บท 186: Chapter 186: The Masked Man

In a certain cave in a certain country on a certain continent.

Several braziers burned in this cavern, large enough to accommodate a hundred people. Though not as bright as daylight, the flames provided clear illumination. Twenty-three people stood quietly beneath a platform just over a meter high, making no sound.

At that moment, a person wearing a bronze mask emerged slowly from a small cave. Though this person came out silently, the twenty-three individuals seemed to sense it simultaneously, all rising to bow and saying in unison, "We pay our respects to the Sovereign!"

With the sound of the salute, the masked figure was exposed to the light of the flames. Strangely, he cast no shadow! However, the others seemed unperturbed by this peculiarity, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.