It was a weird sight. But in some way, it was truly a striking sight.

Not only because of the scene itself, but also because of the young man.

He had long, luxurious black hair like the wings of a raven, tied back with a red hair tie, allowing his crimson eyes to gleam like a vast flaming red ocean when the yellow sunlight fell across his face.

His face was symmetrical, his nose sharp and well defined, perfect for his square features. His lips were neither thin nor full, balanced in shape, their soft pink hue a striking contrast to the coldness in his gaze.

Any girl would have dreamed of tasting those lips at least once. Unfortunately, the man's aura was not one that invited closeness.

His aura was cold, lethal, and filled with an unconcealed hunger. Standing near him was like standing beside a predator that would strip you bare until nothing of you remained. He was like a crow perched in twilight, pecking greedily at both the living and, most of all, the dead.

Behind him, a crimson, steaming figure shaped like a woman clung to his shoulders, her hands wrapped around his neck, her chin resting on him as though whispering endless temptations into his ear.

He sat on a massive boulder — nine feet high — his right leg hooked casually across his left while the other dangled in the air, swaying with unbothered rhythm.

On his lap rested a red katana, which he brushed with deliberate tenderness, his face calm and relaxed despite the dreadful aura pouring out of him.

Yes, it was Kaden Warborn.

And the man had become unfairly more handsome after his ascension to Master rank. There was now something about him that was not merely attractive, but almost unnatural, as though fate itself had sculpted him into something eye-catching, unforgettable, dangerously alluring.

A dangerous eye candy.

An eye candy only Meris Elamin had dared to kiss. Brave girl. Being honest with her feelings seemed to have been the right choice after all.

'Reditha, can you calm down?' Kaden murmured, and she pouted cutely against him.

'I just want to use the new skill we got. Let's go kill and try it.' she urged, hugging him tighter, her crimson light glowing brighter.

Reditha was clingy, restless, always pressing her will into his.

'You just want to devour them.'

'That, and also to try the new skill.' she admitted without hesitation.

Kaden shook his head with a faint smile. Truth was, he wanted to try it too.

The skill was called Blood Oath.

Its function was simple, clear from its name. By mingling his blood with another's, he could forge an oath. The terms were his to decide. The punishment for breaking them, his to decide as well.

It was like The Will's contracts, only now, the rules belonged to him.

And not only this new skill, but his old ones had grown sharper as well. He could now manipulate the blood inside others with more control. Awkward for now, but with practice he could see himself mastering it.

He already imagined striding calmly across a battlefield as bodies erupted one after another, blood drowning the ground while he harvested it all with an open mouth.

'I'm getting twisted.' he chuckled to himself.

His Flame of Blood too had grown more dreadful, now able to burn the very lifespan of those at the Epithet Realm, though more effective against Grandmasters.

And his Will — that ravenous instinct — had grown keener, feeding on both blood and soul, strengthening not only his body but his spirit.

He had even discovered a way to increase his soul power.

He was happy. He only needed to devour.

The more he devoured, the more his Will grew. The more his Will grew, the stronger he became. And with him, Reditha grew.

Everything stronger. Everyone happy.

Except his enemies.

He was now a menace. A Master unlike any seen before.

'Are you listening to me, Master?' Reditha tugged at him again.

He nodded softly. 'I am. But let me finish with this sack of rocks first.'

Just as he said this, an earthshaking voice rumbled through the grove of red-leafed trees.

"How much longer are you going to sit on my head?"

Kaden lowered his gaze and saw a pair of glowing red eyes glaring up at him from the stone giant he was perched upon. Strangely, there was no hostility in them.

That puzzled Kaden. "You don't seem too bothered by me being here, sack of rocks. Wait… do you have a fetish for being sat on?" His voice twisted into disgust.

The golem's stony face twitched. Hard to tell with rock, but indignation filled his voice.

"Don't slander me, little boy. The only reason I've tolerated this is because you carry the blessing of my friend. Otherwise, you'd already be a smear of meat across the ground."

Kaden smiled faintly at that.

'So he can tell, huh.'

"What makes you think you could do that to me?" Kaden said calmly. "I'm a Master now, rocky. I'm sure I could go toe-to-toe with you without breaking a bloody sweat."

The nickname made the golem twitch again. But more than that, it was the sheer confidence in Kaden's voice that struck him. Against his own judgment, he found himself believing it.

After all, this was the one who had earned the blessing of a Wonder and the most impossible to please of them all.

His presence already surpassed most Masters the golem had ever known.

"That bastard left me here, and still manages to cause me trouble by giving confidence to insolent children." the golem muttered darkly.

Kaden ignored the complaint. "You don't know where my master is?"

"Do you think if I knew, I'd have been stuck here all this time?" the golem snapped. "I expected the one who passed his trial to guide me to him."

Unfortunately, Kaden didn't know either.

Silence fell for a moment. Then Kaden spoke again.

"So what now? The portal has disappeared. You've nothing left to guard."

"I will wander," the golem answered. "I have missed much. I want to relearn the world. Perhaps, in the process, I will find a clue about him."

Kaden stood, Reditha retreated back inside, and leapt down. His feet touched the earth with a soft slam, his body bouncing lightly before he turned to face the giant.

The golem was massive, his stone body covered in glowing red tattoos that pulsed faintly, giving him a striking, fearsome air.

Kaden smiled faintly.

"You seem lost, rocky. What about coming with me?"

The golem's nonexistent brows arched faintly, his rocky features twisting.

"Join you where?"

"I've created an organization," Kaden replied evenly. "One that will act when I cannot, one that will gather information across both worlds."

"I already have three members. You'd like them, they're quite the bunch. So come join us. You'd be a fine addition."

The golem seemed to ponder it, though his stance betrayed little enthusiasm for such a group.

Kaden noticed and pressed on.

"It's an organization that deals with information in both worlds. I doubt you have access to Darklore. Besides, we have a Seer with us, an Epithet Realm Seer. You'll have far better chances of finding my master with us."

Now, the golem's interest flared. His jagged yellow teeth gleamed as he grinned.

"Perfect. Perfect! A Seer? You struck gold, Heir of Death. Seers are rare beyond measure."

He laughed loudly, the sound booming until the very wind howled like wolves under the moonlight.

"Do I need to bring anything? Is there some rite of passage?"

Kaden smirked.

"No. None of that. To be part of it, you just need a codename and a mask."

He cracked his neck, then added, "But first, shrink your body. I'm not used to raising my head just to look at someone."

—End of Chapter 241—

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