Extra's Death: I Am the Son of Hades
Chapter 611 - 611: Yesterday's Enemy Is Today's Friend

Karax POV

Several Years Ago

Karax walked through the jungle with a tired mind. After the loss of his hive, he had been fighting monsters after monsters.

The Sacred Treasure the Queen gave him made him Immortal.

Karax couldn't die anymore.

He wanted to use this blessing to become stronger.

To get his revenge.

To crush the bastards.

But…

"Urgh!"

Karax doubled over and puked.

His mind was on the verge of breaking apart and shattering. Even if he was Immortal, the pain from the repeated deaths lingered.

He couldn't forget how the monsters tore his body apart. How they crushed him and laughed at him.

'How long can I continue this?'

Karax's mind was drowned by melancholy.

He realized the weakness of his Sacred Treasure.

[Mentality.]

Without a strong mind, there was no point in being Immortal.

"Uh! Hhuhh!"

He fell to his knees. Tears slipped past his eyes and his body shook like a leaf.

Fear.

Karax was afraid of pain and death.

One part of him was overcome with wrath. It wanted him to use his Immortality to fight stronger enemies, and use repeated fights to overcome his limits.

But another part of him was afraid.

Dying was… painful.

Death was cold and unfeeling. Whenever Karax died and his thoughts stopped, then he was revived, he would be awash with fear.

This was death?

The apathy of death, the way it easily claimed him, made him afraid.

Suddenly, Karax heard a noise. He snapped his head towards the source of it.

There, the mist had taken humanoid shape.

"You!"

Karax pounced on Berserker. But his attacks passed through the mist.

"Calm down. I'm here to talk. Not fight."

Karax didn't listen to the bastard who had killed his family and his Queen. He attacked him like a lunatic.

But nothing happened.

His attacks kept passing through the Berserker.

After days passed and Karax had worn himself down, Berserker finally spoke again.

"I have a deal for you."

"G-get lost."

Berserker crouched, bringing himself to Karax's eye level, who was on the ground.

"Are you sure?" he grinned. "Don't you want your revenge?"

Blinding white-hot wrath burned through Karax. At that moment, the only thought in his mind was to kill Berserker.

But he had already exhausted his body and couldn't move.

"I will help you grow stronger and get revenge."

"I will kill you!"

"Jeez, calm down a bit."

The gloating grin on Berserker's face never disappeared.

"Haven't you heard? Yesterday's enemy is today's friend."

"I will kill you!"

"You just have to do a teeny tiny task of mine. And, voilà, you can grow stronger at a fearsome speed, and then you will have a chance to kill me."

"I will kill you!"

"Yes, yes, so go here, and take this."

Berserker tapped on Karax's forehead. Information flowed into Karax's mind.

When Karax came to, the Berserker had disappeared.

He was enraged that he had lost the chance to kill Berserker and started a rampage for a few days.

What Berserker had given Karax was the location of a 'healing flame' resting in the High Forge of dwarves.

According to the information embedded in Karax's mind, Berserker couldn't touch that flame due to its purification power.

If Karax had that flame, it would heal his mental exhaustion and give him a robust mental defense.

With it, he would be able to use his Sacred Treasure to the fullest.

Karax didn't trust Berserker and thus did not go to the High Forge's location.

He continued to fight monsters.

However, a doubt had been born in his mind.

According to information given to him by Berserker, Zagreus – the person who rampaged in his home – cherished that flame.

And it could be used to blackmail him.

The last message in the information was a simple one.

'Grow stronger. I might materialize to fight you if you are strong.'

Berserker wanted Karax to use that information for himself.

Normally, this would've been a trap.

But knowing Berserker's personality, it could not be a trap.

Berserker was crazy for battles. He would do anything for them, even harm himself.

'No, I won't take his help!'

'I refuse to do it!'

Karax was firm in his decision.

However, the darkness that was causing havoc in his mind (born because he used too much darkness to eat his opponents), and his own weakened mentality after having killed hundreds of times, slowly chipped at Karax's firm decision.

The final blow was the information about Zagreus.

'Stealing this healing flame will make Zagreus go mad.'

Karax would do anything for his revenge, even if that meant going against his own decisions.

He made swift haste towards the location of High Forge.

The mountain beneath which High Forge was located blocked Karax.

"Who are you?"

"A wanderer," Karax said, repeating the words Berserker had taught him.

"What do you want?" the mountain asked.

"Kill Berserker!"

The hatred and rage in Karax's voice made the mountain flinch.

Seeing that Karax was a native of this place, the mountain sighed and finally opened its door.

Karax dashed inside with haste.

He knew the mountain would stop him as soon as it realized Karax's goal.

Within minutes, Karax was deep inside the High Forge.

He grabbed the flame.

'A-ah, who are you? You have my Sacred Treasure.'

Karax ignored the voice. He used the spell Berserker had given him and yanked the healing flame out of the statue.

"What are you doing!?" the mountain roared. "Stop this instant. Or, I will kill you!"

Unfathomable power erupted from all directions.

The mountain was going to crush Karax.

However…

He teleported far away in an instant, taking the flame with himself.

After he was at a safe distance, he quickly moved away from the location, knowing Zagreus could return anytime.

Karax was surprised that everything went as Berserker had told him it would.

It made him understand this was all part of Berserker's plan. Everything he was doing was no different from dancing on Berserker's palm.

But…

It was alright.

Karax looked at the healing flame that was trying to talk to him.

Now, Karax could heal his mental fatigue, and take the full advantage of his Immortality.