In the morning, the group woke up groaning and hangover. It took them nearly three hours just to pull themselves together enough to travel. Ethan, despite being one of the first to fall asleep, still looked drowsy as he climbed into the same carriage as before.As the wheels began to turn and the bumpy road stretched out before them, Ethan drifted off again. This time, his sleep ran deep—so deep, it carried him into vivid dreams.In his dream, he arrived at a camp filled with children. Some were older, some younger, but all were dressed in the same tattered clothes.Then, the scene shifted. He now stood in a training yard where young recruits swung wooden swords under the harsh gaze of a drill sergeant, who barked commands without pause. Ethan was among them, doing his best.Then, him sitting on a desk reading files, with a group of six men wearing black robes standing at attentionSuddenly, the dream warped again.Now he was in a dark

A few kilometers away from where Ethan faced one of the most intense situations of his life, Desmound was cross-legged, suspended in the air.His hand hovered above a crystal ball, purle energy like smoke swirling around his fingers like snakes.His expression was manic—eyes wide, lips twisted into a grin, laughter spilling from him at unpredictable intervals."This is too fun," he cackled. "I haven’t had this much entertainment in years. These insects are making it all worth waking up for. Nyahahaha!"Desmound leaned closer to the orb. "Let’s see... eenie, meenie, miney... you! Let’s pick the ugliest one to die next, nyahaha!"At that precise moment, the Doomblade vanished from view on the battlefield and reappeared behind one of Jenkins' comrades.In one clean motion, the unfortunate man was sliced into three grotesque pieces. Blood, brain matter, and organs sprayed across the road in a gory and grotesque painting.Desmound's glee o

Ethan found himself once more in that dark space, shackled to a massive throne by chains anchored to his ankles. The black fog loomed in the corner, tethered to him by the same chains, pulsing faintly with eerie life.He struggled with all his might—twisting, shifting, trying to stand or tip the throne over—but it was no use. The throne remained immovable, fixed to the ground like an extension of the void itself.“Funny seeing you here again so soon, comrade,” came that familiar, grating voice from the darkness.Ethan flinched. The sound was still as obnoxious and chilling as before.“What brought you here this time?” the voice teased. “Someone hit you? Or did you faint from starvation? Oh no—let me guess. You just took a nap. Kehihihihihi!”Ethan’s instincts screamed at him—this thing was dangerous. He could feel it deep in his core.“Well at least you are not just slee

Midnight in the Crown Prince’s Chambers.Muffled cries slipped through the thick stone walls—feminine, broken. The sounds belonged to a young maid, barely eighteen, assigned to serve the Crown Prince. But her misfortune lay in the fact that this prince’s needs were far from ordinary.Behind that handsome face and charming demeanor hid a sadistic mind, twisted beyond repair. The girl lay crumpled on the floor, her uniform torn in places, blood pooling beneath her. Bruises covered her delicate skin, and her vacant eyes stared at nothing.There were no signs of rape—not in the traditional sense. He hadn’t touched her for pleasure. The prince didn’t seek release through sex. His gratification came from torment—watching the aftermath of his cruelty unfold on helpless victims.Now he sat naked on a couch, swirling a glass of wine in one hand, pleasuring himself with the other. The false veneer of nobility had vanished, replaced by the true face