This was the gate to the Dark World. Only those belonging to the Dark World could enter.
The reason? Each member of the Dark World carried within them a Demon Spirit, making them impossible to eradicate, even after years of relentless efforts by the Radiant Faith Chapel.
Chris, after his fierce battle with the vampire Viscount Henry, had absorbed the Demon Spirit that Henry released upon his self-destruction. Using his soul power, Chris transformed the dark energy into a pair of black arms, granting him the ability to open the Dark World’s gate.
Taking a bold step forward, Chris entered the Dark World. Immediately, he was engulfed by a suffocating wave of Demon Spirit.
Raising his head, Chris spotted a purple moon hanging ominously in the sky. Its eerie glow bathed the land below, creating an unsettling atmosphere. Instinctively, Chris knew this was a perilous place.
Behind him, the black gate vanished without a sound.
Chris let out a bitter chuckle. It seemed he had truly walked into the lion’s den this time.
Ahead lay a dense cluster of buildings, and at the center stood a tall, imposing castle. Armed guards patrolled its exterior, their black armor radiating a thick aura of Demon Spirit.
Chris observed the surroundings carefully. Most of the guards seemed to reside in the smaller buildings surrounding the castle. Two structures stood out: one was lavish and extravagant, clearly housing the leaders of the Dark World. The other was grim and foreboding, with occasional anguished screams echoing from within.
Chris didn’t need to guess. That building was the Dark Prison.
Outside the Dark Prison, numerous guards stood watch, clad in black armor. Chris noted the majority were at the Aether level of strength. Among them were members of the werewolf and bear clans-powerful dark species that lived alongside the Blood Clan in the Dark World. Most of these beings were at the Pinnacle level.
At the prison’s entrance, a dozen guards stood vigilant.
Chris knew that to enter the Dark Prison, he would first have to eliminate them.
With a swift motion, Chris drew the Dragon Slayer and charged forward.
The guards barely had time to react before they were all cut down, one after another.
Once the guards were dispatched, Chris stepped into the Dark Prison.
Inside, he found rows of cells, each holding a variety of captives. Some were members of the Dark World, while others were from the outside world, mostly people affiliated with the Radiant Faith Chapel.
Chris frowned and muttered to himself, “Where is Susan being held?”
He began searching the prison, determined to find her. But time was not on his side-this was the heart of the Dark World, and he couldn’t afford to linger.
After combing through the cells, Chris still hadn’t found Susan. His expression darkened. Could the intel from Austin Paige have been wrong? Was Susan not in the Dark Prison after all?
Just as doubt began to creep in, Chris noticed a dark, shadowy passage at the far end of the prison.
At the end of the passage was a lone cell.
Without hesitation, Chris entered. Inside, he found a woman bound in chains.
She was stunning. Her golden hair cascaded to the ground, and her blue eyes sparkled like sapphires. Her beauty was angelic, yet her figure was undeniably alluring. Even Esther would pale in comparison.
The woman’s eyes opened suddenly, revealing a glimmer of surprise when she saw Chris.
Chris approached her calmly and said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll get you out of here.”
Though Chris wasn’t one to meddle in others’ affairs, a woman this beautiful-locked away in such a place-was undoubtedly a victim of the Dark World’s cruelty. If he didn’t intervene, he feared to imagine her fate.
The woman stared at him, stunned.
Without wasting time, Chris swung the Dragon Slayer at the cell door.
Clang!
The strike sent a shockwave through the room, forcing Chris to take a few unsteady steps back.
He frowned. His Dragon Slayer-a weapon forged by the legendary Lord Dragon-was known to cut through anything. Yet the prison door remained unscathed.
The woman spoke softly, “Don’t bother. That door is made of Dark Iron, the strongest material in the Dark World. It cannot be broken.”
Ignoring her words, Chris tightened his grip on the Dragon Slayer and continued hacking at the door.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Strike after strike, the room echoed with the sound of metal against metal.
Finally, with one last powerful blow, the door shattered.
The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief. She glanced at the Dragon Slayer in Chris’s hands, her expression tinged with awe. She knew how impenetrable Dark Iron was. What kind of weapon could cut through it?
Chris stepped into the cell and said firmly, “No more talking. I’m getting you out of here.”
The woman’s lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. Without a word, she followed him out of the cell.
Chris took a deep breath, preparing to leave the prison with her.
Seeing her up close, Chris realized Austin Paige’s information wasn’t entirely wrong. The Dark Prison did hold a woman-an extraordinarily beautiful one.
But she wasn’t Susan.
This mission had been a waste of time.
Suddenly, the woman stopped and said, “Wait a moment.”
Chris turned to her, puzzled.
She pointed to a black stone lying in her cell. “Take that with you.”
Chris glanced at the stone. It radiated an intense Demon Spirit, its energy almost palpable. Though he didn’t understand its significance, he decided to trust her and placed it in his storage ring.
As they exited the prison, they were immediately confronted by a swarm of guards.
The sight of Chris escorting the woman sent the guards into a frenzy, and they charged at him without hesitation.
Chris smirked coldly, gripping the Dragon Slayer.
“Time to fight,” he muttered.
Screams and battle cries filled the air as Chris cut down the guards one by one.