The Sorcerer's Experiment

"Elora, you handle the undead. I'll take care of this guy," Adonis said without hesitation.

"But—!" Elora opened her mouth to protest, worry in her eyes.

"I'm counting on you!" Adonis called out as he sprinted forward, five golden swords orbiting him like celestial bodies. He held the sixth sword tightly in his hand, its edge humming with radiant Sword Qi.

An undead lunged with sharp claws, but Adonis was faster—his blade flashed once, and the creature was cut cleanly in half. Before its remains could even hit the ground, the black summoning circle beneath the hooded man pulsed—and the mangled body was dragged into the dark void, dissolving into smoke. A moment later, the same undead emerged again, whole and snarling.

"There's no end to them!" Elora shouted, lightning crackling around her. She unleashed a storm of bolts, frying a group of undead into ashes, only for more to rise from the circle in their place.

The hooded man laughed mockingly. "Why waste your energy on these lab rats? You'll both die here anyway."

But then—a golden flash.

The man barely reacted in time, pulling a dagger and blocking a blow that could have split him in half. Sparks flew as metal clashed. He staggered back, eyes wide behind the hood.

"What was that?!"

Adonis stood before him, golden aura blazing, his six swords spinning in formation. His golden eyes locked onto the man, burning with intensity.

"What is this… what element is this?!" the man growled. "I'm an aristocrat-level mage, and yet I'm being pushed back by a mere knight-level brat?! And those swords… what are they?!"

Adonis's expression was cold. "So I was right… You're not a descendant of the Sorcerer. You just uncovered his research."

The man's expression darkened.

"And let me guess," Adonis continued, "you found something in that research that you deeply desire. Something related to… the dark element."

The man grinned slowly, then started laughing. "Right on the money again, boy. The Sorcerer—he didn't die in glory. He was mortally wounded by Malverick. But before he died, he left behind his masterpiece… the key to adding the dark element to a person's body."

The words sent a cold shiver down Elora's spine.

"If that's true…" she whispered, "then anyone… anyone could be turned into a dark element user… and when they die… they'd become undead."

"Exactly!" the man said, his voice now wild with madness. "Do you see now?! With this knowledge, I can create an army of dark element users. Even death won't stop them!"

Before they could act, the man sprinted toward the altar, where the red star's light shone most intensely. Black smoke swirled around it, making it hard to see, but they saw him grab a glass bottle filled with a thick black liquid.

"No!" Adonis shouted, charging forward.

But it was too late.

The man uncorked the vial—and drank a single drop.

Immediately, black smoke burst from his body, coiling around him like living shadows. His hood fell back, revealing blood-red eyes that glowed with infernal power.

"Ha… HA HA HA!" he roared. "This is it! After 50 years of waiting, after generations of suffering—the Sorcerer's experiment is complete! The dark element is mine!"

The smoke around him grew denser, choking the air, obscuring the walls, the ceiling—even the light from Adonis's golden swords was dimmed by it.

"Elora—stay close!" Adonis called, shielding her from the crushing pressure.

The man's silhouette stood tall in the smoke, power surging from him like a tidal wave.

"I will become the king of this world, and my undead army will swallow the kingdoms whole! Every man, woman, and child will be reborn under my rule! And you two…" he pointed at them, eyes gleaming like burning coals, "…will die here."

The walls trembled. The floor cracked.

The final battle had begun.