Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Hunter’s Gaze
"I accept you."
Hearing his answer, the demonic Lilith froze. The squirming worms on her face seemed to still. Her entire spider demon form was motionless, like a statue carved from purple stone and flesh.
"Lies," she whispered, her voice cracking, completely devoid of the thunder it had just possessed. "You must be lying. You saw me. You felt the revulsion. No mortal—no one—would look upon this and speak those words."
Vahn shook his head, a strange, grim certainty settling over him.
Yes, at first, he was repulsed. His instincts screamed at him to look away from the disgusting sight before him. But then, suddenly memories from another life surfaced: his life on Earth. The loneliness, the constant rejection, the way that so-called perfect society had cast him aside like he was unworthy of belonging.
He knew that feeling all too well. The ache of isolation. The desperate wish to be accepted just once, without masks or conditions.
And in that moment, he understood her.
Elias Maxwell and Lilith Moonveil; two names bound by pain, two souls exiled by the world.
Both of them had one thing in common:
They were alone. And both longed for love.
"Look at me, Lilith," he shouted, his words coming out as a command now. "I did not flinch when you told your mother, the Matriarch, threatened to rip my soul out. I have been hunted and tormented for a life I did not choose. I have endured worse than a moment of nausea."
He took a slow step toward her, looking straight at her grotesque face without blinking. On the contrary his face brightened as though the stars focused themselves.
"The ugliness you show me is merely skin deep. It is a consequence of your birth, a punishment, or a curse. It does not define the enemy I would fight, nor the woman I would accept as my ally," he declared. "You showed me your desperation, Lilith. You showed me your pain. And you said you are not my enemy; that you are on my side."
He met the gaze of her tormented eyes. "The question wasn’t if I could endure your true form. The question was what you intend to do with me. You have an enemy who has brought pain to your life, just as they have brought pain to mine. If you are willing to fight your mother and her system, then yes, I accept you. Not because of a pretty face, but because of a shared enemy and a promise of alliance."
The worms on Lilith’s face began to squirm again. A single, dark, viscous tear rolled down the rotting flesh of her cheek.
"Vahn Necrotis," she murmured, the name sounding like a plea and a vow at once. "You are everything they said you were. You truly are the Reaper of Change."
She took another moment, her spider legs lifting as she absorbed his answer. When she next spoke, the determination had returned, though the raw despair still lingered beneath.
"Then hear my intentions," she said. "My mother wants you alive to use as a key. I want you free to use as a weapon. And with you at my side, I will tear her kingdom down, piece by piece."
With a final, terrible shudder, the monstrous form began to dissolve. The spider legs retracted, the purple skin melted away, and the rot disappeared, replaced by the familiar veil of shadow and the stunning, though hidden, curves of the Lilith he first met.
"Welcome, my husband," she finished, the word dripping with new meaning. "We have much to plan."
Ding!
[ Congratulations! You Have Unlocked Your Second Bond: Lilith Moonveil ]
[ Emotional Connection: 2.5%, Physical Connection: 0.01% ]
[ Rewards Gained: Darkness Affinity +50%, Hellbringer Saber (Saint) ]
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The jump in Darkness Affinity was massive, and the sight of a Saint-grade weapon was enough to make any Practitioner salivate. He had gained a formidable power-up and a fearsome ally in one terrifying emotional exchange.
Afterward, Vahn’s true battle training began, and his instructor was none other than the Saintess of Darkness herself.
She told him the forest they were in was called the Starless Forest, a place far from Vahn’s original destination.
They were currently located on the outer edge of that forest.
They soon started walking side-by-side. The eerie silence that had previously hung in the air slowly faded away, replaced by the faint, distant howls of ferocious beasts.
Vahn was not afraid this time.
Just imagining how he would face them head-on sent a strange excitement through him.
Just then Lilith’s calm and calculating words cut through his rising enthusiasm:
"Don’t get too excited. Remember, the deeper we go, the stronger the beasts will become. So, you better be careful. And remember, I will not interfere in your fights. Unless you’re on the brink of death that is."
Vahn was still smiling.
"Well, I expected no less from my instructor. Rest assured, I won’t disappoint you."
Lilith didn’t respond verbally, but even she couldn’t help being drawn in by his bright smile.
Still, to maintain her cold demeanor, she snorted softly.
"Humph. Let’s see how long you can keep up that fearless act of yours."
"Fearless... I am not fearless," Vahn replied, his bright smile finally fading away. He tightened his grip on the SilverSaber, its black steel feeling perfectly balanced in his hand. "But to become the Strongest in the world, I am ready to give every ounce of bravery I have."
Lilith’s usually emotionless heart genuinely trembled. Those words resonated more than any grand, boastful declaration. It wasn’t the claim of a hero, but the sober, frightening resolve of a man who understood the price of his ambition.
But just as she was about to reply, a shadowy figure launched at them through the air, like a black blur erupting from the foliage.
She recognized it instantly. Shadow Panther, a Mortal Grade Beast with a basic elemental affinity for darkness and swiftness. For her, it was less than an insect, but for Vahn, it was a significant challenge. It was capable of killing a beginner cultivator in a single strike.
She looked at Vahn, searching for any trace of stress or anxiety. But no, all she got was the fearsome hunger of a hunter. His body was slightly tensed, ready to spring, and his skin was sweating slightly under the adrenaline rush, but the excited, predatory smile never wavered.
It made her think: She might as well be about to witness the beginning of a true legend. One that would spread throughout eternity.