Chapter 37: 37. The Price of Freedom – 1

*creak* *creak*

The interior of the SATD groaned as it tore through the dense fog of nether energy, its massive frame shook slightly with every movement forward.

The sound echoed through the cabin in uneven intervals, metal scraping against metal in a way that made Will narrow his eyes in annoyance.

The vehicle was fast, devastating, and heavily armed, yet the noises it produced right now reminded him far too much of an old bullock cart struggling uphill rather than a high-end bio-mech war machine meant to dominate hostile terrain.

“Why is the mighty SATD making noises like a bullock cart,” Will mocked as he leaned back into his seat, gripping the armrest while the vehicle continued its relentless advance through the fog-choked forest.

The outside world was barely visible through the reinforced viewing panels.

Thick layers of grey-black mist twisted unnaturally, infused with nether energy that corroded the environment slowly but surely.

Trees stood warped and dead, their trunks were bent as if frozen mid-scream, while the ground beneath was churned with decay and hardened ash.

The SATD pushed through it all without slowing, its massive wheels flattened over roots and stone alike.

The system responded to him with a sigh, its tone was carrying clear irritation.

[Time was limited, so I installed a basic nether filtration layer. Unfortunately, the structural reinforcement was not optimized. That is why the internal frame is producing noises.]

Will smirked, clearly entertained by the system’s rare admission of fault.

“So you rushed the design and now my ears have to suffer,” he said casually, resting his chin on his palm.

“Anyway, are we even going in the right direction, or are we just uprooting random trees?”

[Yes, host. It has been three days. We have been traveling west continuously without stopping.]

Before Will could reply, the SATD suddenly slammed into something solid.

The entire vehicle lurched violently as a deafening crash echoed through the cabin.

Will was thrown forward out of his seat, his body colliding with the monitor console as the safety restraints failed to engage in time.

“ARGH!!”

Pain shot through his shoulder and ribs as he struggled to regain his footing, meanwhile anger flashed across his face.

“What the hell happened to the shock absorption and damping systems you were bragging about so much,” he snapped, rubbing his side.

The system hesitated for a fraction of a second.

[…I forgot to include them in the revised blueprint.]

Will stared at the air in disbelief before exhaling sharply.

“Shithead.”

[Host, stop cursing and look at where we are.]

Will turned his gaze toward the forward display, and the irritation on his face vanished instantly.

The SATD had crashed into a towering white pillar made of smooth, marble-like stone. It stood tall and unbroken, its surface carved with faint symbols worn down by time.

Unlike the twisted trees and corrupted earth behind him, this structure was made artificially. It was proof of civilization.

Will stepped out of the SATD, his boots crunching against pale stone instead of rotting soil.

The air felt different here, more corrosive and denser. He walked forward slowly, then suddenly laughed out loud as realization fully settled in.

“Finally,” he said, voice filled with relief. “Hahaha.”

He placed both hands against the pillar and hugged it without hesitation, pressing his forehead briefly against the cool stone.

The journey through the Prison of the Fallen Gods had drained him physically and mentally, and this simple confirmation that he had arrived felt overwhelmingly satisfying.

[Host, perhaps you should do what you came here for instead of attempting to violate ancient pillars.]

“Ahem,” Will cleared his throat quickly, stepping back and straightening his posture. “Shut up, shithead.”

His expression hardened as he looked ahead.

Beyond the pillar stretched a narrow rocky path. It was smooth in places and worn in others, as if countless beings had once walked it long ago. The path cut directly through the fog, leading somewhere deeper into the heart of this forbidden land.

Without hesitation, Will stepped onto it.

The fog thickened as he walked, swallowing his figure almost immediately. The silence here felt unusual, as though sound itself had been muted out of respect or fear. After several minutes of steady movement, a massive structure emerged from the mist.

A temple.

It was built from luminous granite-like stone, tall and imposing, yet devoid of ornamentation. The walls were smooth and cold, untouched by decay despite the hostile environment around it.

Will approached it carefully and stepped inside.

The interior was dim, lit faintly by an unknown source. At the far end stood a large wooden door. Will placed his hand against it, and to his surprise, it opened effortlessly, its hinges moved as though they had been waiting for him.

He entered.

Inside the chamber, a single figure defined the space.

A woman knelt at the center of a marble stage her body was restrained by massive black metallic chains that emitted thick waves of nether energy.

Each chain was embedded into the floor and walls, anchoring her completely. Her hair were a darker shade of violet and her battle attire was pitch black perfectly blending into the shadows while still radiating danger and also making her look enticing.

Her head was lowered, hiding her face.

Will’s posture changed instantly. His casual demeanor vanished, replaced by absolute focus and respect. He stood straight with a sharp expression on his face.

[Centuries in that kneeling position. Her back would snap if she stood suddenly.]

For once, Will did not respond to the system’s joke.

“I greet the ruler of eternal darkness,” Will said calmly. “Tamasya.”

Silence followed his greeting.

The chamber remained still, the only sound being the faint hum of nether energy coursing through the chains. Minutes passed, stretching uncomfortably, until a faint breeze stirred the woman’s hair.

Slowly, she raised her head and two pitch-black pupils locked onto Will.

The gaze was cold, ancient, and crushing. But to Will it had been the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, from now his standards pertaining to women was going to change, Tamasya’s beauty had set a new bar in his mind.

A deep yet high-pitched voice echoed through the chamber, carrying authority that weighed down on his bones.

“Name.”

“William, my lady,” he replied without hesitation.

“Age.”

“Fourteen.”

“Motive.”

“Your guidance,” Will answered evenly, “and a gift.”

For a brief moment, the woman stared at him. Then she laughed.

The sound was deranged, echoing violently through the temple as centuries of madness and isolation poured into that laughter.

“After so many centuries,” Tamasya said, voice filled with disbelief and mockery, “this is the fruit of my patience? A child?”

She leaned forward slightly, chains rattling.

“Are you lost, brat?”

she asked in an expression that warned him of trickery.

“No,” Will replied calmly. “I am here to free you, help you, and to become your disciple.”

As soon as those Words left his mouth a crushing pressure descended instantly.

A fraction of Tamasya’s presence flooded the chamber, crushing Will where he stood. His bones shattered. Organs ruptured. Blood burst from his mouth as his body collapsed onto the stone floor.

He did not die instantly.

Before Death could graze him Absolute Adaptation activated.

[A/n : capitalized D in death is intentional]

Energy surged violently through his broken form, rebuilding flesh and bone at an insane speed. Muscles reattached, organs regenerated, and his mana core got flooded with power beyond what his body had ever handled.

Agony followed after this, his talent was adjusting his body to Tamasya’s pressure, even if it was only a fraction of her power. The woman herself was someone who could threaten gods.

Will screamed relentlessly, he had never felt such kind of physical pain ever in his two lives.

A bitter realization was slowly settling in his partially conscious mind, the pain of reconstruction and adaptation to a certain attack burned far worse than the assault itself,

his nerves screamed as his body reforged itself in seconds. He convulsed, coughing blood before finally losing consciousness.

[A/N: The talent deliberately prevented him from losing consciousness instead of allowing him to faint and escape the pain. The reason was simple and cruel – if he had fallen unconscious in that state, he might never have awakened again.

After such a sudden and catastrophic shock to his body, remaining awake was essential to pull him back from the brink of death. so the talent let him rebuilt properly at first before letting him faint once his life was saved.]

Tamasya stared at the strange phenomenon in front of her

Her eyes widened slightly.

“Impossible,” she whispered. “Not even gods…”

Her words trailed off as she watched the boy before her regaining his form back.

For the first time in centuries, disbelief crossed the face of the ruler of eternal darkness.

—————-

[A/N : I am sure you won’t like Tamasya after this Chapter, even I don’t like her right now]

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