The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

"Ice Draco Emperor."

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That name resonated in Old River's mind as he realized the small draconic figure in his hand was a Holy Weapon with a Saint Cultivation Technique engraved in it.

After donning all the armor and putting on the mask, the other Atroxs in the room couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as it seemed as if Dark Mask had come back to life.

Old River was wise enough to understand the type of scheme the man with the red mask had in mind, but he couldn't help but frown. Appearance was just one factor in a person's identity, and even if he could copy the Water Tribulation Apotheosis Realm cultivation base, Old River couldn't hide the fact that he knew nothing about Dark Mask's personal life.

As if reading Old River's mind, the Scarlet King began to speak.

"I hacked into Dark Mask's computer ring during the fight, preventing it from self-destructing after the death of its master. I went through the logs and previous conversations of the man for the last hundred years and learned a lot about him, enough to trick most people.

Of course, this would not be enough to deceive those who knew Dark Mask personally or had an intimate relationship with him, but that was also one of the reasons I chose him as my target. The man was paranoid and did an outstanding job keeping his identity a secret to the point he had no real relationship with anyone in the underworld."

Pure awe and admiration appeared in Old River and the other Atroxs as they heard the man's words. His methods, wisdom, and plans were astonishing. Every action he took seemed to consider its future repercussions. There was no way to describe this man other than a monster.

"You will release a statement to the upper echelon that you were ambushed by traitors and got into a fight. You were able to escape but got severely injured and will be recovering in seclusion, something that the real Dark Mask would have done. For the time being, the secret force you have been honing for the last fifty years, Dark Fingers, will act as your proxy."

The Scarlet King's eyes turned to the five Atroxs at the cave entrance, and they understood that their new identity would be the Dark Fingers, the secret force of the Dark Hand. A sharp light appeared in their eyes as they looked at each other. A Tier 1 Dark Faction was a great power; if they were in control of it, the amount of wealth they could access would be mind-blowing.

With their current Wave Talent, Lineage, and foundation, they could carve a path to the Peak of the Wave King Rank if they got enough resources, not to mention that working for the masked monster would mean constantly improving their bloodlines and talent.

The Scarlet King saw the burning greed and desire in the five and silently nodded as he expected that from them. Fear was a powerful weapon, but greed had a much greater range and could inspire a sense of responsibility and duty if applied well.

However, while he was fine with tapping into the greed of those five, the Scarlet King's eyes grew solemn as he stared at Old River, making the Atrox adopt a serious expression as he knew something important was about to happen.

"I will send you all the information about Dark Mask, along with his psychological profile and pattern tendencies. Study it and internalize all that knowledge, mimicking not just his physical behavior but also his personality, while you shed away your previous persona."

At this point, the Scarlet King's eyes burned with a mighty red light full of conviction that seemed capable of ruling over destiny itself.

"Destroy Old River and allow Dark Mask to be reborn. If you succeed in your rebirth, I will make you a God and allow you to stand by my side."

Old River heard those words echo inside his mind as if it were the decree of a divine king and felt his entire soul trembling for a moment. A sense of purpose appeared in his eyes, one that was not even less than the desire for revenge against Silent Shadow, as he stared straight into the eyes of the Scarlet King and solemnly nodded.

The Scarlet King nodded as he saw the profound light in the man's eyes and was sure he would be pleased with his choice. He then threw Dark Mask's computer ring to Old River.

"I have put a back door in it, allowing me to see all the messages that arrive and answer them. I will be responding to them for the time being so they sound like Dark Mask, but I expect you to be able to fulfill that role soon."

Old River silently nodded as he put the computer ring in his hand. Right now, he was the perfect physical copy of the man who had pierced the ceiling of lava and was crushed by a demonic claw.

"Regarding Silent World. Although they will have questions, they will not bother us too much as long as we pay the tribute. Several upper echelon members perished, but the infrastructure is still there, so keeping things orderly will be no problem."

Old River solemnly nodded. Silent World was a Tier 0 Dark Faction with over a dozen Tier 1 Dark Factions under it, so as long as they get their cut, they will not be a real problem.

"Leader, if they ask about the person that attacked me. How should I respond?"

The Scarlet King couldn't help but show a small smile as Old River used the prefix "me" to refer to Dark Mask, making it clear just how seriously the man was taking the task he had given him.

"If they ask, answer with the truth. It was a man with a red mask, bandages over his entire body, and a scarlet robe covering his figure."