As soon as Samael reached the cemetery, Tenebrae's irritating voice echoed from within the walls.
"You're late."
The enormous raven didn't even glance at him.
Its full attention remained fixed on guiding the colossal citadel through the frozen lands of Rime.
"I wouldn't need more than two strikes to kill that thing."
His voice overflowed with arrogance.
"Then why didn't you kill it yourself?" Samael thought, suppressing the urge to say it out loud.
"There's more work waiting. Get moving."
Samael looked up.
His expression immediately froze.
Seven grotesque wolves were charging toward the cemetery.
Each possessed two heads and six legs.
"...Ah. What a miserable life."
Muttering under his breath, Samael used the small amount of essence he had recovered after defeating the first wolf.
A massive shadow appeared beside him.
The Chimera Spider emerged silently.
The moment his eyes fell upon her, a chill ran down his spine.
His abdomen began to ache again.
The memory of that hand piercing straight through his stomach was still far too vivid to ignore.
"I'm still mad at you."
Without ceremony, he kicked the chimera in the side.
She merely turned her head slowly to look at him.
"Go."
"Kill them."
The next instant...
Both of them charged.
Samael rushed toward two of the wolves.
The Chimera dove straight at the remaining five.
His new spear traced a silver arc.
Its tip carved a deep wound across one of the first wolf's heads.
Blood flowed down the blade.
The enchantment reacted immediately.
The spear almost seemed to tremble with satisfaction.
Samael smiled.
"I should properly break you in."
While he fought two opponents...
The Chimera was surrounded by the other five.
The wolves attacked simultaneously.
The Fallen Tyrant merely raised her human hand.
Thousands of silver threads sliced through the air.
The threads weren't strong enough to bind those creatures.
But they were enough to slow them down.
That was all she needed.
Two enormous legs crashed down.
CRACK!
One wolf's spine shattered.
Its body split cleanly in half.
There wasn't the slightest emotion in the Chimera's eyes.
Only the pride of a sovereign.
The remaining four attacked again.
This time, prepared for the threads.
They never came.
The Chimera simply lunged forward.
Her massive arachnid body slammed into one of the wolves like a battering ram.
The creature was hurled backward, completely dazed.
The other three seized the opening.
Their fangs sank into her flesh.
Their claws tore fresh wounds across her body.
White blood began flowing from her injuries.
Even so...
She didn't seem to feel any pain.
Thousands of silver threads wrapped around the stunned wolf's neck.
Then...
She pulled.
Both necks were crushed simultaneously.
Three remained.
Their claws continued tearing into her body.
The Chimera slowly raised one of her front legs.
The blow struck one wolf head-on.
The creature was launched high into the air.
Before it could land...
The Chimera's human hands grabbed both of its necks.
A sharp crack echoed.
At the same time...
Her human mouth began to distort.
Her lips split apart.
Her jaw opened far beyond what should have been possible.
Transforming into a monstrous spider maw.
She buried her fangs into one head.
While she bit into it...
Her hands crushed the other.
Both died almost simultaneously.
Without even glancing at the corpse, the Chimera spun her massive body.
One of her rear legs crashed down onto another wolf.
The ground collapsed beneath the impact.
The monster was crushed like an insect.
Five against one.
Now...
One against one.
The last wolf roared and sank both mouths into one of the Chimera's legs.
She merely lowered her gaze.
Then slowly lifted another leg.
And brought it down.
The impact reduced the wolf to a mangled mass of flesh and bone.
The battle was over.
The Chimera stood motionless.
Covered in the blood of her enemies.
Like a true queen surveying a battlefield that belonged solely to her.
A short while later, Samael also finished his fight.
His breathing was heavy.
Besides his shoulder, his right leg had now been badly wounded as well.
Even so, he walked toward the wolves' corpses.
Without wasting a moment, he activated his Aspect.
The bodies slowly dissolved, transforming into Ascended Memories.
Samael didn't even look at them.
He simply stored them within his Soul.
"Finally..."
He opened his attributes.
A smile spread across his face.
"My Soul Core is full."
A feeling of satisfaction washed over him.
"It may not seem like much..."
"...but it's enough to make me a little happier."
With a faint smile, he returned to the cemetery.
As soon as he found Tenebrae, he sat down among the white flowers.
He didn't even try to hide his exhaustion.
"I can't keep going."
Tenebrae remained silent.
Samael took a deep breath before continuing.
"If I fight two more times in this condition..."
He looked down at his wounds.
"...I'll end up visiting the Shadow Realm in person."
His hand instinctively drifted toward his abdomen.
The memory of the battle against the Chimera still sent chills through his body.
"You said you planned to fly for three days without stopping, right?"
Tenebrae merely nodded.
"If we make a few stops, maybe it'll take about two weeks."
Samael shrugged.
"It's better to arrive alive than quickly."
The enormous raven finally turned his head toward him.
"Three days?"
His voice carried unmistakable mockery.
"You misunderstood, Nephilim."
A smug grin spread across his beak.
"I intend to fly for three days."
"I never said we'd reach the tree in three days."
Samael fell silent.
"Until we reach that tree..."
Tenebrae turned back toward the horizon.
"It will take months."
He paused briefly.
"Especially if you remain this weak."
The provocation lingered in the air.
Samael merely smiled faintly.
"There's no point in getting there as a corpse."
Tenebrae let out a low chuckle.
"And why should I listen to you?"
"Because you need me alive."
The answer came without hesitation.
"It's that simple."
The raven remained silent.
He offered no reply.
But neither did he disagree.
Meanwhile, Samael shifted his gaze toward the Chimera Spider.
She stood perfectly still, like a statue waiting for orders.
"I need to give her a name."
Continuing to call her simply "the spider" felt strange.
His thoughts drifted to Elisa.
"Liz was the one who named Elisa..."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"This time... it's my turn."
As he looked at the Chimera, memories of their battle resurfaced.
The frozen sword piercing through her shoulder.
The arrows severing the silver threads.
"Li... from Liu."
Then he remembered the owner of the sword.
"Ne... from Necroline."
He thought for a few moments.
Then nodded.
"Line."
"I think it suits you."
He slowly stood.
Walking up to the enormous creature, he spoke.
"Your name is Line."
Instinctively, he raised a hand to pat her head, just as he always did with Elisa.
His hand stopped halfway.
It remained suspended in the air for several seconds.
Then slowly fell back to his side.
"I still haven't forgiven you."
Line remained completely motionless.
Unable to understand the reason for his hesitation.
She simply continued gazing at her new master...
In absolute silence.