Extra's Death: I Am the Son of Hades

Chapter 664: Regret, Pain

Zagreus POV

Zagreus stood still as his body reformed in the gap between dimensions.

The ground beneath was shaped like a chess board.

The black and white tiles extended endlessly, like a floor stretching into infinity.

Above him loomed a sky of endless shifting shadow, empty and without stars.

There was no wind, or warmth in this place, just cold silence.

In front of him stood F #4, the doll-like being who had guided him into this world before.

“Welcome back, Zagreus Hargraves,” she said calmly.

She did not praise him or, acknowledge of success.

Zagreus hadn’t done anything worth praising.

He was here, yes, but only because ’Nameless Death’ had carried him.

That man had taken on every burden, fought every battle, and cleared the path that Zagreus couldn’t.

The Shadow Trial was meant to test him, but all it had done was be helped by ’Nameless Deat—’ no, ’Neo’.

“Please, tell us your wish,” asked the doll, F #9.

Zagreus opened his mouth. Then closed it.

He had a lot of thoughts.

He wanted to go back, and help. Judging by how urgently ’Neo’ sent him away from Voraka Site, something dangerous was about to happen.

He wanted to ask if Nameless Death was really Neo.

But he didn’t — couldn’t — ask those wishes as his reward.

The final words of Bael, just before shoving him through the portal, echoed in his mind.

“Don’t forget the reason why you started this Shadow Trial, Prince. That is the foundation of everything.”

His chest tightened.

His mouth was dry.

“I…” he began, then stopped again.

His throat wouldn’t cooperate.

He wanted to go and help ’Neo’ but the thought that if he didn’t ask to correct his bloodline skill here, then that Neo might die as soon as he tried to awaken, swirled in Zagreus’ head.

“Please speak, Zagreus Hargraves. We do not have endless time.”

Zagreus bit down on his lip until it almost bled.

Then, slowly, forcing the words out like they were knives, he said,

“I want to remove the Death skill of my bloodline. And replace it with something more useful.”

Even as he spoke, his heart was being crushed.

He was leaving ’Neo’, who was potentially facing an imminent danger, alone and not helping him with his Shadow Trial reward.

There was silence.

F #9 didn’t immediately respond.

She stared at him, expression unchanged, though there was something about her stillness that made the air heavier.

“The Death skill is a curse,” she said eventually. “It cannot be removed.”

Zagreus’s insides froze.

But he forcefully took a deep breath, and calmed himself.

He had half-expected this answer.

The demon had warned him of this possibility.

Shadow Supreme’s power was vast, but it wasn’t absolute, and he might not be able to grant his wish.

“Fine,” Zagreus said quietly. “Then I want to create a method of resurrection. A way to bring back any Hargraves descendant who dies because of the Death skill. All Hargraves descendants must find this method before they try to use their Death skill.”

Again, the dolls were silent.

F #9’s eyes shifted slightly, like she was listening to something—or someone—Zagreus couldn’t see.

He waited, fingers twitching.

Finally, she nodded.

“We can do that. It will require us to create contracts with all recognized Underworlds. The scope is… difficult, but it’s not impossible.”

Her voice by the end was uncertain.

“Can you do it or not?” Zagreus snapped, noticing the uncertainty. “If you can’t, then tell Shadow Supreme to kill himself. That’ll be my wish.”

There was a pause.

Then F #9 bowed her head.

“…We can fulfill your wish of resurrection.”

A portal shimmered open behind him, the surface rippling like mercury.

Without another word, Zagreus stepped through.

When he emerged, the strength he had borrowed from the demon vanished immediately.

It was like being submerged in cold water.

The power left his body in waves, each stronger than the last.

He felt the crash of his original limits returning.

His body trembled slightly as the echo of Stage 5 left him completely.

His Ancient Dragon bloodline—already muted by ’Neo’s’ intervention—remained suppressed.

He was back to how he was before the Shadow Trial.

The wind brushed his face gently.

He stood on a wide mountain ledge, overlooking a calm, endless sea.

Behind him stretched a thick forest.

Birds chirped somewhere in the trees.

It should have been peaceful.

But all he could do was put a hand over his face and laugh bitterly.

“Haha… I still don’t know if that was you, Neo.”

He knew it, deep down.

But Nameless Death had never confirmed it.

And that absence of confirmation from his brother was driving him insane.

If it really was Neo, why had he vehemently denied everything until the end?

What if Bael didn’t attack him because he was an ally that Bael knew from long ago, and not because he was Neo?

That doubt was driving him crazy.

And if he was Neo…

Zagreus dreaded to think what kind of enemy ’Neo’ was not facing there. It had to someone dangerous if even after creating his Path, Neo was not confident he could win.

“Hahaha…”

A deep, despaired laugh.

Zagreus brushed his hair back.

He had achieved his goal.

The resurrection method would be created.

The curse wouldn’t be broken, but at least now they had a way out.

And yet, he couldn’t help but think he had failed.

“…With this, our contract is finalized,” came a voice near his face.

Zagreus looked to the side.

A tiny, palm-sized octopus floated there. The demon. The creature’s tone was calm, and sympathetic.

“I’m leaving now,” the demon said.

Zagreus looked at him for a long time before asking,

“Can I make another contract with you?”

It was a desperate question.

With the help of the demon, he might be to go to Voraka Site, and destroy it in advance before ’Neo’ reached there as Nameless Death.

But the demon shook his tiny head.

“I told you already. A contract with me can only be made once.”

Zagreus nodded with difficulty.

But the demon didn’t disappear right away.

He lingered, as if sensing the weight of Zagreus’ disappointment.

The demon didn’t know if it was sympathy, or pity that drove him, but he spoke again.

“Void.”

“What?”

“You’ve been exposed to my power long enough. If you ever become a Void God… try to forge a Divinity based on the lingering sensation of my essence inside you.”

Zagreus’ expression twisted.

He had to gain strength from Void’s power…. the same Void that had led to all this pain?

The demon didn’t press the issue further.

“Farewell, son of Death.”

Zagreus stood silently, eyes watching the tiny octopus as it vanished into thin air.

“Goodbye,” he muttered.

Then he stood there.

The breeze rustled the trees.

The waves crashed below.

And he stood motionless, alone.

Unknown to him., the demon moved swiftly.

His goal was simple.

He had to meet with the Shadow Supreme of previous Eon, and find out what had been different during this Eon’s Universe Creation.

But the demon had a feeling.

These unknown, chaotic changes.

These Ashes that weren’t supposed to exist in this Eon.

Something horrible had happened during Universe Creation Era.

’I hope the Devils aren’t involved in this mess.’