Warning

Looking at the familiar mental space around her, an all-too-familiar figure was already standing in front of the main altar, waiting for her.

“It’s you. May I ask if there’s something else you need?”

Serea asked, while Betimia stood not far from her.

“Sorry to disturb your rest, but I do have a favor to ask.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“I hope you can notify the people of the Church and have them seal the ring inside the ancient tomb. Only this way can the nightmare of the Reaper’s Shadow truly end.”

“Hmm…”

Serea hesitated. Give up the bone ring and notify the Church to seal it?

Just thinking of the bone ring’s description…

Unknown Bone Ring (Gold, damaged): Can control undead minions +10, comes with the skill ‘Death Curse’.

Death Curse: Consumes Crystal to form a death curse around you, and can also manipulate the death curse to attack enemies.

Although it was a damaged golden item, Serea was certain that the bone ring must be hiding some secret. After all, Addis had once easily resolved a massive undead invasion using this very bone ring.

Faced with such a marvelous treasure, what Serea considered was…

“System, is this bone ring really as dangerous as she says?”

System: The death energy within the bone ring has already been drained and poses no threat to the host.

Hearing what the system said, much of Serea’s unease dissipated.

“How should I put it? I’ll keep the bone ring. As for whether a new Reaper’s Shadow will appear, you don’t need to worry about that. I’ve already drained all the death energy from the bone ring.”

As Serea said this, Betimia’s eyes opened wide in shock.

“What did you say? You are actually able to control the death energy within the bone ring?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

Serea had some uncertainty, while Betimia didn’t reply immediately. After hesitating for a moment, she answered.

“I understand. Perhaps handing it over to the Church wouldn’t be as safe as keeping it with you. You can control it and not be affected—maybe you were destined to be its master.”

“Tut tut, I still feel like you’re hiding something from me…”

Serea sounded suspicious, but Betimia just shook her head, saying nothing.

After a short silence, Betimia continued, “Although you can control the bone ring, I must still remind you—do not let greed and desire cloud your mind. This is a great power, and I hope you use it on the right path.”

“Oh? The right path? Weren’t you always opposed to the undead? If the undead are an evil power to you, why are you bringing the ‘right path’ into this at all?”

Serea asked, but Betimia instead looked puzzled.

“The undead are an evil power?”

Muttering to herself, she then smiled and said, “Though I very much dislike the undead, I have to admit their power is among the greatest I have ever seen. As long as they aren’t ruled by that evil force, the undead can also be warriors to be respected. But please take these words to heart—never, ever let yourself be blinded by power!”

Seeing Betimia speak so earnestly, Serea replied, “Alright, I’ll remember.”

“That’s good. Here, let me express my most sincere gratitude for stopping Addis’s resurrection. Thank you for preventing yet another disaster for humanity.”

“I wasn’t that noble. I only did it for myself.”

“Perhaps your starting point wasn’t so noble, but the fact remains that you did it—you are a hero of humankind.”

As Betimia spoke, Serea couldn’t help but think of another so-called ‘Hero of Humankind’—Addis, the Bloodstorm…

“But I must also warn you here: a terrifying being known as ‘Death’ has descended upon the Corrupted Jungle. You need to be vigilant—be careful lest he become the master of the undead and lead them in wreaking havoc across this land.”

“Hm? A terrifying being?”

All of a sudden, Serea felt the hairs on her neck stand up.

“Wait, let me ask you—did the zombies appearing in the Corrupted Jungle happen because Addis was resurrected?”

Betimia shook her head.

“No, even Addis was only awakened due to the influence of that force. Compared to it, we are all insignificant.”

“So all this time, it wasn’t Addis responsible for the zombies in the Corrupted Jungle?”

“Addis was still sealed. Unless fully resurrected, there’s no way he could unleash such a massive death energy.”

“……”

Serea furrowed her brow tightly, feeling that things were becoming more and more complicated.

“Then why did the zombies go into Addis’s tomb?”

“It was because Addis wanted resurrection. He needed to find a suitable body, so controlling and using the zombies to gather there and attract humans into the tomb was the best method.”

Upon hearing this, Serea finally understood: the ‘source’ of the death energy wasn’t Addis—he, like those zombies, had only awakened because he was drawn by that energy. The real ‘source’ was someone else altogether.

“Can you sense where that source is?”

“Even deeper within the Corrupted Jungle, but I don’t recommend you go there. That is truly a god-forsaken place, full of powerful monsters.”

“Well, that’s troublesome…”

Serea spoke, her frown deepening.

An enemy strong enough to awaken Addis and the Reaper’s Shadow—that description was too vague. Even Addis, who had not fully resurrected, had almost gotten her killed, so what sort of being would the real ‘source’ be?

Serea dared not even imagine…

Just as Serea was about to ask more about the true ‘source’, a white light began to glow from Betimia’s body.

Her soul was dissipating!

“You…”

Serea wanted to say something, but at the sound, Betimia looked down at her own body.

“It is time at last. Thank you for being willing to listen to my requests.”

“Tut tut, is this because you’ve left Addis, so now you’re fading away?”

“Yes. I am a soul bound in captivity—without Addis’s death energy, my existence now comes to its end.”

“Do you need my help? I could supply you with such death energy too.”

Serea offered, but Betimia shook her head.

“My mission is over. For me, Death is the best ending.”

“Alright then.”

“May the gods bless you, hero of the Bloodstorm. If possible, please accept this final gift.”

Once those words were spoken, Betimia’s soul turned into fragments of light, which vanished into the air, but among them, a floating blue gem remained.

System: Acquired Inheritance Gem (Gold)

“Hm?”

System: The Inheritance Gem can grant a suitable unit a new class and ability.

“A class change, huh.”

As Serea spoke, she looked at the gem.

Inheritance Gem (Gold): After use, grants a character the class and abilities of ‘Mental Domination (Epic)’ (Female only).

“Then I’ll accept it. I’ll find a suitable inheritor for you.”

Serea promised. Then, in her ear, a soft laugh sounded—there was release and relief in that laughter.

But Serea did not notice that after Betimia’s soul had dissipated, wisps of blue substance were being drawn into the bone ring.

A soul was being nurtured and reborn in the bone ring!

(To be continued…)

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