"Who?" Nuna asked, fury evident in his eyes as he tried to mobilize his mana and completely incapacitate Erin. However, before he could do so, Erin closed his eyes and used the special power of his clan that he had been saving for 18+ years now.
"STOP" He said, using the power of his voice, as immediately Nuna and all of his security team flinched, unable to move a single muscle.
The great god could not understand why he could not move an inch after a mortal commanded him, however, he did not know about the power of the church of vanity.
Since childhood, Erin had not used the power of his voice for years.
Not swearing once, always talking politely and never uttering any prohibited words, Erin kept accumulating the power of his voice, until he decided to use it all today on one simple command— 'Stop'.
At this point, the 18 years of dormant power inside his voice was so strong that not even Nuna could brush it off, as the old god literally found himself unable to move a single muscle.
*Spot*
Blowing a poisoned dart, Erin executed the assassination to perfection as the dart lodged itself into Nuna's neck, the poison spreading fast in his veins.
Nuna's pupils dilated, fear evident in his eyes as he realized that he would die very soon, however, before he could do anything about it, or punish the guy who killed him, Erin crushed the teleportation token on his arm and bailed out of the area, having pulled off one of the greatest assassinations of all time.
*Thud*
Once Erin was gone, Nuna collapsed to the floor, a low groan escaped his lips.
The poisoned dart lodged deep in his neck began working immediately, its venom surging through his veins with terrifying speed.
His skin, once pale and radiant with divine power, began to change—a sickly greenish hue spread from his neck, seeping outward like ink in water.
His body convulsed uncontrollably as the poison ravaged him from the inside.
Every nerve in his body felt as if it was being set on fire, each heartbeat pumping the deadly toxin further through his system.
The plan had gone as smoothly as it could, however, whether or not Erin could convert the plan into a success and manage to get out alive, now depended on his own abilities.
Moments passed and the silence fell gutting to all.
It was a tense period for the team, however, the anxiety of the wait was converted to the mad joy of Erin's return, as after 10 long minutes which felt like an eternity, Erin's form started to become clear as he approached the meeting point with a steady stride.
As Erin's figure grew clearer, a wave of emotion crashed over the group like a tidal wave. Buhara's eyes filled with tears, his usual brutish expression breaking apart as raw relief flooded him. "Erin!" he shouted, rushing forward without hesitation, as he used his massive arms to envelope the smaller man in a bone-crushing hug.
Erin, usually so shy, didn't resist. He let out a shaky breath, his body trembling from exhaustion and the weight of what he had just done.
Rocky, overwhelmed, quickly followed. Without a word, he threw his arms around both Buhara and Erin, burying his face in their shoulders. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but for the first time in what felt like an eternity, it wasn't from fear. It was from the overwhelming relief that they had made it, that Erin had made it.
However, surprisingly, Kronos, usually composed and reserved, finally let the dam break.
He too stepped forward, silently joining the embrace, as his arms wrapped around the group too, with the weight of their victory and the impossible task they had accomplished, crashing down on him.
For the first time in months, his cold facade crumbled. A tear slipped down his cheek, but he made no effort to hide it.
For a long moment, none of them spoke. There were no words left to say. The fear, the uncertainty, the sheer insanity of what they had just done melted away in that one collective hug.
They were no longer warriors, or assassins, or adventurers—they were just four friends who had faced death together and survived.
Erin finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse. "We did it," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion, as Rocky tightened his grip on them all, tears freely flowing down his face. "We did," he echoed, his voice thick with gratitude and pride.
In that moment, the team allowed themselves to feel everything—the fear, the relief, the joy—and for a brief while, the world outside didn't matter. All that mattered was that they had survived, and they had done it together.
—-----
/// A/N - Friendship is a powerful force in life, writing this chapter made me miss my friends that have scattered over the world. ///