CHAPTER 205: MEMORY AND A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE

"Kill! I will avenge you, Father and Mother! I swear I will!"

In front of two tombstones, a silver-haired boy wept bitterly. His body trembled as he clutched the cold stone with both hands.

Anyone who saw him would be stunned. His eyes burned with vengeance, anger, hatred, and crushing sorrow.

Such emotions shouldn’t have belonged to someone his age—yet they did.

"Mathias, let’s go. We can’t stay here any longer, or the Imperial troops will find us," came the weak voice of a middle-aged man behind him.

Mathias wiped his tears and slowly stepped back four paces.

Father, Mother, I’ll be back. Don’t worry—I will settle this grudge, he vowed solemnly.

Without another word, he turned and left with the middle-aged man.

***

"It hurts! It hurts!" Mathias groaned, writhing in pain.

His body was submerged in a pitch-black pool as dark light flashed and enveloped him.

"Be patient, Mathias," the middle-aged man at the edge of the pool said. "Didn’t you want to avenge your parents? You must endure this pain before you can. Hang in there!"

The words struck Mathias. He clenched his teeth, stifling his moans. The pain pierced deep, spreading through every cell and bone.

An ordinary person would have fainted—or even died—from such agony.

But Mathias’s resolve was far stronger. Instead of succumbing, he endured, holding on to the memory of his parents’ deaths and the vengeance he had sworn to fulfill.

***

"Hahaha! After all these years, I’ve finally reached the Celestial level!" Mathias laughed, clenching his right fist.

He was now a grown man, but the hatred in his eyes had only deepened.

Picking up a black cloak from the log, he draped it over his shoulders. A cold grin spread across his lips as he whispered, "Hehehe... Now, it begins. The Eastern region will fall into chaos. Austin family—you’ll be the first to be destroyed!"

Whoosh!

His figure vanished like a gust of wind.

***

"Transaction? What do you mean?" Mathias stared coldly at the mysterious man before him.

The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a black cloak much like Mathias’s own.

What surprised him most was that the man knew not only his identity but also his name. That alone put Mathias instantly on guard.

Yet, facing such hostility, the man showed no fear. Instead, he gave a faint grin and said, "You want to avenge your parents’ death, don’t you? Then let’s work together. I happen to want the Eastern region thrown into chaos so I can reap the profits. What do you say? Do you agree?"

Mathias didn’t respond right away. Narrowing his eyes, he sneered, "Work together? Sounds more like you’re trying to use me. If this were a real partnership, we’d both gain something—but I don’t see that in your offer."

"Pfft!" The man chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Don’t be so hasty. I haven’t given you my real offer yet."

He reached into his cloak, pulled out a black token engraved with strange patterns, and held it out to Mathias.

"I know you’re a mage who likes collecting monsters. This will be perfect for you."

Mathias hesitated before taking it. He studied the token for a moment and asked, "What is this?"

The man’s smile widened slightly. "A mysterious token. I don’t know its true origin myself. But it can summon ancient monsters—beasts long extinct in this world. Believe me, it will be of great help in your quest for revenge. So, what do you say? Do you agree?"

Mathias fell silent, lost in thought. He didn’t trust the mysterious man who had appeared out of nowhere.

Even so, he couldn’t deny the overwhelming power hidden within the token. A voice deep inside kept urging him to accept it.

Minutes passed in silent struggle before Mathias finally made his decision. He slipped the token into his pocket.

"Alright, I’ll accept it. Don’t worry—the Eastern region will soon fall into chaos. I guarantee it," he declared with confidence.

"Good!" The man nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave. But after a few steps, he suddenly paused.

With a faint smile still on his lips, he glanced back and said in a playful tone, "I hope you can truly deliver. Otherwise, the Empire itself will come for you."

Without waiting for a reply, he resumed his stride and vanished into the shadows.

...

"So, it’s like this..." Nolan opened his eyes and pulled his hands away from Mathias’ neck.

After reading his memories, he finally understood why Mathias held such a deep grudge against the Eastern region and the Great Velmora Empire.

Even so, that didn’t justify his actions. Too many innocent people had suffered because of the sea monster he unleashed.

For that reason, Nolan felt no sympathy for him. Yet one thing still lingered in his mind—the figure of the mysterious man.

Who is he? Why did he approach Mathias and give him that token? Nolan wondered.

At first, he thought the ancient monsters Mathias summoned were his own. But he had been wrong—they belonged to the mysterious man.

Even more shocking was how a single token could summon so many ancient monsters.

Did it act as a link to another dimension? Or was there some unknown method behind it?

For now, Nolan had no answers. But one thing was certain—he would keep digging until he found the truth.

Snapping out of his reverie, he rose to his feet and stared coldly at Mathias beneath him.

"How do you want to die? In agony, or swiftly? Tell me—consider it my last favor to you," he said indifferently.

"Hah... hah..." Mathias panted, cold sweat streaming down his neck and back.

He stared at Nolan in horror. "I never expected... You’re the Singularity... Chaos. Nolan Lorian, you—"

Before he could finish, an invisible force tightened around his neck.

"Enough of your nonsense. Make your choice now."

"Ugh!" Mathias’s face turned red as pain shot through his throat and his breath caught.

"I... I..." He struggled to force out words while clutching his neck. Then, his eyes suddenly glowed crimson as he rasped, "I will not lose, Nolan Lorian!"

Boom!

His body erupted in dazzling black light. His eyes blazed, and his aura surged dozens of times stronger.

Nolan instantly tensed and retreated a hundred meters. Narrowing his eyes, he muttered, "What’s happening?"