Even though my skin and muscles were regenerating, my body was utterly exhausted.

"Warning!!! Don't fall unconscious!!!"

"Ughh, I—I'm trying but... my eyes are forcefully closing themselves."

"Vivi, can't you keep me awake with force?"

"Error! the Host doesn't have any Soulforce for Vivi to function properly."

"At least, help me in consuming the Soul stones from my inventory."

"Error! the Host doesn't have any Soulforce for Vivi to function properly."

The golden vapour over my body was flickering like a dying bulb, clearly indicating the risk of failure in the breakthrough.

"Shit," I whispered as my legs buckled and I began to fall forward.

Suddenly two hands grabbed my shoulders, preventing me from falling.

"You can't show weakness," Vyaghra stated in a low voice. "Everyone is looking at you right now."

"Since you're half beast like us, we will share our Soulforce with you," Jambavan added. "Accept it without resistance and break through your limits."

On my left shoulder, from where Vyaghra was holding me, black energy began entering my body while the right shoulder was wrapped in Jambavan's crimson energy.

Ding...

"External Soulforce detected!!

Would you like to convert this Soulforce into yours?

[Yes] [No]"

"Do it," I ordered with the last bit of strength I had.

"Converting external Soulforce into Host's Soulforce..."

The vapour around me stabilised and, only a little bit, some energy returned to my body.

I closed my eyes and began focusing on the power that was violently hitting a wall inside me.

Tang...

Tang...

Tang...

Crack!

The wall inside me shattered, and power surged out of my body. It blasted through the cage's ceiling, tore it open, and only stopped after slamming into the roof of the underground arena.

"Congratulations!! The Host has made a successful breakthrough!!

Host's Realm changed

Realm: Late-stage Ascendant → Early-stage Essence

-All of your physical stats are permanently increased by ten.

-Skill: Lightning Bolt leveled up

-Skill: Blink leveled up

-The upper limit of the Host's swordsmanship skill has increased from Intermediate to Advanced [Now you may learn different sword styles]."

"Hehehe, I have reached one step closer to you," I murmured, clenching my fist.

"Oy, stop talkin' to yerself and say somethin'," Jambavan said, pointing towards the slaves that were silently looking at me.

Their gazes weren't those of astonishment, fear, or surprise. Their tearful eyes were filled with gratitude as if they were looking at a god.

I stepped up out of the crater, stood at the centre of the arena, and announced,

"My name is Lucifer Morning Star and I'm the new leader of the Forlorn City mines.

All of you are exempted from mine work for the next six days. Return to your places and wait for my order."

"W-we can rest for six days straight!?" one slave exclaimed. "This is the first time we've gotten such a long holiday."

"I have a feeling that our lives are going to change for the better now."

"The Gods must have heard our prayers."

.

.

.

While the slaves were gasping and hollering in joy, I took out the space rings from Victor's and Jamie's fingers and left the arena by the same entrance Victor had used.

Vyaghra followed me from behind while Jambavan stayed to take care of the aftermath.

The moment I was out of the slaves' sight, my eyes rolled up and I fell unconscious on the ground.

---

"This new appearance of yours doesn't suit you at all," a soft, familiar voice filled my ears. "You look like a mischievous child in his rebellious phase."

My cheeks were caressed by the gentle touch of a warm palm as the melodious voice murmured, "However, your achievement says otherwise. People started worshiping you like a god and I'm very proud of your accomplishments but still..."

With a faint crack in her voice, she added, "Your plan was reckless. My heart didn't settle for even a moment after Vyaghra told me what you did."

"Were you worried?" I murmured, grabbing the hand on my cheek as I opened my eyes.

"Of course I was worried!" Ume responded in a sharp, low tone.

My body was resting on a soft mattress of a master bed. The boundary of the bed was covered with crimson silk curtains with Ume sitting beside me, brushing my cheeks.

"How are you feeling—"

Before she could finish her question, I instantly rose to a sitting position and hugged her tightly.

"I missed you, Ume."

"Y-you did?" she asked, completely taken aback.

"There wasn't a single day in the mines when I didn't think about you."

"Raj? Something is troubling your heart, right?" Ume asked, gently stroking my hair.

Taking a brief pause, I murmurred in low tone, "Ume, if I begin to move on a wrong path, may you please stop me."

She slowly retreated from the hug, moved both hands to my chin, and grabbed the edge of the mask.

"Let me take a proper look at the real you," she said, removing the mask from my face.

My hair turned back to black, the forehead mark reappeared on my forehead, and the dual pupil returned to my golden eyes.

"Hmm, now you look better," she chuckled, touching my nose with her finger before continuing, "Tell me, what's worrying you?"

"My-my hands are stained with so much blood, Ume," I began, expanding my trembling palm. "Sixty-eight. I have already killed sixty-eight people after leaving the Forest of Gumiho.

But what's haunting me even more is that I didn't feel anything when I took these lives.

I'm afraid that I will slowly turn into a demon and might even kill innocent people.

Sometimes I have these frightening thoughts like:

Sh-should I try killing a random person to check if my blade trembles?

How will my heart feel if I behead someone whom I kno—"

Ume's hand flew over my lips, stopping me from saying anything stupid further.

"Have you killed a person who didn't deserve death?" she asked, firmly.

"No, I haven't. But that doesn't mean I won't do it in the future."

"Do you wish to test it?" she asked, her emerald eyes gazing straight into mine.

"Wh-what do you mean by testing?" I stammered.

​She picked up my sword from the bedside table, placed its hilt into my hands, and, grabbing the blade so the tip pointed at her neck, ordered, "Pierce my throat and check if you feel anything."

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