The Journey of Awakening

He was corpulent, with a small head and a massive, protruding belly, bearing a striking resemblance to a humanoid spider.

Taking advantage of the pair's lingering shock, Jeremy abruptly shoved aside the spider corpses covering him and bolted toward the depths of the cavern.

He had sustained no injuries, not even losing his wig. The moonlight he had summoned targeted only the mythical creatures of the Dreamlands, bypassing the humans present, which allowed him to escape the catastrophe.

Yes, Jeremy—the cultist leader who worshipped the Great Old One known as the Abyss Weaver and spent his days in the company of spider monsters—was, in fact, still human, and a completely ordinary one at that.

With the will of the Great Old One behind him fleeing in a panic and his relied-upon spider monsters all annihilated, he no longer displayed the smug arrogance he had shown upon his arrival, appearing more wretched than ever before.

Covered in blue-purple spider slime, with half a spider fang still hooked in his hair and his face matted with thick cobwebs, he didn't even stop to wipe himself off, sprinting toward the tunnel that led deeper underground.

That path led to a labyrinthine network of subterranean caverns. Once he escaped into them, no one would dare pursue him easily.

As long as that damn Watcher isn't surrounded by flames, and the webs slow them down, now is my chance. No one can catch me.

Bang.

Barely two steps into his run, a deafening gunshot rang out.

Jeremy ducked his head, hearing a metallic ding as sparks showered down from the cavern ceiling.

Lynch's revolver was smoking, the barrel pointed at the ceiling, his face twisted in pain as his wrist trembled violently.

This hurts like hell. Why isn't it like what I saw in the movies? My wrist feels like it's about to snap.

Even so, he grit his teeth, forcing his voice to remain steady: "Stop right there, or the next shot won't be aimed at the ceiling."

Jeremy didn't even look back, his pace never faltering. Consequently, a second gunshot rang out.

This time, sparks flew from the wall near the entrance. The aim was off by about 160 degrees, which was not exactly precise.

Idiot.

Jeremy thought viciously, You can't catch me. Just wait. As long as I don't die, I will offer a sacrifice to summon my Lord, and this city will be utterly destroyed. None of you will escape, and I will make you regret everything you did today.

After a long silence without a third shot, Jeremy grew increasingly excited. Just as he was about to dive into the winding passage, a whistling sound erupted behind him.

A heavy blow struck the back of his head, sending him stumbling until he slammed into the wall and collapsed, dizzy and disoriented.

Lynch had thrown his revolver; the heavy weapon had hit its target with pinpoint accuracy.

If I can't shoot, can't I at least throw a brick?

The moment Jeremy hit the ground, a boot came down hard on his face, pinning him back as he tried to struggle.

Officer Natalie had been in pursuit from the start, though she had been slowed by the residual webs on the ground. However, with the help of Lynch's precise marksmanship, she immediately subdued the cultist leader. Stepping on his face, she drew her sword and pointed it directly at Jeremy's forehead.

"Duncan, Maggie, Martha—it's time to settle the account for the Hudson family. And as for this morning's massacre, although there was another mastermind, you bear responsibility for the deaths of hundreds. It is time to pay your debt."

"Don't kill me! Please, I beg you, spare my life! I have money—I'll give you five thousand Lande pounds. You'll never have to worry about money again. Let me go, and I'll give it all to you right now!"

Lynch, who was picking up his gun in the corner, nearly walked straight into the wall, while the officer had already raised her blade.

"Money earned through one's own labor is the only kind that brings peace of mind. Let you go so you can continue to flatter evil gods with the souls of your own kind? In your dreams."

"You can't kill me! You're a Watcher! According to the law, I must be tried at the Hall of Order. Only a court has the right to determine my punishment; you have no such authority!"

The officer's lips curled, and she thrust her sword downward with force.

"Stop! I'm still useful!" Jeremy's pants were wet as he screamed in agony, "As long as you don't kill me, I'll tell you the name of the mastermind who truly intends to cooperate with my Lord. It's a real big shot."

The officer paused, casting a questioning glance at Lynch.

Lynch was tempted.

His mission was to investigate which factions were involved in the railway incident and what roles they played; the identity and motives of this mastermind were naturally part of that.

Although he had already alienated his soul and no longer had an urgent need for the red moon memory held by the Black Night Cathedral, every future alienation would require a red moon memory. Therefore, even for the sake of this luxury item worth at least a hundred pounds, he had to continue his investigation. Moreover, what followed would likely involve mysteries or even other evil gods, which was exactly what he needed most.

But this man absolutely could not live, or the consequences would be endless.

Lynch was not the type to take his promises lightly, but he also didn't want to break his word to extract information. This was his bottom line.

When it comes to lowering one's bottom line, there is only zero times or countless times.

After much deliberation, Lynch decided to hold his ground. Clues could be found elsewhere, but once the bottom line was lost, it was gone forever.

However, just as he was about to shake his head at the officer, Lynch's heart skipped a beat, followed by a sharp, stabbing pain in the center of his brow.

It was a warning from his inspiration; a mystery of extreme intensity had appeared.

A chill crept up his spine, and Lynch scanned his surroundings. Yet, there was nothing unusual in his field of vision. It seemed... hm?

Because he was purposefully focusing in the direction of the inspiration's prompt, Lynch finally discovered something amiss.

Jeremy's clothes were twitching slightly.

The movement was so subtle that even Jeremy hadn't noticed it; Lynch had caught it only because of his inspiration.

Lynch realized where he had seen this phenomenon before—just dozens of minutes ago, with the victim in carriage No. 8. His clothes had twitched exactly like that, until he tore open the fabric and saw the squirming tumors beneath.

‘Neighbor, what's going on?’

【The believer's betrayal has plunged the Weaver into a rage. The Weaver has decided to unleash divine punishment to warn other believers.】

"Fine, we agree," Lynch immediately signaled Officer Natalie. Although she didn't understand the specifics, she reluctantly withdrew her foot, biting her lip as she said, "I swear by the soul manifestation, by the Lord of Order, as long as you tell us the mastermind, we..."

"We will not harm you, and we guarantee that no other 'person' will harm you," Lynch added immediately. "But you must tell us now. Immediately. Right now."

Lynch's heart remained in his throat, terrified that he wouldn't be able to trick the clue out of him in time. To avoid the man noticing anything, he didn't even dare to make eye contact with Jeremy. Fortunately, Jeremy's attention was fixed entirely on Officer Natalie; he didn't consider Lynch a threat at all. He seemed quite reassured by Natalie's promise, and after mulling it over a few times, he wore a relieved smile.

"The mastermind comes from city hall. Although he always wore a cloak, I could recognize the characteristics of his voice. It's Lorant from city hall."

Lynch was baffled and looked at Officer Natalie, only to find her equally confused.

"Who is that?"

The fat on Jeremy's face wobbled as he said with disdain, "The Speaker of the House of Commons, owner of the Lorant Screw Factory, and the fourth most powerful person in city hall. Well? Is that information enough to buy my life?"

"It is enough for us not to harm you." Lynch whispered a few words into Officer Natalie's ear, then said softly, "Do you have any other secrets related to mystery? You'd better tell us everything, or it would be a pity."

"What do you mean? You aren't going back on your word, are you? She swore by the soul manifestation!" Jeremy backed away, his expression guarded.

"No, we aren't going back on our word. We just think it would be a pity for you to die with your secrets."

Lynch pointed at Jeremy's chest, where the twitching had become increasingly obvious.

Jeremy looked down, paused for a moment, and then frantically tore open his shirt. Across his pale, flabby flesh, large blue-purple tumors were squirming rapidly, the movement becoming more violent and frequent.

With every twitch, the tumors expanded. Within seconds, they were clearly protruding from his skin, and the surface became increasingly transparent.

A heart-rending shriek erupted from his fat mouth. Jeremy knew exactly what was about to happen. He wanted to claw at the tumors but was too terrified to touch them, waving his arms in front of his chest as his screams grew more and more shrill.

"We will never let any 'person' harm you, but for a higher existence, we are powerless. You'll have to take that up with it yourself."

Lynch shrugged and looked away. The sight of a body covered in tumors was too stimulating; he felt like he was about to vomit up Mrs. Maggie's dinner.

Officer Natalie, standing beside him, had also turned pale. Just like when Lynch had first seen the victim earlier, she realized that if Lynch hadn't arrived in time, she would have been the one in that state, and her expression was even worse than Lynch's had been.

But she still took a half-step forward, shielding Lynch, staring fixedly at Jeremy, who was turning into a monster, never once averting her gaze.

"Lord, please, spare me! Mercy!"

Jeremy screamed, writhing frantically on the ground. But he could never stop the tumors from expanding, only watching as they grew more transparent, the black shapes squirming inside becoming clearer.

"What other secrets? Tell us! This is revenge for yourself, hurry!"

Lynch urged him on, tilting his head anxiously.

However, before he could finish his sentence, the body, which had been twisting desperately, suddenly went rigid. The tumors, expanded to their limit, exploded simultaneously. A spray of pus and blood, carrying countless hideous little spiders, erupted from the ruptured growths, instantly crawling all over his entire body.

"Hurry!"

"Lord, my Lord, spare me, I don't dare... ahhh~~"

The voice grew increasingly shrill, until his throat tore. The mountain of flesh, now covered in small spiders, rolled madly on the ground, but he could not stop the spiders from tearing at him, only screaming:

"Kill me! I beg you, kill me!"

"I'm sorry, I swore by the soul manifestation that I would not harm you." The officer shook her head, her expression complex. "This is an unbreakable vow."

Whether the spider-covered Jeremy heard her or not, his voice gradually faded, and his struggles grew weaker. Finally, only a slight twitch remained. Lynch sighed and ultimately closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight any longer.

"The mayor... Mayor Howard, he... ah."

The sudden final words were cut short. Jeremy's body jolted, and after a final scream, he went completely limp. In just over a dozen seconds, his fat body withered rapidly, leaving behind nothing but a pile of white bones.

The little spiders began to devour each other once more, disgusting fluids splattering across the ground, until a humanoid flame pounced upon them, consuming every last spider in its blaze.

When the flames faded into a smoking human shape, everything was settled. In the underground cavern, besides Officer Natalie and Lynch, there was nothing left that could move. The two of them looked at the tragic, spectacular scene with complex, dazed expressions, and no one spoke for a long time until the officer finally broke the silence.

"Two years ago, I investigated the Abyss Weaver. Any secret woven into its web that is actively peered into by others is dragged into the abyss by it. That is why I didn't dare bring any partners to investigate. This afternoon... I'm sorry. But I left a letter for the Watchers; they should have received it by now. I told them all my speculations. As long as I didn't return, it would mean everything was true, and the truth would be revealed to the public. I never expected you to show up, but seeing you appear, I..."

The officer turned her head away, letting her face hide in the ghostly green light of the surroundings.

"I am glad."

"I'm glad, too." Lynch smiled, holding up three fingers. "Now someone owes me three conditions."

Biting her lip with her white teeth, the officer tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and glared fiercely at the smirking man, saying maliciously, "As a detective, you should know that according to the laws of the Kingdom, if a debtor disappears without cause, all verbal debts are canceled. I think this is the perfect place to disappear."

"It's not perfect at all. The police will be in here to search any minute."

Lynch immediately clutched his head and backed away a few steps. This woman was far too vicious.

"Then honestly tell me what happened."

Lynch shrugged and recounted his experiences from that night.

The officer's expression became more fascinating the more she heard, and in the end, she widened her eyes, her lips twitching as she said, "Ha? So you scammed two evil gods at once?"

For some reason, Lynch was reminded of a cartoon he had watched as a child: a cat sleeping soundly while clutching a salted fish, and a mouse rushing forward and colliding with the cat. While both parties were battered, bruised, and in a chaotic brawl, the salted fish got up, brushed off the dirt, and walked away, leaving the cat and mouse stunned.

Lynch sighed, "When I completed my alienation just now, I seemed to hear another roar full of rage, and then there was nothing. I don't know if it was my imagination. It must have been. I think the Flicker is so kind to protect us—it's a good god, and it certainly won't hold a grudge."

"You'd better be careful. The will of these evil gods is difficult to understand. After being scammed by you once, it probably won't let you off so easily. At the very least, you cannot lower your guard against its cultists. However... you here."

As she spoke, the officer pointed to his heart.

Lynch froze, realizing he had actually forgotten the fatal threat that had plagued him for several days. He immediately pulled open his shirt; the skin over his heart was smooth and clean, and the blood-red eye had vanished without a trace.

Touching his chest, which had returned to normal, Lynch felt his legs go weak. He slumped to the ground, staring blankly at Officer Natalie's beautiful face, overwhelmed by a sense of unreality.

Did I really survive?

Have I finally found my footing in this world?

Even if I have offended two evil gods, even if the mastermind who intended to sacrifice me is still out there, even if the railway incident has only revealed the tip of the iceberg, and even if the road to immortality has only just begun.

But at least I survived. I am finally no longer living in the shadow of death at every moment; I can face this new world as I please.

【Yes, Lynch. Congratulations on reaching the end of the Journey of Awakening. The path to immortality is rugged and difficult; I wish you a safe journey ahead.】

‘Thanks, Neighbor. No, thanks, Luna.’

Lynch stood up, brushed the cobwebs and dust from his clothes, bowed to Officer Natalie with his hand over his chest, and smiled.

"Let me reintroduce myself: Lynch Levive, Soul Severer, first-rank authority. In the days to come, I look forward to your guidance, Officer Natalie Angel."