The moment stretched—
Then broke.
***
One by one…
The spirits bowed.
***
Not slowly.
Not hesitantly.
***
But instantly.
***
Like a silent decree had been issued.
***
The translucent wolf spirits lowered their heads first, their misty forms rippling as they bent in submission. Then the serpents followed, their coiled bodies flattening against the grass. Even the massive figures—the twin-headed flame hounds, their burning forms flickering like dying embers, and the thunder bear, whose body crackled faintly with static—dropped their heads without resistance.
***
No sound.
No defiance.
***
Just absolute obedience.
***
Arceus felt his breath hitch.
***
His feet moved back on instinct, the grass brushing against his ankles as if urging him to retreat further from something far beyond his understanding.
***
"…What's going on?" he asked, his voice lower than usual, edged with something between awe and unease.
***
Beside him, Alaric Von Seraph exhaled slowly, folding his arms across his chest, his gaze fixed on the silent field.
***
"Nemesis is a Spirit King," he said.
***
A pause.
***
"No spirit here has the courage to stand in its presence."
***
Arceus glanced upward.
***
The black cat hovered above him.
Still.
Silent.
Unmoved.
***
Its eyes—calm, cold, ancient—watched everything like a monarch observing a kingdom it no longer cared for.
***
Arceus's fingers curled slightly.
***
Alaric continued, his tone steady, almost instructive now.
***
"With Nemesis bound to you, any spirit weaker than a Pseudo Spirit King will submit before you even try to tame it."
***
A beat.
***
"But that also means…"
***
His gaze shifted slightly toward Arceus.
***
"You cannot form a contract with them."
***
Another pause.
***
"Nemesis won't allow it."
***
The words sank in.
***
Slowly.
***
Heavier than expected.
***
"Your only path forward as a tamer," Alaric concluded, "is to find another Spirit King… willing to accept you."
***
Arceus didn't respond immediately.
***
Inside—
***
He scoffed.
***
Another Spirit King?
***
I already have a full lineup.
***
Direwolves.
Tempest.
Cloud.
Nemesis itself.
***
The system had already broken the rules of this world for him.
***
But he couldn't say that.
***
So instead—
***
He played along.
***
Clearing his throat, he pointed upward slightly, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity.
***
"So… how do I suppress it?"
***
Alaric gestured downward.
***
"Sit."
***
A simple command.
***
"Close your eyes."
***
Another.
***
"And try to connect with it."
***
His voice softened just a little.
***
"Form a mental link. If you can reach it… controlling its presence becomes easier."
***
Arceus nodded.
***
He sat down where he stood, crossing his legs slowly, the grass bending beneath him as he settled. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, then exhaling, trying to quiet the noise in his mind.
***
Breath in.
Breath out.
***
The world faded.
***
Or at least—
***
He tried to make it.
***
He reached inward.
***
Not with words.
Not with thoughts.
***
But with intent.
***
Calling.
Searching.
***
Nemesis…
***
Time slipped.
***
Five minutes.
Ten.
***
The wind brushed past him.
The grass swayed.
***
Nothing answered.
***
Twenty minutes.
Thirty.
***
His breathing steadied, then faltered, then steadied again.
***
Forty minutes.
***
Still—
***
Nothing.
***
Above him, the black cat didn't move.
Not even slightly.
***
It watched.
***
Uninterested.
***
As if the effort beneath it was beneath its notice.
***
Finally—
***
"That's enough."
***
Alaric's voice broke through.
***
Arceus opened his eyes slowly, the world returning in layers. The spirits were still bowed. The cat was still there.
***
Unchanged.
***
He exhaled, slipping the amulet back around his neck.
***
The moment it settled—
***
The presence faded.
***
The pressure lifted.
***
The valley breathed again.
***
"So," Arceus said, standing up, brushing off his clothes slightly, "what now?"
***
Alaric turned.
***
"We go into the wilderness."
***
"…Eh?"
***
***
Back at the guild—
***
Veronika lounged behind the counter, her tablet balanced lazily in her hands, one leg crossed over the other. The earlier tension had faded, replaced by the quiet hum of routine.
***
Her brothers—
Gone.
***
For now.
***
The moment she spotted them descending the stairs, she straightened immediately, her expression sharpening with expectation.
***
"What happened?"
***
She was hoping.
***
Expecting progress.
***
But Alaric didn't give her that.
***
"We're heading out," he said flatly. "Close the guild for today."
***
A pause.
***
"And bring Betty."
***
"…Betty?"
***
Veronika blinked.
***
But she didn't question further.
***
She tapped a drawer behind the counter.
***
Click.
***
It slid open.
***
A fluffy white head popped out.
***
A slow yawn.
***
"Betty, come on," she said gently.
***
The cat stretched lazily before hopping onto the counter.
***
Arceus crouched slightly, reaching out with a small smile.
***
"Hey there, little—"
***
HISSSSS!
***
The reaction was instant.
***
Betty's back arched sharply, fur bristling like frost-covered needles, her eyes narrowing into slits as a sharp hiss cut through the air.
***
Arceus jerked his hand back instinctively.
***
"…Okay."
***
Veronika quickly scooped the cat into her arms, gently scolding her.
***
"Hey, he cured you. Behave."
***
Betty didn't relax.
***
Her eyes—
***
Stayed locked on Arceus.
***
Arceus smiled lightly, brushing it off, but his gaze lingered.
***
The system interface flickered.
***
Name: Betty
Species: Frost Veil Cat
Element: Ice
Level: 16 (Suppressed)
Grade: Legendary
Potential: Overlord Tier (Level-70)
***
"…Suppressed," he murmured inwardly.
***
That word stood out.
***
It reminded him of something.
***
Po.
***
Strength hidden beneath limits.
***
As he was processing it, Alaric's voice came casually from the side.
***
"She's half a step into Spirit King class."
***
A shrug.
***
"No wonder she reacted like that."
***
Arceus nodded slowly.
***
That explained everything.
***
Three hours later—
***
The city was gone.
***
Replaced by open land.
***
Rough terrain.
***
And a vehicle that growled like a beast with every bump and turn.
***
The armored transport shook as it tore through uneven ground, dust rising behind them like a fading trail.
***
Inside—
***
Silence.
***
Alaric drove.
Focused.
***
Veronika sat in the back, Betty in her lap, headphones on, her gaze distant.
***
And Arceus—
***
Stared out the window.
***
The world blurred past.
***
He wanted to speak.
***
But something about the atmosphere—
***
Stopped him.
***
Three hours passed.
***
Then—
***
The vehicle slowed.
***
And entered—
***
A ghost town.
***
Buildings stood broken, walls cracked and hollow, windows shattered like empty eyes staring into nothing. The streets were littered with debris, and the air carried a faint, stale weight, like something had died here… and never truly left.
***
Alaric finally spoke.
***
"This is Danfeng."
***
His voice was quieter now.
***
"A dungeon break wiped it out."
***
A pause.
***
"Overnight."
***
Another.
***
"Tens of thousands."
***
Gone.
***
Arceus's gaze hardened slightly.
***
The scale—
***
Wasn't something you could imagine easily.
***
"Now," Alaric continued, "the remaining energy keeps attracting new dungeons."
***
"A hotspot."
***
Arceus pulled out his phone.
***
No signal.
***
"…Makes sense," he muttered.
***
The vehicle stopped.
***
Near a shrine.
***
Ancient.
Broken.
***
"Get down."
***
They stepped out.
***
The wind hit immediately.
***
Cold.
Heavy.
***
Ahead—
***
A portal.
***
Blue.
Translucent.
***
Its surface rippled like disturbed water, light bending across it in unnatural patterns.
***
A dimensional dungeon.
***
Arceus's eyes narrowed slightly.
***
Information surfaced in his mind.
***
Three types.
***
Instant dungeons.
Dimensional dungeons.
Stellar rifts.
***
And this—
***
Was the safest.
***
Relatively.
***
Alaric stepped forward.
***
"Let's go."
***
"Wait."
***
Arceus tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but cautious.
***
"I don't have a Hunter license."
***
A beat.
***
"Isn't entering this…"
***
"…illegal?"