Chapter 1 The Omen

Shi Feng felt a chilling murderous aura before Youlan even had time to react.

The aura emanated from the expert players, all above Level 46, who were eyeing him with undisguised hostility, as if ready to draw their weapons at any moment.

Shi Feng found this very strange.

He was currently wearing a black cloak, concealing not only his level but also his appearance. It was inexplicable that his mere presence would provoke such tension.

"Alright, he's probably just here to see Seliora." The man beside Youlan waved his hand, gesturing to the other experts.

Only then did they relax, returning to their former calm.

"My friend, I apologize. My brothers are too tense. They meant no harm," the leading young man said with sincere regret.

"It's nothing, I understand," Shi Feng replied nonchalantly.

In God's Domain, encountering a player completely hidden by a black cloak would naturally put anyone on guard. However, it was rare in towns, which were generally safe, patrolled by NPC guards. Unless one was entirely unprepared for an ambush or vastly outmatched, it was difficult to kill players within city limits.

Still, some players, constantly ambushed in the wild, had developed an instinct to be wary of anyone wearing a black cloak.

He was merely surprised to see Youlan in White River City. She had been highly valued by the Netherworld's upper echelons and should have been thriving in another kingdom.

Without dwelling on it, Shi Feng headed toward the blacksmith's entrance.

His priority was to deal with the Abyssal Armor, or his plans would be difficult to execute.

Just as Shi Feng was about to knock, a mocking voice came from behind him.

"You've been quite difficult to find! Did you think you still had a chance?"

Shi Feng turned to see a group of black-cloaked players emerging from the shadows in the distance, their faces filled with sneering contempt. Leading them was a middle-aged man in dark leather armor, materializing from the shadows.

The moment he appeared, the surrounding air seemed to grow stagnant, enveloped in a layer of gray mist that inspired an indescribable chill and dread.

"Ghost One! I didn't expect they'd send someone of your caliber after us!" The young man beside Youlan, named Ant瞳 Tong (Dark Eyes), gave a bitter smile as he stared at the newly arrived man.

Not only was Ant瞳 Tong on high alert, but the other experts surrounding him also turned ashen, visibly terrified.

Ghost One was known as Netherworld's number one assassin. His strength was such that even if they all attacked him together, they would only be slaughtered. Escape was impossible before an assassin renowned for his speed…

Being killed outright was one thing, but Ghost One and his men had consumed Devil's Curse. Anyone killed by them would suffer an extraordinary equipment loss.

"Dark Eyes, I think the higher-ups have already told you: submit, or die. Since you refuse to yield, we have no choice but to send you on your way!" Ghost One said calmly, drawing a gleaming dagger from his waist. "As former colleagues, I'll give you a word of advice: delete your accounts early and save yourselves the suffering. The higher-ups won't allow you to keep anything. Did you really think you could escape us?"

"Youlan, take the others and leave quickly. We'll hold them off here. If you can reach the main street, they won't be able to act so easily," Ant瞳 Tong whispered to Youlan.

Youlan bit her lip and nodded.

She wanted to fight alongside Ant瞳 Tong, but it was clearly impossible. Aside from the overwhelming numbers, Ghost One alone could easily kill both her and Ant瞳 Tong.

"Trying to escape? Do you think I'll let you? With me here, none of you will survive," Ghost One sneered, clearly seeing through Ant瞳 Tong's plan. "Attack! Leave no one alive!"

At Ghost One's command, the hundred-plus players moved at once. Melee fighters charged forward, while healers in the rear immediately cast True Word Shields, and ranged attackers moved to block their escape.

But that wasn't all.

Ghost One and his group were clearly experienced in ambushing players within towns. A dozen stealthy assassins had already surrounded them, revealing themselves and taking out magic scrolls to trap everyone inside a magic array. Ghost One then produced a dark gray magic scroll and unfolded it, causing the surrounding space to become blurred and distorted.

It was a special scroll only obtainable from dark forces.

Sensory Confusion!

Once activated, the scroll would alter the surrounding space, making it difficult for town NPCs to detect the battle. Unless within an NPC guard's direct line of sight, it would take a considerable time for the guards to notice.

"Damn it! They really came prepared!" Ant瞳 Tong's heart sank as the magic array rose.

Although the magic array Ghost One used was only a basic one, it would take a significant amount of time for players to break through, giving Ghost One ample opportunity to kill them several times over.

"I told you, none of you will survive." Ghost One slowly approached Ant瞳 Tong and Youlan, showing no apprehension about assassinating players in an NPC town. He didn't even bother with stealth, only displaying a look of mocking amusement.

This was one of the reasons why members of Netherworld feared Ghost One.

He not only crushed opponents with brute force but also tormented them psychologically.

Unable to withstand the pressure, a Level 46 Berserker suddenly charged forward, reaching Ghost One and bringing down his greatsword.

Cross Slash!

A blade of light descended with swift precision.

Clang!

A crisp sound of clashing weapons rang out.

The huge sword was completely blocked by a small dagger. The dagger then deflected the greatsword to the side, as if the Berserker's full-force strike was merely a pebble, easily brushed aside.

"How can this be?"

The Berserker stared in disbelief as his greatsword was effortlessly deflected, unable to comprehend how an assassin could possess such strength.

Before the Berserker could react, his defenses were wide open. Before he could defend himself from Ghost One's attack, another dagger had already appeared before his eyes.

He could only watch helplessly as the dagger sliced across his neck…

As pain washed over him, Ghost One vanished before him, appearing directly behind him, as if passing through the Berserker's body.

First-Order Skill: Shadow Kill!

The Berserker's health plummeted rapidly, and he collapsed to the ground. The entire process seemed slow, but in reality, it happened in an instant.

A Level 46 Berserker was instantly killed.

"You're next." Ghost One then glanced at Ant瞳 Tong, slowly approaching him as if the Level 46 expert he had just killed was nothing more than an ant he had crushed, strolling casually.

The experts around Ant瞳 Tong trembled, as if seeing a ghost.

"Come! Let me see the strength of Netherworld's number one assassin!" Knowing that death was inevitable, Ant瞳 Tong decided to fight to the death, charging towards Ghost One and using his first-order forbidden skill, Wind Slash.

Several wind blades shot toward Ghost One simultaneously, completely under Ant瞳 Tong's control, sealing off Ghost One's movements. Ant瞳 Tong himself thrust his sword toward Ghost One's defensive blind spot.

Just as the sword was about to strike, Ant瞳 Tong's companions were about to cheer when Ant瞳 Tong's expression turned grim. He hadn't actually hit Ghost One; it was just an afterimage.

Then, the sword spun.

Whirlwind Slash!

Clang!

Sparks flew as Ant瞳 Tong's silver-gray greatsword stopped less than four inches from Ghost One, forcibly blocked by a dark black dagger in mid-air. Simultaneously, a silver-white dagger thrust toward Ant瞳 Tong's flank.

"Is this the end?" Ant瞳 Tong closed his eyes.

The difference in strength between him and Ghost One was too great. Not only was his skill level much lower, but his base attributes were also far inferior.

"Die!" Ghost One exerted more force.

Just as the silver-white dagger was about to pierce Ant瞳 Tong's flank, a streak of fire suddenly flashed past.

Ghost One was shocked and quickly used Gale Step to defend, retreating swiftly, his gaze immediately scanning the direction from which the fire had come.

"Who dares interfere with my plans?"

"It was me!"

From the crowd, Shi Feng stepped forward.