Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil
chapter-1889

Shaai was initially hesitant about Jolly getting close to Yona.

However, when he assured her that she would be staying by his side as well, the S-Ranked Elementalist readily agreed.

It didn't take Shaai long to persuade the elders of the Darkmoon Fellowship to adopt a 'split and search' approach.

Soon, all members of the Darkmoon Fellowship cult, along with their allies, were dispersed.

Jolly began exploring the depths of the red forest with two S-Ranked ladies.

He positioned himself in the middle while the two ladies flanked him as they traveled in a particular direction.

Jolly was crystal clear about his determination to survive. He wouldn't allow trivial matters like "male pride" to jeopardize his safety.

He was more than happy to let the two women protect him while they tackled all the risks with their own strength.

Soon, Jolly and the two women found themselves facing mutated mana beasts influenced by Wrath Mana. Most of these creatures were C-Rank or B-Rank, with a few newly promoted A-Rank beasts thrown into the mix.

Jolly didn't personally engage with these creatures; instead, he left it to Shaai and Yona to handle them while he conserved his energy for what lay ahead. His Profession as an Assassin didn't exactly make him a frontline fighter either. So instead of wasting his energy on meager kills, Jolly decided to play a mute spectator.

Shaai was as brilliant as ever with her S-Ranked powers. She didn't even have to personally fight with the mana beasts either. Her elemental clones were enough to take care of most threats.

However, Yona was a surprise package nobody expected. Even Shaai felt that the S-Ranked woman was very different from her.

Jolly was deeply intrigued by Yona's fighting style as well as he observed her effortlessly dispatching hordes of beasts at once using her powers. She utilized the sounds produced by a musical instrument to eliminate these obstacles that dared to stand in her path.

Yona wielded a string instrument—a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body, and five silk strings. It boasted 24 frets with 12 semitones.

Every time she plucked the strings, countless runic blades formed in the air before swiftly dispatching her enemies in the most brutal yet efficient manner possible.

These runic blades were crafted from a fusion of elemental mana and intent-based magic, allowing Yona to engage her enemies without directly involving herself in the confrontation.

It was as if these blades were unstoppable. They didn't have usual elemental weaknesses either.

Plus, it didn't look like Yona was employing her Elemental Attainments to make these blades. Not really. Rather, Jolly deduced that these were her Spirit bloodline powers.

What made these runic blades truly fascinating was their pitch-black appearance, reminiscent of the darkest night. When they manifested, it seemed as though a layer of spatial fabric had been torn apart, revealing the nightly scene beneath.

It was as if Yona were summoning the very essence of night itself in broad daylight. This earned her the title of Yona Of The Night.

No enemy could approach within a 50-meter radius of Yona. Her foes' bodies were torn to shreds by these nightly onyx blades before they could even release a beastly cry of pain.

After the confrontation, the S-Ranked Spirit bloodline user emerged unscathed, not a speck of blood or dust on her clothes, nor beads of sweat on her forehead. It appeared as though she had merely taken a leisurely stroll in the park.

***

A few days later.

Deep within the Wrathful Red Forest. Late evening.

Close to the forest's supposed center.

Jolly and the two ladies had fought their way through many demon beasts and even some rogue practitioners who had come here looking for some heaven-defying opportunities.

For the most part, Jolly, Shaai, and Yona faced no real challenges. Jolly was so bored that he even decided to kill a few practitioners by assassinating them just to make himself feel that he was actually participating.

The somewhat real challenge came when the trio was met with a genuine S-Ranked mutated mana beast, which had been clearly affected by the Wrath Mana.

Standing tall at over sixty feet with the majesty of an S-Ranked tier, the wolf-type beast's muscular frame was covered in sleek, midnight-black fur.

Its eyes glowed a piercing amber. Sharp, elongated fangs protruded from its powerful jaws. His blood lust was spread in the surroundings as soon as it spotted Jolly and the two ladies. The Wrath Mana acting on himself even made him ignore the fact that Jolly was surrounded by two S-Ranked ladies.

The beast just looked at Jolly and marked him as his enemy. Jolly could only assume that this was because of Eren's presence slumbering within him. The beast could instinctively recognize its contender for the ownership of the Wrath Mana in the surroundings on its own.

"Jolly, maybe you should stay back a little," Shaai suggested, taking a step forward. She wanted to ensure her husband's safety while she and Yona dealt with the genuine threat ahead.

"Hell no," Jolly retorted, catching his wife's wrist and pulling her back with him.

"Why would you leave me alone, my wife? What if the wolf has a partner, or worse, a pack? Let Yona handle this threat all by herself," he declared unabashedly. "You can do that, right?" he asked, smiling at the S-Ranked Spirit bloodline user.

One could argue that even Jolly didn't fully believe the reasons he provided for preventing Shaai from joining the battle. He simply wanted to use the beast as a means to test the extent of Yona's powers.

"Hehe. Sure I can," Yona replied, returning the smile as she adjusted her string instrument. It was as if she could guess what Jolly thought about. And yet, she still decided to let Jolly be assured of her intentions.

"But let me tell you this, my dear. I will make you work as much as you made me work during these few days," she added, stepping forward.

In the shadow of the massive S-Ranked wolf-type mana beast, Yona appeared minuscule, her figure resembling that of an ant against the towering creature.

This sixty-foot behemoth was no ordinary wolf; empowered by Wrath Mana, its elemental spells packed a devastating punch. Since it had mutated and evolved into a new species. It had no existing name. As such, Jolly just preferred to call him Wrathful Red Wolf in his head for convenience.

As Jolly and Shaai observed from a safe distance, Yona took center stage, armed with her trusty string instrument and a steely resolve. With each strum, she summoned runic blades black as night.

Twang! Twang! Twang! Dancing nimbly around the colossal wolf, Yona's movements were a delicate balance of agility and determination. Her melodies filled the air, a haunting soundtrack to her relentless assault fueled by her Spirit bloodline powers.

The beastly blood rained down on the ground, turning it red. Soon a pool of blood was formed in the middle of the battlefield.

Though faced with a foe many times her size, Yona showed no signs of hesitation. With focused precision, she chipped away at the beast's defenses, each strike bringing her closer to victory.

In a matter of moments, Yona's relentless barrage bore fruit. With a final flourish of her instrument, she delivered the decisive blow, bringing down the towering beast.

"Hehehe. Didn't I tell you, this was—" However, just as Yona was about to give Jolly a smile of victory, she frowned and looked in a certain direction.

Shaai and Jolly followed her gaze, trying to discern the nature of the threat she sensed.

It didn't take long for the husband and wife duo to identify their new opponents: a group of demonic practitioners from the Helenbora coven, led not by one, but by two S-Ranked entities.