Chapter 237: The Rot That Creeps

I rolled my shoulders, and the wings on my back flared open with a soft ripple of mist and Essence.

With a strong push, I launched myself upward, the force of my takeoff cracking the stone beneath my feet. The wind howled past my ears as I soared through the air, heading straight toward the area where I sensed Silver was locked in combat.

Within seconds, he came into view.

Silver’s crimson form was a blur of fury, slashing through the air with deadly precision. He was fighting two Abominations on his own—both Dead Crawlers, just like before. Their levels floated above their decayed bodies: 145 and 147.

I hovered midair, wings spread wide, holding myself steady above the treetops. The fight below was brutal, but I didn’t interfere. I trusted Silver to handle it.

My eyes narrowed as I scanned the forest around them.

Every tree, every bush, every broken branch—I took it all in through my perception. I expanded my senses outward, trying to detect any lingering trace of Ana or Steve.

I clicked my tongue in frustration, then turned to the right. Changing direction midair, I flew in a wide arc around the edge of the battlefield. My wings beat rhythmically as I skimmed over the treetops, scanning the terrain below like a hawk searching for prey.

Soon, Silver finished his fight and took off again, heading to search the left side of the area while I continued sweeping the right.

*****

Nearly two hours passed.

I had scoured every inch of the zone I believed they could be in. My perception reached deep into the forest, sweeping through trees, underbrush, and even beneath the surface. Still, nothing.

Then—suddenly—I felt a tug through my bond with Silver. A sharp nudge, not from danger, but urgency.

Without wasting a second, I turned and launched toward his location. The wind howled past me as I cut through the air, my wings beating hard to close the distance.

When I reached him, he was standing motionless in front of a large tree, his head tilted slightly as he stared at something on the ground. I landed beside him and followed his gaze.

There, tangled in the roots of the tree, was a blood-soaked part of Steve’s shirt.

I crouched down and picked it up.

The fabric was torn, half-dried blood staining every fold. My grip tightened. I recognized it immediately—it was Steve’s shirt.

My chest tightened, and for a moment, I didn’t move. A cold sense of dread settled over me.

But I forced myself to calm down.

I didn’t want to believe something bad had happened. I couldn’t—not yet. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and focused.

Then I activated [Psynapse Overdrive].

The world around me slowed to a crawl. My thoughts exploded in speed, racing at a pace my body couldn’t match. For a brief moment, everything felt frozen—clear.

That’s when I noticed something.

My Psynapse value had jumped. A lot.

Psynapse: 996

I blinked, surprised. I’d gained ten levels earlier, but I hadn’t realized the full extent of what that meant until now. Still, I pushed the thought aside. I had more important things to focus on.

Carefully, I placed Steve’s blood-soaked shirt aside and pressed both palms against the ground.

For a second, the Essence in my body halted—completely still.

Then, with a sudden jolt, it surged forward like a flood, pouring through my channels and rushing into the earth below.

The moment it touched the ground, I began receiving information.

Sensations, vibrations, traces of movement—Essence mapped it all out for me. The pulse spread outward, expanding rapidly to the far edge of my perception range.

Then, just before I ran out of stored Essence, I felt it.

Two life signatures. Underground. Faint—but real.

I bolted upright. My wings spread wide and I launched forward without hesitation, heading straight for the location. Silver followed closely behind, screeching sharply as he matched my pace.

With a heavy crash, I landed hard at the spot. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the rocky surface.

I spun my staff and slammed it down with all my strength.

Boom.

The ground split open, breaking apart in a wave of dust and debris. A large hole formed instantly. I didn’t wait—I leapt inside.

I landed softly in a narrow tunnel and immediately looked ahead.

My breath caught in my throat.

Barely ten feet away, I saw Steve sitting with his back against the wall. His eyes were closed, and his arms were wrapped around Ana. She lay unconscious in his lap, her head resting gently on his chest.

But something was terribly wrong.

One of her wings—her right one—had been cut clean down the middle, split vertically. Part of it was wrapped in Steve’s torn shirt, the same shirt I had found above.

My heart dropped. I took a slow step forward and called out.

“Steve.”

His eyes opened slowly, blinking several times before he squinted at me.

“Billion?” he said, voice dry and hoarse.

I rushed to his side and knelt down beside him. My wings faded away, retreating back into my body.

Even in the dim light, I could see how bad his condition was.

His right arm… it didn’t even look like it belonged to him anymore. It was completely dried up, as if all the muscle and life had been drained from it. Cuts and bruises covered his body.

I placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered, “Hey. It’s me.”

He turned his head toward me and gave a weak smile. “Finally… you’re here.”

I nodded and checked their conditions.

[Steve Harper – Level 93]

[Anastasia Redscale – Level 114]

My eyes widened.

Steve was Level 72 when I last saw him. Ana had just hit 100. How much time had passed down here?

“What happened to you?” I asked softly.

Steve shifted slightly, wincing at the movement. “I’ll explain… but we need help first.”

“Help?” I echoed, confused.

He motioned toward his ruined right arm, then toward Ana’s wing, still wrapped in fabric.

My brows furrowed.

I gently unwrapped the shirt from Ana’s wing, careful not to disturb her.

What I saw horrified me.

Her wing was in the same condition as Steve’s arm—lifeless, shriveled. As if something had sucked all the energy and Essence right out of it.

“What… what happened?” I whispered.

Steve didn’t answer.

His head tilted back slightly and his eyes closed again. His chest rose and fell steadily—he was unconscious.

I stood up, urgency flaring in my chest. This wasn’t just an injury. Something unnatural had done this to them.

I shot upward through the hole and emerged back onto the surface.

Without a word, I sent Silver back to the core, then sealed the tunnel shut from the inside, covering the opening with rock and debris.

Once everything was hidden, I returned underground.

I sat down quietly beside them, the tunnel heavy with silence.

Carefully, I lifted Steve’s right arm into my hands. His skin was unlike anything I’d seen before—dry, brittle, and cracked like aged bark. It had turned a dull brown, rough to the touch, clinging tightly to the bones beneath as if all the muscle and life had been drained out.

“What did this to you…?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. “Some kind of Abomination?”

I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t even guess what kind of creature or force could cause something like this.

I traced my eyes along the length of his arm, slowly following the damage up to his shoulder.

That’s when I noticed it.

The affliction—whatever it was—was still spreading.

Very slowly, the skin around his shoulder was beginning to take on the same dry, lifeless texture. It was crawling upward, inch by inch, moving toward his neck. The change was subtle, almost unnoticeable unless you were looking for it.

It might take a full week for the effect to reach further, maybe longer—but it was spreading. And even though it was slow, his body was clearly trying to resist it. I could feel the faint flickers of energy pulsing beneath the skin, as if his life energy was struggling to push back.

But it wasn’t enough.

And if this continued… he wouldn’t just lose an arm.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!