1097 Wait

The figure floated elegantly, his silver hair glinting in the dim light, almost luminescent. His eyes were closed, and an aura of pure serenity seemed to surround him.

What's more, he appeared to be emitting a powerful wave of energy that tamed the bloodthirsty beasts, their savage roars petering out into low growls.

Eldrin's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight. He had thought himself a goner, but the unexpected appearance of this individual had caused a surprising twist.

He realized that the person wasn't just a random human being. After all, no ordinary human being could ever enter this place.

The next second, the stranger's eyes fluttered open, and they were a shade of obsidian, resembling the endless void. He stood in front of the multitude of soul blood beasts alone.

What the hell? Was this guy a lunatic? How was he going to face so many soul blood beasts alone? This was suicide!

And just like he thought, the beasts began to channel their power, a vibrant crimson light emanating from their body.

Eldrin could only watch in stunned silence from his safe vantage point as the cavern was lit up by an explosion of magic.

However, when the light faded, the stranger was alone. The soul blood beasts, so ferocious just moments before, were nowhere to be seen.

The figure descended gracefully to the ground, turning his gaze to Eldrin finally.

"Who are you?" Eldrin found his voice, staring at the stranger in disbelief.

The stranger just smiled, not giving any answers. Instantly, several alarm bells started going off in Eldrin's brain.

This was not good. He had a distinct feeling that if he said the wrong thing right now or didn't say anything at all, he was going to regret it for the rest of his life.

"Wait!" Eldrin called out, feeling a strange sense of desperation. "I am worth more to you alive than dead."

To his surprise, the human being lowered his hand.

The very fact that he was using his hand or rather gestures to cast magic meant that his level couldn't be that high but still Eldrin felt an overwhelming sense of danger emanating from him.

"Oh? Is that so?" the stranger asked, his eyes glinting with intrigue.

***

The first thing that Liam noticed about this world was the rich dense mana that was sprawled everywhere. The density was almost ten times that of the earth's. More importantly, he got a different feeling from the mana here, as if it was purer.

Just where the hell was he?

As he was wondering about this and moving toward the source of the mana, he finally arrived at some sort of miasmic area. Thick fog covered what looked like a sea of endless mountains.

Although the fog itself appeared quite ordinary, Liam felt a stifling sense of danger from it. But he had to move forward. This was the only clue he had about this world so he had to move forward to find out where exactly he was.

Liam cautiously entered the boundary after which the mana concentration in the air once again spiked. It was as if he had entered a different realm entirely.

And it was not just mana… it was… soul energy!

He could feel unbridled soul energy everywhere around him. Well, it was soul energy but it was also not soul energy. It was a bit different.

Liam's pulse quickened as this was exactly what he needed at the moment. If he could somehow repair his soul, even a little bit…

He hurriedly barged in, trying to see what exactly he was dealing with.

And he did not have to search long. The soul energy he was seeking was right in front of him in one of the mountains.

However, it was in a peculiar form and when Liam entered the huge cavern inside the mountain, he understood why. The entire place was filled with some type of beasts.

These beasts did not have strong souls, rather they themselves were made of souls.

These were soul beasts, entities constructed purely from the remnants of soul energy. They pulsed with an eerie crimson light, their forms fluctuating between the tangible and the ethereal.

At the same time, they were also different from his own soul minions. These souls were alive. They were vibrant and full of life force. This was the first time Liam knew something like this could even exist.

All this time he only associated his soul minions with death but they could also be alive?

Liam's thoughts were scrambled and he felt as if he did not make any sense. He was on the precipice of understanding something and yet it was too far away for him.

Taking a deep breath, he observed them closely.

Meanwhile, the beasts who were momentarily startled by his presence, began to stir, their luminescent eyes turning towards him. A chorus of low, mournful howls filled the cavern, an eerie melody that resonated with the remnants of his fractured soul.

But they were not under his control.

Liam's gaze turned cold as the beasts prepared to attack him. He did not panic. He could intuitively feel the power that he held over these beasts.

He raised his hand and felt the thick soul energy that was pulsing with life. He then commanded it to collapse.

For a moment, everything was still. The beasts froze, their vibrant eyes locked onto Liam, their bodies tense with anticipation.

And then, in a moment that seemed to stretch into an eternity, the soul energy responded to his call. As if a barrage of bullets rained on a cluster of balloons, all the beasts began to pop one after the other.

The beasts roared in confusion and fear as the soul energy that formed their bodies started to dissipate, their corporeal forms fading away into the ethereal.

<Ding! You have gained 100,000 experience points>

…

Liam closed all the notifications. Despite the chaos unfolding before him, he stood his ground. His eyes were focused, his hand held high as he continued to manipulate the soul energy.

As the last of the soul energy collapsed, the roars of the beasts echoed through the cavern for the final time before fading into nothingness.

The light gradually dimmed, the once vibrant cavern now eerily silent and still.

In the aftermath of the collapse, Liam lowered his hand, the remnants of the soul energy swirling around him. He could feel the life force within the energy, the vibrant essence that had once given form to the beasts.

He couldn't heal himself by absorbing the souls of the dead but perhaps he could heal himself with this type of soul energy?

Liam immediately prepared to test out this theory, his heart racing wildly, when suddenly he felt another presence in the same cavern, someone far more powerful than he currently was.

"Wait. I am worth more to you alive than dead." The chubby-looking elf called out.