Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

Chapter 176: Thalnor’s Fatal Mistake

Thalnor stood frozen, disbelief and fear etched into his pale face as Hades casually sat up, alive and completely composed. His mind raced, desperately trying to process the impossible scene before him. How could Hades still be alive? His plan had been flawless—or so he thought.

"How… how are you still alive after absorbing all that Abyss Mana?" Thalnor stammered, his voice cracking with disbelief. His eyes darted to Hades, wide with confusion. "I could smell death on you… the stench of a corpse! How is this possible?"

Hades chuckled softly, his laughter dripping with amusement. His eyes gleamed, not with the fear or submission Thalnor had expected, but with mocking satisfaction.

"You really thought you had me, didn't you?" Hades' tone was calm, almost condescending, as he brushed the dirt from his robes and stood to his full height. His every movement was deliberate, exuding a quiet confidence that sent a chill down Thalnor's spine.

"You think I'm like the other weak disciples you toy with?" Hades shook his head slowly, his smirk deepening. "You're gravely mistaken, Elder."

Thalnor took a step back, his lips twitching as he tried to respond. "But… the Abyss Mana… No one should be able to withstand that kind of power!" His voice rose, filled with confusion and panic. He was grasping for an explanation, anything to make sense of the situation.

Hades let out a low, mocking laugh. "Abyss Mana?" He tilted his head slightly, as if amused by the term. "What the hell are you talking about, Thalnor?" His smirk grew wider, his eyes locked onto the elder with a predatory glint. "That wasn't Abyss Mana."

Thalnor's brows furrowed in confusion, his mind scrambling for answers. "What… do you mean?" His voice wavered, the confidence he once had crumbling.

Hades' smirk turned colder, more sinister. "What you called 'Abyss Mana' was nothing more than pure Death Mana—sure, it's potent and dangerous for you, but it's hardly the force you claim it to be."

He took a step closer to Thalnor, his tone condescending. "You probably thought calling it 'Abyss Mana' made it sound more terrifying, didn't you?"

Thalnor's mouth went dry. He stood there, frozen, as the reality of Hades' words sank in. "But… the corpse smell… I smelled death on you! You were dead!"

Hades crossed his arms over his chest, his expression calm but laced with amusement. "You're a corpse puppet master, Thalnor. I'm sure you can tell the difference between life and death by scent alone. But dark arts…"

He raised an eyebrow, as if explaining something elementary. "Making my body smell like a corpse? That's child's play for someone like me."

Thalnor's face contorted in pure fury as the realization of Hades' deception sank in. His lips trembled, his eyes wild with a mixture of anger and disbelief. His voice, usually composed, now shook with unrestrained rage. "So… you lied to me? You tricked me, you—"

Hades cut him off sharply, his smirk growing into a menacing grin, his voice low and dripping with satisfaction. "Lied? Of course, I lied." His words were laced with mockery, his tone almost playful as he watched Thalnor struggle with the truth.

"You really thought I was in agony? That I was helpless? That I was anything less than fully in control this entire time? Please." Hades scoffed, his eyes gleaming with cold amusement.

His voice turned sharp and biting, cutting through the air like a blade. "The truth, Thalnor, is that I wanted you to let your guard down. And you did… beautifully." He said the last word slowly, savoring the fear that flickered in Thalnor's eyes.

Thalnor's expression darkened further, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked as though he might snap. His eyes narrowed, burning with hatred, but behind that hatred lay fear.

His rage bubbled to the surface, barely contained. "You... you'll regret this!" he spat, his voice trembling with both fury and desperation.

Hades responded with a low, dark chuckle, a sound that sent chills down Thalnor's spine. His gaze was unwavering, his eyes locked onto Thalnor's, filled with nothing but cold certainty.

"No, Thalnor," Hades replied, his voice soft yet chilling, every word dripping with lethal intent. "You are the one who'll regret ever trying to make me your puppet."

Hades took another step closer, his presence looming over Thalnor like a shadow. His voice dropped, lowering into something almost intimate, yet terrifying. "And you know what?" His grin widened, his voice now as cold as death itself. "I should thank you."

Thalnor's frown deepened, his anger flaring like a flame desperately seeking fuel. "Thank me?" His voice dripped with suspicion, his mind racing to make sense of Hades' words. "Thank me for what?"

Hades' smile widened into something more sinister, the kind of smile that sends a chill down your spine. "Thank you," he began, his voice dripping with mockery, "for attempting to absorb my soul. By doing that, you opened the perfect channel… for me to siphon your soul instead."

The color drained from Thalnor's face as the horrifying truth hit him like a crashing wave. His eyes went wide with terror, and he stumbled back, his breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps.

"No… no, you can't!" His voice cracked, rising into a desperate plea. He could feel the trap closing around him, the power he thought he wielded now slipping from his grasp.

Hades raised his hand slowly, dark energy swirling menacingly around his fingers, the very air around him vibrating with a low, ominous hum.

His eyes locked onto Thalnor's, unblinking, cold, and devoid of any mercy. "Soul Siphon," he whispered, his voice a chilling blend of calm and cruelty.

Thalnor's world collapsed around him as he felt the pull, a violent tugging sensation deep within his chest. His scream tore through the air, filled with agony and terror as his soul was wrenched from his body, inch by inch, with unstoppable force.

The energy wrapped around him like chains, dragging his very essence toward Hades, who stood motionless, watching the scene unfold with a dark satisfaction in his eyes.

"No! Please!" Thalnor begged, his voice breaking, but it was too late. His body convulsed, trembling violently as the last shreds of his soul were ripped free.

The light in his eyes faded, replaced by a hollow, empty gaze. With one final, shuddering gasp, his body went limp, collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Hades lowered his hand slowly, his smirk never faltering as the rush of power surged through him. He could feel the dark energy coursing through his veins, the strength of Thalnor's soul now becoming his own.

He stood over the soulless body, towering with newfound strength, his expression one of cold triumph.

"Fool," Hades muttered under his breath, the smirk on his face growing sharper. "You never stood a chance."

He looked down at the limp form of Elder Thalnor, now nothing more than an empty shell, and turned away, leaving the dark, cold room with a sense of satisfaction.