Chương 65: Chapter 65

"What? Really? How did you find it? "Zack asked surprised.

"Well, basically, we found traces of someone using corruption in a nearby area. After asking a few questions to the locals and searching a bit, we managed to narrow the search area by a lot. Then we just needed to wait until one of the members appeared so we could follow him to their lair, and that's all. A new cultist's base was found." one of his men explained.

"Good work, guys. Let's get ready so we can go there tonight and raid their base before they find out that we know that place. " Zack told his group.

"As you order, boss!" all of them replied excitedly at the same time.

After that, everyone stood up from the table and left so they could prepare their equipment for the mission, while Zack sat down on one of the empty chairs so he could eat something.

Right now, Zack was staying at Xeles, a village that was by the side of the sea that was created by the combined efforts of both the Yuoko and the Esvert, with the idea of it becoming the main port to travel toward the new continent. Because of this, the flow of people was pretty large, as resources came and went every day.

In the middle of the town resided the base of the anticultist groups, which was a small stone castle, in which Zack and his men were right now.

After finishing his meal, Zack directed himself toward the central courtyard of the castle, where he found his group preparing to leave.

"Do you have everything ready?" Zack asked his companions.

"Yes, boss. We have our equipment ready for action, and we have also prepared a map that shows exactly the location of the enemy's base. " One of his men said while handing him a paper scroll.

After accepting it, Zack opened the scroll and inspected it to find out that it was a map of the local area. On it, a small red cross was drawn exactly above a nearby swamp.

"What? Are they in the Green Swamp? That's just a few hours away from here. " Zack said while frowning.

"Yes, they are. The locals who found the traces of corruption were local hunters who found out that their different prey in the swamp was mutating and becoming much more violent. It was thanks to being so close to here that we managed to hear the rumors and go to check it ourselves; otherwise we would notice their activities when they became a much bigger problem, "another of his men explained.

"But the fact that they are so close worries me. If they were a small and weak cult, they wouldn't dare to create their base so close to us, so there are two options: either they are stupid or they are so strong that they are confident that we are not going to become a threat to their activities any time soon. Let's pray for it to be the first option. " Zack said half-smiling.

After that, all of them began to make the final preparations before starting their journey toward the Green Swamp.

Even if they just managed to obtain the location of the cultist base that same day, they prepared as soon as possible to attack it, as every day that they left those cultists alone meant more corruption extending into that area, so every time a new cultist group was discovered, it was destroyed as soon as possible.

In no more than four hours, the group managed to arrive at the swamp, where they began to track any of the members of the cult that could be out of their base.

In being a group that specialized in fighting against this kind of group, various of its members were pretty skilled at finding the whereabouts of their targets, so in less than an hour of waiting, they managed to capture one of the members of the cult just as he was leaving their base.

Even though at first it looked like a normal hunter trying to find prey to feed his family, anyone that had managed to reach at least the first breakthrough in their mind would quickly notice the aura of corruption that surrounded them.

"Thieves! Kidnappers! You will pay for this! If I get out of here, I will make sure that the authorities kill you all for what you are doing. I'm a good man. I don't deserve this! " The cultist began to shout as soon as Zack's group tied him up so he couldn't escape.

"Quit the bullshit. You are so stupid that you don't even realize that we come from Xeles. And you, my little friend, are going to help us destroy your group. " Zack said as a cold smile appeared on his face.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" the man said while looking at Zack's face, but he looked away a few seconds later.

"How can you not know? Your body is releasing so much corruption that even my grandmother would be able to sense it." One of Zack's men shouted at the man while nearing his sword to his neck.

"Please, don't hurt me. If you spare me, I will do anything for you, "the man said as he began to panic.

"Oh, anything you said? Then my friend's fire magic is going to come in handy. " Zack said as he continued smiling.

"Why is that?" the man asked fearfully.

"It's going to be useful because one of his favorite spells allows him to create explosive spells that can be activated remotely and that can be placed on someone's body. So as you said, you are going to do anything that we tell you to do, unless you don't like that your limbs stay attached to your body, "Zack explained.

At that moment, the man's expression twisted into one of pure fear, as if the devil was just in front of him.