Panic gripped everyone; they were unsure of how to proceed.
They had never encountered a situation like this before, and they had no idea what poison was on the dagger.
It was terrifying that someone as powerful as John now seemed completely defenseless.
"Don't move, just stay put here. We have to believe in John!"
Archibald, although internally frantic, forced himself to calm down.
He must stay calm.
They had to have faith in John.
Even if there were complications, they could be resolved.
John had always led them; he couldn't just fall here.
Although others were still worried, they gathered around.
Everyone watching from the outside through the silver mirror suddenly stood up.
They were all deeply concerned for John.
Right now, he was their only hope of getting their children out safely.
If John truly died, then their children's fate would be sealed too!
...
Outside the secret realm, the families of the traitors were taken into custody.
Although it was unclear why these children had suddenly turned against their comrades, now that they had acted, a thorough investigation was necessary.
If their parents were also under some enchantment and currently among them, that would pose the greatest threat to everyone involved.
Those suspected were deeply upset and distressed, despite being dissatisfied with the suspicion cast upon them.
After all, their children had indeed committed unforgivable acts.
Several of the children's bodies had even been blown to pieces, making resurrection impossible.
The families of these clans glared fiercely at the group, as if given the chance, they would tear them apart completely.
But for now, they had to hold back.
No one knew exactly what had happened or the full scope of the situation.
Everyone was in the dark about John's current condition.
They were all waiting for John to wake up.
Whether dead or alive, they needed to know the outcome.
"Principal! What should we do now?"
Geoffrey and Percival watched as John completely passed out, his health bar fluctuating wildly like a cliff dive, which was particularly frightening.
When they first saw John injured, their hearts sank, thinking he was surely done for.
But the next second, a shivering sensation rose from the depths of his heart!
The murmuring voices grew louder, repeating incessantly in his mind.
He painfully clutched his head, seeming to thrash but also appearing motionless.
He felt as if the space around him and even time itself had become completely jumbled, like an abstract ink painting stirred into chaos at that moment.
At the same time, more and more voices emerged in his mind, as if countless people were incessantly talking inside his head.
The noise was overwhelming, yet he couldn't make out any of it.
The tip of his nose was filled with an endless scent of blood, and a tremendous pressure approached him.
He saw the temple doors slowly opening, but beyond them lay nothingness.
The doors, so sacred, now seemed somewhat twisted, bringing him an indescribable sense of fear.
He opened his mouth, wanting to scream in agony, to shout, but no sound came out, as if his entire being was sealed.
At the same time, the blood in his body began to boil.
Despite being merely a consciousness with no physical body, he could still feel his blood seemingly starting to evaporate slowly.
The air grew thicker with the scent of blood, as if even the smell was becoming jubilant, as though welcoming something.
The murmurs became increasingly chaotic and jumbled.
He desperately clung to the last vestige of clarity within him, but those murmurs, like ink, slowly stained all his mind power black.
They seemed to be telling him to relax; just relaxing a bit would spare him from the struggle.
Why resist so painfully?
Just relax, and they could all sink together.
They could enjoy the most wonderful things in the world, together welcome the arrival of the prime god.
They could revel in the feeling of being exalted above others.
Stop resisting, let go...
The murmurs gradually became clearer, and John's tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed, almost ready to give in.
But then, suddenly, a heat surged in his chest! This jolt pulled John's drifting spirit fully back.
Deep within John's spirit, Yina suddenly awoke, sensing something awry in John's mind sea.
"Is this... the dark god?"
Yina distinctly felt the mind sea beginning to churn violently, darkening gradually from a distant point as if being tainted.
"Damn it! What is he up to now?"
Yina cursed, fluttering her tiny wings to float above the mind sea.
What was usually calm and waveless now resembled a tsunami, with towering waves rising high.
Moreover, the seawater was a deep black, looking particularly menacing.