SSS-Class Overlord: My Harem Rules the Realms (18+)-Chapter 68: Who is He?

The scribbles glowed faintly in the gloom, as though the stone itself remembered the echo of magic

long vanished.

Ethan stared at the circle which was made on the dirty brick wall—a circle intertwined with jagged runes and intricate geometries, half-smudged where chalk dust crumbled away.

Black scorch marks spiderwebbed out from its center as though something had tried to claw its way into this world...and failed.

He knelt closern to the circle, fingers brushing over one of the curved sigils. It was cool and dry, but an almost electric tingle shot up his arm. It was quick by which it sent shivers down his spine.

"This..." he murmured, more to himself than to Reyna, "shouldn’t exist. I’ve played that game for

years. Mapped every dungeon. Found every hidden script file. This was never there."

Reyna leaned over his shoulder, her braid swinging forward like a coiled rope. "Well, seems like

somebody tried ta summon somethin’ nasty... but botched the bloody ritual, don’t ya think so?"

Ethan tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he studied the broken lines and ruined sigils. "Or something might have interrupted it. Whoever did this wasn’t just some back-alley cultist scrawling symbols. These are... precise. Complex."

A breath of cold wind swept through the alley, rustling Reyna’s fur mantle. She gave an exaggerated

shiver and planted her axe’s spike into the ground.

"Gives me the creeps, Ethan. Ya know I’m all fer bashing skulls, but this... this smells like trouble,

don’t ya think so?"

Ethan straightened, his mouth a grim line. "This is way bigger than us alone. First the corrupted

cores... now this. It’s not random. Someone’s orchestrating something. And we’re running blind

into the dark."

He turned toward Reyna, his silver eyes intense under the lantern glow. "We’re gonna need a team.

A real one. People who can handle fights, investigations... maybe even high-tier magic. We’re

outmatched if we try this alone. We need outstanding, loyal individuals."

Reyna blinked, then cracked a wild grin. "Well, don’t ya think I’d let ya go alone, do ya? Of course

I’m in. Why the hell would I miss out on the fun, don’t ya think so?"

Ethan couldn’t help it—a grin broke through his grim expression. He reached out, clasping her

forearm in a soldier’s grip.

"Welcome on board, companion."

Reyna returned the grip with bone-crushing force. "Ya damn right."

Suddenly, a metallic chime rang in the quiet air.

[System Notification]

[Quest Update: Recruit Your Party]

[Total Members Required: 5]

[Members Recruited: 1 (Reyna Ironfang)]

[Reward: +10 Attribute Points]

Ethan blinked as the notification faded into translucent blue smoke. "One down... four more to go."

He drew a sharp breath, scanning the shadows. "Come on. We start with the slums. If there’s a cult,

that’s where rumors start first."

The slums of Calsoz sprawled like a festering wound across the city’s underside. Twisting alleys

overflowed with refuse and broken crates. Rooftops leaned over the streets, their eaves dripping

dirty rainwater from earlier storms.

The air smelled of sour ale, rotting vegetables, and smoke from gutter fires. Shadows loomed like

watchful eyes between the crooked buildings.

Ethan led the way, stepping over puddles reflecting sickly orange lantern light. Reyna trailed behind

him, broad shoulders shifting beneath her cloak, axe handle resting casually across her shoulder as

though daring anyone to cause trouble.

A few beggars peered up from doorways, eyes dull and defeated. Children with gaunt faces

scattered when Ethan and Reyna passed, slipping into cracks between buildings.

"Not exactly a cozy place for a stroll, don’t ya think so?" Reyna muttered.

"It’s where secrets hide," Ethan replied. "People talk down here. Or at least... they used to."

He slipped a few silver coins into a vendor’s hand—a toothless old woman hawking scraps of

boiled fish. "Heard anything strange? Monsters, cults, weird magic circles?"

The woman glanced around furtively. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Things be

changin’, lad. Men in black cloaks. Red-eyed beasts roamin’ the alleys at night. Folk disappearin’.

Best leave it alone, or they’ll come for ye next."

Before Ethan could press further, she shuffled away, eyes darting around like a cornered rat.

Reyna gave a low whistle. "See? Told ya. Creepy shite, don’t ya think so?"

Ethan frowned, scanning the darkness. "They’re terrified. Someone’s keeping them silent."

They continued deeper into the slums, passing boarded windows and collapsing stairwells. The

further they walked, the quieter the streets grew, until the only sounds were the scrape of boots and

the distant clang of a hammer on iron.

Then Ethan froze mid-step.

A figure stood half-hidden beneath a sagging awning, cloaked in dark fabric, face half-hidden in

shadows. But even in the gloom, Ethan saw the pale streak of hair hanging over the man’s brow. A

cold shock ran through him.

"...Is that him...?" Ethan whispered under his breath.

Reyna stepped closer, eyes narrowed. "Oi, ya know that bloke, don’t ya think so?"

Ethan swallowed, pulse hammering. "Yeah. From the academy. Kael. But... he disappeared after

that tournament. No one saw him again."

[System Notification]

[Potential Party Member Detected]

[Action Recommended: Engage in conversation.]

[Party Progress: 1/5]

Ethan’s eyes widened as the message faded. His fingers tightened around Warlord’s Fang’s hilt.

Kael shifted as though sensing their attention. His eyes lifted—a cold steel-gray gleam catching the

lantern light.

Reyna hissed, "Well, don’t just stand there like a sodden goose. Talk to him, don’t ya think so?"

But Kael turned away, slipping between two buildings like smoke vanishing into the night.

Ethan swore under his breath. "Shit—come on!"

He broke into a run, charging through puddles and garbage. Reyna thundered after him, muttering

curses under her breath.

"Dammit, Ethan, wait up, don’t ya know?!"

Ethan didn’t stop. He couldn’t. Whoever Kael had become... he might hold the answers Ethan

desperately needed. And right now, he was determined to build a team strong enough to stand

against the rising darkness gathering across the world.

Even if it meant chasing ghosts through the slums until dawn.

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om