Jared simply watched the suffering beastfolk with no emotions.

The boy was really going to let him die without any consideration at all.

‘N-no… I don’t want this!’

Vaizer realized… he would do anything to live.

He betrayed his people.

He joined the Nether Cult.

He abandoned everything to get his heart’s desire.

‘KEUUUKKKK!!!’ His Mana Core was already at critical point.

Any second now, and his death was going to surface.

‘Not yet! I can’t die yet!’

Vaizer simply wanted to live on his terms. To soar higher than any Beastfolk ever had. He wanted to rise even far beyond. To do that…

“F-fine! I surrender! I give up! I’ll cooperate!” Vaizer screamed.

His eyes were tightly shut, and a miserable expression clouded his bruised face. The creatures body trembled as he waited for help—salvation from the imminent death that crept up on him.

“Wise choice.”

With a snap of Jared’s fingers, Vaizer felt the irregularity within his Mana Core to cease. No longer was he feeling the dreadful signs of Mana Overload.

“I only paused the effect. If you don’t give me what I want to know, it’ll resume.”

The Beastfolk instantly understood.

He hadn’t gotten free—at least, not yet. Unfortunately, he was still a dog on a leash. The only thing that changed was his master.𝚘𝚟𝐿xt.𝐜𝗈𝑀

“I’ll keep it nice and simple. You don’t have any objections, do you?” Jared gave a warm smile.

If it wasn’t that Vaizer had just seen him being a completely ruthless being, he would have been sold. He truly didn’t seem harmful in any way.

“N-no…” The beastfolk’s voice trembled as he answered.

He couldn’t believe he was going to divulge cult Intel, but… he had to do anything to survive.

“Perfect. Let’s begin.”

************

I asked a series of questions, to which my prisoner gave me honest answers to.

‘He’s not lying.’ I thought to myself.

The reason I knew this was because I constantly monitored his pulse, heart, Mana Core too. He couldn’t escape my appraisal.

Other than the palpitations that came about due to fear, there was no sign of dishonesty. Despite that…

‘This is useless.’

… Nothing I got was worthwhile.

I pretty much knew the location of the Cult, so confirming it from him didn’t help in any way. The number of Arcanas in their possession, their remaining members, etc. I already know all these things.

As for their grand goals, or the reason behind seeking the Arcanas—the questions I had no answers to—Vaizer couldn’t provide me with an appropriate response.

As I feared, he wasn’t aware of anything substantial.

“W-we all have our reasons for joining the Cult. I don’t know what the leader desires, but… he said with the combined abilities of the Arcana, we can do anything.”

Well, their leader wasn’t wrong.

Arcanas dealt with the laws of the world. I could only imagine how much one could control if they possessed all that power.

The very prospect worried me.

Unfortunately, when I asked about who this leader of theirs was, Vaizer didn’t particularly know. He simply gave a vague description.

“H-he looks young, but his profound wisdom and power makes it evident… there’s no way he’s just a kid.” So said Vaizer.

Based on what I surmised from his words, their leader was very strong. Since he was the head of the organization—having an even higher position than the First Seat who, apparently, was the one who busted the Beast Kingdom—I expected some massive power.

Such a thing couldn’t be achievable by a kid… or perhaps it was.

‘Is it possible that their leader is reincarnated like me? Is he a Singularity? There’s so much I don’t know…’ Unfortunately, Vaizer didn’t know as well.

The beastfolk also mentioned something about him being accompanied by a woman in white. He added that the woman was also quite powerful.

‘His mother, perhaps? Or could the whole thing be an act?’

It wasn’t like shapeshifting didn’t exist. What if he simply took on that persona to misdirect anyone from realizing his true identity?

That meant he could be anything, for all we knew.

Vaizer’s testimony was flawed because even he hadn’t conversed with the leader beyond official settings. The only time they spoke alone was when he was recruited.

Vaizer described it as the most inspiring moment of his life, but that didn’t matter to me.

‘In the end, I’m back to square one…’ A sigh escaped my lips.

“At the very least, tell me the names of the Cult Members.”

So far, I knew quite a few of them already. Vaizer, being one. The others included;

Legris Damien

Reed Sterling

Fairy King Beruel

Stefan Netherlore

Yeah… that pretty much covered it.

I was still missing out on the true names and identity of the upper three members of the Cult. Descriptions would also be nice.

“A-ah, t-there’s… there’s… t-the—”

Suddenly, I felt something surge from within Vaizer.

It was murky and dark, and it consumed him from within.

‘Shit… no way… Nether?!’

“G-guurrrrrghhhhhh…” Vaizer’s choked scream echoed as he gave a shocked glare at me.

His expression was akin to that of betrayal. He must have suspected my hands in this… or at least my culpability in refusing to prevent such an outcome.

However… I had no idea!

Before I could respond or help the Beastfolk, his body underwent rapid corruption, and the darkness completely shrouded his being.

“N-noooo…” Every fiber of his being was engulfed in the pitch black energy. And before long… he became one with nothingness

“Damnit!”

My eyes were wide with rage at this point. Not only had I been outdone by the enemy, but it was at such a critical moment too! Just when I was about to find out something I wasn’t aware of.

‘Vaizer had those answers… and they intentionally cut me off!’

Rage swirled within me, but more than that existed frustration.

‘I couldn’t detect the Nether in him at all. Just how much was it integrated into him?’

From what I heard, it seemed the Cult Leader made him stronger by undergoing some procedure.

‘He recieved a new Mana Core, but what of he got something else too?’