Chapter 46 Part5 (1/2)

<chapter 46.=”” death's=”” companion=”” -=”” 5=”” [end=”” of=”” volume=”” 11]=””>

[This is... a contract. Contract mana?]

[Exactly. It's the most peaceful of the darkness element's powers.]

[These memories... Kuheuk!]

What Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had done was simple. He had increased the darkness between himself and Seira, and had used the most fundamental feature of the darkness element, the 'contract'.

They would be connected together, so in a lot of ways, it was a really convenient ability to use. But there was a condition automatically added to a contract: that one cannot lie during the contract process.

And he used that fact to quickly and concisely relay some truthful information to her regarding himself. Telling her who he was, why he looked like this, what he had been doing thus far, as well as what he wanted to do from now on.

And what she wanted to do.

[How did you...? Why... Ah!]

[There's no point in giving you the long story. You don't have that kind of time anyway. You know that I'm not lying to you. Since a contract is sacred.]

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was capable of violating the contract through his Dark Shadow and Wild Card skills, but it was unnecessary to tell her that. In any case, what he was relaying to her were... only truthful memories of his past.

[Keuk. How did this happen...!?]

[You can do stuff like this when you reach peak mastery of an element. You pretty much understand now, right?]

[I can't believe it! But still... Why would G.o.d!?]

[Want me to ask your older sister? Moreover, I already told you why she did it. Everyone else did fail, and I'm close to clearing the mission. No... you said it yourself. That you'll leave everything to me. So don't go dying and leaving everything to me. It p.i.s.ses me off.]

[Keut!]

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could feel her anguish quite clearly. If she were still alive, then she would've gone completely nuts after hearing his story. Since she couldn't restrain her deep-seated hatred of the undead.

But she was dying right now; her life as a human being was already over, and she was progressively turning into an undead. That's why she could a.s.sess the situation 'calmly'. And she realized that everything Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had been saying was true.

...No, she had actually realized before then.

[Perhaps... I had my suspicions. That you might be the Heaven Defying General himself... If that were true, then it would explain all of my questions and all of your secrets. But I thought it was impossible. Since there was no way I would confuse a human with an undead! Since there was no way that you, who personified a hero who only showed up in stories... could be an undead!]

[My acting was great, right? If I was honest and told my seniors that I was an undead, then they'd either try to kill me or attack me, so I couldn't tell them the truth.]

[Ah, I trusted you... I thought a human that could completely purify the Empire had finally appeared.]

Her voice sounded lost, as if she were wandering through fog. He heard her bewilderment, and happily thought that he was indeed not normal.

However, he couldn't help being happy! It was so sweet; watching a woman who'd held on with only her belief as that belief shattered in front of her!

[I am planning on killing them all. And it doesn't really matter whether someone's dead or alive.]

[How can you say that so nonchalantly? How... How are you unaffected by the undead curse?]

[G.o.d's the one who made me like this. ...Isn't it because I have Darkness Resistance? The reason your older brother's relatively sane is because of the light element. On the contrary, it's more unbelievable that you were able to wield the light element with such ease. ...Though I've pretty much figured out why.]

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wasn't the only one who revealed things about himself. Seira also had to reveal her past or whatever her feelings were.

[Don't snoop around someone's thoughts as you please.]

[I just shared some basic information for the contract.]

[Easy for you to say! To think that you were this kind of person!]

[I'm not a human, I'm a skeleton.]

[Kuuuuuu! I hate you!]

She was deeply affected by the curse not only because of how long she'd been down here, but also because she somewhat knew why the Underground Empire had turned out like this.

The Emperor and Seagald, as well as the countless citizens of the Underground Empire... It was because of their greed and their obsession that lead the Empire to ruin. She had hated them from the very beginning. Thus, her hatred towards the undead was greater than anyone's, so much so that it devolved into madness.

[But now you know. That there was an undead that stood against them from the very beginning. And that you can also become like that too.]

[I can't believe it. I can't believe it...!]

[Stop throwing a tantrum. If this goes on any further, then I won't be able to do anything for you anymore. You'll become a part of Anti-Skull. Considering the Annihilation Flame's effects on you and the curse, you'll become one of the top members of Anti-Skull... There's a high chance that you'll become unconditionally loyal to General Seagald.]

Their discussion of whether she wanted to form a contract with him and become an undead, or become a part of Anti-Skull and follow Seagald, was perhaps quite laughable.

But at the very least, she shared a common goal with him, and he didn't really care what happened to her after that mutual goal was achieved.

Whereas, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo didn't know what Seagald's goal was. He had no idea whether Seagald's goals differed or aligned with the Emperor's. But he did know that Anti-Skull was filled with psychos. He thought talking to her would be a pain while she was still alive, so he'd also thought about killing her, turning her into an undead, and then talking to her!

'I should've just killed her and taken her bones.'

...It might not be so different. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo did his best to ensure that these thoughts remained hidden from Seira. He didn't know if she knew what he was thinking, but she was still struggling to make her choice.

[So kill me before I become like that...!]

[You don't want revenge? You hated the undead so much. I can give you another chance, but you're just going to run away?]

[But I'll have to become an undead!]

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had been really curious about something and decided to ask. Perhaps it was more of a question to himself, who could define himself however he wished.

[If you yourself don't believe anything has changed about you, then what's the difference whether you're an undead or not? Are you taking some sort of regular qualifying examination or something? If not, then is it because the undead can't kill other undead? Or is it because undead can't fight for humanity?]

[I... I...!]

[You're just bias towards the undead. You don't understand even after looking at me? No, you just don't want to accept it, right? That's what you call being stubborn.]

[Keuk...!]

He wished she'd just agree already. Just undergoing the contract process allowed him to see about half her thoughts. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was getting frustrated and asked curtly.

[Do you want to live?]