### Chapter: 264
After chatting with Bianca,
Kraush was heading somewhere.
Yet, his sixth sense was subtly spread out around him.
Before long, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He had already sensed that someone was going to approach him.
“Show yourself.”
As Kraush uttered those words, a boy appeared.
A short boy with black hair.
His identity was Arashizm Lakroa.
A member of the family known for hunting world eroders.
As the boy revealed himself, a sinister wind began to swirl around him.
Shadows flickered beneath his feet.
This was the boy who had kept an extremely low profile during the entrance exam.
It was clear he was hiding his true strength, now standing before Kraush.
“You’ve been watching me since earlier and circling around Bianca. What do you want?”
Kraush opted to hide his knowledge about him.
It was advantageous to keep information to a minimum.
Arashizm let out an awkward chuckle.
After warning Bianca earlier, did he just spill the beans as soon as he met Kraush?
He underestimated their relationship.
Arashizm glanced around before speaking.
“I’d like to have a conversation without world eroders involved.”
At that moment, a strange gleam entered Kraush’s eyes.
That statement hinted at attacking Crimson Garden and Ebelasque.
Kraush’s gaze remained locked on Arashizm.
It could very well be an attempt to gauge whether he had ties to world eroders or not.
“You don’t need to beat around the bush. I didn’t come to discuss your connections to world eroders. I already figured out your ties to the Undying August of Crimson Garden and Necromancer Ebelasque.”
But as Arashizm continued talking, Kraush felt the sincerity behind it.
He really wasn’t interested in probing connections to world eroders.
Then, even more puzzling was the question of Arashizm’s purpose as a member of the Lakroa family.
[Step aside.]
Then, from Crimson Garden, they announced their intention to withdraw first.
Kraush figured he’d gather information when he was ready.
The corpse rat that always waited in his pocket hung limply.
Like Crimson Garden, Ebelasque also seemed to have averted their gaze.
“So, you’ve set the scene the way I asked. What do you want to say? By the way, all world eroders need to be exterminated. So if you’re trying to spread the idea of killing everyone associated with them, I’m not interested.”
Kraush revealed his annoyance, digging a little in his ear.
As he kept watching Arashizm in that state, he eventually spoke.
“How much do you know about the Undying August from Crimson Garden, hmm?”
At that moment, an unexpected question struck Kraush.
“Royal Dragon lineage, Undying? Isn’t that explanation sufficient?”
Two phrases referring to Crimson Garden.
The moment he mentioned them, Arashizm couldn’t help but chuckle.
As if to say what he actually wanted to say was not just that.
“The Lakroa family has been chasing after the Undying for ages.”
Long before Crimson Garden became active.
Specifically, before Ixion teamed up and caused the world erode outburst.
Crimson Garden had certainly existed before that.
The Lakroa family had relentlessly pursued Crimson Garden.
To them, world eroders were entities that must be exterminated.
They couldn’t afford to sit idly by around potential threats like Crimson Garden.
“Therefore, we know one thing about Crimson Garden as a world eroder.”
The secret of the Undying.
“Crimson Garden August maintains her immortality by absorbing the powers of her dying subjects’ souls.”
However, the price for that was that her physical body remained in eternal slumber.
The method by which she preserved her immortality, from many perspectives, wasn’t erroneous.
“And the first soul that Crimson Garden August is currently targeting is none other than Kraush Balheim.”
And the moment he heard those words, Kraush began to chuckle.
This time, it was Kraush’s turn to laugh.
Arashizm stared at him, bewildered.
What about this situation was so funny?
“Do you think I’m joking?”
“Nope.”
From the perspective of Lakroa, it was clearly something to take seriously.
Crimson Garden commanded numerous subjects and was always enjoying immortality.
All those who became part of Crimson Garden invariably lost their souls upon death.
The Lakroa family had acquired enough evidence to deem Crimson Garden an immortal who steals souls.
‘And in reality…’
Crimson Garden had indeed harvested the souls of those who became her subjects.
That was an undeniable fact.
However, there was one thing they didn’t know.
“There’s just one thing, Arashizm Lakroa, that you guys have misjudged about Crimson Garden.”
They only regarded Crimson Garden as a ruthless world eroder.
However, the royal dragon lineage Crimson Garden belonged to had always been obsessed with immortality.
The Lakroa family, who’ve killed the most world eroders, must have known that well.
Thus, they couldn’t grasp the truth.
“Crimson Garden August is someone who desires to abandon her immortality.”
“What?”
At that moment, Arashizm froze, completely taken aback.
It was because it was something he had never considered.
All royal dragon lineage was obsessed with immortality.
As it was established common knowledge, they had never given it much thought.
“You seem to be fooled by her.”
Immediately, Arashizm had an inkling of why Kraush had said such things.
“All royal dragons have an obsession with immortality. In fact, we’ve seen the same circumstances with Crimson Garden multiple times.”
“About the souls of her subjects?”
“Yes, their souls are undoubtedly with Crimson Garden.”
Hearing that, Kraush tapped his arms, resting them over each other.
Then he tilted his head.
“And so?”
“What do you mean ‘and so?'”
As Kraush laid out a face that asked what the fuss was, Arashizm seemed flustered.
The souls of the deceased had been absorbed, and now the target was Kraush.
Why was he so indifferent?
But Kraush couldn’t care less.
“I want to ask you one thing. Do you know what happens to the souls of humans who make contracts with gods?”
Contracts with gods.
And the skills they gained through those deals.
People always viewed the skills granted by gods as blessings and revered them.
Those who turned their lives around through such skills couldn’t stop singing their praises while alive.
But Kraush knew better.
What kind of toll the gods demanded from humans who had been granted skills when they reached their end.
Very few knew about it in this world.
Only demigods or those like Kraush who witnessed the fall of deities and reincarnated.
The skills bestowed by gods were far from omnipotent.
They were contracts, and unless the user reached demigod status, the powers were bound to be claimed.
“…What are you talking about?”
Arashizm in front of him was equally unaware of that fact,
Kraush smiled briefly.
“You would realize that there’s nothing concerning Crimson Garden that’s really worth worrying about.”
Kraush had a somewhat grasp of the concept of souls.
Having reached the world’s edge, he had seen and experienced countless things firsthand.
Whether human or any creature.
When one dies and becomes a soul, time eventually leads to natural decay.
And decayed souls would be absorbed by the world and transformed into the next existence.
‘But that isn’t the case for world eroders.’
World eroders were not entities of this world.
Thus, even if they were to die, their souls were eternally regarded as foreigners in this realm.
Their souls would never decay.
Naturally, they would perish, but rather than decay, they were instead devoured by the nearest world eroder.
They had no sanctuary after abandoning their own world.
‘And that goes for the subjects who accepted the power of a world eroder, too.’
The subjects of world eroders wield upon dying the very powers of erosion during their lives.
And gradually, those powers seep into the depths of their souls, eventually claiming parts of it.
What Kraush referred to frequently as the concept of a “vessel” was precisely this.
So what happens when the subjects of a world eroder meet their demise?
‘They don’t differ much from world eroders.’
They become consumed by the world and ultimately devoured, becoming a part of another world eroder.
What might not bother one world eroder is an absolute no-go for Crimson Garden.
She cherished her subjects immensely.
Thus, Crimson Garden kept their souls.
Not to see them consumed by world erosion.
She had kept their souls to allow them to be reborn into the world someday.
“The number of Crimson Garden’s subjects is greater than you can imagine.”
However, the majority of them had never received even the power of erosion from Crimson Garden.
At best, they might lend her their eyes for a moment or employ temporary possession to gather intel.
“But the true subjects of Crimson Garden aren’t as numerous as you might think.”
Those were the ones Crimson Garden had to bestow the powers of world erosion.
When she stepped into their lives, she always asked the same question.
“Do you want to live your current life to the fullest?”
When faced with a problem that couldn’t be resolved without her intervention.
Should they meet their end, or even without a next chapter, should they continue living?
Crimson Garden asked, and the subjects accepted her offer.
And those who emerged from that were her true subjects.
“As you said, Crimson Garden does live forever. Her immortality manifests through consuming souls.”
But her subjects were not utilized for that.
Before her body was cast into lava during the regression, Kraush had personally confirmed the details regarding her consumption.
“However, the souls she consumes are her own.”
“That doesn’t make sense. If that were the case, Crimson Garden should have consumed her soul already and died…”
“No, it makes sense.”
Kraush abruptly interrupted Arashizm.
“Because what she possesses as her true immortality is the ability to restore her own soul.”
And with those words, a glint of astonishment grew in Arashizm’s eyes.
This was new information that even the Lakroa family was unaware of.
Thus, Crimson Garden had no reason to covet the souls of others.
Since everything was resolved with just her own, there was no need to crave for others’ souls.
“So, the idea that Crimson Garden has her sights set on me doesn’t hold any water.”
A transaction with Crimson Garden.
That was simply slipping away her immortality.
There was no grounds for Crimson Garden to target Kraush.
And even if he had no such info at hand,
“I trust Crimson Garden.”
Kraush had faith in Crimson Garden.
She was always the first one to dive in when an incident occurred.
She was Kraush’s colleague, his support, and his mentor.
So, Kraush relaxed his neck.
“But let me say this.”
The one who had tried to sow discord among his companions was undoubtedly unfriendly.
The glint in Kraush’s eyes sharpened.
Feeling the pressure of those eyes, Arashizm shuddered.
Despite having heard of Kraush’s reputation, the intensity radiating from him left him feeling uneasy.
In that perilous atmosphere,
Kraush glared at Arashizm and spoke.
“Why have you been using informal speech since earlier?”
Our junior’s language habits really leaves much to be desired.
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