Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

Ethan clenched his fists. It was time. That woman definitely did not freeze on her own accord. She was forced to stop mid-swing as a burst of dark, crackling energy shot out from the robed man.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" the robed man spat, his voice echoing in the cramped space. His laughter was cold and mean. "Did you think you were strong enough to stand up against me? You killed these many idiots because I allowed you to. Otherwise, you would already be dead. Heh. You were simply cleaning out trash for me, do you understand?"

The blonde woman's face twisted in pain and agony. Whatever the attack was, she was clearly not prepared to handle it. "Don't fight, fool. Except me, no one will be leaving here alive today."

The two remaining cultists shivered from the words. "Master, what are you saying…"

"Master? That term is not for expendables like you."

The robed man's voice dripped with cruelty as he let his words hang in the air. "Leaving behind a trail for something like this would bite me," he sneered, the dark energy around him intensifying with every syllable. His eyes glittered with malice as he regarded the trembling cultists—pawns who had no place even to speak his name.

They opened their mouths when dark orbs shot toward them, killing them in an instant. The man's eyes then fell on the blonde woman. "Don't worry. I am saving you for the last. See, I am involved in a lot of depressing activities. Killing these many weaklings give me very little joy. So, I usually play a game in this situation. A guessing game."

The blonde woman's eyes seethed with rage despite the pain she was in.

Enjoying her reaction, the man lightly chuckled. "Yes, this is what I am talking about. When I start killing these pigs one by one, I will look at your face and guess which one is related to you. Maybe your child, your brother or father is here? Let's see who it is, shall we?"

He raised his hand, and five dark orbs materialized. He aimed for the two women and three men standing in shackles at the front of the line. With a haughty laugh that reverberated in the small room, he pointed his finger to release the five orbs when suddenly several tongues of fire erupted.

The robed man gaped in confusion as fireballs collided with his dark spheres and exploded right on his face. Ethan leapt into action without hesitating any longer. He grabbed the blonde woman and threw her to the other side, away from harm's way. He summoned some of his demons, and they got to work fast, moving all of the captives away.

Meanwhile, Ethan did not let the robed man recover. He had hoped that this explosion would be enough to take care of him, but clearly, it was not. The man's silhouette vanished from the place he was standing in and reappeared behind Ethan. This time, he was prepared for it.

Ethan threw the mana bolt he had ready in his hand and then sent a jet of fire at the guy. He had trained his mana control a lot in these past few weeks, and all of his training was showing fruits now.

The intensity of the fire he conjured was so high that the dead bodies on the ground started melting in an instant. The entire place became chaotic. Flames danced wildly across the floor, turning dead bodies into molten puddles while the air filled with sizzling embers.

With a quick motion, Ethan hurled a blazing mana bolt straight at the robed man. The dark figure barely managed to twist away, but the jet of fire still scorched the stone wall behind him. The explosion rocked the room, sending shards of debris and swirling magical sparks in every direction.

Ethan's summoned demons, small but fierce, continued their frantic work—lifting captives and dragging them to a safer passage as the entire mines network trembled under the force of clashing energies.

The robed man's cruel laugh cut through the roaring flames. "You think your pathetic fire can stop me?" he hissed, his voice echoing off the crumbling walls. "I did not know a little mage was hiding in this small town. A mage who can control demons. Interesting."

Ethan did not feel good. He had already given everything, and yet the other party wasn't even scratched. "Someone like you would be of good use to our cause. What do you think? How about you join the winning side?" The robed man laughed as he sent four dark bolts at Ethan.

Ethan instantly erected mana shields, but it was not enough. He had to use ten talismans just to block the attack, and even then, he was grazed by it. This was not going to be an easy fight. His magic skills were no match for the guy who was probably in the next rank, and his minions were too weak to pose him a threat.

Ethan gritted his teeth. He had very few options here. He had to make it work. Otherwise, he would have no other option but to once again give up some of his minions and run.

And he really did not want to do that. Just that very thought made his blood boil. He did not want to keep running again and again. He did not want to live like a rat hidden in a corner, hoping and praying that nobody would find him.

He gnashed his teeth and clutched another talisman, a talisman that he never thought he would actually use.

On second thought, he decided to make it three. No ten.

He tore ten 'love me' talismans at the same time as his eyes reddened and his hands prepared for the biggest attack he could muster. The next moment, the robed man froze, and seeing his expression change, Ethan stopped his spell mid-way.

With his mouth wide open, he gaped in awe as the lead cultist, who was only just now playing the role of a notorious villain, stopped in his tracks and instead looked at him with eyes full of love.