The frenzied cultists around him suddenly dropped like switches had been turned off, collapsing to the ground completely motionless.
Archibald and the others began to look bewildered, seemingly unclear about what they were currently doing.
Their eyes involuntarily scanned the entire basement, searching for anything that could catch their attention.
John felt dizzy and his mind went blank.
He didn't know what to say, nor did he know how to react properly.
His hands trembled, and he clenched his teeth tightly.
He realized that this piece of wood was not as simple as he had thought.
No, it must be burned, completely destroyed to truly eliminate the danger.
The thick black mist in the air seemed to be growing denser.
John felt an unusual change in his heart.
His hands shook slightly as he bit down hard.
He must leave this place...
John stumbled towards the exit, but it was already too late.
The black mist began to slowly gather in the air, eventually forming a huge black pus-filled sphere.
Inside, countless skulls churned incessantly, and various voices moaned and screamed within it.
It seemed as if it would overflow the next second, utterly consuming their sanity.
The black mist quickly enveloped John completely.
As the black fog began to gather, those around him slowly came to their senses.
"Damn it, big brother!"
Archibald saw John about to be completely wrapped in the dense black fog, clenched his teeth, and without any hesitation, charged directly into the mist.
Leopold was taken aback, unable to stop him in time, and ultimately had no choice but to rush in after him.
Amelia and Isabella exchanged a look, and without any hesitation, they too plunged into the thick fog.
The people of Hidden Stars were shocked, not expecting these young individuals to charge in so fearlessly.
They instinctively wanted to follow, but the black mist seemed to have reached saturation, swallowing up these young ones before completely dissipating into the air.
At the same time, the wooden statue shattered entirely.
The black mist in the air vanished, replaced by a faint scent of roses.
As for that final black mist, Principal Sophia was unsure of its nature, but she felt that it likely spelled a great disaster for those children.
"Principal Sophia, what should we do? We don't know the condition of the children; what actions should we take?" Diana was visibly anxious.
After all, these children were all registered under Hidden Stars and were among the brightest students from Star Cluster Academy.
Moreover, they were the sons and daughters of nobility; if something went wrong, they couldn't bear the consequences.
Additionally, the Military Department was highly interested in this matter, and any mishap under their watch would not be taken lightly.
The expression on Principal Sophia's face turned exceedingly grave, causing a shiver to go through those around her.
Considering that Sophia was a semigod-tier figure, her visible concern only heightened the anxiety of others who felt even less capable of resolving the situation with the children.
"Wait," Principal Sophia slowly uttered, leaving everyone around her momentarily stunned.
What did she mean by that? Could they only passively wait for the children to emerge?
"But..."
Diana's worry lingered, uncertain of the actual situation inside and what they would do if something unexpected happened.
"Do you have a better idea?"
Principal Sophia glanced at Diana lightly, stifling the words Diana almost spoke and making her feel a surge of frustration.
Even Sophia, a semigod-tier powerhouse, was at a loss; Diana, merely a diamond-tier awakener, felt utterly insignificant in her presence, despite being considered exceptional by others.
In front of Sophia, she felt like nothing.
"Seal off this area; no one is allowed in or out."
Principal Sophia felt a headache coming on.
Truth be told, she knew these children could potentially face danger, but she had never imagined the Dusk Sect would be so deranged.
John had single-handedly destroyed the Dusk Sect's hideout, yet he had not anticipated the presence of a dark god's statue.
For the followers of the dark god, the statue was undoubtedly the best kind of buff, but for someone like John, it was a different story entirely.
They...
Now, it was unclear what had happened, but it seemed they might have fallen into a secret realm.
Only when they emerged would the full story be known.
Upon hearing this, Diana breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly instructed her subordinates to completely encircle the area.
There was nothing they could do now but quietly wait for the students inside to come out.
Principal Sophia did not leave either; she stayed nearby, vigilant.
She had a persistent feeling that a greater conspiracy was unfolding behind this incident, one specifically targeting John, or perhaps aimed at the Star Cluster Academy itself.