Jonas had no intention of wasting any more time here. He swung his sword and swiftly sliced through the necks of the two men, causing them to fall to the ground, lifeless and without a word of protest.
Perhaps the earlier scream had been too loud, as it attracted a group of people to the scene.
“What’s going on? What’s with all that screaming...” A leader among them spoke with a gruff voice, but when he witnessed the scene before him, he froze for a moment before eyeing Jonas cautiously, along with the others.
“Who are you, and why are you causing trouble here?” He muttered to himself, as if questioning his own actions.
At this point, one of the thugs cautiously asked, “Boss, should we inform the master? This guy seems... difficult to deal with.”
“No need. He’s just a blind man. Trivial matters like this don’t need to bother the master.”
“Alright...”
Then, a chorus of unsheathing swords resounded, and the group drew their weapons before charging toward Jonas.
“It seems you don’t know your limits,” Jonas sneered, then swung his sword. Wherever his blade went, the men screamed in agony. Jonas defeated the thugs by dodging their attacks and hitting their arteries, causing them to bleed and die. They were nothing more than bravado.
He gracefully sidestepped, parrying blows, and with a swift motion of his sword, he severed limbs and sent his attackers flying. In less than ten minutes, he had dealt with the entire group, leaving behind a crimson-stained area.
Jonas smirked. Since arriving in this world, this was the first time he had taken action, and it was also the first time he had killed so many.
He then stepped over the corpses, walking through the puddles of blood being absorbed by the snow, and advanced toward the vampire’s mansion.
The path ahead seemed incredibly smooth, as most of the guards stationed outside the mansion had already been dealt with by Jonas. As he ventured further inside, he encountered a few more obstacles, but he dispatched them all.
Based on information he had gathered from the small fry he had encountered earlier, Jonas determined the vampire was in the main hall hosting a feast.
He had stolen the lives of so many young, beautiful girls with bright futures ahead of them. And he could do so with such ease. It was as if fate had been too lenient with him.
Before long, Jonas found himself at the entrance of the main hall. From outside, he could hear the faint sound of laughter and music emanating from within.
This was maddening.
Jonas took a few steps back, then swung his sword. His blade emitted a brilliant flash, like lightning, and he effortlessly sliced the door in half.
A resounding crash followed as the door fell to the ground, looking like a discarded piece of junk.
This sudden, unexpected attack stunned the people inside, both astonishing and terrifying them. The music, laughter, and frivolity abruptly came to a halt.
Jonas could sense the atmosphere in the room. There were about several dozen people inside, and they all emitted an unpleasant, putrid odor.
“What’s going on...”
“Who is that?”
“Why did he come in here?”
The murmurs and questions filled the room as Jonas paid no attention to them. He advanced further inside, and he could sense that as he approached, the vampires retreated, creating a space between themselves and him.
“It’s quite peculiar...”
“Indeed...”
“He looks like a beggar...”
“He’s blind.”
Jonas walked into the center of the main hall and then stopped. He could smell the alcohol, the scent of food, the scent of debauchery and indulgence. These creatures, by all rights, should have been the ones dead.
At that moment, a haughty voice suddenly rang out, dripping with arrogance: “Who are you? How dare you barge in here? Do you even know where you are?”
Jonas didn’t bother to answer any of his questions but countered, “Are you the master of the group outside and these vampires?”
“That’s right. Oh, are you here to be my servant? Your performance is rather impressive.”
He said, his words slurred.
“Enough talk. I take your life.”
With that, he lunged forward, his toes dabbing the ground, and in a gentle but swift motion, he propelled his entire body upwards. He swung his sword, aiming for the head of the vampire.
The sudden and forceful attack caught the vampire off guard, but he reacted by rolling to the side to avoid it.
Jonas’s strike missed its target and hit the ground instead, splitting it in half. The powerful shockwave from this attack caused those nearby to panic and start looking for an escape route.
But today, Jonas had no intention of letting anyone escape. He spun and swung his sword, creating a circle of light that killed everyone within three meters.
Quickly, the ground beneath Jonas’s feet was soaked with blood.
However, the vampire was still alive, and Jonas knew it. At the very least, he wasn’t an easy opponent to defeat.
He jumped up and rushed out of the window. Jonas felt the sudden movement and pursued.
He ran to the hill to the west, then stopped, as if he had realized he couldn’t run any further and had no choice but to face Jonas.
On a hill to the west of the town, for some unknown reason, the wind blew stronger than usual. Even the flocks of crows flying in search of food suddenly changed direction, soaring erratically with frantic cries. It appeared they had encountered something terrifying. The thorn bushes on top of the hill looked like skeletal hands reaching out to the ground. When a gust of wind passed by, several branches fell to the ground. The dry branches, touching the earth, produced eerie sounds that, combined with the cries of the crows, created a truly haunting atmosphere.
Two men stood face to face on the top of the hill. The man on the left was dressed entirely in black, holding a long, sharp sword in his hand. His exposed hand had turned a dark, ashy black, with black veins visible on his neck. The young man facing him was in his late twenties to early thirties, but more precisely, he was blind. He looked like a beggar, with clothes patched together from various scraps. Yes, that man was Jonas.
“Haha, do you think I’m afraid of you?” The man in black said, laughing as his neck veins became more pronounced, making him look even more sinister.
“I gave you a chance to live. You’re a fool if you keep going. You’re stepping into the realm of the Supreme Being, and I am His emissary. The emissary of the Supreme Being possesses great power.”
After the man in black finished speaking, he slowly removed the hood from his head, revealing a face that appeared to have been corroded by acid. His face was covered in protruding scars and wounds that resembled burns but weren’t. His face was gaunt and haggard, his eyes sinister and cunning, as if he wanted to consume those around him. He stared at Jonas and then burst into laughter. He raised his hands to the sky, as if receiving orders from the Supreme Being, who was also his master.
“It was indeed me. I abducted those girls and killed them. I brought them to a cave, kept them imprisoned, and day by day, I drained their life force. Do you know, young women in their prime provide the most nutritious feast? They have given me a significant amount of power!”
As he spoke, he looked at his hands with a sinister sense of satisfaction. It seemed like he took pride in it, as if those lives were merely valuable possessions to him.
“Have you thought about the price you will pay?” Jonas asked, his face chilling. He had come here today to confirm this and to be the one to put an end to it.
Jonas spoke up. Although his eyes couldn’t see the other guy’s gestures right now, he knew he was definitely gloating. Jonas couldn’t help but feel pain in his heart. The other person slaughtered a kind girl like Selene. He saw girls like Selena as simply his trophies and acted mercilessly. regret. It was he who took the life of the only person who treated him well in this world. He will definitely pay the price.
“Pay the price? It’s ridiculous? Now I have the power in my hands. Who can do anything for me? Furthermore, being a part of my power is their honor.”
Having said that, he swung his sword directly at Jonas. The sharp sword quickly approached the person in front of him, only a finger’s length away from Jonas’s face.
Jonas frowned slightly, the guiding stick in his hand quickly transformed into a sword. Chipped but containing an extremely formidable power.
Jonas raised his sword, slashing hard at the tip of the opponent’s sword. Then he quickly changed his position, turned around to avoid the opponent’s attack, and stabbed the tip of the sword directly into the shoulder of the man in black. The sword in his hand fell to the ground. He held his shoulder with one hand and picked up the sword from the ground with the other. Not letting him have his way, Jonas slashed, breaking the other man’s sword in half. Then he gave him another stab on the elbow.
Soon, the man in black was cornered. He continuously backed away until behind him was the foot of the mountain.
“Stop, if you kill me, you will pay the price. Soon, darkness will cover this world. My Almighty will give you a lesson. Remember, to him you are nothing.”
The man in black trembled and shouted. He was getting scared. If Jonas continues to pressure him, he may have to die here. From the beginning, he had underestimated the person in front of him, and now he had to pay a not cheap price. He just wished his words could sway Jonas.Contrary to his wishes, Jonas did not flinch and continued to press. Every sword slash he made carried a terrible power each line, each line aimed at a dangerous place. That’s right, he will definitely kill that bastard and avenge Selena. Only once he dies will Selena be able to close her eyes. The more miserable he was, the more Jonas gloated.The man who claims to be a minion of the supreme being is becoming more and more powerless. He tried his best to avoid Jonas’ dangerous attacks. The sword that had just been cut in half was now thrown to the bottom of the hill. His whole body was now covered in wounds. Holding on for another second or a minute was too difficult for him.“Stop it, you’re too strong. As long
Jonas closed his eyes, his consciousness diving deep into his subconscious. Initially, it was just a blurry black expanse, but soon, the dark scene in front of him was torn apart like a black curtain, revealing a brilliant light. After a while, the light was controlled, and what appeared before him was the system control panel. Following that, a creature resembling a human but smaller, with wings on its back, appeared – that was Alice.“Welcome back to the Sword Master upgrade system. How can I assist you today?” The small fairy’s voice sounded like a child’s, yet it had a somewhat computerized, professional quality, as if it were coming from a computerized sound system.“I want to see the map of this world,” Jonas spoke, and Alice’s eyes blinked rapidly.“You shall have it right here.” Alice’s voice contained a hint of amusement, and the world map appeared on the panel behind her.“Alice, I want to find a city to continue my journey. Do you have any recommendations?” Jonas inquired.
Sensing danger, Jonas quickly got up, grabbed his cane, and left the train compartment. Jonas dashed out, relying on sound to discern the direction the person in black was moving. Of course, their movement speed couldn’t match his. In the darkness, Jonas almost had the person within his grasp, but in an instant, the individual suddenly turned and sped up. Jonas couldn’t react in time. The person had vanished.Jonas stood still, closed his eyes, and perceived everything around him with his heightened senses. When one sense was lacking, other senses would often become more developed, especially for someone with strong combat skills like Jonas. Though the sound created by the person in black had disappeared, it didn’t mean that Jonas couldn’t find any traces. In the air, there was a faint scent of quinine tree, a type of tree that wasn’t very common in Europe. This was the scent Jonas had detected on the person in black.Jonas tried to locate the source of the scent. It was highly likely
Jonas pondered for a while, and in the end, he agreed to Daisy’s proposal, even though it didn’t make any difference to him.“Okay.”“Well, that’s great! I’ll let them prepare a new room for you,” Daisy replied happily.“By the way, I still don’t know your name,” Mr. Armstrong spoke up.“You can call me Jonas.”“Jonas, that’s a nice name.”That very evening, the Armstrong family quickly arranged a first-class cabin for Jonas. It was next to Daisy’s room, either by chance or perhaps because they were still concerned about their daughter. In any case, having Jonas close to Daisy was a good thing, and they would feel much more at ease. So, three rooms – Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, Daisy, and Jonas – became three adjoining rooms.The journey continued as planned, and Jonas estimated the train would arrive in Crepuscolo in less than twenty-four hours. Outside, the snow was falling steadily. Blankets of white covered the ground, and the trees on either side of the tracks had shed their leaves,
More and more people arrived to help, and the wind kept blowing. The snowstorm had passed, but it didn’t mean that the snow had stopped falling. The snow on the ground continued to accumulate, even covering some people.“Over here, there are still survivors!”“Give me a hand!”“Pass me some bandages.”Everyone was busy, never resting their hands even for a moment. Besides those who were helping, there were some who stood by, huddling in a corner to avoid the impact of nature. Each gust of wind carried the scent of blood.“It’s not good; there are too many injured people,” an overwhelmed woman exclaimed. She would walk a few steps and encounter another injured person, some with minor injuries, others with severe wounds. Lifeless bodies also littered the ground.“I told you it’s futile!” The bearded man with the hat spoke up again. After all, he had protected himself first and had hidden in a corner. “Let them be; maybe we’ll get help tomorrow.”“Based on this situation, the chance of g
Jonas arrived at the home of Mrs. Laura according to Seventh’s arrangement. Standing in front of the small house, he smelled the fragrant aroma of bread and heard the chirping of birds.Mrs. Laura warmly welcomed Jonas when she saw him. “Please, don’t hesitate; consider this place as your own,” she said with a gentle smile.“Thank you,” Jonas replied politely. Compared to Seventh, he felt a more obvious sense of kindness and warmth from Mrs. Laura.Jonas followed Mrs. Laura into the house, where she slipped some bulky items from the floor to avoid Jonas tripping over them. “Please wait here for a moment. I’ll prepare some food for you,” she said as she walked straight into the kitchen.Jonas found an empty spot in the house and sat down. He assessed his surroundings. The house was rather quiet, aside from the sound of Mrs. Laura preparing a meal in the kitchen. This house was inhabited only by Mrs. Laura.About fifteen minutes later, Mrs. Laura set a steaming bowl of food on the table
“Everyone, please calm down,” Jonas exclaimed irritably.He couldn’t stand the chaotic scene any longer. People were attacking each other, making the situation even more chaotic. Jonas could also sense the strange nature of the village; the man named Etham was right. There were clearly many young men in the village, yet the only one allowed outside was Seventh. This was indeed very odd. They had lived here for so many years, and no one had ever expressed any objections, and no one had ever left? He remembered last night when he questioned Laura about the villagers and life here. She deliberately avoided answering questions related to the people and life in this place.The people in the infirmary stopped arguing when they heard Jonas’s voice, and their eyes turned to the source of the sound, discovering it was Jonas. He was one of the first people to come up and help them when the ship capsized, so his words carried some weight.“You see, the situation is far from ideal right now. Lili
Jonas continued walking forward without turning back; he wanted to see how long Liliana would follow him.After walking a fair distance from the clinic, Jonas still heard Liliana’s footsteps. It seemed like she had no intention of stopping. Jonas contemplated turning around and asking her what she wanted. However, he remained silent. If Liliana had something to say, he believed she would speak up on her own. With that in mind, Jonas pretended not to notice anything and continued walking.“Jonas!” Liliana’s voice broke the silence as she took a step forward. Her voice was noticeably firmer than usual, making Jonas realize she was not an ordinary or timid girl. While she was the first to step up and help save people after the shipwreck, Jonas knew that she differed from Daisy.“You know I’m following you,” Liliana said confidently, taking another step forward. “I’ve been following you since we were at the clinic. You’re just pretending not to know.”Jonas feigned innocence and responded
Facing Evan and Brendan’s questions, Jonas remained silent saying nothing. He had a strange feeling; normally, whenever Alice appeared, only he could see her. But this time was different; Alice appeared open in front of everyone. This made Jonas suspicious, finally thinking that Alice had some malicious intentions.“Jonas, our system has an issue. Do you want to reset everything?” Without waiting for Jonas to respond, Alice went straight to the point, a smile still on her lips.“System issues? Is there really a problem with the system, or is this some damn scenario of yours?”“The system is indeed having problems. You should reset everything!” Alice repeated her words.Jonas had run out of patience by now. He directly exposed Alice’s true face and what she called the system.“There’s nothing wrong here! Everything is your play. Why did door open earlier? Don’t tell me it opened coincidentally, with no arrangement! Everything, all of it, is your script!” When this door suddenly opened,
“It’s... it’s Cuktor!” Etham pointed towards Cuktor, the one who had just dealt a blow to Charlette. All present there looked at Cuktor with wide eyes. His unexpected appearance, standing alongside Jonas and his group, was a shock to them. None of them had ever dreamed of a day when Cuktor and Jonas’ team would stand together on the same battlefield.“No need to look at me with such wide eyes. I’m not here to protect you all. I’m here just to protect my chance to return to my paradise!” Cuktor turned towards Jonas’ group and spoke. The reason he took the risk to come here was singular – to protect Jonas’s eyes. Lucia’s eyes had been elusive for nearly a thousand years; he had even turned Christina’s parents’ house upside down, finding no clues. Now, if Jonas’s eyes fell into Charlette’s hands, any chance of returning to his paradise would be utterly lost.On Charlette’s side, she was shocked that she had been ambushed, and the ambusher was none other than Cuktor, the one who considere
Etham, Evan, Christina, and Mei landed on the ground in a heap. Before them lay an incredibly unfamiliar space.“Darn! Where on earth is this?” Etham said, brushing off the dust on his clothes. Just a second ago, they were still in Christina’s house, and now they found themselves in this strange place.Evan glanced around, shaking his head. This was also his first time in this location. Evan had never heard his grandfather mention this place before.“But don’t you guys think this place is incredibly luxurious?” The one speaking was Christina. Having lived in a luxurious mansion her whole life, there was hardly anything in the world she hadn’t seen. But a place this extravagant was a first for Christina.“Exactly! Look, everything is gold-plated, especially the door frame, which is grand and dazzling! Not to mention crystal, gems, and precious stones. Just counting the cost of craftsmanship and design alone is already an enormous figure! These things are all exquisitely designed,” Evan
“There was one time I saw it in my parents’ room! A painting exactly like this scenery!” Mei exclaimed, surprised. She was sure she had seen it before, in her parents’ study! A painting identical to the forest in front of them.“Mei, are you sure?” Christina leaned down to ask Mei, her eyes filled with both hope and a hint of doubt.“I’m sure.”As soon as Mei said that, three pairs of eyes turned towards each other. Evan, Etham, and Christina - they could be the only hope and opportunity for these three.“Let’s go!”Evan was the first to change direction and run towards Christina’s house. Etham, Christina, and Mei pursued suit. They sprinted with all their might. Christina’s house was where Lucia’s eyes were kept, guarded by Christina’s parents. They were secretive, profound, and held many secrets. What they knew about this forest and its related stories seemed to be certain. For Evan’s group, only by unraveling the secrets of the forest could they find Jonas and Brendan. Time was run
The empty wooden bedspread, Brendan, had disappeared for a while now. Outside, the wind grew stronger with each passing moment, blowing the curtain straight into the empty room.“Brendan is missing!” Evan shouted loudly. In his heart, there was a great deal of anxiety; he didn’t know what was happening and couldn’t guess which force had taken Brendan away. Now they were stuck between Cuktor and the force behind that green-eyed bird. One wrong step could ruin the entire chessboard.“What’s going on? What’s happening?” Etham, one hand covering a yawn, the other hastily putting on a coat, rushed out of his room. He had been sleeping soundly when he heard Evan’s voice. Though he didn’t know what was happening, he came running.Behind Etham were Christina and Mei. Unlike Etham, the two siblings seemed much more alert.“Evan, what’s going on? Why did you say Brendan is missing?” Christina looked at Evan skeptically, clasping her younger sister’s hand.Evan was also quite distressed now; Bre
“I’m sorry, I... I... I was just scared of you!” Brendan trembled incessantly. In reality, he had intended to lie like the others, saying that Charlette was good and beautiful just to get through the situation. However, Brendan couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t come here willingly, nor did he willingly eat those foods. He did all those things out of fear. Furthermore, looking at Jonas gave Brendan the motivation to speak the truth. The girl who claimed to be the queen brought him here for one reason only – to force Jonas to give her his eyes. Since then, she had been providing reasons to persuade Jonas. If Brendan now lied, saying Charlette was a good person, the probability of fooling Jonas would be higher. Brendan knew that Jonas trusted those around him, and the words of those subordinates might not be believed, but Brendan’s words sometimes could sway Jonas. Perhaps that was why Charlette asked Brendan if she was a good person. She only wanted to prove to Jonas that givin
Jonas contemplated Charlette. He knew this was the highest price Charlette could offer for this deal. Charlette was not wrong; if he agreed to her request, both he and she would benefit, with him gaining the most. Unfortunately, Jonas had no intention of making this deal with Charlette from the start. The world was not only filled with beautiful landscapes and vibrant colors but also with dark and sordid corners. If he handed over his eyes to Charlette, those dark corners would likely expand. Jonas lived not only for himself but also for others in this world, especially for those he loved. Evan, Etham, Brendan—surely they didn't need protection from the likes of Charlette. Protection traded for the lives and peace of others. He knew that even Selena and Karl at the Nine Springs did not want him to do such a thing."Charlette, I apologize, but I decline this deal."Charlette, who was brimming with confidence just moments ago, jumped in anger. She couldn't believe Jonas would make such
Upon hearing this, Charlette's face turned reddish-purple, and she felt infuriated. She did everything for this world, yet Jonas dared to label her as the villain. She was the queen, the mistress here, and every action she took was for the sake of people as naive as Jonas."Damn it! I am the queen. I treat everyone kindly and generously!" Charlette yelled at Jonas. From the largest to the smallest, Charlette had not encountered anyone as ignorant as Jonas. Clearly, she had welcomed such a wretch with open arms, and he had the audacity to doubt that Charlette was evil. Even his friend Brendan had been warmly received by her. One could question what delicacies Brendan had enjoyed since arriving!"In the end, can't maintain that calm and gentle demeanor?" Jonas teased as he turned his head towards Charlette. He knew Charlette had been dissatisfied with him for a long time. From the beginning until now, she had always been clawing at him to keep herself calm. It seemed that Charlette's na
"Why, feeling shaken, aren't you?" Charlette spoke with a smile, knowing that Jonas would be moved by this condition."What do you want, in the end?""It's simple, Jonas. I want to make a trade with you. You see, you have something I need, and coincidentally, I have something you need."Jonas could vaguely guess what Charlette was referring to. He just couldn't comprehend why, if she wanted it, she didn't just take it directly. Clearly, she had plenty of opportunities to do so. Maybe even now, even if Charlette wanted to take it, he couldn't resist.Charlette approached Jonas, and her small hand extended to delicately touch his face. She traced her fingers up to his eye, seeming to examine it closely."These eyes are truly beautiful. If they fully fulfill their inherent purpose, they will be even more stunning." Charlette spoke with a sinister smile. What she wanted was indeed his eyes, just like Cuktor. Initially, she didn't want to involve herself with Cuktor's influence, but now th