Chapter 1545 - 11: Darkness and Solitude

Chapter 1545: Chapter 11: Darkness and Solitude

The three-person adventure party quickly retreated, but Su Xiao kept watching in the direction they disappeared. The reason was simple: that red-haired youth gave him a very strange feeling.

"That seemed like... World’s Power?"

Su Xiao was somewhat unsure. If that youth really carried World’s Power, then he was equivalent to being one of this world’s protagonists.

Having "protagonists" in an Original world like this isn’t unusual, and there’s more than one. All of them are blessed by World’s Power, what people commonly call having strong luck.

Similar to Luffy, Ichigo Kurosaki and other Sons of the World—though none of those exist in this world—but it’s not surprising to see a few Pseudo-Protagonists appear. Back in the World of Xiya, Su Xiao knew there were two Pseudo-Protagonists, one of them was the Third Prince, the one who ultimately became King.

At first, Su Xiao didn’t realize the Third Prince was a Pseudo-Protagonist. Even when he left the World of Xiya, he still didn’t know. Only later, when he was casually chatting with Yan Chen after a duel, the latter mentioned it, and that was when Su Xiao finally understood.

It wasn’t just the Third Prince; Reed was originally one of the World of Xiya’s protagonists as well. Unfortunately, he ran into the Shadow of Annihilation Law descending and was beaten by an Annihilator from world protagonist down to gravekeeper.

As for this youth Su Xiao had just run into by chance, he was almost certainly one of the Dark Raven World’s protagonists. The World’s Power on him wasn’t at Reed’s level, but was a bit more than the Third Prince’s.

Su Xiao temporarily ignored the youth whose Name he didn’t know. He’d already captured Witch Issa alive; next was to interrogate her about clues to the Death Land.

At the start, Su Xiao had only been probing when he fought Isa. After he basically understood a Witch’s fighting style, he directly finished her.

Su Xiao grabbed Isa and walked out of the Council Hall, heading for outside the Royal Palace. As soon as he stepped out, a large group of soldiers surrounded him.

"Over there, that one..."

Su Xiao looked toward a burly general. The general’s brows furrowed.

"You’re their Leader?"

"That’s right. Where is the Lord?"

This general didn’t let the soldiers rush up immediately. The corpses he’d seen on the way in were warning him that the situation inside the Royal Palace was very strange.

"You’re the King now."

"Huh～"

The burly general was dumbstruck. After freezing for a few seconds, he sprinted several steps into the Royal Palace. In less than half a minute, he came back.

"Let this gentleman pass."

The burly general was obviously the type with above-average Intelligence, and very ambitious. The former King was already dead, and now he held military power in his hands. If he wasn’t King, who would be King? As for his Loyalty to the former King—heh.

Tens of thousands of soldiers opened a passage. They didn’t understand what was going on, but a soldier’s duty was to obey orders.

Just as Su Xiaogang finished walking through the soldiers, he heard a loud shout behind him.

"The late King consorted with a Witch and even sired a child with her—utterly Evil..."

Clearly, this guy understood how to read the times. If nothing went wrong, he’d soon become the new King.

...

In the East City, inside an abandoned tailor shop, Su Xiao tossed Witch Issa into a corner and took out fresh water to wash the Blood off his hands.

"No matter what cruel methods you use to torture me, I will never yield!"

Isa’s body had already regained some sensation; Su Xiao hadn’t broken her spine earlier.

Su Xiao took out a Metal Syringe from his Storage Space, the syringe filled with a pink solution. This was a plant-based anesthetic he’d obtained in the Hunter World.

After being injected with the anesthetic, Isa looked at Su Xiao in confusion. She’d originally thought Su Xiao would inflict brutal torture on her, maybe even violate her, but from the current situation, Su Xiao had no intention of doing that. That was what made it even more terrifying.

Su Xiao snapped his fingers a few times in front of Isa. He was testing her Spirit state. Judging from her sensitivity in receiving sound, Isa’s Spirit condition was still fine.

Confirming that, Su Xiao took out a bottle of mineral water and force-fed it to Isa. With enough water in her system, her vital signs would be maintained.

Not only that, Su Xiao even shoved a chocolate candy into Isa’s mouth, completely baffling her.

"What are you..."

Isa’s expression was no longer as composed as before. If Su Xiao had subjected her to severe torture, she might actually have felt more at ease. As a prisoner, the way she was being treated was just too bizarre: she got water when she was thirsty, and after swallowing that weird-tasting black bean, the gnawing hunger in her belly receded somewhat.

Pa, pa.

Su Xiao snapped his fingers twice more in front of Isa.

"From now on, you’re going to enter a place where it’s pitch-black in all directions. Don’t break down. After a very long time, you will definitely leave there. Remember, you can definitely get out of that Darkness. You must keep holding onto that belief."

"Huh?"

Isa was utterly confused, and right then, Su Xiao took out "Endless Darkness."

Equipment Effect: Black Prison (Active). If the enemy has already lost the ability to resist, this Collar can be equipped on their neck. Once activated, the enemy’s consciousness will be shrouded in Darkness, causing their sense of Time to become distorted.

Hint: Each use of "Black Prison (Active)" consumes 1 point of this Equipment’s Durability. This Equipment cannot be repaired.

Hint: The Black Prison (Active) effect will last for 3–6 seconds. After the enemy’s consciousness is shrouded in Darkness, every "second" that Darkness persists will be greatly extended. The extension length depends on the enemy’s Willpower. Each second is extended to at least 20 natural days (this is the Time flow rate their consciousness endures).

...

Su Xiao began calibrating "Endless Darkness." Compared to inflicting pain on the body, Darkness and solitude are actually far more terrifying.

With a click, Endless Darkness snapped around Isa’s neck. Three Blue indicator lights lit up on the Metal Collar, meaning Su Xiao had set the duration to 3 seconds.

Buzz～

The Black Prison Ability activated. Isa’s pupils gradually dimmed. After 1.5 seconds, large teardrops fell from her eyes. At 2 seconds, her pupils turned dull and No Light. At 3 seconds, the Endless Dark Neck Ring popped open.

Su Xiao caught the Collar, and Isa, eyes full of tears, looked at him.

"Please don’t leave here."

Isa spoke in a trembling voice.

"?"

Su Xiao glanced at Endless Darkness in his hand. This thing was practically a Divine Artifact for obtaining information.

"Where is the Death Land?"

"It’s, it’s..."

Isa’s pupils rapidly regained their Light. Seeing this, Su Xiao began calibrating Endless Darkness again.

"Don’t... don’t send me back there. I’ll talk. Come closer, I’ll tell only you."

Seeing Isa’s reaction, Bubu Wang scooted closer. It was interested in this miraculous piece of Equipment, not because it wanted to personally try it, but because it wanted to gnaw it open and study the internal structure—while also tasting the flavor.

"Aiseya and I don’t know where the Death Land is. Only Mo..."

Isa had only said half the sentence when Su Xiao grabbed Bubu Wang and flung it out of the tailor shop. He himself also dove out through the window.

Kaka, kaka, kaka...

Centered on Isa, everything began to wither and turn to ash. In an instant, the entire tailor shop became dust. A light breeze passed, and that dust drifted away on the wind.

Out on the street, Su Xiao finally understood why Aiseya and Isa were unwilling to reveal information about the Death Land: speaking of it meant certain Death. This bizarre Ability was almost certainly the work of a Curse Witch, and a very powerful one at that—so powerful that Aiseya and Isa didn’t even dare resist.