"You need to make me understand this situation right now. Otherwise—"
A cold smile spread across my lips.
"—I might just get really pissed off."
After finishing, I stared silently at Kain, who gaped at me, at a loss for words.
Kain stood there for a moment, lost in thought, saying nothing—just watching me.
Please let this work.
The overwhelming presence surging from my entire body mustn't fool him into thinking it was mine.
This aura pouring out of me right now was all Kain's power.
If my provocation pissed him off enough to strike, my life would turn to dust in an instant, just like those sprawled corpses over there.
Kain finally seemed to finish his deliberations and opened his mouth.
All my nerves focused on the movement of his lips.
"I am Kain, vice minister to Haven's lord, Balderic."
Thankfully, the catastrophe of me turning into a corpse right then didn't happen.
But now the real test began.
If he judged me a threat to Haven, Kain would try to eliminate me, even staking his own life.
I have to show him somehow that I can be useful to Haven. Whether I live or die here depends entirely on his call.
* * *
Black Killer Kain crossed over the corpses of prisoners and guards, heading deeper into the prison.
His lord's operation was proceeding smoothly.
They'd stolen the Empire's secret chimera research data, destroyed the core facilities, and eliminated everyone involved.
Now, only the prisoners in the final room remained.
Once they were dealt with, not a single survivor would remain in Lunaria Empire Prison 3.
Reaching the last room, Kain used his origin of power—the shadows—to blast the door away.
Revealed were the terrified faces of the prisoners.
Reaping their lives was no different from his daily duties.
As the shadows seeped into the room, their agonized screams erupted.
But only for a fleeting moment.
The room fell silent in an instant.
Done.
But then, a single silhouette visible in the distance.
Someone who didn't lose their mind upon facing his shadows.
A successful chimera from the Empire, perhaps?
Anyone without a certain caliber should go mad, charge, or kill themselves the instant they saw his shadows.
But this one was different.
Maintaining enough composure to lean against the wall proved he possessed considerable caliber.
Yet imprisoned here...
The only explanation is that he's a success from the Empire's chimera research.
If so, he had to take him back somehow and dissect him to uncover everything.
Everything in this world belongs to Haven.
"Aren't you going to rush me?"
The man showed no reaction to his words.
Silence flowed, as if time had stopped.
Kain approached him slowly.
Then, his form hidden in the darkness gradually emerged.
For a chimera, he looked far too human—a young man with black hair and cold eyes.
Not a chimera?
He recalled the Empire's chimeras he'd faced on the battlefield.
Those amalgamations of monster flesh couldn't be called human.
Even a perfected chimera wouldn't change its fundamental traits.
But how...?
⚔ RULER OF THE ABYSS ⚔Rank: Red
• Absolute dominion over all shadows in the user's field of vision.
• Disrupts the mind of anyone who sees the user's shadow.
• Free movement within shadow domains.
• Can form weapons from materialized shadows.
A normal human exposed to his Supernatural Ability even for a moment would lose their sanity and go berserk.
Yet the man before him didn't twitch, as if gazing at an illusion.
Kain tilted his head slightly, shaking off the doubt.
No need to overthink. He's weak. Someone strong... wouldn't be in a place like this.
Logically, it made sense.
A true strongman had no reason to suffer here.
With power to withstand his shadows, he'd have already swept everything away.
Step by step. As he drew closer, his certainty grew.
A strongman couldn't hide their aura, no matter what.
But this man radiated nothing of the sort.
Just ordinary—no, even feebler.
One finger would suffice against him.
A casual flick, like crushing an insect underfoot, and he'd collapse cold and dead.
Yet...
The moment they closed to a distance where they could clearly see each other in the darkness,
his footsteps halted.
A colossal presence, unfelt until now, bound his body like iron chains.
And then, his voice slowly resonated.
"What's this about, Haven's dog?"
How does he know where I'm from?
He'd concealed his entire form with shadows—no one could guess from appearance alone.
That meant he'd known from the start.
About Haven attacking the Empire.
And even more shocking: this overwhelming presence erupting from someone who'd felt utterly devoid of aura just moments ago.
How perfectly must he control his energy to evade my detection entirely...?
This man might possess caliber equal to the captains.
If he truly matched Haven's captains, even Kain would struggle to win.
As Kain fell silent, the man slowly spoke again, sounding displeased.
"You need to make me understand this situation right now. Otherwise— I might just get really pissed off."
The man's voice carried an emptiness that pierced all things, laced with overwhelming intimidation.
It wasn't mere threat—it was a declaration from one of absolute power.
Kain couldn't guess his identity.
The only certainty: he'd been imprisoned in the Empire's Prison 3.
No trace of will to live or emotion in his eyes.
Just an unfathomable void, as if transcending all.
He already knows where I'm from, so revealing myself changes nothing. And... I need his purpose. If it's harmful to Haven, I must kill him, even at the cost of my life.
"I am Kain, vice minister to Haven's lord, Balderic."
At those words, the man's emotionless face shifted ever so slightly.
Like a ripple on a dead lake—a fleeting moment, but unmistakable change.
"...Balderic's vice minister?"
Muttering like to himself, he turned his gaze back to Kain.
"Did you kill them all?"
Unclear his intent, but sensing no hostility, Kain spoke truth.
"Yes. All chimera test subjects, overseers, prisoners—processed. Soon, the shadow rift fields I've planted will activate, collapsing the prison."
Shadow rift fields: explosives from his ability.
Upon detonation, they'd suck in everything, crumbling Prison 3.
Even if he didn't know the term, "collapse" conveyed enough.
Yet no agitation on his face.
"I see. Then get lost."
As if his curiosity sated, no further business.
Leave now, and he'd die in the rifts.
Even captain-level couldn't survive over ten fields here.
But Kain hesitated to withdraw.
Something felt off.
Why was a man who could seemingly kill even him imprisoned here?
"Why is someone like you living as a prisoner in a place like this?"
Shiiiiiing—!
Space warped, darkness swirling to devour all.
Yet he stood serene, transcending it all.
Like one finding rest after a long journey,
no lingering attachment to life, simply awaiting death.
A man like this could perfectly fill one of Haven's vacant captain seats, couldn't he?
Kuoooong—!
The shadow storm raged fiercer.
Everything nearby dragged into the black vortex.
Soon even Kain would vanish into it,
yet serenity filled his face.
Regret at a powerhouse who could shake the world dying here?
"Come with me. Leave Lunaria."
He asked on impulse.
Hoping he'd join Haven, bolster their strength.
"Won't you come to Haven?"
I am merely my lord's shadow—never to possess self.
But if he heeded my words, changing his mind with interest in Haven...
It would be the first time I acted not on my lord's command, but my own will.
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