CHAPTER 162: MALVERNA SHOWS HER POWER (2)

"So arrogant!" The man shouted in fury.

Throughout his life, he had encountered many arrogant people—both among the targets he had killed and the comrades stronger than him.

But never before had he met someone this outrageously arrogant.

The Blood Moon Organization was the most feared assassin group in the eastern region, its influence stretching far and wide like a spider’s web.

Their numbers were small—only two hundred—but each assassin was among the very best.

Their strength was undeniable, and countless victims had already fallen by their hands.

And yet, the unknown woman before him had the audacity to speak so arrogantly. It enraged and deeply insulted him.

To look down on the Blood Moon Organization was no different than spitting on its name.

Without hesitation, he pressed his palms together. In an instant, twenty black circles formed behind him.

From within them, identical figures emerged, each holding twin black daggers, their eyes locked on Malverna with deadly intent.

"Since you dare underestimate the Blood Moon Organization, I’ll make sure you regret it!" He growled coldly. "Attack!"

Whoosh!

All twenty clones surged toward Malverna at lightning speed, their daggers raised to strike.

"Be careful, they’re strong!" Elina shouted.

Dealing with just five of them had already been difficult—twenty was unthinkable.

She didn’t know who the woman was, but the fact that she had stepped in to help made Elina see her as a savior.

"You’ve got nothing to worry about," Malverna replied casually. Raising her left hand high, she smirked. "Who says I can’t do the same?"

With that, she licked her lips and whispered, "Rise, my army..."

Buzz!

A black magic circle, ten meters wide, spread beneath her feet.

Moments later, fifty undead emerged from the darkness, as if rising straight out of the underworld.

Each had a skeletal form, yet carried different weapons in both hands.

Some wielded swords and shields; others held spears, bows, or various deadly tools. Among them, ten were liches, and another ten were undead knights.

The sight sent shivers down Elina’s spine. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped in disbelief.

Ten liches...? How is that even possible? Her heart pounded in her chest.

Necromancy was a forbidden branch of black magic, and only a handful of mages had ever mastered it—fewer than one percent of all Black Mages.

It made sense. Necromancers had the power to raise the dead and turn them into their own private army.

Liches, in particular, were the undead remnants of powerful mages.

They retained most of the power they had in life, making them terrifying opponents by nature.

It was said that summoning a lich was extremely difficult—almost impossible.

Not every dead mage could become a lich, and only necromancers with extraordinary power were capable of raising them and binding them to their will.

From a distance, Nolan observed the scene with a mix of curiosity and mild shock.

So, Malverna’s a necromancer, huh? That’s quite the surprise, he remarked, genuinely impressed.

Necromancers were rare due to their small numbers, making them highly valuable to the evil forces of the world.

At the same time, they were hated and hunted by empires and kingdoms across the continent.

After all, their power was dangerous—capable of shaking the balance of peace throughout the land.

Tsk! It seems I really did end up with a capable subordinate, Nolan muttered with a quiet chuckle. With Malverna around, things are much easier for me. The gods must truly love me.

Meanwhile, the undead army had engaged the twenty shadows.

But calling it a battle would be generous—what unfolded was a massacre.

The man’s clones didn’t even have the chance to raise their weapons, let alone break through to Malverna behind the horde.

"Damn... this is bad..." The man whispered, his voice trembling with fear.

He had never expected her to be this powerful—much less a necromancer of such terrifying skill.

In this world, there was an old saying: "Never offend a necromancer. Do so, and you’re asking for death—your corpse will become part of their army."

And now, he was the fool who had dared to challenge one.

No, I can’t die here. I have to make it back to the base! he told himself.

According to his organization’s intel, Elina Lorian was under the protection of the Singularity of Chaos—the main reason none of the others dared to accept the mission.

But he did. He believed he could kill Elina before the Singularity appeared.

Unfortunately, an immensely powerful necromancer showed up instead. The intel had been completely wrong.

Gritting his teeth, he seized the moment when Malverna was distracted and shot backward at full speed.

Elina was about to pursue, but Malverna raised a hand to stop her.

"There’s no need. He won’t make it out alive," she said flatly, snapping her fingers.

Snap!

Her entire army slowly faded away, sinking back into the ground.

Then, she raised her left hand forward and placed her right hand against her ample chest.

Whoosh!

Moments later, a reddish-black bow materialized in the air. The appearance of the bow silenced the area within a hundred-meter radius.

The surrounding trees and plants withered instantly, as if drained of their vitality.

What is that bow? Why does it radiate death? Elina gulped and instinctively stepped back.

Just looking at it made her feel as though her soul was being tugged by an unseen hand.

Under her stunned gaze, Malverna slowly drew the bowstring. From the air, a pitch-black arrow began to form, surrounded by a red, ominous aura.

Malverna smiled faintly and whispered, "Die in peace, fool..."

Fwoosh!

The moment the arrow was released, it shot forward at blinding speed, chasing the fleeing man.

Wherever it passed, the air turned murky, and all life—bugs, grass, wildflowers—vanished, as if consumed by the arrow’s deadly aura.

***

"Hah... Hah... Hah..."

Roughly two kilometers away, the man stood atop a tree trunk, gasping for breath.

He glanced back with a look of relief.

Rubbing his chest, he let out a small laugh and muttered, "Thank goodness I made it out alive. Otherwise, I’d already be a corpse."

That woman’s strength was overwhelming. He knew he stood no chance against her.

"But it’s fine. Once I return to headquarters, I’ll report everything and have them re-evaluate this mission. I’ll also recommend we send reinforcements to surround Elina Lorian," he growled through clenched teeth.

Once his breathing steadied and his nerves calmed, he prepared to move again—but danger struck from behind.

His eyes widened. His instincts screamed at him, but it was too late.

Srck!

His body went rigid, and his face froze in shock.

With trembling hands, he looked down—and saw an arrow lodged deep in his left chest.

"How... is this... possible...?"

Cracks spread across his legs and hips. Within seconds, his body began to crumble into ash, carried away by the wind.

Even in his final moment, as he vanished completely, one thought haunted him: "How could Malverna have done this...?"