I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

"How strange... why do I feel like... this game hasn't even reached its climax yet?" Wind Walker's figure, like a silvery-white meteor, slammed fiercely into the golden shield. In an instant, the entire space seemed to be ripped apart, and a sharp, piercing roar erupted in the air. The powerful shockwave caused everyone around to instinctively step back, and many even fell to the ground, staring at the scene in amazement.

"Oh my God! He really did it!" The young shepherd boy covered his mouth, his eyes filled with fear and shock. "How dare he use his body to fight against a seal of this level?!"

The blacksmith next to him stared straight ahead, his fists clenched, and after a few words rolled out of his throat, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "This kid... is too crazy!"

But in the next moment, everyone's heart almost jumped into their throat at the same time -

The moment Windrunner swung his dagger, the golden shield suddenly vibrated, releasing a dazzling light. Like a sunburst, the light forced everyone present to close their eyes, and even the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently. When the light faded, everyone held their breath.

---

"Hey...what happened?" The homeless man in a tattered cloak murmured, opened his eyes first, and looked forward cautiously.

The moment their vision returned, the crowd immediately fell into a commotion.

The once incredibly solid golden awning had vanished, replaced by a massive crack running through the core area. Windrunner half-knelt on the ground, a faint yet strange blue light emanating from his entire body. His dagger had dimmed, and the runes had completely extinguished.

"He's still alive?!" The young warrior who had once grumbled about his fate opened his mouth wide, his tone filled with disbelief. "He actually managed to... break the seal?"

The young captain rushed forward, squatted down to support the staggering Wind Walker, and asked anxiously, "How are you? Can you still hold on? Don't talk, rest for a while."

However, Wind Walker weakly pushed her away, a slight smile on his lips: "Don't worry, it's not over yet." Although his voice was weak, it revealed a determination that could not be ignored.

But what no one noticed was that his eyes quickly swept in the direction of the mysterious traveler not far away, vaguely filled with some complex emotions.

At that moment, a gruff voice rang out from the crowd. It belonged to a burly man with a face full of flesh. He stood there with his arms folded, seemingly calm and composed, but his eyes couldn't conceal his wonder and admiration. "Hmph, so the legendary hero wasn't lying after all. But now comes the problem. Although the seal is broken, this place isn't just any poisonous fog zone. The monsters must have spotted us. What should we do when they come for us?"

Another old man in a gray robe slowly stepped forward, coughed twice, and said, "Indeed, the real test lies ahead. If Wind Walker runs out of strength, who will resist the oncoming horde of ferocious beasts?"

When everyone heard this, they fell silent, with only the occasional roar of monsters in the distance breaking the dull atmosphere.

At this moment, Wind Runner suddenly stood up. Although his body swayed a bit, he still looked at the uneasy people with determination: "I will continue to fight. As for you... whether you are willing to take a gamble for this opportunity, the choice is yours."

This simple sentence seemed to ignite the entire atmosphere. Some people gripped their weapons tightly, preparing to follow, others silently stepped back, intending to escape, and the majority were hesitant.

"Hey, are you crazy? You'll die if you keep fighting!" The young captain roared, reaching out to stop Wind Walker from moving forward. But Wind Walker simply patted her shoulder and said meaningfully, "Don't worry, I won't fall so easily. Besides..." He tilted his head slightly to glance at the mysterious traveler standing in the distance, "There's still unresolved issues between us."

After these words were spoken, everyone looked at the mysterious traveler, especially some villagers who had sneered at him before, their faces now full of suspicion and confusion.

"Wait, what do you know?" the elderly blacksmith suddenly demanded, his voice tinged with anxiety. "Could it be that this disaster happened because of you?"

The mysterious traveler spread his hands and shrugged, his face still wearing that unfathomable smile. "Don't put the blame on me. But since everyone is so eager to know the truth, I'll give you a hint - the ritual just now was successful because of a 'special' condition. If Wind Walker hadn't voluntarily entered the realm of life and death, how could he have disrupted the resonance of heaven and earth? In other words, he's not just a victim."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar at the scene!

"What do you mean? You're saying he offered himself as a victim?!" a young peasant woman screamed, nearly breaking down. "How could this be possible?!"

"Calm down." The old wizard raised his cane and pounded the ground, forcing order into the chaotic situation. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the mysterious traveler, and then asked coldly, "So, you're saying there's a deeper conspiracy behind all this? Or is it just a chess game set up by someone?"

Mystic didn't answer directly. He simply raised an eyebrow and glanced at Wind Walker, who was gazing at them from a distance. He then said slowly, "Oh, about that... how about hearing his explanation? After all, the person involved always has the final say."

Wind Walker's reaction was quite calm, he just uttered a few words lightly: "As you wish."

Just as the situation grew even more bizarre, the blood-red hue in the air deepened, reaching a suffocating intensity. Then, a thunderous roar echoed, seemingly close at hand. Everyone immediately rose to alert, gripping their swords tightly, ready for the final showdown.

However, no one noticed that the mysterious traveler took the opportunity to quietly approach a ruined area. He stretched out a foot and gently kicked away the rubble covering the surface.

"Hey, Windrunner, have you ever thought about this?" He suddenly asked, his tone full of provocation. "If we fail today, will the fall of the entire world be attributed to the betrayal of a secret ally? For example... your companions?"

This sentence was like a heavy hammer, not only hitting everyone's heart, but also causing the young female captain not far away to turn around suddenly, staring at him and shouting: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Wind Walker remained silent until the last second before he slowly uttered a word:

"If you say one more word, I wouldn't mind trying to shut you up myself."