Extra's Revenge: Reincarnated As A Slave-Chapter 148: Descent

The three Category S Guards engaged the Chaos Dweller with a level of capability that made the earlier defense look like children playing at combat.

The first Guard deployed Chaos Art—using it as a direct counter on the creature’s formless existence. The Chaos Dweller’s body was forcibly stabilized, its shifting nature constrained by the absolute negation occuring.

The second Guard attacked with Null Art, not trying to damage the creature but erasing the Chaos Energy it was using to maintain coherence. Large sections of its form simply ceased to exist, leaving gaps in its structure.

The third Guard coordinated the assault, using Soul Art to target whatever consciousness governed the Dweller’s behavior, attempting to disrupt its ability to adapt and respond.

The battle was intense but one-sided.

The Chaos Dweller had been overwhelming against normal practitioners, but against three Category S Guards working in perfect coordination with Arts specifically chosen to counter its nature—it stood no chance.

Within ten minutes, the creature was contained, neutralized, and finally destroyed. Its form collapsed into dispersing Chaos Energy that faded back into the ambient Ether, leaving only a crater where it had stood.

The Guards immediately began scanning the battlefield, their enhanced perception sweeping across the area to assess casualties and locate survivors.

Rey had been moving during the battle, using the chaos and destruction as cover to position himself exactly where he needed to be. He’d worked his way to the caravan’s rear, then beyond it, heading northeast toward the border regions while everyone’s attention remained fixed on the Chaos Dweller.

By the time the Guards completed their initial sweep, he was already half a kilometer away.

"Casualty count: forty-three dead, twenty-two wounded, eleven unaccounted for," one Guard reported after checking the area.

"Begin identification of the dead and missing," the lead Guard ordered. "Cross-reference against the caravan’s manifest to determine—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting to realization.

"One survivor is missing from the rear defensive position. The Spirit Art practitioner who was coordinating the resistance before we arrived. He was positioned here..." The Guard indicated Rey’s last confirmed location. "...but he’s not among the casualties or the fleeing survivors."

The three Guards exchanged glances, professional instinct immediately recognizing the significance.

"Check the caravan manifest," the lead Guard ordered sharply. "Who was that practitioner?"

"Ciel Varen," another Guard reported after accessing the records. "Employed as mystical specialist and security. Documented Spirit Art affinity. Verified identity and—"

He paused, his detection Artifacts flagging something suspicious.

"The documentation is too perfect. Professional-grade forgery, probably expensive but detectable under intensive analysis. This identity is fabricated."

"And the timing," the third Guard added grimly. "A Tier 6 Chaos Dweller appears exactly when a caravan approaches the border regions? That’s not coincidence—those creatures don’t manifest randomly in areas with heavy Guard presence."

The lead Guard’s expression hardened with understanding.

"He engineered this. Created or lured the Chaos Dweller to this location, used it to draw our attention while he slipped away during the battle. Classic misdirection."

"The Desgarron perpetrator," another Guard confirmed. "It has to be. No one else operating in this region would have the resources or motivation for such an elaborate escape plan."

They activated tracking Techniques immediately, enhanced perception scanning for mystical signatures that matched Spirit Art usage. The trail was faint—Rey had been careful to minimize his energy expenditure during movement—but detectable for practitioners of their caliber.

"Northeast," the lead Guard stated. "He’s heading directly for the border. Pursuing on foot."

The three Category S Guards moved with supernatural speed, covering ground at rates that would seem impossible to normal observers.

Within seconds, they’d closed the distance Rey had created during his escape.

The terrain became rougher as they approached the true border regions—rocky outcroppings giving way to a massive geological formation that split the landscape like a wound in the earth.

The Labyrinth of Darkness.

A vast chasm that descended into depths beyond normal perception, its walls lined with formations that suggested both natural geology and unnatural construction.

Terrifying auras radiated from its depths—Chaos Energy so concentrated it made the ambient air shimmer with instability.

And standing at its edge, looking down into the abyss, was Rey.

He’d dropped his disguise entirely now—no point maintaining Ciel Varen’s appearance when pursuit was certain. His natural black-and-white hair was visible, his teenage features clear, his mystical signature radiating both Spirit Art and the faint traces of Chaos Energy he could no longer completely suppress.

The Category S Guards arrived at the chasm’s edge, spreading out to prevent escape while maintaining combat-ready positions.

"You’re cornered," the lead Guard stated. "Surrender peacefully and we can negotiate terms for your cooperation with our investigation."

Rey turned to face them, a slight smile playing across his features.

"Cornered?" he repeated, amusement clear in his voice. "No. I’m exactly where I intended to be."

He gestured at the Labyrinth behind him, its depths radiating ominous energy.

"Do you know what this place is? What rests in those depths?"

"The Labyrinth of Darkness," one Guard confirmed grimly. "Home to a Tier 5 Chaos Dweller—one of the most dangerous creatures in the Nether Realm. The Guards stationed in this region exist specifically to prevent it from ever emerging."

"And you think I don’t know that?" Rey asked, his smile widening. "You think I approached the most heavily guarded section of the border by accident?"

The Guards’ expressions shifted to wary confusion.

"The Labyrinth is a death trap," the lead Guard said. "Even if you survive the descent, even if you navigate the maze of passages, you’ll eventually encounter the Tier 5 Dweller. And unlike the Tier 6 you just witnessed, that creature can’t be defeated by anyone below Category S rank—and even we would struggle against it without proper preparation and support."

"I know," Rey replied calmly. "But the Labyrinth connects both sides of the border. Navigate it successfully, and I emerge in Aether territory—beyond your pursuit."

"You’ll die down there," another Guard stated flatly. "The survival rate for anyone attempting to cross the Labyrinth is effectively zero. We’ll just be recovering your corpse from the upper levels in a few days."

Rey’s smile became something colder, more confident.

"Maybe," he acknowledged. "Or maybe I have capabilities you haven’t accounted for. I’ve been planning this exact route for weeks, after all..."

Although Rey said this, he was actually worried.

Hesitation clutched at his heart. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

This was a big risk.

’I’m not sure I’ll survive this time. But... the alternative is far worse.’

He took a step backward, toward the edge of the chasm.

"Either way, you’re too late to stop me."

The Guards moved to intercept, but Rey was faster. He activated a spatial displacement Artifact—one of his most valuable pieces—and teleported directly into the Labyrinth’s depths, bypassing the upper passages entirely.

The Category S Guards reached the edge of the chasm, their enhanced perception tracking Rey’s descent into darkness. They watched as his mystical signature faded deeper into the Labyrinth, moving with purpose toward the most dangerous sections.

"Should we pursue?" one Guard asked.

The lead Guard considered carefully, weighing risks against probabilities.

"No," he finally decided.

"The Labyrinth is too dangerous for pursuit without proper preparation. And honestly..." He stared into the darkness where Rey had disappeared. "...the chances of him surviving are nonexistent. The Tier 5 Dweller patrols those depths constantly. Even if he has Chaos Art capabilities, even if he’s resourceful and well-prepared, the likelihood of reaching the other side is almost impossible"

"So we just... let him die down there?" another Guard asked with evident frustration.

"We report to command that the suspect has entered the Labyrinth of Darkness in an attempted border crossing. We establish surveillance at known exit points in case he somehow survives. And we continue our investigation using the information we’ve gathered."

The lead Guard activated communication Artifacts, beginning the process of notifying higher authorities.

They remained at the chasm’s edge for several minutes, ensuring no immediate resurfacing occurred. Then they withdrew, returning to their duties with the confidence that the Labyrinth of Darkness would accomplish what they could not.

The Tier 5 Chaos Dweller ensured that.

The troublesome, elusive slave was as good as dead.

They just had to wait for confirmation.

[A/N: This is the last Arc of Volume 1, and I am planning for the story to have three Volumes. Once I finish this, we would have essentially completed a third of it.]