God of Souls: Attaining the Strongest System in an Apocalyptic World
Chapter 32: The beasts were coming.

Chapter 32: The beasts were coming.

With each violent snap echoing off the jagged walls of the cave, sharp screams followed. High-pitched cries of agony, mingling with the mocking laughter of men, filled the suffocating air.

Kael lay sprawled on the cold, unyielding ground, his chest heaving as his breath came in ragged gasps. Every inch of his body ached, bruised and battered beyond recognition.

Jason, the boy who had stood with Mike that fateful day, crouched low and seized Kael’s left arm. With a savage twist, he snapped it backward, the sickening crack reverberating throughout the cavern.

Kael howled in pain, his voice raw and hoarse, the torment unbearable. His legs had been broken first, leaving him helpless. Then, one by one, his fingers were bent and snapped, each joint twisted in ways they shouldn’t have been. His wrists followed. Every part of his body had been dismantled with surgical cruelty, leaving him writhing in excruciating pain.

Yet, despite the agony, Kael clenched his teeth, determined not to cry out more than necessary. It took everything in him to endure this torment, his mind battling the overwhelming urge to surrender.

"Okay, Jason, isn’t that enough?" Kyle, the boy who had paralyzed Kael with his strange ability, finally spoke up. His tone was nervous, uncertain. "Mike didn’t say to kill him, especially with the boss’s offer still on the table."

Jason sneered, his lips curling in disdain. "Why are you such a coward, Kyle? We should just end him here and now. He’s worthless."

"But if we kill him, Eric will figure it out..." Rogan, the third boy, interjected, his voice trembling slightly.

Kael stirred, his pain-clouded eyes flickering to life. He turned his head sharply toward them, his gaze filled with a fiery defiance.

"Eric?" he spat, his voice hoarse but laced with venom. "That damn bastard sent you? Him?!"

His accusation hung in the air for a moment before the trio burst into mocking laughter.

"Wait, don’t tell me this trash actually thought Eric was his friend!" Jason bellowed, his laughter echoing ominously.

"Friends?!" Kyle added, his tone dripping with ridicule. "You’re hilarious. You don’t get it, do you? In this world, it’s all about strength. And you... you’re just a speck, clinging to scraps you don’t deserve."

Jason leaned closer to Kael, his sneer widening into a malicious grin. "You’ve defied Eric’s rule too many times. And now, we’re here to teach you a lesson you won’t forget. But first..." Jason’s voice softened, almost mockingly gentle. "Eric has one last offer for you. Will you finally accept his protection? Will you become his slave?"

Kael’s body trembled, not from fear but from boiling rage. His lips curled into a bitter smile as a dark chuckle escaped him.

"Slave?!" he growled, his voice growing stronger. "You think I’m as pathetic as you three? Look at yourselves—mindless dogs doing the bidding of someone who doesn’t even respect you. You’re nothing but pawns. And me? I’ll die before I bow to scum like you."

Jason’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of unease. Rogan and Kyle exchanged uneasy glances, Kael’s words cutting deeper than they cared to admit.

"In that case," Jason snarled, masking his fear with anger, "we’ll kill you and that pig of a friend of yours!"

Cole, who had been cowering in the corner, whimpered audibly. His trembling form curled tighter, as though he could make himself disappear. But Jason’s words filled Kael with renewed determination.

With a wicked grin, Jason raised his hand, a glowing yellow disc forming in his palm, aimed directly at Kael. "Say goodbye, trash."

Just as Jason prepared to release his attack, a sharp, unnatural snap resounded through the cave, halting everyone in their tracks. The sound came from Kael’s direction, yet it was unlike anything they had heard before.

The group stared at him, their expressions shifting from confusion to disbelief. Another snap followed, then another. Slowly, Kael’s broken bones began realigning themselves, each fracture mending with eerie precision. His twisted limbs shifted back into place, his body repairing itself as if time itself had reversed.

"What the hell...?" Rogan whispered, his voice trembling.

Jason took a step back, his confidence waning. "No... no way... Is that... self-healing?!"

The realization hit them like a thunderbolt. Healing abilities were rare, known only to a select few from the Six Great Families. If Kael possessed such a gift, it could only mean one thing: he was connected to immense power.

The trio’s bravado shattered, replaced by stark fear.

"Please... We didn’t know!" Rogan stammered, his voice pleading. "We didn’t mean to—"

"Shut up!" Kael roared, his voice echoing with newfound strength. His bloodied form rose from the ground, his eyes glowing faintly red. The air around him grew heavy, oppressive, as a deadly aura radiated from his body.

"You think you can break me?!" Kael growled, his voice laced with fury. "You think I’ll just lie down and take this? No... None of you are walking out of this cave alive!"

Kael lunged forward, his fist crashing into Rogan’s jaw with bone-shattering force. The sickening crack echoed in the cavern, and Rogan staggered backward, clutching his face as he screamed in agony.

Jason stepped back, his hands trembling. "Y-you don’t scare me!" he blurted, though his voice betrayed him.

Kael turned to him, his crimson eyes blazing. "Talk big all you want," he snarled, "but let’s see how brave you are now."

Before Kael could strike again, a deafening shriek pierced the air. The ground beneath them trembled, loose rocks falling from the ceiling.

"What... what’s happening?!" Kyle yelled, his voice shaking with panic.

The rumbling grew louder, the shrill cry repeating and echoing through the tunnels. The realization dawned on all of them simultaneously.

The beasts were coming.

***Author’s note***

A rough author’s note here. This is to remind us that this book is for WSA and it’s already falling behind a lot, please support with gifts, super gifts, golden tickets, reviews and power stones, everything and anything would be nice.

And let’s keep enjoying the reading experience, you reading this must not drop. That’s my hope and wish.