Published at 1st of June 2026 6:22 am

Chapter 1772 Been A While

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When the commanders of the Allied Forces heard that familiar voice, relief and joy washed over them.

All this while, they had been worried sick about the Dark King being stuck in the Shadowmuir and being unable to find a way back.

No matter how much faith they had in him, there was always a small part of them that relentlessly echoed with the question: what if?

What if he was unable to make his way back? That was what had been constantly bothering these people. But now that they finally saw him, they were no longer distressed.

But then came the terror.

They had only just come into an agreement with the devils regarding how the battle would be fought. If, by any chance, Adam ended up attacking the lesser Magi — even if by mistake — then wouldn't the agreement become void, as the azirai leader had claimed?

But what shocked these Mana Core Magi even more was that, instead of wreaking havoc in the enemy's formations, Adam had chosen a far more terrifying target.

The moment he set foot on the battlefield, he had already decided to confront the Cult Leader.

Commanders from the devils' army were also similarly shocked, but not for the same reason as their counterparts from the Allied Forces.

Tian Di's gaze had locked onto the figure of the Dark King the moment he stepped through the arched gate. His silhouette was shrouded in mystery, and deep within the gate itself, unknown existences seemed to be casting their gaze outward.

The spirit world!

But what surprised the Hidden Ruler even more was what the Dark King had done after stepping out of the gate.

With a simple, subtle hand seal, the raven-haired youth had vanished. And when he reappeared, he was already dangerously close. The simplification of the physical component required for such a complex spell as teleportation was what truly shocked Tian Di.

Volgron, the azirai leader, also picked up on this detail.

When he saw the young human appear directly above the lich, he noticed the waves of tyrannical aura radiating from him. In that moment, the devil instantly knew that this newcomer was none other than the Dark King.

Meanwhile, the Cult Leader spared no reaction at all.

Adam appeared above him, the black pole gripped tightly in his hands as he prepared to swing it down.

In that single strike, all the anger, betrayal, and hatred that he harbored toward the one man responsible for most — if not all — of the suffering in his life came crashing down with it.

Throughout it all, the lich did not even move. It even seemed that he did not notice Adam suddenly teleporting right above him and swinging that staff at him.

And just when the black staff was only mere inches away from hitting its target, the green flames in the lich's eyes moved. It constricted.

In that final moment, the lich's cold gaze found Adam's.

And then…

BOOOM!!!

A thunderous explosion erupted at the center of the battlefield.

The shockwaves from the impact alone forced most of the Mana Core Magi to retreat, while some were knocked off their feet entirely.

Only a handful of Magi held their ground, seemingly unbothered by the confrontation between the Dark King and the Cult Leader. But undoubtedly, every last one of them had utterly grim looks on their faces.

Lucian, Berger, Blackie, and the Hermit watched the clash between the two with grave expressions. Meanwhile, Tian Di, who hadn't even moved an inch from his spot, had a laidback but interested look on his face.

Lastly, Volgron watched everything with a dark look on his face. In that moment, he finally realized why his comrade, Rekan, had deemed this man the greatest obstacle to their plans.

But there was something that surprised him even more…

When the dust settled, the result of the clash came into view for all to see.

A dark frown marred Adam's face as he clenched his jaw. The veins in his forearms bulged and throbbed as he applied immense strength into the strike, dense mana coating the black staff.

And yet…

"Is that all?" The Cult Leader's cold voice broke the silence.

The lich had raised a single hand and effortlessly blocked Adam's strike.

Adam's eyes flashed with rage. He wanted to follow up with another strike, but after sensing how close Tian Di and Volgron were, and more importantly, witnessing how unchallengingly the lich had blocked his attack, he immediately judged it unwise.

And so, in the blink of an eye, before any of the enemy commanders could even react, Adam vanished once more.

When he reappeared, he was already beside Berger and Blackie.

"Easy, boy." The gnome's solemn words echoed in his ears.

With his gaze still locked onto the lich, Adam said in a relaxed voice, "Been a while, eh, old man?"

He paused, then added. "You too, Blackie."

Blackie didn't respond. Instead, a threatening growl escaped the giant wolf's maw as he took a step forward, shielding Adam from any unexpected — or expected — retaliation from the enemy commanders.

Lucian Acadia stepped forward, his aura flaring. A dangerous gleam flashed past his golden eyes, and he said, "The rules of engagement have been agreed upon. We shall commence battle in one hour."

His dignified gaze swept across the three Magi in front of him. "Or is there anything else you wish to say?"

That last statement was less a question and more a threat.

As always, Tian Di didn't say a word. He simply seemed to be enjoying everything unfolding before him as if he were a mere spectator.

The Cult Leader, too, remained silent. However, the flames in his sockets glowed intensely as he stared at the Dark King.

Volgron studied his undead ally for a few moments before turning to the Dark King with narrowed eyes.

The Dark King was strong. Far stronger than he had imagined. But the same was also true for the Cult Leader. The lich's strength had exceeded the devil's original assessment.

He deeply looked at the Dark King, then at the ferocious wolf that was shielding him. Finally, he shifted his gaze to the leader of the Allied Forces.

Volgron looked Lucian in the eyes and coldly said, "One hour."

With that said, the two sides exchanged one final glance before the battle officially began. Then, without another word, they turned and slowly rode back toward their respective camps.

The commanders of the devils' army rode back in silence, the recent events of the Dark King's abrupt appearance and his attack on the lich still vivid in their minds.

Marden, riding behind the Cult Leader, suddenly noticed something from the corner of his eyes.

At some point, a crack had appeared on the hand the lich had used to block Adam's blow.

The Blood Lord lowered his head, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light as only one thought echoed in his mind.

So even you can be wounded…

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