Chapter 68: Ghost Scream Bounty Hunter.

As Seris walked out of the Glass Blade Forest, a faint, almost imperceptible smile lingered on her lips.

Sunlight filtered through the crystalline leaves above, scattering fractured rays across the forest floor, yet none of it caught her attention.

Her mind was elsewhere.

Since the moment of betrayal, a heavy burden had weighed on her heart like an unmovable stone.

Each time she thought back to how earnestly she had trusted them.

How hard she had worked.

How sincerely she had believed in shared goals, her chest tightened. The memories still stung, but they no longer crushed her beneath their weight.

More times than she could count, she had cried over her own foolishness.

With her talent, she should have risen quickly.

She had been praised since the beginning, hailed as a once in a decade genius.

Yet ignorance, blind faith, had cost her opportunities she would never recover.

“Huh…” she exhaled softly.

The tight knot in her chest loosened, finally releasing a breath she felt she had been holding for far too long.

Her thoughts flowed smoothly now, no longer snagging on regret or bitterness.

She had expected something else entirely after killing them.

Nausea.

Regret.

A crushing sense of guilt.

Yet she felt none of it.

Instead, there was only calm.

It was as though she had not killed for the first time at all.

“…I guess my hatred toward them numbed everything,” she murmured, letting out a quiet chuckle as she picked up her pace.

She could hardly wait to return to town. A long bath. Clean clothes. A proper meal. And, finally, uninterrupted sleep.

For hours, she had pushed herself beyond her limits fighting relentlessly, pushing herself to the limit many times, she had come close to dying.

Still, she managed to escape as she craved power to avenge herself.

Now that it was done…

Everything felt worth it.

Her steps grew lighter, her posture straighter. There was a new gleam in her eyes, confidence, mixed with anticipation for the future that lay ahead.

Then, without warning, her thoughts drifted to a familiar figure.

The boy who had saved her during her darkest hour.

“I wonder how he’s doing…” she murmured unconsciously.

She had been called a rare genius, a talent that appeared once every decade. But compared to a boy who could control multiple undead servants simultaneously.

Effortlessly without backlash, her talent suddenly felt ordinary.

“Is it even possible for him to be captured by bounty hunters?” she wondered aloud, only to shake her head moments later.

“Impossible,” she scoffed quietly. “With his undead servants, I doubt anyone could stand against him.”

Lost in thought, Seris failed to notice the group of five awakeners walking ahead on the forest path.

“I heard a party connected to that evil necromancer was captured,” one of them said in a hushed voice.

“What did you expect?” another replied. “With a reward that high, plenty of people would jump at the chance.”

“Do you think the boy will have the guts to show himself?”

“Why not? Unless he plans to let those girls die in his place.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t show up,” a third scoffed.

“Necromancers weren’t given that title for nothing. Their minds are twisted beyond imagination.”

Seris halted abruptly.

Her voice cut through their conversation like a blade.

“Excuse me,” she said calmly, though something sharp lurked beneath her tone. “Could you tell me who you’re talking about?”

“Hm?”

All five turned toward her, irritation briefly flashing across their faces at being interrupted.

But the moment they sensed the subtle aura radiating from her body, whatever annoyance they felt vanished instantly.

Their expressions stiffened.

’This girl… shouldn’t be offended,’ they realized almost simultaneously.

They exchanged cautious glances.

One of them stepped forward. A woman clad in worn leather armor, her gear worn out by frequent use.

She forced a polite smile and spoke carefully.

“We were talking about the recently infamous necromancer,” she said. “The one who attacked the Federation Police.”

Seris’s expression remained unchanged. “Tell me about the capture group.”

The woman hesitated briefly before continuing.

“We heard it from a bounty hunter. The Ghost Scream Bounty Party captured several people related to the boy. They plan to use them as bait to lure him out.”

She swallowed.

“Many awakeners are rushing back to town to see what will happen.”

“When did this happen?” Seris snapped.

Her voice dropped dangerously low.

The woman shivered and answered immediately, “A few hours ago.”

The moment those words left her mouth, Seris vanished from where she stood.

Her speed was overwhelming, leaving behind nothing but blurred afterimages and a rush of displaced air.

The five awakeners stood frozen for a heartbeat before releasing the breath they hadn’t realized they were holding.

“…Why do I feel like she would’ve killed us if we hesitated?” one of them muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“I felt it too,” another agreed grimly. “She’s probably close to Level 10.”

“Indeed,” the woman who seemed to be their leader said quietly. “Someone at that level must never be offended.”

They were low-level awakeners. Against someone like her, they did not even dare breathe too loudly.

Meanwhile, Seris raced back toward the town.

Her earlier calm shattered completely.

Her heart pounded violently as a familiar name echoed in her thoughts.

Thoren.

She knew instinctively they were talking about him.

’Damn it…’

She pushed herself harder, mana surging through her veins as the distance shrank rapidly.

She needed to see what was happening with her own eyes.

Even if she wasn’t strong enough to help him directly.

She still had to go.

Perhaps… he might need her.

The outskirts of the human town soon came into view. Awakeners streamed back from their hunts, their armor battered and torn. Some limped. Others were wrapped in crude bandages.

But there was one thing they all shared.

Every conversation revolved around the Ghost Scream Bounty Party.

Around Thoren.

Speculation ran rampant.

Some mocked him, claiming he wouldn’t dare show himself.

Others debated whether he would sacrifice himself for captured companions.

“This is the Abyss,” someone scoffed. “Who would be stupid enough to die for others?”

Seris’s expression darkened as she walked through the crowd.

She didn’t slow down.

Didn’t stop.

Her steps were fast, almost frantic, her heart thundering against her ribs as she made her way toward the Ghost Scream Bounty Party’s headquarters.

She cut through the streets like a gust of wind.

In the distance, she spotted a small crowd gathered.

Her breath caught.

She shoved her way forward.

In front of the Ghost Scream Bounty Party building, five girls were bound tightly with thick ropes.

Their armor was torn, robes ripped and stained. Bruises marred their skin, and faint injuries covered their bodies.

Seris’s fists clenched until her knuckles turned white.

’How could they treat fellow humans like this?’

’What is the Federation Police doing? Are they blind to such inhuman acts?’

Rage burned fiercely in her chest.

Her hand moved subconsciously toward the hilt of her sword.

She raised her head.

And saw him.

A young man stood behind the bound girls, a deep scar running across his face.

His sharp, predatory eyes scanned the crowd as though he were patiently waiting for prey to walk into his trap.

Seris forced herself to breathe.

’Don’t overreact.’

She calmed her surging emotions and quietly retreated from the crowd.

’I need to warn him.’

Her resolve hardened.

’I can’t let him fall into this trap.’

Turning sharply, she headed back toward the town gate.

****

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