Published at 10th of April 2026 7:47 am

Chapter 131: The Bonds That Cage

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Chapter 131: The Bonds That Cage

Stepping back into the vault room, Seo-jin felt heat coil through his legs and hands. Not everything had gone the way hed planned, but it was enough. Once the haul got liquidated, the Dead Hands and the Broodlings would be armed to the teeth. Add dwarf-forged armor and weapons, and Shatterbay wouldnt have a heavier fist.

Right now, he really wanted to kill something to celebrate. Preferably human.

His eyes swept the room. The urge stalled. Grimm wasnt there. Seo-jin had called him to the green chamber. The ghost never showed.

[He probably thought your anger was aimed at him.]

'I wasnt mad at him. I yelled, sure, butshit.'

[Odds are he drifted back to the docks. I wouldnt worry. Not much can hurt him.]

An image flashed, Grimm crashing into his arms on the island, weak, torn, flickering. Seo-jins skin went cold.

What if he gets lost?

Who gets lost?

Min shoved past him, rubbing at her reddened arms.

Seo-jin ignored her and locked eyes on Ash. The look alone made the kid swallow.

You able to detect or track ghosts at range?

Ash paused, weighing the answer, then went straight.

Kinda. If Ive tagged one, I can follow it for about a day. If it gets too far

Can you track Grimm?

That your ghosts name?

Yes. Hes missing

Hold up

Min cut in, quiet this time, head tilted as her eyes scanned the room.

Youve got one too?!

Not now. Can you or can you not?

Ash flinched at the edge in Seo-jins voice and pulled up his system.

I should be able to. Give me a sec yeahgot him

His relief died mid-breath. Ash stepped back, brow tightening.

Seo-jin grabbed him, panic breaking through.

What is it?! Is he okay?!

I dont know. One second he was there. Next secondgone. Think he slipped out of range.

What direction?

Ash hesitated. Seo-jins grip bit down harder.

Ownorth! He was going north

Seo-jin spun on Min, smothering the fear clawing up his gut as he strode for the vault door.

Were splitting up.

What? Why?!

Go back. Tell Gregor what we found, then wait for me.

Min stopped short and shook her head.

Hold upwhat the fuck is happening? Why are you

DO AS YOURE TOLD!

Bloodlight blew out across the room. Seo-jin turned on her, eyes burning red as his aura slammed outward.

It was the first time Min had been on the receiving end of it like this. And for the first time in years, she didnt argue. She didnt even tense.

She nodded.

Yes, boss.

Seo-jin turned away, jaw grinding as panic churned in his gut.

Ash, youre with me.

He sealed the vault behind them, locks grinding home as they stepped out into the tunnel. Min hauled boulders into place to hide the entrance.

Seo-jin didnt wait. He grabbed Ash and slung him over his shoulder like gear. She didnt get another word out. The air cracked as he vanished in a flash of speed that left her in his wake. Even she could tell...hed left her far behind.

Setting the last boulder, unease crept into her chest, while already far ahead, Seo-jin tore through the tunnels, banking hard, plowing straight through a pack of Aruesses without breaking stride. Blood sprayed the walls as he shouted back.

Still nothing?!

Ash clung on, eyes forced open by the wind, hair flattened straight back.

Nothing!

The glow from the street mouth flashed ahead. Seo-jin throttled down for half a breath, then launched, blasting out of the tunnel like a shell. He hit pavement at full speed, concrete spider-webbing under his feet as he tore forward.

Which way!

Thatway!

Ash barely managed to raise an arm, finger stabbing toward the last place Grimm had shown. He clung to hope that this was nothing. That the knot in his chest meant nothing.

[Dont worry, Ash. This is good. Hes always]

'We dont know shit yet. And his territorys west. Theres no way he has him.'

Ash snapped and bucked like a kite in a storm as Seo-jin cornered hard. A sudden jolt drove a sharp spike into his ribs, pain flashing white. Tears leaked out as he fought to keep his eyes open.

Anything?!

Nothing! Waithes there! That way!

Ash pointed left, nearly losing his grip as relief flared. Grimms blue marker blinked alive on his panel.

Then Ash noticed the direction of travel.

The relief curdled into lead.

No

Seo-jin didnt hear him. He was already redlining, lungs burning, mind stripped down to one thing. He knew he was acting off. He knew this looked reckless.

He didnt care.

Grimm wasnt just another broodling. He wasnt just a ghost.

He was different.

And somehow, against all sense, Grimm was the only thing Seo-jin truly gave a shit about. That made Ashs plea land worse.

Boss! Stopplease! You gotta stop!

Seo-jin ignored him. Rage climbed faster as Ash began to thrash and kick. If the kid slipped now, there was no guarantee hed live.

Skidding to a halt, he flung him aside. Seo-jin was already turning to run again when the kid latched onto his leg, voice cracking.

Let me do it! Please! I can get him back! Just waitjust wait here, boss! I swear Im not lying! Ill do whatever you want, anythingjust please. Please let me do this.

Claws slid from Seo-jins fingers. He looked down at Ash. Even through the panic, he could tell, the kid knew something. Something he wasnt saying.

Human. Tell me whats going on, or I will skin you alive

He kicked him off. Ash hit hard, skidding across stone and leaving a smear of blood. He still crawled back, and wrapped both arms around Seo-jins leg.

Please, boss. Let me go alone. Ill bring him back. I swear.

Seo-jin tensed his leg

[Calm the fuck down, idiot. Look at him. Kick him again and you might kill him. Use your mouth, not your fist. And I dont mean eat him.]

The warning cut through just enough.

Seo-jins leg relaxed. The killing intent didnt.

This is your last chance, child. No begging. No noise. The next words out of your mouth better be the truthor you die. That ghost matters more to me than any living thing on this planet. Now speak.

Ash shrank back, scrambling away on hands and knees. Tears poured down his face.

Im sorry, boss. I really am. This is my fault. I didnt report in, so he came looking! If I hadnt tried to catch Grimm, he never wouldve shown! So pleaseI can talk to him! I can get Grimm back. Just

Talk to who?

Ash froze. Then began shaking, his entire body violently trembled.

Something about the kid was wrong.

'What's he doing?'

Ash was breaking apart in a way that didnt fit. This wasnt just panic. There was fear layered under it...thick, choking. Not fear of losing someone, or what would happen if he didnt save Grimm.

Kneeling, Seo-jin forced himself level with the boys face.

Fear me, boy. Im right here.

Ash went paper-white. He coughed, hesitated, wiped his face with shaking hands, then looked up.

Its my father.

The words came out choked.

He shook harder now. His voice came out thin as he crawled forward again.

Please let me go. I promise. Ill bring him back.

[Theres a story here. Ill be honestI kinda wanna hear it.]

Seo-jin stood. He didnt like admitting it, but the pull was there. But curiosity could wait. Grimm couldnt.

Go.

Ashs shaking eased just enough to show through. He looked up at Seo-jin like hed been spared by a god. He crawled forward again and wrapped both arms around Seo-jins leg.

Thank you! I swear on my lifeIll bring Grmm back. No matter what. Just wait here.

Seo-jin let him go. Wiping his nose, Ash backed away, talking fast like reassurance would ease all worries. Then he turned and ran flat out.

Watching him go, Seo-jin frowned as his eyes locked on Ash's ghosts. All three huddled behind him, tight and trembling.

I shouldnt have let Grimm out of my sight. Now Im dealing with family shit.

[If he has a father, youd have had to kill him eventually anyway. Doubt hed be fine with you dragging his kid into a gang.]

Yeah. Doubt his reasons are clean.

Seo-jin moved. He didnt rush. He followed the trail the easy way, with his nose. Piss carried. Fear carried farther.

The kids situation gnawed at him. Something was wrong. The kid's weight alone told enough. If the boy had a father, the man wasnt doing his job. Not even close.

'If I play this right, this might work better than my first plan. Depends on what kind of man his father is.'

He vaulted to the top of a broken structure and paused, sight pushing outward. There...Ash, running hard, lungs burning.

If the mans interesting, I might take them both.

[Collecting humans now? That titles getting to your head.]

He shrugged and smiled thin.

Killing them. Breaking them. Making them serve. Thats what theyre good for. Im just being true to myself.

Dropping down without a sound, he followed at a distance. Watched. Waited.

But if Grimm came into real danger

Then both of them would die.

----

In a world choked with monsters, mana, shards, and gods, nothing worked without payment. Potions drank something down. Armor demanded rare hides. Weapons needed cores, bones, metals ripped from things that screamed. Charms, rituals, wards...every miracle bled resources.

People too weak to carve dungeons or survive the freelands learned another way. They gathered. They harvested. They sold what stronger hands needed to stay alive. Entire lives built around scraping magic out of the world piece by piece.

Ash had been born into one of those lives.

And as he ran, blood burning through his veins like molten wire, he cursed it with everything he had.

'Why?! Why did I forget?!'

[Theres no point asking that. Youve got bigger problems. How are you even planning to do this? You know hes gonna kill you, right? You shouldve just let him]

'No! If they meetI dont want that. I didnt before, but I do now. I wanna be a Dead Hand. Im done living like this.'

He cut a corner hard, eyes splitting focus between the street ahead and the twin icons on his interfaceGrimms light and that man's shadow.

[Then why are you doing this?! Let him get what he deserves!]

Skidding to a stop, he slammed his fist into a shattered wall, knuckles splitting open.

Hes my father!

The words shocked him as much as the pain. He sagged for a heartbeat, dragging a filthy hand through his hair, then forced himself back into motion.

Ill handle this. This is on me. I have to prove Im not a coward.

His voice cracked near the end. Seo-jins stare and Min walking past him burned behind his eyes, and he couldnt shake it. Sure the time capsule was part of it, but for some reason even he didn't understand, he wanted their approval. He wanted to join them.

The icons drew closer.

Ash slowed, lungs screaming, feet careful now. He stretched the seconds thin, pulled a breath deep into his chest, and stepped out from behind the building.

Onto the street.

And there he was.

His breath hitched. Just like always. Ash was already failing.

The man was walking with his back to him, but that was enough. It always was. He never went anywhere without his favorite ghost, the one he treated more like a son than Ash had ever been.

Six feet tall. Torn brown trench coat hanging off a thin frame. Hair brown and ragged, same as Ashs. Coiled around him was a dark green shape, a scaled body shifting slow, wings folded tight along a long, serpentine form. Crocodile head. Serpent body. A bird's wings. The ghost bled despair into the air, an aura Ash had hated for as long as he could remember.

And in his fathers hand

Black and blue fire burned cold. A cage shaped from dark flame, with Grimm trapped inside it.

Ash reached out without thinking. His hand rose. Then fell.

But the world didnt wait.

Get over here, boy.

His father didnt turn. Didnt slow. The words alone bent Ashs spine. His hands folded together in front of him, fingers twisting.

Y-yes, father.

Without thinking, the boy crept up behind his father, not walking so much as shrinking into the space.

His skin had gone chalk-pale.

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