It had been three hours since Elias's brutal fight in the arena and the chaos that followed. On the road back to the bandit headquarters, Elias and Hedric were in separate carriages.
While Hedric rode in his usual covered coach, Elias was in an open wagon, chained alongside two guards... and the unconscious elf girl.
As Elias slowly regained consciousness, the muffled voices of the guards reached his ears.
"Damn it... she actually bit my arm when we loaded her onto the wagon. It still hurts..."
"Hah, and she keeps yelling about how her family won't leave her here. As if it wasn't her family who handed her over to us in the first place."
Elias's crimson eyes fluttered open. His body throbbed with pain, his head pounding like a drum.
'Where... am I? What... what happened?' he groaned internally, clutching his aching head. He tried to sit up but quickly realized that a massive iron ball—easily weighing over 300 kilograms—was chained to his ankle.
One of the guards noticed him stirring.
"Well, well... look who's awake. Our mighty little champion. Shame you had to wreck the whole tournament," he sneered.
Elias glared weakly at the man, barely processing his words. His memory was foggy, fragments rushing back slowly.
Then... clarity struck.
'That's right... I remember... When Orcenis slammed me into the ground, I... I saw something... I saw him tearing me apart... I doubted whether I could win... but then, another vision... one where I shattered his bones and threw him into the statue...'
'And then... a voice... it whispered to me...'
"Don't worry... Just let go. I'll handle everything..."
'It was the same voice I heard... the day my mother was taken... when I felt completely helpless...'
'But who... no—what—is that voice?' Elias wondered. 'When it came, that... other, terrifying presence vanished entirely. Just like that...'
His eyes drifted toward the elf girl, tied up, gagged, and unconscious next to him. He hadn't noticed her when he first woke up, too overwhelmed by pain.
'An elf... What's an elf doing here? A war captive? No... No time for that.'
Turning his gaze to the distant mountains—the Gremlacht Peaks—Elias fell into deep thought.
'Alright... Now I know my limits. Time for the final phase of my plan.' His eyes briefly flicked back to the elf. 'And maybe... this way... she survives, too.'
---
Meanwhile, inside his private coach, Hedric was consumed by anxiety. Even though he would soon be paid by the queen, Elias's terrifying performance had unsettled him.
'That boy... that damn boy wants me dead. You'd have to be a fool not to see it...'
He slammed his fist against the cushion.
"Damn it... I should've killed him back then...! If only I hadn't made that deal with the queen... I could've slit his throat while he was unconscious..."
His face twisted in fear.
"If he causes any trouble at the camp... or if anything happens to the elf princess... I'm finished."
Leaning back against the velvet seat, he sighed.
"Please... let this all end... quietly..."
---
Hours passed.
At last, the convoy arrived back at the bandit stronghold. Hedric stepped out of his carriage and barked orders.
"Lock the girl up! Somewhere secure!"
The elf princess was dragged to a cell and locked inside. Meanwhile, Elias was thrown back into his usual cell—chained at the ankles, gagged, isolated.
But this... gave him time. Time to think.
'I have to decide... I could accept my noble status... live comfortably... happily... but Hedric...'
'No... if Hedric tells anyone that my family hid my ability to use magic... I'm done. They'll come for me. They'll kill me. This isn't just about revenge anymore...'
'But... can I even kill him? I couldn't even beat a drugged-up lunatic by myself... Hedric's almost a Rank 3... Damn it... Damn you, Elias... Why are you so weak?'
A sudden black mist oozed from Elias's body, swirling around him.
A cold, seductive voice whispered in his ear:
"You're not weak... I'm here with you. Why don't we have... a little massacre? Don't worry... I promise not to kill the kids."
Elias said nothing, but his thoughts raced.
'Could... could I trust it? Would it really spare the innocent...? No... No, I can't trust this thing...'
Almost as if the darkness had read his mind, it chuckled.
"Hey... I'm not a demon, you know. Well... hmm... close enough, maybe. But relax. You're strangely concerned about the 'good ones.' Don't worry—I don't enjoy eating good souls. They taste... disgustingly sour."
Elias blinked in disbelief.
'Wait... what? What do you mean... taste...?'
The shadowy voice snickered.
"Ah... Looks like we need a little chat. Listen... remember that day you tried to save your stepmother?"
Elias nodded slightly.
"That was the day... the moment when you heard your father say those things about your real mother... that's when I... woke up inside you. The instant you were consumed by rage... I was born."
'What...?! You've been with me... since then? Then... why... why didn't I feel you before?'
"Simple. I feed on negative emotions. On sins. Hatred. Malice. I despise the innocent just as much as you humans despise cockroaches."
Elias raised an eyebrow.
'Feed...? On... people? Or... their sins?'
The shadow let out a dramatic cough and continued:
"Both, technically. Here's how it works: I'm bound to you. Whenever you kill someone... I consume their soul. The more sinful they were... the more delicious... and the more powerful I become."
A jagged grin formed within the swirling mist.
"That tournament? Oh... delicious. I feasted on those monsters... and those filthy people you crushed. I've grown... quite a bit."
Elias sat frozen, unable to speak—staring at this... thing.
'So... what are you... exactly...?'
The shadow paused.
"Hmm... good question. Honestly, I'm not sure myself. But I think... I am the embodiment of your power. A manifestation of it."
'My... power...? What does that mean...?'
"In simple terms... I'm your Sangra Ability. A legendary-ranked one, no less. Unlike other abilities that grow through training... I grow whenever you kill."
'Sangra... Legendary...? Oh, come on... If that's true, what kind of element are you? Smoke?' Elias scoffed mentally.
"Special element? You could call me... soul-based. Or fear-based. My power suppresses the enemy... fills them with overwhelming terror. And how strong it is... depends on the target."
Elias blinked.
'...Explain.'
"Hah... You really don't listen, do you? Remember that guy in the second round of Ludus Cruoris? The one trembling like crazy?"
'Yeah... but—'
"He was trembling because... in the monster fight before that... he killed four of his own teammates, exploiting the chaos. The guilt... the sin... it made my power suffocate him."
"Meanwhile... that other guy—the brave one who stood his ground—he helped the children on his master's farm. Cared for the weak. That's why... my power had no hold on him."
Elias clenched his fists, a strange heaviness weighing on his chest.
'...So... that's why...'
Brushing the thought aside, he asked:
'...Do you... have a name?'
The black mist seemed surprised.
"A... name...? No... I... don't think so..."
Elias smirked slightly.
'Then let's give you one. How about... Darksoul?'
"Ugh... what am I, a moody teenager? No thanks. How about... Deteus? Sounds way cooler."
'Fine. Doesn't matter. As long as I have something to call you.'
"Great. From now on, I'm Deteus. By the way... why are we still talking in your head?"
A twitch appeared at the corner of Elias's lips. His crimson eyes darkened with resolve. He clenched his fists—Clank!—snapping the iron chains like paper.
Massaging his temples, his mind drifted back to the day the curse was placed upon him.
Even then... even with a sealed tongue... Elias had spoken.
Because... the silence was his choice. A choice to deceive. To let the world believe he was powerless.
But now...
The silence... was over.
His lips parted. For the first time in three years...
Words spilled out.
"Then... let's make a deal, Deteus. You give me your power... and I'll give you... food."
"Deal."
Elias grinned darkly.
"So... Deteus... are you hungry?"
The shadow's grin stretched wider.
"Oh... you have no idea."