A few minutes after separating from Mr. Brown and Yuna Ji, I abandoned my warhorse and flew straight toward the Styx River. In just a few minutes, I landed at its edge, and just as Yuna Ji had said, something had changed within the Styx River.
Several black whirlpools appeared on the water's surface—three in total, matching the number of monsters that had emerged.
These monsters must have come out from here, heading directly toward Crimson Plume Fortress. I crouched quietly by the riverbank; no one else was nearby. I began to release my Specter Web.
Suddenly, I felt the air behind me shift in quality. I dodged to the side—boom! Black-green water splashed everywhere. I drew Belle, staring at the chaotic ripples on the surface. At that moment, a wavering figure was reflected in the water.
"Who are you?"
"Didn't expect you to dodge. It's the first time I've seen a skeleton here who can wield ghost aura."
I turned around, floating upward, Belle in my hand pointed at the Blue Wraith across from me.
Messy hair, dry-looking skin—a man around forty, wearing a brownish-yellow vest, barefoot, loose gray pants, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Who I am doesn't matter. Die here."
In an instant, he was right in front of me. His rootless fingers curled, and his right palm struck toward my chest.
I twisted my body, trying to dodge, but suddenly I felt a pull. The man in front of me grinned, his palm striking my left ribs with a loud smack.
With a boom, I was sent flying backward, splashing into the water. Instantly, Deathbane Aura surged from my body, steadying me on the surface. Water splashed everywhere as I stood on the river. The Blue Wraith across from me laughed wildly, arms bent backward, both palms striking toward me.
Every blow landed squarely on me. Each time he attacked, my body was pulled toward him—as if his palms were magnets and I was iron.
Boom! The water's surface rippled violently as I slid across it, carving a long trench. Water surged up on both sides, splashing loudly.
"Looks like you're not from around here either. Show me your true face—at least let me know who you are before you die."
The Blue Wraith's face darkened. I stood motionless, Belle raised, Deathbane Aura wrapped around me. There was shock in his eyes.
"You're dangerous. You have to be eliminated, or you'll disrupt our plans."
In an instant, the Blue Wraith vanished. My eyes widened as my Specter Web covered the entire area, but I couldn't pinpoint his presence. A shadow flickered at the edge of my vision—I slashed to the right with Belle. Suddenly, I saw the Blue Wraith standing on my blade, the Deathbane Aura shifting its attack path. Boom! A black blade arc formed on the water's surface.
"Nice reflexes, but... die."
A hand was already in front of my face, a flash of green light appeared before my eyes. Sensing danger, my body reacted instinctively—I spun a full three hundred sixty degrees. A green beam howled past my ear as I dodged the attack.
With a hiss, a Deathbane Aura Snake shot out from my chest. The man in front of me shielded himself with his arms, and with a loud bang, we separated once again.
With a swish, the Blue Wraith severed his own left arm. Black-green energy poured from the limb as it began to melt, two distinct red bite marks visible on the back of his hand.
"Looks like you're not ordinary trash. This will take some effort."
I pressed a hand to my cheek—a wave of wet heat, black blood dripping steadily. My skeletal exterior was nearly shattered, but Deathbane Aura began repairing my wounds, restoring my form.
"You..."
I paused, then continued.
"Who are you people, really?"
"You don't need to know."
Suddenly, the Blue Wraith crouched in midair. I felt the air around me shift in quality. Without hesitation, I swung Belle—killing intent surged from my heart, mixing with Deathbane Aura. I became a black shadow, slashing forward in an instant.
With a tearing sound, green blood splattered. The Blue Wraith stared in disbelief at his body, which Belle had sliced clean in two.
"Ha, this is truly amusing."
My eyes widened. Just as I was about to pull Belle back, the Blue Wraith's body, which I'd just split in two, suddenly turned to sludge—the cut fused together, engulfing both Belle and my right hand. It felt like my hand was inside his body.
Now it was my turn to be shocked. I had clearly split his ghost soul in two, yet he was able to instantly rejoin the halves I'd hacked apart.
"You're from the living world, aren't you? Your strength is about average for a Blue Wraith. But we've got plenty just like you over here."
My body wouldn't move. I tried to use Deathbane Aura to break free, but my ghost soul felt wrapped in something—Deathbane Aura couldn't escape at all.
"Hold on..."
A woman's voice rang out behind me. The Blue Wraith, who'd been about to strike, stopped in his tracks.
It was Scarlet Howe—the female Blue Wraith I'd met in Jialan City. Still wearing her usual black eyepatch, a layer of pink gauze over her head, hair braided in colorful strands, a smoking pipe in hand, puffing away.
In an instant, I realized where these people were from—the Eight Realms of Hell, the faction from the Barrens. The Ghostworm Monk originally came from the Sanctuary Range, which belongs to the Barrens, a region directly governed by the Underworld Court. The other seven regions are part of Old Hell, created by the Emperor God and his kind.
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"What are you doing, Scarlet Howe? I'm just getting into the fight!"
Scarlet Howe drifted down, signaled with her eyes, and the Blue Wraith holding me let go.
"Consider yourself lucky, kid."
I glared at Scarlet Howe. She approached with a bright smile, puffed smoke from her pipe, blowing it onto my cheek.
"It's time to fulfill your promise!"
My heart jolted; I stared wide-eyed. Scarlet Howe recognized me.
"Hey, Scarlet Howe, you know this guy? You should've said so earlier!"
The Blue Wraith behind me shouted, while Scarlet Howe laughed heartily.
His name is Roy You. We're all from the Barrens. If you ask how we got here, it's because this place is one of the Eight Realms of Hell, called the Realm, near the Summerlands. We can naturally cross over. Haven't you noticed the Styx River to the east? Beyond the mountain ranges, there's even vaster land.
I've never heard of such a thing, nor have I asked Yuna Ji. She probably doesn't know either, because Old Hell was created many years before the Ten Yama Kings took power.
I remained silent, staring at Scarlet Howe. She smiled elegantly, leaned in close, and blew a puff of smoke.
"I helped you. You were able to reach the Jialan Throne from the Haunted Tomb Desert and save your cousin, right? Zhang Qingyuan. As I said, if you survive, come back to fulfill our deal."
So it's Zhang Qingyuan? The one who killed the Ghostworm Monk. He fought fiercely. I heard Jialan City disappeared completely, exposing the hell below. Sorry for offending you earlier!
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Roy You laughed, putting distance between us, glaring viciously.
"Although you managed to defeat the Ghostworm Monk, you're strong but..."
Scarlet Howe extended a hand.
"Enough, Roy You. Go back to your business; leave this to me. If you really fought, you might not be a match for Zhang Qingyuan."
Roy You snorted, sinking into the water. My scalp tingled—a chill ran down my spine as I realized something: the war here isn't entirely caused by the War Absolute.
"As you guessed, Zhang Qingyuan, we're the ones supporting the rebels in the Realm. This is the closest state to the Underworld Court and must be reclaimed."
Scarlet Howe pointed into the distance and continued speaking.
Since ancient times, this Realm has been the Underworld Court's bone disposal ground. When bodies from the world of the living perish, their bones and the filth produced are thrown here, called "Bone." This place was a burial ground long ago, with no ghosts living here. But when that woman arrived, everything changed. She dredged up the souls of the war dead from the River of Forgetfulness and built a vast empire, amassing a huge army. It was only a few centuries ago that we noticed these changes.
"So you want to seize everything here."
Scarlet Howe laughed loudly.
"Yes. Such a massive undead force is feared even by the Underworld Court. Even if Yuna Ji is killed, nothing changes—the imprisoned souls here can't leave this Realm and will forever be citizens of the undead nation."
"Impossible. As long as Yuna Ji can control..."
With a whoosh, Scarlet Howe grabbed my hand and led me to the ground. After landing, she picked up a white bone and held it before my eyes.
"It's neither ghost nor human—just a skeleton. This is what was born here: bones with ghost souls, even stranger than zombies. They have emotions, a body of bones, a ghost soul, feelings, and touch. They don't need food. Once bone and soul merge, they can't be separated!"