Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Ocean of Blood [13]
Chapter 266 – Ocean of Blood [13]
"Soulless, huh..." Kaden muttered, then tilted his head. "Interesting, but problematic too."
He sighed.
He was, obviously, within the thick darkness of Death, standing weightless in a space where direction itself had no meaning. This place had come to be his personal realm, where time held no sway, and where — in some strange way — every one of his worries seemed to vanish, as if swallowed by something greater.
In that timeless plane, Kaden felt like a god. One who could make whole worlds or even existence itself stop moving, make life halt, make everything pause simply because... he needed a little time alone.
It was a feeling too immense, too overwhelming to be described by mere words. Because the more he grew, the stronger he became, the more he met beings like the Wonders and learned the mysteries of the gods... the more Kaden understood that this place he casually entered and left was no simple thing.
It was something far greater. Something he couldn’t yet comprehend and yet, he felt an instinctive need to. But for now, he couldn’t dwell on it too long, as there was something at the back of his head squirming like a bloody worm.
The Cerveau.
Those arrogant bastards were even slyer than he had imagined. No, far more. Who would have thought they’d split their consciousness, even their souls, and implant them into newly created bodies just to survive this war?
No... survive?
Kaden’s thoughts halted immediately. Why had he instinctively assumed they were trying to survive?
It might not be the case.
"Think, Kaden. Think... how was Brain?"
He was confident. He wasn’t the least bit worried about the war raging above, or the oceans of blood flooding the streets of both nobles and commoners. And if Kaden remembered correctly, Brain had said something about collecting the souls and consciousness of those who died in this war to nourish his family members and resurrect them.
As for how he would do that, Kaden had no idea. But based on his words and his demeanor, it was easy to guess that Brain wanted all of this to happen.
He wanted this war. He wanted people to die. He wanted an ocean of blood for himself, all to complete the ridiculous plan he had set in motion.
Kaden’s mind churned, twisting as thoughts spiraled in dizzying circles, struggling to connect the fragments. Inside that strange room, he remembered seeing every kind of skin... every kind of organ... every kind of body.
Be it human... be it beast.
Kaden suppressed a shudder as his thoughts finally coalesced into one chilling truth, remembering the words Brain had spoken.
Superior human.
"The Cerveau caused this war to achieve their goal...the creation of the superior human," Kaden muttered, his voice quiet but laced with cold understanding. He paused, his mind still reeling from the enormity of the realization.
Brain had planned to give the Cerveau the characteristics of Elamin, Warborn and beasts. Meaning...the mana and elemental affinities of the Elamin, the body and weapon mastery of the Warborn, and the instinctual adaptability of the beasts.
He wanted to make the Cerveau something beyond human... something perfect.
As that thought arrived, it was like a lightbulb had lit inside Kaden’s head, chasing away the thick darkness, as understanding surged and enveloped his brain.
Does that mean that all of this had happened... was for nought? Families losing everything... lovers killing each other... brothers stabbing each other... mother, daughter, father, son, uncle, aunt... dead... all of that...
...because one family wanted to satisfy their ego?
The already silent void grew heavy with unspoken tension. Not because of the discovery itself, but because of the feeling that rose inside Kaden when the truth settled.
He wanted to berate them. He wanted to call them evil, arrogant people with no empathy, let alone sympathy, for those on the same standing as them, or those beneath them. But he couldn’t.
Because he realized he would have done the same if it had been the only way for him to grow stronger. He realized that he was ready to slaughter everyone except his family and loved ones, if it meant gaining strength.
It was something he had already accepted when he awakened his Will, yet he couldn’t help the subtle shudder at the coldness of his own thought.
And this made him question...
What was the difference between him and the Cerveau?
There were many.
Kaden might kill, but he didn’t believe the world was beneath him. He might kill, but he wouldn’t cause lovers and kin to slaughter each other merely for some abstract experiment, except when they were his enemies...and then it would be their fault, for Kaden did not provoke unless provoked. He might kill, but he would not betray or manipulate his own family, nor attempt to slay them for progress.
It might sound like an excuse, a lie he told himself to soothe his restless mind or keep his fragile morality from being snuffed out. And honestly, it was. But in that moment he needed something to distinguish himself from the Cerveau...because he intended to kill every one of them.
’How hypocritical...’ Kaden whispered, and inevitably a sinking feeling crept into him, refusing to let go. In that instant he longed most for the reassuring, loving voice of Reditha.
The stillness of the void made him feel small, afraid, and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
But Kaden never let those feelings sink too deep into his heart. Ever. Letting them fester would be poisoning, risking a death worse than any he had endured till now. A death by the rotting stench of his own mind, a death born from the wavering of his heart.
His Will was strong. His Will was unique. So as despair threatened to burrow inward, his Will flared like a shield, pushing unnecessary thoughts aside and clearing his mind.
’I am Kaden Warborn, The Harvester. I am killer, and I will kill until I have no reason to kill anymore. It does not matter if the world sees me as evil.’
Because he knew his family and loved ones would never judge him that way.
And that was enough.
But here was something Kaden had not accounted for, blinded by the narrowness of his sight: a merciless killer would not send his subordinates to rescue innocent children from slavery or death.
In the end, who — or what — was Kaden?
A hero? A killer? A villain?
He did not know. But one thing he knew for certain: he was Kaden Warborn, son of Garros and Serena Warborn, brother of Daela and Dain Warborn.
And today, he would slaughter every Cerveau trying to come back from the dead.
"Sigh..." he sighed, shooing away all those thoughts to finally focus on the current situation with Brain.
Death, the ever-silent and loyal friend, chimed in.
[At which point of time do you wish to be revived?]
Kaden didn’t even hesitate. "The moment I entered that strange place."
He needed to be alone for what he was about to do there.
"And I want information," he added.
That was the most important thing right now...information. There were still too many things he didn’t understand, and he hoped that whatever knowledge he would receive this time would help him end all of this once and for all.
[You have received new information: The Forbidden Alchemist.]
Kaden paused, then a stifled laugh escaped his lips.
"Ah... Lady Luck always knows when to come back." He laughed, feeling that if there were a Luck stat in his status panel, it would be one that constantly went up and down, flickering endlessly...just like a lady.
His inappropriate thoughts were soon drowned by the sudden flood of information surging into his mind like a tidal wave. This one was massive. Kaden staggered slightly, his face twisting into a grimace of pain as he tried to digest it all.
And he did, making his expression shift from pain to utter disbelief. At the end of it...
"What the...?" Kaden was nearly at a loss for words. Because what he had just discovered changed everything.
Not only were some members of the Cerveau still alive and hiding deep within the forest beside Waverith, the very place where he had first met Vaela. But the entire city of Waverith itself, from its foundations to its farthest edge, was a colossal rune formation carved into every inch of soil and stone, its sole purpose being to gather the souls and consciousness of the dead.
A formation created by The Forbidden Alchemist...the greatest runesmith and alchemist to have ever walked the earth in both worlds since The Witch.
But also... the creator of the being that would later be known as...
The Devourer of Souls.
"Bloody hell...!"
—End of Chapter 266—