Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil
chapter-1890

The group that confronted Jolly and the two ladies comprised twelve B-Ranked, four A-Ranked, and two S-Ranked demonic practitioners.

Jolly and the two ladies paid little heed to the B-Ranked practitioners, considering them inconsequential.

Even the four A-Ranked demonic practitioners seemed manageable.

However, the two S-Ranked entities stood apart, commanding attention. One boasted a mid-stage S-Rank status with a liquid-state mana core, while the other was a bona fide late-stage S-Ranked Warlock.

Yet, there was more to the Helenbora clan members than met the eye. It took Jolly a moment to discern that they had been influenced by a blend of Wrath Mana and Lust Mana.

Some of them eyed Shaai and Yona with lascivious greed as if poised to pounce. Others regarded them—and Jolly—with unwarranted anger and hatred. If Jolly didn't know better, he might have assumed that he had slept with their significant others in their absence.

'There's something different about them. Their minds have been affected by the Sin Series Mana. I can understand the Wrath Mana. but where did they expose themselves to the corrupted Lust Mana?'

The Sin Series Mana had not only augmented the overall stats and abilities of the Helenbora clan members but had also eroded some of their sanity, transforming them into partial fiends—a phenomenon familiar to Jolly.

"Hehehe. We are lucky, aren't we? You two lovely ladies, why not join us and leave that poor sod behind? We promise to show you "good times"," enticed one of the S-Ranked entities, his gaze dripping with lust as he appraised Shaai and Yona.

He was an S-Ranked warlock with a black mole adorning his right cheek, known as Ramov.

"Ugh! Ramov… and all of you. Snap the fuck out of your delusions. We… we… We've clearly been influenced by the Sin Series Mana. Let's not fucking dilly dally here and add to our troubles. We should fucking leave this cursed place."

Urged the other S-Ranked individual, who appeared to be in his early fifties, with his right earlobe missing. His name was Ganthor.

It seemed that Ganthor had managed to retain some semblance of sanity. He possessed a solid-stage mana core, indicating that his elevated status as a practitioner had shielded him to some extent from the full effects of the corrupted Sin Series Mana.

However, Ganthor sensed that his immunity to the corrupting Sin Series Mana wouldn't last long if he remained in the Wrathful Red Forest. It only needed a few more hours before all of them turned into complete fiends and lost their sanity completely.

He had successfully led the rest of the team members toward the forest's periphery. But who could have anticipated that they would become agitated and restless upon realizing that a group of practitioners was nearby?

The way Yona had fought with the demon wolf was eye-catching. It also didn't help that her string instrument made a lot of sounds when it was employed. As such, it couldn't exactly be called a coincidence that the two groups crossed paths with each other.

"Hmph! These fuckers think they can bully me?" Shaai looked at the demonic practitioners disdainfully.

"Hehe. Daydreaming can be done for free. So I really don't blame them," added Yona.

Neither Yona nor Shaai felt vulnerable when surrounded by practitioners with ill intentions directed at them. They were not damsels in distress in need of saving. Plus, as S-Ranked entities, feeling threatened had become almost foreign to them.

"Hehe. Do you want to spend a night with this witch? Are you prepared to lose everything you have, including your life?"

Yona of the Night couldn't help but chuckle when she observed the practitioners affected by Lust Mana eyeing her in perverse ways. However, her amusement quickly turned to a steely gaze as she surveyed the surroundings.

"Let me handle these fucking pigs in heat—" Yona began, ready to confront the new enemies who had appeared unexpectedly. However, she was promptly halted by Jolly's cautionary words.

"No! Don't do anything rash. Even if you manage to deal with the small fry, those two King Crabs are beyond your league. They've been bolstered by the Sin Series Mana and have lost some of their sanity.

They might resort to suicidal tactics or forbidden skills just to assert their dominance. What if we exhaust ourselves here and encounter another group?" Jolly voiced his grim predictions.

Jolly and the two ladies accompanying him were aware that the Darkmoon Fellowship cult and its allies were not the sole explorers of the Wrathful Red Forest. Undoubtedly, practitioners from other cults and even some divine organizations were curious about the place.

Lemaar Saaya's suicide had only heightened interest in the area, which had been mysterious from the outset. This was why both the Helenbora coven and Saint Nira Nightshade had taken an interest.

However, what Jolly hadn't anticipated was being confronted by not one but two S-Ranked enemies. Or rather, he preferred not to entertain the worst-case scenario right from the outset of the exploration.

Nevertheless, Jolly wasn't without support. "Hold your ground and protect me," he instructed Shaai and Yona before settling into a cross-legged position on the ground. Closing his eyes, he attempted to establish contact with the Soul Imprint concealed deep within his soul.

Initially met with resistance, Jolly persisted until he successfully connected with the owner of the Soul Imprint.

"What is it? I'm kinda busy at the moment," came Eren's voice from the other side, tinged with irritation.

"We're in trouble and need your help," Jolly promptly informed Eren.

He couldn't predict how long the stalemate with the demonic practitioners would last, but he didn't want to unnecessarily strain Shaai and Yona. His survival in the Wrathful Red Forest depended on the well-being of the two ladies accompanying him.

"Hm? Who's 'we'?" Eren inquired curiously.

"I, my wife Shaai, and Yona—Witch Goddess Two Lips' incarnation," Jolly replied, proceeding to explain his current predicament to Eren.

By this point, Eren had boarded his ship, Freya, and was en route to the sea god Raashim's domain. He was busy coordinating with the crew and his allies on the mission to steal the sea god's faith. As such, he really found it difficult to look into his pseudo-avatars' affairs.

"Alright. Give me a few."

The butcher sensed that Jolly was in a real pinch and decided to help him. Thus, he allowed his subordinates on board to handle the matters temporarily, went below the ship's deck, found a quiet room, and tapped into the powers of Shallot's Mirror.

The nascent Demon Emperor initiated the complete Demonic Takeover.