"You have done well."

This voice came from Halver, the Eminence of the Sea, and the deity they were worshipping.

However, for some reason, instead of feeling delighted, these words terrified the worshippers even more

And then it happenedthe worshippers screamed, their life force was soon drawn into the chasm.

"My lord! Why are you doing this?!"

"Please, calm down!"

"Why have you forsaken us?!"

These were the plights of the strongest Arcanists in the Church. However, Halvor didn't care at all, as if the people he was killing weren't his followers who had obeyed his orders for a long time!

Halvor remained silent as he concentrated on taking their lives!

Soon, the waters churned, a vortex of energy spiraling upward.

Then, after taking everyone's lives, Halvor's form shifted, as he formed a human shape, but with eyes that held the ocean's depth However, he hasn't absorbed everyone's energy yet. He only absorbed their life force and not their Arcane Energy yet.

'Mhmm This is uncomfortable I guess I have to use this as well.' Halvor thought as he looked at the blob of Arcane Energy, he had collected from the fallen High Priests and other Arcanists of his church.

Soon, Halvor completely absorbed their essence, their memories, and their magic.

Slowly, he perfected his human shape.

Soon, he became a deity in mortal guise.

Then, he moved and came out of the water He didn't even make a splash as he floated above the seawater!

There, he realized that there were hundreds of worshippers on a cliff waiting for his arrival!

As soon as these worshippers sensed his Divinity, they all knelt down as they knew that it was none other than the deity they were looking for!

Halvor didn't bat an eye after seeing these worshippers. However, he considered for a moment before he floated near them and descended.

Halvor's human form stood among them, his eyes reflecting the depths of the ocean.

***

Halvor's emergence from the water was a sight to behold.

He defied the natural order, his human form still looked ethereal.

However, it was only for a brief moment as his human form seemed to have adjusted after going out of the sea feeling the air.

At this time, the worshippers, waiting on a nearby cliff, watched in awe.

Their faith had summoned him, and now they knelt, their foreheads touching the rocky ground as they couldn't help but cry. They've finally seen their deity!

The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as they waited for the blessing of the Eminence of the Sea!

This time, Halvor's gaze swept over thema thousand souls bound by devotion.

They had sacrificed muchtheir secrets, their fears, their wealthto bring him forth. And now, he stood among them, his human form a vessel for ancient power.

The worshippers trembled.

The remaining Priest, clad in a green robe, raised his head and stood up before he stepped forward.

"Eminence," he said, his voice echoing off the cliffs, "We seek your guidance. The Shadow Immortal encroaches. The Demons are also targeting us... Even our allied Arcane Organizations no longer helped us. Please lead us! The whole world is now against us!"

Halvor's eyes narrowed after hearing the Shadow Immortal

They had a previous conflict where his Avatar was destroyed by this Shadow Immortal.

That was the reason why he had come here once again. This time, this Avatar was possessing over 80% of his spirit!

He was confident that he would win against the Shadow Immortal, especially if he worked with the Demon Lord!

"I need you life essence" Halvor said to his devoted followers.

He had already taken the lives of their strongestfirst-class Arcanists and master-class Arcanists. Their life essence would fuel his purpose However, it wasn't enough.

The remaining Priest raised a daggeran artifact of coral and moonlight.

"Then I shall take my life to show you my devotion! Please avenge us!" he said.

Halvor considered.

The other worshippers' fear could be felttheir hearts beating in unison. They had no idea that they would have to sacrifice their lives here!

However, the other fanatics seemed to be excited to offer their lives!

"Mhmm A worthy offering," Halvor murmured. "Your sacrifice shall not be in vain."

And then it happened once again. The worshipper's screams and their essence were drawn into him!

Halvor absorbed their memoriesthe taste of salt on their lips, the whispered prayers, the dreams of lost ships and forgotten islands.

For those Arcanists, their magic flowed into him. It was filled with power and pain.

Many of the worshippers fell, their bodies dissolving into mist as Halvor waved his hand.

It was almost as if the cliff wept, as a waterfall of souls rushed through his body.

Halvor's human form stood still as he looked at the ones who didn't claim their lives.

The remaining worshippers just watched, their previous awe now tinged with terror. They didn't expect this to happen!

"Why?" one cried. "We followed your words!"

"Please stop this!" another pleaded.

However, Halvor's voice was cold, devoid of mercy.

"Your lives," he said, "will be used for a much grander purpose. It is your blessing to become my strength."

And so, in just a few moments, the worshippers vanishedtheir devotion repaid in blood and sacrifice. Halvor's purpose for gathering followers was finally completed.

After a while, Halvor looked to the east with a smile.

The Forbidden Forest awaited, and the Shadow Immortal would soon knowa new enemy had entered the game, and the tides of fate shifted once more.

***

Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the Ruri Kingdom, the Forbidden Forest loomed before Fox's group.

It was a tangle of huge and ancient trees, and their branches were like skeletal fingers reaching for the sky.

Fox and Axe, seasoned guides, led Jin, Giorgi, and Bael through the dense foliage. The atmosphere here was thick with Arcabe Energy, and the ground seemed to pulse with runes as well.

It felt as if the huge forest was part of a single Formation Art!

It was such a strange sensation!

Nonetheless, as they ventured deeper, Fox whispered to everyone

"Remember, the fog can play tricks on the mind. Stay close."

Jin nodded, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows created by the mist.

Giorgi, didn't seem to care about the mist, but he adjusted the strap of his satchel.

Bael, the enigmatic Arcanist, followed silently, his gaze darting from tree to tree.

After a while, the outermost barrier of the castle blocked them. It would probably be seen by normal humans as a stone wall that couldn't be passed but to Arcanists, it was a shimmering veil of energy that was filled with power.

Furthermore, they could also see several androids guarding this area, or perhaps, checkpoint.

"These androids are really interesting" Jin muttered, seeing their metallic forms standing in sentinel. Their eyes glowed with artificial intelligence, and their limbs moved like humans.

At this time, Fox stepped forward, her voice was clear.

"We seek passage to the Shadow Immortal's castle," she said. "We are from Arcanist Guild! We are also guides who can send people up to the fourth barrier."

The androids scanned thembeams of light sweeping over their bodies. Their internal algorithms processed the data, cross-referencing it with their database. "Purpose confirmed," one of them intoned. "Proceed."

The group passed through, the barrier parting like a curtain.

It was easy, and the other three didn't even question why

But beyond lay another challengethe second checkpoint. This one was differenta barrier of shifting illusions, a maze of mirrors and whispers. The androids here were more formidable, their eyes sharper.

Giorgi frowned. "What is this?"

Fox's expression tightened. "This is the four barrier It has another name, the Illusion Barrier," she said. "It tests your resolve, your clarity of purpose. If you are only doing business and don't want to meet the Immortal, you won't have to pass through here. We can go to another path We would at least meet his trusted aides that way"

"Why is he doing this?" Bael asked curiously.

"Well, I heard that the Immortal had numerous visitors before. It was difficult to attend them all for the lone Immortal. Because of that, he decided to only meet people or Arcanists with certain status or strength. If you pass his tests, he wouldn't mind meeting with you, and he might even be the one to request your meeting immediately if you are able to overcome all the barriers with your own abilities."

It was Axe who replied this time.

At this time, Bael chuckled as he couldn't help but find this amusing.

"Hahaha So it was like that. Is there a chance that I can become one of his people if I pass this?" Bael asked.

"Of course! You might become a permanent resident in his castle! I heard there are only a few people who managed to do that, though." Axe answered.

"Anyway, you don't have to pass the four tests that he made. If you just pass a single one of them, you will gain the right to meet the Immortal."

At this time, the two Time Manipulators looked at each other. They certainly wanted to meet the Immortal, but they were concerned that they would get recognized as Time Manipulators.

They couldn't allow that to happen.

However, Bael, the Demon Lord, seemed excited!

"I'll go first!"