John and Dark Fox, among others, fixed their gazes on Rean, their alertness heightened to the utmost.


    Rean''s skull had vanished, revealing a writhing ck brain inside his head.


    A pungent, sickening stench wafted from it, making those who smelled it gag, their throats churning with nausea.


    It was hard to believe that this was once a living person.


    No, he could no longer be considered human.


    This being had transformed into a monster.


    "Damn Shadowcloud! Damn Victor! Damn, damn, all of you deserve to die!"


    Rean''s voice, filled with venomous curses, sounded as if it emanated from the deepest pits of hell.


    If not for these individuals, his ns would not have failed.


    Had Rean not resorted to forbidden magic in time, transforming himself into a creature of the underworld realm, he would have already perished under Shadowcloud''s Godyer de!


    However, now was not the time for grievances.


    As long as he could survive, he would find ways to exact his vengeanceter.


    Rean''s eye sockets, devoid of eyes, merely nced coldly at John and the others before he diverted his gaze.


    Then, thick ck mists began to emanate from him once more.


    Rean showed no interest in engaging them.


    Currently, his priority was to escape this ce, as lingering here posed too great a risk, and he could not afford to waste time on these "insects."


    Rean was well aware that once Victor and the others snapped to their senses, they would certainlye after him with intent to kill.


    In his current state, if Victor and his allies managed to catch up, death was almost guaranteed.


    As Rean''s head transformed into a wisp of ck smoke and soared into the air, some breathed a sigh of relief, while others, like John, furrowed their brows.


    John''s keen senses picked up on Rean''s abnormal state, coupled with the recent tumult within Sterburg.


    He surmised that Rean was likely severely injured, hence his haste to flee.


    Otherwise, given the enmity between the Dusk Sect and Hidden Stars, Rean would not have let them off so easily.


    John''s eyes flickered with determination, his mind racing.


    In the blink of an eye, he made his decision.


    Rean could not be allowed to escape so easily! Even if it meant only holding him off for a moment, perhaps that would be enough to capture him.


    At this moment, John did not consider the possibility of dying here.


    He feltpelled to take action.


    Taking a deep breath, John''s eyes swiftly melded purple thunder and red mes.


    A zing white light spear materialized in his hand in merely the duration of a breath.


    "zing Light Spear!"


    The spear, aze with white mes, seemed to flow like liquid, encapsting an immensely terrifying power.


    Simultaneously, a rich crimson aura rose from John''s body.


    His aura suddenly turned wildly ferocious, his vital energy boiling like a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    "Gold Mail Armor!"


    "Bloodthirst!"


    "Berserk!"


    ...


    One after another, amplifying skills were rapidly activated, John''s presence skyrocketing like a rocket, multiplying in mere moments to an incredibly fearsome level.


    Gripping the zing Light Spear tightly, he swung his arm, his muscles tensed like a tightly drawn bowstring.


    John''s focus was unwavering, his eyes seemingly fixated on the rapidly fleeing skull.


    The next moment, his pupils narrowed.


    Now!


    "Boom!"


    The ground beneath John''s feet shattered as he hurled the zing Light Spear with all his might, the air exploding with a thunderous roar.


    The spear streaked across the sky, a trail of light like an unstoppable meteor, shooting towards Rean with unparalleled ferocity.


    Rean, initially preupied with thoughts of escape, sensed something amiss and his expression instantly darkened.


    Without any superfluous movement, his skull swiftly dodged to one side.


    "Whoosh!"


    A light spear, carrying immense destructive power, barely grazed past his ear.


    The violent wind howled.


    Rean''s expression turned icy cold.


    He nced back, his hollow eyes seeming to perceive the scene behind him.


    When his gaze fell on John and his ck mask, Rean''s expression twisted into one of immense rage.


    These Hidden Stars bastards, seeing him wounded, had the audacity to attack him, even a neer!


    Rean''s heart was filled with humiliation.


    As the dignified Dusk Archbishop, a World-Annihtor level powerhouse, now even a Hidden Stars neer dared to disregard him.


    Indeed, everyst one of the Hidden Stars deserved death!


    By then, Dark Fox and the others had alsoe to their senses.


    They knew they couldn''t let Rean escape so easily.


    Otherwise, who knew what disaster he might cause next time!


    "Attack together!" Albertus roared, his body erupting with Gold sh.


    Behind him materialized an imposing eight-armed Radiant Visage, exuding undeniable majesty.


    Merging with the divine effigy, he boldly charged towards Rean''s head.


    Dark Fox, too, drew her staff, rapidly chanting incantations.


    A dark me, brimming with a destructive aura, appeared around her.


    Subsequently, a nine-tailed dark fox, spanning over a dozen meters in length, materialized before her.


    This creature, likely Dark Fox''s contract creature, possessed intelligent eyes and a sleek body, its agile form surrounded by clusters of dark mes, resembling dark clouds.


    Its ck fur was stunningly beautiful, embodying both elegance and a mysterious danger.


    Upon its appearance, the nine-tailed fox transformed into a beam of ck light, hurtling towards Rean with unmatched speed.


    Meanwhile, Dark Fox continued her spellcasting from behind,unching relentless dark me attacks at Rean in an attempt to slow his escape.


    Their skills, upon hitting Rean, were repelled by the dense ck miasma surrounding him.


    Although their attacks inflicted no significant harm, they greatly hindered his attempt to flee.


    Rean dodged their assaults with decreasing speed, more than halving his pace.


    "You bunch of insects! Get out of my way!" Rean bellowed in frustration and rage.


    These fools, daring to confront him, would have been obliterated by a mere breath in his prime, leaving no trace behind of these detestable Hidden Stars members.


    Initially, he had no intention of striking back, yet these people seemed unwilling to let him go.


    Did they truly believe that his injuries rendered him as vulnerable as an ant, ready to be crushed at their whim?


    Rean, with lethal intent, dered, "You''re seeking your own deaths!"


    Following this, his hollow eyes suddenly began to seep a ck liquid.


    This liquid, emitting a vile stench, left no doubt in anyone''s mind that even the slightest touch would result in utter annihtion.


    Then, the ck liquid suspended mid-air rapidly formed into several arrows, shooting towards John and the others at a swift pace.


    The velocity of these ck arrows wasn''t particrly fast.


    John, quick as lightning, easily dodged the initial assault.


    However, his brow furrowed soon after.


    John realized that these ck arrows could autonomously track their target, relentlessly following him regardless of his evasive maneuvers.


    It was as if he had been locked onto by some unseen force.


    Pondering his next move, John concluded that he might have to withstand the attack using an artifact.


    Seeing Rean about to escape, he hesitated no longer, pulling out the ckrock Shield Array that Albertus had recently provided him, and activated it without dy.


    A sh of ck light vanished as quickly as it appeared.


    Patterns swiftly emerged on the ground, and soon, a shell-like ckrock Shield Array enveloped John.


    A thud echoed as the ck arrows struck the shield.


    The dark shield flickered intensely for a moment but quickly stabilized.


    John internally acknowledged, indeed, Rean''s strength had significantly diminished; his attacks couldn''t even prate the ckrock Shield Array.


    John nced towards Albertus, Dark Fox, Silver Tear, and the others, noting that they were all dodging the persistent ck arrows.


    He immediately called out loudly to them, "Gather towards me." They hesitated for a moment but, upon seeing the ckrock Shield Array, their faces lit up, and without any dy, they quickly moved towards John.


    With the threat of the ck arrows nullified, John did not stay within the ckrock Shield Array.


    A thought crossed his mind, and a blood-red light illuminated from behind him.


    Soon after, a pair ofrge red wings unfurled behind him, exuding an eerie and formidable aura.


    "Wing of Blood!"


    This was an equipment skill of the Blood Mask, and it was John''s first time using it.


    He tested the wings and found them incredibly intuitive to control, as natural as if they were his own.


    Seeing Rean''s head getting further away, John did not hesitate.


    His eyes were sharp, a cyan light emerged around him, and with a fierce p of his blood-red wings, his figure transformed into a streak of blood light, charging towards Rean with the speed of thunder.


    At this moment, Rean was seeking a way to escape.


    He had already sensed Victor''s aura approaching rapidly; he could not afford any more dys.


    But as he turned, Rean saw a streak of blood light rushing towards him.


    It was John, de in hand.


    Feeling the aura that was, at most, gold-tier, a spasm twitched across Rean''s monstrous face.


    He genuinely couldn''t understand.


    Hidden Stars paid them just a few thousand federal coins a month; why on earth were they risking their lives like this?