Explosive Ghost Insects!

The eerie atmosphere made everyone frown involuntarily, especially ​Little Kitten, who was extremely sensitive to such energies. She couldn't help but let out a few disgruntled whimpers, her claws digging into Kael's shoulder as she muttered, "Damn these dark-winged mages! How dare they make this young lady feel uncomfortable?! Just wait—when we find them, I'll scare them to death with my unparalleled draconic majesty!"

Her bold declaration drew amused smiles from the group. After spending time together, they had all come to appreciate Little Kitten's… unique personality. The tiny feline was simply too endearing.

As Little Kitten continued her low, boastful grumbling, faint noises echoed from deeper within the passage.

The narrow tunnel gradually widened, now allowing five or six people to stand side by side. Kael moved silently to ​Zorath the Silent's side as the group suppressed their auras and halted their advance.

"Someone's ahead—about a kilometer away!" Little Kitten promptly warned.

"Must be the Tower of Ghostflame's sentries. Their strength is at least ninth-tier or higher. Stay quiet—no disturbances. ​Bloodshadow, Kael, ​Golden Tulip… you're with me. We'll take care of them. The rest, hold your positions!" Zorath the Silent knew better than to doubt Little Kitten's senses. The moment she alerted them, he swiftly issued orders.

The group nodded, each assuming their roles without hesitation.

Kael and the other high-tier combatants concealed their presences completely as they crept forward.

In the darkness, Kael's eyes narrowed.

Sure enough—guards stood watch ahead.

The underground domain of the Tower of Ghostflame resembled a subterranean world, with its stronghold nestled deep within. The outer perimeter, however, was patrolled by vigilant sentries. Their stern expressions and sharp alertness made Kael inwardly acknowledge Zorath the Silent's earlier assessment—this organization was far from ordinary.

Yet the more he observed, the more suspicious Kael grew. Why such extreme caution?Were they hiding something even more sinister?

The questions gnawed at him.

Ahead stood twelve guards in total, all ninth-tier experts—some even at the peak of that tier. Kael couldn't help but marvel. Even as a "third-rate" force among dark-winged mage factions, the Tower of Ghostflame commanded formidable power. Not only did they operate an assassination network, but they also deployed such elite sentries.

Zorath the Silent signaled for a synchronized strike.

Kael and the others gave solemn nods—it was time to move.

These ninth-tier guards weren't difficult to deal with—the real challenge lay in eliminating them without a sound.

Zorath the Silent swiftly changed his hand signal to a throat-slitting gesture before darting forward, his figure melting into the darkness as he launched his assault.

Kael followed suit. With a flick of his ​Wings of the Wind God, his speed instantly surpassed even the peak of eleventh-tier standards. In a blur, he circled behind two unsuspecting guards!

The two sentries blinked, sensing only a fleeting shadow cross their vision. When they strained their eyes, nothing seemed amiss. One rubbed his temples irritably.

"Damn it, am I seeing things?" one guard grumbled under his breath.

Kael raised his staff abruptly. "Featherblades of Wind!" A searing arc of light flashed from his staff—here and gone in an instant—as the wind elements fused with his very being.

At this moment, Kael became the wind itself.

His form drifted like a specter as the tenth-tier spell took effect. Two cyan crescents sliced through the air—before the guards could even turn, crimson lines bloomed across their throats. Their bodies slumped silently.

Kael caught both corpses mid-collapse, ensuring no sound betrayed their takedown.

Clean work.

He exhaled slightly. Two threats neutralized from behind without resistance.

"Having wind elements integrated into my body is invaluable. Not only does it enhance my speed and survivability, but it's perfect for dealing with these kinds of situations,"Kael mused, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

The entire sequence unfolded seamlessly under the watchful eyes of the group. Several ​Shadow Hall officers observing from a distance felt their necks prickle with subconscious dread. More than one instinctively wondered: Had Kael's blades been meant for us instead—could we have survived?

The unspoken answer left their spines chilled.

Kael glanced around and saw that ​Zorath the Silent and ​Bloodshadow were moving just as swiftly, their speed nearly matching his own. Both were warrior-class fighters, more adept at concealing their presence and excelling in close-quarters combat, so they quickly dispatched the guards near them.

However, ​Sophia "Golden Tulip" was visibly struggling. As a pure mage with strength only at the peak of the tenth tier, she was undoubtedly among the elite within the ​Shadow Hall, but compared to Kael and the other two, she was clearly outmatched.

Kael's eyes sharpened as he noticed Sophia had been detected by four guards. One of them, eyes wide with alarm, was about to shout—but Kael acted instantly. With a flick of his staff, he cast ​Gravity Crush, slamming an invisible mountain of force onto the guard, locking his voice in his throat.

Then, Kael unleashed ​Featherblades of Wind once more. Razor-sharp arcs of cyan light flashed briefly before slicing through the four guards' bodies.

Their limbs went limp. Sophia hurriedly caught their collapsing forms before they could hit the ground.

The distant observers collectively exhaled in relief. No noise—perfect.

"Good, we've dealt with the guards. But this was likely the easiest part… The Tower of Ghostflame's stronghold is still some distance ahead," Zorath the Silent remarked with a faint smile.

Kael nodded. Eliminating the sentries was just a minor step. Still, he had confidence in their mission—everyone present was among the ​Sacred Council's finest. As long as no mistakes were made, success was assured.

Now freed from the cramped tunnel, the group relaxed slightly, though their expressions remained wary.

"According to ​Netherghost, after the guards, the Tower also breeds many vile magical beasts. To reach the inner sanctum, we'll have to get past them," Kael said coolly, showing no signs of easing his vigilance.

Zorath the Silent and Bloodshadow agreed. "We'll take point. Everyone else, follow closely—and stay quiet," Zorath ordered.

With that, the two advanced deeper into the cavern.

The interior had expanded to the size of a small town, and the further they went, the more oppressive the sinister aura became.

The icy blackness of the cave seeped into their bones, the malevolent energy thickening until even breathing felt heavy. Some of the weaker members shuddered, unease flickering in their eyes.

Little Kitten suddenly spoke up: "Kael, there's something ahead—an intense evil energy!"

Her words immediately put everyone on high alert. Kael and the others heightened their vigilance as they cautiously advanced.

"Squeak... squeak... squeak!"

The previously silent cavern was abruptly filled with an eerie chorus of sounds.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."

The noise wasn't coming from a single source—it was a swarm, countless creatures calling out in unison!

Damn it!

Even ​Zorath the Silent and ​Bloodshadow wore grave expressions, while some of the ​Shadow Hall officers behind them grew visibly uneasy.

"Squeak... squeak... squeak..."

The sound grew louder, closer. Kael tapped his staff lightly, summoning a faint flame to illuminate the path ahead—and what they saw made their blood run cold.

Before them stretched a ​sea of insects.

Each was pitch-black, the size of a football, with hard, glossy carapaces resembling enormous black beetles. But these were no ordinary beetles. They clustered in a writhing, nightmarish mass—at least a thousand strong—blocking the entire passage. The sight alone was enough to make one's scalp crawl.

A solid wall of monstrous black beetles!

"Damn it—Explosive Ghost Insects!" Bloodshadow, recognizing the threat instantly, cursed under his breath.

"Explosive Ghost Insects?" Kael frowned, unfamiliar with the term...