Chapter 83: Worshippers of the Grotesque (4)

“This was quite entertaining.” Amidst the ruins of destruction, Ketal spoke cheerfully. He had observed how assassins fought, how they wielded their Aura, and how they maneuvered in battle. Each aspect had been intriguing to analyze.

I even fought something similar to the Ten Thousand Blossom Rain,

Ketal thought. The experience had been thoroughly satisfying.

As Ketal laughed in delight, the family head, his voice laced with resignation, spoke. “Just kill me, you monster.”

From the very beginning, the family head knew that victory had never been an option. The moonlight provided just enough illumination to barely make out the surroundings. Even when focusing his Myst, his vision was not entirely clear—such was the darkness that enveloped them.

Yet, in that pitch-black environment, the barbarian had precisely tracked hundreds of flying daggers, identified the perfect points of contact to deflect them, and executed his plan flawlessly.

Ketal’s success had been absolute. Not a single tear marred his barbarian garb. It was as pristine as when he had first stepped into this place. His spatial awareness, reaction speed, and adaptability were beyond comprehension.

This barbarian was a monster. Even by the most conservative estimates, he was a powerhouse of Transcendent caliber—a warrior so rare that even the mightiest kingdoms would be fortunate to have one or two of his equal.

Why would someone like him be with the Akasha family?

the family head thought. A mercenary like him had no reason to remain in a mere merchant family.

“I can’t kill you just yet,” Ketal said. There were still too many things he wished to ask the assassin, like how long they had been here and how they made their money.

This was a rare opportunity to directly question a fantasy-world assassin, and Ketal wasn’t about to let it slip away.

After a brief moment of thought, Ketal asked the first question that came to mind, “What is this Great Grotesque that you worship?”

Gods existed in this world. And gods bestowed divine power and authority upon their followers. These assassins served a god they referred to as the Grotesque. It was an unusual concept for assassins to serve a god, and Ketal was curious about it.

“The Grotesque, you say...” The family head hesitated before finally opening his mouth. His life was already forfeit, so he had resolved to at least explain and request a swift death. “The one we serve is—”

However, as he began to speak, his voice gradually faded. Ketal frowned, watching him in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Ketal asked.

“

A-ah

...” The family head’s pupils quivered violently. A fear beyond words consumed his gaze. “

Ugh...

”

The family head’s brain was literally melting. The moment the forbidden knowledge surfaced in his mind, his brain overloaded and began to disintegrate.

“M-my...” The family head collapsed.

Ketal’s eyes widened in surprise. “What the hell?”

The family head tried to speak, only to suddenly drop dead.

Ketal pondered for a moment before murmuring to himself, “This is like the Curse Poison.”

Curse Poison was a method often seen in wuxia novels—parasites implanted in the brain that liquefy it the moment forbidden information was spoken.

So, this exists in the fantasy world as well? How amusing,

Ketal thought.

Given the assassins relied on secrecy, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable for them to implement such precautions.

It’s a shame though.

Ketal clicked his tongue. He had hoped to glean more information about them, but there was no way to extract answers from an assassin whose brain had melted into sludge.

The battlefield had fallen into silence. Aside from Ketal, no one else remained standing.

Ketal pulled out his notebook and began jotting down notes.

The assassins have their base in the heart of the capital, likely to allow easy access for noble clients. They also implant something akin to Curse Poison in their heads. The fact that even their leader was not exempt suggests an unusually horizontal hierarchy...

“That’s about it,” Ketal concluded. Satisfied with his notes, he stretched lazily. The rest could be verified later by Milayna.

With that, he disappeared into the night. Only the ruins of destruction remained in his wake.

***

There was a dazzling room, as if all the treasures of the world had been gathered in one place. Priceless artifacts were scattered about like mere trinkets, so extravagant that even a king could not dream of owning them. At the center of this lavish space, a man lounged on a sofa.

Before him, a figure knelt in submission and spoke. “The ones who attempted to infiltrate the Denian Kingdom have been eliminated.”

“I see.”

“And the Oath has been triggered.”

The man on the sofa chuckled. “So they tried to spill information like fools. Was it the kingdom’s doing?”

“It appears so, sir.”

“They acted faster than expected.” The man stared blankly into space, then muttered, “Wait, so they were trying to infiltrate the Denian Kingdom too? That’s news to me.”

The kneeling figure responded calmly, “They were merely disposable tails, unworthy of even receiving the Great One’s authority. It is understandable that you were unaware of them.”

“Oh,” the man said, his face twisted in irritation. “So they’re trash then. Don’t bother reporting such insignificant matters to me.”

The Hybolka family was a gathering of top elites. Their power was formidable, even by the standards of the entire continent. Yet, to this man, they were nothing more than disposable riffraff.

“Have the loose ends been dealt with?” the man on the sofa asked.

“Yes, sir. I’ve already sent people to take care of it.”

“Good.” The man rose from the sofa and took a step forward. “They were nothing important, but leaving behind any traces would be careless.”

His gaze shifted toward the wall. Beyond the translucent veil, something unnatural writhed. Twisted and broken, its form was unrecognizable.

“A time before gods and demons. When only humans walked this world, he ruled over all. Our rightful sovereign. The true master of this world,” the man muttered in an exhilarated voice. “One day, he will return. He will restore this distorted, broken world to its rightful form. And we must be ready for him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“For that to happen, there is something far more important than dealing with useless trash.” The man turned, his eyes gleaming with madness as he spoke. “His sacred relic. It does exist in this world, doesn’t it?”

The kneeling figure nodded. “It was previously unconfirmed, but for the past year, we have sensed its presence. There is no doubt—it exists in this world.”

“Good,” the man said as he grinned. “Find it. No matter what it takes.”

“Understood, sir.” The kneeling figure answered without hesitation.

***

Ketal had destroyed the Hybolka family, yet his life remained largely unchanged. As always, he studied alchemy, and when night fell, he returned home to converse with Milayna.

Then, one day, Milayna finally spoke, wearing a perplexed expression. “Ketal, you mentioned that assassin family before, didn’t you?”

“Yes, did your investigation yield any results?” Ketal asked.

The day after he obliterated the Hybolka family, Ketal had relayed the news to Milayna—that an assassin syndicate had targeted him, and he had wiped them out.

Naturally, Milayna had looked at him as though he were spouting nonsense. There was no way an assassin organization was operating in the heart of the capital. And when she heard the location, it turned out to be none other than the Hybolka family’s main estate. For a moment, Milayna had been unable to process his words.

However, Ketal had no reason to lie to her. Though skeptical, she had dispatched an investigation team.

The results were bizarre.

“The building was completely empty...,” Milayna said.

“Hm?” Ketal frowned. “It was empty?”

“Yes. There were no traces of occupation, no furniture—nothing. It was quite literally

vacant

.”

“No traces at all?” Ketal asked. He was sure that he had fought assassins in the building.

It hadn’t been a battle loud enough to shake the city, but it certainly wasn’t small-scale either. Hundreds of throwing daggers had embedded themselves in the walls and ceiling.

Assassins who had taken his punches had smashed into those same walls, obliterating them. Blood had splattered in all directions. The entire room had been completely wrecked in the battle.

Ketal couldn’t believe that there were no traces of anything.

Milayna nodded. “There was nothing at all. And that’s not the only strange part. The Hybolka family itself has vanished entirely.”

It wasn’t that all evidence of their existence in the Denian Kingdom had been erased. No mere organization could disappear so perfectly. People still remembered them—victims of their actions, merchants who had traded with them. However, aside from those personal accounts, there was no physical evidence left behind.

Documents proving their transactions had vanished. The goods they handled had disappeared without a trace. It was as if ghosts had spirited them away.

Ketal’s expression shifted to one of fascination. “Is something like that even possible?”

“It

shouldn’t

be possible. The Hybolka family is a massive organization. And yet, they vanished without leaving a single trace...” There was unease in Milayna’s eyes. Everything that was happening defied common sense. “I will continue the investigation, but honestly, it’s frustrating.”

It felt like something beyond her reach. After a moment of venting, a thought seemed to strike her. “Oh, right. The axe you always carry—I looked into the symbol.”

Ketal’s interest piqued. “And? Did you find something?”

“No.” Milayna shook her head. “There was nothing, absolutely nothing.”

She hadn’t dug too deep, having only conducted a personal inquiry. Still, she had assumed she would find something. At the very least, she had expected some mention of it in historical records. It was as if someone had deliberately erased all traces of information.

“That axe... you said you picked it up from the White Snowfield, right?” Milayna asked.

“Yes.” Ketal had simply found it buried in the snow. It had turned out to be surprisingly useful, so he had kept it. That was all he knew.

“

Ugh...

” Milayna let out a groan. She had been confident. Her merchant family was the largest in the Denian Kingdom, and she had accumulated a fortune beyond measure. She had never imagined there could be information beyond her reach.

Yet, she had failed to uncover anything about both the Hybolka family and the axe’s emblem. It stung her pride.

Ketal chuckled and patted her shoulder. “These things happen. But if you couldn’t find anything, then this must be quite a special axe.”

“It’s definitely not ordinary. It’s not even from the old emperor who entered the White Snowfield. And aside from them, no one else could have made a weapon like that...,” she grumbled as she rested her chin on the table. “Oh, by the way, about the catalysts you wanted.”

To obtain Myst, Ketal needed to awaken his path of Myst. And for that, he had asked Milayna to procure catalysts.

“I’ve managed to gather almost all of them. I just need to get the final one,” Milayna said.

“Oh, really?” Ketal exclaimed.

The axe and the Hybolka family were instantly pushed to the back of his mind. The thought of finally acquiring the power of Myst made his heart race with excitement.

Milayna smiled at his reaction. “It won’t take long. It’s nearby.”

“Nearby?”

“Did you know catalysts can also be found in Dungeons?”

Ketal nodded. He had retrieved a catalyst before in the Dungeon near the Barcan Estate.

“There’s a newly discovered Dungeon near the capital. And we’ve confirmed the catalyst’s presence inside,” Milayna said. She leaned back, crossing her arms. “Mercenaries are being gathered as we speak. It won’t take more than a few days.”

“A Dungeon, huh...” Ketal’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Dungeons appeared near populated areas, and the more populated the area was, the stronger the Dungeon that formed.

This was the capital of the Denian Kingdom—a place far more densely populated than Barcan Estate.

“What kind of Dungeon is it?” Ketal asked.

Milayna’s lips curled into a smirk. “It’s an A-Rank Dungeon—a raid Dungeon.”