Endless Debt

Like decaying roots and sprouts, the blood and flesh creatures erupted from beneath the ashen ground, scarlet tendrils and blooming flowers layered over the earth, transforming the rift into a breathtaking floral sea in an instant, though the scent wafting through the air carried a nauseating stench of decaying blood.

Bologue was certain these ghastly things weren't the decaying roots and sprouts. He could sense it from their previous encounters, where, under Nade's fiery assault, the decaying roots and sprouts retreated step by step.

But the blood and flesh that drilled out from beneath the ashes were different. They crawled out from the scorching depths of the earth... perhaps it was these very blood and flesh being seared by the intense heat.

With Aimou on his back, Bologue briskly fled. Now was not the time to tangle with these ghastly things. If he died here, it would be of no consequence, as he would eventually awaken. But if Aimou died here, she might truly perish.

These monsters were so ravenous, they would devour and decompose everything they touched.

Exactly, just like those fallen corpses, everything that plunged into the Great Rift, whether blood and flesh or steel and brass, was cleaned up by these monsters. They had been famished here at the bottom of the Abyss for who knows how many years.

No wonder these creatures were so excited. In an instant, the dense blood and flesh covered the entire rock wall, countless slender tendrils reaching out, like a thousand outstretched arms trying to grab Bologue.

In the eyes of this monster, he must be one of the few living creatures it encountered over the years.

Bologue flipped over a protruding rock and simultaneously turned back, slashing out an arc that severed the approaching blood and flesh.

Thus far, the pressure this monster exerted on Bologue wasn't much, whether in attack frequency or force, it was considerably less threatening compared to the decaying roots and sprouts.

Bologue recalled the high temperatures beneath the layers of ashes; piecing these clues together, he felt there must be an eternal flame burning in the depths of the earth, and this monster had likely been scorched by the flames for countless years.

Perhaps from the very birth of the Great Rift, it and the flame had existed here.

"Crimson Sect."

Aimou's voice sounded beside his ear. While Bologue was engaged in a battle of wits and courage with these blood and flesh creatures, she was also observing them with her limited Perception.

"That's right, I guess these things must have been created by the Crimson Sect."

Bologue leaped, avoiding another coiling tendril. Exhausted and pained, his movements were far less agile than before, like a wounded lone wolf, stumbling as if about to collapse any second.

But no one could catch him.

"Scarlet blood and flesh, undead-like nature, combined with the Order Bureau's resistance to the Crimson Sect's arrival, I guess this ghastly thing must be a creature-like existence of the Crimson Sect, only that many years ago, it was imprisoned here by the Order Bureau."

As he ran, Bologue responded, trying to piece together any clues he could think of as reasonably as possible.

"Damn it, so the fourth group was watching this thing? Why couldn't they give us a heads-up?!"

Bologue cursed repeatedly. If he had known there was such a ghastly thing here, he and Aimou would've obediently waited for rescue at the edge of the Great Rift.

Deafening rumbles continued unabated as the blood and flesh seemed to gradually awaken from a long slumber. More formidable power merged into their bodies, causing tendrils to strike forcefully, stirring up clouds of dust and smoke.

Bologue's mind was fully taut. The more this monster awoke, the more tangible the thread that linked Bologue to the malevolent force became. Bologue was very aware that the anomaly that had summoned him earlier was this monster.

An avalanche was erupting within the rift valley. Bologue fled ahead, with tendrils surging behind him, sweeping up vast amounts of ash. The gray snowstorm advanced rapidly, and once submerged in it, Bologue would be instantly shredded to pieces by the countless mouths.

Countless thoughts flurried through Bologue's mind. He once again recalled the flames beneath these layers of ashes and this frenzied monster.

From the birth of the Great Rift, this monster had existed, and the flame coexisted with it, burning eternally, causing the monster to die continuously. Its charred body turned to ashes, gradually filling the entire rift valley.

His thoughts continued racing, breaking through layers of constraints. Suddenly, Bologue realized places that previously seemed unreasonable had all pieced together.

The flame and monster beneath this ashen land lead up to the wandering crossroads dominated by the Tyrant, then to the Order Bureau.

They were like sealing layers, forever binding this Abandoned Land in darkness.

Familiar words constantly flickered beside his ear, words that Teda had told him.

"Within the Great Rift, the Key of the Crooked Path cannot be used."

Was this really just caused by the environmental impact of Alchemy Waste? Or was the Order Bureau deliberately creating such an environment to prevent anyone from using the Key of the Crooked Path to bypass the Order Bureau's heavy defense and delve deep inside…

To release this monster.

Yes, they feared someone would release this monster, especially the Crimson Sect, which is why the Order Bureau was so concerned about everything.

Then what role does the Tyrant play in all of this?

Bologue had long felt something was amiss. The Tyrant assisted the Order Bureau in winning the mysterious warfare, and the Order Bureau was supposed to pay a price, which was allowing the Tyrant to occupy a region within the heartland of the Order Bureau, becoming his territory.

Becoming a cold arrow buried within the Order Bureau.

Under normal circumstances, Bologue felt the Order Bureau would never allow a Devil to be so close and blatantly operate their territory.

Unless the Tyrant's role was more than that and he was also part of the defense sealing this monster.

So... what exactly is this monster?

What kind of existence can make the Order Bureau so vigilant, laying multiple seals, just to make the world forget it forever?

The ground beneath started to tremble, interrupting Bologue's thoughts; then the ashen layers collapsed, revealing crimson flesh at Bologue's feet.

Bologue leapt high with force, and the flesh beneath cracked into a giant mouth, almost swallowing Bologue whole.

Leaping toward the rock wall on one side, Bologue forcefully drove the folding knife into it; the weapon produced by the Sublimation Furnace Core indeed had excellent quality and could be used even now.

Bologue was hanging onto the rock wall, with the tumultuous crimson sea below.

As he had guessed before, this monster's body covered the entire rift, with all the ashes just the waste it shed after burning itself.

It usually slumbers beneath the ashen layers, enduring the scorching fire, but awakens when it senses the presence of food, devouring flesh with large bites.

Ultimately, everything thrown into the Great Rift will meet such a fate.

"Calamity..."

The voice softly brushed past Bologue's ears; for a moment, Bologue thought he misheard it, but then realized that Aimou had spoken.

"Do you know what this is?" Bologue shouted.

"Just a suspicion."

Aimou couldn't be certain either; most of her understanding of this world came from books, yet there's a gap between books and reality.

"Speak up!"

Bologue stepped onto a rock protrusion, drew the folding knife, and using the explosive force of his body, leapt a few feet higher to secure himself further up.

The flesh below was restless and agitated. After briefly avoiding them, they failed to detect Bologue's trace, evidently clumsier compared to the decayed root sprouts he encountered.

Perhaps they had not fully awakened.

Bologue glanced over the vast rift; compared to this creature's gigantic body, what he faced was merely a strand of hair.

It seemed that Bologue had been moving over the body of this monster all along, and he even tried to sense the creature's presence using a swarm of snakes...

"This worldly Calamity embodies all the world's sinister and evil, manifesting into existence."

Aimou briefly explained; she had discovered this information while reading various books but never expected they'd be used someday.

"Are you saying this monster is an embodiment of evil, just like Devils?"

Bologue recalled those Devils representing Original Sin; the Calamity indeed seemed somewhat similar to them.

"No, Calamity is birthed and urged by Devils," Aimou continued.

"What?"

Bologue was momentarily stunned, only hearing Aimou continue.

"You know about the Contract School, right? Through Contractors, people offer their souls to Devils, seeking their Protection, and consequently fall to become Demons."

"Just like those Crimson Cult guys?"

To Bologue, the Crimson Cult had become quite familiar; all recent events were caused by these lunatics.

Condensers who offer their souls become so-called Carnivores, gaining strong Recovery Power solely by eating, while Negative Power Users like Latis even possess the ability to merge with decayed root sprouts, thus acquiring Undying Power.

Yet these guys all have a final collective term: Demons.

Those who lose their entire soul gradually transform into Demons, and Condensers who lose their souls also become Demons with Extraordinary Power, even more sinister and terrifying.

"Yes, have you ever considered, what if a Seeker of Glory offers their soul to Devils, seeking Protection, and falls to become a Demon?"

Aimou's words stabbed into Bologue's heart like a sharp knife; suddenly, he felt his blood turn cold, a chilling sensation climbing up his spine.

Bologue lowered his head, gazing at the restless crimson flesh in the ashen smoke, its madness growing stronger as it awakened.

"It originated from a Seeker of Glory falling."

Deep beneath the surface, under layers of defense, the Order Bureau detained a Seeker of Glory who had offered their soul to the Crimson Queen, gaining Undying Power.

Or perhaps... this worldly Calamity.