CHAPTER 283: ASHBLADE NO MORE

Ashblade stood still at the edge of the cliff.

He took a deep breath.

Then, slowly, he raised his hand and touched his face.

The false aura around him began to peel.

His skin shimmered, and the quiet hum of the disguise faded.

Ashblade was gone.

What remained was Zain Zavathor.

His jagged hair fell down to his shoulders again.

The fake silver hair and dull eyes were gone.

His real crimson eyes glowed with power.

Velra looked up from where she sat, still catching her breath.

When she saw him, her lips curled into a soft grin.

"You’re back, Master."

Zain didn’t speak right away.

He looked down at her and offered his hand.

She took it without hesitation.

He pulled her up gently.

Her body still shook a little, but she stood tall beside him.

"Let’s go," Zain said.

Velra nodded. "To our first base on this island."

Zain gave one last glance at the battlefield.

Then turned away.

They walked slowly.

The heat of the volcanic region faded with distance.

They crossed burned trails, passed melted stones, and climbed across broken ridges.

Velra followed close behind him, hands resting on her hips.

Her body still ached, but her smile never faded.

After a few hours of travel, Zain and Velra returned to the ruined branch base of the Flame God Cult.

The air still smelled like burnt flesh and ash.

The entrance stood open, the stone gate broken from earlier.

No guards remained. No footsteps. Only silence and scorched walls.

They stepped inside.

Every cultist that had remained in the base had already been killed by Velra.

Not a single one had escaped.

Velra walked beside Zain, her heels clicking softly on the floor.

"Still quiet," she said, looking around.

Zain nodded once.

His eyes scanned the hall, the broken lights above, and the flickering wall torches that hadn’t yet burned out.

He stopped in the middle of the main chamber.

"This could work," he said.

Velra tilted her head. "For what?"

Zain looked around again, then lifted his hand.

He pressed it to the center of the floor, and a red circle of energy began to form under them.

"For the first base," he said.

"The first foundation of the Heavenly Demon Sect... on this Supreme Island."

Velra smirked. "You want to turn a cult ruin into our new home?"

Zain chuckled. "No better way to replace weak beliefs than by building something stronger on top of them."

He stood and looked deeper into the ruins.

He stepped forward.

"Now," he said, his voice quiet but firm, "let’s see what Reval was doing inside."

Far ahead, deep within the last room of the base, Reval stood alone.

His eyes were wide. He paced back and forth, his fists clenched.

"All of them," he muttered. "Gone... All of them..."

He slammed his hand on the control table.

"How did two people destroy my entire branch?"

He didn’t have the answer. He had underestimated them.

Thought they were just rogue heroes.

But they were something else. Something far more dangerous.

Reval quickly moved to the far wall. A hidden panel slid open.

Inside was a platform glowing with red symbols.

"This will take me to the main base," he said.

"I have to warn them. Before it’s too late."

He stepped onto the teleportation platform and began powering it up.

Lights around the ring pulsed faster. The air shimmered.

He reached toward the console.

But before he could press the final command, something slammed into him from the side.

A sharp kick struck his ribs.

He crashed to the ground, coughing.

Velra stood there, one hand on her hip, the other twirling her whip.

"Going somewhere?" she asked.

Reval looked up, his eyes wide with fear.

"You—"

Velra smiled. "You thought you could just run?"

The teleportation platform was still active.

Footsteps came from behind.

Zain walked into the room without rushing.

Reval stepped back. His voice was tight.

"Who are you?"

Zain didn’t answer right away. He smiled.

"Don’t you remember me?"

Reval frowned.

Zain reached behind his back and pulled out the broken black sword.

The same one Ashblade had used.

Reval’s eyes widened.

"You... you’re one of them... You’re part of the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

Zain took another step forward, the sword still in hand.

"Not a member," he said. "I’m the leader."

Reval clenched his fists. "What do you want from me?"

Zain tilted his head slightly, his smirk growing sharper.

"I want everything."

Reval didn’t speak.

Zain continued, "I want to rule this island. Then the world. But I just got here. So I need to start somewhere."

He looked around the room.

"This place will do. Not too big. Not too small. Quiet. Bloody. Perfect for a foundation."

Reval shook his head. "You think you can just take this? This is Flame God Cult territory."

Zain’s smile didn’t fade.

"Is that so?"

He turned to the glowing teleportation platform and slowly walked toward it.

"Then I’ll go talk to your upper ranks myself."

Reval tried to move forward, but Velra stepped in front of him again.

Zain glanced back once.

"Keep him here," he said. "Search for all data and supplies. Make this base ours."

Velra nodded, her voice soft but firm.

"Understood, Master."

Zain gave her one last smirk and stepped onto the platform.

The red light rose up and swallowed him.

In a flash, he was gone.

Reval sat up slowly, still breathing hard, and then suddenly started laughing.

"You’re a fool," he said between gasps.

"Your master is finished. He just walked straight into the hands of the real cult. He won’t last a minute."

His laughter echoed through the empty room.

Velra didn’t move at first.

She tilted her head slightly, watching him with a calm, unreadable face.

Then she stepped forward, her boots tapping softly on the floor.

"Are you sure about that?" she said.

Reval looked up, still smiling.

"Of course I am. You think one man can stand against the Flame God leaders?"

"He’s strong, maybe, but not strong enough. You both got lucky here. That luck ends now."

Velra smiled back, slow and dangerous.

"My master is not ordinary."

She walked closer and crouched down in front of him.

"He doesn’t need luck. He is the reason others kneel."

Reval’s smile started to fade.

Velra leaned in just slightly.

"And now... while he takes care of things up there... you and I still have some business."

She stood again, cracking her neck and stretching her arms.

"You’re going to help me make this place our own."

Reval clenched his teeth. "You think I’ll help you?"

Velra didn’t answer. She just turned away, her voice light.

"You will. One way or another."

Then she smirked again.