Chains of the Void
"This... this is...?"
"Kunt Daren. So that's your name."
[……!!]
The faint gray soul-body jolted in shock at the sudden voice, whipping its head around.
[How...]
The melted flesh had vanished, leaving the soul in pristine form—restored to its most vibrant state from life.
"I told you, didn't I? Death isn't the end. You can't escape my grasp with something as trivial as dying."
[You...]
Now the soul could clearly sense it. The divine power emanating from him was anything but ordinary.
But it wasn't just because Adel had successfully concealed his divine power.
[Eyes down. How dare a puny soul like you stand tall and stare at me?]
[……Cough!!]
As Kalderet growled low, the soul buckled under crushing pressure that threatened to erase it, knees hitting the ground unbidden.
[God of the Void...]
[To know my hidden epithet... you truly are tied to the realm of the dead.]
"Let me ask you. Are you one of the Forgotten Ones?"
[……]
"Silence means affirmation, as they say. I didn't ask just to confirm. But you know..."
Thud---!!!
Adel kicked the soul-body square in the gut.
[Gah!!!]
"You're in no position to refuse answering my questions."
[Cough, cough...]
The soul stared at Adel in disbelief. It had consumed the demon soul water and perished already. Yet the pain from his kick felt utterly real.
[You'd better answer obediently. It might get bad enough to make you crave annihilation right now.]
Kalderet, watching, chimed in.
[How is this possible... A contractor of Kalderet in the desert? Weren't the ancient gods gone?!]
"Not gone, since I'm standing here. And..."
Crack--!!
Adel swung his staff, smashing the soul's head. It reeled from the impact, flickering as if on the verge of dissipation.
[Guh, guhuk...!!]
With a scream, the soul-body flew back, tumbling and skidding across the ground. Trembling eyes fixed on Adel.
"You won't answer my questions but have the gall to question me?"
[He is linked to me. I can strike your soul-body too. And that's not all—he's connected to Garon as well, so his flames could either erase you or torment you eternally.]
[Contracted to two gods... Impossible.]
"Enviable for you godless lot, but routine for me."
[Th-then... our plan...]
The soul gazed at Adel in bewilderment. Adel saw right through it, probing for what he wanted to uncover.
"Answer me honestly, and I'll grant you clean oblivion. Otherwise..."
Whoosh---!!
Flames erupted in Adel's palm.
"If you won't talk, no choice. You'll end up begging me for release."
[……]
But the soul stayed silent.
"Keep your mouth shut, and after I've tormented you enough, I'll drag your Forgotten Ones here one by one—slit their throats right in front of you. I'll show you every last cultist rooted out until the sect withers completely."
[D-don't make me laugh! You think you alone can kill the Fangs of Annihilation?!]
The soul shouted at Adel's warning.
"Fangs of Annihilation? The deep-layer leaders of the Forgotten Ones cult?"
At the soul's words, Kalderet stepped forward as if he'd been waiting.
[I'd love to see those fools as bold as you before an ancient god. I'll chew them from the head down.]
Even they, who commanded spirits, still shuddered at the bottomless abyss of the Void.
"Well, do I have to show them? I can demonstrate now. Stay stubborn and keep quiet."
Whiiirrr---!!!!
"It'll be fun in the meantime. You'll wear the Void's shackles, forged by Kalderet."
Black tendrils burst from Kalderet's shadow, coiling around the soul.
Sizzle...!!
Where they touched, the soul-body smoked black, searing as if burning away.
[Aaaagh---!!]
"Take your time enjoying it. We've got plenty."
[Pl-please... spare me...!!]
"Spare a dead man? Lucky you—no more dying possible. Isn't that great?"
Adel gazed coldly at the fallen soul.
"Kalderet."
[Ahem.]
At his call, Kalderet withdrew the void tendrils enveloping him.
"One last chance. Peaceful oblivion is the mercy I offer. You're overreaching for a desert meddler like you."
[Hah... hah...]
"Karon Azal. Your ties to him. Spill it."
[……Karon Azal? What nonsense! The fifth prince of Azal Kingdom? Why him?]
The soul countered with genuine confusion.
[Hm, seems legit. No deception in his aura. He truly doesn't know.]
"Really?"
[Maybe no real connection, or he's just a lowly pawn unaware.]
"Likely the latter. The demon soul water he took could've melted him—reserved for used-up discards."
[D-don't bullshit...! I chose...!!]
"No one chooses death. Suicides are cornered. Even Geukjin's assassins never wanted it."
[G-Geukjin...?! How does a brat like you know them? Liar!]
The name of the continent's most infamous assassin guild from Adel's lips left the soul incredulous.
"To me, you're already dead, brat or not."
[Kuh...!!]
"Interrogated a few Geukjin scum—same reaction every time. Believe it or not, your call."
[Impossible...]
Adel just shrugged.
"No time to worry about others. New question: Who ordered this? Where do I find them?"
[……No such thing.]
"Forgotten Ones' bases shift constantly—even cultists don't know locations. They get orders from the deep layer. But a low-rank like you wouldn't deal direct. There's a liaison."
[H-how do you...]
The soul couldn't hide its shock at Adel's intimate knowledge.
"Surely a rendezvous to report to the liaison."
Adel leaned down toward the prone soul.
"Just tell me that spot. You know Kalderet's Void doesn't just erase souls—it drags them to perdition. Your salvation isn't the cult anymore. It's me. Remember that."
[……]
The soul fell silent. It had thought undeath beyond fear. Ironically, terror struck only after death.
[Bran... Bran Hamel.]
He muttered low, head bowed. Absurd as it was for a lion to fear pain, Kalderet's Void shattered even his convictions.
[……He's the one who gives me the cult's missions.]
"Bran Hamel, huh..."
Adel repeated the name.
'The beast tamer Bran? No way.'
He kept his surprise hidden. He knew the name.
In his past life, when Karon Azal unified the continent and purged the Forgotten Ones, he'd tracked some deep-layer leaders. The empire crushed the cult, but his peerless skills couldn't catch them all.
'One of those deep-layer elites.'
The beast tamer Bran Hamel.
The cult had many necromancers, each handling undead differently. Bran commanded beast-type monsters.
'Explains the hellhound after demon soul water. Must've been his necromancy brew.'
Amusingly, a past deep-layer leader now just a liaison.
"Rendezvous spot with him?"
[……Ruinxen.]
Adel nodded. The free city in the continent's southeast drew all sorts, lordless and open to passage.
'Won't be easy to find. He'd treat the streets like his familiars. Low odds of showing in Ruinxen.'
Still, relief—he had reliable contacts there.
'If past deep-layer elites are mere liaisons now, current leaders might be unknowns.'
Before the empire, he'd purged post-unification. Years away yet. Current intel lacking.
'Means the cult's weak now. Crush them sooner, better.'
Their growth matched his past life, but he outpaced it.
'Root them out this time.'
No missing chances. But stealthy hunt essential.
"Good. We're done."
The soul sensed its end, body quivering faintly.
"Keeping my promise."
Slash.
Adel's staff arced like a guillotine, severing the soul's neck.
Shaaa---!!!
At blade's touch, it dissolved into smoke.
"Ruinxen, huh..."
Adel's next destination solidified: leave the desert.
"Gonna get noisy."
After Muel's report, Nazan's reinforcements from the village heard Hul and Adel's team had captured a Forgotten Ones necromancer. They took the wounded's place, messaging the Bikung tribe.
Hul stayed to finish sweeping the base. Adel returned to report on the necromancer.
Not perfect, but with the Tide of Vital Energy secured, he obeyed without pushing.
"He hunted a true dragon?"
"……Impossible! No kid hunter takes down undead like that."
"Didn't you hear? He passed the Desert's Grace already!"
"Plus Hul's Nakrang team witnessed it. Solid. The tribe's gonna erupt again."
As whispers spread, the village buzzed with Adel's tale.
"Stares are prickly, huh?"
"Obviously. Not some mob—true dragon. Hero's triumph!"
Adel smirked at Haron's words.
Undeniable: slaying mighty beasts was Ulan's highest honor. Everyone watched.
"Adel-nim."
At the plaza upon arrival, someone awaited. Unlike tribesmen's blade-sharp edges, this man pierced like an awl.
'Ulan's Ten Captain, immortal arts diviner Yong-a.'
Adel eyed him.
'Another I need.'
Kasla and Haron dismounted Kargon hastily, bowing fists clasped.
But Adel stayed mounted.
"I was away on Haien-nim's prior orders. Greetings late. Didn't expect new kin in my absence... and such immense honor."
He smiled faintly. Adel saw the scrutiny behind it.
"You'll confirm in your report. Drop the probing gaze."
"……Pardon?"
"No second chances. Everything I did is real—no lies. Peek with your 'hidden eye' again, and next it's arrows, not warnings. I'm Haien's son. No tolerance for doubt."
Yong-a masked shock, stepping back.
"……."
He knew 'hidden eye'—one of his blessings to appraise talents.
[Impressive. That guy's got Jelena's high-god wisdom blessing? Once-in-a-century talent, no doubt.]
Kalderet eyed Yong-a's aura with interest.
[High-god at his age is notable, but less than ten years attuned. Foolish to snoop on you with shallow skill—century too soon.]
Proudly, he flicked his tail, lightly tapping Yong-a's leg as he passed.
'Lucky timing. If his power had ripened more, I might've missed the probe.'
That could've exposed Kalderet. But fresh on Jelena's blessing, and with all knowing of his mid-god Garon contract, he masked Kalderet while warning effectively.
Kasla and Haron gaped, speechless at his demeanor.
'Adel! What the hell?!'
'Rude to Yong-a-nim!'
They fretted, but Adel stood firmer.
"……My apologies."
Shockingly, against expectations, Yong-a apologized.
'Not a hunter, but Yong-a embodies the hunter spirit most.'
Adel knew his nature.
'Bow once, and he'll never respect you lifetime.'
"To Haien-nim."
Adel's tone toward Yong-a shifted.
No Haien child had ever treated him so. Brazen, yet Yong-a just nodded silently.
Thud-thud-thud-
Adel strode ahead boldly. Yong-a followed wordlessly.
"Yong-a-nim... following someone besides Haien-nim?"
"More shocking than the true dragon hunt."
"What happened?"
The plaza crowd couldn't believe their eyes.