Before Zain could react, the soul realm shattered, and a thundering sound enveloped him. One moment, he heard a voice after increasing his Soul stats, and the next, an overwhelming void consumed him, pulling him from reality into a place where time and space seemed to warp and twist around him.

The surroundings started to blend together as if he were entering a madman's painting, morphing into a murky and indiscernible chaos. His senses were thrown off, each one telling him something different, each one conflicting. It felt like he was being pulled in multiple directions at once, his mind struggling to make sense of the chaos.

After what seemed like an eternity, he found himself floating in a realm of darkness, a sensation of weightlessness combined with disorientation.

Gradually, the turbulence eased, and the first thing he noticed was how pitch black it suddenly was. Due to his past memories, he remembered many dark places where no light had shined for millions of years, but the feeling around him was of antiquity, like a realm that had existed for eons, untouched and forgotten. And what he saw was just a vast plane of nothingness.

He stood on black rocks, their smooth surface akin to polished granite. Kneeling, he traced the fine lines and subtle patterns etched into the stone, a stark contrast to the surrounding void. The coolness of the rock grounded him in the surreal darkness.

When he looked up, a man was already there, watching him, as if he had always been present. Zain blinked, unsure if the figure was an illusion or if he had just failed to notice him before.

Tall, imposing, with an aura that seemed to warp the very fabric of the realm around him. His eyes glowed with an eerie red light, and a condescending smirk curled his lips.

Though calling him a man was a hard sell. Smooth and reflective obsidian black scales, with a slightly dark red tinge, covered his entire body. At first glance, it looked like skin, but it clearly wasn’t. He wore a tattered white robe, its edges frayed and worn, but it did little to hide the menacing scales beneath.

Zain's thoughts raced as he took in the figure before him. The ancient, oppressive presence felt like it had existed for eons, untouched by time. The figure's aura was palpable, a weight that pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe. His mind struggled to comprehend the sheer power radiating from this being, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, judged, and found wanting.

Yet the very first thing he noticed was the eyes. They glowed with dim red light, a pair of piercing vertical slits reminiscent of a snake gazing back at him, only slightly obstructed by his long, unkempt, almost gray hair.

"That was truly pathetic. How has the Cabal survived this long with talents like yours?" the figure said, his voice raspy and disdainful.

The statement snapped Zain out of his thoughts and the oppressive feelings. Each word dripped with contempt, making his stomach churn. "What are you talking about?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice. He would typically be more polite with someone he knew to be strong, but seeing the man's tattered clothes, he decided to be upfront. Hopefully, the man is not one of those uptight strong beings.

"Oh, you don't even know the Cabal. Did they even change the name? To think they have fallen to such low...," the stranger muttered, making it hard for Zain to understand as the man tapered off.

Zain shook his head vehemently. "I have literally no idea what you're talking about." His mind raced, trying to make sense of the stranger's words.

"Oh, you don't?" The stranger's tone turned contemplative, almost disappointed. "That's... interesting."

"Look," he began, trying to sound more composed than he felt. "I don't know what this cabal is, but—" He wanted to explain his confusion, to make sense of his situation, but the man raised a hand, cutting him off.

"Don’t bother. I frankly don’t give a damn," the stranger interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "You're quite lucky, young man. I was planning to kill the devotee who disturbed me. But you don't act like those fanatics, and that's good for you."

Zain's heart skipped a beat at the mention of killing. Was he talking about me? What's a devotee? How could I have disturbed someone this powerful? It hasn’t even been half a day since the apocalypse began. Zain's thoughts raced, trying to piece together the stranger's words.

"So, how did you learn the Rune of Soul Devour?" the stranger asked, his eyes narrowing. The intensity of his gaze made Zain's skin crawl.

Soul Devour Rune? Is he talking about how I gained my Trait? But then that means— Zain’s mind raced, horror creeping in as he considered the possibility. Is he the creator of the Trait? The monstrosity I inadvertently summoned at the last moment?

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His thoughts spiraled, grasping for any logical explanation. My mind must be playing tricks on me. How could that monstrosity be a humanoid? At most, he’s probably one of the minions. He tried to maintain his composure, forcing his face to remain a mask of calm.

Fortunately, he had masked his emotions after meeting the stranger. But how did I learn the Rune? After thinking about a moment, he recalled it was when he managed to use [ Fusion X Grade ] skill with the Integration Core. The Rune had flashed in his mind after the skill's success. But that was supposed to happen in the future.

And I can’t share that. Did this man also know about the future? What does that mean for me? Can he read my thoughts? No, stay calm. Act normal. He forced himself to take a deep breath, his face a mask of calm. How did this man know about the rune?

Zain’s eyes met the stranger’s, trying to hide the storm of emotions swirling inside him. "I don’t understand," he said cautiously. "I didn’t learn any rune. I just… I gained a Trait, that’s all."

The stranger's eyes glowed brighter, and he took a step closer. "A Trait, you say? Interesting. Very interesting indeed. But that's not what I asked. I wanted to know where you learned it. And don't try to lie if you want to live. I know that the Integration reversed to the start."

Zain clenched his fists at his sides, feeling the weight of the threat. The stranger's knowledge of the future and the Integration's reversal was alarming. Especially, his reasoning that I might be have those memories. Time to speak the half-truths. "I learned it from the Crimson Spector Pantheon," he said, his voice steady. "There are ancient ruins, with hidden rituals and skills in the Pantheon vault. It was one of the rewards for conquering a world dungeon for them."

The stranger's eyes narrowed, and he muttered under his breath, "Crimson Spector, huh? Could they have confiscated my legacy? Wouldn't be the first time someone tried." A faint, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Then the stranger's smirk widened, revealing sharp, predatory teeth. "Interesting. That wasn't so hard now, was it?" he said, circling Zain like a lion inspecting its prey. "And you have obtained the rune related to the Soul Devour from the ritual."

Zain nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. It was a small misleading lie.

"So, you’re not one of those fanatics trying to worship me, right?"

Zain nodded once more. "I have no idea who you even are."

"Well, if you're not worshipping me I don't give a fuck. I am the Soul Devourer… First and Last of the Lineage. Nice to meet you and all that crap," he said, waving dismissively. "Now fuck off."

The scaled man’s words momentarily dumbfounded Zain. No, if he was to be believed, the Soul Devourer’s words. The Soul Devourer? The entity his Trait was named after? He struggled to process the information, his mind racing with the implications.

Unsure what to say, Zain just stared back at him. After what felt like an eternity, the scaled man’s face turned to one of confusion as he observed Zain closely with apparent puzzlement.

"I told you to fuck off," he repeated, scratching the back of his head. "You do know who I am, right? So do as I say and leave me alone."

"Well, yeah, I heard you. But I don't know how," Zain admitted.

"Right, I almost forgot your pathetic attempt at devouring that soul fragment. Even a fifth of such an insect was too much for you. And you don't even know how to exit the realm."

The new knowledge was quite good, but it made Zain more confused. Soul fragments? Only a fifth? Zain was about to ask more questions but was interrupted.

"No, I’m not answering any more questions. The system wouldn’t like that. The fact that you’re alive should be proof enough. Nothing below S-rank survives here.”

With a flick of the Soul Devourer's hand, the surrounding rocks dispersed, and Zain found himself standing on a small, floating stone platform, utterly untouched by even a single speck of dust. Around him, nothing remained as far as his eyes could see. Everything had simply been disintegrated into nothingness.

"See? Overprotective. I could collapse the entire realm on you, and you wouldn’t get a scratch. Can you leave now?"

"Yeah, I see it," Zain replied, still utterly lost about the situation. "I honestly have no idea why I’m here or how to leave."

The reality returned to its previous state with another flick, but the Soul Devourer looked even more confused. "Seriously, you’re a member of the Cabal, right? Or at least you will be in the future? But you don't worship me, so it's no problem."

"No—I don’t think so, at least? Maybe the cabal or whatever doesn't exist. As I said, it was a Primeval Legacy found by Crimson Spector." Zain said truthfully.

Would he be considered a member of the Cabal, considering that everything he knew came from what seemed like ruins? He hadn’t formally accepted any invitation. Also, why does it sound like a cult?

"What the hell are you talking about? I could hear those crazy fanatics praying like a buzz besi—wait." As if suddenly enlightened, the Soul Devourer chuckled a bit to himself. "There is no possible way for you to learn the Rune from those rituals if you are not from the Cabal. So, you should have learned the Rune after the ritual. That means you're the bastard who used the ritual to fuse with the Integration #I875X1 Core." He chuckled, then burst into full laughter.

Zain winced as his heart pounded. "Yeah, I got the Rune after I used Fusion," He said truthfully this time, still puzzled by the Soul Devourer's amusement.

The Soul Devourer's laughter was jarring. Is he angry for misleading him? The sudden shift in mood left Zain on edge. What was so funny about him lying to this man?