The Smiling Death-Chapter 369: Last One Is Done

Three days later.

The faint orange glow of the evening sun filtered through the tall trees of the dark forest. The clearing looked completely different now compared to three days ago.

Where there had once been bare ground, there was now an enormous magical structure carved into the earth.

Countless lines, circles, symbols, and geometric shapes stretched across the clearing like a giant puzzle engraved into the soil. The carvings were thick and deep, each line nearly an inch carved into the ground. The pattern extended nearly fifteen meters in diameter.

Vetaal floated a few feet above the ground, staring at the final section he had just finished carving.

He slowly exhaled. "Finally... it’s done." His voice carried both relief and exhaustion.

Amon stood at the very edge of the massive pattern with his arms crossed, carefully observing the strange structure. His eyes traced the circles and the lines that connected everything.

"So it’s finally done," Amon said while nodding slightly. "All of them are the same."

This was the fourth and final one.

Over the past three days, Vetaal had created the exact same pattern in four different parts of the forest north, south, east, and west.

Each one looked impossibly complex.

Scarlett stood beside Amon with her arms folded, her calm amethyst eyes also studying the magical circle. "Now... we are closer to it..." she said quietly.

Her gaze slowly lifted toward the gray sky above the forest. "...to our real battle."

The air around them felt heavy. The three of them knew that once everything started, there would be no turning back.

Vetaal floated down and slowly landed on the ground. He dusted his hands lightly as if finishing a long task.

"There’s one more thing I will need during that day... to activate these circles."

His tone suddenly became serious. He looked directly at Amon and Scarlett.

Both of them instantly noticed the change in his expression. His face looked unusually grave.

As if the thing he was about to mention was the most important part of the entire process.

Amon straightened his back slightly. Scarlett’s eyes narrowed a little as she focused on him.

"What do you need?" Amon asked.

Scarlett added calmly, "Will it be hard to get it?"

For a moment, Vetaal didn’t answer.

He remained silent.

The forest breeze rustled the dark leaves around them.

Then he slowly looked down at the enormous carved pattern.

"You see these lines?" he said while pointing toward the ground.

"The entire structure is carved few inches into the ground. All these lines... they aren’t just for drawing the pattern."

He paused for a moment. "They are channels."

Amon tilted his head slightly. "Channels?"

Vetaal nodded.

"Yes. These thick lines carved into the ground... they need to be filled."

Amon blinked. "Filled... with what?"

Vetaal opened his mouth to answer. "...Blood."

For a moment, the entire forest went silent.

Amon’s eyes instantly widened.

He took two dramatic steps backward as if he had just heard something terrifying. His finger shot forward, pointing straight at Vetaal.

"You finally showed your true face!" Amon shouted dramatically.

Scarlett blinked.

Vetaal stared at him blankly.

"You want sacrifices and blood to activate this magic circle!" Amon continued in an exaggerated voice. "You vile man! I knew something was suspicious about you!"

He shook his head in fake disappointment.

"I trusted you... and this is how you repay me?"

Both Vetaal and Scarlett stared at him with completely deadpan expressions.

Neither of them moved. The only thing visible on their faces was pure confusion. What the heck was he doing?

Amon slowly stopped his performance when he noticed their expressions.

"..."

He coughed awkwardly. "Ahem."

Then he casually stepped forward again like nothing had happened.

"So... what?" he asked normally.

"Whose blood?"

Vetaal slowly rubbed his forehead. "I swear... sometimes I wonder how you even survive."

Amon shrugged. "Talent man! It’s talent."

Vetaal sighed before answering. "It doesn’t matter whose blood it is."

Amon blinked."Any blood will work," Vetaal continued. "Human or other race blood isn’t necessary."

Scarlett slightly relaxed when she heard that.

"We just need blood to fill these carved lines," Vetaal explained while pointing at the pattern again. "The blood will flow through the channels and activate the structure once I cast the spell."

"So we just need animals," Amon said.

"Exactly." Vetaal nodded.

"Catch animals and keep them alive. On that day we can collect their blood and pour it into the circles. Once all four circles are filled... the structure will be ready for activation."

Scarlett gave a small nod. "That shouldn’t be difficult."

Amon looked around the forest. "There are plenty of animals here."

The sun had already begun to set behind the dark forest, turning the gray sky slightly dim. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The temperature was also dropping.

Scarlett turned around."It’s getting late," she said. "We should return to the village."

The three of them began walking through the forest path.

Fallen leaves crunched under their feet as they moved.

"I will inform Roland about this," Scarlett said while walking beside them.

"We can catch small animals easily."

She thought for a moment before listing them. "Rabbits... mice... birds... snakes."

Vetaal nodded slightly.

"That will work."

Amon stretched his arms behind his head while walking lazily.

"Guess tomorrow will be hunting day then."

"By the way...why there are animals here? I never saw their number getting lower. The main island doesn’t contain any animal...so how they came here. Of course there’s no way they came here like us." Scarlett shrugged. Indicating she have long idea.

"It’s normal...they were here for you guys .to eat something to survive here...it might be work of that woman who trapped me here." Vetaal replied.

Amon and Scarlett narrowed their eyes at his words. So that was the reason behind those animals here.

While Vetaal looked at the gray sky with unknown expression. His white eyes held something more deeper this time....something that Amon or no one else have ever know.

The forest slowly grew darker as the trio walked toward the distant lights of the village.

Soon everything would be ready. And once the circles were activated...Their final battle would begin.

---

Three of them returned to village.

"You two go back...I will go and have talk with Roland. And tell him about animals and blood."

Amon nodded. "Okay see you later."

He and Vetaal left.

Scarlett on the other side turned towards Roland’s house.

Once reaching there, she knocked on door.

Roland opened it. He was looking very busy. "What happened Scarlett?"

"I wanted to talk with you about something."She said with serious expression.

Seeing her expression she didn’t question. "Okay...come inside."