"What, my dear guest? Are you not convinced? Just like any other being, my children were born innocent. The cruel environment they've been set in is exactly what twisted their minds. Mind you, we're talking logically here… there is no room for emotions or biased perspectives."

'So? Do you want to defend their actions? Or are you trying to explain to me the process they went through to become like this? I'm not interested.'

Arthur retorted. He felt a chill run down his exposed spine, harmless but dreadful. He could feel Timos' gaze lock onto him, pierce his shrouded mind and peek into hidden thoughts.

"Do not misunderstand. Please. I'm bored so I'm voicing opinions, which are, undoubtedly, facts."

'Hmpf! Just because you say they are facts doesn't mean they are. The Cthulhu may have evolved, mutated, it makes no difference. I'm judging them based on what I've seen.'

"Honored invitee, you're getting a bit agitated so I'll refrain from saying anything else. Let my words sink in. Plus, you'll be staying here for a bit longer so why don't you look around. Explore. Only then will you make sense of something, perhaps even everything."

"Hey." Lucy stopped Arthur, her face showing a look of worry, clearly from his eerie silence and the visibly perturbed train of thought. "Are you okay? Tell me."

Through his non-existent lips, Arthur spoke with a warm and reassuring tone: "It's nothing. Just pondering about the parasite camp. Back then, I'm sure we eradicated them."

Vyncent, who was close enough to hear Arthur, said: "Either a few slipped in or they came from another world. I'm more inclined to the second probability, though."

"They are normal parasites, not as many as the Cthulhu. Now that we got rid of the real danger, getting past them won't be that bothersome."

Lissandra cut-in, her hands releasing a pulsating white glow which beautifully danced around her, seemingly searching for something.

"At most, there a few dozen of parasites. They are protecting an artifact… the powerful kind." She continued while mysteriously moving her hand, injecting a speck of light in each of the other three.

Seeing their confused expression albeit their non-resistance to the incoming light, she explained: "It's a trivial thing that be handy in desperate situations. Basically, it grants you a minor immunity to the mental attacks of the specialized parasites."

Arthur, for one, didn't need it thanks to his special race. Not only is his mental much stronger than the rest, but his Magical and Soul defense are also higher than an Overgod's. Moreover, Curtis is guarding his soul, which is the main target of mental attacks.

Generally, there are three kinds of attacks; physical attacks, mental curses and soul strikes. The last two are closely tied to each other, in fact, mental curses are considered a sub-category of soul strikes. So, as long as one has an impenetrable soul, he or she should not fear meager curses.

Lucy's Physique partially affected her soul, causing it to become filled with Yin power, the main catalyst for mental curses. Besides that, her stats are high enough to negate any mental assault.

Vyncent can fend for himself using his cultivation, however, Lissandra is but a mortal, a frail one. Were it not for her mysterious ability, she would not even be able to walk properly in Riarravar.

"Any idea about the purpose of the tightly-protected artifact?"

Arthur asked the bearded man cautiously walking behind him. In response, Vyncent stopped warily glancing around and turned his pair of eyes to the tall undead in front of him, his expression unreadable.

"A large crystal. It's to be used a fuel for a summoning ritual."

"Summoning? Summon what? Their God?"

Vyncent shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he also doesn't know, oblivious.

'That can't be right. Timos is here, why would they summon Zaarae? Didn't she lose her powers?'

Arthur returned to being lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out the parasites' plan. The old man with flaming skin refused to speak a word so he was immediately killed.

'If she's coming here then there must be a change of plans… damnit!'

Unlike Timos, who doesn't recognize him, Zaarae is another matter. She hold a personal grudge toward him and would definitely pursue him to the end of the world. She's known to be a ruthless and powerful Empress, a peak fighter even without her racial abilities.

"Worried about Zaarae?" Lucy asked him, her eyes staring at the open scorched field all around them.

"It seems we can't just pass through the parasites. I need to make sure they won't summon her. However, I can't find a good reason they'll summon her here. There's nothing left to obtain."

"Maybe they knew about your arrival beforehand."-Lucy

"I don't know. Having her come here will complicate everything."

Lissandra cut the couple off, her expression that of confusion.

"Wait, who are you talking about? Who's this Zaarae?"

"The Parasite Empress." Arthur gave an immediate and honest reply. As she heard him, Lissandra and Vyncent kept silent, neither stopping Arthur nor questioning him about knowledge about said Empress.

They already knew he was parasite but way different than the rest, more powerful and mysterious. From the way he just talked, it was clear that he had issues with Zaarae, who should not be brought here.

"What do you want to do?" Lucy asked her husband, waiting for him to speak of a plan before voicing out her thoughts.

"Check the parasite base and destroy the summoning crystal."

Lucy frowned, thought for a moment before responding: "That's a bit rush, isn't it? We're still not sure if they'll summon her… or if that's even possible. Why don't we investigate first."

Arthur didn't reply to her, instead, he abruptly halted his steps, looked around and said:

"That's not an option anymore."

Lucy didn't get enough time to reply as several swift shadows appeared all around them, each focusing on one of the four. Their faces were covered by a black veil and and their clothes were inky black. Their speed was out of the ordinary, however, to their misfortune, they couldn't reach their target as their legs got mingled into vines that sprung from the ground.

Two of them rolled on the ground and were bound by thick thorny vines while the other two managed to jump away and safely land a distance away from the instantaneous field of poisonous plants created by Arthur.

"What have we here?"

The undead faced the motionless assailants, his feet slowly marching toward them. They cautiously raised their weapons, a pair of silver daggers, and tried to slowly back away only to meet an invisible way.

"We are still far from your base, why the need to come to us, so quickly and aggressively?"

Arthur's voice became ghastly, his cane monotonously banged on the ground with each step taken. A black fog materialized around him, shrouding his figure and releasing an ominous aura.

Actually, Arthur expected them to commit suicide but the reality was much different and surprising. They raised their hands, threw their daggers and knelt on the ground.

Seeing such suspicious behavior, Arthur felt uneasy. He isn't used to such behavior, especially from parasites, who would rather die than submit.

Lucy joined him as two crystalline lotuses flew from her side to the two kneeling parasites, rotating around them and freezing the ground, slowly creeping into their bodies, starting from their lower limbs.

"We mean you no harm, please stop!" One of them yelled with a feminine voice.

Although the freezing process was momentarily stopped, the two closed lotuses remained near the surrendering parasites.

Arthur stopped a few meters away from the parasites, glanced at the other two, who were caught by his vines and fell unconscious, then coldly said.

"I would like to believe you… were it not for your previously raised arms, hostile actions and covered faces."

The undead raised his bony hand, malevolent darkness emanating from the spiky tip of his fingers.

Vyncent, staying at the back, hurriedly said: "It's pointless to argue with them, finish them off and let us go. There will be more coming."

As they heard him, the female parasite who just yelled shook her head and pleaded again:

"No! We came alone! Please believe us. We really meant no harm, we were just testing you."

With a trembling hand, she pointed at the fallen daggers and explained: "Those daggers are fake… they're made of fragile glass. They can't even hurt a corpse."

Arthur followed her gaze and stared at the fallen daggers. One of them flew up to him, stopping inches away from his eerie eye. He stretched his hand and felt the dagger, which easily shattered the moment it made contact with a tiny bit of Dark Magic.

Indeed, the parasite was telling the truth, nevertheless, that doesn't make them any less dangerous.