Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Devotion to the Abyss
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Inside the rattling Steel Wolf Guild carriage.
Leyzon stared fixedly at one man.
His cheeks were deeply sunken, his eyes hollow and lifeless—a pitiful sight.
His name was Harban.
A hero-grade curse necromancer.
After getting thoroughly thrashed by Leyzon, he'd become as meek as a lamb.
Leyzon had unleashed the Abyss on him, fully intending to wipe him out.
But Harban had gotten lucky—just once.
He possessed a one-time-use invincible item that blocked fatal damage.
It was an item so rare even Leyzon was surprised.
Thanks to it, he'd barely clung to life.
Though he couldn't avoid ending up in tatters.
Leyzon had felt a mix of absurdity and disbelief upon discovering the survivor.
But killing him outright gave way to a better idea.
So he'd dragged him along by the scruff of the neck.
Yet for some reason, even in that state, Harban grinned like a fool.
The reason was simple.
The Abyss had patted him on the head!
He was a devotee of the Abyss to the point where Leyzon grew sick of it.
In fact, after learning Leyzon was the Abyss itself,
he'd boldly thrown everything into one desperate gamble.
And the reason for that gamble? A single, absurd one.
He wanted to feel the Abyss's power with his own body.
A madman who didn't value his life one bit.
"Monkey, why do you hold the Abyss in such high regard?"
Leyzon couldn't comprehend it, so he asked.
Harban broke into a beaming smile.
His face lit up as if being questioned by Leyzon was an honor in itself.
"I've been cursed since the moment I was born."
Leyzon's eyes narrowed slightly.
"My whore of a mother seduced and swindled men for a living, and she happened to cross a curse necromancer."
He recounted his dark tale without a hint of hesitation.
"The only way to lift the curse the necromancer placed on her was to bear a child and pass it on. So she had me to save herself."
A child born bearing the curse.
That was Harban.
But Harban wasn't disheartened by the fact.
"The curse and I are one and the same. The curse is me, and I am the curse." However!
Harban clapped his hands sharply and flashed Leyzon a fawning grin.
"There was one being my curse couldn't touch!"
Leyzon knew exactly who it was.
"Eden, have you met this guy before?"
[I don't know.]
Eden, perched on Leyzon's shoulder, tilted his head.
Well, he would've mentioned it if he had.
"Ho, Lord Abyss, is that straw doll on your shoulder the Curse King?"
Harban asked excitedly.
Leyzon made a face like he'd swallowed something bitter.
"...And if it is?"
"I once sought out the Curse King in Nosys!"
Leyzon realized why Eden didn't remember him.
Back then, Eden had lost his daughter and wasn't in his right mind.
He'd been little more than a murderous doll, killing anyone who came near.
"Monkey, did you try cursing Eden?"
"Yes! I did! Kyahahaha, I barely survived!"
Harban burst into mad laughter.
"The aftermath lingers even now. Can you see it?"
With that, Harban pulled open his robe slightly.
Black ooze dripped steadily from the wound.
It was clearly an old injury, yet it showed no signs of healing.
"If I hadn't been born with a curse from the start, I'd be dead!"
His familiarity with curses must've helped him survive Eden's backlash.
Lucky or unlucky—it was hard to say.
"That's when I realized how ignorant I was of curses, despite thinking I knew everything."
He'd fancied himself the world's top curse sorcerer and boldly sought out the Curse King.
But he couldn't land a single curse and got utterly crushed.
Most would despair at their own inadequacy.
But Harban thought differently.
His body was perpetually rotting from curses—a horrific state.
Perhaps that's why his brain had melted from the poison, leaving him obsessed with curses alone.
Instead, Harban felt profound respect for the Curse King.
A supreme being even higher than him, whose life was tainted by curses.
He was even moved by the encounter.
"And for Lord Abyss, who created the Curse King himself—a being of pure curse—I must show even deeper reverence!"
The Abyss, creator of the Curse King, curse incarnate.
Harban's respect boiled over as he snorted hot breaths.
'He's insane.'
That wasn't normal thinking.
'Being born cursed broke him from the start.'
That explained his conclusions.
'Necromancers are known for being crazy, but he's on another level.'
"You know your stuff, monkey!"
Syria Nosferatu suddenly popped out from the carriage shadows.
"Lord Leyzon is the most noble being in the world. Recognizing his worth is basic common sense!"
Syria continued her praise of Leyzon.
Harban's eyes widened at the sight of her.
"L-Lord Abyss, this lady is—"
"...Syria. You know, the Vampire Queen."
"Va-Vampire Queen! Of course! It's an honor to meet you.
Queen, I am Harban, a lowly curse sorcerer!"
The self-proclaimed king of curses had demoted himself to "lowly."
Harban and Syria chattered excitedly.
Every topic revolved around Leyzon.
Leyzon watched them silently and sighed.
"Lord Leyzon, is it alright to bring this one along?"
Rafila, seated up front, asked.
He clearly found Harban suspicious.
"He looks rough, but he's the real deal. Top-tier among curse sorcerers, from what I saw."
Leyzon had tested Harban's skills personally.
He only fared that poorly because of Eden's curse-cheating presence.
Given time to prepare, he could topple a major guild.
'Though with Isis there last time, the outcome wasn't certain.'
Isis was even more capable than Leyzon had thought.
Not for nothing had she led Serin Night Guild to the top—she soared freely once her curse lifted.
Someone of her caliber would've handled a necromancer, cursed or not.
"He'll stick with Steel Wolf for a while, so get along."
"With him?"
Rafila eyed Harban warily.
Leyzon could see why—even to him, Harban wasn't normal.
"His skills are solid."
He'd be useful in a pinch.
'Above all, even Syria and Eden don't doubt him.'
Harban's reverence for Leyzon was genuine.
One usable necromancer had fallen into his lap, process be damned.
And usable meant use him well.
To that end, Leyzon had deliberately extracted Harban, the mastermind behind the incident.
The Monkey Hand necromancers, subdued by the guild masters, stayed loyal—unaware they'd been sold out, silent about Harban's disappearance.
Firm faith in Harban.
Harban himself didn't miss those subordinates one bit.
Just how far beyond normal was he?
"Harban, you mentioned other necromancer groups."
"Yes, indeed!"
Harban answered energetically, mid-chat with Syria.
Other necromancer packs.
Just thinking about them gave Leyzon a headache.
Leyzon turned his gaze out the window.
As he watched the passing scenery, he let out a short breath.
But his lips curved upward again.
'Sighing won't help. Better to smile.'
No point overthinking the future.
Sooner or later, Leyzon planned to gather the necromancers anyway.
'No reason not to add the one group that's been at odds with the Empire from the start.'
If they wanted it, he'd become their true Abyss.
Standing at the pinnacle of necromancers, he'd lead them with utmost sincerity.
Tilting toward positive thinking as always, Leyzon smiled chillingly.
"Take a good look. Lord Leyzon's smile has gotten even more dashing lately."
"Hm, truly a magnificent smile."
Harban enthusiastically agreed with Syria.
Rafila, the only one in an ambiguous position, pondered quietly.
Coolness aside.
His smiles were growing more sinister by the day.
Like some great evil ruling the world's shadows.
Leyzon's grin seemed more dangerous with time.
Rafila bowed his head, ignoring the fact.
No good mentioning it.
I'll take it to the grave.
Leyzon let out a long yawn inside the moving carriage.
This trip included Rafila, so he couldn't use Syria's shadow wolves.
They needed to show Steel Wolf Guild on the move publicly.
Perhaps that's why he felt sleepier than usual.
The carriage's swaying seemed to induce motion sickness and drowsiness.
'Almost there, though.'
Sahā Village should come into view soon.
As Leyzon glanced out the window with that thought—
"Huh?"
He pressed his face to the glass, voice laced with surprise.
Rafila, who'd been dozing with arms crossed up front, opened his eyes.
Harban was out cold beside him.
"Lord Leyzon?"
Rafila called uncertainly.
But Leyzon kicked open the carriage door without answering.
"Syria!"
A red shadow surged at his shout.
As the door flew open, the stench of burning wafted in.
Rafila looked out in alarm.
A city blazed before them.
The city Leyzon was heading to.
Sahā Village.
The entire village burned spectacularly.
An incomprehensible situation.
Rafila's face hardened.
Leyzon's was twisted in fury too.
For good reason—Sahā Village housed
Hanok, Haron, and five others.
"Rafila, Harban—I'm going ahead!"
The shadow swallowed Leyzon whole and raced off in wolf form.
An unexpected crisis had struck Sahā Village.