Published at 29th of July 2023 7:46 am

Chapter 440 Fading Shadows

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The once-vibrant stadium descended into an unsettling quietness. It was as if someone had drained the very life from it. The faces of thousands of spectators wore looks of disbelief, struggling to accept the horrifying news that was just delivered. These were not just ordinary people, they were the cornerstone of the empire, second in command only to the Emperor himself. Their sudden death in their own bastions of power was a gut punch no one saw coming, a blow that sent the entire stadium spiraling into a shock-induced silence.

In the hushed crowd, the merfolk were easily the most affected. Their expressions ranged from disbelief to fear to outright horror. After all, the fallen were part of their race, the most influential among them. This was not just an attack on those individuals but a strike at the heart of the merfolk’s power and prestige. Their eyes darted around anxiously, whispers spreading among them like wildfire.

“Did… did she just say they’re all dead?” one young mermaid asked, her voice a timid whisper barely audible in the quiet stadium.

Her elder companion merely nodded, his face ashen and eyes wide with shock. “Murdered in their own homes… how did this happen?”

Among the aquatic elves, there was an eerie calm. They quietly absorbed the news, their usually serene faces revealing a hint of alarm. They were silent, but their eyes – wide and alert – told a different story. A mixture of shock, apprehension, and a glimmer of something else. Satisfaction? Relief?

“I never thought I’d see the day when merfolk nobility would fall like this,” an older elf murmured, a complex emotion playing in his eyes. The others merely nodded in agreement, their silence speaking volumes about the deep-seated tension between the races.

For the Selkies and Nereids, the news was met with a different reaction. Hidden beneath their initial shock was an undeniable hint of grim satisfaction. The Dukes and the Duchess, despite their power, were not popular among these races due to the merfolks’ historically high-handed behavior towards them.

“Did you hear that?” a Nereid, the beauty of her sea nymph form not enough to mask her glee, turned to her Selkie companion. “The arrogant merfolk leaders have been slain.”

The Selkie, an enchanting figure with a seal-like grace, smirked. “Aye, the seas are surely churning tonight.”

Meanwhile, the Krakens, beings of immense power and enigmatic nature, simply observed. A hint of a smirk played on their tentacle-covered faces. This was a disruption in the power dynamics, and for them, it was an opportunity. An opportunity they were more than willing to seize.

Amid the racial tensions and fear, an air of anticipation hung heavy. The undercurrents of racism, long suppressed, were surfacing. The fall of the merfolk nobility might have struck fear, but it had also rekindled the fires of hope for the races who’d long been marginalized.

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Scene Change____

As the day finally came to its end, the tumult of shock and surprise began to simmer down. Everyone retreated to the security of their homes, seeking solace in familiar surroundings. Laura was no exception. After returning to her sprawling mansion, her mind was brimming with thoughts. She needed answers and she knew exactly who could provide them – Aditya.

With a sense of urgency driving her, she navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the mansion until she arrived at Aditya’s bedroom. Her hand reached for the doorknob instinctively, and before she realized, she had pushed the door open and stepped in. The surprising news of the day had clearly affected her usual manners.

A soft click echoed in the room as she stepped inside. Lying on the expansive bed, Aditya was resting, his eyes shut and his face a picture of tranquillity. Despite his eyes being closed, he sensed her presence and spoke, his voice as calm as ever. “It’s not polite to enter someone’s room without knocking first.” His light reprimand made Laura realize her unusual behavior and a faint blush colored her cheeks.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered, taken aback by her own abruptness. “Can we talk, please?” Her voice was tinged with anxiety, a stark contrast to her usual composure. Aditya, it seemed, had shaken her more than she had anticipated.

Without opening his eyes, he responded, his voice steady, “If you’re worried about Sasha and her threat to your life, then you should put those worries aside. The four who contracted her are no more. If the contractor is dead, then the mission is automatically terminated. Even if she were to eliminate you now, she wouldn’t receive the remaining payment from the clients. You can rest easy and concentrate on winning the tournament.”

Aditya’s explanation came out easily, but the real story was far from easy. He had exhausted every bit of his energy to eliminate the four old nobles. Each one of them was guarded by peak 5th-order bodyguards. To reach the nobles, he had to fight through these bodyguards, and then through a horde of peak 4th-order cultivators and beginner 5th-order cultivators. The whole ordeal was mentally and physically draining. It was no wonder he was seeking solace in rest.

Finding her feet drawn towards the plush couch positioned at the far end of the room, opposite Aditya’s bed, Laura gently sank into its inviting comfort. Her mind was still whirling from the day’s revelations. As she settled down, she took a moment to take in her surroundings, her gaze lingering on Aditya’s serene figure across the room.

“Aditya,” she began, her voice slightly shaky from the enormity of the situation, “I never thought you’d deal with them in just one day.” A sigh of relief slipped from her lips as she continued, “The entire Empire and even the neighboring lands are in shock. You’ve literally sent tremors through the political landscapes with your actions.”

Her voice carried a hint of awe and disbelief, but beneath it all, there was a tangible sense of relief, even joy. The four nobles had been a constant thorn in her side, an obstacle she couldn’t surmount nor ignore. Now, with their abrupt departure from the scene, it was as though a choking fishbone had finally been removed from her throat. She could finally breathe freely and spread her wings without any constraints.

Hearing her words, Aditya slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up into a sitting position. His gaze met Laura’s as he asked, “Does this mean the tournament will be suspended?”

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Scene change____

Somewhere else in the sprawling capital city, a lone figure navigated the busy streets with determined strides. This was Sasha, a human girl, making her way towards the city’s primary teleportation array.

“He dealt with them faster than I expected,” she muttered to herself, a hint of surprise coloring her tone. “I was anticipating a few days, at least.” A small, mirthless smile played on her lips as she added, “But then again, that’s who he is. The Dragon Monarch doesn’t do things by halves.” As far as Sasha was concerned, the Deep Sea Palace had no idea about the storm they’d just witnessed, and they were ill-prepared to handle the aftermath.

Having no further reasons to stay in the city, Sasha was preparing to leave. The fact that she hadn’t managed to eliminate her target had left a sour taste in her mouth, but she knew the circumstances were unique. She hadn’t failed or broken any rules of the organization – the client had simply passed away unexpectedly before the contract could be fulfilled.

As she neared the teleportation array, Sasha took a moment to reflect on her experiences in the city. “I hope this is the last time I set foot here,” she thought, a note of finality in her voice.

As she stepped into the glowing magic circle of the teleportation array, Sasha cast one last glance towards the direction of Laura’s mansion. “Farewell, Aditya,” she whispered softly into the wind. Then, as the teleportation array hummed to life, emitting a blinding light, Sasha disappeared from the city, leaving behind a turbulent capital in the wake of her presence.

Meanwhile, in Laura’s Mansion, Aditya was wrestling with exhaustion. He was stretched out on his bed, his body protesting from the accumulated fatigue. With the colossal task of annihilating the old nobles behind him, his energy reserves had been almost entirely depleted.

Suddenly, his eyes blinked open, the normally vibrant orbs appearing slightly dull due to his tiredness. He stretched out on the bed, trying to push the lingering fatigue from his body. A certain girl’s image came to his mind as he lay there, the stillness of the room allowing his thoughts to drift.

“I wonder what that silly girl, Sasha, is up to now,” he mused aloud, his voice barely above a whisper in the quiet room. His gaze drifted towards the ceiling, lost in thought. His mind started to paint a picture of Sasha, possibly wandering the streets of the city or maybe she had already left.

“I bet she’s already packed up and left the city by now,” he continued, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he imagined the always-tenacious Sasha taking her leave, her job here done. His mind then started to slowly drift back into the realms of sleep, even as he continued to contemplate the whereabouts of the audacious Succubus.

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