After Maleina and Baltanor were smacked to the ground with dark blood tendrils covered in ck patterns that pierced them throughout their bodies, a shining dark silver aura burst forth from a strange crystal floated out from Maleina and shattered. It enveloped them in a protective dark silver barrier with entric structural motes.


    Rin and Lily were expelled by the barrier as a powerful force assaulted them, but Erix reacted swiftly, freezing them in space with his newfound control over the Space with his 2nd realm space affinity, saving them from a potential crash.


    Meanwhile, the barrier nullified Erix''s and Lilith''s attacks and effects, freeing Maleina, Baltanor, and Lynia.


    Lilith raised an eyebrow, recognizing the power, and an amused smile spread across her face. ''So her father is Dark Sterling Valen.''


    Hokran died instantly with Rin''s and Lily''s first attack, so he remained dead in the barrier.


    Lynia was mostly unharmed because Erix only intended to trap her and then tame her.


    However, Erix acted promptly and quickly pped his palms together, exerting full control of Metal and Space and sealing Lynia in ten different metalyers almost instaneously.


    ''Good job realizing it quickly, honey,'' Lilith impressively chuckled.


    Although the barrier was powerful, the Abyss rule still applied! Erix was a noble-order, so although the barrier removed his attacks, it couldn''t stop his attacks from forming inside again!


    His quick thinking salvaged the situationpletely!


    "You''ll regret doing this!"


    After hastily downing a few potions, Maleina and Baltanor shouted in desperation.


    Still, their injuries were not healing much because Lilith''s blood and death-attributed attacks'' healing and recovery reduction effects were quite high, making their struggles to escape futile because Lilith''s overwhelming power made that scenario impossible.


    ''Did you expect this?'' Erix asked before he rxed as he saw Maleina''s and Baltanor''s faces turning ashen when he sealed Lynia again.


    ''Their backer is an Empyrean order, after all. It''smon to have this kind of safety measures, but this one is not powerful enough against me.''


    "This will not end well for you if you continue," Baltanor said somberly with distress in deep in his eyes. "What do we need to do for you to let us go?"


    "Stop joking," Rin and Lily returned to the group and stood beside Erix and Lilith.


    "Do you think there won''t be any retaliation if we let you go?" Rin sneered as she pointed her katana at them.


    Lilith''s eyes gleamed as her aura burst out, and a dark red domain expanded from her, covering thirty meters around her.


    The dark silver barrier started to flicker before cracks started spreading on it.


    Maleina and Baltanor saw that, and instinctive despair appeared in their eyes, their heart turning heavier than ever.


    They didn''t underestimate Lilith. No.


    Both knew she could kill two of them alone without breaking a sweat.


    But to quickly destroy this barrier?! This sequence of development drained their hope of living!


    "Good luck in your next life," Erix waved his hand with a sunny smile, specifically at Baltanor.


    *Shatter!*


    The barrier shattered, and immediately following that, Baltanor''s body exploded, sttering blood and gore on trembling Maleina.


    "Let me inspect you," Lilith said. "If your bloodline is useful, you''ll live."


    The sudden hope of living right after the despairing situation and death of her partner broke her.


    Her defense lowered, and her face paled ashenly.


    "Hmm…Not bad," Lilith nodded and turned to Erix with a small grin. "She won''t be as useful as Rein, but she''ll contribute positively."


    Erixughed. "I am ready to go next level."


    "W-what are you talking about?" Maleina was having a bad feeling.


    "There''s no pain, only gain for you, so stay obedient, and you''ll live," Lily said before crossing her arms, "And might even enjoy while itsts."


    "ept the seal," Lilith snapped her finger, causing aplex and entric magic circle to manifest before Maleina, a centimeter away from her chest.


    Maleina knew her powers would be suppressed once she epted it, but she saw no other choice and epted it.


    She wanted to live. After dying once, she knew the importance of living.


    Erix removed exotic metalyers from Lynia after Maleina epted the seal.


    It didn''t take long for her to be aware of the situation. But despite that, she begrudgingly epted to be captive and seal on her powers.


    "You all will die," Lynia hissed. "Whether you kill me or not now, you will die!"


    However, no one gave a single hoot about her.


    Rin chugged a mana potion and said, "Let''s return. The 2nd level cave to thest 10th level cave is supposed to give us rewards if we defeat all tomb challenges in each."


    Rin, Lily, and Erix returned while Klelia, who was about to follow them turned back to Lynia and whispered, "It''s no use. This group is crazy. But they are powerful and fun. You''ll enjoy it if you ept reality and the thing that''s about to happen to you two soon."


    "Fuck you!" Lynia cursed at Klelia while Maleina had aplicated yet defeated expression.


    Lilith chuckled.


    "I was just saying for your own good," Klelia shook her head and turned around, going back to the 2nd level cave.


    "Lilith, don''t you want to try thest level? It''s for royal orders," Rein said.


    Lilith rolled her eyes. "You stupid dragon. Are you that eager to talk to these two bitches alone?"


    "I was just saying," Rein snorted. "I''ve be obedient and enjoying it. I don''t mind bing your subordinate even if you free me now because grouping with you while being free would be better."


    "I was getting bored of my life here anyway, so I''ll join in your journey."


    She added.


    "Wait, you…" Maleina carefully looked at Rein and shockingly uttered, "Are you the Crimson Lady, Rein?"


    "Is news of my kidnap already spread everywhere in the city?" Rein clicked her tongue and muttered, "Well, it''s been two weeks, so it''s not strange."


    Maleina nodded. When they arrived at Fallen Land a week ago, many were talking about it in the city.


    "I''ll think about your proposal," Lilith casually said and dismissed Rein before taking out her book with a faint, mysterious aura and starting to read it leisurely.


    Rein''s fate was to be decided by Rin and Erix, and she knew their decision. Either Rein would remain forever like a servant until she gets killed for them or get killed by them, but her freedom was out of the question.


    The other Royal-order powerhouses in the cave were murmuring about the incident that just took ce, and soon, all of them knew about Rein when one of them suddenly recognized her.


    "Aren''t you afraid of news of my captive reaching my father?"


    Lilith slightly tilted her head to the right and nced at Lynia at the back, "I am not afraid of your Empyrean-order father. Even if he knew, here''s how things will y out."


    Lilith turned her head back to her book and nonchntly continued.


    "First, he won''te here personally because if you are born here, then you are not his sole child. He will send several powerful Royal order powerhouses, but that wouldn''t make any difference to me."


    "After they die by hands or get captive for my darling to drain like you two, your father mighte here personality."


    "Then all of you die!" Lynia shouted with bloodshot eyes.


    Lilith chuckled, "Your father''s name is Valen. He is called Dark Sterling Valen in Core Domain."


    "And if hees here, he will die too."