Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 187: Chapter 187 — The Wolf Mask

Chapter 187 — The Wolf Mask

All that was left with the head back through region F.

They had already obtained everything they needed. The Black Heart Fungus was safely stored away, and there was no reason to remain in the dangerous underwater caverns any longer than necessary.

Unfortunately, finding their way out wasn’t nearly as simple as entering.

The map they had brought with them was useful for identifying the general regions, but it didn’t do much to map the individual cave systems.

The underwater passages twisted and branched in every direction.

Some tunnels narrowed until they were barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through. Others opened into larger chambers before splitting into three or four different paths.

From above, the entire system probably looked like a massive spider web.

Victor frowned as he studied the map.

”Are we sure this is the way we came?”

Zack looked at the passage ahead.

”I’m pretty sure.”

Grace glanced at the map.

”Pretty sure?”

Zack shrugged.

It took them considerably longer than expected, but eventually they found their way out of the underwater cave system.

The three emerged into the main cavern.

Victor took a deep breath.

At least they were out of the water.

He took several steps forward.

Then stopped.

His hand immediately shot upward.

”Stop.”

Zack and Grace froze.

Victor lowered his body and crouched behind a large rock.

He motioned for them to get down.

Something was wrong.

Grace immediately understood.

She moved behind the rock without making a sound.

Zack followed.

Victor slowly raised his head.

He peeked over the edge of the rock.

And froze.

Across the cavern stood a man.

He was too far away for Victor to make out every detail, but one thing was immediately obvious.

The man was wearing a mask.

It resembled the head of a wolf.

But there was something deeply unsettling about it.

The mask was long and angular, with sharp ears rising from the top. Its carved muzzle stretched into a vicious grin, exposing rows of exaggerated teeth. Dark openings surrounded the eyes, making the figure beneath them almost impossible to read.

The craftsmanship was too deliberate to be decorative.

It looked less like a mask meant to hide a face and more like the face of some predator had been carved and placed over his own.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

Then he noticed what stood in front of the masked man.

Children.

Twelve of them.

Their ages ranged between ten and seventeen years old.

They stood huddled together, shoulders pressed against one another.

Their clothes were torn and filthy.

Bruises covered their arms and faces.

Some had dried blood on their clothing.

One boy was holding his arm tightly against his chest.

A younger girl was quietly crying, trying to wipe the tears away with a trembling hand.

None of them dared move.

And Victor couldn’t see a single slave bracelet among them.

His expression hardened.

What is this?

They didn’t look like slaves.

They looked like prisoners.

Grace slowly raised her head beside him.

The moment she saw the children, something changed in her expression.

The calmness disappeared.

Anger replaced it.

Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword.

Zack looked over the rock.

He froze.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Victor slowly began to rise.

Zack immediately grabbed his arm.

”Victor, wait.”

Victor looked at him.

”We don’t know what this is,” Zack whispered. ”We need to call Law Enforcement. Let the guards deal with it.”

Victor shook his head.

”By the time they get here, they could be gone.”

”Victor—”

”I can’t walk away from this.”

His eyes remained fixed on the children.

Zack’s expression tightened.

”There are times when you have to walk away.”

Victor looked at him.

”I’m not walking away.”

His voice became more direct.

Victor turned toward Grace.

She met his eyes.

Then nodded.

”I’m with you.”

Victor smiled faintly.

He looked back at Zack.

”Zack, you don’t have to join us.”

His eyes hardened.

”But we’re going to find out what’s happening here.”

Before Zack could respond, Victor disappeared.

Advanced Flash Step.

His body crossed the cavern in an instant.

The masked man didn’t even have time to react.

Victor appeared directly in front of him and threw a punch.

The man reacted at the last moment.

A staff appeared in his hands.

Bang!

The staff blocked Victor’s fist.

The impact drove the masked man several feet backward, his boots carving lines through the dirt.

His cultivation erupted.

Spirit Gathering Rank Four.

The masked man steadied himself.

Then he tilted his head.

”What do we have here?”

His voice was cold.

”Another child?”

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

”Are you interfering in business that isn’t yours?”

Victor ignored the question.

”What’s happening here?”

He pointed toward the children.

”What are you doing to them?”

The closest child was perhaps sixteen or seventeen.

He had very short hair and unusually hardened eyes for someone his age.

His face was pale beneath the dirt.

The moment he saw Victor, surprise flashed across his face.

Then hope.

”Please.”

His voice trembled.

”Please help us.”

The masked man’s head snapped toward him.

”Shut up, you swine.”

He raised his staff.

The weapon swung toward the boy’s head.

Victor’s eyes widened.

His hand shot forward.

Clang!

He caught the staff before it could connect.

The masked man stared at him.

Victor’s expression darkened.

”You know...”

He tightened his grip.

”I’ve had a lot of pent-up aggression lately.”

His eyes narrowed.

”And you’re looking like the perfect person to take it out on.”

Flash Step.

Victor disappeared.

The masked man immediately turned.

Too late.

Victor appeared behind him.

The man swung his staff backward.

But Victor had already vanished again.

Advanced Flash Step.

He appeared on the other side.

The masked man spun around.

Nothing.

Victor was already behind him again.

His speed completely overwhelmed the man’s ability to follow his movements.

Then—

BOOM!

Victor’s fist slammed into the back of his head.

The masked man was launched forward.

His body crashed into the cavern wall.

CRACK!

The wolf mask struck the stone.

A crack spread across its surface.

For a moment, the mask hung crookedly over the man’s face.

Then it slipped.

Golden-blond hair fell free.

The man slowly turned around.

For the first time, Victor got a clear look at the mask.

His eyes immediately narrowed.

There was something carved into its forehead.

A sideways eye.

Victor’s expression changed.

His mind flashed back to the cellar.

The ritual markings.

An Evil God worshipper.

Victor stared at the mask.

But something didn’t make sense.

Why is he wearing a mask?

The man from the cellar hadn’t worn one.

He didn’t have time to think about it any further.

The masked man slowly pushed himself away from the wall.

”You’re going to pay for that.”

Grace suddenly appeared.

Her sword flashed toward his throat.

The man reacted quickly.

He raised his staff and knocked the blade aside.

Clang!

Grace landed several feet away.

The masked man’s eyes moved between her and Victor.

Then he saw Zack approaching from the side.

His expression changed.

He stopped.

For a brief moment, his eyes locked onto Zack.

His grip tightened around his staff.

Even with the surprise attack, he was completely outmatched.

The masked man suddenly stepped backward.

His Spiritual Energy began to surge.

Grace’s eyes narrowed.

”Don’t let him—”

The man’s aura exploded.

BOOM!

Spiritual Energy surged violently through the cavern.

Rank Four.

Then Rank Five.

Then—

Rank Six!

Victor’s expression changed.

What?!

The man’s body visibly swelled as his muscles expanded beneath his clothes.

His aura became oppressive.

Loose stones trembled across the ground.

The children recoiled in fear.

He had used some kind of technique to forcibly increase his cultivation.

And then he moved.

Straight toward Zack.

”Zack!”

Victor yelled at him.

”Grab him!”

Zack reacted.

The masked man raised the staff.

A violent wave of Spiritual Energy erupted from the weapon.

He swung.

BOOM!

Zack raised his fist and collided with the attack.

For a moment, it looked like he had stopped it.

Then his expression changed.

The force overwhelmed him.

BOOM!

Zack was sent flying backward.

His body slammed into the cavern wall.

Blood escaped his mouth.

”Zack!”

Victor’s eyes widened.

The masked man didn’t stop.

He glanced at Zack’s fallen body.

Then he turned and sprinted past him.

Straight into the shadows.

Within seconds, he disappeared.

Everything had happened too quickly.

Victor stood frozen for a moment.

Then he rushed toward his friend.

”Zack!”

He was lying against the wall, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Victor dropped beside him.

”Zack, are you okay?”

He quickly began checking his condition.

Grace moved beside them.

The children remained behind them, silent and frightened.

Victor glanced toward the shadows where the masked man had disappeared.

His expression became cold.

What the hell was that?