CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 150: SURVIVE

Chapter 150 – Survive.

Corruption...

That was something Kaden had never truly thought about, to be honest. Simply because he was still too young... too inexperienced in this world.

Because thinking that death, or even imprisonment, was the worst that could happen in this or in these two worlds... well, that was a foolish way of thinking.

But can we blame him? Not really. He was still learning, day by day.

And at this moment, layered on top of his fear of imprisonment without the sweet release of death, was the dreadful thought of one’s very being being corrupted.

He took a sharp breath as the truth of the situation finally settled inside his mind and heart. And honestly? He was freaking out.

He had barely escaped the clutch of a Legendary-type beast that wanted to imprison him by diving into this dungeon... and now he was learning that this place might be worse? That if caught, he wouldn’t even die—he’d be corrupted?

And on top of all that... his opponent was a peak Grandmaster?

"Heheh..."

"Hehehehahahahah!"

Kaden burst into laughter—furious, disbelieving laughter. It was a laugh tangled with frustration and a deep, seething fear that wanted to root itself into his bones.

But he forced himself not to sink too far into that pit, locking his focus instead on Asael, who smiled at him almost sweetly.

"Ah! Don’t mind me, really. You can continue your breakdown. I know what you’re feeling... been there, done that, you see." His tone was light, almost playful, a sharp contrast to the suffocating tension of this death-soaked dungeon.

Kaden wasn’t in the mood for this kind of banter, his life was on the line.

"Kill me," he said flatly, making Asael’s smile falter as his head tilted in genuine confusion.

"My apologies... I must have heard wrong. Care to repeat?"

"I said kill me." His voice was cold, hollow.

"Don’t worry, it won’t change anything. Can’t you see my rank? I’m just a pitiful intermediate rank being who’s been thrown into a Grandmaster-level dungeon." Kaden’s smile held no warmth, no hope.

"Keeping me here will only slow you down and drag you to your own downfall. So let’s save us both the suffering and kill me. Okay?"

"I promise I won’t sue you for it."

He couldn’t kill himself. If he did, he’d truly die. Death had warned him of this.

His death could never be by his own hand. It had to be at the hands of others.

Better to die like that than risk being corrupted and turned into a puppet.

There was no way—absolutely no way—he could kill a peak Grandmaster with a damn Domain as a mere Intermediate Rank.

That was pure nonsense.

But it seemed Asael didn’t share his outlook.

"Kill? Aren’t you the pessimist. Before we get to that point, why not sit down and think of a way to get out of here alive first?" Asael smiled again, tilting his head.

"That seems like a better option than running toward death, right, my friend?"

Kaden scoffed. "I think you missed the part where I told you my rank. You think I can clear this dungeon?"

Asael shrugged casually. "There’s a first for everything. Besides, you’re not alone—you’ve got the greatest Master Rank to ever walk Fokay right here in front of you!"

He spread his arms wide, eyes closed, waiting as if to be bathed in awe.

All he got was a dead stare.

He cracked one eye open, saw Kaden’s expression, and his lips twitched.

"Friend... you don’t look like you believe me."

"I don’t."

"That hurts, friend. You should trust your friend a little more."

"Since when are we even friends? I don’t remember having a friend like you."

"Friend, we’ve been friends ever since I saved you from the clutches of the undead—who, I might add, would have been thrilled to welcome you into their little family. Ah...of course by being like them. They are a bit racist, you see."

Kaden’s silence stretched, his gaze locked on Asael, who only grinned wider, clearly enjoying the feeling of having "won" some petty exchange.

"You—!"

BOOOOM!

A deafening blast roared through the cave, shaking it violently. Jagged stone rained from the ceiling and walls, and for a moment it felt like the entire place would collapse and bury them beneath its death-drenched soil.

Kaden stumbled with the shaking and landed face-first on the cold ground.

He cursed under his breath, the throbbing pain from his severed arm pulling his attention.

"W-what’s going on?" he demanded, glancing at Asael who looked entirely too calm.

"Oh, this? Just the usual. You’ll get used to it. The undead go berserk every night, destroying and corrupting everything in their path—including themselves, for reasons only they know."

Asael’s voice was casual as ever. "I remember when I first got dropped in here it was night... quite the experience."

He chuckled as if recalling a fond memory. "I’d suggest you try it as a rite of passage, but... we will do that tomorrow, okay?" He said noticing how bad Kaden’s state was at this moment.

Standing from his shadowy chair, he started toward the cave’s exit.

"Where are you going?" Kaden asked.

"Where else? I told you, they destroy and corrupt everything in their path. That includes my little cave. I have to protect it and kill anything nearby, so they won’t remember my location in the morning, when they get back whatever sliver of intelligence they have left."

And with that, he was gone.

The sound of combat followed soon after—deep, crashing impacts, the roars of madness and pure terror rolling through the cave. Kaden could vividly imagine the chaos outside.

The fight was so brutal that the cave itself seemed to writhe and crumble, its stability slipping away bit by bit.

And in the middle of all of this, Kaden sat there...useless. Weak.

’Ah... since when?’

When was the last time he’d felt this powerless?

If he remembered right, it was in that dungeon against Nocthar. He had been useless then too.

And now it was happening again... all because he could no longer die?

What a joke.

Kaden’s teeth ground together.

"If death is not an option... then so be it." His voice was low but burning with fury.

"I will survive this dungeon and return...no matter what."

His red eyes flared with a ferocity akin to madness. He will not accept to be corrupted let alone to rot here.

He clenched his fist tightly, his determination blazing through his eyes.

And at that moment—

[DING! You have received a quest.]

[Quest: Survive.]

—End of Chapter 150—