As soon as everyone had read their newly acquired class information, the air around them began to crackle with immense energy. A bright light emerged from the ground, quickly expanding and growing in intensity.
The ground shook, and they were all pulled towards the source of the light, unable to resist its pull. It felt like a portal had opened up beneath them, and they were being sucked into it by an unseen force.
The mana was so excessive that it was almost suffocating, making it difficult to even breathe. The group was powerless to resist as they were pulled into the vortex of energy, unsure of what awaited them on the other side.
Ignis had no time to react before he was caught in the vortex of mana, along with everyone else. As he was being pulled in, he heard the old man's voice, trembling with fear. "Stay away from whi-" His words were cut off as Ignis was pulled into the portal, and everything went black.
As the group vanished from the room, the old man's body began to tremble uncontrollably. His hands shook violently, causing the small vial of black liquid in his hand to spill onto the ground with a clattering sound.
He let out a painful groan, and as he did, black ooze started to ooze from his ears and nose. The substance dripped down his face, leaving a trail of slimy residue on his clothes.
The room was now silent, except for the sound of the old man's laboured breathing and the occasional drip of the black substance onto the ground as he collapsed on the floor.
Tap-Tap!
Tap-Tap!
Tap-Tap!
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder with each passing second. The rhythmic tap-tap of shoes on the hard floor indicated that multiple people were approaching. As they drew closer, the sound grew louder and more distinct, until finally, the group rounded the corner and came into view.
Nine individuals emerged from the shadows, their footsteps echoing through the room. Led by one individual, they all wore high-end equipment, complete with masks that obscured their faces.
Their equipment gleamed in the dim light of the room, and the intricate designs etched onto their armour spoke of its rarity. Their footsteps echoed throughout the room, with the sound of leather boots tapping against the floor.
The group of nine individuals in high-end equipment reached the haggard old man, whose body was covered in a black goo-like substance. He twisted and shook violently as he saw them closing in, fear etched on his face. The individuals surrounded him, their masks hiding their expressions as they looked down at the trembling old man.
The individual in the wolf mask furiously kicked the old man, shouting, "This bastard ruined our plan!" His companions stood by and watched, their faces hidden behind their masks. With each kick, the old man's body contorted and twisted, and a pained cry escaped from his lips. The sound echoed throughout the room, filling the space with a sense of dread. But the kicking did not stop, and soon the old man's cries faded into silence as he lay lifeless on the ground.
As the old man took his last breath, his face contorted with fear and agony. His eyes widened in terror as if he knew that his death was not the end of his suffering. However, amidst the fear, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He remembered the task given to him by his lord and hoped that his sacrifice would not be in vain. With that thought in his mind, his body went limp, and he breathed his last.
"Aaahh!" The individual wearing a cute rabbit mask moaned in a delighted way after seeing the old man die. She clapped her hands as if she was extremely happy, and then spoke, "At least they are still sent to the -1 floor." Her tone was filled with a sadistic pleasure that made everyone shiver in disgust.
The individual wearing the cat mask let out a deep sigh as she looked at the lifeless body of the old man on the ground. She then turned to the others and spoke in a sad tone: "We paid a hefty price for this plan, but the result was not as good as we expected." Her voice was filled with disappointment and regret as if she was mourning the loss of something precious.
The individual wearing the fox mask clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in frustration. "We upgraded that monster," he said, his voice seething with anger, "but it still couldn't kill at least one of them. We were even forced to use a divine ability." He held up his fingers as he counted off each item on a mental list.
The individual in the wolf mask's face twisted with anger as he spoke, his voice filled with venom. "The biggest sacrifice was using big brother's divine ability and forcing us to travel through the river of time, lose all our power, and reincarnate, just because that bitch died." He stomped on the old man's body, grinding his boots into the flesh and staining them with black goo. The others looked on in silence, their expressions a mixture of anger, regret, and resignation as they thought about the sacrifices they had made for this plan.
The individual wearing the snake mask furrowed their brows and crossed their arms, looking displeased. They let out a deep sigh before speaking: "I had to use every bit of my ability to control this old man. It was not easy at all."
The rest of the group nodded in agreement, their expressions serious. The individual wearing the fox mask spoke up, "And the amount of withered mana he released was immense. It was pure and powerful, and he used all his resources to send them to the new server, server 5."
The group fell silent for a moment, contemplating the implications of this information. Then, the individual wearing the wolf mask spoke up with a scowl, "And that withered mana could have been sensed by powerful beings close to us. This could cause trouble for us in the future."
The fox-masked man leaned forward, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I thought that the loot was the only thing that would be given to the group," he exclaimed, shaking his head in amazement. "But he gave them that ancient class. Do you know how rare that is?" His voice rose with excitement as he spoke.
The rabbit-masked girl let out a high-pitched moan and spoke in a singsong voice, "Aaahh! This baddy oldie gave them that ancient class, but isn't it better for us, big bro?" She twirled around and clapped her hands as if celebrating something.
All eyes turned towards the leader of the group, addressed as "big bro" by the rabbit-masked woman and the wolf-masked man. As they looked upon him, a mix of respect, admiration, and fear shone in their eyes, for he was the one who had led them to this point.
The leader of the group wore a plain white mask that obscured his face, leaving his identity a mystery to the others. His armour was ornate and detailed, similar to that of the Guardian of the Eclipse, and a massive buster sword hung from his back, the blade glinting in the dim light of the room. As he stood there, his imposing figure radiated power and authority, causing the others to look at him with a mix of respect and fear.
In a voice that commanded respect and reverence, he spoke, his words heavy and imposing. "That place has its own rules, and that class is more of a curse than a rarity."
The leader's eyes narrowed as he continued, his voice carrying a tone of warning. "They have even been infected by the curse of the unknown, and soon their lives will become a living hell, with each passing day feeling like an eternity of suffering."
The leader shook his head and dismissed the thought of the cursed group. "Let us focus on ourselves," he said, gesturing to the group.
As he spoke, everyone slowly removed their masks, revealing their faces. Then they all reached for the black substance and began to consume it.
If Ignis was here at this moment and had seen these people without masks, he would have frozen in shock; his eyes would have darted from face to face until they landed on one that would have made his blood run cold. It was the person who had enslaved him and made him endure unimaginable pain and suffering.
As everyone finished consuming the black goo, their expressions turned into ones of satisfaction and contentment. The rabbit-masked girl let out a moan of pleasure and licked her lips, savouring the taste. "That was delicious," she exclaimed, her voice filled with pleasure as that was not the black substance but a white one.
The group remained unfazed by the rabbit-masked girl's moans and voice as if they were accustomed to it.
The rabbit-masked girl looked around and didn't see anyone reacting to her moans or pleasure. Feeling a little disappointed, she walked over to the leader and hugged him tightly with a pout on her face. She buried her face in his chest, seeking comfort and attention from him.
The leader did not mind this action as his eyes scanned the faces of his companions, and he saw expressions of delight and agreement. He put on his mask and spoke with authority, "We have our own tricks up our sleeves. Let's go! We still have his friends and family to take care of. If we, his supposed friends, won't help him, then who will?" His tone was both imposing and sarcastic, and it elicited a chuckle from some of the others.
As they made their way out of the throne room, the rabbit-masked girl walked closer to the leader, her voice lowering to a soft whisper. "Bro, do we have a mole in that group?" she asked, her eyes darting around cautiously.
The moment the rabbit-masked girl whispered her question to the leader, he let out a low chuckle, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Without saying anything, he continued walking towards the exit of the throne room.