Chapter 197. The Deepest Abyss

Siwelin looked down, spotting Ushas bound in shadows at the edge of her vision. Her eyes blazed with a hatred she never knew was possible.

Glaring at her, Ushas spat defiantly.

How dare you! You think you’re special just because you got my sister’s power?!

Noticing the insolent glint in Ushas’ eyes, Kim Do-Joon stared him down coldly and flicked his finger. The shadows constricting Ushas tightened viciously.

"Lower your head," Kim Do-Joon commanded.

"

Urgh!

"

Ushas attempted to resist the shadows' force, but he was far too weak. He was forcibly bent forward.

Creak. Crack.

Through gritted teeth, Ushas growled, "How did you obtain my sister’s power?!”

None of them answered.

"Did you force her to submit and steal it?! Just like you did with Mel Sior?!”

For all his arrogance, Ushas did have some attachment to Laoha, albeit it was entirely unwelcome.

“What makes you think you’re in any position to ask questions?" Kim Do-Joon asked coldly.

He still doesn’t get the situation.

As Kim Do-Joon moved to manipulate the shadows further, Siwelin stepped forward, her radiant sword in hand.

Ushas’ face twitched at the sight. His shamelessness brought Siwelin a strange sense of relief. At least, he didn’t beg for forgiveness—not that she’d have forgiven him anyway.

Swoosh—!

"

Argh! Aaargh!

"

Her sword pierced Ushas’ thigh. Pure divine power coursed through the blade, spreading through him like wildfire.

Whoosh!

Blue flames that banished all corruption then erupted, making Ushas tremble violently. He’d experienced hints of it when clashing with his sister, but now, it was on an entirely different level.

He felt as though a monstrous parasite was gnawing at him from the inside out. To ordinary people, Siwelin’s power was warm and cleansing, but to Ushas, it was a living nightmare.

Even as he writhed in agony, Siwelin remained calm, showing no intention of stopping.

Siwelin...

Kim Do-Joon watched her silently. She had never tortured anyone before, in life or death. She could not even come up with the idea of cutting off fingers or slicing open a belly to rip out intestines, like a scene from a grotesque film.

However, she was a specialist in spreading divine power to heal people. For Ushas, that was the cruelest punishment of all.

Now that I think about it...

Siwelin probably knew exactly what kind of pain she was inflicting. As a Ghoul, she must have felt this torment every time she prayed.

Ushas was in absolute torment. His flesh was already burning black, and his bloodshot eyes were starting to seep blood.

Having abandoned Drake’s body, Ushas was currently without a physical vessel. Even so, with his very soul taking irreparable damage, he ended up in a catastrophic state.

Siwelin looked down at Ushas, who was now crawling on the floor. Tears streamed down her face.

"For someone like you... Sue... Layla..."

With quivering lips, she murmured one name after another—likely the names of people from the temple.

Although Kim Do-Joon could guess how she felt, he couldn’t truly understand because he’d never experienced it. Hence, he made no attempt to offer words of comfort—none would suffice anyway. All he could do was silently stay by her side.

Ushas reached for the sword, but he couldn’t pull it out. On the contrary, touching the blade only singed his hand.

Siwelin released the sword and conjured a spear of light. Without hesitation, she drove it straight into Ushas’ chest.

Keugh!

Ushas’ eyes widened, bulging as if they were about to burst from their sockets.

“You mocked my family three times,” Siwelin murmured, her voice low and trembling with restrained fury.

You desecrated their lives, disrupted their rest, and even used their memories.

“I hope you never truly die,” she said venomously.

She wished for him, the so-called immortal, to wander in hell for eternity, unable to find peace. The curses flowed endlessly from her lips, but Ushas could hardly hear them through the searing agony consuming him.

Even so, Siwelin kept speaking. Though lost on Ushas, her words reached Kim Do-Joon, who listened from behind her.

Moments later, Siwelin released her spear. Ushas lay on the ground, writhing pitifully. However, her tear-streaked face remained cold as she gazed down at him.

The experience brought her no relief. After all, vengeance couldn’t bring back the dead. However, it didn't bring her regret either.

This was for the spirits of those who had suffered, and above all, it was a necessary step for her to move forward.

Kim Do-Joon confidently walked over and stood beside her. He then softly kicked the ground.

—Rumble... Rumble... Rumble...

The earth rumbled ominously. Soon, it split open, and Roots began to rise. They were twisted, grotesque, and more menacing than anything else. They were darker than night and marked with jagged, tooth-like patterns. Some burned with an infernal heat, while others radiated an icy, bone-chilling cold.

“W-wait—!”

Despite his agony, Ushas’ eyes flew open, and he scrambled backward in terror. He recognized what they were: the deepest Roots of the World Tree.

Each one held within it a realm of torment so absolute they could only be called hells. His father had reserved them for the worst punishments.

The next moment, dozens of the Roots surged toward Ushas like ravenous beasts.

“No! Stop!

Aaargh!

”

Crunch. Snap. Crack.

It was over in an instant. The sickening sounds of bones breaking and flesh being shredded filled the air.

The Roots tore into Ushas’ very soul, ripping it apart and consuming it piece by piece. His fractured essence was scattered and sealed within countless Roots, ensuring his eternal torment in every hell imaginable—just as Siwelin had wished.

Kim Do-Joon lightly tapped the ground again. The Roots, once frenzied and demonic, instantly calmed. Having devoured Ushas, they slithered back into the earth. These dangerous things could not be left unchecked.

Nothing remained where Ushas had once been—not even the undead he had summoned. They had all dissolved into nothingness. After invading countless worlds, amassing power and influence, and seeking to claim Earth as well, Ushas had finally been completely erased.

Siwelin stared at the empty space for a long while before wavering. She stumbled, her strength failing her.

Kim Do-Joon reached out, catching her before she hit the ground. For a moment, Siwelin looked up at him, her eyes full of unknown emotions. However, instead of standing again, she leaned into him, resting her weight against his steady frame.

She buried her face in his chest as her shoulders trembled faintly. Kim Do-Joon held her by the shoulders and looked at the sky.

It was over. Her long battle and the old man’s old grudge had finally ended. The blood-red sky above them began to clear, fading into a serene and vibrant blue.

***

On the journey back, Kim Do-Joon and Siwelin boarded a transport plane heading to Korea, courtesy of the American Hunters.

For the Hunters, returning to the U.S. after completing their mission was the natural course of action. Yet, no one raised objections about heading to Korea instead.

Siwelin sat in silence, her thoughts unreadable, while Kim Do-Joon leaned his chin on his hand, staring at the sea of clouds outside the window.

Walter and the other Hunters glanced at them but didn’t dare speak. Their curiosity was palpable. What was Drake’s true identity? And who exactly was Kim Do-Joon, who had stood against him?

Although they had completed their mission to stop a global catastrophe, the mysteries surrounding the two were far from resolved. Still, no one could find the courage to ask. In their hesitation, they could only steal furtive glances as their questions lingered unspoken.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon was lost in his own thoughts. His mind wandered back to the events from earlier—the aftermath of Ushas’ defeat and Alcyone’s revival.

—Father...

Alcyone let out a drowsy murmur, his eyes wide with confusion as he looked at Kim Do-Joon. Just as planned, Alcyone had been revived. Well, he wasn’t actually dead in the first place.

Kim Do-Joon just gave a flat response.

—I said I’m not your father.

—

Ah

, my mistake. Apologies.

Alcyone laughed awkwardly as he regained his composure and stood up.

Kim Do-Joon wasted no time explaining the situation. He mentioned that Vango had been dealt with by the elder and that Ushas had been torn apart and hurled into hell.

Already well aware of how powerful his father was, Alcyone listened with a composed expression—until Kim Do-Joon described Ushas’ fate in detail. He turned pale and trembled. He was also well aware of the horrors lurking in the deepest Roots of the World Tree.

—Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Clinging to Alcyone, Hylasa bowed repeatedly to Kim Do-Joon as she expressed her gratitude. Her tearful face conveyed just how deeply she meant it.

To Kim Do-Joon, it was not a big deal. After all, Alcyone’s shackles had been strengthened rather than removed. However, to her, Alcyone’s survival was all that mattered.

Alcyone’s situation had been resolved. However, he still had one more task to do.

Ushas left something behind on Earth.

And he wasn’t talking about Drake, which Ushas had used to blend in.

Ushas had left behind something far more troubling and couldn’t be ignored. Kim Do-Joon made his way to a specific location, his steps deliberate and heavy.

There it was.

The old man’s body...

Unlike the other undead, this one had not disintegrated. Ushas’ influence had preserved it like a grim reminder.

Kim Do-Joon considered his options. He thought back to how Ushas had manipulated the body, enslaving it with his powers. With Ushas’ strength in his possession, Kim Do-Joon could theoretically do the same—mark the corpse with runes and reanimate it as an undead servant.

He quickly dismissed the thought. It was simply unthinkable. No matter how powerful the minion could be, it was a line he could not cross.

Besides, he already had enough subordinates, including the shadow soldiers, Nagas, and the Mahal Tribe.

Should I bury the body or cremate it and perform a proper ritual?

Kim Do-Joon chuckled bitterly at the thought, shaking his head.

Actually, I guess there’s only one thing to do.

He spread his shadow wide, and the old man’s dead body was swallowed into its depths. He would deliver the body to Laoha, who waited on the Branch of Caldera.