Chương 56: Ashthorn

Ren didn't linger. He tossed the corpses into his ring, then searched around. His eyes widened a little as he saw a silvery light bulb waiting beneath a withered tree while the pack of jackals circled, their mouths watering. The moment he appeared, they turned to him. Ren swept a nonchalant glance at them, which caused them to flinch and growl in low voices, their red-orange fur standing on end. Yet they didn't dare to approach.

On the contrary, they backed away with every step he took, instinctively giving him a clear path despite being nothing more than mere animals with only a hint of spirituality.

"You're a fearless little one, huh?" Ren murmured, ignoring them and raising one brow at the rabbit.

"Fine, maybe the kids would like a pet." He shrugged at last. Such a little thing wouldn't need much care, so he flashed beside it and set it on his shoulder. Though before leaving, he gave one last glance at the tiger hiding behind the pack, their crimson eyes meeting for a heartbeat. The beast nodded, then lowered its head. He didn't say anything and headed back to the ship. The pack's fate was already fixed, and it wasn't his business. …

Silver-masked enforcers greeted him at the prow and informed him that they had already gathered the other sneaky rats he had left behind, saving him from another trip.

"Where is Demoness?" he asked, nodding lightly.

"Lady is down in prison, Leader," answered one of them. He was holding handcuffs, though he was unsure how to use them on the smelly man lying in front of his feet. It was Tatterhook. Bulging blisters warped his skin, thick pus breaking through in slow drips. As if this scene wasn't disgusting enough, every gust of wind scraped off another brittle layer of skin.

Fortunately, the enforcer had placed a tattered robe underneath, lest someone had to clean this rotten-smelling, who-knows-which-demonic-technique's foul price. Truth to be told, Ren had thought he might have used just a little more force than necessary at the beginning. And that wasn't even the cruel part. He had done everything just a few meters above his so-called partner and captain, pushing him down the abyss of desperation. Ren also hadn't hurried, which must've magnified the fear factor.

Although the man dared to talk about Demoness, a good beating would be enough, rather than such blatant bullying. However, looking at the state of his body, Ren felt his guilt dissipating. This man was an abomination, a freak which deserved no pity.

"Leave him to me," he said, deciding not to bother the poor enforcer.

"Keep an eye on others; they might have a few strange tricks up their sleeves."

"Yes!" Leaving the enforcers to their jobs, Ren waved his armored hand and used its power to create a bubble covering the man. It isolated him from the world, and then they headed toward the stern, preferring the hidden stairs as Ren wanted to evade the kids. Dim lights accompanied him, all the voices fading into a weird peace. And this disturbed him. Having his mind so calm, so quiet, wasn't something he could get used to even though he had experienced it more than once since his time here.

He should've felt something. Remorse? Rage? Disappointment? Taking a life couldn't be this… easy… Yet all he felt was that. Easy. And right. Yes, Ren felt he did the right thing. It wasn't his intention as interrogating them would probably yield more rewards, but killing such scum didn't come off as a problem in his subconscious mind. After all, Scrapfang could hardly be called a human anymore. And the others weren't far behind in that regard.

"Such good excuses," he muttered, running a hand through his drenched hair. It didn't change what he had done… but it made the guilt sting a little less. Ren considered taking his mask off. He knew he needed to face and accept these unfamiliar emotions since this wasn't going to be the only time. But decided otherwise a moment later. He wasn't sure he could handle the doubts his mind was sure to conjure. Heck, he hadn't even been truly faced with the execution he ordered.

"Does power corrupt, or is blood just the price it demands…?" He couldn't help but remember the times his soul brother had no choice but to silence his conscience and commit cruel acts for the greater good. Despite his willful nature and stubborn streak, he had found himself doing things he hated because of the role he carried. To many, he was a tyrant— a monster stripped of sympathy for anyone beyond his own sect.

Furthermore, he had chosen to embrace that role himself, whether because he thought it was his responsibility or, as the Eldest, he didn't want others to carry such a heavy burden. So… did that mean Ren had to follow his example, too? A deep sigh pried his lips open. His armor faded into faint specks of light, and his hand lingered on the mask's cold surface. Maybe he had already started following, donning the mask whenever he feared he couldn't find the courage to do an act he deemed cruel.

Then he would go ahead and do worse… just like him… Before he could dive deeper, the rabbit nudged at his hand, its deep purple eyes pitifully looking up at him. Ren gently scratched its head in reflex. He also sent another wave of moonlight when he noticed its silver hue had already faded. In response, it nudged his hand again, letting out a tiny, pleased hum.

"I should give you a name," Ren muttered, nodding absentmindedly at the saluting enforcer standing guard at the prison's door.

"Should I go with a simple one like Snowy?"

"Seriously? No one ever told you you're terrible at naming things?" Lifting his head, Ren found the door open and Demoness sitting cross-legged on a table. She had changed into a fiery-red, skin-tight robe that exuded a wild charm. Her wailing mask was on as usual, but now there was also an earring in her left ear— obsidian black, bearing an uncanny resemblance to his half-armor. His eyes twitched. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I'd gladly take any advice you have, Your Highness," Ren said as he closed the door.

"After all, someone known as 'Wailing Demoness' must have a real knack for cute names." The 'prison' was actually nothing more than a room with a table, two different chairs meant for interrogation, and a bunch of metal cages. He waved his free hand to toss the stick-man into one of them. The bubble disappeared, and another barrier took its place, conjured by the cage. Demoness let out a boisterous laugh immediately.

"Of course!" In the next moment, she hopped down from the table and rose onto her tiptoes to get a better look at the rabbit. Tall as she was, she still barely came up to Ren's shoulders.

"Mmm, I expected something special, but it seems it doesn't even have awakened spirituality. Though those horns are quite sharp," she muttered, one hand on her chin.

"Why take it with you?"

"It's cute. I think kids will love it," Ren said, not thinking much. At the same time, he couldn't help but notice her strangely sweet scent of blood oranges coming from her. It was not as strong as Baozhai's lilac scent, but it lingered longer in the mind, given that it was unusual. He wondered where in the actual hell she could find such a perfume. While his mind wandered, Demoness reached for the rabbit, yet it actually dared to bare its teeth at her.

"You insolent thing." She chuckled and proceeded to pet it forcefully, not caring about its protests.

"I found it, Ashthorn!"

"Ash… thorn?" Ren murmured.

"Yep," Demoness said.

"Much better than Snowy, or even Goldie, right?" She didn't forget to puff up her chest in pride either. Standing still, Ren felt an urge to facepalm. He knew he wasn't great at naming things, but compared to a certain troublemaker, he was a genius. After all, he wasn't courageous enough to call a freaking descendant of a dragon, Goldie, like a common dog.

"Fine, it's not bad," he uttered at last, heaving a huge sigh.

"Ashthorn, it is."

"Heh, I know I'm better at naming." Demoness clapped her hands in a mock-joyful flourish, even lifting one leg in a playful pose. She then reached for it again, but Ashthorn suddenly hopped onto Ren's head, its tiny paws fiercely tangled in his hair as it hissed in displeasure. The little thing had quite a temper. Ren set their clash aside and tried to pass beside her. His gaze was set on the comfy chair with an intense desire to drop into it.

"Your mask." However, Demoness stood in his way, hands on her waist.

"Why are you still wearing it?" Ren paused. He thought about taking it off, but something stopped him.

"It helps me think," he said at last, pretending to be nonchalant.

"It helps you not think," she snorted, correcting him without mercy. He didn't answer. Both knew the nature of their masks. There was no point in lying. But he also had no intention of diving deep right now. He went around her before she could continue and plopped down into the chair.

"I found a living weapon among those jackals," he said, pretending not to notice her flinch at the words.

"One that had already tasted the forbidden flesh. But the strange thing is, the hidden expert watching over them didn't try to retrieve it— they chose someone else instead." Although she frowned at his obvious escape, she didn't delve into it any longer.

"Nothing unusual sending a living weapon for you, but discarding one so easily? That is unusual," she said, moving beside him as she leaned against the table, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Ren.

"So, did they succeed?" Ren's fingers drummed once against the armrest.

"…They failed," he muttered, his gaze shifting toward the floor.

"But I failed, too. I couldn't catch the expert, and the man they tried to save also died."

"Nascent Soul?"

"Probably not, but close." A silence ensued between them. Ren felt like she was giving him time to clear his head, as she only jerked her head toward the cage when he lifted his head back.

"What about him?" she asked.

"What kind of horrible sin, I wonder, he committed to end up like this?"

"I didn't like the way he talked," Ren answered, staring into her crimson eyes.

"So you went and showed him firsthand why the ancients say 'silence is golden,' huh?" She lifted a brow, eyes narrowing in amusement.

"Wow, he must've touched a nerve, then." Ren didn't bother to answer and opted to reach for the table's drawer, planning to take out a few papers to distract himself, which turned out to be a vain attempt as she pushed it back with her hip.

"Mm, let me guess: he opened his mouth about someone… like me," she said, approaching him until their masks were on the verge of touching. She slowly took off her mask, and her cherry lips curled up.

"And said filthy things. Am I right, dear Young Master?" Her hot breath caressed his face.

"Right, Reny?" She repeated, her tone almost sultry. Ren didn't feel any improper thoughts, nor did he react to her provocation. His face remained deadpan, like an impregnable bastion. Alas, his lack of reaction seemed to have the opposite effect, only encouraging her.

"Oh, how could this helpless girl ever repay the great man who has done so much for her?" she purred, voice sultry, mocking. Her eyes thinned into razor slits as she lifted her hands and hovered them just above his shoulders, not touching, merely tracing faint circles through the air, stopping just shy of completely invading his personal space.

"I suppose I have no choice but to devote myself to you, just like I promised." Ren frowned.

"What do you want now?"

"Don't be so heartless, dear, I just want a simple answer," she continued as her hands drifted upward, pausing near his neck— close enough to feel the shift in air— before moving toward his mask, fingers poised as if she might remove it.

"Since that assassination attempt… things aren't the same." Her words alone almost broke all his focus despite the mask.

"You're still the same Ren I know," she continued, finally pressing her finger at his chin.

"The desire to protect innocence just like we met, you're still carrying it, and not letting that gremlin on your head die is the best proof of that. But—" she let out a dramatic sigh, "I still couldn't help but feel like something essential in you had changed since that day." As her words, memories flashed before his eyes like a filmstrip. And she chose right at that moment to peel the mask off his face. And Ren flicked her forehead without warning, earning a sharp yelp as she recoiled a step back.

"I'm fine, you seductress," he grunted, cursing his soul brother a little for always spoiling her chaotic personality. Demoness pouted, holding her head.

"Aww, this is no fun. Scratch that, you've definitely changed, Ren… where did my sunny boy go…" Leaving her complaints aside, Ren paused. I'm… His heart skipped a beat for a second, yet the expected heaviness simply wasn't there. I'm fine… bloody hell, I'm truly fine. In the end, was I worrying for nothing? Of course, that didn't mean he felt nothing. He still felt the guilt, a hollow feeling somewhere around the pit of his stomach. But it was faint. Insignificant.

And he knew it: if it came to it again, he'd do the same… without a single tremor in his hands. Yeah… I only did what I was supposed to do. The problem isn't— Right then, however, a booming sound erupted, causing both to freeze. The ship shook as though a fierce storm hit it.

"Ambush?" They muttered at the same time.

"Let's go," Ren said, putting his mask back on, but halted just before springing to his feet, remembering the little gremlin was still on his head. While Demoness put her mask on as well, he gently took Ashthorn, got up, and set it in his place. It didn't even stir, continuing its sweet dreams. Then he joined Demoness on the stairs.

"Don't think it ends here, you bastard," Demoness whispered, her steps creaking the stairs as if she had a personal grudge against them.

"Heh, I've not lost to you once." Ren couldn't help but snicker.

"What makes you think you can do it now?" She didn't answer, just snorted. Soon, they arrived at the prow and saw enforcers at the ready, their hawk-like eyes sweeping around. Ren noticed the Grand Destruction Cannon letting out plumes of smoke. He quickly approached the railings. Cold focus slid back in as his eyes sharpened. Below, a massive swath of forest lay flattened, scorched to ash, as though a meteor had fallen. Flames climbed skyward in a burning wall, bright enough to turn night into day.