At that moment, the vines that had seemed so indestructible were severed by the slash of John's blade.
The Bloodthirsty Blade, now cloaked in a thick mist of blood, cut through them effortlessly.
As soon as this blood-red mist appeared, it began to absorb the surrounding objects and energy.
John and the others could feel the intense corrosiveness emanating from these substances—this was something far beyond their control.
Dark Fox, the closest to the action, involuntarily gasped.
He could feel the mist beginning to seep through his pores, slowly infiltrating his body.
In that instant, they all realized something was terribly wrong.
A corrosive sensation spread through their internal organs, as if they were being eaten away from the inside.
Even the dullest among them could now sense that this power was not what they had expected.
It was something entirely different, more akin to the dark forces they had encountered in the Immortality Church—something that defied their understanding.
But why?
Why did this place also harbor the power of the dark god?
This made no sense.
Had this world, too, been tainted?
But if so, why had they never noticed any signs of it before?
Why had this man, the High Priest, never revealed any clues until now?
There was no time to dwell on these questions.
The situation had become too dangerous, and they had to focus on the immediate threat.
Desperately, they struggled to free themselves from the vines, but the pain was unbearable.
As they fought, they could feel the vines draining their blood and flesh.
Meanwhile, they noticed the High Priest's face growing fuller, more vitalized.
It suddenly dawned on them—this man's power was directly proportional to the amount of blood he absorbed.
The more he drained, the stronger he became.
If they allowed this to continue, they would have no hope of overpowering him.
They needed to act quickly.
Without hesitation, John swung the Bloodthirsty Blade again, slashing through the cabin.
In an instant, the entire structure was cleaved in two.
The power unleashed was overwhelming, spreading rapidly and far beyond their control.
The sheer magnitude of it left them terrified, unable to take even a single step forward.
To them, this man had become an insurmountable force, something akin to an insurmountable obstacle.
Why were they so helpless against him?
Even when facing so-called demigods, they had never felt such fear.
Soon, they realized the source of their terror—green mist had filled the air, and with every breath, they were inhaling it.
At the same time, John discovered that a debuff had been placed on him.
[Cowardice: You feel an overwhelming fear of something, as though your very soul is being suppressed. At this moment, your fighting spirit has been crushed to its lowest point.]
[Duration: 30 minutes. Stackable. Cannot be dispelled.]
As John read the description of the debuff, a sense of dread crept into his heart.
He realized that this situation was far more perilous than he had imagined.
In that instant, the entire cabin was split open, and when they saw what lay outside, their eyes were filled with shock.
The people outside had all collapsed, their bodies drained of life.
Some were still writhing in agony, their voices filled with despair.
The look of terror in their eyes as they gazed at the High Priest was unmistakable.
They had never imagined that the man they revered so deeply could commit such atrocities.
It was horrifying—utterly horrifying.
This man was a monster.
Why?
Why had he done this?
Why had he turned on them so viciously?
In that moment, their breathing became labored, overwhelmed by the sheer horror of the scene.
They desperately wanted answers, but none were forthcoming.
Some of the dead had died with their eyes wide open, as if unable to find peace even in death.
When Silver Tear saw this, fury welled up inside her.
Though these people were mere natives of this world, of little consequence to their mission, in her eyes, they were still ordinary humans, no different from anyone else.
They simply lived in a different environment.
But now, because of this difference, they had been reduced to mere sustenance, drained and discarded like fodder.
And the one who had done this was supposed to be their comrade.
It was unthinkable.
The revulsion they felt in that moment was beyond words.
They had never imagined that someone could use their own people as nourishment in such a grotesque manner.
But there was nothing they could do.
Now, they were like puppets, paralyzed and powerless, forced to wait as events unfolded.
Meanwhile, they had no idea if John had a plan or if he was simply acting on impulse.
The High Priest, seeing that John dared to defy his orders, sneered coldly.
"I was going to give you a chance, but since you've chosen to be so ungrateful, don't blame me for what comes next."
He paused, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Don't worry, I haven't killed them all. I still need some of them for my purposes. There are always a few useful individuals in every tribe—the strong survive, as they say. Isn't that right?"
As he spoke, a smile that sent shivers down their spines spread across his face.
It was revolting to them.
But John showed no hesitation.
With a cold laugh, he raised the Bloodthirsty Blade and struck with all his might.
In that split second, the High Priest felt an indescribable force bearing down on him.
Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but the next moment he realized he was frozen in place, unable to move.
This power left him no chance to escape as the blade struck him squarely in the waist.
As the blade made contact, the scent of blood in the air grew stronger.
The sickening stench made them want to vomit, but they had no choice but to endure it.
They exchanged a quick glance and, following John's earlier instructions, unleashed their strongest powers and abilities.
They knew it was their only hope of survival.
This man was clearly insane.
They had no idea what secrets he held, but they had to escape—no matter what.
The High Priest's eyes widened in disbelief.
These mere insects, as he saw them, had dared to strike him!
"You wretched ants! How dare you?!"
He roared in fury, launching a powerful attack.
But the next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He looked down in shock to find that John's blade had pierced his heart.
As John withdrew his blade, the High Priest felt as though a gaping hole had been torn through his chest, cold air rushing in.
He staggered backward, his eyes wide with shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Then, with a final tremor, he collapsed to the ground.