Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World - Chapter 674

Capítulo 674: Peak World Part 9

Solmir tightened his grip on the medallions. He didn’t like trusting a stranger, but what choice did he have?

Play along—or be killed on the spot?

Although Reign looked angelic on the outside, that wide grin told the golden god he was anything but kind.

“You’re probably wondering why I would help you,” Reign said, breaking the silence.

“The truth is, I can’t set foot past the treasure in this place. The barrier rejects anyone too powerful. Only those at your level can enter once all the medallions are gathered.”

It was a lie, but the excuse made the god feel important, and that was enough to push him to cooperate.

“So… you’re saying I’m the only one who can go in?”

Reign gave a slow nod, the faintest smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Yes. I’m too powerful—if I force my way in, the treasure chamber will collapse and everything inside will be lost.”

Solmir nodded. Mechanisms like that weren’t uncommon.

The old generation had put them in place to stop the powerful from abusing their strength and taking everything for themselves.

That was why only Higher Gods were chosen for this expedition.

“Why me?” he asked, the final question lingering in his mind.

If Reign only needed a Higher God, he could have revealed himself to the other three.

“I chose you because we share the same kind of power. And I can’t stand the other three—the way they act high and mighty, as if those who use the power of divinity are nothing but pushovers.”

Solmir nodded in agreement, feeling the same resentment.

“I don’t care about the main treasure—I’m after something else, a book. Once you find it, I’ll reward you with an item equal to what you’re seeking in this place.”

The golden god drew a deep breath. The thought of stealing the book for himself crept in, especially with how interested Reign seemed in it—unaware it was all a lie from the start.

“Okay… I’ll work with you.” Solmir lifted his hand for a handshake.

“Work with me?” Reign chuckled, amused by the insolence.

“I… I mean work for you,” Solmir corrected quickly.

“That’s better.” Reign nodded before fading away like a ghost.

A voice echoed through the darkness.

“Kill those three. Take their medallion after you kill the last guardian. Then I’ll guide you to the treasure’s location.”

Solmir gave a slight nod before heading back to camp.

By the time the firelight came into view, his face showed nothing of what had just happened.

He even let out a low laugh under his breath, already imagining the moment he would strike and cut the others down.

The group gathered quickly, their focus turning to their next mission.

Thaloren leaned over the map his scouts had drawn.

“We head east. The energy is stronger there. That’s where the next medallion will be.”

No one argued.

It was the most logical conclusion.

Solmir kept his expression calm. He played the part of a cooperative ally.

“Then we head east at first light.”

But there was no first light. Thaloren insisted they travel under cover of darkness.

They packed quickly and set out, their footsteps muted against the ground. Flight was still not possible, but their speed surpassed anything ordinary means of transport.

The deeper they went, the more oppressive the air became. The forest thinned, giving way to hard stone and cliffs.

Just breathing the air told them enough—the guardian waiting here was on an entirely different level than the ones they defeated.

While the group went deeper into the canyon, Reign was already among them.

He slipped into the crowd with ease—there were plenty of gods on the move, and with most of them hiding their faces behind masks, blending in required little effort.

By the time they reached the canyon’s center, its sheer size dwarfed them.

The sound of wind rushing through narrow gaps created a low, mournful howl that never seemed to end.

Xara gave a teasing smile.

“Lovely place you’ve led us to, Thaloren. Hope the prize is worth it.”

Thaloren ignored her, scanning the canyon walls. “Stay alert. This isn’t just stone and wind. Something’s here.”

The warning came too late.

A sudden gust roared through the canyon, howling louder than before.

The force slammed into them like a wall.

Lower-ranking gods staggered back snapping into place—yet the wind cut straight through, sharp as blades.

A chorus of screams rang out as blood sprayed across the rocks

Solmir braced himself, planting his feet as his cloak whipped behind him, a golden barrier shielded his group.

The other gods followed his lead, raising their own defenses.

Four domes lit the canyon—gold, crimson, green, and black—each with its own power.

Solmir’s shield blocked the gale outright, Veron’s flames turned it into vapor, Thaloren’s currents bent and redirected it, while Xara’s dome drank the wind into itself like a black hole.

For a while, their barriers held, but the gale didn’t fade.

It only grew fiercer, a constant pressure that pressed against them without end.

Step by step, they were being forced back to where they entered.

Thaloren clearly had the strength to resist longer, but he gave ground with the rest, unwilling to waste his power.

Solmir did the same, masking his retreat behind the golden barrier. Better to let them think he was strained than reveal the trump card he still carried.

Reign watched from the shadows, barely keeping himself from laughing.

These so-called gods, struggling against mere wind? To him, it was nothing more than a breeze.

The longer he watched, the more convinced he became that calling them gods was nothing but nonsense.

It was just a title they clung to so they could feel good about themselves.

He pulled back with them, choosing to go along. What he really wanted was to see how they planned to get around this challenge.

Unfortunately, they did a boring moved.

Instead of coming up with a plan, they chose to camp outside the canyon and wait for sunrise, convinced the winds might change by then.