The Devil's Cage

“Impossible! Simply impossible! You were here the whole time! How did you…”

Erbus. K shouted furiously when it saw ‘Kieran’ beside the imposter, but its shouts suddenly stopped.

The leader of the House of K thought of something, but it was too late!

Kieran quietly appeared beside Erbus. K, seized the Blood Kin by its neck and let Devil Flame burn hot.

Fuu!

As the flame burned brightly, the darkness was like frightened lambs running and hiding away.

“You liar! You can’t foretell the future!”

Erbus. K shouted even as Devil Flame was burning him.

“Are you naive or stupid? How could you believe what your enemy said? Or should I say… you are already an abnormal person? You controlled a thousand different people, splitting your soul into a thousand pieces. Even with your remarkable gifts and powerful spells, can your soul really handle all that burden?” Kieran said while pondering upon the topic.

Pro-level [Mythical Knowledge], of course, wouldn’t provide him with sufficient understanding in soul territory; it would require at least Musou or Transcendence level to reach that level.

Still, it didn’t stop Kieran from speculating.

Was it possible for a normal soul to be split into a thousand fragments and control a thousand bodies?

Possible!

People with remarkable gifts might be able to pull it off.

Kieran would never doubt a genius being different from the masses, but switching his or her body at will?

Not even a genius could achieve such a feat.

Controlling a thousand bodies at once and becoming one of them were two completely different concepts.

In simpler words, a soul could control a thousand bodies, but that soul would never truly become one of the thousand that were being controlled.

He is he, you are you.

The difference in souls proved as much.

The moment you become him, there is only one explanation: his soul consumed your soul, thus replacing you.

Such a consummation process would naturally bear many restrictions and be extremely complicated as well, any slight misstep resulting in an irreversible outcome, but Erbus. K here was different.

It seemed like it could switch bodies at any time, whichever way it liked; there was no buffering process needed nor any rituals.

So, from what Kieran saw, he could only come up with a single theory: splitting its soul into a thousand pieces and inserting them into the bodies.

Maybe Erbus. K would create some memories for these soul fragments, but at the same time, save its true body for its own, thus leaving a backdoor, a backdoor that would be easily accessible with the slightest activation.

This way was obviously more convenient. Or was it?

The charged Devil Flame in Kieran’s left hand got hotter and more pressuring.

It no longer just burned materials, but the soul as well!

The pain in its soul drove Erbus. K mad. It screamed in agony.

“I am the normal one! You people are the abnormals! I will get that thing, and I will tower over the clouds!”

It wasn’t resistance, but an argument. It still argued despite being burned to its last breath by Devil Flame. From how Erbus. K viewed it, this argument seemed to have transcended beyond its own life.

“You want to become God?” Kieran raised a puzzled brow.

“Yes! I will become God! And you will be a puny ant struggling on the ground! Forever, and ever!”

Wung!

The darkness in the area vibrated as Erbus. K screamed.

The darkness tried to approach Erbus. K but it was a fruitless effort because as soon as it slightly moved, it was forced backwards by the burning Devil Flame.

After losing the darkness, Erbus. K’s presence got weaker until it burned to cinders.

Following Erbus. K’s death, the darkness swiftly melted away like snow under the sun.

The moon! The faint, pure moonlight shone over Eiders once again, the fair circle hanging over the night sky.

This scene was witnessed by the Special Operations Division members first.

“The moon! It’s the moon!

Each and every one of the members got down from their car. They looked at each other and couldn’t hold back their cheers.

For so long after the Blood Moon incident, they had been missing the real moon.

The sky above Eiders every night had become dark and blurry, making people anxious and uncomfortable like they were assailed by chaos from the abyss.

Now, under the pure white moonlight, everyone couldn’t help but splay their hands open, welcoming the soft moonlight as it showered down.

“Is it over?” Mier came down from the car and asked her grandfather.

“Yes. It’s over.” Wier nodded, heaved a long breath and leaned on the car before lighting up a cigarette. Clouds of smokes then came out from his breath.

It was the reward he gave himself.

After that?

Wier planned to return home and take a good rest.

He hadn’t rested well for the past two weeks.

Inside Stove-grilled Fish, Lagren raised his beer mug at the moon that shone outside the window, presenting a toast to commemorate the end of the incident.

“Nicely done, you little punk.”

Lagren drained his mug empty with a smile before laughing out loud in delight.

It was not just Lagren though—anyone who saw the moon would laugh, if not curl up their lips.

Not even Bloody Mary was excluded; it raised its head at the moon and took a deep breath.

“It’s over.”

Although it wasn’t human, it thought and behaved like one. Most of the time, Bloody Mary was even more human than an actual human, while exceeding them in some other aspects, such as having premonitions!

As it breathed in the humid night air, Bloody Mary caught sight of Kieran’s cold face, and it couldn’t help but skip a breath.

“What’s wrong?” Bloody Mary asked carefully.

“Go take another trip down there,” Kieran pointed at the entrance of the grave of Arwena Algo Zelgar.

“Go retrieve that thing?” Bloody Mary asked meticulously.

“En.” Kieran nodded, signalling Bloody Mary to hurry.

However, looking at Kieran’s expression, an unexplained discomfort rose in Bloody Mary’s heart.

“I think compared to that thing, we should locate Wu as soon as possible. Her powers may be helpful to us in this situation. And I suggest…”

“Hurry up.”

Kieran frowned and interrupted Bloody Mary’s suggestion.

Feeling the dissatisfaction in Kieran’s heart, Bloody Mary shrunk its neck and turned toward the entrance of the grave.

Bloody Mary looked back as it walked, hoping Kieran would change his mind.

But unfortunately, Kieran was even tougher than it thought.

Not only did Kieran solidify his stance, he even rushed Bloody Mary with his gaze.

“Why am I always doing this kind of hazardous job?”

As it ranted, Bloody Mary ventured deep into the tomb.

The moment it stepped into the grave, its face turned sour.