Chapter 157

Words : 1127 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 157: Chapter 157 Gripped by fear, Marloka instinctively tried to dodge, while those around him stood frozen, still unaware of what had just happened. But Clayton moved far too quickly. Before Marloka could properly react, his body was already splashed with the blackish-green liquid. Others nearby, equally clueless, were also hit by the mysterious substance. Panicking, Marloka frantically tried to wipe the liquid from his body, as if he had touched something utterly horrifying. The people around him, witnessing his reaction, began to panic as well—rushing to clean the liquid off themselves. After a moment, however, Marloka realized the substance wasn’t actually harmful. He looked around and saw that everyone else appeared unharmed too. Letting out a deep sigh of relief, Marloka turned to face Clayton, his expression sour. Meanwhile, Clayton stood smiling smugly, clearly pleased with himself. "What’s the meaning of this?" Marloka asked, his voice cold and serious. "Hehehe, aren’t we supposed to be working together?" Clayton replied with a mischievous grin. "I just wanted to liven up the mood to celebrate joining your group. Isn’t this fun?" Everyone who heard him fell silent, unsure how to respond. Marloka’s expression darkened. "You think this is amusing? I don’t find it funny at all," he snapped. Clayton remained unmoved, still smiling as if nothing were wrong. Just as he was about to speak again, an unpleasant voice interrupted. "He’s right, Lord Marloka! That lowlife dared to mock you!" Both Clayton and Marloka turned toward the voice and immediately recognized its source—Darlik. Clayton narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharpening. But Darlik didn’t flinch. He kept his eyes on Marloka, clearly waiting for the reaction of someone he viewed as a superior. Noticing the eagerness in Darlik’s expression, Marloka grew slightly intrigued. "And what do you suggest I do with him?" he asked. Darlik’s face lit up with excitement. "You should punish him, Lord Marloka. The nature of the punishment is entirely up to you. With your intelligence, I’m sure you’ll know exactly how to deal with a disrespectful brat like him. Then—and only then—should you allow him to join." In truth, Darlik was irritated by Clayton. But he also knew that Clayton was far more valuable than he or anyone else here. So he tried his best to appear mature and clever in front of Marloka. Marloka nodded, seemingly pleased with Darlik’s words. He turned back to Clayton and said, "Well, you heard my subordinate. Are you willing to accept your punishment honestly? If not, perhaps we’re simply not meant to work together." Clayton’s expression changed instantly. Sadness flickered across his face as swiftly as flipping a switch. "My lord, I only meant to lighten the mood... I had no ill intentions," he pleaded. "I don’t care. Are you going to accept your punishment or not?" Clayton fell silent, clearly deep in thought. Marloka waited patiently. After a few moments, Clayton finally spoke. "Very well, Lord Marloka. I’ll accept the punishment." Marloka smiled with satisfaction. Despite his ultimatum, he knew full well how important Clayton truly was. "Good. Come here." Clayton walked forward. Since Marloka hadn’t moved far, he quickly stood before him. "Alright, I’ll punish you. But don’t worry—so long as you follow my orders, you’ll prosper." Clayton nodded silently. Marloka began chanting a spell. Just as it was about to activate, Clayton—who had seemed utterly obedient—suddenly moved. That familiar blackish-green liquid materialized in his hand once again. Marloka, being closest, was the first to notice. Seeing what Clayton held, Marloka hesitated. Was this child playing around again? But then, something changed. Marloka suddenly felt his body grow heavy and sluggish, as if he had just swallowed a sleeping draught. He didn’t realize Clayton had already finished his move. The blackish-green liquid splashed onto Marloka and those around him once again. Marloka gasped. At first, he didn’t think much of it—he’d been exposed to it before without consequence. But this time, something was different. A burning itch and stinging pain crept across his skin wherever the liquid had touched. Panicked, he tried to wipe it off, but that only made it worse. The irritation spread rapidly. Others nearby were experiencing the same torment. Marloka turned to Clayton—and saw that smile again. That unnerving, meaningful smile that sent a chill down his spine. "You... did you—" His voice caught in his throat as the pain worsened. "Hehehe, enjoy," Clayton said, walking away, still smiling in triumph. Now Marloka was certain—this was Clayton’s doing. But how? The liquid had been harmless before. How had it suddenly become so toxic? Thinking quickly, Marloka reached a conclusion. The poison must have been real from the beginning—but Clayton had somehow suppressed it. Realizing this, Marloka shouted, "Everyone, attack him!" Those in pain immediately ceased what they were doing and began chanting spells. But before their magic could condense, several—including Marloka—froze. Their bodies went limp. A strange crawling sensation, like ants under the skin, grew stronger the more they tried to use mana—until their energy was completely drained. The weaker ones collapsed instantly. Clayton smiled. Just as Marloka had suspected, the liquid had been poisonous all along. Its effects had only been suppressed by Clayton’s purification entry—one not based on light magic, so it didn’t cleanse the toxin, only delayed it. Once released, the poison became active and spread through the air. Clayton had known that a direct battle might not go in his favor. But with this strategy, he had seized the upper hand. Seeing his enemies crippled, Clayton ordered his skeleton troops to activate the Abyssal Vortex spell. Swoosh! A massive surge of water erupted, forming deadly whirlpools that tore through Marloka’s group with devastating force. Clayton grinned, satisfied at how smoothly everything was unfolding. But suddenly, something felt... wrong. On instinct, he dodged—and caught sight of Darlik standing behind him, wielding a long blade. Clayton was momentarily confused. How had Darlik survived the poison? There was no time to wonder. Darlik launched a spell. Clayton responded instantly with one of his own. Darlik’s stone pillar collided with Clayton’s crashing wave. The spells neutralized each other—but Clayton’s magic still carried through, striking Darlik with weakened force. Darlik reeled. He hadn’t expected a rogue mage like Clayton to overpower his magic. Clayton didn’t give him a chance to recover. He followed up immediately. Snap! Snap! Two small but deadly holes pierced Darlik’s body. He trembled briefly, then collapsed—lifeless. At that moment, a strange light shot from Darlik’s corpse and flew straight at Clayton. Clayton’s eyes widened. He instinctively tried to dodge. But before he could, Marloka reappeared—rushing at him with wild fury. Clayton suddenly found himself surrounded, trapped between Marloka’s attacks and the strange light converging on him. For the first time, Clayton had no idea what to do.

Chapter 157

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