Chapter 390: Ambushed Again

Chapter 390: Chapter 390: Ambushed Again

Chapter 390: Ambushed Again

At the desolate edge of the Sunless Umbral Basin.

A few miles away from this deadly boundary, a temporary encampment had been set up by five figures.

These were the five late-stage Domain Master assassins dispatched by Lucius.

They all had identical expression of indignation and profound frustration.

It has been three months," Veydris spat, his face twisting with deep resentment as he glared at the perpetual gloom of the Basin. "Actually, the three-month deadline expired two days ago. Are we truly going to sit here and stare at this cursed land forever?"

Hearing his complaint, the other three exchanged equally restless and irritated glances.

For the past ninety days, they had been forced to sit in this barren wasteland.

Their patience had exhausted now.

"Commander," one of the 7th-level Domain Masters spoke, turning his head toward the imposing figure sitting at the very front. "Veydris is right. The three-month period of his banishment expired a few days ago. We are completely wasting our time here."

The Commander slowly opened his eyes.

A chilling light flashed within his pupils.

"Are you questioning the orders of His Highness?" the Commander asked, his voice as cold as a frozen blade.

The assassins instantly stiffened, a chill running down their spines at the mere mention of Crown Prince Lucius.

"N-No, Commander!" Veydris hurriedly defended himself, gritting his teeth. "But we all know the reality of this death zone! This is the Sunless Umbral Basin! Even for us late-stage Domain Masters, actively resisting the corrosive miasma and fending off mutated beasts for three months straight is a guaranteed death sentence! How could a Core Formation bug survive? Even with his bizarre physical strength and those Emperor-Grade artifacts, he was most likely reduced to a pile of bones in the very first week!"

The other assassins nodded in unanimous agreement.

It was a universally accepted truth.

No one below the Monarch Realm could survive the deeper zones of the Sunless Umbral Basin for three continuous months.

The environment itself was a merciless executioner.

"If he were somehow miraculously still breathing," another assassin added with a cold sneer, "he would have dragged his half-dead body out of this hellhole the very second the deadline expired, and his three-month banishment ended. The fact that he hasn’t emerged means he is already a corpse. We should return to the capital and report his death to His Highness."

"Exactly, if he really survives three months in there, I’d rather gouge out my own eyes and crush them!" Another assassin looked resentfully at the dark, miasma-filled zone, his laughter growing colder. "He’s probably already in the stomach of a beast. We’re just wasting our time waiting here."

The Commander remained silent, his gaze fixed on the oppressive dark clouds of the basin.

He didn’t disagree with their logic. In fact, his own vast experience told him that Rhain was definitively dead.

But as the leader of this squad, he understood the terrifying nature of the man they served far better than the others.

"His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Lucius, does not tolerate assumptions," the Commander stated coldly, his imposing gaze sweeping over his subordinates. "He expects irrefutable certainty."

The Commander looked back toward the swirling black fog of the basin.

"We will stay here for five more days," the Commander declared sternly, leaving no room for argument. "If he does not step out of that fog by the time the sun sets on the fifth day, we will have our certainty. We can then leave and bring the glorious news back to Crown Prince."

Veydris gritted his teeth, but ultimately gave a stiff nod. Waiting five more days was a small price to pay to ensure he would never have to see the boy’s arrogant face again.

Just as the Commander’s chilling voice fell, a faint spiritual energy rippled through this desolate wasteland.

The gazes of the five late-stage Domain Masters suddenly sharpened.

Like wolf that had smelled blood, the Commander’s eyes snapped toward the swirling dark fog, his pupils contracting to pinpoints.

"Auras," the Commander hissed, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Suppress your presence! Hide!"

Without a single microsecond of hesitation, the five late-stage Domain Masters instantly dispersed and hid behind rocks.

They suppressed their essence fluctuations to the extreme, holding their breath and focusing their eyes intently on the edge of the Sunless Umbral Basin.

Footsteps echoed.

Crunch. Crunch.

The sound of boots stepping leisurely upon the earth rang clearly.

From the thick, toxic dark fog, a group of figures leisurely strolled into view.

When the assassins got a clear look at the approaching duo, their eyes nearly popped out of their skulls.

At the front of the group were Rhain and Lyra.

After three full months in the most notorious graveyard zone in the Solathane Dynasty, the two of them didn’t look like half-dead, emaciated corpses.

In fact, there was not a single injury on his body! His dark robes were immaculately clean, and his breathing was as calm and steady as if he had just strolled out of his own backyard garden.

Having just spent three grueling months in a veritable death zone, the joviality in their conversation was completely out of place.

"We’re finally out of this damnable place," Lyra exhaled, a radiant smile gracing her features. She turned her crimson eyes to Rhain. "What are you planning to do now that we are back?

Rhain let out a quiet sigh, more tired than frustrated.

"I have been fighting continuously for far too long," Rhain replied, a rare, soft warmth flashing past his dark grey eyes. "I just want to head back and rest for a while with Seris. She has probably been worrying herself to death this entire time."

Hearing him mention Seris, Lyra pursed her lips slightly, letting out a soft hum for no apparent reason, her eyes filled with a hint of displeasure: "Hmph! You survived a death zone, and all you can think about is resting with your wife? How completely devoid of ambition!"

Rhain did not refute, but simply smiled casually.

However, in that instant, the space in front of them suddenly distorted!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Five overwhelming forces erupted suddenly, carrying immense killing intent, instantly blocking all of Rhain and Lyra’s escape routes.

The five late-stage Domain Masters, surrounded them completely in a killing formation.

Karsten and his men jumped, the joviality petering out instantly as the suffocating pressure of late-stage Domain Masters crashed down upon them.

Veydris stepped forward, his eyes burning with a venomous, bloodthirsty light. The shock of seeing Rhain alive had swiftly transmuted into a burning resolve. This anomaly had to be erased today!

"You actually survived, you little bug," Veydris hissed, drawing his blade as lethal killing intent flooded the wasteland.

Not only Veydris, but even the usually calm and collected Commander was stunned into silence, his heart filled with turmoil.

He stepped forward, his overpowering late-stage Domain Master pressure crashing down upon the group.

"I don’t know what demonic tricks kept you alive in that hellhole," the Commander stated, his voice as cold as an executioner’s blade. "But your miraculous luck ends here. Today, we will personally ensure that your bones stays buried in this graveyard for!"