The sound of a masked man's footsteps echoed through the silent corridor, the bright glow of the lamps serving as the main source of light.
The masked man's footsteps passed by the various paintings hanging on the walls, until his steps stopped in front of one of them.
The masked man placed his hand on the painting, and light spread across the entire canvas the moment his hand touched it.
A mechanical sound rang out.
The painting and the wall around it slightly sank inward, then slowly split into two, revealing a corridor with a pair of double iron doors at the far end.
The moment the masked man took his first step into the corridor, his shadow quivered faintly, but the masked man did not notice.
His steps now carried him toward the double iron doors.
A mechanical sound echoed as the iron doors opened
.
The moment they opened, a blast of cold air hit the masked man.
Before him was a room filled with all kinds of weapons embedded in the ground.
And in the center, a pillar stretching from the floor all the way to the ceiling could be seen.
At the center of that pillar, the Bone of Malakar was sealed. It looked like a purple crystal the size of a human head, and inside the crystal, part of a tailbone was sealed.
Around the sealing pillar, four people sat cross-legged facing it from the four cardinal directions, channeling a small amount of their mana to stabilize the seal.
The masked man walked through the various weapons stuck in the ground.
He stopped near one of the people sitting cross-legged.
"Yo... time for the shift change…"
The seated person chuckled and slowly stood up.
"Finally... I can sleep…"
The other three let out envious remarks as they watched their friend about to leave.
The one who was leaving waved his hand as he walked away.
The masked man sat in the spot that had been vacated, then channeled a small amount of his mana.
A sigh escaped him.
"Damn... I have to sit here for 8 hours."
The one sitting in the east chuckled lightly.
"Isn't this better than guarding the mansion?"
The ones in the west and north gave slight nods.
The masked man scratched his thigh.
"Yeah... have you seen Torik's condition? His stomach was split wide open, damn it."
The one in the west grimaced slightly.
"Damn... in all my years guarding the Queen, I've never been in a situation like that."
The one sitting in the east looked at the one in the west.
"Who the hell would dare attack the Queen, damn it…"
The masked man spoke.
"About Torik's wounds, don't they look like a beastman's doing?"
The one in the north stroked his chin.
"What did Captain White say? Did he already ask for help?"
The masked man rested his head against one hand.
"Of course... with the way he always thinks of the worst-case scenario, he's definitely already whining to Captain Black."
Everyone chuckled at what the masked man said.
The one in the west pointed at him.
"You should be careful with your words, you might end up getting stabbed by something unseen without even realizing it…"
The masked man patted his thigh.
His body moved from laughter, but his shadow did not move at all.
"As if Captain White would do that, he loves us too much!"
The one in the west crossed his arms.
"You're wrong, he just doesn't want to be alone…"
They chatted with one another, trying to ward off the drowsiness that was slowly creeping into their eyes.
As their conversation flowed more naturally, the masked man's shadow became darker and darker.
Two red eyes slowly appeared, followed by a black hand emerging from within the shadow. That hand had long claws, and those claws slowly approached the masked man's back.
The masked man and the others did not notice it.
A loud burst of laughter rang out, the masked man laughed while clutching his stomach, and his laughter spread to the others.
The masked man spoke again.
"If only Captai—"
The masked man never finished his words, as the sound of something piercing flesh rang out.
Slash!
The masked man froze stiffly, blood poured out from behind his mask, and he looked down, his body trembling.
There, a black hand with claws had already pierced through his heart.
Silence fell between them, everyone stared at the masked man without saying a word.
The black hand slowly began to pull back out, revealing a hole in the masked man's body, and that body slowly collapsed.
A black shadow lunged at them.
The man in the east shouted.
"Contact the captain—"
But not long after that, his head was severed.
The shadow revealed its form, it was a komodo beastman with black skin and red eyes.
Its footsteps made no sound as it moved, and with a single slashing motion of its claws, another head fell to the ground.
The black komodo turned its body to look at the sealed artifact.
Its blood-covered claws tried to touch the Bone of Malakar, but a flash of red lightning and something invisible blocked it.
An alarm sound echoed throughout the entire mansion in response.
Kriing kriing kriing.
The alarm awakened everyone in the mansion.
In one of the rooms, a man wearing a white mask was leaning against a sofa.
His white mask had three lines across the eye area and mouth, and moonlight from the large window behind him shone on his head.
His head slowly turned when he heard the sound.
Kriing kriing kriing.
The masked man clicked his tongue and immediately stood up.
"Damn…"
He opened the door and pressed his smart bracelet.
"What happened?!"
His smart bracelet emitted a voice.
"Someone is trying to breach the seal of the Bone of Malakar, Captain White."
White spoke quickly.
"I'm going there! The rest of you protect the servants!"
White turned off his smart bracelet.
"Damn it... just as I feared."
White channeled mana into his legs and moved faster toward the storage chamber of the Bone of Malakar.
The same alarm sound reached the treatment room. There, someone lay on a bed, a faint smile slowly forming on his face as he rose.
His skin slowly peeled away, the sound of tearing flesh could be heard, revealing thick brown scales underneath. From behind his body, a whip-like tail emerged.
Claws grew from both his hands and feet, and the clothes he was wearing tore apart at the upper half.
His eyes slowly changed into reptilian eyes, his neck elongated, and a long forked tongue flicked out several times.
"Ssst... time for the feast ssst"
The komodo rose and left the room.
He was alone, without his shadow.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor, and White's steps stopped in front of the double iron doors.
His breathing sounded rough.
'This is going to be a long night….'
The double iron doors slowly opened.
White's eyes immediately focused on the place where the Bone of Malakar was sealed.
White's eyes widened when he saw what was before him, and the smell of blood reached him.
Red lightning could clearly be seen striking the black komodo figure that kept trying to break through the seal, while on the ground lay four blood-soaked bodies.
White stood still for a few moments, trying to process what he was seeing.
But it did not last long. He began stepping forward, passing through the many weapons embedded in the ground.
The black komodo shifted its gaze toward White, who was heading toward it.
White gritted his teeth.
He channeled mana into his outstretched right hand as he passed by a spear.
The moment White gripped the spear with his right hand and pulled it free, the spear vanished without a trace.
Siiing
He moved his right hand holding the vanished spear, while his left hand also gripped the spear's invisible shaft.
He made a thrusting motion.
The black komodo froze stiffly, confused about when the stab would come.
Without realizing it, its neck had already been pierced by the invisible spear.
Slash!
The black komodo's red eyes trembled slightly, its body convulsed and then broke apart into shadow.
Splash!
The shadow moved away from White and the Bone of Malakar.
White followed it and clicked his tongue.
The shadow slowly took form again, and the black komodo reappeared, the wound on its neck no longer visible.
White let out a breath, glanced at the corpses of his comrades, then looked back at the komodo.
'A demon contract, huh?...'
White moved his invisible spear and stretched his arms.
'....how long has it been since I last saw something like this?...'
The black komodo slowly lowered its body, its claws poised to tear flesh apart.
White exhaled.
'....where is the real body?....'
White's thoughts churned for a few moments, and just as he found the answer, the black komodo lunged, rushing through the various weapons embedded in the ground.
White chuckled.
'...damn. Did I get tricked?...'
White threw his invisible spear.
Fwosh
The black komodo's red eyes widened, and its steps faltered slightly.
White counted silently.
'one…'
'two…'
The invisible spear slowly began to reveal itself again.
'three…'
White clicked his tongue.
The black komodo, seeing the spear, gathered saliva in its mouth, its cheeks puffed up, then it spat a ball of saliva toward the spear.
"Pyuh…"
The moment they made contact, the spear corroded and fell to the ground.
White immediately moved, grabbing two small axes into his hands.
Siiing
The two small axes vanished in his hands, and he threw them toward the black komodo's two red eyes.
The black komodo simply stood there motionless.
White counted silently once more.
'one…'
'two…'
Slash!
The two vanished axes lodged themselves into the black komodo's red eyes, its head jerking slightly backward.
White took advantage of that moment, glancing briefly at all the weapons near him.
He clicked his tongue.
'Should've asked for a weapon infused with holy energy before coming here…'
White chuckled quietly.
'....well, can't be helped, let's just cause a little trouble'
The two small axes revealed themselves, and the black komodo removed them. Its injured eyes had already healed once more.
White ran closer, pulling out three iron balls from his smart bracelet.
Siiing
The balls vanished, and he threw them toward the black komodo.
Seeing White getting closer and closer, the black komodo charged as well.
But its steps halted when the three invisible balls embedded themselves into its stomach.
Buk
White did not waste the opportunity, grabbing a katana embedded in the ground as he passed by it.
Siiing
The black komodo wanted to move again, but the three balls lodged in its stomach exploded.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Its stomach was torn apart, yet not a single cry of pain came out.
White closed in and swung his vanished katana with his right hand.
The black komodo saw White as if he were about to slash, so it tried to block with its left hand.
White responded by loosening his grip slightly with his right hand, causing the vanished katana to drop. The black komodo did not realize it, and only prepared to counterattack with the claws on its right hand.
The vanished katana fell.
'one…'
'two…'
White's left hand moved, and he grabbed the fallen katana.
Siiing
He immediately thrust it into the black komodo's heart.
Slash!
The claws of its right hand stopped in midair, its body trembling.
The moment the trembling ceased, the komodo's body shattered.
Splash
The black komodo turned into black shadow and passed through White, heading toward the Bone of Malakar.
White's gaze followed the black komodo's shadow.
White chuckled softly.
'Damn… this is way more troublesome without holy energy'
The black komodo manifested once more, its hand reaching out toward the seal of the Bone of Malakar again.
A heavy exhale came from behind White's mask.
He aimed at the black komodo's body with the vanished katana in his left hand.
'This is pointless if there's no saint or weapon containing holy energy….damn it'
White shouted in frustration.
"Eat this, demon lizard!"
White threw his vanished katana, but the komodo paid it no mind, even when the katana pierced into its body.
White immediately ran closer toward the black komodo, which did not care at all about the katana lodged in it.
'Hurry up… let the real body show itself…'
He grabbed a chain lying on the ground, and the chain vanished the moment White gripped it.
Siiing
White spun the invisible chain.
He threw it toward the black komodo's neck.
Fwoosh
The black komodo's neck was ensnared, and White did not waste the chance. He reinforced his entire body with mana.
White gritted his teeth and pulled the black komodo back with the invisible chain.
The black komodo grabbed at its neck, where the chain was wrapped, and one of its steps was forced backward.
White exerted more strength, dragging the komodo backward.
White let go of the chain.
He channeled mana into his left leg and raised it to kick the black komodo's back.
Buk
The komodo was sent flying and crashed into the seal of the Bone of Malakar, red lightning striking its body.
Its body twitched slightly.
White grabbed the chain still wrapped around the komodo's neck once again.
His left foot pressed down on the black komodo's back, and the black komodo's body continued convulsing as the red lightning relentlessly electrocuted it.
White chuckled.
'Hurry up, hurry up… I'm too lazy to keep fighting this dark manifestation….'
The black komodo's body continued being electrocuted.
Meanwhile, outside the room where White was, the alarm still echoed.
In one of the rooms, a door opened.
A young man with blond hair and blue eyes came out from there.
He was wearing white pajamas, and he looked around the corridor while rubbing his eyes.
"Damn…what is going on?"
He hurried down the corridor, his footsteps echoing, barefoot as he ran.
The blond-haired young man gritted his teeth.
"The head butler just died this afternoon, and now this…."
The young man quickened his pace.
"....Father. I can't take this anymore."
The young man did not encounter anyone in the corridor, only the sound of the alarm accompanying him.
But after a few more steps, the alarm shut off, followed by the corridor lights going out.
The young man's focus was slightly shaken, but he kept running.
"The communication room, Captain White should be there…"
His steps carried him toward the communication room.
The young man turned into the dark corridor, but his once-hurried steps came to an abrupt stop.
The stench of blood was unmistakable in that corridor, and the young man unconsciously covered his nose with his hand.
His body trembled, and his blue eyes shook.
There, dozens of corpses of servants and security personnel lay scattered, their bodies torn apart, some of them missing their heads.
The young man stared at a large figure with a writhing tail, standing among the dozens of corpses.
The young man gritted his teeth, cold sweat running down his back.
The large figure lifted one of the corpses, but then glanced toward the blond-haired young man after sensing his presence.
The blond-haired young man unconsciously stepped back.
The large figure paid him no mind and brought the corpse toward its mouth.
Its mouth opened wide, revealing dozens of sharp teeth and a long forked tongue.
The figure bit down on the corpse's head all the way to its neck.
Krek
It tore the head off, and blood sprayed out afterward.
Splash.
The figure threw aside the now headless corpse.
Buk.
The large figure chewed on the head, the sound of crunching bones disturbingly crisp as it stared at the blond-haired young man.
Krek krek krek.
After it finished chewing, the sound of it swallowing reached the young man.
The golden-haired young man stood frozen in place.
The large figure smiled. It was a komodo.
The komodo opened its still blood-covered mouth, its forked tongue flicking out several times.
"ssst Did you wake up by accident ssst….young master Julian ssst."
Julian's body trembled violently when his name was spoken.
"W…what?.."
The komodo chuckled while licking the blood remaining around its mouth, its tongue flicking out several times.
"Ssst don't you recognize me? Ssst"
Julian remained frozen, swallowing hard.
The komodo raised its clawed left hand and wiped its face.
After wiping its face, its face changed into that of an old man Julian recognized.
Julian's blue eyes trembled, and his bare feet shook as well.
"The head butler?"
The komodo burst into laughter, its voice echoing through the nearly dark corridor, sounding exactly like the man Julian knew.
Julian grabbed his blond hair, gritting his teeth hard.
The veins on his forehead bulged, his brows furrowed, and he glared at the komodo with pure rage.
His chest rose and fell, his breathing became ragged, his blood boiled, and his heart beat faster.
His hands trembled.
The komodo chuckled as it looked at Julian, then shed its human skin once more.
Sreet.
It took a deep breath, its tongue flicking out several times.
"ssat Ahh….finally, that boring disguise ssst is over ssst"
The komodo looked at Julian.
"Ssst don't blame me ssst you're just unlucky ssst…."
The komodo paused for a moment and smiled widely, its reptilian eyes glowing.
".....because the Bone of Malakar is here ssst"
A cold wind struck Julian.
He growled, his eyes turning redder, tears almost spilling out.
'Just because of that….just because of that artifact…'
Julian looked at the corpses lying on the floor.
He recognized those corpses, they were the servants who guarded the mansion.
His thoughts raced as he remembered that his father was not home right now.
'....all of this…all of this just for that damned artifact…'
Julian gritted his teeth even harder, clenching his trembling fists.
A scream burst from his mouth.
"HUARHGHH…."
Julian charged at the komodo, while the komodo only smiled as it waited in place.
Julian drew his sword from his smart bracelet.
He gripped it tightly with both hands, and mana surged into the blade.
Flames erupted from the blade, illuminating the dark corridor.
Julian swung his sword to the left, intending to split the komodo apart.
Meanwhile, Julian's reflection as he swung could be seen in the komodo's reptilian eyes.
The komodo chuckled.
It simply dodged with a casual movement.
Slash!
Julian's flaming sword cut through empty air.
Julian gritted his teeth and tried to attack again, but his bare foot stepped into a pool of blood.
A sticky sensation spread across Julian's foot, and his expression twitched.
He lost his balance.
The komodo, seeing Julian lose his footing, immediately aimed its claws at Julian's neck and grabbed it tightly.
Julian struggled, his breathing cut off, his mouth and eyes wide open, his sword fell to the ground and vanished.
Buk.
The komodo lifted Julian's body and slammed him to the floor.
Buk.
A groan escaped Julian as he stared at the komodo with wide-open eyes.
But the stench of blood distracted him, and he slightly turned his gaze to the left.
His body trembled violently when he saw what was beside him.
There, the face of a dead woman was visible, her eyes wide open and bleeding, her expression frozen.
Julian nearly lost his breath as he recognized that face, the woman was the one who always prepared his clothes.
A wave of nausea spread through Julian's stomach.
Tears unintentionally streamed down Julian's face, and a whimper escaped him.
The komodo laughed loudly, its right hand still choking Julian.
Julian looked back at the komodo with tear-filled eyes and screamed with all his strength.
"Uwarghh"
Julian channeled mana into his right hand, and flames burst from his fist, but this time accompanied by crackling electricity.
The flames and electricity illuminated the dark corridor.
Julian threw his punch, intending to strike the komodo's face.
But the komodo simply stopped it with one hand.
Buk
The komodo's hand did not even tremble when the flames touched its skin, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
Julian only stared silently at the komodo, which was holding back his punch with its bare hand.
He tried to pull his hand back, but the komodo held it firmly.
The komodo's tongue flicked out several times.
"Ssst is this all ssst the strongest 16-year-old human can do ssst"
The komodo tightened the grip of its left hand, which was restraining Julian's fist.
Julian's right hand struggled.
A cry of pain escaped his lips.
The komodo kept squeezing, and before long the sound of bones being crushed could be heard.
Krak krak
Julian screamed in agony, his heart-wrenching scream echoing through the dark corridor.
Cold sweat poured down Julian's face, mixed with tears.
The komodo smiled widely and released Julian's crushed fist.
Julian, having lost all strength, could no longer lift his right hand.
His hand fell to the ground, his crushed fingers twitching.
The komodo's forked tongue flicked out several times.
"Ssst ahh I've played for too long ssst"
The komodo brought its face closer to Julian, its right hand still choking Julian's neck.
Julian winced.
The komodo's forked tongue reached Julian's face, and Julian's body trembled every time the tongue touched his skin.
The komodo opened its mouth, and its breath blew against Julian's face, carrying the scent of blood and decay, making Julian nearly vomit.
"Ssst I want to eat you right away ssst but I can't ssst"
The komodo pulled its face back.
Julian swallowed hard as he looked at the komodo, the trembling in his body now fading slightly.
The komodo stared at him expressionlessly, its left hand moving quickly.
Slash!
Its claws pierced Julian's stomach.
Julian's eyes widened, but this time no scream came out. He only stared at the komodo, which still looked at him without expression.
Blood poured from Julian's stomach, soaking his white pajamas.
Slowly, the komodo pulled its claws out, and a spray of blood burst forth as it withdrew its hand.
Splash.
Julian could no longer scream, and his body no longer moved.
His blue eyes still stared at the komodo.
The komodo's tongue flicked out several times as it released its grip on Julian's neck.
Even so, Julian could not move at all.
Slowly, the komodo stood up and stepped over Julian's body, its voice echoing through the silent corridor.
"Ssst don't go anywhere ssst I'll eat you later ssst"
The komodo's footsteps gradually faded away.
Meanwhile, Julian remained lying there among the other corpses, his stiff expression still visible, staring only at the dark ceiling of the corridor, blood still pouring from the wound in his stomach.
His mind began conjuring up fragments of the memories he had lived through.
But his body could not move at all. The images kept flashing through his thoughts.
Growing up in one of the great families had given him protection, security, and prosperity that not everyone had.
His genius, which had already shown itself since childhood, only continued to grow.
His talent, more complete than many others, even more complete than some of the strongest people alive today, had placed Julian above the rest.
He was the strongest human of his age right now, competing with the talents of the other races.
But now Julian was only frozen, his eyes did not even blink, not even when flies licked his face.
He saw memories of his father and his friends, all of them beautiful. He had been praised everywhere, liked everywhere.
But right now, he could only lie there helplessly among dozens of corpses.
His mind replayed the event that had just happened to him, the komodo that had changed its face into that of the head butler he had trusted so much.
Julian swallowed hard, that was the only movement he made after several moments.
His blue eyes slowly regained focus, his face twitched, causing the flies that had landed on him earlier to fly away.
His brow furrowed, slowly he gritted his teeth, and the tears that had already dried now once again soaked his face.
The sound of soft sobbing came from him, accompanying him in the dark corridor.
Julian closed his eyes for a few moments.
His sobbing grew louder, but it suddenly stopped when Julian opened his eyes.
Now his gaze was filled with the desire to kill.
His reddened eyes and the tears pooled within them were the sign of a new Julian.
He took out a potion from the smart bracelet on his left hand.
He opened the cap and drank it like a man dying of thirst.
The bitterness did not stop him, his throat was now filled with the bitter liquid.
Julian threw away the potion bottle and wiped his lips.
Slowly, the pain spreading through his body began to subside, and his body gradually became numb.
Julian gritted his teeth, he tried to rise, no longer thinking about the condition of his body.
His trembling legs did not hinder his resolve.
He turned his body over, his left hand pressing against the cold floor, while the palm of his right hand merely hung limp and slowly swelled, turning purple.
He walked slowly, step by step, leaving the corridor filled with the stench of decay.
He drew in a deep breath, walking without looking back at those who had died.
But the voice that echoed from him promised one thing.
"Wait…just wait a little longer. I will avenge…everything."
Julian lowered his head.
"Forgive me…forgive this useless me…"
Julian walked with a limp, leaning against the wall as he headed toward the place where the Bone of Malakar was sealed.
Meanwhile, the komodo had already broken through the painting door, its corrosive saliva melting through it with ease.
Its footsteps were now aimed toward the iron door.
Its tongue flicked out several times.
"Ssst so this is the place ssst"
It scratched its thick, rough skin.
"Ssst he never helped, but he was always noisy ssst"
The komodo stopped not far from the double iron doors. It gathered its saliva once more and spat it onto the iron doors.
"Pyuuhh…"
The doors slowly melted.
Its tongue flicked out several times.
"Ssst the only one left is that troublesome man ssst"
The room behind the slowly melting iron doors came into view, and the first thing the komodo saw was the collection of various weapons embedded in the ground.
The komodo's reptilian eyes looked toward something in the center.
There, White was pushing the komodo's shadow against the seal of the Bone of Malakar, causing it to be electrocuted.
White gritted his teeth, his left leg continued to push hard against the black komodo's back, while his hands kept pulling the chain wrapped around the black komodo.
But gradually, White heard something, footsteps entering the room.
He was about to turn around, but the black komodo turned back into a shadow and moved away from him and the Bone of Malakar.
White let out a breath, clicked his tongue, and turned his body around.
There stood the komodo, now reunited with its shadow.
The komodo's forked tongue flicked out several times.
"ssst truly impressive ssst Captain White ssst"
White pulled back his hood, revealing his white hair.
"So, it really was you, huh? No wonder that ugly dark manifestation looked strangely familiar…"
The komodo chuckled, its tongue flicking out several times.
"Ssst you will die ssst today, White ssst"
White rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're pretty good, huh? Disguising yourself here and there and trapping one of the great families."
White cracked his knuckles.
He tried pressing the smart bracelet on his left hand, but there was no response at all.
The komodo laughed wildly.
White chuckled as well, then let out a breath.
"Damn it… Black. I told you I had a bad feeling."
The komodo lowered its stance, its tail writhing, its claws poised, and its tongue flicking out several times.
White glanced at the weapons around him, then looked back at the komodo.
"So, you got your orders from the demon you serve, huh?"
The komodo did not answer.
White stared at it seriously, his hands beginning to move little by little.
'This is too well-planned… all of this. Damn it, what exactly are we dealing with.'