Kind-hearted Grim Reaper

"There's no need, 'Nether King' won't be waiting for you to return and catch him. Remember my words, be calm whenever you face a situation in the future. I am willing to forgive you for this matter, after all, 'Nether King' has always been your leader and it's natural for you to have reservations towards him. However, if the same errors occur again while carrying out your missions, you should know what the consequences would be,"

Upon understanding that their master does not wish to punish them, Mia looked overjoyed and respectfully responded, "Yes, master, thank you for your mercy." The nine survivors of the Extermination Group simultaneously knelt down in relief.

"Alright, you may leave now. Starting from now, none of you are allowed to leave the headquarters for a year. Take care of your public identities yourself. The organization has now lost the 'Nether King' and needs a power upgrade urgently. You must strive hard, understood? Mia, you will temporarily take over the 'Nether King's' position as leader of the Extermination Group. If there are any changes in the future, I will inform you."

"Yes, master." All nine members of the Extermination Group respectfully bowed to the darkness before exiting.

Silence returned to the room. After a long while, a voice filled with malicious joy asked, "Master, doesn't this go against the rules, letting Mia and the others off so easily?"

A vague voice responded, "You do not understand. The Extermination Group have made many contributions to the organization. Now, when manpower is needed the most, could you possibly fathom how much it costs to train an assassin of the Extermination class? The nine of them combined may not compare to the 'Nether King,' the continent's top assassin, but they are definitely competent enough to assassinate high-level magicians. 'Nether King' was my favorite, but unfortunately, he hasn't reached the highest realm of an assassin — devoid of feelings and desires. Relay my orders to offer a hefty bounty to the Thieves Guild for any information on the 'Nether King's' whereabouts. I want to see him dead or alive and issue my Nine-Star Extermination Order, so that the Extermination Group is ready for action at any time and execute immediately without leaving any survivor. The 'Nether King' who has been poisoned with the unique holy water poison no longer possesses any value."

"Yes, master." A red glint flashed and disappeared in the secret room.

The master murmured to himself, "'Nether King,' you are still far from competing with me."

A month after Ah Dai and Owen left the Illusive Forest, Flame Wizard Goris returned home. He appeared unusually solemn. Time was almost up, and despite pondering over it for three months, he still couldn't muster the resolve to go through with it. Ever since Ah Dai arrived, his usually solitary life had been revitalized. Ah Dai's kindness and simplicity deeply touched him. The experiment had to be carried out. His decades-long wish couldn't be abandoned. With contradicting emotions, he returned home. In a month, it would be God's calendar year 989 in April. According to Goris's calculations, it would be the once-in-a-millennium opportunity he had been waiting for all along. This month, he needed to steel his heart to have a chance of fulfilling his many years of aspiration.

"Ah Dai, Ah Dai, I'm back." Goris called out loudly towards the cabin, even though he was reluctant to admit it, but he missed Ah Dai a great amount.

Receiving no answer after his echoes, Goris felt a pang of fear. He quickly entered the hut Ah Dai used to live in. Everything was the same as when he left, except Ah Dai was nowhere to be found. He picked up two letters on the bed and threw the stone to the side. A sense of unease filled his chest. He anxiously opened one of them. The flamboyant writing on the stationery wasn't something Ah Dai could produce.

"Goris, although we have never met, our souls are already acquainted. The other day, I was being hunted down and fortunate enough to be saved by your disciple, for which I am deeply grateful. Your research has left me fascinated. Ah Dai used your research method to temporarily suppress the lethal 'Unique Holy Water' poison in me. I discovered an extraordinarily strong life energy within Ah Dai, very suitable to learn from my expertise. My powers have drastically diminished and to avenge my deep-seated hatred, I reluctantly forced Ah Dai to leave with me menacingly. On the day Ah Dai masters his skills, I will let him return and reunite with you and be by your side. I'm leaving this letter to ease your worries. You need not fret. Look after him well and treat him kindly. Regards, the Nether King."

Goris' hand began to tremble. Nether King. Nether King. Even as someone who seldom paid attention to worldly affairs, he was very familiar with this name. He was continental's best assassin who made a name for himself thirty years ago. He had countless murders under his belt and never missed a target. The Sword of Hades conquered numerous talented combatants. Descriptions such as 'Hades Sword Technique: Heaven Earth Shaker' were not at all overstated. Nobody could escape from his pursuit; he was the Ace Assassin of the Assassin's Guild. Thirty years ago, he had already reached the level of an exterminator.

"Why him? Ah Dai was taken away by the 'Nether King'." To Goris, the 'Nether King' was certainly more sinister than he was. Anxiety filled his chest. A myriad of questions flashed through his mind. Why would the Nether King come here? It was not surprising for him to be hunted down, having killed so many people after all, he certainly had enemies all over the world. But who had the ability to poison him with the Unique Holy Water? As an assassin, he had to be extremely vigilant. Moreover, why did he also take Ah Dai? From what he said in the letter, it seemed that he didn't harbour any ill intentions towards Ah Dai. Instead, he planned to pass on his skills to him. At this moment, Goris was filled with worry for Ah Dai's safety, forgetting entirely that without Ah Dai, he wouldn't be able to conduct his experiment.