Nether.

I first encountered the concept in the later years of my past life as Lewis Griffith.

It was the knowledge of this strange element, as well as its counterpart, that finally put an end to my search for the Arcanas.

I never wrote a single entry on it in any of my books, though. There were two reasons for that.

One was that it was not a concept I discovered. I was simply taught. I was shown. The knowledge wasn’t something just anyone could encounter.

It was the product of countless centuries, if not Millennias of research and study by an entire Race.

It wasn’t mine to give.

As for the second reason… I couldn’t remember any of it.

That’s right.

In exchange for such profound wisdom, Solomon—the leader of his people at the time—sealed my memories away the moment I stepped out of their society.

I didn’t have a clue about Nether after that moment.

Even when Merlin and the Pope warned me, I had no idea what they meant. Until finally, thanks to the only condition I managed to fulfill, they returned to me.

***********

I was currently in a large room resembling a lab.

Several experimental objects, vials, tools, and chemicals could be seen around me—orderly placed on labeled shelves.

I even saw an entire shelf dedicated only to staffs and staves. Gleaming stones filled another angle.

‘That must be where they infuse Nether with tools…’

The room, unlike the other areas, was well-lit. Of course, it wasn’t done by the use of conventional Magic.

Somehow, they had managed to convert the abominable energy they were harvesting into power. Enough power to generate their twisted form of Magic.

The stones that radiated evil shone brightly ensuring everything in the room was clear—including the beast that was right in front of me.

Years ago, the Helmsworth Estate was attacked by a mysteries beast.

It wreaked havoc, claimed lives, and then vanished into thin air.

Till date, no one could decipher the identity of whereabouts of the strange and powerful creature that could potentially ruin an entire superpower of the Eastern Kingdom.

At least… until now.

“You must be the one Maria saw…” I smiled, walking closer as I observed the ‘thing’ in front of me.

The monster was at least ten meters tall, and it was within a glass-like confined chamber.

Its body was obsidian black, and it gleamed with light and darkness as it remained stationary at the center of the room.

Numerous pipes and tubes poked its body, and mist-like energy flowed through them. The creature’s body morphed with every passing second, and it thumped like a beating heart.

Its malleable body became as liquid like goo for a moment, and then turned solid like metal the next.

Eyes would pop out of its body at certain intervals, and then at other times it was nothing but a lump of blackness.

As I observed the creature, a myriad of emotions coursed through me. This wouldn’t be the only time I laid eyes on one before, but it was my first in this body.

“A Nether Beast… but look at you.”

Unlike the ones I saw in the past, it was awfully malnourished. Clearly, the Netherlores hadn’t taken proper care of the thing and were only interested in taking from it.

“I reckon it’ll die in a few more decades…”

Personally, I felt nothing for the creature. It had no real sentience, and only followed instinct.

It was also a being of mass destruction, so I could only consider it a threat.

‘So this is where they got their Nether from. But where did they find something like this? Could it be…?’

There were two possibilities.

One was that it involved the Nether Cult.

Considering that they had been the malefactors of several terrible incidents already, I couldn’t put it past them.

Also, since Stefan was also aming their ranks, the possibility only increased.

As for the second, my focus centered on a particular member of the Cult—someone who was even more menacing to me than the group as a whole.

‘Legris Damien. Did he cause this too?’

After putting several pieces together, it seemed to me that Legris wasn’t entirely acting in favor of the Cult.

His lackadaisical behavior, and the way we had related in our few encounters only solidified that suspicion.

‘Did he act out of the bounds of the Cult to provide them with this specimen?’

But… that wasn’t possible.

The Netherlore Noble Household dated back over a century.

It was possible that Legris could have lived that long—no doubt—but I wasn’t certain of that yet.

Plus, the major cause of separation that occured between the Helmsworths and Netherlores must have had something to do with their exposure to Nether.

‘Could Legris have been the cause of that too?’

I somehow didn’t want want to believe it.

Perhaps I was worried that if that truly was the case, then the man was an even bigger threat than I initially calculated.

Too big a threat for me to handle with my current capabilities.

‘Still, Legris has some connection with Nether. That repulsive aura I felt from him… it’s similar to this…’

Except Legris’ power was definitely more warped. I couldn’t explain it in words, but that man was really dangerous.

‘I don’t understand him and his motives either…’

That was what made him even more frightening.

“The Cult or Legris… I should act with the assumption of both. It’s official now. The Nether Cult has a major hold on the Eastern Kingdom thanks got his family…”

Since Stefan was in their higher ranks, he had to be the one in control of this household.

The researcher said so himself—that Stefan warned them of my arrival.

‘I hope Maria sorts out the issues I placed in her hands. As for me…’ I glared at the Nether Beast.

It still remained stationary, as though nothing bothered it.

“I’ll take the job of putting you out of your misery. I don’t have enough knowledge or control over this power to capture you alive.”