The Death Hall building stood beneath the very last mountain at the far end of the Kashmir valley, positioned behind all other buildings of the Crimson Heaven Society, its clans, sects, and halls.
Many guards in black clothing were standing outside the Death Hall, chatting among themselves. The Death Hall Master was not present, which had made the guards rather lazy and careless.
But suddenly, one of the guards noticed someone approaching. At first, only the person’s shadow was visible and the moment they saw it, all the guards turned serious.
“Who’s there?”
“Show yourself.”
The person did not respond to their questions and continued walking forward in silence.
Sring!
The guards pulled out the hidden weapons concealed beneath their clothes, ready to strike at any moment.
However...
‘!!!’
The person’s face finally came into view. It was none other than the Society Leader.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“WE PAY OUR RESPECT TO THE SOCIETY LEADER!!!”
All three guards dropped to their knees. Never in their lives had they imagined they would encounter the Society Leader, especially like this.
“Rise all of you…”
The Society Leader spoke calmly yet the guards didn't lift their heads. Society Leader didn't say much, he has no interest in these guards, he had come here for something else.
“Did Surendranath come here?”
Hearing his words, one of the guards raised his head and answered hesitantly,
“T-Third Elder?.. Y-Yes! He came earlier today…”
“Did he and the Death Hall Master have any kind of conflict?”
The Society Leader asked. The nervous guard immediately replied,
“No! There was no dispute between them. The Death Hall Master was on the mountain behind the hall, conducting the Entrance Trials from the start of the day. Third Elder and he may not have even met today!”
The Society Leader fell into thought.
‘Oh! I forgot he was the conductor of Entrance Trails on behalf of the Vice Leader.’
If there had been no meeting and no confrontation between them, then what could have caused Surendranath such difficulty in bringing that boy to him?
“Move aside.”
The Society Leader said as he stepped forward. The guards quickly cleared the path, and he entered the Death Hall without hesitation.
Inside, even more guards were stationed. Every one of them was startled when they saw the Society Leader. Their heartbeats quickened but he paid them no attention and continued walking.
He was heading straight toward the Dungeon of the Death Hall, because Surendranath had said he had kept the boy there.
‘!?’
But suddenly... He stopped.
The path to the basement was right in front of him, yet that wasn’t what caught his attention. Instead, he turned to the side and looked carefully at the ground.
‘Bloodstains… and lunar energy?!’
This was the exact spot where Sharv had begun killing the Death Hall guards. The area had been cleaned, but it could not completely escape the Society Leader’s eyes.
He began following the faint traces of blood.
At that moment, a young man arrived. He bowed deeply with his hands clasped and said,
“This lowly memeber pays his respect to the Society Leader. I am Pranay, the first disciple of the Death Hall Master. Master is not present right now, may I help you with anything?”
On the inside, Pankaj was extremely nervous, but he did not show it outwardly.
The moment he heard from the other guards that the Society Leader had himself arrived, he abandoned all his work and rushed over.
The Society Leader ignored Pranay. His mind was focused elsewhere.
‘Surendranath brought him here unconscious. That means these lunar energy traces exist because the boy must have tried to escape from here.’
Without even entering the Death Hall basement, he had already deduced that Sharv had fled.
As he continued sensing the traces of lunar energy, he unknowingly arrived at the rear gate of the Death Hall.
Pramay followed behind him, head lowered, remaining silent the entire time.
‘The lunar energy completely disappears here. But... What is this?...’
Society Leader's gaze was fixed on the ground, then looked toward the mountain ahead, where the Entrance Trials were currently being conducted.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
He stood there, lost in thought.
It seemed he had already figured out where Sharv was, and ow he ended up there.
‘Surendranath… Death Hall Master… these two...I swear...’
***
Meanwhile, inside the office of the Vice Leader of the Crimson Heaven Society.
The Vice Leader was seated in his chair. All the important documents lay spread across his desk, densely filled with handwritten notes.
Standing before him was Surendranath, his expression unusually complicated.
The Vice Leader listened to Surendranath’s entire account. He let out a long breath and then spoke,
“Do you truly believe that the Death Hall Master is hiding that boy, Surendranath? What if that claim turns out to be false?”
Surendranath replied with confidence,
“I am completely certain that the Death Hall Master is the one who abducted him.”
“Haa… do you have any proof?”
“Proof?”
“Yes. Without solid evidence, I cannot take this matter any further...”
The Vice Leader was about to continue when Surendranath cut him off,
“I do have proof. And it is decisive—so decisive that anyone who sees it would believe my words.”
The Vice Leader had not expected such a response. He looked at Surendranath and asked one final question,
“You’re not doing this because of what happened seven years ago, are you?”
“…No. This has nothing to do with that.”
Surendranath answered in a heavy, resolute tone.
The Vice Leader rose from his chair and began walking out of the office alongside Surendranath.
“If your claim turns out to be false, then be prepared to face the Society Leader yourself. I will not be able to help you in that situation.”
“…”
“First, show me this proof of yours.”
“As you command.”
Surendranath replied, and the two of them left together.
***
“Death Hall Master?”
“...Correct”
The Death Hall Master whispered into Sharv’s ear.
The dagger in his hand was still pressed against Sharv’s throat. Sharv had no idea when the blade would move.
‘This boy is a problem!’
The Death Hall Master repeated it in his mind.
Five minutes ago...
He had come to petrol in the hallway. But while petroling, he heard Sharv's voice. He noticed something extremely strange, that was—Sharv was talking to someone.
And when he tried to listen more closely, he heard it:
“Alright… I’ll do exactly as Master says.”
‘!!!’
‘Master?!’
Had he really heard that correctly? Master? But who was he calling his master?
The Death Hall Master couldn’t sense anyone else there besides Sharv. That shouldn’t have been possible…
Unless Sharv was communicating with someone who was far away.
There were some artifacts and talismans that allowed long-distance communication between people. Perhaps Sharv was using one of those?
If that's true, then that would mean that, Sharv is actually a spy!
That possibility was far too real, especially since Surendranath himself brought him here, on the Society Leader’s orders.
If all of this were true…
Then no one would be able to save the Death Hall Master. Helping a spy would brand him a traitor.
Tung!
‘!!!’
An invisible force suddenly blasted the Death Hall Master backward. He slammed straight into the wall.
He couldn’t see it. He couldn’t sense it.
But standing in front of Sharv was Sharv’s Master her spirit form revealed.
The moment Sharv felt the dagger, he had immediately released his Master from the sacred thread.
‘Humph! If I had my physical body, I’d have thrown him straight through the wall.’
Sharv’s Master spoke coldly. Her spirit form simply wasn’t strong enough.
Sharv didn’t waste a second. He decided to escape this place was no longer safe. He leapt forward, smashing through the door as he burst out.
Two guards were standing outside and were crushed beneath the falling door.
“Ahh!”
“Fuck! My back...”
‘?!’
Sharv's eyes widen a little in surprise. He hadn’t expected the Death Hall Master to come so well-prepared.
But there was no time to fight them. From behind, he could already hear the Death Hall Master getting back up.
So Sharv ran his Master following.
Inside the room, the Death Hall Master stood up again. He wasn’t seriously injured; at the last moment, he had protected himself with internal energy;Prana.
But he was furious.
He didn’t know what Sharv had done. Or how. But right now, catching Sharv mattered more than his curiosity.
‘I won’t let him escape.’
Bam!
With that vow, the Death Hall Master started to chase.
Sharv was racing down to the lower floors of the building. He had to escape no matter what.
“Who’s there?!”
“Don’t you know it’s sleeping hours?!”
Some guards which were petroling, blocked his path.
Bang!
“Kuak!”
“Ugh!”
Sharv struck them down with swift punches, knocking them unconscious.
However,
“There he is! Catch him!!”
‘Ah! Shit!’
Sharv’s Master shouted as she turned back.
The guards that were crushed under the door earlier by sharv, were now charging toward them.
‘Disciple! You get out! I’ll handle them!’
Sharv nodded, turned toward a nearby window, he was still some floors high, but he had no other choice. Bracing his heart, he leapt through it.
Inside, Sharv’s Master unleashed her gravitational force.
Swish!
Both guards were lifted into the air.
“W-why... Am I flying?!”
“W-what’s happening?!”
Swish!
She slammed her hand downward.
Pak!
An overwhelming force crushed them into the ground.
‘!!!’
Blood poured from their ears, eyes, mouths, and noses. It felt as if thousands of elephants were crushing their bodies.
Their body couldn't bear it. Hence they died instantly. But, hearing those noises, more guards rushed in towards the place.
Seeing their fellow guard completely crushed made them anxious, and furious.
“Who is it? Show yourself!”
“If you have balls then come out and fight like a man!!!”
They shouted, But they didn't know the person whom they were calling out, was standing just a few steps away from them.
None of them could see her. None of them could sense her.
Swish! Swish! Tung!
Sharv's Master using her gravitational force started killing them. They all died one by one at her hands.
‘The fewer guards there are, the fewer will chase my Disciple.’
But then...
Her gaze snapped backward. The Death Hall Master was approaching.
‘Tch!’
Compared to these guards, he was far stronger. She couldn’t stop him. She passed through the wall and fled from there.
Sharv’s Master exited the building and followed Sharv into the forest, using her senses.
She was Sharv's spirit servant, she can instantly tell where he is anytime and anywhere.
After flying at full speed for a while, she finally spotted him. She rushed toward him.
‘Disciple!’
The moment Sharv heard her voice, he turned and immediately took her back into his sacred thread.
That irritated her.
‘Ahh! This boy never lets me stay out for long.’
She thought. But she didn’t argue. Sharv’s survival matters more at this time.
“Is the Death Hall Master still chasing me?”
Sharv asked urgently.
‘Not right now. But I believe he could catch you at any moment. Stay alert—and focus on escaping.’
Sharv didn’t slow down.
He ran in the direction the old spirit had told him earlier when he was in the Death Hall dungeon.
He wanted to make it deeper into the Crimson Heaven Society and learn about the Black Spear King. But now, that was becoming extremely difficult.
‘Tch! Damn that Death Hall Mast…’
Just then...
‘Sharv!!!’
‘Disciple!—watch out!’
Vijay and the woman shouted at the same time.
Sharv twisted his body at the last instant
Cut! Tak!
“Ugh!”
Something tore past his arm, cutting the sleeves of his clothing. That mysterious object was slammed into a tree ahead.
Drip! Drip!
Blood flowed down his arm.
A cut from his elbow was formed, but fortunately it wasn't that deep and could be healed easily.
Sharv turned his gaze and looked at that mysterious object.
‘This?...’
Sharv’s face darkened.
Embedded in the tree was a dagger. The Death Hall Master’s dagger.
He looked back but couldn't see or sense Death Hall Master behind him.
“Fuck!!!”
He cursed under his breath. Then forced himself up and ran again.
