Chapter 3233 Herald of Torment

Shadow studied the creature standing in front of him, feeling a strong emotion for the first time in a long, long while.

That emotion was revulsion.

The thing in front of him was something that was not supposed to exist. It was a Shadow Creature — a Titan, at that — who had nevertheless succumbed to Corruption. It wore a human form, but its true nature was that of a deep, eerily still pool of demented, rabid darkness.

The human form it had chosen to wear, meanwhile, resembled Shadow... a mad, scarred version of Shadow's own human vessel. Even the voice was disturbingly similar, making him scowl.

On top of that, Shadow felt something stir in his memory, hinting that he had already met this mad creature once. That they had known each other.

‘Is he someone I killed in one of my countless lives?’

There was some credence to what the abomination had said. Shadow had slaughtered innumerable living beings throughout his long existence, after all — it wouldn't be surprising if the shades of one or two gave birth to Shadow Creatures. But, somehow, he did not think that was the case.

A different, far more bizarre thought briefly surfaced in his mind.

‘Is he someone I... was once?’

Every life Shadow remembered had ended with death. But what had happened to his previous incarnations after they died? Could their shades have come to the Shadow Realm and become Shadow Creatures?

'How peculiar.'

He had never entertained the possibility of meeting one of his previous selves. So, if Shadow's theory was even a little bit close to the truth, he did not know how to feel about it.

But why did he need to feel any kind of way about it, really?

Whoever this abomination had been, at the moment, it was an obstacle standing between Shadow and the peaceful embrace of slumber he so wished for.

So, he could just vanquish the abomination and be done with it.

It was just that killing that ghastly thing... seemed like a tricky task.

He had already destroyed one of its bodies, and the thing was perfectly fine. If he assumed that the abomination had seven incarnations, just like Shadow did, there were six still left to destroy — and since some of them could be hidden somewhere far away, hunting them all down could easily become a hassle.

That was why he did not attack immediately.

"You can call me the Mad Prince, by the way."

The abomination grinned.

Circling Shadow slowly, the Mad Prince studied him with some strange, demented emotion seething in his onyx eyes.

“My, my! You do not seem to remember me — or is it that you simply do not wish to remember? Oh, how the mighty have fallen... I expected better from the brazen fool who had bested me. But then again, all you did was rebel against me for a brief moment, at the very end, and reap all the benefits of my tireless efforts. You have received this life for free. Is it a surprise that you don't cherish it?"

His grin disappeared, as if erased from existence.

“Serves me right for relying on this damned sword, I guess..."

Shadow stared at him silently.

This abomination was quite strange. It was Corrupted, but maintained an unusual level of clarity. It could speak, form cohesive thoughts, and resist the murderous frenzy that consumed all those altered by the Void to a surprising degree.

"So, have you come to take my life?"

A cold smile slowly twisted Shadow’s lips.

"Take it, then. I don't need it."

The scarred abomination froze and stared at Shadow, an overwhelming fury suddenly igniting in his eyes.

"No, no... that won't do."

The Mad Prince gnashed his teeth.

"What is this? This is an embarrassment for us both. I was never conquered by the Nightmare, so what right do you have to give up? Huh? Answer me! What was it that broke you so thoroughly, that turned you into a pathetic, pitiful shell of a fallen being? You abhorrent creature. You took everything I wished to take, and this is what you have done with it?!"

Shadow frowned.

He was not quite sure what the abomination was talking about, but despite that, the Mad Prince's words seemed to sting. He did not know why they caused him dismay, but felt a strange impulse to defend himself. Shadow gritted his teeth, feeling a hint of indignation.

"What do you even know? Life... it was life that broke me. Endless loss, endless sorrow — the tyranny of life is impossible to escape, and it never lets me go. Who would not be crushed under the weight of eons? I've endured enough. Now, I just want to rest."

The Mad Prince stared at him for a moment, then laughed.

"What? Weight of eons... are you seriously explaining how tiresome time is to me? Me?!"

Still laughing, he shook his head.

“No, that's impossible. Or have you truly lost your mind, even without the help of that cursed sword? I have spent thousands of years being consumed by Corruption, suffering all kinds of torment and humiliation, being torn apart and sewn anew, betrayed and made a slave over and over again — watching everything I cherish being destroyed, tainted, and twisted in the process. Being the one who tainted and destroyed it! But you... you think you've had it rough? You think that you have suffered enough? Bastard, who do you think you are?"

The Mad Prince looked at Shadow with a vicious malevolence shining in his frenzied eyes.

"Oh... or is it that you don't know who you are anymore? Is that the problem? Is that why self-pity and excuses are all you have left?"

Taking a step forward, the jade sword sliding across the black sand behind him, he snarled:

“Who gave you the right to forget?! You had already forgotten me, but then, you had the audacity to go and forget who you are, as well?! That... ah, that makes me mad!"

A deranged grin split his mutilated face apart.

“Torment wanted me to relay a message... she is watching me as we speak, no doubt. But what do I care? How about I kill you instead?"

He laughed, his voice echoing above the desolate wasteland.

“How about that? Would that not be a wonderful act of defiance?!"

Shadow tilted his head, studying the unhinged abomination. His gaze was cold. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you're qualified?"

He looked at the crude obsidian sword and scrutinized it for a moment.

“You are a mere Corrupted Titan, no more. You are young and arrogant, as well. I don't know what kind of foes you encountered before, creature, but I can assure you... you've never met anyone like me."

The Mad Prince raised his jade sword, as well, grasping its hilt with both hands.

His demented grin suddenly turned sly and insidious.

“I've already met Torment, though?"

He lowered his stance, bringing the hilt of the jade sword to his shoulder. His movements seemed slow and relaxed, but were chillingly precise, betraying a sublime level of skill.

“Killing you might be a little difficult, indeed, being that she can dismiss me as soon as your life is in danger. But let me ask you this... does she really care which one gets to live, between the two of us?"

He chuckled.

"She does, for now. Because my soul has been consumed by Corruption, and hers is pristine once more. Ah, but she tried to hide something from me so earnestly — naturally, I could not help but pry. Isn't that woman, Smile of Heaven, here in the Nightmare with us?"

The smile slowly drained from his mangled face, replaced by an expression of chilling malice.

“Why don't I pay her a visit after I'm done with you? Her Aspect is so special, after all!"

Shadow tried to keep his face indifferent, but could not help but betray a hint of emotion.

‘Smile of Heaven...'

So she was still alive, somewhere out there, in the terrifying expanse of existence.

And this thing seemed to have set its sights on her.

Looking at the Mad Prince, Shadow smiled as well.

“I think you are earnestly trying to hide something from me, too."

He mirrored the stance of the deranged abomination, raising his obsidian sword.

"But I won't pry. I am not that interested in finding out."

Here in the Realm of Death, Shadow had slain countless Creatures of Darkness — despite the fact that they were supposed to be his natural predator. However, he had not enjoyed those battles at all. They were no different from a tiresome chore.

Now, however, looking at that demented swordsman, he felt something he had not felt in a long, long while.

A hint of excitement.

The desire to cross his sword with a worthy opponent.

A thrilling bloodlust.

Shadow had not faced an opponent like the Mad Prince in this life. Something inside him seemed to stir at the prospect of a thrilling battle — not a battle of Wills, not a battle of authority, not a battle decided by overwhelming power.

It was a battle between two swordsmen. Even if both of them were Titans.

The strange things the Mad Prince had talked about?

Shadow did not care.

The message a mysterious being called Torment had entrusted to this abomination?

Shadow was not inclined to receive it.

But facing a true master of the sword in combat?

He was looking forward to that, a little. Especially because of who the Mad Prince was — a Creature of Corruption.

And Shadow found Creatures of Corruption to be distasteful.

Everything seemed to fall into place. It was almost perfect.

Shadow's smile widened a little more.

“Bring it on, abomination."