Chapter 261: Who is the Fool?

Ahhh! Ahhh!

A soul rending scream echoed across the barren desert, a cry of pure anguish rising from the depths of a shattered soul.

Anyone who heard it would shiver uncontrollably, their spine drenched in cold sweat as the sound carried a raw and primal pain with no restraint and no dignity left, leaving only suffering laid bare.

Standing a few meters away from the scene, the hunter and the healer watched in silence as their bodies trembled involuntarily, unable to suppress the fear creeping into their hearts.

They stared at their captain, the same arrogant figure who once stood above them, yet now he was reduced to something completely unrecognizable.

His screams tore through the air relentlessly while tears mixed with blood streamed down his face, and his voice cracked with every desperate cry.

“P Please kill me,” he begged weakly, his words broken and barely coherent.

Every bone in both his arms and legs had been crushed, the damage inflicted slowly and deliberately until his flesh had been smashed into a grotesque paste, leaving nothing intact and nothing left to save.

He had already lost count of how many times he had fainted, slipping into darkness each time in search of relief, yet he was always dragged back to consciousness by Thoren.

Now, as the captain looked into Thoren’s deep blue eyes, he saw nothing but death, for there was no mercy and no hesitation within them, only cold indifference.

Why didn’t I tell him everything when he asked nicely? He thought, regret filled his heart but there was no pill for regret.

“I will tell you everything,” he muttered weakly, his voice slurred and barely understandable.

“Of course you will,” Thoren replied calmly, nodding slightly as his tone remained unchanged despite the gruesome scene before him.

The hunter and the healer exchanged uneasy glances as they understood what was happening, realizing that Thoren was not merely extracting information but sending a message.

He had deliberately shown his cruel side to the two watching witnesses. Since he could not kill the two just because they had witnessed everything he had done, he would use them to pass an important message.

Since his enemies had already learned of his arrival on the second floor, he would make them spread the word about what happened to those who crossed him.

He had never changed.

His mind had never gone soft.

He was still the same ruthless person he had always been.

The one and only Grim Reaper.

Reaper of souls.

Reaper of flesh.

Anyone who dared to oppose him would face consequences without exception.

“Now tell me where that snake is,” Thoren asked calmly, his voice steady and filled with the same indifference as before.

The captain struggled to breathe as his body trembled violently, and with great difficulty he replied, “I do not know where she is.”

He paused briefly to gather strength before continuing, “But we have a meeting point in the western part of the town.”

His voice shook as he spoke, “It is the eighth house on the left, and you can only access the yard from the back because the front is controlled by the Jackals.”

“I knew it,” the hunter muttered bitterly, his tone filled with resentment as he added, “You two were sleeping with each other.”

The healer widened her eyes slightly and stared at the captain in disbelief as everything suddenly made sense to her.

Cressida’s arrogance was no longer a mystery, as she had always acted without restraint, using other team members freely while never facing punishment or expulsion from the party.

Even inviting Thoren into the party had been her decision alone, and she had never once asked for their opinions.

Thoren remained unmoved by the revelation, as Neville had already revealed this information earlier, though he still had more questions to ask.

“What is Neville’s relationship with your group?” he asked calmly.

The captain froze momentarily before a painful groan escaped his lips and blood trickled from his mouth.

“As far as I know, he has connections with the Jackal Beastmen,” he replied weakly.

“What kind of connections?” Thoren pressed.

“I do not know the details,” the captain answered, “I only heard it from Cressida, and she said Neville handles shady dealings for them.”

Thoren nodded slightly, as this confirmed what he had already learned.

“So what is the relationship between Cressida and Neville,” he asked again, “are they sleeping with each other?”

“That is impossible,” the captain said firmly, his tone carrying faint pride despite his condition.

“That fool chased after her endlessly, yet he never realized he was just being played and was nothing more than a pawn in her hands, and if not for his connections, we would have gotten rid of him long ago.”

The hunter and the healer exchanged another glance, unable to help rolling their eyes slightly as even in such a miserable state, the captain still clung to his pride.

It was almost laughable.

Thoren looked down at him silently as the man lay in a pool of his own blood, his body broken beyond repair, yet still believing in his own superiority.

The thought amused Thoren slightly, and the corner of his lips lifted faintly as a trace of pity surfaced in his mind, not for the suffering or pain, but for the ignorance.

The captain believed he had been in control, thinking he had manipulated Neville and understood Cressida, yet reality was far different.

Cressida had long been sleeping with Neville before the captain entered the picture, and when the captain noticed her beauty, he became infatuated and invited her into his group without hesitation.

Cressida accepted immediately, fully aware of his intentions as she saw the opportunity before her and sought protection and resources, using his interest to her advantage.

At the same time, she did not completely abandon Neville, instead finding another solution by inviting him into the group under the guise of being a capable swordsman.

In this way, both men remained close to her, competing for her attention and trying to prove their worth, yet neither realized the truth.

When she was with Neville, she mocked the captain, and when she was with the captain, she mocked Neville, allowing each to believe the other was a fool.

In reality, both were being manipulated as they danced within the palm of her hand without realizing it.

The difference between Neville and the captain was clear, as Neville accepted who Cressida truly was and never placed complete trust in her, though he never fully let her go.

It was as if she casted a spell on him.

On the other hand, the captain remained trapped within the illusion she created, believing in a false reality and clinging to it even at the brink of death.

With these thoughts in mind, Thoren let out a quiet sigh as a trace of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

“How did you manage to reach the second floor if you are this foolish?” Thoren asked calmly, his voice carrying neither anger nor mockery but remaining simple and direct.

The captain froze for a moment as blood continued to flow from his mouth, nose, and eyes, dripping slowly onto the ground while his expression twisted slightly.

The hunter and the healer were equally confused as they stared at Thoren, waiting for him to continue, but the captain spoke first.

“I know you are stronger than me, and I know you will kill me, and I have already accepted that fate,” he said with difficulty, his voice trembling with pain.

He paused briefly as he struggled to breathe, his body convulsing slightly before continuing, “I have also accepted my mistake for hiding the truth from you.”

“I should have questioned your intentions when you asked about Cressida, but instead I let jealousy cloud my judgment, and that was my mistake.”

He clenched his teeth weakly before adding, “But do not call me foolish or belittle what I sacrificed to reach the second floor, because you have no idea what I have been through.”

His tone carried a hint of stubborn pride, as even in his current state, he refused to yield completely.

Thoren listened without much interest, his expression remaining indifferent as he had already lost interest in the conversation.

“Release everything in your inventory,” Thoren said firmly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.

The captain did not argue, as he knew he had no choice, and without hesitation, he activated his inventory and released everything he had.

Weapons, supplies, and various materials appeared on the ground one after another until his inventory was complete.

Thoren glanced at the items briefly and scanned them with a critical eye before clicking his tongue softly.

“So poor,” he said casually, his tone dismissive.

The hunter and the healer were stunned, unable to hide their reactions as to them, the captain’s belongings represented significant wealth, far more than what they possessed.

Yet Thoren dismissed it without hesitation, making the difference between them painfully clear as the two exchanged a knowing glance.

Since nothing caught his interest, Thoren turned away and walked calmly toward his mount, his steps steady and unhurried as the scene behind him no longer mattered.

As he reached the foot of his mount, he paused briefly and turned his head slightly.

“For your information,” he said calmly, “Neville had been fucking your Cressida long before you met her.”

The words struck like a thunderclap as the hunter froze instantly, the healer’s eyes widened in shock, and the captain’s breathing halted for a brief moment.

Silence filled the air as they struggled to process what they had just heard, their minds reeling with confusion and disbelief clearly written on their faces.

Before they could respond, Thoren had already climbed onto his mount and departed without another word, the sound of his movement fading into the distance and leaving behind a shattered truth.

****

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