Page 124

Barcavaran whistled when he saw the three of us.

[Not bad. You’ve managed to charm some extraordinary beauties. Care to share some tips?]

"Who are you to say that?"

Coming from someone who’s practically a manifestation of lust, that’s rich.

[So, you’re not dead, it seems. What brings you here? There’s not much for the living in a place like this.]

Barcavaran must have sensed the presence of the Lightning Caller and decided to check things out.

"Husband."

Just then, Vinesha whispered to me.

"There aren’t many spirits in the netherworld who can maintain their reason. It’d be wise to ask him for directions."

That’s a good point.

I hadn’t thought of that.

At that moment, I felt a pull from Sharin.

She was tugging at my arm.

"Too close."

Honestly, I started to wonder if Sharin was just here to cause trouble for me.

"Barcavaran, do you know where the Abomination is?"

His brow twitched.

[That’s a seriously dangerous thing to ask. You’re not planning to go to the Abomination’s domain, are you?]

"Yes. A fool went searching for the Abomination. I have to find him before he gets there."

[So that’s why the Goddess of Lightning nudged you in this direction.]

Barcavaran grumbled, sighing.

It didn’t take long to realize that the Goddess of Lightning had sent him here through the Lightning Caller.

"She’s been helping me all along."

I should remember to thank her later.

[I can’t guarantee your safety.]

"I came prepared for that."

Barcavaran didn’t say anything else and simply turned away.

If the Goddess of Lightning had intervened, it meant something serious was happening.

"Vinesha, Sharin."

The two of them were still locked in a silent battle of nerves.

I let out a sharp sigh and gave them a pointed look.

"We don’t have time for this. It’s urgent."

This wasn’t the real world.

This was the netherworld.

We were outsiders here.

No matter what, we couldn’t afford to be careless.

"Vinesha, you know better than anyone how dangerous this place is. I trust you, but if you keep acting like this, I won’t be able to."

"H-Husband, you’re mad… I’m sorry! Please don’t be mad. It was my fault!"

I wasn’t actually angry.

The Veil Bandages had long since dulled my ability to feel rage.

But Vinesha, who would do anything for me, panicked at even the slightest hint of displeasure.

She was so afraid of being abandoned that she would go to any lengths to please me.

It was heartbreaking, really.

"Sharin, you realize you’re not acting like yourself, don’t you?"

Her behavior had been erratic.

She wasn’t acting out of reason but reacting emotionally to Vinesha’s affection toward me.

She had to recognize that and snap out of it.

"Ah… yeah."

Sure enough, realization dawned on her face.

She let go of my arm, looking uneasy.

"Why did I even do that?"

She seemed genuinely confused.

Like she had no idea why she’d been acting that way.

At least things were settling down for now.

"Lastly, Eve."

I carefully pried her off my back and took her hand firmly.

"If you’re scared, just keep your eyes closed. I’ll call you when I need you."

"…I’m sorry."

She finally spoke.

No need to apologize.

I was the one who asked her to come.

Her safety was my responsibility.

"Let’s go. We can’t lose him."

I picked up the pace to follow Barcavaran.

He glanced back at me, then chuckled.

[Handling multiple women isn’t easy, is it?]

"Shut up."

[You’ll admit it sooner or later. Just be careful—jealousy can be terrifying sometimes.]

So that’s how he died.

Struck by lightning because of jealousy, huh?

Coming from him, that was oddly convincing.

The landscape began to change.

The previously gray and barren world gradually filled with dense, growing trees.

[Still, the place we’re headed is far more dangerous than a jealous woman.]

Even Barcavaran, the one who had dared to defile a goddess’s statue, looked uneasy.

A chilling wind blew through the black forest.

It was so cold it made me shiver.

Then, an eerie laugh echoed in my ears.

Through the trees, shadowy figures flitted past—

not human, but something else entirely.

Yet, none of them dared approach us.

That was thanks to Vinesha and Sharin.

At some point, a long-armed specter had appeared, silently standing at Vinesha’s side.

Its eyes glowed from beneath a curtain of dark hair, and the other spirits recoiled in fear.

Sharin’s Mirinae shone brightly, capturing the starlight of the Milky Way.

There were few spirits who could face that intense starlight head-on.

That was why I had brought the two into the netherworld.

With them by my side, the chances of encountering danger here were significantly lower.

‘The problem is how far Grantoni has gone.’

Grantoni’s obsession with the netherworld stemmed from Musika.

Musika, the reincarnation of Aquiline, who had been devoured by the Abomination.

To reclaim her, Grantoni had ventured into the netherworld countless times.

If Grantoni had fully entered the netherworld now, it meant he had found Musika.

‘Even in the original scenario, Grantoni was captured by the Abomination at least once.’

Blinded by his longing for Musika, Grantoni had been lured into the netherworld.

Once inside, he became a mere plaything for the Abomination and was ultimately captured.

Around that time, Lucas had already subdued Vinesha, who had attempted to steal Zerion’s magic.

With her reluctant cooperation, he entered the netherworld to rescue Grantoni.

‘Even here, Lucas’s Flame of Resolve plays a crucial role.’

The Flame of Resolve blinds the Abomination and serves as a guiding beacon.

However, we no longer have Lucas.

Because Lucas is dead.

My gaze fell upon the forest.

‘Perhaps.’

Lucas might still be wandering the netherworld.

‘There’s no way to know.’

Not all the dead linger in the netherworld.

Understanding this, I chose not to dwell on the thought.

The priority now was finding Grantoni.

Everything else—Abomination or otherwise—could wait until he was secured.

‘I just hope it’s not too late.’

Just then, Barcavaran came to an abrupt stop.

[This is as far as I go. This is the limit of where I can reach.]

Barcavaran’s words confirmed it—we had entered the Abomination’s domain.

Even leading us this far was something to be grateful for.

I immediately turned around.

“Vinesha.”

At my call, Vinesha, who had been anxiously waiting, perked up.

Then, she scurried over to me.

“Yes, my husband!”

She beamed at me, forcing a smile.

Yet, behind that smile, she couldn’t completely hide her unease.

“Check the pendant.”

Upon hearing my words, Vinesha pulled out the pendant I had given her.

A thin beam of light seeped from the pendant, pointing toward a certain direction.

Realizing what was happening, Vinesha’s eyes widened.

“This pendant… is connected to that person, Grantoni?”

“That’s right.”

Vinesha, having no memory of Grantoni, simply looked on in wonder.

In the netherworld, objects with strong ties to someone in life often maintained those connections.

Thus, the pendant was still linked to Grantoni.

I quietly observed Vinesha.

She didn’t seem to question why I had given her such a pendant.

Instead, she simply held it close, as if treasuring it.

“It’s so warm…!”

Vinesha looked at me, her face lighting up with joy.

“I bet it’s because my husband gave it to me!”

I raised my hand and placed it over the pendant in her grasp.

Contrary to what she had said, the light itself wasn’t particularly warm.

That warmth was something only Vinesha could feel.

‘Someone must have imbued it with a wish—one that hoped their warmth would never be forgotten.’

Even if that warmth had ultimately scattered before reaching its destination.

I hoped that, somehow, it could reach Vinesha once more.

As a mid-boss, simply meeting a tragic end and disappearing was too cruel a fate.

“Vinesha, follow the light. You should be able to sense where it’s leading.”

“Got it! I’ll do my best!”

With a confident expression, Vinesha strode forward.

Then, suddenly, she came to an abrupt stop.

“Uh, my husband…”

She lifted her gaze.

“The light… it’s pointing upward?”

My own gaze slowly followed.

One by one, everyone’s eyes turned toward the sky.

And there, unfolding above us, was a pitch-black abyss.

A massive hole had opened in the sky.

My eyes widened.

Below that hole—

A man with a skull-like face hung limp, being drawn toward the darkness.

At the same time, the hole widened, revealing a colossal being within.

That being extended a hand of jet-black bone through the opening, reaching out to claim him.

“Damn it.”

Grantoni was seconds away from being taken by the Abomination.

“Sharin!”

I immediately called out to Sharin.

And without hesitation, Sharin was already soaring toward the sky.

As expected of one of the people I trusted most, Sharin reacted faster than anyone.

I believed in her.

If it was Sharin, she would surely snatch Grantoni away in time.

[Uh, uhh… Honestly, I don’t think going up there is a great idea.]

Barcavaran watched Sharin ascend with visible distress.

By now, more than half of the Abomination’s hand had emerged from the hole in the sky.

At this rate, Sharin could get caught as well.

But—

“If we don’t go now, things will get much worse!”

I raised my hand above my head.

Barcavaran blinked, baffled.

He seemed utterly confused as to why I was raising my hand at this moment.

I clenched my fist.

“The heavens have graced us with their presence.”

It was only right to return the favor.

[Oh, hell no—!]

Barcavaran clutched his head and immediately dropped flat to the ground.

Then, in that moment, something ominous stirred in the sky.

A radiant blue light swirled through the clouds.

At the same time, Sharin reached Grantoni and grabbed hold of him.

Come forth, Lightning Caller.

A strike of brilliant blue lightning tore through the heavens.