I carefully navigated through the red haze, going from tree to tree. My final destination was the light source in the distance, but I didn’t know if that would be my salvation or a quick end. Well, hopefully, a quick end, a drawn-out death sounded much, much, worse.

As I headed toward the center of the forest, I began to discover cocoons that were torn apart. I’m sure at some point they held something, but whatever it was, it had been moved or...- Maybe it escaped? If it was one of the others, I needed to find them.

That reminded me, I needed to check my current amount of souls. I looked around and found a spot under a fallen tree. I crawled under it and removed my ring before it turned into a book before my eyes.

Current Amount Of Souls: 420

I already had 70 before I dealt with seven of the Ogres. It seemed that each Ogre had a value of 50, twice as much as the Lizardmen I had killed before.

“I need something useful,” I muttered as I looked through the pages, just barely able to make out the words under the cover of darkness.

There have been many to explore every aspect of death, to purchase the fruit of their labor, you must have the required amount of souls.

Cursed Blood: Should an enemy spill your blood, let them understand the price that comes with it.

Price: (Purchased)

Blood Arrow: Use your own blood or the blood of another to fire a poisonous projectile.

Price: 25

Corpse Puppet (Basic): Raise an unintelligent undead servant.

Price: 30

Cost To Upgrade: 50

Skeleton Soldier(Basic): Raise a skeletal warrior to defend you.

Price: (Purchased)

Cost To Upgrade: 50

Demon Pact: Enhance your body’s physical strength, increase your intelligence, or gain a fortune, by making a pact with a demon. When a pact is made, the demon will receive a portion of all of your souls for the duration of the pact. (Warning, not many demons can be trusted, show caution when dealing with them.)

Price:40

To further explore the knowledge within this book, more souls are needed.

Current Amount: 15/250

There was no real way to tell what level of ruin I was currently in. It didn’t feel like it was a class-3 based on the environment and my knowledge of ruins was still too shallow to identify it. The huge spider was a huge sign that it perhaps a class-4 ruin or higher and that wasn’t a good thing for me. So for now, combat capability was my highest priority. A long-range attack like Blood Arrow could be a great diversion or a way to delay enemies, so it was my first purchase. Next was Demon Pact, I went for it immediately after and was left with 335.

As the knowledge of the Demon Pact filled my mind, I closed my eyes and a few sentences seared into my head.

As a Death Bringer, your soul cannot be traded, exchanged, or loaned to other entities.

Several demons of the underworld have sensed your apprehension and wish to establish a contract.

Your presence is too weak to gain the attention of the Arch Demons.

The following demons would like to establish a contract:

Demon of Blood and Rage. In exchange for all of your current souls, you will receive the Brand Blood and Rage that will grant you a temporary increase in strength. The brand can be used a single time. To gain another brand, a new contract must be established.

Demon of Wealth. In exchange for all of your current souls, the number of souls you gather will be doubled for a brief period of time.

Demoness of Patience. The Demoness is offering a contract, the total length of the contract is one week. During this week, the Demoness will require half of all the souls you collect until a total of 500 is reached. If the designated amount isn’t earned, a penalty will occur. In exchange, you receive the Brand of Patience which will grant you the ability to alter your perception of time.

I wanted to think hard about my choices, but this place didn’t allow me the time or comfort. Even now, I felt like something was creeping toward me. I hurriedly selected the brand of Blood and Rage.

As my souls were drained, I felt a burning sensation on the back of my hand. My eyes shot open to locate the source of pain and I quickly found it. A fiery symbol was being burned into my hand and the smell of burnt flesh filled my nostrils. When everything finished, the image of a bull’s head was left scorched into my right hand.

I steadied my breathing and wiped the moisture from my head before standing up and continuing my journey. I needed to find the others and if they weren’t here, I needed to find a way to escape.

“Ah,” I muttered as a sudden realization hit me.

Higher-leveled ruins needed to be cleared before you could leave. Just knowing that felt like a gut-punch as I didn’t think I would be able to do it at my current level. I decided to focus on one thing at a time since worrying needlessly would only distract me.

I couldn’t find an opportunity to use a crow to scout ahead and the treetops were covered in webs. As I moved further inward, the webs grew denser and so did the broken cocoons. Faint sounds of skittering and clicking echoed in the distance and even as the light source grew brighter, I found that the place became eerier.

“I wish I could find my war scythe… or at least a bone.”

I had to settle for a fallen branch that was good enough to serve as a staff, at least, temporarily. I marched ahead and continued my search for someone.

…

Elsewhere within the forest, Jameson and Sophia were cautiously exploring the area.

“This is bad,” Jameson whispered as he walked ahead, one arm hung limply, while the other clenched a sword tightly.

“This a Class-Five Ruin, isn’t it? The Forest Of Nightmares?” Sophia murmured while continuing to keep an eye out.

“You’ve heard about it too?” Jameson chuckled wryly. “Then you should know that you have a big incompatibility with it. Fire is the best weapon against the Dark Arachnids here.”

“I know.”

“Shit… I wonder if anyone else made it… You see anything.”

“No.”

The two walked in silence, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements within the forest.

“The worst part of this forest is the Spiderlings.”

“Aren’t they easier to deal with?” Sophia inquired.

“You’d think that’d be the case, but they serve as foot soldiers for the real enemies. And if a Brood Mother appeared this time, well, we’d might as well just off ourselves and get it over with.”

“You shouldn’t…- Wait.” Sophia huddled down with urgency and Jameson followed.

A human silhouette was slowly moving toward them.

“Who is it?” Jameson asked as he peered over a small stump.

“I can’t see,” Sophia replied.

“Should we call out for them?” Jameson’s injured arm seemed to have been treated with medicine as he began to move it more. “If it isn’t one of our friends, I should be able to deal with it.”

“...I can prepare a spell just in case.”

“Good call.” Jameson agreed as he stood up and moved to the open.

Meanwhile, Sophia began preparing for the possibility of a fight breaking out.

“Hey!” Jameson shouted.

The silhouette abruptly turned to face him, standing silently.

“Grant? That you?” Jameson asked as he raised his sword.

“Y-yeah...It’s- me…” A familiar yet strange voice emerged from Grant as he approached.

“Are you injured?” Jameson began to lower his guard.

“Y-yeah...N-need...help…” He sauntered over as he said so.

“It’s just Grant, Sophia.” Jameson finally relaxed.

All seemed well and just as Grant was close enough to be seen by Jameson, a few silk strands flickered behind Grant’s back.

“Shit!” Jameson dove to the side as a pair of insect legs emerged from Grant’s back and swiped at him.

“Sophia! Run!” Jameson called out as he rolled away.

Grant’s skin began to peel away and more insect-like legs emerged from his body, showing that it was no longer him in control.

As Jameson shouted, more human shapes appeared, falling from the treetops. Each one had a thread attached to their back and they moved stiffly.

“Shit!” Jameson cursed again as the situation began to get worse. He grabbed Sophia by the arm and the two of them fled deeper into the forest while being pursued by a growing number of enemies.