Chapter 118: The Evil-Cult Meet (1)
(On a distant frozen wasteland, The Evil Cult)
In the distant corners of the universe, existed a land forsaken by time and abandoned by life itself, called 'FrostBurn'.
Long ago, FrostBurn used to be a vibrant life-hub, with all sorts of life-forms roaming its surface, however, with time as it drifted away from its host star, it started to get cooler and cooler, until it became inhospitable.
FrostBurn was no mere planet—it was a frozen tomb, a realm of eternal ice where warmth had long been exiled.
It lay beyond the Rainbow Stream of Ambient Mana, a desolate world unmonitored by governments, untouched by explorers, and unnoticed by the universe itself.
For 364 days a year, FrostBurn remained an unbroken void of silence.
No birds soared through its starless sky. No beasts stirred beneath its endless sheets of ice, and no wanderer dared to step foot upon its unforgiving tundra.
For the unprepared, FrostBurn was not just inhospitable—it was a death sentence.
The blizzards here did not simply cut—they devoured. The winds did not chill—they killed, as with day-time temperatures reaching barely -70°C, FrostBurn was so cold that even a Grandmaster, a warrior of near-inhuman endurance, would last no more than two hours before the cold infiltrated their veins, freezing their very blood solid.
Only those who had transcended the mortal plane—those who had reached the realm of the Transcendent—could walk this frozen wasteland and emerge unscathed.
And today, twelve such beings had gathered here, as was the tradition on every 5th of July.
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Deep beneath the planet's frozen crust, buried within a labyrinth of ice-forged tunnels, lay The Resistance Chamber—a place that existed beyond history, beyond records, beyond time itself.
This was the sacred meeting ground of the Evil Cult's highest council, where the twelve Elders convened for their single, annual gathering.
Every year, on the 5th of July, they would assemble here—hidden from the eyes of the universe, veiled in absolute secrecy.
Only those ranked 'General' or higher within the Evil Cult even knew of this place's existence. And even among them, only the Elders knew the exact location and the precise day it convened, as without that knowledge, reaching the Resistance Chamber was simply impossible, as no chance wanderer, no misplaced traveler, no fool with ambition could otherwise stumble upon it.
And as for the actual gathering chamber itself—it was a relic of an age long past.
A vast, circular hall, carved from blackened ice, resting deep within a fortress older than recorded time.
The very air within it was thick with an unnatural chill, an oppressive weight that seemed to press against the soul.
Torches lined the walls, their flames burning an eerie, unnatural blue, that casted restless shadows across the icy surfaces.
At the heart of the chamber stood a massive obsidian table, surrounded by twelve thrones of power. Each seat belonged to an Elder, a hidden force in the universe, a faceless hand guiding the Cult's fate.
And today, as eleven figures sat in silence, waiting for the last to arrive, as they remained true to tradition—
Draped in ceremonial robes that covered every inch of their body and masked so their faces would remain hidden from even each other, The Evil Cult elders were shrouded in secrecy even amongst their own kin.
To the outside universe, the Evil Cult Elders were a single entity, a monolithic force of terror and destruction.
But within these walls?
They were twelve unknowns. Twelve shadows. Twelve beings who plotted, schemed, and maneuvered for power—all under the guise of unity.
*Whirrr—*
A gust of frigid wind swept through the chamber as the final figure arrived.
Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed against the icy floor, each step measured, each step a declaration of his presence.
"Sorry I'm late—" the deep voice said, as the final Elder took his seat.
And then—
The meeting began.
—-----------
"Number one, how is The Great Lord holding? Is he slowly recovering from his injuries?" A feminine voice asked, as this year's Evil Cult meeting opened with the most pressing question—- The fate of the Evil God.
"His injuries have not worsened, however they have not improved either.
The wounds that the bastards from the righteous alliance have inflicted on the Lord using the Timeless Assassin's blade are impossible to heal.
However, the Lord holds strong with his spirit, and shows no signs of weakening or dying just yet—" The first elder replied, as a sigh of relief ran across the room.
The health of the Evil God was paramount to the future of the Cult as a whole, as without his presence to deter the Righteous Alliance, it was impossible for the Evil Cult to survive in hiding for even a couple years.
"Praise the Great Lord. Without him we would be lost–" The same feminine voice said, as "Praise the Great Lord" , the whole room echoed.
For a moment, there was absolute silence in the chamber after the first question, but it was soon broken by the seventh elder, who brought up the second most pressing topic.
"What happened to the Third Shadow Corps? Did they manage to successfully retrieve the [Shadows Embrace] skill scroll from the Black Serpents? Or did they fall as well?" The seventh elder asked, as all eyes turned to the third elder, who hung his head in shame.
"The third corps failed miserably in their attempt to retrieve [Shadow's Embrace]. The Black Serpents headquarters is an impenetrable fortress, and stealing from them is simply impossible.
My brave men knew this before they attempted this mission, however, they still wanted to know just how far they could go before they were stopped, so that the next corps to attempt the heist could start from where they failed.
However, they never even managed to breach the main gate.
Their heist was a total failure, and we lost 1 transcendent general and 13 Grandmaster Major's over nothing." The third elder replied, his voice dripping with pain and anger, as a heavy silence settled over the room.
It was yet another year.
And yet another failure to retrieve [Shadows Embrace], as without that skill move, it was simply impossible for the alliance to convert their Dragon candidates into the next Timeless Assassin.
This bonus sponsored by patron Cervantez91 via supergift.
Please thank him in the comments for the same.