When the eyes of monster and curse child met. Lucusia dragged into a conscious world.

Lucusia stood on the far vast black water.

“What is this? Where is this place?” He looked down and saw his reflection, realizing he was wearing nothing. Suddenly, another shadow appeared behind his reflection, with a plain black face, large eyes, its black iris gazed fixed at him.

Lucusia swung his arm, attempting to push it away, but found nothing there, just thin air. He looked left and right, searching for the presence, but the emptiness surrounded him.

“A ghost... A stigma?” he muttered, clenching his fist to gather courage. He looked back at the water again, and as time passed, nothing happened. The black water only reflected his own image. But just as he was about to lift his head, a cold sensation rushed over his leg. Hands emerged from the black water, gripping his feet tightly. Before he could react, he was forcefully dragged down.

Splash! The man fell down. face hit water surface.

Giggle! Giggle! The sound of children laughing.

In a hurry, he stood up and shouted, “Who are you?” His hair was wet with black water, and his hand and arm were stained with its dark color.

Giggle! Giggle! laughing continued.

Sound of kid talking “He didn’t see us.” “... A new toy.” “We’ve got a new toy!” “Hehehe.”

“I’m not you toy!” Frustrated, Lucusia yelled. He clenched his fist, his face still reflecting in the water, but many children stared back at him. Some of the children had already climbed onto his body, causing his hair to stand on end. He kicked the water vigorously.

Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash! Kicks and shakes, desperately trying to shake them off. “Go away! Demon!”

“Huff... huff... I have to get out.” turning around to search for an exit or any signs of escape.

Pat! Something hit his head, and instinctively, he grabbed onto it. When he saw what it was, his eyes widened, his tiny iris trembling. It was a finger... his own finger.

Chomp! Chomp!

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw lifeless white-eyed children with white faces, eagerly biting his hand with twisted smiles.

Swiftly raising his hand, he realized that all of his fingers had already consumed, devoured by the children’s mouths. The children stared back at him, their smiles stretching from ear to ear.

Giggle! Giggle! “Yum Yum Yum, he’s not a toy, he’s food!” “Food! Food! let me test it too.” “Yummy!”

Stepping back, he rubs his own hair with his fingerless hand. His face turns white, unable to believe what he sees. “Arggggggggggh!”

Finally, the scream of pain ends and anger ignites instead. “No, no, no, this is just a hallucination. This is my skill. Those damn worms! They used my skill.” He looks up and sees that the kids in front of him have already vanished. “Stay calm... this is my skill. I know the way to get out. Just close eyes and send mana—”

But before he can close his eyes, a cold hand touches his face, using its lifeless finger to stretch his eyes open. He tried to shake it off, but another hand hugs his chest, and another locked his legs.

“Let me go!” He tried to turn his head, but the dead hand locked him like an iron, only his eyes could moved from left to right, trying to see who is doing this to him.

Ripple... Ripple... Sound of someone walk from afar.

“Why are you in such a rush? Is this is not good enough to welcome a distinguished guest like you?” Rain walked closer. “I’m sorry, this is also my first time too. But you like it, right?”

“Worms! It you! let me go,” Lucusia shouted.

“Nah, let’s talk for a moment. I had something to discuss with you,” Rain said.

“I won’t talk with an evil thing like you,” Lucusia retorted.

Rain let out a sigh. “Okay, okay...” He flicked his finger.

The hand that had grabbed Lucusia’s head let go. Lucusia was shocked for a moment, but didn’t hesitate. He wanted to get out of this hell as soon as possible. He quickly closed his eyes and sent mana to his heart, but something was wrong... he couldn’t sense it, only pain in his chest.

Chomp! Pluck!

“Ah, you need this to return, right?” Rain said.

He opened his eyes again, and the man in front of him was holding something in his hand. That black flesh, still beating.

Ta-thump Ta-thump Ta-thump

Cold sweat covered his face. A Heart? He couldn’t believe his thoughts. Slowly, he looked down. The hands that had hugged his chest were now teared his ribs apart, and his heart was no longer there.

Ta-thump Ta-thump Ta-thump

Fear and tears escaped from his eyes for the first time. His body shook like a pig on slaughter day. Slowly, he raised his head, wanting to beg and ask for his heart back. But when he saw the sight in front of him, no words came out of his mouth.

Black faces with swirling white eyes stared at him, and numerous black-faced kids had empty holes in their chests, staring at his heart with black saliva dripping.

Ripple... Rain walked slowly.

A dark sound, as if coming from multiple dimensions, resonated. “I have something important to tell you, Follower Lucusia,” echoed through the air. The kids, walked followed Rain, continued staring at his heart without blinking.

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Ripple... Another step. White eyes cracked wide open.

“You’ve crossed the line too much. How dare you use the lives of kids like this?” Rain slowly placed Lucusia’s heart back. The kids’ eyes followed.

Lucusia didn’t say a word, shaking his head with tears. He no longer wanted his heart back. He tried to move his body to break free, but it wouldn’t budge even an inch.

“This is your redemption.” Rain touched the hand that grabbed Lucusia’s ribs. “Furthermore, my mother doesn’t want this type of soul at all.” Slowly, he closed his ribs back. “She prefers beautiful flowers and delicate fish instead.” The hand that had grabbed him slowly let go, but all the kids rushed towards him.

Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Devouring his flesh deliciously.

Pain rushed through every part of his body, his instinctive response, body shaken hardly. but not sound out because The sight in front of him, made him fear more than approaching death.

Mother of Black Tower hugged her child. Faceless, with swirling cracked white eyes like her son, numerous hands protected him like a precious treasure.

“Y... You a.. are the c... curse child…” Tears and blood leaked out of his eyes. Many images reflected in his mind. “My...work...It...all futile.” The last image he saw was the gaping mouths of the kids devouring his eyes.

I told you, right?

Dark Monster erupted in internal pain. It cried out to the sky. Some of its tentacles started attacking itself.

“Arrrrrgggggggghhh!”

“Lord Damacus!” the silver plate knight reminded his captain.

“It’s corrupted and eating its own body. This is our chance. Attack its core!” The black knight said, gripping his sword firmly. What happened? Why is it suddenly weaker? He sensed someone’s presence. He looked back at the alley of the town. The group of Rain had already left the battlefield. “... That kid?”

The fight continued for another half hour. The Sun Arrow finally faded, and night time returned, but the monster was already a carcass. One-quarter of the town had turned into barren land, but more than half of the people were safe. That was a good sign. The knights guarded the area, not letting anyone inside because the curse and stigma still remained in the zone.

At the refugee camp, Rain sat down by the campfire. Pop! opened a wooden clog of hand-made potion that was infused with Chupa-Chupa to the max. It releasing an overly sweet scent.

“Brother, can you really eat that?” Ivara asked while applying herb on his wound.

Glug, glug, glug, one bottom up.

“Sweet~ this is life!” he exclaimed, handing another potion to Ivara.

She cautiously tested just one drop, and her hair stood on end. “Brother, this is more than just syrup... it’s super sugar syrup! my head freeze with this level sweet!” She touched her own head.

“Ha ha ha, that why it calls a life! C—cough!” Rain coughed up blood.

“Brother!” Ivara held his body, searching for a fabric nearby.

“Cough cough cough.” blood over his hand.

Ivara did her best to wipe the blood off his hand, but there was too much for one fabric to absorb. Her tiny hand trembled, only making the mess worse.

Ah... That Hallucinate spell is really something. It’s what caused me to be like this.

“It’s okay, Ivara. It just a foul blood. The potion I drank is healing,” Rain assured her.

But she didn’t believe him. tear welled up in the corner of her eye, her eyebrows furrowed, and her cheeks redden up. “Liar, stop talking,” she said, grabbing another fabric and stuffing it in his mouth.

“Muf, muf, muf,” he took the fabric out. “Just get some rest, everything will be goo-”

Ivara’s tiny hand put the fabric back in his mouth.

“I’ll be angry, if brother speaks more!” Ivara forcefully covered his mouth with her hand.

Rain nodded slowly.

Ivara continued to tie his hand with a bandage, little tears poured down her face.

Everyone watched the two of them, some concerned, some fearful. Rain’s body looked like that of a man who had fought a bear with his bare hands. There were gaping wounds all over, some still oozing blood. If anyone else had wounds like that, they would be lying down in agony or begging for a merciful death. But the man in front of them chuckled and spoke as if it were just another ordinary day.

Ivara noticed everyone staring at Rain’s wounds. She stepped aside slightly, hoping to shield their view with her small body.

However, someone suddenly threw a robe over Rain’s head.

Ivara became angry and quickly stood up, ready to scold whoever had thrown something at her brother. But the man’s hand was faster.

Smack! He lightly smacked her on the head.

“I’m your brother too. Do you want to scold me?” He sat on his knees, looking at Rain. “Rarity, did you make a mummy? You do bandages are all wrong.” Rave had already changed back into his normal leather outfit, his red hair still wet from washing out the black dye.

“Ouch! my head,” stunned but her senses quickly returned. She revenge on the red-haired thug and angrily twisted Rave’s hair. “Go dry your hair by the campfire, Cookidoo. I’ll do bandaging Brother Rain myself.”

Rave didn’t care what she did to his hair as continued bandage Rain. “Rockman, raise your hand,” he said. Rain instinctively followed his instructions, allowing Rave to bandage each part of his body, it ensuring and perfect fit. However, Rave’s own hair was a mess, resembling a bird’s nest due to Ivara’s wrath.

Ivara, frustrated, bit her own dress and growled, “Cookidoo, remember this. I will repay you tenfold.”

Rain admired his newly bandaged body and exclaimed, “Wow, you’re really skilled at this!” He clenched and opened his hands. It can move freely. Rain looked at Rave and smiled widely. “Okay, it’s time.”

Taken aback, Rave stared into Rain’s eyes and let out a sigh. “Huh... really? At this time? Are you sure?”

Ivara, confused, tilted her head like a bird and asked, “What time?” she looked at sky, it stilled had stars. “This time, Night? Are we going to sleep?”

Rain smiled and replied, “Yep, the sooner, the better.” He put on the clothe that Rave had given him.

While Rave observed him intently. Rave let out another sigh and sat up, Rain followed suit, Ivara also stood up followed.

“You first?” Rave asked.

“Thank you,” Rain responded with a smile.

Ivara and everyone looked at Rain simultaneously, puzzled by their actions.

Rave stretched out his leg and clasped his hands behind his back, gritting his teeth firmly.

Smash! Punch threw at Rave’s face, causing water from his damp hair to spray in all directions.

“Fuck you! Bringing Ivara in without consulting! If we make one wrong move, we’re all doomed,” Rain shouted angrily. “Are you lost your mind? She is just a girl. Do you think I’m a god who can miraculously change any situation? My heart has been broken countless times, you damn Red Thug!”

Ivara was shocked. People had mouths open wide.

Rave tilted his head back, causing a slight crack of bones. “I had to do it. That fox doesn’t believe me,” he explained calmly.

“I accept your apology,” Rain replied, mimicking Rave’s actions by stretching out his leg.

Ivara attempted to grab Rave’s hand, but two people quickly intervened. “Don’t worry, Vara. Red Rave will be gentle with an injured person,” they reassured her.

Ivara wanted to break free from their grasp but couldn’t fight against the strength of the two youngster. “Stupid boy’s thing! Ravie, I will hate you!” she exclaimed.

Rave adjusted his hair slightly, forgetting that it was still damp, and let out a sigh. “lost and lost. My sister will hate me and that bandage I perfectly do, miss it objective. But that’s okay. I deserve it.” He said.

Rain tilted his head and gave a wry smile, understanding what he said. “Sor—”

Bam! Rain’s body flew far through the air. Thud! Thud! Thud! rebounded on the floor three times, kicking up a cloud and dirt. His head lay on the ground while his butt stuck up in the air, birds fly on his head.

Rave swayed his hand, smiled widely. “Good job, and thank you, Rockman!”

People, Twain & Throy, their jaws dropped to the floor.

Ivara ran after Rain and shouted, “Cookidoo! I will bite you later! This is not call gentle at all. I will return what you do a hundredfold!”

Twain and Throy tapped Rave on the shoulder.

“What! He deserves it. This is still too little. He stole my little bird and even forced me into a situation where I had to play a bad and lustful guy. If someone records me with a memory stone, my thug life is definitely over. I don’t want to be a merchant, okay?” Rave said.

Both Twain and Throy sighed simultaneously, then tapped Red Rave on the shoulder once more.

Meanwhile, Madam Iva walked over to the campfire carrying a tray with bowls of soup. “Where is my daughter? Rave, have you seen Vara?”

Everyone covered their own mouth.