CHAPTER 50: GREED

His arms were wrapped around her, just holding her tightly. Her face was buried on his shoulder.

"I’m sorry, Sylas. I shouldn’t have come."

Her voice came out muffled as she pressed her face into him even harder. He could barely hear her cry—

But he could feel it.

Her tears.

He placed one hand gently behind her head, still holding her close.

"No... it was my fault. I knew something like this would happen, yet I wasn’t able to react in time."

She just held him tighter.

Right then, they felt it.

An enormous pressure—like the building itself had started to shake.

His eyes widened.

That scent.

Familiar.

Wrong.

He remembered it well.

It wasn’t like the other Veil monsters he’d fought.

No... this one felt different.

This one felt like Lilith.

He could hear Ana breathing—hard, fast.

Uneven.

The air was thick.

Heavy.

Like something unseen was pressing down on them, smothering them inch by inch.

Sylas reacted fast.

He placed divine protection around her—a protective golden energy.

Her breathing slowed—just a little.

But her eyes stayed wide.

Unblinking.

She could feel it too.

Something dangerous was coming.

[System Notification]

Hidden Quest Activated

Name: Everything Has Its Price

Objective: Give up what holds your heart together.

A hint has been granted:

It cannot be bought, yet has endless worth.

It cannot be seen, yet binds you to earth.

Give it away, and great power you’ll find—

But once it is gone, it’s lost to the mind.

Trial Progress: 0%

He glanced at it.

"Now’s not the time," he muttered, swiping it away.

The message vanished—

The walls started to groan. Cracks split through the stone around them. Dust rained from the ceiling.

The entire building began to tremble.

Sylas didn’t wait to see how it was going to play out.

He scooped Ana into his arms, turned to the shattered window—the same one he’d thrown the prince through not long ago—

and jumped without looking back.

They had landed right beside the prince.

He scanned the area, searching for where the Veil door might be.

But the presence... it was everywhere.

It pressed in from all directions.

There was nowhere to run.

He felt trapped.

The king, still nailed to the wall, let out a broken laugh.

"He is here."

The castle groaned... then cracked and began to fall apart.

Without wasting a second, Sylas grabbed the king and hurled him out of the castle.

Then, with a sharp turn, he drove his foot into the prince’s gut—

launching him straight toward his father.

Sylas picked up Ana and ran.

Behind them, the building collapsed—stone and ash crashing down in a thunderous roar.

From the rubble, something began to slither out.

It was a shadow.

Thick. Unnatural. Alive.

The king stumbled toward it, blood still leaking from his shoulder.

His voice rang out, cracked and desperate.

"Help me! Kill them for me!"

And then—he laughed.

A broken sound escaped his throat.

Twisted.

Not victory.

Not sane.

Just pure madness.

Like a man who thought the table had finally turned.

From the shadow, something began to rise.

It loomed above them—tall, twisted, unnatural.

A voice echoed out. Low. Cold.

"What price will you pay?"

The king’s grin vanished.

Confusion took its place.

Sylas watched in silence, eyes wide.

That scent. That presence.

It felt just like Lilith.

Beside him, Ana clung to his arm—her grip tight, trembling.

"I’ll give you anything!" the king shouted.

"Money. Gold. Souls. Anything!"

The creature tilted its head, claw scratching against its shadowy chin.

"Anything?"

The king nodded without a moment of hesitation.

"Then let’s make a deal."

The king laughed maniacally.

"Now kill them!"

"Yes," the shadow replied, its voice like oil sliding over steel.

"But first comes the payment."

It slithered toward the prince.

Shadows began to pool beneath him—thick, swirling like storm clouds.

Then, without warning, chains burst forth.

They wrapped around the prince, twisting—tightening—until his scream was choked off.

"What are you doing?!" the king screamed—his voice shrill, desperate.

The creature didn’t even glance his way.

It was too busy enjoying the sound of chains pulling tighter.

It only smiled.

"You said anything," it whispered.

"And I only take what is most dear."

Sylas reached out and covered Ana’s eyes.

The chains dug deeper into the prince’s body—slow, merciless.

They sank into his flesh like hooks, draining the life from him one breath at a time.

He tried to scream for his father, but no sound came.

Only tears.

Silent. Endless.

Until his body gave out.

Until there was nothing left to drain.

He was dried out—hollow.

Gone.

Then, the shadows began to peel away.

Bit by bit, they unraveled—revealing the creature beneath.

He was tall. Thin.

His body stretched unnaturally, like it had been starved for centuries.

Starved for something more than food.

His skin was pale—dry and cracked, like fruit left rotting under the sun.

His arms hung long, twisted like the slender monster Sylas had once fought.

Each finger ended in jagged, claw-like nails.

Rusted black chains draped over his shoulders, wrapped tight across his chest.

They dragged behind him with every step—grating softly across the stone.

And where his eyes should have been...

There were only hollow sockets.

Empty.

His empty eyes locked onto Sylas and Ana.

"Hello, Sir Arthur. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you."

He bowed low—like a servant greeting a king.

Sylas narrowed his eyes, sword raised and steady.

"Who are you? And how do you know that name?"

The figure didn’t walk.

He floated—gliding through the air as if the shadows themselves carried him.

"My mother named me Greed," he said softly. "I’ve heard so many... fascinating stories about you."

Sylas stepped forward, sliding Ana behind him with one arm.

"So that old hag still won’t leave me alone..."

Suddenly, a chain lashed forward—stopping just inches from his face.

"Watch your mouth, boy."

The voice deepened, slowed—full of weight.

"I should kill you for what you’ve done to her."

His voice wasn’t loud.

It was low. Controlled. Terrifying.

Then the king broke—

"Kill them already!" he screamed, voice cracking. "Do it!"

The creature’s head turned slowly toward him.

Even without eyes... Sylas could feel the fury.

In an instant, the chain shifted.

It twisted midair, changing direction—and pierced straight through the king’s heart.

The king’s breath hitched.

Then, the chain began to coil.

It wrapped around his chest, his throat... his heart.

His breathing turned wild—shallow, broken.

Until Greed closed his fist.

There was a pop.

Wet.

"How dare you order me, you filthy human."

The moment Greed turned his head, Sylas swung his sword like a bat—

Heavy.

Brutal.

The blade crashed into him, sending Greed flying into the rubble of the shattered castle.

Dust exploded into the air.

Sylas turned to Ana, eyes sharp.

"I need your help. Just give me a few minutes."

He needed time. Time to activate his Domain again.

A low rumble echoed from the ruins.

Greed’s chains erupted outward—exploding in every direction.

Then came the sound—

A whipping shriek that tore through the dust like a blade.

"Why would you do that?" Greed’s voice echoed, cold and mocking.

"Now I have to take you to her... almost dead now."

Ana didn’t flinch.

She raised her arms—summoning her golems.

Sylas dashed forward, wind tearing behind him.

Greed’s chains exploded outward—dozens of them.

One chain shot through a golem, tearing it apart. The rest came flying at Sylas.

He didn’t stop to think.

He stepped left—barely dodging one.

Another came from behind—he ducked.

A third chain rushed from the side—he blocked it with his sword.

Sparks flew as metal clashed.

More chains came.

He moved again—dodging one to the right, sliding under another, using his sword to push them away.

Every time a chain touched him, he lost a little energy.

But he kept going.

He let the chains scrape against his blade—just enough to redirect their path without taking the hit.

Then—an opening.

He surged forward.

One of the chains shot from Greed’s chest, fast and brutal.

He couldn’t dodge it.

Just as it was about to skewer him, one of Ana’s golems threw itself into it.

The chain pierced straight through—but it gave Sylas the opportunity he needed.

He leapt onto the golem’s shoulder and kicked off.

His sword rose above his head.

Then came down—hard—cleaving into Greed’s shoulder.

Seeing no other option, Greed went for Ana.

His chains lashed out toward her.

But they couldn’t reach her—Sylas’s protection was still around her.

He wasn’t done.

As soon as Sylas landed, he planted his foot, turned his hips, and swung with everything he had.

His blade tore straight through Greed’s waist—splitting him in half.

But before he could breathe, the chains surrounding him whipped downward, all at once.

Sylas jumped back just in time.

Greed’s bisected body twitched—then the chains began to pull it back together.

He’s sewing himself up with his chains.

Sylas felt it—his strength fading.

He had to finish this.

He opened his mouth to call his Domain—

But Greed just smiled.

"Vault of Devouring Chains."