Ascension of the Dark Seraph - Chapter 126

Chapter 126: Falling to a Trap Chapter 126: Falling to a Trap It was quite cold inside the dungeon, the temperature was freezing.

Nerissa was rubbing her shoulders, shivering, but she noticed something in the distance.

She blinked her eyes several times-checking to see if what she was seeing was correct.

“A village…?” A soft mumble escaped her small lips.

But the sight remained consistent and once she took a couple of steps forward-she noticed that the light came from a torch, attached to a tree.

Tilting her body more, she found more of these torches ahead.

Once she saw that, she became certain, “It’s the Stone Orc’s village!” Going back, she informed Lucivar and Leandra about it.

Ravenna and Mirel had only left to scout the Stone Orcs on the peak, so the trio decided to check the village-to see if they could use the village to lure the Stone Orcs down from the mountain peak.

Approaching the village sneakily, Lucivar was alert to the surroundings.

‘Stone Orcs are led by a Chieftain, likely rivaling the strength of a Rock Sentinel,’ He thought, his senses sharp as his eyes darted warily from side to side, scanning for any sign of danger lurking nearby.

However, so far, there was nothing-no trace of killing intent was detected.

Even then, he didn’t lower his guard.

If the Stone Orcs were smart enough to position the Teal Coin atop the mountain peak, a lure that would force Lucivar’s group into a disadvantageous position, they would surely be smart enough not to leave their village unguarded.

Upon nearing the village, Lucivar, Leandra, and Nerissa peeked from behind a boulder.

It was eerily silent with only the crackling sound from the torches.

Soon, Leandra pointed to the hut on the opposite side.

“Look there…

Judging from the shadows inside the hut they shouldn’t be mature Stone Orcs, teenagers,” She whispered, squinting her eyes, this was a chance for them.

“This is definitely their village, no doubt about it” Lucivar nodded, “We should capture them and force the Stone Orcs to come down” As he was about to move, Leandra pulled him down.

“I said capture.

I’m not going to kill them, you have my word” “No, it’s not about that” “Then what?” Hearing this, Leandra cleared her throat and held Lucivar’s hands.

“If I die today…” She started, her voice soft and serious.

“know that it would be your fault” For a second there, Lucivar was stunned, processing what she said.

Once his mind clicked, he pulled his hands away, “Really now?

I didn’t force you to come” “Ehmm…” Nerissa intervened in the conversation.

“Actually, you did force us to come” Recalling how Lucivar was guilt-tripping them using Pippa’s innocence, Nerissa was right.

“Fine, alright-I’ll be weeping in both of your graves for a week.

Happy??” Lucivar clicked his tongue and stood up-he couldn’t believe Leandra still spare time to say that to him.

He was thinking that she would be saying something serious but it’s not.

Lucivar looked around and sneaked to the opposite side of the village.

It wasn’t big, only comprised of around fifty to sixty tents with the main one at the center.

Reaching the other side, he saw shadows moving inside at least six tents.

As the grown-ups were out, the youngsters remained behind, that’s what Lucivar assumed.

Holding the handle of his dagger tightly, he waited for Leandra and Nerissa to reach him.

Once the two were beside him, he nodded, deciding to strike.

Compared to going from the front-Lucivar decided to strike-from the back, ripping the tent and catching the young Stone Orcs by surprise.

But as his dagger pierced the fabric, his eyes widened.

Instead of his dagger cutting through the fabric, he was met with a hard surface instead.

His dagger slid along the tent-creating sparks as if the tent was made of stone.

Or rather, it wasn’t an actual tent, it was a boulder instead.

Lucivar and the others blinked their eyes, and gasped when the tent before them suddenly turned into a boulder.

Seeing this-Lucivar quickly turned to a torch he saw on the side but couldn’t find it.

Not only this torch but the other torches he passed and saw were all gone.

“An illusion…?” His eyes widened in complete disbelief.

Upon hearing this, Leandra and Nerissa turned and guarded each other’s six.

“Stone Orcs can’t do illusions, how is this possible?” Nerissa uttered.

Leandra also frowned, “Even if it’s an illusion, I felt actual heat from those torches…” “Academy hunters, eh~” Suddenly, a voice rang-prompting the trio to look towards a tree.

A figure stepped out, a Human, and one look at his appearance clearly indicated, that he was the proselyte.

Lucivar frowned, the proselyte was a very skinny man who wasn’t cold despite being topless in this kind of terrain.

His skin was as pale as his white medium-length hair.

Across his torso were pulsing discolored veins, he didn’t even bother hiding what he was.

“I haven’t eaten an academy hunter before…” He added, smacking his lips hungrily.

Leandra stepped forward, her eyes glowing, “There’s three of us, you can’t beat us alone” “Who said I’m alone…?” the proselyte smirked before taking out a horn made of bones.

He wasted no time and blew on it before Lucivar and the others could react.

It reverberated through the forest, a signal for the hiding Stone Orcs to come out.

Lucivar glanced over his shoulder and found that the rocks and boulders they passed earlier were none other than the Stone Orcs that were sleeping or hibernating.

Once the horn blew, these Stone Orcs woke up.

“It’s a damn trap, we fell for it…” He muttered in annoyance.

Finding their faces pleasant to view, the proselyte smiled.

His smile was light but there was this unnerving air around him that made his smile eerie.

Maybe because this proselyte had killed dozens, a full-blown killer.

Roar!

Graargh!

Shouts and growls from the awakened Stone Orcs could already be heard from all directions.

It would take long before the Stone Orcs swarmed them.

However, before that happened, the proselyte, aimed to be the one to strike first-he let go of the horn and immediately dashed ahead with incredible speed, “Let’s start with that little healer, shall we?!” Seeing this, Leandra tried to stop him mid-track but he was too fast for her ether.

Having no other choice, she stepped on the way.

Gripping her sword tightly, it blazed with purple ether before she cleaved it at the proselyte.

Reacting unnaturally fast, the proselyte avoided the arc and closed in rapidly.

In a second, Leandra’s eyes widened-when the proselyte’s face was inches away from her face.

Before she could retract her sword, the proselyte grabbed her by the face and yanked her from her feet.

Moving smoothly, he spun his body and landed a nasty spinning kick across Leandra’s face.

She was sent hurling to the side from the kick.

Upon doing that, the proselyte focused back at Nerissa who was now exposed.

He laughed and dashed again but in that same second, a knee caught him on his chin.

Bam!

‘Huh…?’ the proselyte questioned the situation.

He gazed down, and saw Lucivar was already in front of him and was the one who struck him.

‘When did he move?

He was standing there a second ago and now he’s here?’ Using one God strand, Lucivar was able to boost his speed explosively and struck.

His knee sent the proselyte spinning backward.

But he wasn’t done.

Lucivar changed his grip on his dagger-into a reverse grip and struck again, he boosted his speed again, and landed three consecutive fast slashes, slashing the proselyte’s belly, neck, and also back-spending three God strands.

Blood spurted out from the wounds.

And while the proselyte was still mid-air, Lucivar ended his attack with a roundhouse kick.

Bam!

Under the force of his kick, the proselyte was sent flying away over the forest’s canopies.

He was caught off guard and wasn’t able to react in time.

A loud crashing sound echoed from a distance away as Lucivar straightened his back.

Despite his successful attack, halting the proselyte-from reaching Nerissa, Lucivar did not seem to be happy, “Tch, he blocked that kick,” He clicked his tongue in displeasure, the last kick that he aimed at the proselyte’s chest was blocked.

“I spent all of my God strands, and he didn’t die” Both Lucivar and Nerissa turned towards the mountain peak, sensing a powerful energy.

On the mountain peak emerged a Stone Orc different than the others.

It was marred with ocean blue marks across its torso and face and was also holding a staff.

“An Orc Shaman, no wonder…” Lucivar commented with a frown.

An entity that could use illusion magic, and also make it real was rare but with this Shaman, it made sense.

As opposed to being led by a Chieftain, these Stone Orcs were led by a Shaman instead, a stronger version of the Stone Orc, even stronger than a Chieftain.

“Some of them are coming down!” Nerissa pointed at the slope.

Finding that Lucivar and the others had taken the bait, it was time for the killing blow.

Having powerful, burly muscles made descending effortless, allowing them to leap dozens of meters in a single bound and slide down-swiftly carving through the mountain’s height, with ease.

At this pace, it wouldn’t take long for them to close the distance.

Preparing himself for a pincer attack, Lucivar searched for Leandra.

He saw her ahead and she was already battling the Stone Orcs.

“My God strands are exhausted, I need ether…” Lucivar mused lightly.

Earlier, he aimed to kill the proselyte instantly but he failed, the proselyte didn’t die and his God strands, were now exhausted.

As Lucivar was about to ask Nerissa instead, his breath hitched when he heard a growl coming from behind.

Lucivar glanced over his shoulder and saw a Stone Orc already raising its club at him.

It was towering over Lucivar, and one hit would definitely decimate him.

Just as the Stone Orc was about to strike, its motion suddenly halted mid-track.

Emerald chains coiled around and restricted its body from moving.

Lucivar’s ring glowed green-he cast Snare.

As the Stone Orc was struggling, Lucivar leaped, a deadly glint flashed across his eyes as he sliced its neck open.

Having no way of defending itself, the Stone Orc choked-it still tried to reach Lucivar with its burly hand but eventually passed away from losing too much blood.

Before Lucivar could breathe, three more Stone Orcs lunged at him.

But it was at that moment that a melodious voice echoed.

Following that voice was a plush shockwave that expanded throughout the area like water.

It disoriented the three Stone Orcs, causing them to cover their ears.

Lucivar was surprised but as he turned, he saw Nerissa was beaming with baby blue ether.

She vocalized a single melodious pitch, her hair wavering under the breeze of her power.

Even though he was unaffected by this, his eardrums rattled uncomfortably.

Had Nerissa also aimed him, he would be in the same situation as these three Stone Orcs.

Nerissa wasn’t only capable of healing others.

“So this is a Siren Hybrid’s power?”