Raqin glanced back toward the Bone Lighthouse.
The abominations lurking beneath the Sea of Corrosion had long since stopped pursuing him. Whenever one ventured too close, crackling arcs of lightning erupted from his martial spirit and reduced it to ashes before it could even touch him.
However, the creatures weren't his greatest problem.
His stamina was running dry.
The mental strain of maintaining his martial spirit felt like countless needles drilling into his mind. His vision blurred, and every breath became heavier than the last.
"If this continues, I'll collapse before reaching shore..."
A thought flashed through his mind.
Instead of continuing to swim, he gathered every remaining ounce of strength into his legs.
Boom!
The sea exploded behind him.
Like a spear fired from a divine ballista, Raqin shot across the water.
His martial spirit flickered violently.
The moment his feet touched the shore surrounding the Bone Lighthouse, the translucent dragon silhouette vanished and returned to his body.
Thud.
Raqin collapsed onto the black sand, gasping for air.
"Haa... haa..."
For several moments he simply lay there, staring at the blood-red moon above.
Only after confirming that he had survived did the spectators finally recover from their shock.
"That actually worked?"
"He crossed the Sea of Hollow Flesh?"
"Incredible..."
A cultivator shook his head.
"Forget it. Whatever method he used, none of us can replicate it."
Another nodded.
"We should focus on passing the trial ourselves."
While the crowd returned to their own concerns, two elderly men approached Raqin.
One was tall and skinny.
The other was short and broad-shouldered.
The pair stopped before him and offered respectful nods.
"Young man," the tall elder said with a smile. "May we become acquainted?"
Raqin sat up.
"That depends. What do you want?"
The old man chuckled.
"Nothing, actually. We were simply curious."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Judging from your aura... you're human, aren't you?"
Raqin froze briefly.
Then Ivan's words resurfaced in his memory.
Humans were rare.
Dangerously rare.
"Yes," he admitted. "I'm human. Why?"
The two elders exchanged glances.
Then they smiled.
"Because we are as well."
That answer surprised him.
The shorter elder sighed.
"We've spent our entire lives hiding in the Black Mountain Range. If not for the Undead Calamity, we never would've revealed ourselves."
Raqin became interested.
The three began talking.
From their conversation, Raqin learned that the tall elder was named Hyde while the shorter one was Jekyll.
The pair had once been rival chiefs of neighboring human settlements.
For decades they had fought over territory, resources, and influence.
Most recently, they had nearly gone to war over a Spirit Fruit Tree.
Hyde laughed bitterly.
"The agreement was simple."
"We'd hold a hunting competition."
"The winner would own the tree."
Jekyll snorted.
"I was going to win."
"You wish."
Before their argument could continue, both elders became silent.
Their expressions darkened.
"The Black Mist appeared before the hunt could begin."
"The undead followed."
"The world changed overnight."
Raqin listened quietly.
The old men spoke of entire villages being overrun.
Families being torn apart.
Children disappearing.
They had abandoned their rivalry to protect their people.
Eventually they discovered the underground tunnels.
For a brief moment, they believed they had found salvation.
Unfortunately, that hope didn't last.
Jekyll's face twisted with hatred.
"We lost more people inside the tunnels than outside."
Raqin frowned.
"What happened?"
The old man's eyes drifted toward a particular group among the crowd.
The group clad in uniform black armor.
"The massacre happened."
"Their massacre."
Raqin followed his gaze.
The armored group remained silent as always.
Like statues.
Like executioners waiting for orders.
A thought surfaced in his mind.
"Based on everything you've told me..."
He folded his arms.
"I don't think those people stumbled onto this place by accident."
The two elders looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"I think they already knew about these trials."
Raqin's eyes narrowed.
"And when others found the tunnels, they decided to force everyone inside."
Silence.
The old men thought about it.
Then realization dawned upon them.
Hyde slowly turned toward the armored figures.
"They are the only group wearing matching armor."
Jekyll nodded.
"They move like trained soldiers."
The more they thought about it, the more Raqin's theory made sense.
Suddenly, Raqin remembered something.
"When I first saw them..."
The two elders looked at him.
"What is it?"
"They weren't fully covered."
"I saw a tattoo on the back of one of their hands."
The old men stiffened.
"What tattoo?"
"A snake swallowing its own tail."
The moment the words left his mouth—
Both elders froze.
Their faces instantly lost all color.
Jekyll staggered backward and sat heavily on the ground.
"No..."
Hyde looked equally shaken.
"Impossible..."
Raqin frowned.
"You know who they are?"
The old men exchanged despairing glances.
Then Hyde spoke.
"They're from the Mollock Syndicate."
The surrounding air suddenly felt colder.
"One of the most powerful factions on the Mortal Continent."
Jekyll laughed bitterly.
"If they've truly come here..."
He looked toward the crimson moon.
"Then this place may become our grave."
Raqin didn't understand.
"Aren't they human too?"
The two elders stared at him.
Then burst into laughter.
Not because it was funny.
But because the question itself was tragic.
"You really don't know anything, do you?"
Raqin shrugged.
"I spent my entire life imprisoned beneath a mountain."
The old men stopped laughing.
"Imprisoned?"
"You could call me an escaped experiment."
The atmosphere immediately became awkward.
Neither elder asked further questions.
Eventually Hyde cleared his throat.
"The Mollock Syndicate hunts humans."
"For breeding."
"For experiments."
"For livestock."
Raqin's eyes darkened.
His fists clenched.
Jekyll continued.
"They're infamous for wiping out entire regions."
"If they want something, they leave nothing behind."
"Not people."
"Not animals."
"Not even grass."
Raqin glanced toward the armored group again.
"I knew something felt wrong about them."
The old men nodded.
Then Hyde pointed toward the crowd.
"The reason we recognized you as human is because of your aura."
"Our aura flows naturally."
"The others are different."
Raqin looked around.
"You mean they're all beastmen?"
"Most of them."
"They use transformation techniques."
"Human appearance has somehow become desirable."
Jekyll spat on the ground.
"They wear our faces."
"But feast on our flesh."
"They refine human bloodlines and use human essence to advance their cultivation."
Raqin remained silent.
After a moment he asked:
"So we're the only humans here?"
The two elders shook their heads.
"No."
They pointed toward the distant shore.
Raqin followed their gaze.
"There is one more."
"A girl."
"Probably your age."
His expression changed.
"Where is she?"
"Still trapped over there."
"Why didn't you help her?"
Jekyll looked away.
"Because she belongs to someone."
"The moment we intervene, we'd die."
Raqin stared toward the distant beach.
A lone figure.
Small.
Helpless.
Waiting.
Something inside him boiled.
Humans had become prey.
Livestock.
Experiments.
He couldn't accept it.
Without another word, he opened the vial awarded to successful trial participants.
The nanites immediately flowed over his body.
Black metallic patterns spread across his skin.
The two elders widened their eyes.
"What are you doing?"
Raqin stood.
"I'm going back."
The old men nearly choked.
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Kid, that's suicide!"
Raqin smirked.
"I crossed once."
"I'll cross again."
Suddenly, the Host's voice echoed inside his mind.
"Host."
Raqin paused.
"What is it?"
"I have analyzed your previous crossing and formulated an alternative strategy."
His eyes brightened.
"Tell me."
"The Sea of Hollow Flesh contains an enormous amount of energy."
"Chaotic."
"Impure."
"But energy nonetheless."
Raqin listened carefully.
"If your martial spirit absorbs that energy and refines it into Nanoblade Qi, there is a significant probability that the cultivation restriction on your body will be weakened."
"Weakened?"
"Possibly removed entirely."
Raqin's heart skipped a beat.
"How long?"
"Approximately two to three hours."
His gaze shifted toward the moon.
The crimson color had already spread halfway across its surface.
"How much time remains?"
"Four hours."
"When the moon becomes completely red, the next stage will begin."
Raqin inhaled deeply.
Then smiled.
"A dangerous gamble."
"A necessary gamble."
He closed his eyes.
When they opened again—
Only his draconic sword-shaped pupils remained visible.
A chilling pressure spread outward.
The sea trembled.
Raqin stepped into the water.
The nearby cultivators stared.
"What is he doing now?"
"Has he gone insane?"
Even Hyde and Jekyll looked confused.
Raqin ignored them all.
He knelt at the shore and submerged both hands into the Sea of Corrosion.
The Host spoke one final time.
"Begin."
Raqin's eyes flashed.
"Absolve."
BOOOOM!
The sea erupted.
A colossal vortex appeared around him.
Chaotic energy surged from every direction.
The water churned violently as if an invisible dragon had awakened beneath the surface.
Behind Raqin, a faint silhouette slowly materialized.
A dragon.
A sword.
A spirit that seemed capable of devouring heaven itself.
The surrounding cultivators stared in horror.
Because they could all sense it.
The Sea of Hollow Flesh—
A place feared by everyone—
Was being drained.