ushernet Chapter 63: Lord Victor's calculation
Chapter 63: Lord Victor's calculation
Lyerin stood still, his gaze shifting slowly towards the figure perched atop the massive shoulder of one of the Cragar'Throm Clan Mana beasts.
There, in the dim light of the dungeon, sat Lord Victor, one of the highest-ranking assassins in the Borgias family, with an air of serene control. His dark silhouette exuded an effortless dominance as if even the powerful Mana beast beneath him was oblivious to his presence.
Lyerin's expression remained calm, his face a mask of stoic indifference, but inside, a brief flicker of unease crept into his chest.
Lord Victor's presence here was unexpected, to say the least, and unsettling in its implications.
Yet, Lyerin showed no outward sign of discomfort, his eyes instead moving towards the four assassins—Lucius, Aria, Kira, and Varus—who were now bound in place by the gnarly roots of an ancient, monstrous tree.
The roots wrapped around their limbs like thick coils of living rope, suspending them in midair, their bodies pinned against the ghostly branches of the enormous Torture Ghost Tree.
Their eyes were distant, glazed over, as though they were staring into nothingness, completely unaware of their surroundings.
Each of them had roots extending from the tree into their mouths, gagging them, while another thick, grotesque root wormed its way into the side of their skulls, burrowing through their ears and pulsating with an ominous, viscous liquid.
The tree itself was a macabre sight—its bark pale and translucent like ghostly skin, with faces etched into the surface that twisted and morphed in agony. The branches swayed in a breeze that did not exist, carrying a sinister energy, as though the tree fed on the pain and fear of its victims.
Lord Victor chuckled lightly, the sound dark and knowing as he observed Lyerin's calm exterior. "Ah, the Torture Ghost Tree," he mused, his voice soft yet carrying the weight of authority and experience. "A magnificent creature, is it not?"
Lyerin remained silent, watching Lord Victor as the elder assassin continued, his tone turning almost conversational. "This tree is said to be one of the most feared weapons in this ruined magical world, a torture method unlike any other. Its roots burrow deep into the minds of its victims, trapping them in an endless illusion of pain.
They experience agonizing torment, not only physical but mental as well—flesh searing, bones breaking, minds unraveling—all in the span of mere seconds. Yet, to the victims, it feels like an eternity. Time becomes irrelevant to them, lost in a cycle of eternal suffering until the tree consumes them entirely, their very essence devoured."
Lord Victor would point his mouth at the four and say, "I'm sure these four are experiencing hallucinations now. Probably, they are fighting you in the Ghost Tree illusion."
His voice carried an almost reverent tone as he continued explaining the legend of the Torture Ghost Tree, weaving a story that was equal parts terrifying and awe-inspiring. "It's incredibly rare, this tree. Summoning one alone requires immense skill. Controlling one… well, that is something few have ever achieved. Many have tried to study its effects—many like me.
For years, I sought to understand this creature, to unlock its secrets. But no matter how many experiments we performed, we could never get it to fully materialize. Our theories, re