executed!" Lachlan shouted.

"I won't say it twice," Darian spoke slowly. "My time is precious and I don't care about your petty fights. Anyone who tries to stop me, I'll kill without hesitation."

He looked at everyone with indifference. A dense black aura warped around him, like something ready to reap lives at any moment.

"Who dares act arrogant in the sect?" A thunderous voice boomed, approaching.

A group of Chromaraics exuding heavy power appeared. Darian was surprised: they were all level 9 in the Dark Saint realm.

The man who spoke seemed very high-ranking, and he shot a cold look at Darian.

"Dean Zlark."

Remira and the others murmured in alarm. This man was one of the twelve Deans of the sect; his status was just below the Leader.

"You brat—was that you speaking just now?" the man said again, looking Darian up and down.

Darian stared at him for three seconds without reacting. Everyone saw it and assumed he felt intimidated.

But... suddenly that man felt an elemental fluctuation.

*BANG!*

He was confident and didn't react in time. It was too sudden. Darian moved in front of him and punched him hard in the face, catching him undefended.

A massive impact sound, like a building being struck, echoed.

Everyone fell deathly silent.

"Idiot, who do you think you're talking to?" Remira's mocking voice made everyone widen their eyes.

People still couldn't believe what they were seeing. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

"How dare you!"

The Dean's voice echoed as he crawled out of the rubble; he was covered in dust and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. In his entire life, no one had ever humiliated him like that.

"I'll make sure you die...!" He stopped mid-sentence, startled, when he felt the same elemental fluctuation.

He quickly raised his arms to guard his face and tried to activate his chaotic power. But...

Darian's movement technique was terrifyingly efficient at close range. It was made for fighting when countless enemies attacked and surrounded him.

Darian moved almost like a teleport to the side of the man, slipping out of his sight. Then he kicked the guy in the gut with enormous force.

*BANG!*

This time, the Dean flew into several of his allies and slammed into them violently. They all fell, coughing up blood.

Darian was impressed for two reasons. First, this idiot's reaction speed was painfully slow. Did he really survive the desert and the Wild World?

Second... he felt something weird and familiar in the guy's body; the Dean had tried to activate his power but Darian hit him before it could flow.

If Darian really wanted to, he could've killed them all so easily it'd be ridiculous. But he needed the sect's help to get resources fast. If he slaughtered everyone mercilessly, it would cause irreversible chaos.

Not that he cared that much. He'd seen this Dean's karma and it matched the other General's; still, this wasn't the time.

"Kill them!" roared the Dean as he got up.

The others didn't hesitate and drew their weapons; murderous intent filled the air.

Seeing that, Hirel froze with fear. She had never imagined Darian could be so ruthless. Remira, meanwhile, had a satisfied smile—she'd wanted this for a long time but couldn't until now.

"Those who want to die, come on." Darian snorted and slowly reached for a dagger.

The Dean ignored the warning and poured his chaotic power into an attack. He drew his sword and charged.

"Stop!"

At that moment, a voice sounded. It wasn't loud—almost gentle. Except for Darian, everyone was stunned. The Dean and the rest froze instantly.

"Damn, boring..." Remira murmured, disappointed, "It's the Leader."

An older man appeared before them; a Chromaraic dressed refined and scholarly. Everyone bowed quickly.

"Hail, Sect Leader!"

He stepped forward and stopped, then looked at Darian for a few seconds.

His eyes changed, as if he'd seen in Darian something he'd searched for his whole life. He asked with a friendly smile:

"Are you the one my General keeps talking about? The missionary Darian?"

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise at that.

Darian nodded indifferently. "That's right."

The Leader's face lit up with excitement. "Excellent—our sect has been waiting for you a long time. Come, I should welcome you properly."

"This isn't right—he killed our people and must be captured!" the Dean shouted furiously. "A newcomer thinks himself invincible before our sect? If we do nothing, our honor is lost!"

"You little bastard, shut up. Who do you think you are talking to my Boss? He's already spared you twice and didn't kill you—do you really want to die today?" Remira mocked.

"You...!"

"Enough. This ends now. Lord Darian, thanks for coming. Why don't you come with me so we can talk?" the Leader invited.

Darian looked at him and checked his karma. It was just ordinary black, nothing prominent. He seemed like someone not involved with the others.

Darian waved it off.

The Dean opened his mouth to retort, but the Leader gave him a stern look; the Dean swallowed his words with a murderous glare.