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Chapter 41 - chapter 41

Chapter 41

The Foundation of Darkness

The darkness that resided within Einver was not born from nothing. It did not come to him through anger, grief, or any other means. Its roots stretched back to the depths of his past, to his original world, where everything began.

In that world, there were people in an ancient nation who constantly trained to separate Yin from Yang—good from evil, bad from good. Einver had practiced this since childhood, but in a way entirely different from the rest of mankind.

Humans in his world had, since ancient times, chosen to take in goodness and cast out evil. Although this technique had not been used for thousands of years, Einver admired it and developed his own unique version of it.

One day, Einver asked his father:

"Why must I drive evil out of my body?"

His father, Kaizen, smiled and said gently:

"My son, listen well. In every person there is good and evil. The technique says you must cast the evil out from within, and that is what people have always done. But I hold a different opinion, perhaps one contrary to what others believe. No one can ever truly drive out all evil from their body, no matter how hard they try. Many attempted it, yet in the end they always left behind a small portion of it within."

Kaizen continued:

"Listen, my son. Inside every human there are two wolves, forever locked in battle. One represents evil—arrogance, pride, hatred, malice, revenge, gossip, and all wicked deeds."

Einver listened intently, then asked:

"And the other? What does the second wolf represent?"

His father's expression softened with warmth and kindness:

"The other wolf represents good—truth, courage, cooperation, kindness, and compassion."

Einver stared at his father in surprise:

"So you're saying that inside me right now, there are two wolves—one good, one evil?"

He thought for a moment, then asked the true question that mattered:

"Tell me, Father, which one will win in the end?"

Kaizen smiled and patted his son's head:

"The one that wins is the one you feed more. The one you nurture. The one you choose to use. The one you care for. Now, tell me, which wolf do you want to see win, my son?"

Little Einver sat silently for several minutes, while his father waited patiently, his calm eyes filled with peace. Finally, the boy opened his eyes and said quietly:

"Neither."

His father was taken aback.

"Explain."

Einver replied with deep thought:

"If I feed one wolf too much, the balance between them will shatter. If I choose only good, I will never commit evil—but sometimes evil deeds must be done in dire situations, such as vengeance. One must avenge the killer of their family or the one who tortured them. If I choose only evil, I would still sometimes need to act with kindness, truth, and courage. So I will choose both. I will nurture both wolves within me. I will cage the wolf of evil inside me, and feed all the wolves equally. But I will only use the wolf of good. And when the time comes, when evil is truly needed, I will release the wolf of evil upon the earth—upon those who deserve it."

Kaizen looked at his son with pride and joy:

"Well reasoned, my son. But do not let the darkness devour you. When you unleash it, make sure you control it—make sure you hold its reins."

Einver smiled, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. From that day forward, he continued to feed both light and darkness, good and evil within himself, always in balance.

Einver unleashed his darkness for the first time in his original world when he lost control of himself, slaughtering nearly a thousand people in cold blood. And ever since arriving in this world, the darkness became his companion, growing and feeding within him. But due to the abundant magical energy of this world, his aura of darkness took shape and became a complete presence within Einver—without his knowledge.

In his old world, light and darkness were merely metaphorical concepts. Yet Einver continued to practice this technique, nurturing good and evil in balance. As he grew older and his body surpassed human limits, energies began to appear faintly around him whenever he used them, for the scales of power in his world had not yet advanced.

But here, in this world, power was everything. A single person could shatter the heavens or quake the earth. Thus, the light within him manifested as magical energy, heaven's blessing, spiritual power. While the darkness remained within, ever feeding, always present though unseen.

Now, Einver had unleashed this absolute force once more, leading him to ascend from the Mortal World, first realm, to the Higher Realm. By fusing the aura of the Higher Mortal Realm with the aura of darkness and the aura of the Mad Slayer, Einver had created a new technique: Bloody Darkness. When used against those weaker than him in realm, they would collapse to the ground, paralyzed, unable to move until Einver ended the technique.

Yet the technique could only be maintained for a set duration: five minutes. Einver had surpassed that time due to the number of people trapped within his aura, forcing his body to its extreme limits. He collapsed unconscious, unable to fully dodge the princess's strike.

---

In a large room, a young man opened his eyes. They were blood-red, carrying a faint flame. The exhausted young man was none other than Einver. His eyes were weary, his body fatigued. He tried to rise, but chains of iron wrapped around him from all directions, binding him tightly and dragging him down.

Looking around, he saw a transparent blue barrier in the form of a circle surrounding him. A middle-aged man sat on the ground with one hand pressed against it, focusing deeply, muttering words Einver could not hear.

Einver spoke with a tired voice:

"Ahem… excuse me, but where am I?"

The man, startled at his voice, glanced at him strangely and then shouted:

"Inform the princess—he has awakened already!"

Einver thought bitterly to himself:

"Damn it. Didn't I try to kill the princess? To hell with it. Two possibilities: either the princess truly was under control, like the old man Mai Na said, and when the poison was lifted she woke up. Or she's the kind-hearted one he described. Or… we'll have Joan of Burgundy herself condemning me to execution. Which fate awaits me? Depends on the old man's words—and on my damned luck."

Minutes later, the man opened the door, and a young woman entered the room. It was Princess Sun Mi. She wore attire befitting a royal princess—modest, elegant, and beautiful, so different from her previous, immodest clothing.

She walked slowly toward Einver, her eyes reflecting kindness, courage, and a leader's strength, far from arrogance, pride, or deceit.

Einver looked at her and wondered:

"Why is the princess moving so slowly?"

Before he could finish the thought, she collapsed to the ground, clutching her stomach and head in pain.

Einver muttered inwardly:

"Damn it. This is because of me. I struck her that hard… has she not yet recovered?"

An old man hurried to her side to support her. Einver recognized him at once—it was Mai Na.

Einver said aloud:

"What are you doing here? How are you, old man? Have you gotten better?"

Before Mai Na could reply, another man barked:

"Silence! You are in the presence of the princess, you fool!"

Einver sighed with boredom, staring at the man with disdain:

"Great. No matter where I go, I find monkeys clinging to the boots of someone with power or authority."

The man's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. But before he could act, the princess raised her hand. He fell silent. A soldier brought a wooden chair and placed it before Einver's bed, and the princess sat quietly upon it.

She spoke:

"Introduce yourself."

Einver studied her calmly. She was undeniably different from the former princess—more composed, more respectful.

With a tone of restrained calm, tinged faintly with relief, he said:

"It seems the old man Mai Na was right. You were under the control of your filthy uncle. No wonder you remember nothing. Once he was slain, the poison was lifted, and you woke from a deep sleep."

He paused briefly, then added:

"I am Einver, a wanderer who roams the world."

The princess asked:

"How old are you? Where did you come from? And why have you come to my city?"

Einver sighed in boredom:

"I'm eighteen years old. I came from a distant mountain region. I'm certain you wouldn't know it even if I named it. As for why I came to Sunlight City? Well, I am a wanderer. There's no reason to stop me from traveling the vast world. Now, for the love of hell, can you please remove these chains? They're truly irritating."

The princess glanced at Mai Na, who smiled kindly and spoke with dignity:

"Do not worry, princess. He is strong, brave, and good-hearted. I told you before—he is not evil. Allow me to release him from these magical chains."

But the princess looked at Einver cautiously, thinking aloud:

"No. Leave them on for now. I want to be certain. I cannot risk unleashing a beast upon my city."

Einver ignored her words and turned to the old man, eyeing the chains:

"Old man, what do you mean by magical chains?"

Mai Na replied at once:

"Magical chains are tools forged by smiths skilled in the Trait of Seal and Lock, many of whom exist in this world. A portion of their energy is poured into what they forge, inscribed with arrays and runes to preserve the effectiveness of the trait. Once completed, the chains can bind a person or thing. The more they move or struggle, the tighter they become, until they cut into whoever they bind. Each chain has a set strength. These, for example, were forged by a smith of the Heavenly Realm, first section. No one below that level could break them."

The princess frowned:

"Why are you telling him everything, Uncle Mai Na?"

Realizing his mistake, Mai Na bowed his head apologetically:

"Forgive me, princess. When I first met this boy, he asked me about many things he did not know. I became accustomed to answering him quickly."

The princess sighed softly and smiled with gentleness:

"Never mind, Uncle. Forget it."

Then she turned her gaze back to Einver:

"How can you not know about traits, or magic, or martial arts, or weapons? Why do you know nothing of this world? Tell me—who are you truly?"

---

Einver's gaze remained steady, though every motion carried with it a trace of exhaustion and irritation, weighed down by the endless stream of questions.

With a weary tone that blended frustration and fatigue, he said:

"As I told you before—I spent my life, from the day I was born until now, in a distant mountain with my father. He never taught me anything about magic, traits, or enchanted tools. He only taught me martial arts. After his death, I wished to explore the world. And here I am."

He paused, exhaling heavily, then added with restrained impatience:

"And now, can you please remove these chains? They are uncomfortable, and they restrict every move I make."

The princess—or perhaps one of those present—answered firmly:

"Not yet. I still have my doubts."

Einver exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a brief moment, trying to master the irritation of being restrained, chained, and pressured on all sides.

Inside, he recalled Mai Na's words:

"According to the old man, these chains were forged by merging a trait with magical power. My trait is the Cancellation of Traits. With a single touch of my hand, I can erase the trait and the power within these chains. Then they'll be nothing more than ordinary iron, which I can break easily."

---

Historical Note: Joan of Burgundy

Joan was the daughter of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy, and Agnes of France. Through her noble lineage, she became Queen of France as the first wife of King Philip VI.

She was known for her harshness and cruelty. Mercy was foreign to her nature. She was nicknamed "the Lame Evil Princess" among other titles.

A dreadful ruler, she showed no tolerance for anyone who defied her will. She would kill those who displeased her without hesitation. If she walked a road and disliked someone she encountered, she would have them slain on the spot—simply for that reason.

---

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