Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Chapter 1490. Advent of Fear

---Southern Blade Sect---

The sun burned in his eyes. Who did that old coot think he was? He was just a head disciple in the outer sect, commanding them around like this. After all, it was he who failed to even catch a glimpse of the intruder. Why did they have to do double guard shifts…

This sect was really going to shit. Ever since the Grand Elder’s Campaign to Verdant Twilight Continent. They made a great song and dance about their departure. Back then, he really felt the grandeur of his sect.

The skies were filled with their flying ships, manned by their elites. The aura was awe-inspiring. But now? Their ties to the Verdant Twilight were cut, their elites never returned, and obviously, nobody bothered to tell the outer disciples anything.

Since then, the sect just felt like a husk. The sect missions had reduced; the food had gotten worse. Now, even the slaves and some of the disciples had been kidnapped. Ben Jin had the right idea. They were just outer sect disciples; they could just leave.

Not like the sect had invested much in them or cared at this point. All the outer disciples with a modicum of talent were brought to the inner sect; the rest of them were practically abandoned. The only reason he stayed was that he didn’t want to return home at this point.

He stayed ten years in the outer sect without even reaching the foundation stage. He was afraid of the look his parents would give him. At this point, he realized that the words of his mother were not ridicule. She just tried to caution him out of love when she said that this was not the right path. That his talent was not enough.

Still, he was unwilling to let go of his dream. Maybe he could find Ben Jin, and they could look for a better sect together. Or they could travel. He knew that just one fortuitous encounter and his dreams could come true.

As his tired eyes trailed over the flat horizon in the distance, these were his idle thoughts. He would never follow up on them, but they would always come back in these tired hours. It was a morning like many others, but for some reason, his heart suddenly started beating faster.

The tiny hair in his nape stood up, and his mind was suddenly wide awake. A baseless sense of dread suddenly overcame him. The confusion over this state came on top of the impending panic that was growing in his mind.

Then he saw it. Something he couldn’t previously even perceive in his field of view. A figure clad in a blue exoskeleton, like a beetle, carrying an exotic blade in their hand. Was that a person, or a monster? All his instincts screamed that it was the latter.

He heard stories of mountain gods and beast kings reaching realms so high that it allowed them to transform into a humanoid shape and gain human-like intelligence. The spear that was supposed to be in his hand clattered on the ground.

His body and mind aligned and made the instinctive decision to finally give in to his intrusive thoughts. Leave the sect. Find Ben Jin, go home, whatever, anything but stay here. The next moment, he was gone with the highest speed possible for his cultivation realm.

The second guard that had stood beside him was actually quite okay with their role in the sect. However, they looked after him for a moment before they made the exact same decision and vanished from their post for good.

…

The Southern Blade Sect was like a sprawling city, situated on a plane between two mountain ridges. Like a medieval city, the distinction between the districts for the lower class and the upper class was clearly visible from the outside.

The outskirts were little more than ramshackle houses, while the center was characterized by manors and palaces that reached for the skies. Now, Faenys watched the people vacate the outskirts of the sect, as if the whole place had diarrhea.

With every step she took, people affected by her aura, but without the strength to keep it together, flooded from the gates, jumped across buildings, and over walls to seek refuge in the surrounding woods and mountains.

The Chosen of Phobos was alone. She didn’t need a party or a team of Oathguards because she wouldn’t be facing groups or human wave tactics. In the whole sect, there were at best five people left who would actually be able to face her in her legendary gear.

Only two of those would actually put up a fight. According to their information, the only strong people left in the Southern Blade Sect were the Sect Leader and the Sect Ancestor. Anyone else who could have been a problem fell at Little Gamma.

She didn’t even have to enter the sect. By the time she reached the outer perimeter, four figures blocked her way. According to the descriptions she read, she identified the Sect Leader, a tall middle-aged man in monochrome robes, and three elders.

While the leader was able to resist her Aura of Fear, the three old men with purple overcoats on their monochrome robes looked already hard-pressed just standing there. Sweat was dripping from their faces, and their whole bodies were shaking slightly.

At first glance, Faenys knew that these three guys would run like headless chickens the moment she activated a proper skill. Although their levels were impressive, they were technically non-combat elders. The guys were left behind to take care of the administrative tasks.

Their skills in battle were mediocre. She didn’t need the intel to know that. As a lv.149 player, she was able to look straight through their status with her . Even if they resisted the fear and fought, she could fold them like paper.

The sect leader, on the other hand, would probably be able to give her an entertaining fight. Although not a legend, he was 20 levels ahead of her. Yet, Faenys was not worried. On the contrary, she was looking forward to having an opponent to properly test her legendary gear on.

Not even in the Abyss on Urth did she find many monsters to properly test her power-up. Most either fled at the start of the fight or were unable to put up any resistance. The sneer decorating her face, as she looked in the strained, yet arrogant expression of the sect leader, could not be seen from the outside, thanks to her helmet.

“Halt, you foul creature! What have you done to my sect’s disciples?! What do you want? Speak, or I will strike you down where you stand!” The sect leader stepped forward valiantly. His voice was full of force and carried across the whole valley. These words were not just meant for her, but also the rats that had fled into the vicinity.

Faenys brandished her sword and activated . Infernal noise attacked the for men before her and raised the chance to succumb to fear, confusion, or disorientation. Immediately, the three elders held their heads in pain. One screamed, one stumbled around, the third started outright running away, with the other two in hot pursuit.

Only one stayed to listen to her answer. Showing a pained grimace, the Sect Leader quickly unsheathed his blade and pointed it at the Chosen of Phobos. He halted his attack to listen when Faenys spoke up.

“I frightened them. I don’t want anything from you. I will crush your sect for your actions against Urth and her people,” she actually answered his questions honestly. There was no need to lie to a dead man.

“What is Urth?” the sect leader asked laboriously, resisting the noise of her aura. He seemed a little confused, but it was not her job to explain anything to a dead man. Her answer was to attack, and the fight began.