Hoei observed Poisonous Vine, taking in the sight of her blood-stained form, although it was not her own blood, but that of the people she had killed.
"How many people did you kill?" Hoei asked, his expression remaining composed.
Poisonous Vine cast a glance at the unconscious Edmar before responding, "I've lost count. Battling that priestess was taxing, so I took down anyone who crossed my path before arriving here."
The victims of her ruthless assault weren't limited to the inhabitants of the Selnes Country but extended to individuals from the fragmented worlds as well. She spared no one, not even the creatures she encountered.
"You understand why I'm here, don't you?" Poisonous Vine smiled as she locked eyes with Hoei.
Hoei's expression remained unaltered. He produced a small, silver-colored orb and stated, "This is your objective... The cores are concealed within the Five Master Clans. Edmar already handed over the Windi Clan's core to your group, so you still need to collect the remaining four."
In Hoei's view, the cores of the Five Master Clans were of lesser importance. They primarily served to maintain the integrity of the All-Filter Barrier Formation. There were more crucial secrets guarded by the Five Master Clans, such as the mysterious object hidden deep within the Methal Clan.
'I want to inspect the Windi Clan immediately, but it seems I won't be able to do so for the time being,' Hoei contemplated internally while keeping an eye on Poisonous Vine.
Suddenly, both Hoei and Poisonous Vine turned their heads toward a nearby area where a figure had crashed, creating a significant fissure in the ground.
Emerging from the dissipating smoke was a person with fiery red hair – Hono Flaem, the Clan Leader of the Flaem Clan.
Hono glanced at Hoei and Poisonous Vine, her expression bearing a serious and intense air as embers began to manifest around her body.
"Clan Leader Hoei, shall we confront her together?" Hono inquired.
Hoei considered the proposal and responded, "I could leave her to you, but it might be more advantageous if we team up. It would simplify matters."
"If that's your preference..." Hono nodded in agreement with Hoei. She then shifted her attention to Poisonous Vine.
She tightly clenched her fists, her aura intensifying as the temperature in the vicinity surged dramatically.
A few minutes ago after she activated the mysterious object, Hono seized the crimson orb, and the entire space around her began to expand, engulfing everything. In an instant, she found herself in a different location, separated from her master, and unaware of how this had transpired. That object created this whole mashed dimensions.
Her primary objective now was to return to the Flaem Clan household. While navigating the various layers of space in her quest, she came across this place and sensed Hoei's energy.
"On second thought, I believe I can handle this. Eliminating one of the enemy's top experts would alleviate the burden on our shoulders," Hono stated in a cold and determined tone. Her fiery red hair danced around the flames she was radiating. She hadn't faced an opponent worthy of her full strength since the war had commenced. The foes she encountered outside the city had proven to be nothing in comparison.
"Hmm... You believe you can defeat me," Poisonous Vine remarked, narrowing her eyes as she sensed the formidable aura emanating from Hono's being.
"Yes," Hono responded with unwavering confidence in her tone. She was certain that she could vanquish Poisonous Vine in her current state.
Hono remained at her peak strength, whereas Poisonous Vine was not in her prime, having sustained injuries from Li Guan and her clash with Shen Yao. This disparity alone gave Hono a significant advantage. Furthermore, Hono believed that even if Poisonous Vine were at her best, she could still emerge victorious.
"Is that so?" Poisonous Vine's mouth curved into a sly smile.
Bang!
Hono's eyes widened as pain surged through her body, and a streak of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.
"Ugh..."
Hono looked down to see a blade jutting out from her abdomen. She turned her head, and her gaze met Hoei, who held the handle of the blade behind her.
"H-Hoei... You!"
Gritting her teeth, Hono unleashed her aura, and a raging sea of flames burst from her body, engulfing the surrounding area.
Reacting swiftly, Hoei withdrew the blade and leaped backward, firing off several energy blades.
Boom!!
At the same time, Poisonous Vine surged forward to join the battle.
"HOEIIII!!!" Hono let out a violent roar, her fury echoing through the air.
Hono's elemental power continued to radiate outward, but she was already injured. What made the situation worse was that the attack had come from a fellow Clan Leader who was meant to protect the Selnes Country. She had been caught completely off guard. She had never anticipated that Hoei would align with the enemy. It raised the question of why he had battled Edmar from the outset when both of them should have been on the side of the Deadly Sins.
In a matter of minutes, Hono succumbed to defeat. She was incapable of taking on two top experts single-handedly, and the betrayal by a fellow Clan Leader had taken a severe toll on her. If she hadn't been caught off guard, she might have been able to hold her ground against the pair.
"H-Hoei..." Hono muttered as she gazed at the Clan Leader of the Methal Clan.
"It's a ruse. Edmar is still alive. He's merely unconscious," Hoei stated plainly. He crouched down and retrieved an object from Hono's pocket.
It was a crimson orb.
"I didn't expect you to have this core. I thought I'd have to locate the Flaem Clan, but it appears that's unnecessary now that you possess it," Hoei remarked, gazing at the two orbs in his hands. One was silver in color, representing the Methal Clan, while the other was red, symbolizing the Flaem Clan.
"With these two, we already have three cores. We need just two more to achieve our goal," Poisonous Vine chimed in, her smile reflecting the satisfaction of their progress.
"Let's go," Hoei decided.
"I think you should have more fun with this. The forces of the major factions are formidable. You might be able to catch one or two of their top experts off guard," Poisonous Vine suggested. "Even I believe that we would face difficulties in a full-on confrontation against them. The only individuals who could certainly defeat them are Anti-Mage, Thousand Earth, Man-Eating Tiger, Red Mist, and Ice Death."
"Are they truly that formidable?" Hoei inquired with curiosity.
"Yes, the five of them are exceptionally strong. All of us are at the top of SSS-rank, but their unique abilities set them apart at this level of power. For instance, consider Anti-Mage. You've experienced his abilities firsthand, haven't you?"
"Yeah," Hoei confirmed.
"Anti-Mage has the ability to dismantle any magic circle within his perception. He can analyze magic circles and compel them to cease functioning. Spellcasters would find it extremely challenging to contend with him. Fighters whose abilities revolve around combat arts and elements might stand a chance," Poisonous Vine elaborated. "Nonetheless, the experts from the major factions possess great strength as well. That's why we must catch them off guard when they least expect it. The Priestess of the Fist, the Berserk War Axe, or the Blood Lightning Monster – they are among the experts who can take on the major factions."
"Very well," Hoei acquiesced, letting out a sigh. "I'll act accordingly if I perceive an opportunity to deceive them."
The Deadly Sins had secured three out of the five cores they needed. Once they possessed all the cores, they could completely shatter the All-Filter Barrier Formation and uncover the secrets it concealed. Only two cores remained: the cores of the Paente Clan and Darkna Clan.
Darkna Clan...
Red Mist hovered in the sky, her gaze fixed upon the imposing manor below. With a graceful descent, she arrived at the barrier that surrounded the clan's grounds.
"I wonder if the Clan Leader is present or not? If not, I might be able to obtain that object effortlessly," Red Mist murmured to herself.
She considered herself fortunate not to have to exert her full power on this mission. Blood Lightning Monster hadn't engaged in a serious battle, enabling Red Mist to conserve her energy and now seize the Darkna Clan's core.
Nevertheless, the barrier posed a significant challenge.
"Fortunately, I have this," Red Mist said with a smile as she produced a piece of yellow paper. "It's a [Dispelling Talisman] inscribed with the [Force Stop Rune]. A potent combination."
Without hesitation, she launched the yellow paper at the barrier.
Ohm!
The barrier flickered for a brief moment, and it was just enough for Red Mist. With her incredible speed, she managed to slip through the barrier during that split second. The barrier's strength was such that the combination of the [Dispelling Talisman] and [Force Stop Rune] could only disrupt it for a moment. If this combination were used on the All-Filter Barrier Formation, it would likely have no effect. This was why, to disrupt the All-Filter Barrier, they would require a more advanced rune – the [Cancelling Rune]. Additionally, this particular rune had been modified and encapsulated within the device to establish a connection through the barrier.
However, as Red Mist entered the manor, her senses expanded to encompass the entire area. There were guards within, but they were all unconscious. It was evident that they had been subdued without much difficulty, and there were no signs of battle in their surroundings.
The situation was perplexing.
"Don't tell me that someone from the major factions is also targeting the Five Master Clans... Interesting," Red Mist mused, her curiosity piqued.
