Sacrifice's Rise: I Became Invincible After Entering Godslayer Temple

John halted in a shadowy alcove, holding little Mia close in his arms, with the Taylor couple right beside him. 

He calmly assessed the situation, realizing that the terrorists had likely sealed off all the exits, trapping the attendees. 

Their target was clear: the concert. 

With such meticulous preparation and ample weaponry, how could they possibly let anyone escape easily? 

As he had feared, gunshots began to echo throughout the venue.

Some trying to flee were shot down in their tracks, while the security forces surrounding the area were picked off one by one by the terrorists.

"Do not attempt to flee! You, tainted with the original sin of greed, are fated today to greet the grand arrival of the Lord of the Abyss with your lives and blood!"

Onstage, the man who proclaimed himself as the Magician continued his flamboyant tirade.

"What do we do now?"

Benjamin Taylor, a seasoned tycoon who battled in the business world for years, had regained his composure after the initial chaos. 

He kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings before settling his gaze on John.

John slowly shook his head and replied in a nonchalant tone, "Don't worry, Mr. Taylor. With me here, nothing will happen to any of you."

Mrs. Taylor, her face pale with fear, urgently said to John, "Whatever you do, Johnathon, you must protect Mia. Mr. Taylor and I aren't concerned about our lives, but Mia is still young..."

Benjamin Taylor, his face ashen, spat out angrily, "Is this the 'foolproof' plan that damn Daniel Roberts assured me of? Where are the police?"

"These terrorists are not ordinary people. Even if the police wanted to enter now, it wouldn't be that easy. For the time being, we can only rely on ourselves."

John's voice remained calm as he tightly gripped his phone, intending to find a relatively safe spot to wait for the police's arrival. 

Leading the Taylor family through the crowd, a pervasive divine power emerged, subtly disrupting the cognition and senses of the terrorists as they searched for a potential hiding place.

If John were alone, perhaps there'd be a simpler and more effective solution. 

Although some of these terrorists had awakened parts of their Godslayer game abilities, they were no match for John. 

But with little Mia by his side, he didn't dare to take the risk.

Eventually, they stealthily made their way through a passage, winding up in a back alley behind the theater.

John noticed a door slightly ajar at the end of the alley, a glint of hope in his eyes.

He swiftly pushed it open, ushering the Taylor couple and little Mia inside.

It was a cramped, aging storeroom, filled to the brim with miscellaneous items.

John promptly shut the door, barricading it with a pile of clutter to bolster their security.

The Taylor family breathed a sigh of relief, their grateful eyes fixed on John, knowing their escape from danger was all thanks to him.

John motioned for the Taylors to huddle with Mia against the wall, camouflaging themselves with the scattered items around.

He then silenced his phone, ensuring no sound would give them away, and informed the police of their whereabouts.

As the seconds and minutes ticked by, the waiting time seemed to stretch endlessly for the Taylors, their hearts rife with dread and unease, wondering when the terrorists might depart so they could safely emerge.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they heard the voices of the police from outside.

Officers, armed and armored, stormed in, forming a protective shield around the Taylor family.

John led them out of the storeroom and into a sea of police cars and officers, a wave of relief washing over them.

"Chairman Taylor is truly fortunate to have escaped from the opera house when everyone else remains trapped! I've heard several hostages have already been executed! Damn those monsters!"

"Our forces have tried to breach multiple times but have been unsuccessful. We're currently awaiting a negotiator..."

Upon hearing the lead officer's words, John's heart sank.

If his memory served him right, Amelia was still inside the opera house.

"Mr. Taylor, you and your family should leave with the police. I might need to go back in," John pondered for a moment before solemnly stating.

Benjamin Taylor blinked in surprise before realizing, "For that actress, Amelia?"

John pursed his lips, nodding in confirmation.

Mrs. Taylor clutched John's hand, her eyes filled with concern and gratitude, "Johnathon, isn't it best not to take risks? The police are here now; let the professionals handle this."

Seeing John's unwavering determination, Benjamin Taylor could only sigh, "Ah, heroes have always been the slaves of beauty. I know you're skilled, but please be cautious."

John nodded with a slight smile. The police captain beside him glanced at John, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face, "It's extremely risky. Even if this gentleman has family trapped inside, relying on your individual strength seems..."

John interrupted, "For me, there's no such thing as too difficult. Rest assured, I only want to rescue one person. I won't interfere with your rescue operations."

The officer paused for a moment and finally nodded, "Alright, but brace yourself. Those savage terrorists have already slaughtered several hostages."

John gave a silent nod and then briskly headed towards the opera house.

Upon reaching the entrance, he observed the police tape encircling the perimeter, with officers closely monitoring the situation. 

Instead of rushing directly in, he discreetly made his way to a side entrance.

Though the side door was also cordoned off, its security seemed more lax. 

John easily found an opening to slip through.

When John re-entered the opera house, the main hall was swarming with the figures of terrorists. 

The thick curtains in front of the windows obstructed any outside view into the opera house. 

Nearly a thousand audience members had been corralled into the center of the stage.

The magician, who was previously suspended in mid-air, was now selecting hostages with scrutiny. 

Several bodies lay beside him, eyes wide in terror, their faces painted with the horror of their final moments.

Silently invoking a prayer, John slipped into stealth mode, and boldly walked past the terrorists. 

Along the way, he noticed that they were hastily preparing something. 

Some of them held explosives, affixing them to the surrounding walls, clearly prepared for a mutual destruction.

"The power of faith is really mind-controlling if it makes them disregard even their own lives. Terrifying..."

John muttered to himself, as his inner divine power quickly expanded, searching for Amelia's whereabouts.

Because he had scanned the open space on the stage just moments ago and hadn't seen Amelia, nor any of the concert stars and musicians. 

If John remembered correctly, Amelia was supposed to be backstage tuning her violin. 

Thus, he focused all his attention on searching the backstage area.

Soon, he pinpointed Amelia's location. In a blink, he vanished into the shadows of the hall.

[Shape-shifting (Divine Skill): A power bestowed by deity Alyssum, the guardian of shadows and assassination. Using this skill, one can instantly teleport to a target location within the range of their divine power, bypassing any barriers, defenses, or spatial impediments. Can be used twice, current charge: two times. Cooldown time: 30 minutes.]

This was the first time John had applied his mastered skill in real-world combat. Admittedly, the results were impressive. 

When John re-emerged, he was outside the door of the room where Amelia was. 

He noted that the lock had been broken by the terrorists, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Pushing the door open, he found only Amelia inside. 

She sat on a nearby sofa, her face pale and her eyes wide with terror. 

It seemed the terrorists didn't value these stars and musicians; in their eyes, they weren't worthy offerings for their so-called "Lord of the Abyss". 

The entire backstage was only guarded by a few of them, who appeared indifferent to where these celebrities lingered.

"Amelia, it's me, John. I'm here to rescue you," John whispered.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Amelia looked up, her eyes instantly filling with relief. 

She threw herself into John's arms, tears streaming down her face. "John, is it really you? I was so scared, thinking I'd never see you again," she uttered with a tremor, the terror making her words unintentionally intimate.

Perhaps sensing the safety John provided, Amelia's emotions began to stabilize. 

Earlier, while she was tuning her violin backstage, she heard muffled sounds followed by cries of distress. 

Before Amelia could leave her room, the door was violently kicked open by gun-wielding, masked terrorists. 

Thankfully, they had no ulterior motives for her; once they confirmed Amelia was there for the performance, they instructed her to stay put, forbidding her from leaving. 

The intense, paralyzing fear and helplessness she felt rendered her tearless and numb. 

Now, John's presence was, without a doubt, the ray of light she desperately needed.