"You're traveling with that kid, aren't you?" Memez asked.
"Yes." Meradis answered honestly.
"That's good, but be careful. Solari has sent many people to watch the child's every move."
"I know." Meradis replied with full confidence.
As for those spies, Meradis had already altered their memories so they would report back false information. No need to worry anymore.
"So, what do you need me to do?"
It was time to state our conditions.
Meradis thought for a while before saying, "Find more information on Lorastic."
"You're planning to face it head-on?" Memez asked, somewhat surprised.
"You never know unless you try." Meradis gave a mysterious smile.
Memez sighed softly. "For now, don't expose yourselves. I'll handle things on this end."
That marked the completion of our basic agreement. We were about to leave when I suddenly remembered something I hadn't asked.
I turned back to face Memez. His usually closed eyes opened, revealing blood-red pupils swirling chaotically. I fixed my gaze on him and asked, "Vao's Doros. Can he be killed?"
Memez froze in place. I was deliberately exerting pressure, and he clearly couldn't react in time. I simply stood there, waiting for an answer.
After a moment, Memez seemed to regain his composure. His forehead was drenched in sweat, but he maintained a calm expression as he responded, "If you can deal with the benediction."
So it can be killed!
I nodded and left with Meradis.
After Shiraori and Meradis had left, Memez finally relaxed, though his hands still trembled as he held his teacup. "What a terrifying monster." A smile crept onto his face, unable to hide his excitement.
"What now?" Meradis asked, though I knew she already had the answer in mind.
"Clean up the trouble."
We walked down another corridor guided silently by Memez, and soon found the room of Vao's Doros. I used [Heaven Eye] to observe the interior and confirmed there were no traps or ambushes.
I pushed the door open casually and approached the large bed. Lying there was Vao's Doros, sound asleep. I didn't act immediately but recalled what Memez had said about his benediction.
"Can you read his memories?" I asked Meradis.
She stepped forward, closed her eyes, and began chanting. But after a while, she shook her head. "The magic is blocked as soon as it gets near him. Looks like we'll have to break the benediction first."
I nodded.
Appraisal!
<
Benediction: Shuhu's Prayer
The details popped up, but I was only interested in the so-called Shuhu's Prayer.
<
Hmph...
Simple in effect, yet incredibly troublesome.
Was this so-called infinite resurrection truly infinite? I wasn't afraid of the curse, but the question was how to eliminate him efficiently. More importantly, I needed the information in his memories.
"If we can't do anything directly, why not make him give it up willingly?" Meradis suggested.
Hmm…
That actually sounded like a good idea.
All I had to do was use violence and break him until he couldn't bear it anymore.
"Let me handle it. You shouldn't be involved in something like this." I asked Meradis to step back.
"Why would you say that? We're always together, remember?" Meradis took my hand.
I understood what she meant, but there were just some things too tainted for someone as perfect as her to touch.
"I'll do it. But thank you for your kindness." I smiled, a sincere smile for someone who truly cared about me.
Meradis sighed but agreed. She stepped back and prepared her magic to read his memories the moment the benediction was broken.
I approached, took a deep breath, and used all my strength to throw a punch at Vao's Doros. The curse activated instantly, but of course, it couldn't harm me.
As the punch neared Vao, I felt it strike a barrier. Still, I had focused all my power into the attack and broke through it, landing a direct hit.
A piercing scream erupted, and the entire bed was destroyed. Vao's Doros writhed on the ground in agony, but I gave him no time to recover. I walked up and delivered a vicious kick.
The two hits shattered his body, but he immediately regenerated, good as new. That regeneration ability was impressive, but it couldn't protect him from pain.
"Who are you?" he croaked, but I answered with another punch that shattered his bones.
"Aagh!"
"You…!"
Another stomp. The sensation wasn't bad, so I found myself enjoying it.
"Guards! Someone help!" he screamed.
I paused briefly to check whether anyone would show up, but no one did. It seemed Memez had already handled things outside.
Good. That meant I didn't have to hold back. I summoned [Blade Leg] and sliced off one of his arms, causing him to scream even louder.
"Stop! What do you want!?"
"Give up your benediction." Meradis calmly requested from behind.
"What?! No way!"
He screamed again, only to be silenced by a punch that shattered his teeth and jaw— which regenerated immediately.
"If you don't want more pain, relinquish the benediction," Meradis repeated gently. Each refusal was met with another devastating blow from me.
"Dream on! Once someone comes to rescue me, you're finished!"
Still delusional.
Fine. I'll beat him until I'm satisfied.
Vao's Doros was confident at first, but as time passed and no one came, panic began to creep in. His body healed quickly, but the pain and mental strain pushed him to the edge.
"Stop! I give up!"
Even so, I didn't stop. He was only conceding out of pain, so I had to make sure he truly despaired.
…
"Please, no more… I can't take it."
"Enough," Meradis stepped in to hold me back.
Fine, I'll stop.
I opened my eyes and let out a wave of killing intent to ensure he wouldn't try anything stupid. He trembled in fear and slowly began to remove his benediction.
"Oii, Shuhu… I, Vao's Doros, willingly relinquish your benediction…" His voice quivered.
As he spoke, light radiated from his chest and condensed into a single point. Something left his body and floated toward me.
Was this the benediction?
I had thought benedictions were invisible, but apparently, they could manifest in physical form. What appeared before me looked like a shimmering golden feather, tinged with flames.
Could this be given to someone else? If so, I'd gift it to Rian as a layer of protection. But something was off… the feather seemed to want me. It had a will of its own and kept moving toward me as if trying to merge.
Why?
"It seems to really like you, Shiraori." Meradis smiled.
Don't joke. This thing is meant for Rian… though if it has a will, maybe I don't have a choice.
Hey, can you communicate?
No response.
Fine. I'll let it enter me for now and give it to Rian later.
Come.
With my permission, the feather eagerly flew into me and merged with my body.
Something changed.
<
The system confirmed it.
Now, time to deal with this guy.
"If you would, Meradis."
She nodded and began reading Vao's memories. But her expression quickly darkened. When she finished, I could feel the murderous intent radiating from her.
She must've seen something truly vile.
I placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "It's okay. I'm fine. We have the intel. Let's finish this quickly."
I nodded.
"Wait… spare me!"
Ignoring his pleas, I used [Soul Chain] to extract his soul and imprisoned it in the Virtual World. His body disappeared without a trace.
"What did you find?" I asked.
"He targeted Erin because he was captivated by her beauty. He planned to let her suffer until near death before having someone 'heroically' rescue her— a staged farce."
My face darkened.
So I let him die too easily… but I still have his soul. That's enough.
"He's a fool. The plan involving parasitic insects came from someone else— the court sorcerer of Arkanis, Tetary. His subordinates also committed many crimes. Shall we deal with them too?"
I pondered.
It seemed Erin's secret wasn't exposed, but just in case, eliminating the mastermind was safer.
"Let's find that sorcerer. Leave the rest to Memez."
Meradis nodded, and we went straight to the royal pyramid's inner chamber. We already knew the way from Vao's memories.
"This is it."
We arrived at a seemingly normal room. But I could feel the Dark Mana within.
I placed my hand on the door, closed my eyes, and activated [Heaven Eye].
Inside, a vortex of dark energy swirled, sealed with intricate barriers. At the center stood a man in white robes, before a stone altar, holding a staff inscribed with ancient runes.
"What's he doing?" Meradis asked.
I opened my eyes, voice low. "Looks like a ritual."
"Should we rush in?"
I hesitated. If it was a dangerous ritual, interrupting it might have unexpected consequences. But letting him finish could be worse.
"No, I'll disrupt the ritual first."
I reached out, seized the surrounding mana, and distorted it. The air trembled as invisible energy spread.
Soon, I felt a shift. Inside, the man abruptly stopped and frowned.
"What's going on…?"
"Now!" I said.
Meradis and I opened the door and entered.
"Oh? Uninvited guests?" Tetary turned to face us with a sharp gaze.
Under the dim light of torches, I saw his face clearly—a middle-aged man with deep eyes and a knowing smile.
"Who are you?"
"Trash collectors…" Meradis replied coldly.
Tetary smirked. "I see… you're the ones who killed Vao's Doros?"
Huh?
He claimed to have planted something in Vao to monitor him constantly, but didn't help him. So this man was the true mastermind. And he wasn't afraid—he seemed prepared.
"I suppose Memez intervened?"
He walked forward slowly, staff glowing faintly. "Pity. You're too late."
Meradis narrowed her eyes.
Tetary smiled darkly. "The ritual was completed long ago."
I tensed. But in that moment, a chill spread through the room. Magic symbols beneath our feet began to glow.
A trap!
Tetary laughed mockingly. "Welcome to my world."
A blinding light enveloped us.
Ugh…!
I hate the light!
When it faded, I realized I was no longer in the room. Everything around me was pitch black—solid ground beneath, but no light, no sound. Just a dreadful silence.
I looked around. Meradis was nowhere in sight.
"Meradis?" I tried telepathy—no response.
Not good.
I activated [Heaven Eye] again to look for traces. No one. This space was sealed or disconnected from reality.
"Impressive, isn't it?" a deep voice echoed ahead.
I turned to see Tetary. But he was no longer the same man. Now a being cloaked in shadow, red eyes glowing fiercely.
"What are you?" I asked.
Tetary chuckled. "Not your concern." He waved his hand, and tendrils of shadow rose from the ground, lunging at me.
I stood still. As they neared, they were burned away by flames surrounding me.
Huh… I didn't do anything. This must be the benediction. It seemed to repel all darkness. But why choose me? I had absorbed dark powers before.
Tetary scowled and raised his staff. Shadows twisted into dozens of sharp blades flying at me.
Still, I didn't move. The benediction blocked everything.
"What a nuisance!" Tetary growled.
Though unharmed, I thought I should end this soon. If this space had a link to the real world, I just needed to find it.
I closed my eyes, sensing the mana flows. There—above me, a concentrated source of power. That must be the anchor. But Tetary noticed the shift.
"You found it?" He struck his staff down.
The space trembled. Walls of shadow turned into monstrous beasts with dozens of glowing red eyes. A voice echoed in my mind. "Intruder… vanish."
They lunged.
"Pointless." I muttered, slowly raising my hand.
The benediction flames around me acted as an unbreakable shield. The shadow beasts screamed, but were incinerated on contact.
I looked at Tetary, unimpressed. "If that's all you've got, this ends now."
"SHUT UP!" he roared, losing all composure. The entire space shook, a storm of fury. He was afraid.
I walked forward slowly. With each step, the dark ground crumbled.
Tetary panicked, turned, and lunged for the anchor.
"You won't leave this place!"
He tried to destroy it. But I moved faster, arriving before him.
BAM!
My hand pierced the veil of shadow and gripped the anchor.
I crushed it.
Crack!
The world shuddered. Darkness shattered like glass, fragments sparkling. I turned to Tetary, who stared at me in disbelief. "Game over."
He didn't even react as the entire space collapsed.
Back to reality.
I opened my eyes. Same room.
Meradis stood before me, eyes cautious. "Are you okay?"
I glanced down. Tetary knelt on the ground, trembling. All his power was gone. No more shadows. Just a defeated man.
"Let's finish it!" I said.
"Yeah." Meradis read his memories, and I did what I had with Vao—seizing his soul and erasing his body.
It's done.
We'd leave the rest to Memez.
"Let's go back." I took Meradis's hand. She had helped me a lot this time.
"Okay." Meradis smiled.
That deadly smile again…
But I like it.