Chapter 123: The Arrival of Lightning

Barcabarán whistled when he saw the three of us.
[ Impressive. You’ve managed to charm some extraordinary beauties. Care to share some tips? ]

“Look who’s talking.”
A person practically the embodiment of lust had no right to say that.

[ So, I guess you’re not dead. But what brings you here? The living don’t usually find much joy in a place like this. ]

Barcabarán seemed to have felt the presence of the Lightning Magnet and decided to check things out.

“Master.”
Just then, Vinesha whispered to me.

“There aren’t many ghosts who maintain their sanity in the Otherworld. It would be wise to ask for directions while we have the chance.”

That made sense.
I hadn’t thought of that.

At that moment, I felt a surge of energy from Sharin.
She was tugging on my arm.

“Too closeee.”
Honestly, I wondered if Sharin had come here just to get in my way.

“Barcabarán, do you know where the Dreadlord is?”

His eyebrows twitched.

[ You’re speaking dangerously. Don’t tell me you’re planning to go to the Dreadlord’s domain. ]

“Yes. Some fool went searching for the Dreadlord. I have to find him before he gets there.”

[ So that’s why the Goddess of Lightning pushed you along. ]

Barcabarán grumbled and sighed, clearly displeased.
I belatedly realized that the Goddess of Lightning had sent him to observe through the Lightning Magnet.

‘She was helping us all along.’
I should thank her properly later.

[ I can’t guarantee your safety. ]

“I came prepared.”

Without further words, Barcabarán turned away.
He must have sensed that something was seriously wrong if the Goddess of Lightning had taken action.

“Vinesha, Sharin.”
I pulled apart their arms, as they were still locked in a tense standoff.
Then I fixed them both with a sharp gaze.

“The situation is urgent. We can’t afford to keep this up.”

This wasn’t the real world — it was the Otherworld.
We were outsiders here.
Continuing like this without any sense of urgency was unacceptable.

“Vinesha, you know better than anyone how dangerous the Otherworld is. I trust you, but when you act like this, you’re making it hard for me to keep that trust.”

“M-Master, you’re angry. I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad. I-I was wrong!”

It wasn’t that I was genuinely angry — the effect of the veil bandages had dulled any real feelings of rage.
But Vinesha, flustered, kept apologizing, overflowing with guilt.
She was the type who would offer her very heart and soul for my sake.
Even the slightest displeasure from me would send her into a desperate display of affection.
It was sad, knowing it stemmed from a fear of abandonment.

“Sharin, you realize you’re not acting like yourself, don’t you?”

Sharin’s behavior was impulsive, all fueled by a burst of frustration at Vinesha’s affectionate advances.
If she reflected for even a moment, she would understand how foolishly she had behaved.

“Uh… yeah.”

Sure enough, Sharin’s face twisted in discomfort as realization dawned.
She slowly loosened her grip on my arm.

“Why did I even do that…?”

She wore a confused expression, unable to comprehend her own actions.
She had no awareness of why she acted that way.

Well, at least for now, things had calmed down.

“Lastly, Eve.”

I managed to pry her off my back.
Then, I firmly grasped her hand.

“If you’re scared, just keep your eyes closed. I’ll call you when it’s necessary.”

“…Sorry.”

Eve finally responded.
There was no need for her to apologize.
I was the one who had asked her to come along.
The responsibility was mine.

“Let’s go. We’ll lose him.”

I started walking, following Barcabarán, who was already ahead.
He glanced back at me, snickering.

[ Managing multiple women isn’t easy, is it? ]

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

[ You’ll admit it someday. But for now, be careful. A woman’s jealousy can be terrifying. ]

So that’s why you got struck by lightning.
Hearing that from someone who died out of jealousy made a strange kind of sense.

The scenery around us gradually began to change.
The previously dull, ashen world gave way to an ever-thickening forest.

[ Still, where we’re headed now is far more dangerous than that. ]

Even Barcabarán, who had dared to violate a goddess’s statue without fear, seemed uneasy.
A chilling wind rustled through the blackened woods.

The air was so cold it made me shiver.
Mixed within the wind, I could hear an unsettling laugh echoing in my ears.

Through the trees, shadowy figures that were clearly not human flitted by.
But none of them dared to approach us.

That was thanks to Vinesha and Sharin.

At some point, a long-armed demon had appeared, silently keeping close to Vinesha.
Each time its glowing eyes flickered through its tangled hair, the spirits around us scattered in terror.

Meanwhile, Sharin’s Mirinae radiated a galaxy-like starlight.
Few spirits could withstand facing that brilliant light directly.

This was why I had brought the two of them into the Otherworld.
With them here, the threats of this realm were far less daunting.

‘The real issue is how far Grantoni has gone.’

Grantoni’s obsession with the Otherworld stemmed from Musica.
Musica, the reincarnation of Aquiline, had been devoured by the Dreadlord.
Desperate to save her, Grantoni had ventured into the Otherworld countless times.

The fact that he had now fully entered this world meant he must have found Musica.

‘In the original scenario, Grantoni gets captured by the Dreadlord.’

Blinded by his longing for Musica, Grantoni had foolishly stepped into the Otherworld, only to be toyed with and eventually seized by the Dreadlord.

At that time, Lucas had subdued Vinesha, who had tried to steal Zeryon’s magic.
With her cooperation, Lucas had ventured into the Otherworld to rescue Grantoni.

‘Even here, Lucas’s Flame of Determination would be useful.’

The Flame of Determination was a crucial element in blinding the Dreadlord.
It also served as a guiding light, like a beacon in the darkness.

But we didn’t have Lucas with us now.
Because Lucas was dead.

I scanned the dark forest ahead.

‘Then again…’

Perhaps Lucas was also wandering the Otherworld.

‘You never know.’

Not every soul lingered in the Otherworld after death.
Knowing that, I tried not to hold onto false hope.

Right now, the most important thing was finding Grantoni.
Dreadlord or not, nothing else mattered until we found him.

‘I just hope we’re not too late.’

Just then, Barcabarán came to a halt.

[ This is as far as I go. It’s also the limit of where I can step. ]

He made it clear — we had officially entered the Dreadlord’s domain.
I was grateful enough that he had guided us this far.

I immediately turned around.

“Vinesha.”

At my call, Vinesha, who had been anxiously waiting, lifted her head.
She quickly ran over to me.

“Yes, Master!”

She tried to smile brightly at me, but the fear and uncertainty beneath that smile were impossible to hide.

“Check the pendant.”

Hearing that, Vinesha pulled out the pendant I had given her.
A faint light emitted from the pendant, forming a thin stream that pointed in a particular direction.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what was happening.

“This pendant… is it connected to that person named Grantoni?”

“That’s right.”

Vinesha, who had no memories of Grantoni, only reacted with fascination.
In the Otherworld, objects strongly tied to someone’s life retained their connections.
The pendant, linked to Grantoni, guided us to him.

I quietly observed Vinesha.
She didn’t question why I had given her such a pendant.
Instead, she held it carefully, as though it were something precious.

“Why does it feel so warm? It’s such a comforting light!”

She grinned at me, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“Is it because you gave it to me, Master?”

Without thinking, I raised my hand and placed it over the pendant in hers.
Contrary to her words, the light from the pendant wasn’t particularly warm.

That warmth — it was something only Vinesha could feel.

“It must be someone’s wish — someone who hoped that warmth would never be forgotten.”

Even if that warmth had scattered without ever reaching its destination.
I silently hoped Vinesha would one day feel that warmth in its fullest form.

After all, it was painful to think of her as nothing more than a tragic figure, fading away as a mid-boss.

“Vinesha, follow the light. You should be able to sense the path ahead.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

With a determined expression, Vinesha strode forward.
But suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.

“Uh, Master.”

Vinesha tilted her head upward.

“The light… it’s pointing higher and higher.”

Following her gaze, I also looked up.

Before long, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the sky.
A pitch-black abyss loomed above us.

A massive, gaping hole had formed in the heavens.
My eyes widened as I saw what lay below it.

A skeletal-faced man dangled lifelessly, being drawn upward toward the hole.
And from within the abyss, an enormous figure emerged — a black, bone-like hand extending outward to claim him.

“Damn it.”

Grantoni was moments away from being taken by the Dreadlord.

“Sharin!”

Without hesitation, I called out her name.
In that instant, Sharin was already soaring into the sky.

True to her nature — one of the most reliable people I knew — Sharin reacted faster than anyone else.

I believed in her.
If it was Sharin, she would reach him.

[ Uh, hey, honestly, that’s not a good idea. No way. ]

Barcabarán’s voice shook as he watched Sharin fly upward.
The Dreadlord’s hand had already emerged halfway from the abyss.

At this rate, Sharin could be snatched away too.

But…

“Not acting would be even worse!”

I raised my hand above my head.
Barcabarán blinked in confusion.

He couldn’t understand why I was raising my fist at a time like this.

I clenched my hand tightly.

“When they make an entrance like that…”

It’s only polite to respond.

[ Oh, hell no! ]

Barcabarán immediately dropped to the ground, covering his head.

And then — a chilling shift echoed through the sky.
A brilliant blue light streaked through the clouds.

At that very moment, Sharin reached Grantoni, grabbing hold of him.

Come forth, Lightning Catcher.

A bolt of blue lightning tore through the heavens, striking down with unstoppable force.