Hero of Darkness

While Kahn spent the whole day gathering information about the present empires and gods of Vantrea along with the races that ruled over them… a royal warship flew over Oslom city. 

This warship didn't have the sigil of the Imperial family but every single citizen who saw it flying above their heads started shouting and cheering like fangirls. 

Even the security of the Oslom city or their battleships did not dare to stop their way and even created an open path among the flying ships. 

Soon, this warship absconded in the farther parts of the mountain range, completely out of everyone's sight. 

As for this gigantic warship which was big enough to fit 20 thousand soldiers in it… a group of thousand workers operated it and in the main cockpit that was as big as one from a particular space-themed movie franchise, were 9 people. 

All these people varied in races, sizes and appearance and some were even in their 40s. But the most notable thing about this crew was something else. 

Every single one of these people… was a Saint. 

All these people were seated on their respective throne-like chairs while 10 pilots below their floor routed the warship. 

And at the top among their seats, was a dark red throne where a man around the age of 30 was calmly gazing around the scenery from the wide glass window. 

Soon, their crew of mighty saints reached the battlefield that was drenched with blood just yesterday.

"Lord Axel… Yesterday, Princess Venessa killed a legendary rank creature called Jatvuarym. It could change forms and even killed 300 thousand soldiers and destroyed over two thousand battleships in just an hour." spoke a succubus enchantress with two blue bat-like wings on her back and two black horns protruding out of her head. 

"As per the reports, it was comparable to a 2nd stage saint. Yet she killed it by herself within an hour." spoke a dark elf in red attire for scholars who seemed to be in his 30s but was actually a century old. 

And finally, the person they were addressing to stood up and walked closed to the window of the flying warship. 

This man had wavy blonde hair, blue eyes and was currently donned in a legendary rank black and red armor. 

This was none other than the man who was tasked with ensuring if Kahn entered the Vulcan empire or not since the top powers couldn't come this close to No Man's Land. 

Axel Lobethrox… 9th summoned human hero and the current Hero of Fire. 

"Lord Axel, the Imperial decree is to confirm that the new Hero of Darkness might have arrived in our empire from No Man's Land. 

Although we can't enter it… one of your divine abilities might help us track him." said a 2nd stage hybrid saint who looked like a human but was actually half-orc and possessed the genes of both species that made him 3 meters tall. 

"I sense that there's more to it than what they're telling us." he spoke in a firm tone. 

"What do you mean, lord Axel?" asked the succubus. 

"Edna… don't you think sending the entire Hero's party just to track one person is kind of overdoing it? 

The empire's spies are more than capable of finding this Hero of Darkness you speak of. Yet they sent us right when we were close to purging the riots in the northern border, the other end of the empire." spoke Axel as he put both hands on his waist. 

"It looks more like they want me to be the face of it and avoid direct involvement. 

I know all you have your complete loyalty to this empire but I keep getting this feeling that all of us are just being used as scapegoats." said Axel and turned his head around. 

"We all know that No Man's Land is a prohibited zone. Yet here we are… sent to track one man. 

If I'm not wrong… if anything goes wrong there… we will be the ones to take the fall and the empire will say that it was Hero's party who infiltrated on their own volition." he clarified. 

To this declaration, everyone's expression turned grim as they too understand the situation. 

Because what Axel said… was the truth. 

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After half a day, their warship reached the foremost region of the southern border. And their group exited to venture towards the No Man's Land on their own. 

After crossing over a hundred kilometers by flying in the sky using their saint force… Axel finally signaled his group to stop. 

They currently hovered in a junction between valleys and it was the only entry point available to enter the Vulcan empire if someone came from the no man's land. 

The next second… Axel's body let out a scarlet red aura and soon, a 10 meter tall massive ethereal eye that glowed yellow and radiated a divine aura came to be. 

Axel then clasped his hands and closed his eyes. In the following moments… the eye of Sauron… Ahrm, this divine eye expelled a yellow beam of light and illuminated the whole 2 kilometers of the region. 

Suddenly, Axel opened his eyes and looked to his left. 

Swoosh! 

He appeared a few hundred meters away and stopped at the top of a cliff. 

Right now, he just used one of his Divine Abilities called Sage's Eye. 

It allowed him to gather information about everything in this world. Whether it was some ancient artifact or some long-lost heirloom. 

And just now… the Sage's Eye allowed him to sense the aura of Darkness element. 

Axel's body then emitted a blue fire that quickly spread across one kilometer radius. But neither was this fire hot or burned anything it touched. Rather… it revealed the past of this region as the winds passed and trees fluttered. Even the positions of the suns were replicated in the sky. 

This was his another divine ability… Chrono Vision. The ability that allowed him to recreate the events of the past in any particular place. 

"Hmm… there's something wrong here." spoke Axel and used Sage's Eye again. 

"There!" suddenly, Edna spoke as she pointed her finger behind Axel's back. 

All of their party members were shocked to see the figure that appeared behind Axel. 

A blue holographic silhouette of a man who was taller than Axel came to be. 

But other than a blurry intangible humanoid shape that vibrated and appeared like a white mist, there was nothing visible. 

No face, eye color or the type of clothes this humanoid figure wore. 

By using two divine abilities together, Axel instantly found out Kahn's location. 

However… since Kahn was traveling this region using the True Dimension… only his ethereal form was unveiled by these two divine abilities. The only thing they could not see through. 

"This… this affirms that the Hero of Darkness is indeed in the Vulcan empire!" exclaimed a female archer tomboy look who had white ears and a long furry tail of a fox. 

"This… this guy is indeed crafty. God Hetrax told me that nothing can hide from the Sage's Eye in this world. Yet somehow, I can only see a silhouette and not his real face or appearance even after running through the past. 

It must be one of his divine abilities." spoke Axel with a thoughtful expression. 

"Lord Axel… we should quickly report to the capital that he has indeed entered inside the Vulcan empire." spoke the scholar dark elf. 

But before he continued… Axel interjected. 

"And what do we get if we reported it?" asked Axel as he raised his left eyebrow. 

"What do you mean, lord Axel?" asked Edna again. 

"Think about it. Even with my divine abilities… we don't even know what he looks like. 

I can't use both of my divine abilities all the time. So tracking him will take a lot longer. 

Plus if we report about his existence… all we have accomplished is being a good informant. 

Under no scenario is reporting the truth useful for our party." clarified Axel. 

Just then, another remember of the party spoke. 

A white-haired hybrid woman with the head of an eagle and two black wings behind her back decided to intervene. 

"I assume you have other plans. Am I right, Lord Axel?" she asked in a curious tone. 

Axel's hair fluttered as a strong gust of wind passed by. He let out a sigh and spoke in a gentle tone that reached to all of their ears. 

"My plans you see… it may appear like the most outrageous and crazy idea to all of you. Some of you might even disagree with me instantly after hearing it or think of it as an act of treason. 

But I hope you hear me first and allow me to explain my reasons." replied Axel. 

"And what is your plan?" asked Edna again in a curious voice. 

Axel then gave them all a stern gaze and spoke in an authoritative tone and with resolute eyes. 

"We hide the truth about his arrival."