"T-This…" Old Smith exclaimed, black eyes dilating, looking at her body in complete disbelief.

Just now, she had felt the ubiquitous presence of Mahina around her disappearing completely, making her soul — that felt like it had been held in a choking state — finally sigh in intense relief.

The pressure, the fear, and the apprehension that had been inside her, souring her very life, all melted down. Suddenly, she felt like she had lost all energy inside her body.

She wobbled, then fell down, her ass kissing the earth loudly.

Eyes began to turn toward her, yet Smith didn't care.

She folded her short legs up to her chest, raised her two hands, then covered her face with her sweaty palms. Soon, muffled sobs blossomed through the silent dungeon, ones filled with happiness and a distinct sense of freedom.

Freedom, Smith realized amid hot tears, was the only thing worth pursuing in this life.

Truly, none could understand the harrowing feeling of living with the knowledge that you would be buried under the ground if a being woke up with his head upside down.

The dread of living in that kind of fear was one Smith didn't wish on anyone. Even her enemies.

It would strip away your very spark, leaving you nothing but insecurities and paranoia. A wretched husk of who you were supposed to be.

And was there anything worse than living your life without feeling it was your life?

Smith knew the answer to that question. But she would rather not know, if knowing required going through such an ordeal.

Yet, that was how life was.

Answers demanded a price.

And not everyone could pay such steep prices. Or, simply, not everyone was willing to pay such a price for an answer that could drive one mad.

Knowledge was a burden, as one Phoenix once said.

But finally Smith had reclaimed her life, and finally she could cry without fearing death from the will of someone else.

Freedom. One word. Yet heavy on the tongue, even heavier on the mind.

Meanwhile, Anthropologist, Ruined, and Abomination watched this scene with different kinds of eyes.

Anthropologist watched with melancholic eyes, understanding very well how Nihilia felt. In fact, he understood it more than anyone would ever believe.

He slowly slid his brown eyes from Smith to his own body, watching the swirling red tattoos painting his brown skin stunningly. A crooked and wry smile crept onto his lips, one that disappeared as soon as it appeared.

'Ah, the irony of life, I guess,' he thought, thoughts churning, 'but it was worth it. It truly was worth it.'

He repeated it as if convincing himself more than anything.

'But I wonder,' Anthropologist continued, eyes twinkling, 'I truly wonder if master could bear my burden, and free me from these chains binding my very existence.'

It was a bizarre thought, and Anthropologist knew what it would mean if his master chose that path. Yet somehow, he felt like only he could do it.

'Yes, only him. The Slave had chosen him, but not only him. Many did.' Anthropologist smiled strangely, then closed his eyes peacefully.

For now, he needed to wait. And wait he would, easily, for patience was in his very stony nature.

He smiled once more.

Abomination, meanwhile, was looking at Smith with sympathy. For her, what Smith was going through was very similar to her past.

The past where she was ugly — no, where she was hideous — unable to do anything she wanted because humans and beasts alike would flee at her very sight.

Abomination had always wished to build connections with others and live a life worth living. Maybe because she was born with death at her core and a high level of awareness for a beast, making her feel things stronger than normal… but she truly wished for someone to call a friend.

Someone who would be with her in this journey, where the end could knock at your door in the next second.

Yet every time she attempted something, she was rejected because of her physical appearance.

It was hurtful to see how beings — beasts and humans alike — judged one only by the flesh. Didn't they know that a body was nothing but a vessel for something more important? Something more meaningful and far greater?

They did know, but they cared more about something that could be faked than something that couldn't.

Again, irony of life.

Those experiences forced her to live a life where she felt restricted and unhappy. Thus she became a monster who killed anyone without mercy, knowing they would never care who she was but only what she was.

A monster.

And that was until she met Kaden, who freed her from a life of internal torment and self-loathing.

She was hideous, yet no matter what Kaden felt, his heart was pure enough to not show it outwardly, knowing it would wound her.

Her master went beyond that and gave her a whole new appearance. It was nothing but a patch of flesh, she once said, yet that was what helped her open herself and interact with people.

Again, irony of life.

In one sentence, Kaden gave her a life. And that, Abomination thought, was something the man himself didn't realize.

That was why she loved him. That was why she was ready to lay down her whole existence for her master.

And that was also why she felt a sense of kinship toward Smith.

So with measured effort, she got up from her seat and strode toward her. Arriving before her, she squatted down, beginning to comfort the now free blacksmith, but at the same time…

"You see, black dwarf," Abomination drawled, "this is the greatness of The Harvester. He is a man of honor and integrity. One who never disappoints those who put their trust in him and would never abandon his people."

Abomination grinned down at the black dwarf, her eyes squinting in fanatic pride,

"He is the only one worthy of following," she whispered, "Now, little black dwarf, I do not need to say more, do I?"

Abomination found Smith's ability dangerous and too useful to just let go. They must have her. Gently, of course.

'Yes,' she grinned sinisterly inwardly, 'very gently.'

In normal cases, this was the Seer's duty to recruit, but their dear captain was still sleeping.

She would do the job, then.

So soon enough, one could see Abomination giving an intensive lecture about how only The Harvester was worthy of worship and could guide them to the highest peak.

Anthropologist, amused, chuckled at this sight, while Ruined watched the scene with approval.

For once, he was on Abomination's side.

The Knight too had been reborn thanks to Kaden's power, given the opportunity to live a new life. And even better than that, his life was now linked to his master's own, making him an eternal servant to him.

One who would die if his master did.

That was his greatest joy. For him, a Knight had no right to breathe nor draw a sword if his master was no more.

The only thing to do in that case was to follow him to the grave and continue his duty in the afterlife.

That was one of a Knight's virtues.

All of them began to think about how Kaden changed their lives. In that process, they realized that he didn't simply change their lives…

He gave them a new one. And with that, a new purpose.

A simple one: to follow him.

And for some reason, it was more fulfilling than anything.

The same applied for Vaela Aurora Crimson who, like fate would have wanted it, stirred awake after sleeping for so long at that exact time.

And the first words escaping her mouth were ones none expected, "That's just who he is." Vaela said, slowly getting up, voice weirdly sweet, "That's just how my dear is."

Slowly but steadily, she managed to stand. She raised her masked face overhead, watching the artificial sun of the dungeon bathing her whole body.

Her eyes were still blurry, but Vaela knew it wouldn't be for too long.

"How was your sleep?" Anthropologist asked, peeking at Vaela with half-closed eyes, "You took your time. Was the dream interesting at least?"

Vaela smiled faintly, then lowered her head back to face him, "More than one could expect."

Anthropologist nodded, "Indeed." He acknowledged, "You feel different now, Seer. As if," he tilted his head, "you are no longer the one I knew yet somehow still the one I knew."

He chuckled faintly, the others watching her.

"Confusing, isn't it?"

Vaela shrugged lazily, turned on her heels, and strode toward where Dain was sleeping. Her feet were silent, only a whisper against the weeded ground.

One look at Dain and she could sense the man would wake up soon enough.

She parted her lips:

"Isn't that how life is? Each second that passes changes us in a way we would never notice. So let's just say I have absorbed within me numerous of these seconds in one second." She said to Anthropologist, "Maybe that's the reason for your feeling."

She met Abomination and Smith on her path, giving them a small greeting nod.

Behind, Anthropologist stifled a laugh, "Feeling philosophical today, Seer?"

"I guess." Vaela grinned, stopping inches from Dain.

'He does look like my dear, indeed,' she thought silently.

"Then—!"

Anthropologist gulped back his words as he felt a sudden presence filling the dungeon instantly.

The presence was quiet yet scorching and boundless in a terrifying manner. All of them instinctively raised their guards, expressions tense, skills ready to erupt, before finally snapping their heads toward the presence.

There, they saw a man slowly being reconstructed from crimson-gold ashes.

In no time, he was whole.

The man was tall, with a simple mask made of blood on his face, hiding everything except his crimson starry eyes.

There was a sudden silence that swelled around. One that was immediately broken by the deep emotional voice of Vaela,

"My dear!" Vaela shrieked in joy, then in a heartbeat found herself in front of Kaden before embracing him in a tight yet soft hug.

"I missed you." Vaela whispered into his ear, "I missed you so much. So so so much, my dear!"

Kaden smiled, feeling the intense emotions of his Seer, "I missed you too. How have you been?" He retorted, yet inside he was perplexed, feeling a familiar aura on Vaela.

But his thoughts were interrupted by the rising chorus of voices that boomed through the whole dungeon. Voices filled with reverence, respect, and love,

"We greet The Harvester!" the members of the Crimson Veils said, then bowed.

Smith instinctively mirrored their actions.

Vaela broke her hug with Kaden and stood beside him, holding his hand, letting the man greet his subordinates.

One would expect a deep speech, but Kaden only raised his right hand in a greeting manner,

"Hey guys," he chuckled, "Been a while, right?"

He took one step forward to properly talk to them, only to stop at the sound of a groggy voice,

"Hm…" Dain stirred up, growling.

He sat on the bed, looking around him in a dazed state. He frowned his crimson, sleep-blurred eyes, seeing nothing but masked beings and Old Smith.

For some reason, there was a sudden silence in the dungeon, all of them watching him.

Yet Dain was puzzled. He craned his neck to one side, scratching his head lazily,

"Weird," he whispered, his voice too heavy and loud even while whispering, "I would have sworn I heard the youngest's voice."

Instantly, Kaden's heart skipped a beat. He froze on his feet. Dain sensed the action. But before any of them could react and stop him from saying Kaden's identity in front of Smith…

The man looked at Kaden from up to down, tilted his head left and right, holding his chin in a pensive expression, then grinned wide,

"Hey hey hey!" He barked a laugh, pointing his finger at Kaden, "What are you doing, youngest? Are you playing something?"

His laughter thundered,

"Come! Give big brother a mask and let him play with you! And oh, you are so grown now! Hahaha, I almost didn't recognize you youngest! Almost! Thankfully your eyes helped me, even though there are stars inside! Wait, why stars?"

"Hahaha! Who cares! It's beautiful on you, youngest! Sister would like it!"

"HAHAHAHA—!" he laughed then suddenly coughed, clenching his chest.

"Damn it, Griffin! Do that again and I will slap you!"

He coughed again.

He slapped his own face.

Kaden watched with blank eyes, then slowly raised his head overhead in exasperation.

"Bloody hell of a brother," he muttered.

Anthropologist cackled uncontrollably, while Abomination was rolling on the floor. Ruined lowered his head as if hiding his face, yet his body was shaking.

Vaela was coughing, yet one could hear laughter dancing on each cough.

All of that while Smith looked at Kaden with shock dripping from her eyes,

"Kaden Warborn?" she whispered in a daze.

Kaden slowly turned his head to the other side,

"You got the wrong person," he muttered indignantly, followed by a tight hearty hug from Dain.

CRUNCH—!

His muscles screamed.

"Bloody Hell! DAIN!!"

"HAHAHAHA—!"

Cough! cough!

"DAMN IT, GRIFFIN!"

SLAP—!

—End of Chapter 358—

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