To be honest, even Ruel didnât expect Nintra to be caught this quickly.
Watching the man kneeling under his feet, an arrogant smile hung on his bored face.
âAre you Nintra?â
Nintra looked at Ruel with confused eyes.
It was the first time seeing him in person.
How can you be so weak?
If I break your neck now, youâll die at once.
His hands itched.
âAnswer.â
Cassionâs sharp voice brought Nintra to his senses.
ââŚYes.â
âEven when you see Ruel-nim, youâre not polite. We should have a close, intimate conversation.â
Aris looked at Nintra with an unpleasant face.
âThatâs enough.â
It didnât matter whether he spoke informally to himself or not.
âHow far can he go before the Manaâs oath takes effect?â
âKill me.â
He had lost his mind and was forced to come here, but he had no intention of begging for his life.
âDonât worry, Iâll kill you. But let me ask you a few questions.â
After speaking his words, Ruel inhaled Breath.
âI donât intend to answer.â
âIâm slowly getting offended because I keep getting targeted and I donât know why. Thereâs no one who speaks frankly. First, letâs hear why you guys are after me.â
âI told you I didnât intend to answer.â
Ruel laughed at the grandeur.
âYour head is called the Great One. My existence is blocking the Great Step.â
He came down from his perch and lightly tapped Nintraâs cheek.
âItâs funny, I canât believe that heâs Great because he couldnât beat me.â
âDonât insult him.â
Nintraâs eyes became fierce.
Undeterred, Ruel kept caressing his cheek lightly.
âInsulting? I just said a dogâs bark is just a dog bark. Great? That guy? Heâs a coward who canât even come to me in person. How can you say that? I donât know what about me scares him so much.â
âShut up. He canât come.â
âAre his legs uncomfortable? Or is he sick like me?â
Nintra snorted.
âDisease? No, what is planted in your body is his mark.â
âYou said punishment last time, but now itâs a mark, what do you mean?â
Ruel adjusted his rhythm appropriately.
He moved his mouth slightly in surprise.
âWas it a mark, not a curse? So, wherever I am, can he figure out where I am?â
âYes, you must disappear. Wherever you go, you wonât be able to get out of his eyes.â
âThatâs strange. If this were just a mark, I wouldnât have to suffer so much, you know.â
Nintra laughed.
He didnât even know what was planted in his body and was spouting pathetic sounds.
âYou should have died under His punishment. Your dirty blood is blocking his Great Start. But you will die, for sure.â
The word punishment was mentioned again.
Ruel guessed quickly and started talking.
âThe punishment is⌠Is it some kind of curse? A curse that cannot be lifted by anyone except the one who cast it. The curse of slowly dyingâŚ?â
Nintra giggled, even showing his teeth.
Ruel looked very frightened.
There was no one wasnât afraid of death.
Nintra felt exhilaration at Ruelâs terror.
He laughed louder and shouting, âYes! You will die! Youâll vomit blood with the sensation of being stabbed all over the body, experiencing dozens of diseases a day, and die miserably!â
âAh.â
Now Ruel felt relieved.
It was not a disease that was instilled in him, but a curse.
Franâs examination, which said dozens of diseases were in a lump, was accurate.
âWho.â
Ruelâs lips drew a line.
Suddenly, his terrified expression disappeared, and arrogance shrouded his face.
Now that weâve heard the truth of the disease, letâs hear the rest.
âPut this curse mark on me?â
Tap. Tap.
Ruel touched Nintraâs cheek again.
ââŚ?â
Nintra could not hide his embarrassment when he saw Ruelâs expression that suddenly changed.
âYou said he couldnât come. So it doesnât mean he hung this mark, now, who did?â
Murderous intent came from all directions.
Nintra couldnât handle the murderous aura and trembled.
âSay it.â
Nintraâs mouth moved automatically when he faced the straight green eyes.
âT-The head of Leponia⌠Ugh!â
Nintra suddenly grabbed his head and suffered after speaking the words.
ââŚ?â
It was different from the price of breaking Manaâs oath.
Black blood flowed out of his eyes.
âUgh!â
Ganien pushed Ruel back.
He didnât know the identity of the black blood, but it was very ominous.
âStay back, Ruel.â
Nintra stopped scratching his neck and screamed.
Kuhuaang!
Black energy exploded out from his body and soon smashed through everything.
âHold your breath.â
Shh!
Ganien swung his sword.
The black energy that filled the room disappeared with a single swing.
Whew.
A cold wind blew through the broken wall.
Heâs gone.
âI will chase him. Aris, protect Ruel.â
Cassion flew through the broken wall.
âPlease.â
Ganien followed after him.
Aris soon came to his senses when he saw their backs.
âAre you allâŚright?
Ruelâs gaze turned to the broken wall.
Thump. Thump.
Ruelâs heart beat faster when he saw Nintra colored with black blood.
It was different from fear.
It felt like his blood was boiling.
The mana filling his body became hot.
He felt instinctively that he had to get rid of it.
The shadow under Ruelâs feet wriggled.
âAris.â
âYes.â
âIâm going after him.â
âItâs dangerous.â
âAris.â
When Ruel and his eyes met, suddenly goosebumps sprang up all over Arisâs body.
Ruelâs atmosphere was different.
It felt similar to when Ruel first controlled a monster.
Ruel rose from his seat.
There was a light in his eyes.
All the shadows around him moved in waves.
âItâs an order.â
It was reckless to take Ruel there now.
Knowing that, Aris bowed his head.
He couldnât refuse the order.
ââŚI see.â
A shadow in the corner shifted.
Ruel inhaled Breath and said. âHina, donât try to stop me.â