The deepest, darkest place in Tartarus. A realm where no hope or light could reside was the wolf’s domain.

After spending more time dead than alive, he no longer even found the place loathsome.

Occasionally, when rage surged within him, the wolf would swim against the currents of the River of Forgetfulness to spy on his younger brother.

Though he held the grandiose title of King of the Underworld, Shahar was also spending a similarly dull and dry existence.

Confirming that his brother’s situation wasn’t much better than his own, his anger vanished as if it were a lie.

The wolf was greatly relieved to know that this misfortune wasn’t his alone.

Thus, a very long time passed.

Then one day, without warning, change came.

It started so small and weak that no one noticed it, but by the time they did, it was already surging uncontrollably like a tidal wave.

The moment he saw the disturbance on his brother’s indifferent face, the wolf realized how to bring him down.

After Shahar ascended to the surface, he continually cast suggestions to his descendants on earth.

But the results were far from satisfactory. Those who answered his call were invariably lacking or inferior.

The wolf was frustrated.

To manifest on the surface, he needed a body. No matter how many bodies there were, if they didn’t meet the standard, they were useless. The most perfect descendant had been away from Pontos for too long to notice his suggestions.

The first time he showed a crack was when he got involved with that girl.

With his eye fixed on the sky, he watched his descendant make a wish for a woman. And beside that woman was his only brother.

Upon realizing this, he immediately changed his target.

Everything fell into place so easily once he targeted the girl.

The reason he could now step onto the surface was entirely thanks to that young human girl. He even felt like thanking her.

But the wolf pretended not to know.

He couldn’t afford to let his guard down until he had secured a body.

[Hello, it’s our first time meeting like this.]

The wolf greeted Iscallion with feigned kindness.

Three golden eyes of the same color met each other.

The wolf knew that Iscallion did not blindly worship him like his other descendants.

Just as he coveted Iscallion’s body, Iscallion probably only sought to take his power.

Otherwise, there was no way the eyes that beheld the world’s first creation and their prime ancestor could be so insolent.

Truly, blood couldn’t lie. The ancestor and descendant resembled each other not only in appearance but in personality as well. Except for the fact that he only had one eye.

Iscallion had heard from his mother that one of the wolf’s eyes had been forcibly taken.

A terrible scar had taken its place.

“No need for greetings. I summoned you as you wished, so now grant my wish.”

Iscallion urged the wolf impatiently.

But the wolf shook his head.

[For me to fully exert my power, I need a body. So, lend me yours for a moment.]

“What? What kind of nonsense is that?”

Even Iscallion knew not to trust the creature easily, ancestor or not.

He never expected his ancestor to be intact from the start. If he were, a problem child like himself wouldn’t exist.

“Leon?”

Lou asked anxiously.

Though she couldn’t see the wolf, she felt something was off and let go of his hand, stepping back.

[There’s no need to hesitate. What you want is to defeat the interlopers and claim that woman, right? And I want their bodies. Our goals may differ, but our methods are the same. Once I take over their bodies, I’ll return yours immediately.]

Iscallion looked at Pinion and Gined. The two were ready to pounce on him at any moment. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he wasn’t confident he could defeat them.

“I have no choice. Fine. But.”

Iscallion pointed to the wolf’s scar.

“You know the oath I swore on your eye, right? I vowed to keep Lou safe no matter what. Otherwise, you’ll lose your other eye too.”

[Of course.]

Iscallion nodded at the wolf who made such bold claims.

* * *

Contrary to my imagination, no gigantic beast appeared, nor any ghost with a heinous appearance.

The air just changed.

I could feel that something invisible had come, with an oppressive force pressing from all sides and a tingling sensation like electricity.

But the pressure was brief.

I looked at Iscallion in despair.

He stared at the summoning circle and began to mutter something incomprehensible.

The sight was so eerie that I instinctively stepped back.

“Who are you talking to?”

I almost shouted.

Iscallion, who had been staring at me intently, slowly closed his eyes and opened them again.

I was anxious that his eyes might turn black.

But when he opened them again, they were still golden.

Yet, they had changed.

Though they looked very similar, it wasn’t him.

Iscallion, now facing my confusion, slowly opened his mouth.

[Hello, it’s our first time having a conversation.]

‘I’m screwed.’

Just from the voice, I knew it wasn’t the Iscallion I knew.

Like someone waking up from a deep sleep, he stretched languidly.

“Who are you?”

Iscallion smirked.

[You already know, don’t you? I’m the brother of Shahar, whom you love.]

“What have you done to Leon and Shahar?”

[Don’t worry. Once I achieve my goal, I’ll return this boy. But as for Shahar, I don’t really know.]

Of course, his words were hardly trustworthy.

I had a feeling I might never see the Shahar and Iscallion I knew again.

Despite the very thing I’d feared happening as I rushed here, I felt oddly unafraid.

My mind was blank, like it was wiped clean, leaving me in a daze.

Naturally, I had no ability to overcome this situation.

Well, it was a damned world anyway.

What difference would it make if the end came two months early?

And with my rotten luck, I wouldn’t even get to enjoy that short remaining life…

At that moment, someone roughly grabbed and pulled me.

Pinion, who turned me around, shouted fiercely.

“What are you doing, why aren’t you running away? Is that head of yours just for decoration?”

“Could my head even be considered decoration? Decorations are at least pretty.”

“Get a grip!”

Pinion’s hand dug painfully into my shoulder.

Ironically, the pain snapped me back to reality.

“Uh… it seems we’re doomed, right? What do we do now?”

Seeing my helplessness, Pinion’s face softened.

“Who said we’re doomed? I can handle that brat alone, so don’t worry at all. Just get out of here immediately.”

I wanted to do as he said, but it felt like my feet were planted on the ground, and I couldn’t move a single step.

Seeing me like that, Pinion clicked his tongue and pushed me behind him.

Gined supported me as I staggered.

Even facing the two strongest characters in the world, the wolf remained unfazed.

[Oh. Do you mean it?]

As he lightly stomped his foot, the castle suddenly began to shake.

Only then did I check on the missing people.

I saw Seren, who had fainted again at some point. It seemed she couldn’t withstand the shock of the wolf’s summoning while bound to the summoning circle.

How could I have forgotten about her?

Fortunately, she was still barely breathing.

Lucia was in worse condition than Seren, but thanks to the quick treatment by the holy knights, the worst was avoided.

Unfortunately, High Priest Emmanuel had already passed away. His strong holy power seemed to have caused him to take more damage as more energy was drained from him.

One positive thing was that the summoning circle disappeared after the wolf was summoned, freeing the people from their restraints.

Surprisingly, the wolf showed little interest in the missing people.

More precisely, he didn’t care at all about anyone other than me and the main characters.

In the meantime, the Crown Prince drew his sword and attacked Iscallion.

Iscallion, or rather the wolf, easily dodged it and smiled.

Missing its target, the sword struck the iron bars. The thin metal columns were cut in succession, sparks flying.

[First, I want to thank you, Pinion Dias Kebrenia. Thanks to you stoking this child’s inferiority complex, I was able to return to the world.]

Ignoring the wolf’s words, he calmly swung his sword again. The sheer force of it made the castle seem to shake.

While the two clashed, Gined and I helped the holy knights move the people out of the underground prison.

“Lady, please go with them.”

“But…!”

“The Crown Prince and I are enough here.”

I reluctantly nodded. It was obvious that my presence would only be a hindrance.

Gined entrusted my protection to the nearest holy knight.

Just as I was about to follow him out of the underground prison.

The holy knight walking ahead suddenly stopped.