CHAPTER 296: MUTATION

The suspended platform descended as the masked mysterious figures stepped onto the altar.

The second prince bowed:

"Master, please act to restrain my tyrannical brother. Try not to harm his life—he’s my only brother after all."

The second prince turned his face away hypocritically, as if after much struggle, he’d finally made this decision.

The mysterious masked figure he called Master nodded slightly. An aged voice of indeterminate gender emerged from beneath the mask:

"Do not forget our agreement."

"I wouldn’t dare. This king will certainly comply."

The second prince and the mysterious masked figure chatted casually as if the first prince didn’t exist—like a roadside ant that could be squashed with a finger.

"Good, good, good!"

The first prince raged, boundless fury rising, but the angrier he became, the calmer he grew.

The first prince knew exactly what kind of person the second prince was—treacherous and cunning like a honey-tongued, venomous snake. Without absolute certainty, he’d never show up so brazenly.

"Who exactly are these people to make Boli so cocky!"

Especially his attitude toward the so-called Master was way off. Even facing the King’s Right Hand or a Sword Saint-level figure, a prince wouldn’t be so respectful, even somewhat ass-kissing.

"Luckily, I prepared in advance!"

The first prince was surprisingly calm, his eyes revealing an extremely nasty smile...

The mysterious masked figure examined the first prince with interest:

"You don’t seem scared?"

Heavy aura shrouded the altar as strange silver liquid spread. The first prince’s expression changed slightly, growing serious.

This person was actually a Sword Saint-level powerhouse!

"Who are you?

How dare you mess with my Dotruu Kingdom’s affairs!"

Despite being at a disadvantage, the first prince’s attitude was exceptionally tough, each word deliberate, giving an ironclad impression.

"You seem unable to see the situation clearly?"

The mysterious masked figure was pissed off—he hadn’t encountered such a person in ages.

As soon as he spoke, strange mercury writhed, condensing countless tentacles like living things that stabbed toward the first prince.

The first prince tried to dodge but was too late—somehow his feet had gotten bound by silver liquid.

The Dotruu nobles below freaked out. They could tolerate the two princes fighting to the death with the winner taking all.

But they absolutely wouldn’t allow foreign interference. If someone grabbed power through foreign forces, would the Dotruu Kingdom still belong to the Dotruu clan?

"Stop!"

The King’s Right Hand, Sword Saint Levi, roared with explosive momentum.

His expression was grim, pale beard nearly reaching the ground as violent battle energy surged around him, locking onto those mysterious figures, especially the undetectable masked figure.

But the mysterious group seemed to have seen this coming. They raised both hands high.

Large amounts of silver liquid materialized from nowhere, forming a mercury barrier that blocked everyone trying to approach.

"Damn!!!"

Surging battle energy attacks slammed the mercury barrier, only creating small ripples. The Dotruu nobles’ expressions were ugly.

"Lord Levi, what should we do!"

The mercury barrier not only blocked approach but cut off vision—they couldn’t see inside at all. The first prince’s supporters were especially frantic.

At this moment, Sword Saint Levi’s expression was terrifyingly dark because he recognized these strange methods, a terrible possibility flashing through his mind.

Had a Dotruu prince actually teamed up with human traitors—the Mercury Cult!!!

Just as the Dotruu nobles were desperately anxious,

Suddenly, the mercury screen exploded as a power both familiar and terrifying to them shot skyward.

Dense shadow power rapidly expanded, covering the entire central square within moments.

"What the hell’s happening!!!"

"Monsters! Have those two monsters returned again!"

"..."

The Dotruu nobles all changed color, looking at the pitch-black sky with panicked expressions.

Especially Sword Saint Levi, who instinctively touched his ribs—they were aching faintly.

Back then, without that golden knight’s intervention, the Dotruu nobles would probably have been slaughtered by those two terrible monsters.

"What do we do?!"

The Dotruu nobles were visibly freaking out.

They knew damn well that this time they wouldn’t be as lucky as last time with a golden knight stepping in.

...

On the altar, the second prince’s expression was ugly. Though he’d expected the first prince to have backup plans, he hadn’t imagined it would be teaming up with the Shadow Realm that had murdered their father.

Dark shadows isolated the strange silver liquid. The first prince’s figure was now completely invisible.

Only continuously overflowing shadows, endless streams obscuring the sky while condensing like tides, actually faintly forming a dark portal.

"What is this?"

Beneath his mask, the Mercury Archbishop’s expression was grim as he sensed two extremely powerful auras gradually spreading.

"Archbishop! Act quickly—we absolutely cannot let this portal take shape!!!"

The second prince shouted urgently, his heart full of fear.

If those two monsters reappeared, whether the help he’d risked so much to bring could beat them remained unknown.

"Too late. The shadow passage has already formed—this is merely the final manifestation."

The Mercury Archbishop shook his head slightly. If he could have acted, he would have long ago.

He felt faint regret—knowing this would happen, he should have wiped out this ant immediately!

...

In the sky, the dark portal slowly took shape. From within, two small figures that terrified the Dotruu Kingdom nobles appeared!!!

One held a giant crescent scythe in her left hand, the scythe a full head taller than her, flashing cold light. Dense shadows swirled as her pitch-black eyes were like icy deep pools—cold and noble.

The other had an almost identical face except for pale pupils. Her small face wore a smile that gave people an eerily chilling feeling from the heart.

Her right hand held a white banner taller than herself. Several banner strips moved without wind, ghostly shadows coiling around them eerily.

"Dotruu Kingdom!"

"We have returned!"

With the two girls’ declaration, the shadows shrouding the central square instantly expanded, driving away all light and covering the entire royal capital within moments.

The capital’s citizens once again felt terrifying oppressive force, their hearts like stones weighing them down, making breathing difficult!

"It really is those two monsters!"

As horrifying pressure descended, familiar figures hung high in the sky, and suffocating shadows covered heaven and earth.

The Dotruu Kingdom nobles completely lost their nerve, their eyes fearful, lacking their first encounter’s anger.

The first time they hadn’t known the Shadow Twins’ terrifying power—ignorance bred fearlessness.

Now they knew damn well that even if everyone sacrificed their lives, they couldn’t hurt them in the slightest.

Just the shadow creatures casually summoned were enough to trap them in bitter battle.

Now without that powerful golden knight present, how could the Dotruu Kingdom nobles not fear and retreat? How could they not despair!