Chapter 73: The One Causing All This Trouble.

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The One Causing All This Trouble.

Chapter 73: The One Causing All This Trouble.

Osborne emerged from the white space, his figure appearing within the dark tunnel once more.

He stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath as he tried to catch his breath.

The fight with the Beta had taken more out of him than he would have liked to admit.

Although he had managed to defeat her, the difference in their physical abilities had been quite clear.

If not for his enhanced senses, his ability to use his spells in unexpected ways with the aid of his abnormal mana control, and the fact that he had managed to catch her off guard, things could have ended very differently.

He slowly straightened his back before letting out a quiet sigh.

"You’ve been awfully quiet." He said, only to recieve no answer.

He turned his head slightly, his eyes scanning the dark tunnel.

Yet there was nothing there.

However, his enhanced senses had already picked up the faint sound of movement.

He looked toward one of the large cages that had been pushed against the wall.

A moment later, Clawdeth stepped out from behind it.

Her expression remained as emotionless as ever, although her eyes were fixed on Osborne.

"I was ready to interfere if needed." She said.

Osborne let out a quiet laugh. "Of course you were."

There was a faint smile on his face.

Clawdeth simply stared at him without responding.

Osborne stood straight, stretching his arms slightly before looking deeper into the tunnel.

"We should hurry and end things."

Clawdeth nodded.

"Agreed."

The two continued forward.

Their footsteps echoed softly through the underground passage, the sound bouncing from one stone wall to another.

Osborne kept his eyes forward, but his senses remained fully alert.

They had already discovered the cages and Encountered a Beta.

And if Vanessa was somewhere within these tunnels, there was no telling what else might be waiting for them.

Still, something else caught his attention.

Clawdeth.

She had been unusually quiet ever since they left the cavern.

Every now and then, Osborne noticed her taking a glance at him.

At first, he ignored it.

Perhaps she was simply checking whether he was injured.

After all, he had taken several hits during his fight with the Beta.

But after the third glance, Osborne began to find it suspicious.

He continued walking for a little longer before suddenly stopping.

Clawdeth took another step before noticing that he had stopped.

She looked at him.

Osborne turned around.

"If there’s something on your mind, it’s best you tell me now."

Clawdeth’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Osborne continued. "Before it becomes a problem later."

"There is no such thing." Her answer came almost immediately.

Osborne stared at her. "You expect me to believe that?"

"I’m afraid I’m unable to control my y lords wishes." She said.

" Still trying to feign ignorance...." Osborne said. " If that’s the case, Then why have you been staring at me?"

"I wasn’t." She said.

"You were." He retorted.

"I wasn’t." She denied once more.

"You were." He remained adamant.

Clawdeth’s expression remained unchanged.

Osborne sighed. "You know, you’re not very convincing."

Clawdeth looked away.

Osborne walked closer.

"Is it because of what happened earlier?"

"No." She replied.

"Then what is it?" He asked.

"I apologise if I’ve done something to upset you... My lord, but there really isn’t anything worth mentioning." She said.

Osborne frowned.

He reached out, intending to grab her shoulder and stop her from avoiding the conversation.

But the moment his hand moved toward her, Clawdeth instinctively stepped back.

It wasn’t a large movement. But her actions were kick, Almost automatic.

Osborne noticed it.

His hand remained in the air for a moment.

Clawdeth also seemed to realize what she had done.

The two remained silent.

Osborne looked at her eyes.

There was something different about them. Unlike the contempt she usually hid, now there was something else.

Vigilance.

She was watching him more carefully than before.

Almost as though she was afraid of what might happen if he got too close.

Osborne’s expression slowly changed.

He lowered his hand.

Then he placed his palm against his face.

"Haa..." A short laugh escaped his mouth.

"So that’s it."

Clawdeth didn’t answer.

Osborne shook his head while laughing quietly.

"What am I even doing?" He looked down at his hand.

The same hand that had pierced through the Beta’s body. The same hand that had burned her flesh with Flame Touch.

The same hand that was beginning to look less human than it once did.

His eyes lingered on it for a moment.

The sharp claws. The faint changes that had begun appearing throughout his body.

He had noticed them himself, so of course Clawdeth would notice them too.

’ Plus I might’ve made her more suspicious since I took that woman’s body earlier...’ Osborne slowly shook his head.

He didn’t say anything else.

Instead, he turned around and continued walking.

Clawdeth pressed her lips into a thin line.

She stood there for a few seconds before following him.

Neither of them spoke again.

The silence between them continued as they walked deeper into the underground tunnels.

Osborne didn’t bring up the subject again.

There was no point.

He understood what was going through her mind.

She had seen what happened to him.

The horns, claws, his strange growing strength, as well as his inhumane eyes.

And now she had seen him defeat a Beta.

To Clawdeth, it was probably becoming harder and harder to pretend that nothing was wrong.

Osborne couldn’t blame her.

After all, even he didn’t know exactly how far these changes would go.

Still, there was no time to worry about that now.

They had more important things to deal with.

The two continued through the tunnels for several minutes.

The further they went, the quieter everything became.

No screams nor footsteps apart from there’s could be heard.

Not even the sound of the creatures they had encountered earlier.

It was almost as if the entire underground area had suddenly gone silent.

Osborne’s eyes narrowed.

Something was wrong.

He could smell someone nearby.

A familiar scent.

Immediately, he stopped.