{Chapter Twenty-Two} The Most Dangerous Thing to Humans
Tat tat, tat-tat.
The sounds of rats scuttling and the flow of dirty water filled the silence of the sewers, mingling with the faint stench of filth that bit at the nose.
On the dull gray pavement in the darkness, Anas walked with near-silent steps, though fatigue was evident on his face.
He was still following the blue thread connected to the man, muttering, "Priscilla, is this clear vision coming from the monster's eye?"
After a moment, Priscilla replied: "Yes, but don't ask about its purpose or nature. I don't know either."
Anas stared at the blue thread for a moment before feeling a bit dizzy and gripping the wall.
"Let me guess—when you absorb my blood, the natural accelerated healing trait of my body stops working. Isn't that right?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Nothing comes for free in the end. But don't worry, maybe later we'll gain an ability to compensate, even a little, for regeneration. Or…" Priscilla fell silent, prompting Anas to sigh and continue, "Or I find a skilled healing partner? You know better than anyone that I hate working with others."
Priscilla heard his thoughts and screamed in his mind: "You damn fool! Everything in this world relies on cooperation and interdependence! Even your birth required your mother and father together!"
Anas tilted his head, holding his ear.
"Stop splitting my head. I don't care how this world works—I refuse to depend on anyone."
He waited for her reply… but nothing came. Priscilla had gone silent the moment he asked her to stop bothering him.
Anas sighed, continuing to stare at the thread.
"Looks like I'm truly insane. Arguing with myself. How wonderful."
He glanced at his hand, his expression turning cold as he began to get used to the pain, thinking: Since when was I normal? I've never been. And I know it better than anyone—I accepted it long ago.
Anas drew a deep breath, exhaling slowly to regain focus, clearing his mind, and returned his gaze to the thread.
Then he realized something.
He could see the thread and the man clearly, as if the place were lit, the thread and the man only a few meters away, even though he no longer heard the man's footsteps.
Anas blinked, tilting his head, finger on his upper lip, thumb on his chin, thinking as he moved forward: Interesting. So that's how the monster saw me. That explains why it reacted so quickly to my slightest movements. But I didn't know. I must observe the enemy more carefully next time.
A few minutes passed.
Anas felt slightly stronger, more focused.
He noticed the bleeding had stopped despite his movement and thought, linking the clues together: This thing is dead. I'm certain. It shows no reaction, and there's a thread connected to its head. Someone is controlling this corpse.
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
Wait. This thing is heading toward the three fools. Could they really still be waiting for me?
He bit his tongue.
As the worry came, it disappeared, and his usual expression returned—now even more cautious.
"What's happening here?!"
A familiar voice pierced his mind, making him stop, as if waiting for a trigger to pause and hide in the nearby shadow.
His eyes narrowed, trying to see, but even with his enhanced vision, it wasn't enough.
He advanced slowly, carefully, using his keen sight to avoid stepping where he might make a sound, seeking a better view.
After a few steps, moving as stealthily as a wild animal he had observed in his childhood, he finally saw.
Edward had assumed a defensive stance, sword in hand, blood smeared on his mouth. Surrounding him were men with blue threads emerging from their heads, plus the man Anas had been following earlier.
Leona and Naivy stood behind him.
Leona trembled while Naivy, wearing Edward's shirt, tried to calm her.
Suddenly, Anas sensed an overwhelming presence.
He turned to see a man from whom no thread emerged. Instead, all the threads converged in his hand. Not only that, this handsome man with black hair and blue eyes made Anas feel an instinctive need for caution.
He remains calm despite the situation. He's probably controlling all these corpses. I must defeat him first to shorten the path. But how?
As Anas pondered, one of the men stepped toward Edward.
Two steps forward, making Edward retreat a step.
But… the man didn't attack. Instead, he stood between Edward and the others, tears streaming down his face.
The handsome man's eyes widened in thought: What? I'm certain I killed them all. (His eyes widen further.) Could his body resist my power?
Edward's eyes widened, a flicker of hesitation visible. He raised his sword toward the brown-haired man in front of him, but Naivy grabbed the hem of his inner shirt to stop him.
"Wait," she said, glaring at the Owl. "Even he—the one who calls himself the Owl—didn't expect this. This works in our favor, though I don't know how."
Edward glanced at Naivy, giving her a faint smile over his shoulder, then nodded and refocused on the enemies ahead. He lunged at the nearest man beside him, stabbing toward the heart, testing how to kill something already dead.
Zt-t-t-t.
Blood flowed over Edward's sword. The man staggered but didn't die. Edward lowered his sword, slicing a wide gash along the man's side.
The Owl smiled, raising another man's fist to punch Edward, who staggered back slightly.
He used his sword to steady himself.
Before Edward could react further, blows rained from all sides.
Leona rushed to pull him away, but one man grabbed her hand.
She struggled, but he showed no effect, holding firm.
Nearby, another man approached Naivy, grabbing her hand. She bit down hard, snapping one finger, and leaped back, spitting blood onto the floor.
The brown-haired man tried to intervene, but…
The Owl appeared behind him, driving a sword into his chest with force.
"What resistance, Crick. You saved the blonde girl and were the first to realize I intended to kill you all. Perhaps you even noticed one of your soldiers is one of my bloods, so I could watch Kyros."
Crick raised his hand toward the Owl, eyes filled with hatred, but couldn't reach him.
The Owl said: "But… knowing too much makes you annoying. You even resisted control over your corpse. Haha. Just relax, hero."
He then drove the sword violently through Crick's body, splitting him in two.
Blood erupted like a fountain.
Crick's tear-streaked face was covered in it.
Leona, witnessing the scene, vomited violently, her face paling.
Naivy scowled in clear disgust.
Edward continued struggling to dodge the flurry of blows from all directions.
But someone had a different opinion.
Tap tap tap.
Rapid footsteps from the shadows pierced the Owl's ears, making him turn—but too late.
All he saw were two pitch-black, emotionless eyes—one surrounded by a red halo, its pupil straight like a cat's.
The Owl tried to evade.
But with no chance given, Anas lunged low, driving his reversed dagger into the Owl's knee. He collapsed onto it.
The Owl used the fall to elbow Anas in the back, making him grit his teeth.
Anas' body reacted instantly, ignoring the pain. He returned the dagger to normal grip, driving it forcefully into the Owl's neck upward.
The Owl went limp, collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.
The rest of the men fell, one by one.
Edward pushed the bodies away and stood with difficulty, bruised all over.
Naivy rushed to check on him.
Leona, freed from the man's grasp, stared at Anas with wide eyes, like the knight rescuing the princess in the story her mother used to read.
As Anas stood, his knees trembled violently, accompanied by weakness and fatigue. His vision blurred gradually, and he fell to the ground.
Leona dashed toward him at full speed, stumbling in her gown, but she regained balance and continued running.
The last thought in his enhanced vision as he saw Leona's face smeared with vomit and tears: It seems… I am far too weak…