Corrupt Creations

Since Fourth Shadow and Seth were at that level, when they finally met, he was able to feel identify his realm and stage of cultivation. Immediately, he informed the whole group of his discoveries, making them change their stance to a more defensive one. At the same time, he initiated a conversation with the enemy. 

"Seth... You've betrayed Master Velgor, yet you dare to come back... I don't know if I should call you a brave or a fool. What I know, is that you didn't deserve to be favored by our Master, like you've always been. He had always given you the beast resources and the best opportunities, yet you had just turned his back towards him." 

"Does that even matter, Fourth Shadow? Mere stray dogs like the six of you, doesn't have the rights to say that. If you wanted to have Velgor's favor, you should have at least been born with talents. But I guess old and decrepit cultivators like you, would never have the chance to receive his favor, not even if you were to be born once again." Seth replied with a mocking intonation. 

Every single member of the Twelve Shadows had always felt that the Demon Emperor favored Seth a little too much, and since Velgor had never told them why, it had generated a sense of dissatisfaction inside of their hearts. However, none of them would dare to voice it out. 

But now that Seth was their enemy, people like Fourth Shadow finally had the courage to say something. 

Unfortunately, even though he was already an old practitioner, totally past his prime, he still felt he was more special than Seth. That's why those words were able to hurt him and his other five companions. 

"You!!! Just because you've reached the Profound Mana Realm, it doesn't mean you're capable of fighting like a cultivator at that level! Even though you were born with talent, I have a lot more experience than a brat like you. I'll teach you the real difference between us; between experience and naivety!" 

"Heh... Is that so?" Seth narrowed his eyes and smiled. 

As he looked towards those six individuals, he was only able to feel pity. They were actually mere slaves that followed behind Velgor's back, disposable tools that he could use at any time he wanted. Not only that, but tools that didn't know their limit. Yet they thought they were something special... Funny. 

They thought they were actually able to face someone like Seth, helping Velgor on dealing with a mere Profound Mana Realm cultivator, when in reality, they were actually overstepping their boundaries. Even if the six of them joined hands, they would never be able to fight against someone at Seth's threshold of power and they were just about to discover that fact. 

Fourth Shadow realized Seth's mocking intonation and asked: "Do you think this is funny? Is this some kind of joke for you...? Everyone, listen... I'm going to fight against him and I don't want anyone interfering with our battle." 

After saying those words, he started to calmly walk towards Seth's direction, certain that this next battle, would be a very simple and quick one. He just didn't know that he was actually right; however, the roles were going to be reversed and he was going to be the one that would be suffering a crushing defeat. 

As he walked forward, Fourth Shadow had the brilliant idea of teaching Seth the real difference between them, using the technique he was most confident of. The Shadow Walk. 

"Hah! Seth... You better watch this very closely, since this is going to be a lesson on how to properly use the Shadow Demon inheritance skills." 

Suddenly, Fourth Shadow accelerated his body, quickly moving sideways, as if trying to flank Seth. His speed kept increasing, making his body move faster and faster and at some point in time, dark elemental energy generated shadows around him, merging with his aura signature and making his body vanish. 

For him and the other members of the Twelve Shadows, being able to use the Shadow Walk, was a huge feat. Fourth Shadow even felt pride on being able to completely dominate the First Step of that technique, to the point that he was trying to show Seth how it should be done. 

However, he didn't know that his display of the Shadow Walk, could be considered as average at most. In Seth's eyes, not even was his speed comparable to a turtle's speed, but his technique was incomplete. What he was trying to do, was trying to teach a master, how the basics should be done. 

When his body completely disappeared, Fourth Shadow finally decided to enter in an offensive stance, attacking Seth from his blind spot. He thought he was thoroughly hidden and that no one would be able to see through his ability, but just as he approached Seth's body, ready to strike with a dark elemental attack, Seth suddenly turned his head towards him and smiled. 

"Pitiful." 

Thump! 

Seth's left hand swiftly punched Fourth Shadow's chest area, making his body suddenly stop. The impact wasn't that loud, nor did it release any Mana fluctuations, but somehow, that man had just stopped moving. 

All of a sudden, his pupils shrunk down to the size of a needle and his breathing stagnated. Inside of that man's body, nothing remained the same anymore. It was actually very impressive, the fact that he was still standing, even though it didn't seem he would be able to move by himself anymore. 

That punch created a very strange and dull noise, that passed unnoticed to the other members of the Twelve Shadows. What they were focusing at that moment, was why Fourth Shadow had suddenly stopped right beside Seth, staying still like a statue. 

Well... That answer was very simple, but even if Seth told them that his physical strength alone, was able to thoroughly destroy every single defensive mechanism that Fourth Shadow had, completely crushing his internal organs to a pulp, none of them would dare to believe. 

Fourth Shadow's cheat area skeleton at that moment, had turned into a calcium powder and slowly, thin lines of blood left from the corner of his lips, eyes and nose. 

Seth's physical strength was on another level already. Before entering the abyss, he was able to fight against a Profound Mana hound beast that excelled on raw physical powers and even win. Imagine how strong he was now that he had acquired precise methods of controlling and enhancing his body with Corruption, together with those four months of exhaustively training while using a heavy weapon. 

He was practically a monster now. 

Every single one of the five remaining members of the Twelve Shadows were completely puzzled with that situation, not understanding what had really happened at all. So, Seth chose to something that would perfectly illustrate what had occurred with that unlucky fellow. 

He suddenly grabbed Fourth Shadow's body and threw him towards his companions. When that body hit the ground near Sixth Shadow's feet, it stood there, cold and unmoving. 

Sixth Shadow quickly crouched down and used his hand to infuse a bit of Mana inside his companion's body, but after realizing his condition, he wasn't even able to express to the others, the shock he was feeling at that moment. 

"How is he?" Ninth Shadow quickly approached, but he stopped when he saw how pale was Sixth Shadow's countenance at that moment. Bue before he could hear the response, he heard Seth's mocking voice. 

"Heh... A pity. Maybe if he had showed me a little bit more of his Shadow Walk, I could've learnt something from him." Seth said while shaking his head. 

That phrase immediately made him catch the attention of everyone, but now, they were treating him very seriously, creasing their eyebrows in a solemn expression. 

"We are going to do it together. Do not spare any efforts to deal with him." Nith Shadow suddenly said to his companions. 

Not a single one of them questioned his phrase. All of them agreed on fighting together against Seth, while using their strongest abilities. 

"Very well... Then let's begin." Seth's figure suddenly vanished, catching every single one of them by surprise. 

Five different energy scans covered the whole area, but unfortunately, none of them were able to discover his actual position. 

Even though they were all dark elemental practitioners, not a single one of them had a level of mastery that was high enough to counter Seth's Shadow Walk. Only Second Shadow would be able to do that, but with a lot of difficulty. However, that man was already dead. 

As the group of five kept scanning the area, trying to miraculously discover any traces left behind by Seth, they were unaware that he was still standing at the same place. He hadn't even moved yet and kept observing those five fools that still thought they could fight against an opponent like him.