They always say that the cat was slaughtered by its own curiosity. The Head Admin knew this, and yet he had always acted in pure curiosity. Many of the heroes of old were killed by the shard of glass, the power too great.

  But he knew that these sacrifices mattered the most. In fact, these men will have killed Shadowing Voices for him, and now to make a real challenge, he’s grabbing people from all over the tower who were outright lucky to have never seen Shammus.

  And now, they shall be strong enough to give them a challenge in not just battle, but in wits. They were always capable of the latter, but now they wield the power necessary for the upper.

  The most useful stared at him in hatred, and he was left smiling as he snapped them all outwards after explaining where they’d have to go. And he knew they’d get to win, win, and win where he sent them.

  And with that amount of winning they’ll get hubris. And he loves the hubris of the punishers he designed. After all, they were flawed in their thinking. And they were designed to fall.

  ******

  The five heroes stood arm in arm standing against the fortress. Sornid knew they were going to have to break in, firing a singular red arrow from a bow of flame. It was amplified through Judine’s passives, and it explodes through the gate.

  It was a fancy way to break in for sure, but they all walked in through the burning gate. It felt cold to do this, it felt wrong in every way. But it also felt right in a way they couldn’t even explain.

  The worth of the fort seemed pointless to them, as there was only one person they stood up against. A short man with black hair that covered their eyes. “Why hello young ones… I’m glad you found my home.”

  The man stood up against them, “What may your names be?” They stared at the five with a knowing grin. They’re outfit itself was irregular, an odd shirt with baggy pants. It was clearly not hand made, it was too precise for that.

  “Bariton.” Bariton spoke up first, stepping forward a little bit. He knew he had no throwing knives, but that sure as hell didn’t mean he was out of options.

  “Pallad.” Pallad stepped forward next, already drawing his Slaughterer’s Sword.

  “Judine.” She stepped forward third, with her hunters bow at the ready. She had picked it up during the year, and it seemed she’d finally have to learn it.

  “Clara.” Clara stated her own name fourth, but hadn’t stepped forward, summoning her staff of gold with a white marble snake curling around it.

  “Shammus.” Shammus said with the same exact tone as the rest of the party, drawing their dual machetes.

  “Hm, what nice names,” the man stood still, keeping that same grin as they quickly glanced between the five, “I’m sure they’ll have a good ring while on a tombstone.”

  The movement they made was quick, faster than Pallad could see, but Bariton could easily see such a swift move. “Raise your arm!” A quick callout that Pallad followed, blocking the strike with precision.

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  The blade itself vibrates as it loses some durability. Pallad swings outward, pushing the man back. “Ah, my name is Shadowing Voices, the current god of Void.” He rushes forward once more, attempting to stab Bariton cleanly through the heart.

  He quickly swerves to the side, and pierces an arrow into Shadowing’s side. Bariton snaps quickly causing a mana explosion. “Should’ve mentioned that it was enchanted, hm?” If there was one thing Bariton was good at, it was attempting to force a reaction.

  A quick yelp of pain released from Shadowing’s voice as Pallad made a swift slash downwards at the same time as Judine slowed it down. The results seem catastrophic to Shadowing, with their head being covered in blood and them having to stand holding their side.

  The gash in their head continues to spew blood as they fall to the ground. Then sink into it. The tower heroes don’t even get a chance to react as everything falls around them and scatters. They no longer have too stable of footing as the sky is blotted out.

  And Shadowing Voices stands there all the same. “Wow, you guys are strong…” His grin was replaced by a bit of a frown, and his hair was cut off allowing to see the eyes. “Good thing the rearrangement occurred, otherwise I would’ve truly had plenty of trouble against you.”

  His eyes reminded them of the Vessels, people the gods spoke through. They were a deep purple, with plus shaped irises. The pupils themselves were a familiar obsidian black, and there was no light in them. One of them had the design of a gear, and other had a word written in demonic.

  Bariton couldn’t translate it in time as they flew forward at speeds far surpassing his own, even with the dive to the left, his right arm still wound up badly damaged. Thankfully Clara in the back healed it nearly instantly.

  Without incantation either, which made it a lot harder for Shadowing to predict who was the healer with all of them attacking at once. Clara shot out light attribute pellets he was able to block without breaking an apparent sweat.

  Judine fired arrows of an unknown attribute, but they are probably similarly enchanted like the one Bariton stabbed into him. Shammus had been firing darts of red that actually hurt so he had to evade those too.

  But worst of all was Pallad, who had the very same sword that they’re least favorite god forged, the Slaughterer’s Sword. If that blade hit him he wouldn’t be able to use his boundless regeneration to regain the health lost.

  And it didn’t help that there was a trickster, a jack of all trades, Bariton. He noticed all the little things about how the fight was going, and seemed to lead the party into the way of victory. And Shadowing knew this. He glared right at Bariton but then decided to pick off the one dealing the least damage.

  And it seems he guessed right as his hand pierced through Bariton instead of his original target of Clara. This must be why the Head Admin stopped him from reading the text of the system. To figure it out himself as he wipes these mere mortals out.

  But Pallad was only slower than Bariton in theory. He cut right at the elbow of Shadowing Voices, and cleanly sliced it off. Shadowing’s face contorts more so into a grimace as he backs up. Bariton coughs up blood while Clara quickly heals him back to full.

  Shammus fires a shot while Shadowing backs up, landing a direct strike at the same time as Judine dealing massive damage. Shadowing screams out in pain as the combination works.

  His regeneration is capable of catching up to the attacks, but the arrow turns into a chain around Shadowing’s neck. “What did you do to me?” He gets out before he’s dragged quickly in one direction. The chain releases and his regeneration returns, but he’s still missing an arm.

  His balance is different now, but he’ll adapt. He knows he will. The problem is that all of them are still the exact same as they were at the start, not even tiring out. He quickly blinks and then remembers the best part of his godly powers.

  He controls the space they’re in. He no longer needs to rely on base stats as he too has powers. He forms a new arm out of the very void, making an arm that’s almost invisible. Shammus quickly fires another bolt, but he summons a wall of void that takes most of the damage.

  “Fine, I suppose I need to do more than just take you here.”