The Hidden Monster of House Vale

After the death of Isalyn, everyone felt weaker than before—as if there was no end to this hell. The weight of their fallen comrade pressed down on them, suffocating and relentless. How could they defeat something they couldn't fight, couldn't even look away from?

"If we could kill them before they use their daggers to kill themselves, we might be able to survive this," Samley projected through his thoughts, his voice strained with desperation.

"We can't even use ranged weapons," Quindic replied, his tone heavy with defeat. "We'll immediately get caught."

They were all on the verge of giving up, their spirits crushed by the endless torment.

"Then what should we do?" Fayie asked, her voice cracking. "Should we just give up and die without even trying anything?"

Rosra's voice trembled. "If only Lucien was here... he could have easily saved us."

But then, something changed.

All the women who surrounded them stopped moving. Their daggers fell from their hands, clattering against the ground in unison. They threw their weapons away entirely, their bodies frozen in place.

"What's going on?" Samley asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

Suddenly, every woman was slashed—their bodies torn apart by an invisible force. They collapsed in a heap, their blood pooling on the ground. Since they hadn't killed themselves with their own daggers, the curse didn't activate.

Everyone was safe.

They looked upward and saw a familiar figure descending from above. Gwenra floated in the air, her hair flowing like a banner in the wind, her expression cold and indifferent. She landed gracefully, her eyes scanning the group.

"Everyone okay?" Gwenra asked, her voice flat.

"Yeah, but Isalyn..." Fayie said, her voice trailing off.

Gwenra's gaze flickered to Isalyn's broken body, her expression unchanged. "We can't save everyone," she said simply.

There was something different about her—something that made everyone speak with a newfound respect. They could feel it, an aura of power that demanded deference.

"Did anyone see Lucien?" Gwenra asked, her eyes narrowing.

"No, we haven't yet," Samley replied, his voice bitter. "Maybe he already cleared the dungeon. Considering his strength, that bastard was hiding his power all along. If he was so strong, he should have helped us from the start—with his full strength."

Rosra and Gwenra both frowned. "Mind your own business, Samley," Rosra snapped. "Don't forget you're still breathing thanks to him."

Gwenra's eyes hardened. "And do one thing—go outside now."

Samley bristled at her commanding tone. "Why? Are you going to hoard the treasure for yourself? Or are you going to try to save your lover, you traitorous bitch who tried to sacrifice us?" His voice rose, his anger boiling over. "Don't think we can forgive—"

Before he could finish his sentence, his movements stopped.

Gwenra had killed him with a single slash of her finger.

"So noisy," she said, her voice dripping with contempt.

Everyone was taken aback. They could see the similarities between Gwenra and Zarah now—the coldness, the indifference, the absolute power. No one said a word. They simply turned and fled, desperate to find an exit.

Somewhere else, inside Lucien's shadow world, Halfred was chained—his hands and feet bound by dark, ethereal restraints. Lucien stood before him, his expression cold and calculating.

Halfred's eyes flickered open, his gaze locking onto Lucien. "So it's you... who was playing with me. Lucien Vale." His voice was broken, barely a whisper. "Tell me... what did I ever do to you? Why?"

Lucien didn't answer. For him, Halfred's only purpose was extraction. He wasn't going to treat him like a human, wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a response.

He began the extraction process.

Halfred's screams echoed through the shadow world, each wave of pain more intense than the last. His body convulsed, his muscles straining against the chains as the Abyssal Body Core was ripped from his very soul.

After long hours, Lucien extracted the physique and merged it with his own body.

The pain was immediate and indescribable—as if every cell in his body was being replaced, atom by atom. Lucien screamed, bashing his head against the ground in agony. His very existence was being rewritten, his mortal frame transformed into something far greater.

He lost consciousness.

When he woke, he was outside his shadow world. He must have emerged during his unconsciousness. His body felt different—stronger, faster, more resilient. The Abyssal Body Core had integrated perfectly, and he could feel its power coursing through him.

Zarah stood nearby, her arms crossed. "Oh, so you successfully extracted the Abyssal Body Core Physique," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "It must have been very painful. I can tell."

"You have no idea," Lucien replied, his voice hoarse.

"Oh, trust me, I have" Zarah said. "It's just that I have a demonic body, and my physique is secret at least for now, so I didn't feel much pain. But with your mortal body, it must have been intense."

Lucien's eyes flickered as a notification appeared in his vision.

[Abyssal Body Core Physique] acquired

Rewards are given:

Innate Traits:

Abyssal Core – A second core forms within the body, storing an immense reserve of abyssal qi and allowing prolonged combat.

Endless Vitality – The body naturally recovers stamina and spiritual energy over time, even during battle.

Abyssal Constitution – Greatly increases strength, durability, and resistance to poison, curses, and mental attacks.

Bottomless Capacity – The body can safely contain vastly more astral energy than ordinary cultivators, making breakthroughs less likely to fail.

Grave Spear Rain – [Secret]

'These are the rewards given by the system for completing the mission,' Lucien thought, his mind racing. 'Not just the basic benefit of merging with the physique. Interesting. It's been a while since I acquired something new. And Grave Spear Rain... now that is something worth exploring.'

He smiled to himself, feeling the power settle into his bones. 'Zarah must be unaware of this since, I got these abilities as a system reward. And now, I won't be running out of astral energy for a very long time.'

"Someone is very happy," Zarah observed. "What are you thinking about?"

Lucien's expression remained neutral. "Nothing. It's just a good feeling....to be strong."

Zarah nodded, then gestured toward a nearby body. "Oh, I found this girl in one of the gates. Do you think she could be useful? She's basically dead, but I saw you using soul techniques, so see if you want her."

Lucien's gaze fell on the body—Isalyn. Her facial features were barely recognizable, but he knew it was her because of her distinctive form and the white gown she wore.

'Interesting,' he thought. 'She's a member of the church. She could help me with many things.'

He immediately sensed that her soul was still trapped within her body. It hadn't been 48 hours yet, so her essence hadn't fully departed. He used his regeneration technique to restore her physical form, her facial features slowly reforming.

Then he used Soul Restoration Lotus—a divine artifact that repaired damaged souls, removed soul scars, and restored lost spiritual strength. He'd been able to acquire it thanks to the previous owner of his body's extensive research and his system's ability to purchase what he needed.

A white light enveloped Isalyn, lifting her into the air. Lucien watched as the light pulsed and faded. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, her white gown pristine and radiant. She looked like a goddess, beautiful beyond measure.

Zarah had already disappeared.

Isalyn's eyes fluttered open, her gaze finding Lucien. A smile spread across her face, pure and reverent.

"You are my god," she said, her voice filled with devotion.

Lucien blinked, caught off guard. "Are you okay?" he asked, ignoring the "god" part.

"I'm good," Isalyn replied, her eyes shining. "You revived me, didn't you, my lord?"

"You remembered?" Lucien asked, surprised. "How? And why are you calling me 'lord'?"

Isalyn's expression grew thoughtful. "When I was dying, I screamed the names of my gods. I called everyone to help me—but no one came. But when I opened my eyes again, I saw you." She paused, her smile widening. "Doesn't that mean you're my true lord? The one who actually saved me?"

"Religious people believe too much," Lucien said, shaking his head. "And no, I'm not a god."

Isalyn's smile didn't waver. "I know. But you're my god."

Lucien smiled, stepping closer. He grabbed her waist, pulling her against him. His hand slid lower, gripping her bosom, and he leaned in close to her ear, his voice a low murmur.

"What if your god is evil?"

Gwenra had conquered her gate as well. It had been too easy for her—she'd tasted power and now she craved more. She realized, in that moment, exactly how Lucien felt every time he grew stronger.

"I wonder if everyone is already outside," she mused, her thoughts turning to the others. "It's a shame I couldn't save Isalyn. I wonder what I'll say to the church when I go back."

But she knew the truth: death was normal for realm masters. They died in battle, in war, while cultivating and breaking their essence. After living for hundreds of years, the death of others hardly mattered anymore to realm masters—unless they were childhood friends or blood relatives. And in Isalyn's case, neither was true.

Gwenra decided to leave the dungeon. She'd acquired enough, and now she wanted to find Lucien and see what his next move would be.

After several hours, Fayie, Quindic, and Rosra ran toward the exit. It had taken them hours to navigate the dungeon, but with Lucien and Gwenra clearing the way, the path had become much easier. They saw the light ahead—the outside world, freedom.

Zarah had already emerged alone, standing apart from the others. Kelie and Isalyn were together, watching the sky with expressions of awe.

They all emerged from different caves, having chosen different gates to enter. But they could see each other now—and their attention was fixed on something far larger than any of them.

Quindic's mouth fell open. Rosra couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. Isalyn and Kelie stood side by side, their faces tilted upward, their expressions a mix of fear and wonder. Kelie's face was sad—she'd lost Halfred, but she didn't feel guilty. She knew he'd died because of his own mistakes, though she didn't realize it had all been Lucien's plan.

Gwenra looked up at the sky and smiled.

What they saw was terrifying.

A giant eye loomed above them, its pupil contracting and expanding like a living thing. It watched them with malevolent awareness, its gaze piercing through their very souls.

But that wasn't all.

Seven guardians had emerged—humanoid monsters of incredible power, their bodies radiating darkness and malice. They surrounded a single figure floating in the air.

It was Lucien.

He stood defiantly, his halberd in hand, his new physique gleaming with power. The seven guardians circled him like wolves around prey, their eyes burning with hunger.

And the giant eye watched with contempt, as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Author Note:

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