Chapter 104: The Sovereign Devours

Flame Canyon lived up to its name. The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, while scorching winds swept through the canyon and carried loose red gravel across the ground. The stones rattled against the surrounding rock formations, producing a constant, dry scraping sound that blended with the distant rumble of shifting earth. The exposed cliff walls were a deep, charred crimson, their surfaces permanently scorched by the intense heat. In some of the deeper cracks, faint orange light flickered as thin streams of lava flowed beneath the surface, occasionally sending waves of heat through the already suffocating air.

For fire-elemental creatures, this place was practically paradise. The abundant fire energy made it an ideal environment for their growth, but for players who ventured too deeply into the canyon, it could just as easily become a breeding ground for death and destruction. The oppressive temperature alone was enough to wear down an unprepared adventurer, and the creatures inhabiting the area were even more dangerous.

High above the canyon floor, three figures remained concealed behind a cluster of weathered basalt. The members of Abyss had chosen their hiding place carefully, positioning themselves among the dark rocks so that their bodies blended naturally into the surrounding terrain. From a distance, there was nothing particularly unusual about the formation. Unless someone knew exactly where to look, the three players could easily be mistaken for another cluster of rocks scattered across the canyon.

Aiden crouched behind the basalt and peered through a narrow gap between two stones. His expression remained calm as his eyes slowly swept across the valley below, checking the terrain and comparing it with the route they had predicted their target would take. He had already memorized the surrounding landscape, including the locations of several large rocks that could provide temporary cover and the narrow passages that would limit the enemy’s ability to escape.

Beside him, Silas remained in a half-crouched position with his massive tower shield resting against one side of his body. His heavy armor covered almost every inch of him, and the muscles beneath it remained tense, his entire body coiled like a spring. He had been waiting in silence for several minutes, but there was no sign of impatience in his expression. He understood his role perfectly. Once the ambush began, he would be the first one to reveal himself and break the enemy’s formation.

Luna stood slightly farther back, carefully conserving her movements. Her right hand gripped the crucial [Silence Barrier Scroll], while three ancient dice rested loosely in her left hand. She kept her purple eyes fixed on the path below, her attention focused entirely on the point where their target was expected to appear. The intense heat made sweat gather against her skin, but she did not wipe it away. Even a small unnecessary movement could potentially attract attention.

The three waited.

Seconds passed slowly as the heat continued to ripple across the canyon.

None of them spoke.

They had already rehearsed this ambush countless times, going over the timing, positions, possible reactions, and contingency plans until every member of the team understood exactly what they needed to do. The success of the operation depended on eliminating the enemy’s opportunity to communicate or escape before they could organize a counterattack.

Then, at exactly 3:07 PM, movement appeared in the distance.

Five players wearing the standard robes of the Dragon Sovereign Guild emerged onto the valley floor. They followed the worn path toward the entrance of the Molten Heart cave, their pace relaxed and noticeably slower than it would have been during combat.

At the front of the group was the mage known by the ID Element Controller. He wore a high-quality mage robe decorated with red crystals, while his staff was covered in intricate flame runes that glowed faintly in the intense heat. His expression was relaxed, carrying the satisfaction of someone who had just finished a difficult battle and come away with a worthwhile reward. Beneath that relaxed appearance, however, was the arrogance that had become characteristic of him.

The four players following behind him consisted of a warrior, an assassin, an archer, and a priest. Their levels ranged from 8 to 9, and the equipment they carried was clearly above average for players at their level. They were not weak opponents. Under normal circumstances, dealing with five players of this caliber would require careful planning, especially with Element Controller, an A-Grade class holder, leading the group.

But they had just finished a battle.

That changed everything.

The four players spoke quietly among themselves as they walked, apparently discussing the loot they had obtained and the experience gained from their latest fight. They had recently cleared a large group of Lava Hounds, and the battle had consumed a significant portion of their Mana reserves. Their bodies were no longer tense, and the alertness that accompanied combat had begun to fade.

They were entering precisely the period of relaxation Aiden had been waiting for.

Perfect.

Aiden’s eyes sharpened as the five players moved deeper into the predetermined area. He waited until they had reached the exact position they had calculated before slowly raising his right hand.

Three fingers extended into the air.

Luna and Silas immediately understood the signal.

Three.

Two.

One.

Aiden lowered the final finger.

Luna immediately tore the scroll in her hand.

A strange fluctuation spread through the surrounding space. There was no visible explosion or flash of light, but the atmosphere around the valley floor suddenly changed. An invisible ripple expanded outward from Luna’s position before forming a transparent, dome-like field that completely enclosed the five Dragon Sovereign players.

The [Silence Barrier] had activated.

The effect was immediate. Communication signals and teleportation fluctuations within the barrier were forcibly suppressed, cutting the five players off from the outside world. Even if they managed to send a message, there was no guarantee it would reach anyone beyond the barrier.

Almost simultaneously, Luna flicked her left hand.

One of the gray-white dice spun through the air before landing on a blurred, broken rune representing disorder and failure.

[Heavenly Karmic Dice — Minor Misfortune] activated.

Target: Element Controller.

The moment the skill took effect, Element Controller’s relaxed expression disappeared.

"Enemy attack!"

His reaction was surprisingly fast. The instant the barrier descended, he sensed that something was wrong. His instincts immediately warned him that they were under attack, and his hand moved toward the teleportation talisman hanging from his waist.

He crushed it without hesitation.

Nothing happened.

Element Controller’s expression changed.

He stared at the talisman for a brief moment before attempting to activate it again, this time pouring Mana directly into it.

Still nothing.

The expensive life-saving item remained completely inert in his hand, as useless as an ordinary stone.

"The barrier!"

Someone behind him shouted in alarm.

Element Controller immediately understood what had happened. The enemy had prepared an isolation-type barrier specifically to prevent their escape.

Before he could react further, however, he felt something even stranger.

The Mana flowing through his body had suddenly become sluggish.

It was as though invisible mud had been poured into his Mana channels. The energy that normally responded almost instantly to his thoughts now moved with frustrating resistance, making even simple spells feel difficult to cast.

Minor Misfortune had taken effect.

Then Silas descended from above.

Having launched himself from the rocky ledge, Silas came crashing down with his [Charge] pushed to its absolute limit. His enormous body descended with tremendous force, but instead of targeting Element Controller directly, he adjusted his trajectory slightly in midair.

His tower shield swung forward.

The massive shield slammed into the assassin who had instinctively stepped forward to protect Element Controller. The edge of the attack simultaneously caught the warrior standing beside him.

BOOM!

Two damage numbers appeared almost simultaneously.

-123!

[Crushing Blow!]

-98!

The impact sent both players flying backward. Their bodies crashed heavily against the ground, and their Health Points immediately dropped into the critical range.

"Stop him!"

"Quickly! Stop him!"

Element Controller shouted as panic began to spread through the formation.

He hurriedly raised his staff and began casting a spell, but the disrupted Mana flow immediately interfered with the process. The energy he gathered moved sluggishly through his body, causing his casting speed to drop dramatically. He nearly stumbled over the opening portion of the incantation as he struggled to force the spell into completion.

The archer reacted next.

He quickly drew his bow, condensed a flaming arrow, and released it toward Silas. The projectile crossed the distance in an instant and struck the warrior’s heavy armor with a sharp metallic clang.

The arrow shattered against the [Immovable Mountain Heavy Armor] and fell harmlessly to the ground in a shower of sparks.

Silas did not even stop.

He continued forward and slammed his tower shield into the priest before the latter could retreat. The impact sent the priest tumbling across the ground, completely disrupting the formation.

In only a few seconds, Silas had torn the group apart.

His massive shield became the center of the battlefield, forcing the enemy’s attention onto him while preventing them from regrouping. Every time one of the Dragon Sovereign players attempted to reposition, Silas’s presence blocked the path and forced them to react to him instead.

That was exactly what Aiden had been waiting for.

Behind Silas, almost completely concealed by the Bulwark’s massive frame, another figure advanced.

Aiden moved silently through the chaos.

The [Shadow Cloak] concealed his presence as he slipped forward, using Silas’s enormous body as cover. The Dragon Sovereign players were so focused on the armored warrior standing directly in front of them that none of them noticed the second threat approaching from behind.

Aiden moved with measured steps, conserving every unnecessary movement.

Then he emerged from Silas’s shadow.

Element Controller finally noticed him.

Their eyes met.

For a brief moment, the surrounding battle seemed distant to Element Controller. What he saw were a pair of cold, emotionless eyes and a streak of dark-gold light moving toward him at terrifying speed.

His instincts screamed at him to dodge.

He tried to raise his Mana Shield.

He tried to move backward.

But his body reacted too slowly.

The effects of Minor Misfortune were still interfering with his movements, causing every reaction to fall half a beat behind his thoughts. By the time his body began responding to the command to retreat, Aiden was already within striking range.

Aiden gave him no opportunity to recover.

His mental power surged as he activated the [Soul Tremor Scroll].

An invisible wave swept directly into Element Controller’s mind.

The attack did not damage his physical body. Instead, it struck directly at his soul, disrupting his consciousness and momentarily severing the connection between his thoughts and the Mana he was attempting to control.

"Urgh!"

A short, startled sound escaped Element Controller’s throat.

His mind went blank.

The Mana he had finally managed to gather immediately dissipated, and for a brief moment, fear seized control of his body.

That brief opening was all Aiden needed.

His grip tightened around the Devouring Soul Blade.

The dark-gold weapon emitted a low, almost imperceptible hum. Its presence seemed to grow heavier in Aiden’s hand as if the weapon itself had sensed the soul standing directly before it.

Aiden stepped forward and struck.

The Devouring Soul Blade tore through the scorching air with terrifying speed. The attack carried the combined force of his physical strength, his movement speed, and the overwhelming power granted by the [Sovereign of Souls].

The blade drove directly into Element Controller’s chest, targeting the area where the mage’s class energy was most concentrated.

SHLICK!

The dark-gold blade pierced flesh.

A massive damage number appeared above Element Controller.

-288!

[Critical Hit!]

[Weakness!]

[Elemental Special Attack!]

The surrounding players froze when they saw the damage.

Element Controller’s expression changed completely.

The arrogance that had been present on his face only moments earlier disappeared, replaced by pure disbelief. He lowered his gaze and stared at the dark-gold blade protruding from his chest as though his mind could not comprehend how quickly the battle had turned against him.

His life force began draining rapidly.

But that was not the strangest sensation.

Something was pulling at the deepest part of his existence.

Element Controller could feel his [Elemental Affinity] weakening. It felt as though an invisible hand had reached directly into his soul and seized the very foundation of his power. The sensation was impossible to describe through physical pain alone. It was as if something fundamental to his identity was being forcibly separated from him.

His mouth opened.

He wanted to speak.

Perhaps he wanted to ask who Aiden was. Perhaps he wanted to curse his attacker. Perhaps he simply wanted to understand what had happened.

But no words came.

Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as his body began to lose strength.

Then the system notifications appeared.

[Successfully killed player "Element Controller". Since the opponent was in a malicious PK state, and the interior of the barrier is considered a hostile zone, you have not gained any Infamy.]

[Triggered "Greed" effect! Obtained additional item: [Flame Rune Staff (Rare)]!]

Aiden barely registered the notifications.

The moment Element Controller’s life disappeared, something inside his mind erupted.

The class icon of the [Sovereign of Souls] suddenly radiated an unprecedented brilliance. It was as though a blood-red sun had awakened within the depths of his consciousness, releasing a presence that was far more profound and domineering than the power he had previously gained through absorbed attributes and Soul Trait Essence.

The surge of power traveled through his body and along his arm before flowing directly into the Devouring Soul Blade.

Then it plunged into the fading body of Element Controller.

Aiden’s expression changed slightly.

He could feel it.

The Devouring Soul Blade was not merely absorbing energy.

It was reaching for something far deeper.

It was attempting to seize the fundamental power that defined the dead player’s existence.

The power of his class.

Aiden’s breathing slowed as the realization struck him.

This was different from absorbing a Soul Trait.

Different from taking physical attributes.

Different even from the ordinary process of devouring a soul.

The Sovereign of Souls was attempting to take the class itself.

Then the system notification appeared.

[Detected devourable class: [Elemental Affinity] — A-Grade!]

[Attempting to strip class...]

[Soul Devour activation conditions are being judged...]

Aiden’s mind tightened.

This was it.

His first attempt.

His first chance to use the ability that had remained dormant since his rebirth.

Could it actually succeed?

Aiden concentrated every ounce of his will on the system prompt. The battle continued around him, but for those few seconds, everything else became secondary.

The [Silence Barrier] remained active over the valley.

The surviving members of the Dragon Sovereign squad stared at their fallen leader in disbelief. Their chief mage had been killed almost instantly, leaving them without the person who had been coordinating their abilities.

Silas stood before them like an iron-clad fortress, his massive tower shield still raised as he prepared to deal with whoever dared to approach.

Luna remained farther back, her attention divided between the remaining enemies and the system notifications appearing before her.

Beside Silas stood Aiden.

The dark-gold Devouring Soul Blade remained embedded in the fading body of Element Controller, while Aiden’s expression remained cold and focused.

The ambush had unfolded almost exactly as planned.

The timing had been precise. Luna had sealed the battlefield before the enemy could react. Minor Misfortune had interfered with Element Controller’s movements and Mana circulation. Silas had shattered the enemy formation and drawn their attention, creating the opening Aiden needed to approach unnoticed.

Then Aiden had reached the target and delivered the killing blow.

Everything had happened within seconds.

Technically, the battle was not over.

Three Dragon Sovereign players were still standing, and the effects of the Silence Barrier would not last forever. If the remaining enemies recovered and coordinated their attacks, the situation could still become troublesome.

But Aiden’s attention was no longer on the outcome of the battle.

His eyes remained fixed on the system notification before him.

The hunt had gone exactly as planned.

Now, however, he was waiting for something far more important than victory.

He was waiting to discover whether the [Sovereign of Souls] would finally claim its first soul.