The Ultimate Passive Paradigm [LitRPG Adventure, Epic Progression]

Human figures materialized, hovering in the night air. They wore fitted dark green uniforms that proclaimed their role as secret agents of Verdant Spire Sect. The forces distributed around Caelindor had assembled under Vincent's summons.

"Fuck," Vincent cursed beside Nathan. "We're trapped!"

In Nathan's mind, he reviewed everything he'd known since this ordeal began. He unconsciously clenched his fists tighter.

"Their PsiLinks were disabled when they entered this area."

"That means we have no way to warn them to send information back to the sect," Vincent said. "We're in the enemy's cage now. We didn't assess this situation thoroughly enough. Who would have thought a Tier 5 would come here? How can he penetrate this deep into Caelindor? We've got ourselves 3 Tier 4 fighting against them at this moment. This scale is out of control."

"Why don't we use the teleportation talisman right now?" Nathan asked, puzzled by their failure to use it immediately. He didn't dare act rashly—if it were possible, Vincent would have already ordered him to do so or done it himself.

"The original requirement remains the same," Vincent said grimly. "We need to find daylight." The senior brother turned to look at Nathan with a heavy expression. "Today is the day you learn about Carrion Creed. About one of the most bloodthirsty assassination organizations with a global network, not limited to any single location."

Nathan felt his breath stolen away when, just as Vincent finished speaking, spears formed from shadow darkness stabbed straight toward Vincent. Various liquids splattered, making Nathan retreat cautiously. A second later, he realized it was tree sap, not blood. Vincent's body dissolved into chunks like pieces of wood after being completely chopped down.

Rustling sounds arose beside him as a flesh-and-blood senior brother stepped out from within a tree trunk. Its wooden surface gradually lost its deep brown vitality, turning an ashen gray of death.

"You see, Nathan?"

Despite the assistance of [Aura of Calm], Nathan couldn't suppress the great wave in his heart. What the hell was this? This world seemed to have killing methods that a person could never imagine in an entire lifetime.

"Killing me is not easy," Vincent said with some composure, though worry still showed. "Not with all the preparation by Alaric and myself. But the reverse is also true. They will come with every careful arrangement. Only fools wouldn't find ways to prevent targets from using escape devices. Their net has multiple layers, one after another."

Vincent now stood beside Nathan, his hand gripping tightly onto his junior brother's shoulder.

"You must be on that list, Nathan," Vincent announced. "It's just that no strong players consider you worth the trouble yet. Other smaller organizations have already been taken care of by the sect. Remember how they operate today, and guard against it in the future. Even their choice of this moment to ambush us is part of their plan."

Nathan nodded, understanding his senior brother's meaning.

"What you're worried about is the rule that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. They're gonna join hands?"

A low, rumbling laugh arose, shattering the rare silence of the night. The Tier 4 and Tier 3 individuals from all three factions stood at their respective corners, quietly waiting.

"You guessed correctly, young man." The voice gradually manifested into a person wearing ordinary clothes like those from Mirothea forces. Unremarkable, forgettable, and easy for a passerby to ignore.

"You have come, my lord." All those wearing similar civilian clothing bowed their heads, kneeling on one knee in respect before this person's appearance.

"Well, what a memorable night." The Tier 4 assassin laughed wickedly. "Truly worth the money spent to buy information."

"I know you." The sole Tier 5 chuckled darkly. "Three Stains. Three Tier 4 kills. The Nightcrawler of Carrion Creed."

"It's truly an honor to be known by your lordship," the assassin replied with obvious contempt showing in his voice.

"You should feel that way," the Tier 5 snorted. "Otherwise, this cheap night veil would have been shattered by me long ago."

In that instant, the clash between the auras of the two powerhouses made the forest trees below bend nearly to the ground. Nathan had to strengthen his mana shield to withstand it.

Sai raised his hand behind his back, fingers forming different symbols. It seemed this agent leader was also afraid that communication through spirit channels or PsiLink would be detected or interrupted by the enemy. Speaking in sign language, only insiders would understand—outsiders seeing it wouldn't comprehend anything.

The agents silently moved according to orders.

Nathan knew the Tier 5 saw everything but remained confident enough in his own power and arrangements here that he didn't bother to interfere. The arrogance of the high tier.

"Enough of this nonsense." The voice of the strongest shook everywhere. "You can tail along, lowly vultures. Get your target, and that kid is mine. Understood?"

The assassin's eyes above his mask showed mockery. He glanced over Nathan, then looked toward Vincent. After that, he bowed his head slightly. "Fine! That Tier 3 brat is ours."

Nathan's hair stood on end hearing these apex predators speak of him as prey as if he were nothing. Nonexistent. Like an ant to be stepped on at will. At the same time, he wondered suspiciously whether this was revenge for killing the centipede demon and disrupting their plans, or because they suspected the Demon Energy had been appropriated.

Wasting no more time, Vincent grabbed Nathan, pulling them both backward.

An explosion sent up a curtain of earth and sand where the two had just stood.

The agents appeared one by one at low altitude above them, drawing various weapons. They roared once, simultaneously deploying attacks against the approaching enemies. Different lights flashed as various skills were used. The air turned hot and cold from the strange collision of Aspects.

Nathan could see one agent's body parts stretching like rubber, forming a curtain to block incoming fireballs. On another side, an enemy cultivator used a device that looked like a vacuum, disrupting the movement formation of the Verdant Spire Sect side. High above, another cultivator was straining, then slammed his hand down to the ground. Invisible walls created by condensed air crashed down, leading to continuous tremors. Earth, stone, and trees were all shredded into small pieces under the cultivators' battle. If there had been any village nearby, it would have been caught in the crossfire and reduced to ash and dust by the destruction they brought.

Amid the chaos, Nathan had to increase his focus completely for defense. Stray attacks from enemies forced him to use all his strength to resist. Unlike Vincent, who possessed the abundant mana of a Tier 3, a Tier 2 like him only had a certain amount of energy to manage. At the same time, he paid attention to skill warnings from [Mind of Tranquility]. The intensity of this psychological manipulation technique was growing heavier by the second.

He looked up while still following Vincent across the distances. The Tier 5 and the assassin began to act.

"Verdant Flame Formation!" Sai roared into the night.

Eerie green flames rose in the air. Figures wrapped in fire distributed themselves at different positions. Though they appeared to follow no specific pattern, they brought a sense of weight and determination.

"No..." Vincent cried out from Nathan's right.

Before he could ask what was wrong, a Tier 3 broke through the agents' defensive line and charged into Vincent. Nathan consequently couldn't maintain his position in the air, falling down into the forest below. He spread both arms forward to create explosions, descending slowly.

Just as he predicted, the moment he entered range and his shadow appeared on the ground, boomerangs and sharp spikes shot out to attack him.

Clang clang!

He quickly deflected them, legs coiling down, springing up high once more, increasing distance from the Tier 2 assassin who constantly targeted him.

When he reached the highest point, he again saw Vincent being stabbed to pieces below by pitch-black spears. The Tier 4 assassin had struck again. Nathan was truly frightened when he remembered what he'd heard earlier.

Three Tier 4s killed, he silently recalled. So a Tier 3 like Vincent would be much easier. The ability to escape the enemy's blade with such high expertise was diminishing by the second. Nathan was certain of this. Whatever tricks were being used to protect the Verdant Spire Sect heir were depleting.

He was astonished to realize from the way his senior brother was being attacked that he could have died just minutes ago. The strikes penetrating his defensive layers came from the lower-level assassin. He hadn't aimed for Nathan's vital points like the heart, arteries, or brain. The main purpose was to wound him and capture him alive.

The shadows below once again welcomed him with continuous attacks. Besides the Tier 2s, he also had to face troublesome ones hiding in the darkness.

Furious, Nathan used everything he had. Taking advantage of gravity's momentum, he struck downward with the greatest force possible.

The ground collapsed before he even touched down. The boomerangs and shadow-created blades shattered under his impact. Then a large crater formed, shooting upward tremors and shock waves. Trees around were blown away by the force he generated. Lightning spread into burning streaks through the air.

Looking around, he burned his mana. His figure flickered in and out of sight in the air. His sword became lines of death. He had observed enough of the enemy's attack patterns. Using the sharp senses from [Martial Arts Mastery], he successfully stabbed, slashed, and deflected the pursuers' techniques with terrifying accuracy. He targeted all their weak points for exploitation, penetrating to deal damage.

Blood splattered from the Tier 2s pursuing him. The wounds caused them to fall back. But none collapsed completely. Not only were they defended by mana shields, they also carried consumable items to protect their lives. Unless Nathan could deploy another surprise ambush like before, they would recover sooner or later.

Nathan breathed heavily. Using [Amplifying Strike] and [Flowing Strikes] continuously was straining his body. Fighting one-on-one, he wasn't afraid, but with this many people carrying preparation and precautions, it was too difficult. Moreover, what he relied on most, [Battle Trance], couldn't be utilized in this situation. Even [Martial Arts Mastery] couldn't help him overcome everything.

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Taking out alcohol to drink, he used essence instead of mana shield. Though [Digestive Efficiency] increased food absorption speed, it still needed time. What he lacked most right now was time.

He frantically swallowed mana recovery pills. This wasn't recommended practice, but he ignored mana fatigue and mana drag. Not absorbing from mana stones would require weeks to months of detoxification. And he only hoped to have those weeks or months. In this moment, he felt death would be peaceful. Being captured would only be hell manifested on earth.

Hovering in the air after shooting up again, he was grabbed by Vincent and flown backward.

Only now did he see the scene the Verdant Spire Sect agents were creating. They were truly blocking a Tier 5 and a Tier 4 with their formation.

The flames danced like spirits in the sky, seeming to always know spatial points to burn intensely, preventing enemies from entering inside, not allowing them to escape outside to pursue Vincent or Nathan. Beside them, robots were thrown out, forming an additional second protective layer. Sai continuously waved his hands, not only to command subordinates but also to control the mechanical creations. A cube formed by green flames burned into Nathan's mind. The existences were constantly striving to protect him.

"They're burning their lives," Vincent said without turning back. "Sai, Jun, Rin, all of them."

Though he had suspected, when hearing confirmation from Vincent, Nathan still couldn't suppress the heaviness in his heart. The scene before his eyes of the constantly moving agents was truly beautiful, like a performance by the most skillful dancers, surpassing even the musicians at Cascade Gardens.

"We're losing hundreds of years of investment right now," Vincent said.

"Is this the time to talk about profit?" Nathan asked, unable to believe his senior brother was discussing something completely unrelated.

"Would you rather hear about the daughter waiting for Sai to return? Or the lover Rin finally found after so long? Or Jun's sick sister, which made him decide to join this organization with only death as a path in exchange for a rare cure?"

Nathan fell silent. He couldn't see his senior brother's face but could still hear the grinding of teeth here and there. Unlike him, Vincent had time to understand these people. So more than anyone, Vincent was the one who didn't want anyone to leave.

"Damn it," Vincent said brokenly. "They will pay for this."

"Don't you hate me?" Nathan asked, his eyes downcast.

Trees rustled below the two as they glided past. Deafening explosions like bombs continued without stop. The green flames kept burning. They had traveled increasingly far. Perhaps the area with daylight was getting closer.

"Have you finally accepted that you're someone significant?" Vincent mocked. "That your presence brings instability?"

"More or less," Nathan agreed.

"Good! That's good. But you're still just a kid, a child being thrown around by adults with their grandiose aspirations. Though I respect my master, frankly speaking, I'm somewhat satisfied to see him failing. The price paid today isn't due to you or your responsibility, Nathan. Alaric and Darkan will have to bear it. Plan within plan my ass!"

Vincent shoved Nathan away when an agent with rubber-like stretching ability was knocked toward them, falling below and creating a deep, bottomless hole. Then Vincent immediately grew wood on his hand, pulling Nathan back beside him.

"You've been a reactive disciple long enough. It's time you found a way to become proactive. Darkan is a difficult old man, but he's right. You cannot trust anyone but yourself."

The explosion from above made Nathan's face pale completely, ears and eyes ringing. He opened his eyes and saw the flame dots from the Verdant Flame formation had connected with each other. The entire group of agents formed a gigantic fireball in the darkness.

The earthquake-like voice of the Tier 5 rang out. "You little rats! Do you think this will stop me?"

The surrounding space began to twist. Nathan felt like he was reliving the battle with Zhanyu, with Spatial Cuts becoming more intense. He guessed this was happening but was being contained by the formation.

"The strongest fire can bend space itself," Vincent muttered. "They really are madmen who listen to no one."

The green fireball, no different from a strange sun, pulsed at various points, shooting outward waves of scorching energy.

In the blink of an eye, the trees below caught fire, spreading in the wind at a dizzying speed. What had been only local fires became a sea of yellow-orange and green occupying everything. These flames were drawn upward by the formation above, joining in, increasing the power of this prison-like creation stepped out from hell.

The Verdant Spire Sect agents were using everything they had to burn their lives in the most spectacular way.

"Why go to such extremes?" Nathan exclaimed. "They have enough power to escape."

"They're doing their work," Vincent replied, his tone steely. "If they fled, they would be gnawed away by the very promises they swore to Alaric, to Darkan and Orin. They know what they've dedicated themselves to. Their lives or ours, Nathan."

"How do we know our lives are more important than theirs?" Nathan gritted his teeth.

"They don't know about you," Vincent said bluntly. "But they know about me."

Nathan blinked, turning toward his senior brother. "And you know about me. My bloodline and the damn thing we all know about. So you protect me. And they, in the process, have to sacrifice for me too."

"That's how things work," Vincent answered.

The wave of fire reached their running position. The Tier 3 and Tier 2 agents of Verdant Spire Sect gathered together, forming a defensive layer so the two could escape. With the situation isolating the Tier 4 assassin, the boundary of the night veil was no longer mobile. They just needed to continue and could leave.

Vincent once again transformed into a wooden hedgehog. A second later, he had returned beside his junior brother.

"Stop them! Now!" The Tier 5, despite being imprisoned, roared.

The space before Nathan's eyes was disturbed, looking like a lake's surface hit by a thrown stone. Immediately after, a shadow appeared. His eyes through the concealing clothing showed joy.

In that instant, Vincent threw Nathan away. The thrust from the Mirothea cultivator pierced through Vincent's chest. The forest below shook. They were being burned so they carried cracks of fire, surging upward. Vincent, wrapped in this natural armor, rose like a giant. Hidden within the newly formed golem, he swung to attack the figure that had just appeared.

With a sharp crack, the wooden arm was sliced apart like thin paper, breaking into pieces. The enemy's aura emanated, making Vincent freeze.

A Tier 4 right in the middle of a group of Tier 3s and 2s.

The agents immediately charged up, weapons and mana flashing. But these attacks were no different from mosquitoes biting steel, being blocked easily and quickly.

A yellow light flashed, gleaming spears formed in the air. They shot out too fast to catch. Sounds of explosions and chaotic clashing arose.

During his fall, Nathan saw the motionless bodies of fallen comrades. The agents who had died from the recent assault. Seeing their flailing arms and legs, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken. They were also human beings with families, lovers, friends waiting. Yet here they abandoned their lives and future promises.

And then amid that scene, his anger surged like a tsunami in his heart. The Tier 2 assassin was gliding past the agents' corpses, cleanly and professionally cutting off their heads with decisive movements, then storing them in his spatial ring.

The headless corpses seemed to cry out invisible sounds of rage. These incomplete deaths tore at Nathan's heart.

"You bastard!" he roared.

Though he couldn't use nora, he still hadn't pushed his limits completely. He took out a pile of medicine, a pile of food, cramming everything into his mouth. Among them was the special preparation from Universal Root, containing all types of aspects. Remembering his experiments, he didn't want to use it at all. But at least it would have an effect. Because using nora now wouldn't let him catch this constantly hiding assassin.

The Tier 2 assassin looked toward him, eyes half-closed, curved upward in mockery of his enemy. Nathan first reached for Lightning Aspect. In an instant, he was right above the enemy. His hand reached out, trying to grab him.

As expected, the assassin slipped into the tree shadow below. When he reappeared, his hand swung out, throwing boomerangs.

Nathan ignored the dangerous sharp network forming. Mana flowed intensely through his body. His skin emitted sizzling sounds from being burned. He pushed lightning aspect to its maximum.

Crack!

Zigzagging lightning appeared in the air. The scene before his eyes seemed in slow motion. He appeared to have touched some secret of Omnipotential Aspect, but couldn't spare time to contemplate it now.

His hand reached toward the enemy. The assassin was gradually dissolving, his outline like flower petals melting into the night.

He advanced inside. [Digestive Efficiency] had digested enough food containing Universal Root. Mana raged at his core. The lake of stars lit up. One by one, they received the call.

Nathan gritted his teeth, ready for what was coming. These stars operated no differently than explosives in the spiritual world. They were like natural enemies. Fire against water. Life against death. Stability against chaos. Fast opposing slow. Light against darkness.

He released all Aspects. They were pitifully weak. And he himself became shattered.

But it was enough. In that moment, he had entered the shadows, like his enemy. He simultaneously received speed assistance from Lightning Aspect. In that opportunity, he grabbed the assassin. His hand gripped tightly around the man's neck. With the strength he possessed, this scoundrel couldn't escape.

He ignored the stab wounds growing on his body, intensifying Qi Armor to protect vital organs. He stared into his enemy, who was showing clear fear. The hunter had become the hunted.

"How did you..."

Splat!

Nathan pulled from the enemy's chest a heart burning hot, blood-red, still beating rhythmically.

Blood sprayed from the wound and from the assassin's mouth.

"This is the price for what you did," Nathan said as if convincing himself. "Why didn't you focus on me instead of chasing them? They're already dead."

In his rage, he didn't notice himself tightening his grip. The sound of cracking awakened him from emotional chaos. A corpse with a pierced chest, no heart, neck twisted to one side, eyes rolled back white lay in his hands.

Crying out once, he released his grip. The assassin fell limp to the ground, sprawled out.

Nathan's breathing became rapid. He hurriedly threw away the heart in his right hand. His eyes rolled back and forth as his heartbeat increased.

"I just killed a person," he mumbled. He wanted to raise his hand to his head but stopped when he saw the warm blood still clinging to it.

He commanded mana to cleanse his body, but that only led to him collapsing to his knees. He had forgotten what using Universal Root like that would lead to. The blood vessels in his body couldn't take it anymore, bursting. His skin tore, spilling blood all over the ground. He could no longer distinguish between his blood and the enemy's.

He coughed dryly, unable to vomit. The heart within his blurred vision was still beating, muscle fibers contracting and expanding. Pain, revulsion, and shattered reason seized him like a beast right in the middle of the battlefield.

Looking around shakily, he heard the corpses of the agents finally hitting the ground. Some with heads, some without. Seeing them made him startled. He had to help them, had to find a way to save them. Yet his body, having reached its limit, couldn't do anything. Anger returned once more.

He should have tortured that assassin. Death was too merciful. Too quick and clean.

What about killing? he told himself. I haven't killed enough yet!

"NATHAN!" Vincent shouted. A vine pulled Nathan upward.

Vincent's face made Nathan push aside the complex emotions about killing someone for the first time. The handsome, dignified face was now mangled, disheveled with deep and shallow cuts. The white shirt on his body had become tatters, no different from cleaning rags sewn together.

Whatever had protected Vincent before was no longer effective.

"We're close!" Vincent said.

The remaining Tier 4 agent from Verdant Spire Sect had caught up to provide backup. Earlier, the Tier 4 from Mirothea had received help through teleportation from the Tier 5.

Without a word, Nathan let his senior brother pull him away.

"No!" the familiar wicked voice of the Tier 4 assassin cried out. "My disciple!"

Mana around them, visible to the naked eye, transformed. They suddenly became large sword blades cutting toward Vincent and Nathan.

"Remember our deal!" the Tier 5 roared. "I need that boy alive!"

"I don't give a shit about this deal!" the leader of this night veil declared.

Hearing this, Nathan turned, breaking Vincent's vine. He positioned himself toward the sword blade that no one could block for them. He closed his eyes, ready for impact.

"Well done, Nathan!" Vincent called out joyfully.

Opening his eyes, Nathan saw he remained unharmed. The sword blade had vanished. Or rather, this night veil was retreating.

"Damn it! If I can't get what I want, then you shouldn't expect to either!" the Tier 4 assassin declared with finality.

"Don't let me catch you, Nightcrawler!" the Tier 5, while resisting Verdant Flame, angrily said. "Otherwise I'll lock you in a pocket dimension and torment you for eternity."

"But first you need to catch me, you arrogant old cunt!"

Before Nathan and Vincent's eyes appeared what they had always hoped for from the beginning. The rays of light from the real world. Only a few meters remained to escape this nightmare.

Vincent exploded with mana, pushing them both to fly faster. Behind them, the pursuers from Mirothea fell into madness. They charged recklessly, regardless of being cut down by the agents.

A earth-shaking explosion made Nathan look up. The fireball had been shattered. Following that was a chain collapse. A figure tore out. His hand pierced through an agent's heart, extracting a small nascent soul.

The agent team leader roared, "Self explosion!"

Nathan's eyes were blinded, unable to see anything. Beside his ear, he only heard his senior brother's pained sounds.

"Sai, oh Sai. They will pay for this."

Regaining his vision, Nathan found himself no longer in that deadly forest but in another place. All the trees were green with life, not with charred surfaces and decay.

"Now!" Vincent shouted.

Without needing details, Nathan triggered the talisman under his sleeve. Vincent's first teleportation talisman was only to escape the Tier 5's disturbance according to Vincent's words. To truly escape, his talisman was the prerequisite.

He felt his body tilting from a gentle guiding force. Before his eyes could register what was happening, he had been teleported away.

He fell onto an empty plain. He looked around anxiously.

Vincent was nowhere to be found. His spirit and mana were exhausted for searching.

His foot kicked against an object. Looking down, his breath felt completely drawn from his lungs.

Vincent's hand lay rolling on the ground, cleanly severed without mercy.