Alex walked through the empty corridors of the [Hatred Sect’s Hideout], his footsteps echoing in the silence.
The place was abandoned, its members having fled in a panic, leaving behind only the remnants of their failed mission.
Some might wonder why he let them go.
Why would he allow members of a sect that once drove humanity to the brink of extinction to simply escape?
The answer was simple: the curse.
Just like Dominic, every member of the [Hatred Sect] was probably bound by a powerful curse, one that would kill them instantly if they ever disobeyed or attempted to run.
Most of them weren’t even aware of it.
That didn’t matter to Alex.
He didn’t need to waste his energy on them.
Instead, he kept moving forward, his mind focused solely on what lay ahead.
For nearly an hour, he walked through the hideout, his pace steady, unwavering.
And then, at last, he reached it.
A massive door stood before him, its surface covered in ten glowing seals, each one pulsating with a deep crimson light.
The symbol of the Hatred Demon’s head was carved into the center, radiating an ominous aura.
This was it.
The [Ritual Room], also known as the [Main Room], the place where the [Guardians of Hatred] gathered to plan, and most importantly, where the [Hatred Demon] itself resided.
Alex’s expression darkened.
Even before stepping inside, he could feel the sheer weight of power coming from beyond the door.
It was ancient, suffocating, and far beyond anything the [Guardians of Hatred] could generate on their own.
This power…
It wasn’t coming from them.
Something else was inside.
Something far worse.
But there was no turning back now.
No hesitation.
He placed his hand against the door.
[You are not a Guardian of Hatred. You are not permitted to enter.]
[Whoever you are, you have broken the rules.]
Alex scoffed.
This barrier wasn’t meant for him.
It was designed to keep the lower-ranking members of the [Hatred Sect] from interfering in important meetings or witnessing the Hatred Demon’s rituals.
But he wasn’t just some low-ranking fool.
And he wasn’t about to let a stupid door stop him.
He raised a hand and pointed at the seals, his voice steady.
“Crown of Calamity… do it.”
Normally, the Crown of Calamity didn’t obey Alex’s commands, it was as powerful as him, if not more so, and linked directly to his very soul.
But even the Crown understood that this wasn’t the time for resistance.
A black tendril erupted from the crown, twisting and expanding until it formed a massive fist.
It pulled back, gathering force, and then, it slammed into the door.
BOOM!
The entire hideout shook from the impact.
The seals shattered instantly, and the heavy doors were torn from their hinges, crashing to the ground with a deafening bang.
Alex stepped forward.
“Thanks,” he muttered, not bothering to look at the broken entrance as he walked inside.
The further he moved, the more his vision burned, golden lines of aura flickering out from his eyes, reacting instinctively to the overwhelming hostility in the room.
Then, a voice called out.
“If it isn’t the troublemaker.”
Alex didn’t stop walking.
“I’d advise you to step away now,” the voice continued, calm yet laced with menace.
Alex finally emerged from the shadows, stepping into the heart of the room.
His expression was neutral, almost cold as he spoke, “I’m going to kill you all.”
The [Ritual Room] was vast, its obsidian walls streaked with crimson veins that pulsed like living arteries.
It was grotesque, a twisted mockery of life itself.
In the center of the chamber stood a massive stone table, no doubt where the [Guardians of Hatred] held their discussions.
The only source of light came from golden lamps, casting eerie shadows across the room.
At the far end of the chamber, the [Guardians of Hatred] stood waiting, their positions deliberate, as if shielding something behind them.
A chuckle echoed through the air.
“How funny.”
Alex turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.
It was Lord X, his ever-present smiling mask making his expression unreadable.
“You really think you can win against me?” Lord X asked.
“Yes.”
Lord X snapped his fingers, “Then I’d love to see that.”
And with that, the battle immediately began.
Before Alex could react, a voice boomed from above—
“I’VE WANTED TO EAT YOU THIS WHOLE TIME! THANKS FOR COMING TO ME!”
Alex’s eyes snapped upward.
Hanging from the ceiling, camouflaged against the darkness, was Kyofu.
[Kyofu – Tier 9 – Level 1350]
A giant purple tongue shot toward Alex in an instant, wrapping around him tightly.
Tongue Restraint!
The tongue hardened, turning into a solid, unbreakable bind.
Alex struggled for a brief moment, but it was like trying to break through iron.
Kyofu let out a delighted screech.
“YOU LOSE~”
“Just kill him already,” Lord X groaned, “Don’t waste time.”
“On it!”
No hesitation. No theatrics.
The [Guardians of Hatred] were smarter than Alex had given them credit for.
The moment they had him restrained, they moved to execute him without a second thought.
Kyofu’s tongue began to glow with a deep purple aura, its energy eating away at Alex’s body.
He could feel the damage, small, but constant.
A trickle of blood escaped from his lips, but he didn’t move, he didn’t panic.
“I’m not using [Destiny Shift] on this garbage.”
And so the best option beside that was…
Celestial Judgment!
A brilliant light burst from above as twelve golden swords descended from the ceiling, their blades cutting through the darkness like divine judgment.
“What the—”
“Huh?!”
The [Guardians of Hatred] were caught off guard.
After all, how could Alex cast a spell while bound?
Wasn’t a mage supposed to need their staff?
Unfortunately for them, they were fighting one of the only mage in Universal Descent who didn’t need one.
And so—
“Die.”
The twelve swords struck, but not at Kyofu himself.
Instead, they slashed through his tongue, severing it instantly.
FWISH! SLASH!
Kyofu’s screams filled the chamber as his severed tongue crumbled into dust.
“MY TONGUE—AAAAAH!”
Alex wasted no time.
The moment the bind was gone, the golden swords redirected toward Kyofu himself.
He barely had time to react before they pierced through his body, slicing through his defenses like paper.
Kyofu’s lifeless body tumbled from the ceiling, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
[You have killed “Kyofu, Guardian of Hatred” and gained 50 billion experience points.]
Alex glanced at the notification.
“Low experience.”
But he kept moving forward.
The twelve holy blades hovered around him, ready to strike again.
The remaining [Guardians of Hatred] stiffened, now far more cautious than before.
They weren’t fighting just anyone.
They were facing Alex, the human who would do anything to kill all of humanity’s enemies.