Reincarnated As A Wolf With Cheats

Chapter 441: Void [1]: Aella

Shin's mind became a desolate landscape, stripped of its vitality and ensnared in the clutches of a merciless darkness.

"You'll come to appreciate my efforts in sculpting you into perfection. You'll just have to pay the price."

***

"Y-your highness-! Save me-!" A desperate, trembling voice echoed in Shin's ears, piercing through the haze of his consciousness and jolting him awake. His eyes snapped open, wide with a mixture of confusion and urgency.

"Wh-o?" Shin's voice trembled as he uttered the question, his eyes drawn to the horrifying sight before him. In front of him, a small female wolf lay on the ground, her body shackled with chains that dug into her flesh. 

Blood pooled around her, staining the floor with a gruesome reminder of the brutality she had endured. All four of her paws were brutally cut, leaving them mangled and lifeless. The scene was a chilling display of suffering and despair, and Shin's heart clenched at the sight.

Shin's lips parted once more, ready to voice his question, but a searing wave of pain crashed through his head, engulfing his senses. The intensity of the headache was so immense that it felt like his skull was being squeezed in a vise. 

He clutched his head, his fingers trembling as he tried to endure the torment coursing through his mind. The pain was overwhelming, threatening to swallow him whole and leaving him unable to form coherent thoughts or utter a single word.

"Aella?" Shin finally managed to utter her name, his voice filled with a mixture of surprise and concern. But as he said her name, an unexpected surge of anger surged within him, rising like a furious volcano ready to erupt.

To his astonishment, Shin realized that his body was miraculously unscathed. There wasn't a single trace of the brutal injuries he had sustained moments ago. His decapitated leg, which had been a gruesome sight, was now fully restored, whole and functioning as if nothing had happened. It was a baffling sight, defying all logic and understanding. 

Shin's gaze fell upon a glinting dagger embedded firmly in the ground, its hilt beckoning to him. It seemed to emanate an aura of ancient power and resilience. The sight of the dagger sparked a surge of determination within Shin, as if it held the key to his salvation and the means to protect those he cared for.

'TORTURE HER! KILL HER! TORUTRE HER! KILL HER!'

A chilling darkness seemed to engulf Shin's being as his body moved mechanically, devoid of any trace of his former self. His eyes, once filled with warmth and compassion, now reflected a hollow emptiness. 

The sinister whispers echoed relentlessly in his mind, urging him to commit heinous acts. His arm extended, the grip on the dagger tightening with an unnerving precision. Step by step, he approached Aella, his movements eerily calculated.

However, in the midst of his mechanical approach, a glimmer of clarity flickered in Shin's eyes. It was as if a veil had been momentarily lifted, allowing a glimpse of his true self to resurface.

His grip on the dagger faltered, and a surge of inner strength began to push against the puppet strings that controlled his every move.

"What... What is this overwhelming killing intent?" In a mere second, the suffocating aura that had engulfed Shin dissipated, but its impact remained etched in his very soul. The sheer magnitude of the malevolence left an indelible mark on his consciousness.

"Aella!" Shin hurried toward her voice filled with gratitude and impatience, his hand tightly gripping the sword, poised to sever the chains that held her captive.  But..

'KILL HER'

Spurt!

"NOOOOOOO!"

With a surge of willpower, Shin managed to regain clarity at the last moment, allowing him to redirect the trajectory of the sword. However, despite his efforts, the blade grazed Aella's shoulder, causing a searing pain and fresh blood to flow from the wound.

The sword had lodged deeply into Aella's shoulder, causing excruciating pain and the flow of blood intensified. Shin realized that forcefully removing the sword could result in even more blood loss, risking Aella's life. He carefully assessed the situation, contemplating the best course of action to minimize further harm.

"Ha-!"

Exhausted and overwhelmed with despair, Shin's body collapsed to the ground. He lay there, his gaze fixed on Aella, a mixture of anguish and helplessness etched on his face. 

Every fiber of his being ached, both physically and emotionally, as he struggled to comprehend the dire circumstances surrounding them.

"No! She'll die at this rate! I have to do something!" Shin's determination surged within him, overriding his exhaustion. With a burst of adrenaline, he forced himself back onto his feet. His trembling hands swiftly accessed the system, desperate for any information or solution that could save Aella's life. 

Yet, as he frantically searched, his heart sank at the realization that the system remained unresponsive and offered no guidance.

[System Updating...]

"You damned thing! Work already! Stop updating! I beg of you!" Shin's voice cracked with desperation as tears mixed with blood flowed from his bloodshot eyes.

His cheeks were streaked with blood, crimson tears streaming down his face. Desperate to save Aella, Shin's heart sank as he witnessed dark energy coiling around her fragile form. Helplessness engulfed him, as he realized the cruel fate that awaited her.

As soon as the dark energy enveloped her, piercing screams of agony ripped through the air, reverberating in the room. Each cry was a piercing stab to Shin's heart, fueling his determination to free her from this torment.

"Aella!"

"How does it feel, master? To know that someone is suffering so terribly because of you," 

"Every scream, every ounce of pain she endures, it's all because of your failures. Enjoy the agony you've brought upon her."

"Deoras, you heartless bastard! Stop this torment at once!" He recognized the voice that taunted him, the voice that reveled in the suffering of others.

"Master~ Are you despairing~" Deoras's twisted voice dripped with sadistic pleasure.