(Warning: Content may be too graphic; read at your own risk.)
As this voice appeared, an insane amount of pressure popped up and crashed down at Ribry who was about to make a move through the screen.
“This……” Ribry felt like he was stuck inside a swamp and had a hard time moving.
A master!
An absolute master!
This master was able to suppress Ribry who was a peak Five-Star Warrior, making him lose the ability to fight back. Right now, Ribry felt weaker than before when his star swirls and energy channels were damaged and broke. After being targeted by this pressure, Ribry felt like he was a puppet on a string. He couldn’t move any of his body parts unless that mysterious master allowed it.
“Bring him here……” that voice said. It sounded like two rusty butcher cleavers grinding against each other, and it made people wanting to throw up.
Just hearing it for the first time, Ribry felt a tremendous amount of fear on his mind.
After that voice appeared, two fully armed soldiers walked out and captured Ribry again. Then, they walked around the maids in white dresses and went behind the screen.
Even though Ribry was much more powerful than those two soldiers, he was targeted by that mysterious master’s aura, and he couldn’t do anything.
After passing by the screen and a layer of thin magic sphere, an intense, bloody smell rushed at Ribry’s face.
The back of the palace was a mysterious place, and the most eye-catching thing was a huge map that was made from an unknown material. It looked smooth, exquisite, and sturdy, and it had a white glare to it; it was of top material.
On this map, there were many trees, mountains, and forests, and there were also a lot of red marks that pointed out the cities and military fortresses.
Ribry was a military commander, and he instantly identified that this map drew out the territories of Zenit, Spartax, and Eindhoven. The cities and fortresses were the most important places of the three empires.
In front of this very detailed military map, there was a man in red.
He had long black hair that reached his waist, and he was wearing a bloody-red loose robe. At the moment, he was standing on a thick, soft rug barefooted, and he was looking at this military map as if he was appreciating the most precious treasure in the world.
Ribry’s pupil instantly contracted.
He sensed a huge amount of murderous spirit from this man.
Of course, that pressure and aura he felt outside the screen were from this man.
This man was definitely a Moon-Class Elite, and he was a terrifying killer who had taken the lives of numerous people.
“Look, isn’t this map perfect?” this black-haired man in red turned around and asked Ribry.
Now, Ribry finally saw this man’s face.
It was a hideous face.
There were many small dark-red pits on his face, and it looked like his face got burned. His facial features weren’t clear; everything except his eyes felt like they were smudged together. However, even though his eyes were bright, when people observed carefully, they would be scared by the dangerous and crazy lights.
Ribry had a steady and strong mind, but he got a little scared when he saw this man’s face at first.
This ugly man in red noticed Ribry’s expression, but it didn’t seem like he cared. He pointed at the military map in front of him and asked, “What? You got scared? I apologize for that…… Look at this map, what do you think?”
“It is…… quite perfect.” Ribry nodded; he wasn’t trying to flatter this man.
In fact, didn’t matter if it were the material used or the drawing technique, they were all top-tier. This could be considered a masterpiece.
“Yeah, but unfortunately, this map isn’t completed. It is missing a part……” this ugly man in red murmured to himself.
Ribry focused on this map and saw a hole in it. For some reason, there was a square hole that was about 40 centimeters on each side in the middle of the map. It was supposed to be where St. Petersburg was, and it felt like someone cut it out on purpose, making it no longer perfect.
“General Ribry, I asked you here to help me complete this map.” This ugly man in red turned around and looked at Ribry with crazy eyes.
“I can help you?” Ribry was confused.
“Hahaha, for sure! It depends on if you are willing to help. I used three days to gather all the materials, and I personally did the drawings. Now, it is only one step away from perfection. I need one thing from you to complete this map. Ahahahaha!” This ugly man in red suddenly started laughing.
Ribry was in complete bafflement.
At this moment, he suddenly heard a deep and hoarse cry. It sounded like the sad cry of a dying beast, and it was bone-chilling as if it was the background music in hell.
Ribry turned his head and looked in the direction of that voice.
He was stunned!
There was a pile of flesh-like thing crawling at a far corner of the rug, and it was slightly shaking with blood gushing out of it, staining the rug under it. That bone-chilling cry came from it.
A terrible feeling appeared in Ribry’s head.
He took a closer look and suddenly discovered something. His body trembled, and this man, who never cried even though he was put through some inhumane tortures, had tears rolling down his face.
“Arthur, is it you? Is it you, Arthur……” Ribry asked in a shaky voice.
At this moment, he felt like even his soul was shattering and breaking.
This pile of flesh was the young man who was pulled from that gloomy prison two hours ago. He never forgot his honor, and he gave his medal to Ribry for safekeeping. He was 19 years old, and his name was Arthur.
Two hours ago, he was still a young man who was attracted to the hopes of life.
But now, he was like a beast, crawling on the ground. His flesh was exposed, and blood was running out of his body. Ribry only recognized this young guard through the familiar eyes, and he could never forget the pain that was expressed through them.
This young man got skinned completely while he was still alive!
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Ribry had never cried in his life so far, but tears rolled down his face uncontrollably. Even though he completely recovered, he felt like he was the one who was skinned. His eyes turned bright red, and he felt like his body was going to explode as if it was enveloped by lava.
“B*****d…… You animal……” Ribry was never this angry before, and he felt like his cussing and swearing were so weak.
He suddenly understood everything.
A sinful act!
Human skin!
The beautiful military map of the three empires was made from special-treated human skin, and the skin was from…… his 20 guards!
In the last while, one of his guards was taken out of the prison cell every two hours. Then, they were probably skinned alive, and their skin was used for the making of this map.
It was…… unforgivable!
Ribry struggled intensely and wanted to break free. He wanted to kill this man in front of him and put an end to all of this…… He also wanted to end the life of that young man to end his suffering…… Unfortunately, he couldn’t do any of that.
The ugly man in red in front of him locked him down, and the drastic difference in strength didn’t allow him to do anything.
“Too bad that you have a huge scar on your forehead, and that part couldn’t be used. However, I already gathered 20 sheets of human skin, and I don’t need the skin on your face. Congratulations, because of this scar, you will get to keep the skin on your head!” this ugly man in red said as he looked at Ribry as if he was looking at a pig in a slaughterhouse.
“Why? Why are you so cruel? They are the most loyal warriors of the empire. Why do you have to torture them like this?” Ribry stared at this ugly man in red with furious eyes and asked.
“Hahaha, only the skin of warriors is tight and firm enough to make the perfect human-skin map. Hahaha, you don’t understand. When you are being skinned alive, your body will tighten due to the pain and fear. The human skin in that condition has the most cluster…… Therefore, skinning humans is an art. You got to be very careful, or you would damage……”
As if this ugly man in red was in a world of his own, he completely ignored Ribry and murmured to himself.
“Why? Why do you have to do this? Why do you need this map?” Ribry continued to shout out his question; he felt like the anger in his mind could burn through everything.
“Hehe, with the skin of 21 warriors, I would be able to make the military map of the three empires. Hehe, I will give it to the great God of War, Crown Prince Arshavin His Highness. It will be a gift to him when he inherits the throne, and I’m sure he will like it……”
This ugly man in red continued to murmur to himself, and it felt like he was crazy.
“Who are you? Tell me! Who are you? I swear! I will kill you! I swear with my honor, my blood, and my soul! Even if I must become an undead creature, I will do it and kill you! Kill you!!!!!!!!!!!” Ribry also fell into a mad state.
“Oh? My name? My name is Trace, one of the guardians of the Imperial Senate. I will wait for your revenge, hehe.” As if this ugly man in red sensed the shocking anger in Ribry, his expression changed a little. Then, he laughed and said, “But before that, I will let you get a taste of my skill.”
As he said that, he flicked his finger, and a green sword energy flew toward Ribry.
A straight wound was cut from Ribry’s left shoulder to right, and it was very light; it only pierced through his skin.
Then, drips of blood appeared.
The skinning process was about to begin.
Ribry’s expression didn’t change. As he stared at this ugly man in red, who was named Trace, fiercely as if he wanted to seal this face into his soul, he said word by word, “King Alexander of Chambord will know about this, and he will avenge for us! I’m sure that you will be killed! Mr. Alexander will skin you, and he will do to you whatever you did to us!!!!!!”
“Really?” Trace locked down Ribry with his aura and shot out another green sword energy, leaving another perfect wound on Ribry’s body. Then, he said slowly, “I couldn’t wait for that to happen. Even if the King of Chambord is here, I can easily skin him. Hahaha, I’m sure the skin of a king is beautiful……”
Before he could finish, changes occurred.
“Really? You sick b*stard! I’m here; try to skin me!”
An angry and murderous voice sounded outside the Mayor’s Mansion like thunder, and a figure instantly approached at a fast speed. This figure was still quite far from the mansion in the beginning, but he was already outside this palace before he finished speaking.
At this moment, bright lights appeared in Ribry’s eyes.
The ugly man in red, Trace, was also surprised.
In front of the screen, Mayor Soroyov shouted in fear, “It…… is the King of Chambord?!!”
P.S. A big shout out to Adam A., Nadav M., and Jack! Thanks for the support on Patreon!