Chapter 195: Four Horsemen of Communion
In the deepest level of the underground prison, a guard was walking through the corridor while carrying a tray of food in his hand.
Along the way, he passed empty cells that once housed prisoners. A place meant for the worst of them. For decades, this floor had remained empty. But in recent weeks, a man had been placed there.
The sound of his armor echoed through the dark prison with each step.
After nearly twenty minutes, he arrived at the cell. It was heavily guarded, with five guards standing at the front.
"Aishh! This guy… he hasn't eaten any of the food we gave him. Did you even try to feed him?" Joseph cursed. He placed the new tray down and picked up the old one. The food on it was completely untouched.
"We did feed him, but he refused."
"Yeah. And he keeps muttering the same thing over and over. I'm going crazy just standing near him. I think his brain got roasted by the light."
The guards turned their heads and looked inside the cell.
A thin man was strapped to a chair. His feet were chained, and his hands were bound behind the chair. A metal blindfold covered his eyes. His lips moved endlessly, repeating the same words again and again.
"Russ… Russ… Russ… Russ…"
---
The moon was full tonight. With no clouds in the sky, it cast its full light upon Rose City below. Many stalls were beginning to close, and people were retreating to their homes.
Kelar stood by the window, observing the moon. He then glanced at the magical clock on his table.
"It is time."
He sat down on his chair and relaxed himself. Suddenly, in front of him, at the center of the room, dark mist began to form from the ceiling. It spiraled downward before splitting into three streams, each touching the floor. From them, three silhouette figures emerged.
"Thank you, everyone, for accepting my short notice for this emergency meeting. I truly appreciate it," Kelar said politely.
The three of them, together with Kelar, were known as the Four Horsemen of Communion: White, Red, Black, and Pale. They were the leaders who operated from the shadows. They were the pillars of the Communion.
"It's nothing, Black-senpai! The moment I received your message, I came immediately. I've really missed seeing all of senpai!" the rightmost figure said playfully.
"Can you stop calling others with that name, Red? And what does senpai actually mean?" the tall silhouette on the left said. He looked calm and composed.
"Senpai means seniors where I'm from, White-senpai. I'm saying it because I respect all of you!" Red replied.
"Kikikiki. Black, why did you call us tonight? I am very busy right now, kekekeke!" the female silhouette in the middle said. Her voice was high-pitched, and her laughter eerie. She represented Pale.
"I called all of you here today because I need to inform you that I will be changing my plan. It will take a much longer time… and require more resources," Kelar said.
"Kikiki. I heard about what happened in Lily and Daisy Town. It is very rare to see you fail in your work, Black. Kekeke!" Pale said.
"I did not fail! It was just a miscalculation!" Kelar suddenly leaned forward. In front of these three, it was difficult for him to maintain his composure.
"Calm down, Black. Whether it is a miscalculation, a misstep, or whatever you wish to call it… a failure is still a failure. And you must take responsibility for it," White said.
"I already know that. And in fact, I have already received my punishment. I have lost my most trusted man," Kelar said.
"Do you mean Azul? Ohh no, I really miss chatting with him. He was a hell of a funny guy. It's a pity he was killed," Red said in a sad tone.
"He is not dead yet. He was imprisoned in the underground prison under maximum security."
"Haaa, I see. Do you want me to help free him? I can easily pass all the guards without even blinking my eyes."
"There is no need. The current situation is tense, and everyone is on high alert. I want the heat to cool down first before making the next move."
"You still have that girl, if I'm correct? The one with the Dark Knight class? She has great potential," White said.
"Yes. And I'm sure she can fulfill her role better than Azul. I will make sure the same mistake does not happen again. Anyway, back to the main point, the reason I called you is to request more resources, in terms of Kaoslith and monsters," Kelar said seriously.
"Kikiki. Didn't I just give you ten thousand monsters before? Did you really use all of them? Even the Kaoslith?" Pale asked.
"Unfortunately, yes. There were unknown variables interfering with my plan. But now, I have identified the variable, and I am planning to take care of it soon," Kelar said.
"Kikiki. Fine, fine. I will give you a new batch of monsters and Kaoslith. But what about you? Can you provide all the minerals and jewels I need? I heard our tunnels in the kingdom have been discovered and are under investigation. I just need a little touch to my majestic tower, kekeke!" Pale said.
"Ahhh! Pale-senpai's tower is almost finished?! I can't wait to visit it!" Red said excitedly.
"Do not worry. If they think they have found all the tunnels, then they are idiots. There is always a new way to smuggle without being found out," Kelar smirked.
"Kekeke! Then it is a deal. Next week, I will send you the new batch. And be careful, the new ones are much more dangerous and difficult to control. Kekeke!" Pale said.
"I appreciate your effort. One more thing, will you come for the tournament?" Kelar asked.
"Of course, kekeke! I was invited as a special guest after all!"
"Sorry to interrupt, but our lord is increasingly pushing for more results. She intends to turn a blind eye to your previous failure, Black, but if this continues, she might come to see you herself," White said.
"Our lord is so scary! I don't want to meet her," Red said, trembling.
"Yes. I understand," Kelar replied.
After that, all the silhouettes disappeared, leaving only Kelar alone.
"Haha… haha… hahahaha." He couldn't stop laughing. His plan was now back in motion. The only thing he needed to do now was remove those pesky adventurers. And to do that, he would use his trump card.
Knock knock.
The door was knocked, and a woman with black hair entered.
Cynthia.
"Finally… my trump card is here."