novelraw Chapter 316: A Day No One Could Forget
Chapter 316: A Day No One Could Forget
Hmm?
Cyras, Garric, and Celene were stunned. Their eyes widened slightly while they exchanged subtle glances with each other.
Except for the Slave Trade Guild Captain, no one should have known about their arrival. Yet the people before them were already waiting calmly as if they had expected them from the very beginning. Still, they recovered quickly from their brief shock.
Celene stepped forward with measured movements. Her sharp gaze landed on Mira and Basil for a brief moment before shifting toward the Jackal Beastman seated beside them.
She could clearly sense that the Jackal Beastman was stronger than the two humans combined. However, from the current arrangement, it was obvious the true authority within the room belonged to the human pair.
Interesting thoughts surfaced within her mind.
Without another word, she pulled a chair backward and sat opposite them calmly.
Beside her, Cyras and Garric also took their seats. The two had already reached the same conclusion as Celene. Something unusual was happening within this town.
Even though the pressure radiating from Celene, Garric, and Cyras was overwhelming enough to suffocate ordinary awakeners, neither Mira nor Basil showed any visible fear.
The atmosphere inside the hall became strangely tense.
Basil slowly cleared his throat before leaning slightly forward.
"We already know why you came here." His voice remained calm and steady. "You came searching for the Grim Reaper. Unfortunately, as you can see, he already left this town."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Also, this town no longer belongs to the Slave Trade Guild. From this day onward, the town belongs to the Grim Reaper."
The declaration echoed clearly throughout the large hall.
Hmm?
Celene, Cyras, and Garric could not hide the shock on their faces any longer. Their expressions stiffened instantly. Even Cyras slightly opened his mouth in disbelief.
"A Are you serious?" Garric finally asked after several seconds of silence. His voice sounded as though he had just heard the most absurd thing imaginable.
Although shocked inwardly, Celene recovered much faster than the other two. Her beautiful brows slowly knitted into a dangerous frown.
"Do you even understand what you just said?" she asked slowly. Her cold voice carried faint killing intent.
"With your pathetic level of strength, how dare you publicly declare this town belongs to the Grim Reaper?"
"Are all of you tired of living already?"
The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop instantly.
Heavy pressure descended upon everyone present.
The air itself became suffocating.
The Jackal Beastman sitting beside Basil instinctively clenched his claws tightly. Sweat slowly formed around his forehead despite his thick fur.
Mira leaned slightly forward while a faint smile appeared upon her lips.
Previously, she had always been fearful and timid. Since arriving on the second floor, she had constantly hidden behind stronger people while suppressing her own thoughts and emotions.
She feared conflict.
She feared speaking.
She feared death.
That fear had turned her into a puppet that blindly followed others. That was why she became manipulated by Cressida and their former captain so easily.
However, after witnessing Thoren massacre the Jackal Chief alongside the elite forces of the Slave Trade Guild, something inside her had completely changed.
She finally realized how pathetic she had become.
Fear had weakened her spirit.
Fear had controlled her choices.
But now everything was different.
Mira slowly raised her eyes and looked directly into Celene’s cold gaze without retreating.
"Why do you care?" she asked calmly.
Her sudden response caused the atmosphere to freeze briefly.
Mira continued speaking before anyone could interrupt her.
"It is not like any of you truly care whether we live or die."
"So whatever decision we choose to make has nothing to do with you."
Her voice remained soft, yet every word carried surprising firmness.
"Besides, we are simply obeying the Grim Reaper’s command."
"He fought alone and conquered this town through sheer strength. He defeated the Jackal Chief and crushed the Slave Trade Guild forces completely."
"Therefore, this town naturally belongs to him."
Her words sounded matter of fact.
Listening to her explanation, the three visitors could barely believe what they were hearing.
Celene opened her mouth slightly, intending to refute her statements, but no words emerged.
Because deep inside, she knew Mira was correct.
Neither she nor the others truly cared about the people living within this town. Their mission only involved locating the Grim Reaper. Everything else was irrelevant.
The lives of strangers meant nothing to them.
Suddenly, Garric’s expression darkened heavily.
"So what?" he snapped sharply. His voice rose several octaves.
"You people probably believe the Grim Reaper is your savior."
"But you are all fools."
"If he truly saved you, then why do you think powerful people like us came searching for him?"
"He may seem invincible within the Scorched Outskirts, but the moment he enters the Crimson Dunes, reality will crush him completely."
Garric leaned forward while speaking arrogantly.
"In the inner region, monsters far stronger than him exist everywhere."
"Powerful clans dominate entire territories there."
"The Slave Trade Guild alone possesses strength capable of burying this entire town in blood within a single night."
"So stop dreaming."
"Wake up and face reality before it is too late."
His tone became colder with every sentence.
"Your lives are already hanging by a thread."
"Count your remaining days carefully while waiting for death."
The atmosphere instantly turned tense again.
Cyras glanced sideways toward Garric before sighing inwardly. He knew Garric was merely trying to impress Celene by acting dominant and fearless. Unfortunately, Garric was going far beyond reason.
Still, Cyras could not completely deny Garric’s words.
After all, the Slave Trade Guild truly possessed terrifying influence across the Bleeding Desert. Very few dared oppose them openly.
Even Celene remained silent. Deep within her heart, she partially agreed with Garric’s warning.
Although she personally had no interest in attacking this town, that did not mean others would show similar restraint.
Once news spread about the destruction of the Slave Trade Guild branch, retaliation would definitely arrive eventually.
However, contrary to their expectations, fear never appeared on Mira or Basil’s faces.
Instead, faint smiles slowly formed upon both their lips.
The calmness within their expressions unsettled the three visitors greatly.
Mira slowly folded her hands together before speaking softly.
"Have any of you actually seen the Grim Reaper before?"
Hmm?
The question confused them instantly.
What did that have to do with the current situation?
Basil leaned backward against his chair while crossing his arms calmly.
"From your expressions alone, we can already tell the answer."
"You have never seen him."
His voice carried absolute certainty. "Do you know why weak people like us can govern this town peacefully despite being weaker than countless others here?"
Cyras narrowed his eyes slightly. He suddenly felt an unpleasant sensation rising within his chest.
Without waiting for anyone to answer, Basil continued speaking slowly.
"Because every single person within this town witnessed the horror of the Grim Reaper personally."
His voice became deeper.
"Humans witnessed it."
"Jackal Beastmen witnessed it."
"Everyone saw what happened that very day."
"A day none of us could ever forget."
Instantly, the hall fell into a deep terrifying silence. The duo forget to breath for a moment while trying to imagine what could have happened.