Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2040: No Mercy

Darren had long fled before the battle had even begun.

He was now frantically digging through the rubble at the opposite end of the corridor, desperately trying to clear a path to the other side.

”Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

The corridor was dim. A single torch hung from the wall, its weak flame barely illuminating the surrounding stones.

Darren kept glancing over his shoulder, terrified that something might emerge from the darkness behind him.

He did not want to make any noise. He did not want to draw any attention. But he was too afraid!

The moment he laid eyes on the spider monster, he instantly realized that they would not be able to defeat it. Despite having a strong Templar like Luca, Darren did not believe in their chances of making it out alive.

And so, he fled at the first opportunity he found.

The lives of the rest of the party be damned! As long as he was alive, that was all that mattered.

His hands trembled as he grabbed another piece of rubble and threw it aside. He picked up another and tossed it away. Then another. And another.

At some point, the sounds of battle from the cavern suddenly died down.

Darren froze.

Impossible! He screamed in his mind.

How long has passed? Did they already die? Damn it! Useless!

He held his breath for a few moments and listened. He heard nothing. Not a scream, not the clash of weapons, just nothing.

His face became utterly pale.

They’re really all dead!

The thought immediately entered his mind. The monster had killed them. It had killed all of them.

Darren’s breathing became quicker. If the monster had finished them, then it would come for him next.

He became even more desperate in his attempt at escape. He clawed at the rubble with both hands, pulling stones away one after another. His fingernails cracked, but he barely noticed. He kept scraping, and more nails broke. But he did not care.

Blood began to cover his fingers. His hands were shaking violently now, and tears gathered in his eyes. But he continued. He had to get out. He had to escape before the monster found him.

He grabbed another large stone and hurled it aside. Then another. His fingers were raw and bleeding, but he kept digging. He didn’t care about the pain. He didn’t care about anything anymore.

All he could think about was escaping.

I have to get away!

I have to survive!

I cannot die in here!

Beneath the dim light of the lonely torch, Darren continued tearing apart the rubble with his bare hands, desperately trying to carve himself a way out.

Suddenly, something crashed near him.

Darren abruptly turned toward the source of the sound, his hand already gripping his mace. His heart hammered against his chest, and terror gripped his entire being.

What was that?!

He slowly scanned the corridor, his breathing becoming heavier. His eyes darted from one shadow to another, desperately searching for whatever had made the noise.

Was it... because of something I threw—

Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw it.

A small stone had been thrown against the wall!

Darren’s eyes widened. He immediately raised his mace and swung it toward the direction from which the stone had come.

But his weapon passed through empty air.

There was nothing there whatsoever. His heart nearly stopped beating. Unable to take it in anymore and thinking that the monster had arrived, he blurted out in fear:

”Come out—”

A silver streak of sword light flashed through the dim corridor.

Thud!

Darren let out a gut-wrenching scream as one of his arms fell to the ground. Blood splattered across the marble floor.

”That one is for Koby.”

A familiar voice echoed through the corridor.

But the speaker was nowhere to be seen.

Darren’s entire body trembled. He stumbled backward, clutching his wounded arm as terror overwhelmed his mind. His eyes desperately searched the darkness.

”Michael...” His voice shook with fear. ”Please... No, this is impossible! Show yourself!!”

There was no answer. Only silence.

And then...

Flash!

Another sword light flashed.

Darren cried out as his other arm was severed from his body.

”That one is for Kara.”

Michael’s voice echoed once more.

Darren collapsed onto his knees. He could no longer fight. He could no longer run. He could barely even breathe. His body trembled violently as tears streamed down his face.

”I... I don’t want to die...”

He stared into the darkness.

”Please... please...”

But there was no mercy in Michael’s silence.

Darren gritted his teeth in desperation. ”You can’t do this!”

Even after everything, he still refused to escape death. He crawled forward, dragging his broken body across the marble floor.

”Please...”

His voice was barely a whisper after all the rage was flushed out.

”Please, Michael...”

Darren’s tears continued to fall.

And then, footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Michael’s figure rippled into existence as he deactivated the artifact. He stood before Darren, blood-stained sword in hand. His expression was cold and unreadable, completely different from what others had ever seen on his face.

Darren stared at him in shock. He never expected that he’d be reduced to such a miserable state, and that the person who would drive him to this state would be none other than the one whom he always looked down upon.

His eyes flickered with shock and terror and desperation. His lips trembled as he murmured:

”Michael...”

Michael looked down at him without a hint of remorse in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Darren’s eyes were filled with despair. ”Please... please...”

He was at Michael’s mercy. There was nothing he could do now. There was no escape.

Michael remained silent.

In the next moment, his hand blurred. In one swift motion, he swung the sword.

Flash!

The sword seamlessly passed through Darren’s neck. His body collapsed onto the marble floor. His head rolled several meters away before finally coming to a stop.

Silence returned to the corridor.

Michael lowered his sword slowly. With a flick of the wrist, he discarded the blood on the blade and smoothly sheathed it.

He cast one final glance at Michael’s severed head and coldly said:

”And that was for Meji.”