Path of the Extra

Chapter 140: Horrors of Hell [8]

There was nothing stranger or more unsettling than being in a world regarded as hell, navigating one of its mazes, and encountering nothing but silence.

It would make even the most experienced warriors uneasy.

Azriel and Yelena found themselves victims of that very disquiet, moving wordlessly through the labyrinth.

Not a single attack.

No lurking danger.

No void worm.

Nothing.

They walked on, endlessly shifting from one corridor to the next.

They were lost.

If the void dungeon was designed to kill Azriel, this maze felt like its paradox—no threats approached him at all.

”Are we destined to wander forever, trapped here without an exit?” Yelenaʼs voice carried a dark edge, her face shadowed with worry.

Azriel chuckled softly.

”Youʼre exaggerating. Itʼs barely been a day since we entered. Besides, if weʼre not back on Earth in six more days, my mother will send the best soldiers.”

Perhaps she should have from the beginning, he mused. Yet Miraʼs presence had been deemed sufficient, especially with one of the four Great Kings among them. Joaquin wasnʼt alone; Malcolm and others stood by his side. The Great Kings werenʼt ones to be shielded—they were the danger others needed protection from.

”Even if you say so, weʼve nearly died more than once already. Who knows what weʼll face next?”

Yelenaʼs anxiety was palpable, and Azriel couldnʼt blame her.

He shrugged, offering a faint smile.

”Then letʼs hope we—”

His words were cut short as the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor ahead.

Both Azriel and Yelena froze, tension tightening their muscles. Azrielʼs grip on Void Eater grew fierce, and Yelena drew her bowstring back, eyes locked forward.

A cold bead of sweat traced down Azrielʼs cheek as he stared without blinking, nerves coiling tighter. The shape that emerged brought him a fleeting breath of relief—it wasnʼt a void creature.

But his guard didnʼt lower, and neither did Yelenaʼs bow. The figure before them, Cole, looked just as startled. Dried blood and grime marked his face, the black military uniform clinging like a shadow.

”Itʼs you…”

By Coleʼs side prowled a wolf-like creature, its fur as dark as Void Eater, bristling with needle-like sharpness. The eyes were pits of black, reflecting nothing but malice as it bared sharp, white fangs. A faint white glow outlined its massive form.

Azrielʼs eyes narrowed.

ʼA void wolf… his soul echo.ʼ

But this wasnʼt any void wolf. It was a breed Azriel didnʼt recognize. He channeled mana into his eyes, searching. His gaze met the mana core within the creature.

ʼA grade 2 demon.ʼ

Strong.

Uncomfortably, memories clawed at him—the day a void wolf nearly tore his arm off. The echoʼs growl deepened, rumbling like distant thunder. Azrielʼs pulse quickened.

”Easy, girl. You canʼt eat them… not yet, anyway.”

A crooked grin spread across Coleʼs face, as if savoring a private joke.

Yelenaʼs eyes narrowed further as she kept her bow trained on the echo. Coleʼs grin vanished as he met her glare, his voice like ice.

”Lower that weapon, kid, before I destroy it.”

Yelena pressed her lips together, shooting a questioning glance at Azriel. He nodded subtly, and she, with reluctance, lowered her bow. Cole smirked.

”Sir Cole… itʼs good to see you alive,” Azriel said quietly.

Cole nodded, his echo staying put as he stepped forward.

”Likewise, Prince Azriel.”

He stopped a mere armʼs length away, releasing a breath as if shedding a burden. Yelenaʼs eyes stayed sharp, watching him with suspicion. Azrielʼs expression remained neutral, but the air between them bristled with tension.

Coleʼs gaze flicked between them, confidence unshaken.

”Prince Azriel, Cadet Yelena, was it? You should stick with me. Iʼll ensure we get out of here alive.”

Azrielʼs eyebrow lifted at the boast. Yelena scowled, but a small smile played at Azrielʼs lips.

”Spoken like a true hero of humanity, Sir Cole. The Crimson Clan would owe you greatly… if you uphold those words, of course.”

Cole nodded, unbothered.

”Of course. The void realm is like a second home to me. What happened outside this maze was unforeseen, but here, I can keep you safe.”

Azriel inclined his head.

”Then weʼre in your care.”

Yelena shifted beside him, the question unspoken but loud in her eyes: Why trust him?

The enmity between Cole and Jasmine was well known.

Still, they followed, footsteps echoing into the maze. Yelena leaned closer, voice low and wary.

”Are you sure? My [Instinct] warns me to stay cautious of him.”

Azriel glanced at her, reading her unease.

”Weʼre safer with him. Protecting me and boasting about it to my father will bring him far more than harming us would.”

She exhaled, reluctant but accepting, and they kept pace behind Cole and his wolf echo.

Hours passed in silence, their journey uninterrupted. But then, once more, footsteps not their own whispered from ahead.

All three froze, eyes locked on the corridor ahead, bodies tense with anticipation. What was coming this time?

A void creature?

An ally?

Azriel found himself hoping for the former. The eerie calm had worn on his nerves, the absence of danger unsettling. Yet if it were a familiar face, relief might wash over him.

As they waited, the sound of footsteps grew louder, closer. Suddenly, a suffocating pressure descended upon them. It was as if the air had solidified, pinning them in place. Even the soul echo whimpered, paralyzed by the invisible force.

Azrielʼs skin prickled, every hair standing upright. A chill of pure dread swept through him, sinking into his bones.

Coleʼs face contorted with panic.

”Damn it! Girl, stop cowering and attack!” he shouted at his soul echo, but the demon didnʼt budge, eyes wide with fear.

Azrielʼs jaw clenched as he met Yelenaʼs pale, stricken gaze. Neither spoke; there was nothing to say.

They could only watch as the source of their terror revealed itself.

A figure emerged.

Their eyes widened in unison, breath caught in their throats.

It was a figure none of them recognized.

Except for one.

Azrielʼs voice was barely a whisper, strained with disbelief.

”Grandmaster Malcolm…?”