Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires-Chapter 322: Empire of the Unliving

Rynor might have been a prince, but he didn't really think or act like one. As such, he didn't concern himself with pride or honor. If he had to flee from battle to live another day, he was going to do it—no questions asked.

Wanting to get away from the area as quickly as he could, he mounted the bird and fled full speed ahead.

His hands were on the reins, but his mind was somewhere else.

'What was that thing? I… am not even sure if it was there or if I imagined it. That damned place is too dark to see clearly, but the fear I felt at that moment…' His expression darkened even more. It was like he was looking at his own brother once again. Maybe even his brother would have fallen to that thing.

"But what was it doing? Just standing there, blending into the suffocating darkness as if it were part of the very air. God knows how long it had been there," he muttered, his voice heavy with unease.

A shiver went down his spine. He found the idea frightening. It would have been better if the thing attacked head-on. But it didn't. It was just standing there, observing, as if it was waiting for something.

'The only reason I sensed it was because one of my mirrors caught its reflection. That was when my body told me to run… is it possible it realized I saw it?'

Rynor didn't know a lot about the Abyss, as it was strictly kept secret among the Abyss users. Not to mention, even the little that was known was inconsistent, as if the place didn't follow the laws of nature.

'It will not be a bad idea to report this,' he realized. If he were to deliver unknown information about the Abyss to his father, then maybe he could improve his image.

"See?! I am not useless!" he declared, trying to hype himself up. He was subconsciously doing it to forget the unimaginable fear he had felt a few moments ago.

A few hours later, Rynor reached the camp he had stayed in before.

"Your Highness!" Leo was the first to realize that the prince had returned and greeted him with a smile. Seeing the young lad back must have led him to believe that he had won the fight.

"Inform the Crimson Sun Empire." However, contrary to Leo's expectations, Rynor didn't sound happy or proud of himself. "We will be unable to help them with capturing the town."

Leo's eyes widened. "But Your Highness! You went there personally, did you not? What happened?"

Rynor's gaze darkened for a moment. "I lost, simple as that. Now, I'm going to report to the emperor. There are matters I need to discuss with Father. Until then, do as you wish with the camp."

Not letting Leo get another word in, Rynor commanded the bird to fly into the sky once again.

In other empires, teleportation runes were a common means of travel, but the Graveborn Empire had strained relations with the elves, and there was a fear that the elves might use these runes to their own advantage. As a result, the Graveborns didn't rely on them.

Not that Rynor minded. He had plenty of time to think as he flew. His gaze wandered over the vast sky as his thoughts ran deep.

*****

Eventually, he reached his destination. He was the kind of person who wouldn't stop once he started something—not until it was finished. So, he didn't bother to sleep, eat, or drink the entire way home.

"At times like these, the undead creatures come in handy. They don't need to stop to replenish their energy at all," Rynor muttered to himself.

As always, Rynor took a few moments to look at the giant tree that was growing in the middle of their capital.

It was hundreds of meters tall, making it appear as though it were a mountain.

Getting off the bird, Rynor began to head to the castle at the heart of the capital.

As he neared, the number of undead creatures increased. Skeletons, zombies, ghouls—all manner of monstrosities roamed the streets. But the Empire's loyalty to its rulers kept everything in balance.

The presence of so many undead—especially creatures other than skeletons—remained a mystery to outsiders.

Finally, Rynor reached the grand gates of the castle. No human guards were in sight. His father, distrustful of living creatures who weren't under his direct control, ensured that only the undead were responsible for his protection.

As usual, he was let in without any problem. The undead creatures knew not to attack him.

Navigating the hallways of the castle, he eventually reached the doors to the throne room where his father resided most of the time.

And it was no surprise that the most elite force of the Empire stood guard, protecting the emperor.

A single figure—no countless abominations, just one—was tasked with keeping His Majesty safe.

It wasn't that the emperor was arrogant, thinking himself untouchable. No, this figure was so powerful that no one dared approach and if they did they wouldn't live to tell the tale.

Rynor halted his steps, gazing at the being.

Of all the undead creatures in the Empire, this one looked the most human. It wore dark, ancient armor, far older than Rynor himself. A massive sword rested on its back, covered in countless kill marks. The only thing that marked it as not truly alive was its missing head. A Dullahan, the strongest being the Empire possessed. Rynor had seen it fight only once… and he never wanted to witness such a sight again.

It was during the time when his brother wanted to prove he was the strongest in the empire. He went on a rampage, defeating every individual once thought to be strong with terrifying ease. However, the Emperor declared one final challenge—he had to defeat the Dullahan.

That was the one and only time in Rynor's life when he witnessed his brother being tossed around like an object. By the time the Dullahan was finished with him, his face was so mangled that not even the best healers could fully restore it. From that moment on, his brother changed. He became colder, more distant, and—strangely—instead of hating their father, he began to follow him with absolute loyalty.

There was a running rumor that all members of the royal family were insane—and Rynor agreed. He had a few loose screws himself.

"I am here to speak with Father. I have important information," Rynor spoke firmly, trying to calm his raging nerves.

The Dullahan shifted its body to the side as if looking at him. Not that the prince knew if it could see, as it lacked a head.

A few seconds passed in silence until the Dullahan moved and opened the doors.

With a silent nod, Rynor entered, his heart starting to pound even faster.

'It has been some time since I have seen my father, so it makes sense to feel like that,' he reassured himself.

However, once he entered, his eyes widened as he witnessed something he hadn't taken into account.

His brother was already there, kneeling in front of their father. It seemed the two had been talking about something until Rynor entered and interrupted their conversation.

A bead of sweat appeared on Rynor's forehead. He dreaded speaking with one of them, but with two at the same time?! In that moment, his mind went blank, and only a single thought resonated in it. 'Fuck,'