Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires

"This is life!"

Zaroth exhaled deeply, feeling the cold water embrace his body. The sweat, grime, and blood of countless battles were washed away at a steady pace. His skin looked healthier already, and his green, cat-like eyes began to regain a trace of their usual vitality.

Thanks to the shallow depth of the lake, he was able to stand on his two legs with no problem, the water barely reaching his waist area.

The body that he had honed in so many battles was on full display, thanks to the fish diet he had been relying on when he was crossing the ocean, coupled with the fact that he loved to eat meat above all else, made his body have almost no fat and a lot of muscle. A consequence of a protein-rich diet.

His body fat was so low, anyone could name every muscle just by looking.

"Well, I can't just not go in after seeing such a sight, right?" A mischievous smile appeared on Luna's face as she entered the water, eyes locked onto her master's body like a hungry predator about to drink every drop of his vitality.

"Um… is this what humans typically do?" Ari asked, her gaze awkwardly averted. "Not care about being seen… like that?"

"No…" Vera replied with uncertainty in her voice, "it's just that these two are somewhat… special."

After all, one was a godkiller, and the other a mythical dragon. How else could one describe them?

Ari let out a quiet sigh of relief. She had feared that bathing naked with the opposite sex was common among humans, a practice that clashed with her elven values. She was glad to learn it wasn't expected of her.

Luna's steps halted temporarily, deciding to tease the other women in the party. "Are you just going to stand there?" she called out loud enough for her master to hear, curious to see his reaction.

'Oops…' The thought flickered through Zaroth's mind as he noticed Vera and Ari quickly turning their gazes away from his naked form. While he rarely concerned himself with modesty, they were part of his group. A bit of respect was warranted.

"I guess I'll go deeper in the lake," he sighed, eyes on the waterfall.

'Now that I think about it… I've never meditated under a waterfall. Might be worth trying.'

With his mind set, he pushed past the water as its level was getting deeper, slowly reaching his chest.

Soon enough he reached the waterfall, without hesitation he moved, positioning his body beneath it.

The pressure that the water was exerting on his body was certainly stronger than he had expected, yet it was a nice feeling nonetheless.

Like a shower with much higher water pressure than normal.

For a fraction of a second, a chill went down his spine.

"Hm?" his eyes moved, scanning the vicinity, yet there was no threat in sight.

'Did I imagine it or was someone really staring at me?' he wondered.

Instinct flared. He tightened his guard.

There was something behind the waterfall.

"A cave?" he whispered, taking a few steps forward.

From the outside, it just looked like he went deeper into the lake, prompting Ari and Vera to stop averting their gazes.

"Oh, how considerate my master is, isn't he?" She glanced at the other girls. "He saw it made you uncomfortable, so he went deeper. Such a gentleman."

"So it would be rude not to enter, right? We can even have a girl talk," she smiled mischievously.

The two women looked at one another hesitantly. It still didn't feel entirely right, yet at the same time, they really needed a bath. In the end, after making sure the Beast Master had ventured far enough, they stripped and entered the water.

The sound of the water faded, only his steps making quiet taps with each step he took.

'This cave is big,' he realized, hand tracing the wall.

The stone was smooth to the touch, not rugged. Most likely the result of the water in the area.

'I have to go back, going somewhere that is unknown, alone, is a bad idea,' he reasoned in his head.

Yet his steps didn't halt even for a second, even if it was an illogical action, he felt some kind of pull.

He had to see what was on the other side of the cave. He would surely benefit from it, whatever it was.

Even the faintest echo of the waterfall disappeared behind him.

"I am glad I came here," he muttered, eyes locked ahead.

'Wait… why am I glad? All I've done is walk forward.' He shrugged. The thought didn't matter anymore.

He walked.

Something was calling him.

He was needed.

There was no doubt in his mind.

A figure appeared in view.

His breath stopped.

Heart raced.

Body tensed.

The figure didn't move; it was too far to see it clearly.

'Is it hostile?' Zaroth questioned, getting the odachi from his shadow and commanding for Eldros to come out just in case.

With hesitant steps, he continued.

The cave ended.

It wasn't dramatic. It just… stopped. Two things lay ahead: a deep hole, about four meters deep, and a statue—the figure he had seen from afar.

'So it was just a statue?' he scoffed at himself. He had expected an enemy, yet there was nothing to worry about after all.

"Still… why place a statue and a hole in a cave behind a waterfall?" he muttered, inspecting it.

It depicted an elf, two meters tall, fair-skinned, long-haired—standard.

Except the eyes.

They were glowing with evershifting light.

Zaroth read the inscription below:

"Greed is the greatest sin one can commit."

"Here lies the Great — After many centuries of life, he was finally bested by the — In honor of his great feats, he has been granted a place where he could finally rest in peace."

"If you are reading this, it is advised you pay your respects to the Elder."

"Warning to all wandering travelers: Whatever you do, do not—"

Zaroth sighed. 'So this was just a grave? Well, I don't blame the Elder for wanting to rest here. Being buried near a waterfall does sound nice.'

He nodded. A fitting place to sleep forever.

"But why are parts of this unreadable?" he frowned. The names, and the final warning, deliberately scratched out.

And more importantly…

His gaze dropped to the hole.

Someone had dug the grave of the great Elder…

Zaroth wasn't really a good person, having killed many, but even for him, this was a tad bit too far…

"In the end, even your own kind didn't respect your wish for rest and mugged your grave," he pitied the poor statue.

"Not much to do about it…" Shaking his head, Zaroth made the Unholy Judger enter his shadow once more.

With the mystery of what was behind the cave resolved, he turned his back to the statue, going back the way he came.

DEATH

Every fiber in his being screamed.

In a flash, he turned back, odachi raised in his right hand—

The statue was gone.

It now stood just a few feet before him, eyes glowing with that unholy light, staring directly at him.

A bead of sweat rolled down his brow.

'Crap…' he muttered internally.