"..."

When Dal saw those eyes floating behind the bonfire, the playful chatter he was having with the person next to him fell silent.

The next second, the smile vanished, and then, all he heard was a "whoosh!"

Drawing his sword, he took large strides towards the bonfire, his hand gripping the Artorias Greatsword so tightly it trembled a bit.

Meanwhile, the other Fran Guards hadn't noticed what was happening by the bonfire, as the light point fountain in front of them was overwhelmingly attention-grabbing, capturing everyone's focus.

As the only one who noticed the bonfire and those eyes, Dal displayed pronounced aggression, all because—

Those eyes belonged to "Dark Great Snake Kas," a being people once encountered in the soul-sucking ghost-themed Painting World!

The appearance, almost identical to that of the World Serpent Furaamte, was revoltingly pus-like to Dal. And if you asked why he felt this way, it was naturally because this creature sided with the Abyss.

Whether it was a psychological effect or not, even his body's wolf blood seemed to urge him to slice off the snake's head.

Touch the bonfire first and then cut Kas; that way, even if it counterattacks, he won't have to worry about running a long path after dying...

He had already planned his course of action in mind, the greatsword in his hand lifted as he moved.

As his hand touched the bonfire, he finally saw Kas's full form in the darkness, its ugly head suspended in the air, looking down at him with an unquestionably arrogant gaze.

At the same time, Kas's highly seductive voice sounded.

"Mighty Undead Brave Warriors, welcome to your arrival. Are you ready to seek the truth of this world?"

"I, Kas who soothes the darkness, will guide you undead, revealing the truth of the facts."

"Let's uncover the deception left by Gwyn together."

Dal's sword blade halted two centimeters away from Kas's neck; upon hearing these words, he decided to give this guy a moment to spit his nonsense.

Although he thought nothing good could come from a serpent's mouth, Kas seemed like a mysterious character, and the information he offered might be of some value.

However, the most crucial factor making him pause was that Kas had already spoken, and his words had drawn the attention of the other Fran Guards. He himself had no issue acting on personal whims but did not want such actions to affect the other Fran Guards.

The idea of quietly solving the Dark Great Snake Kas failed.

"Is this... the dark serpent the rebel army talked about?"

"How is it here, when did it appear?"

"Why did Brother Dal draw his sword?"

Kas, as if waiting for the crowd to respond, said nothing more, also ignoring the sword blade Dal held before him.

Dal glanced back at the crowd, put away his weapon, and said, "Everyone, come over here. This snake has something to say; we can listen, but you all know."

The Fran Guards nodded tacitly and all gathered around.

Before arriving at the Little Longde Ruins, they had borrowed the soul-sucking ghost-themed Painting World from the rebel army to explore. Not only did they experience being soul-sucking ghosts, but they also met the cryptic Kas, who never finished his sentences. They were quite interested in the truth of Fire Transmission he hinted at.

Their Wolf Blood Oath seemed to possess resistance against the Abyss, preventing the Fran Guards from succumbing to the euphoric feeling of being soul-sucking ghosts, unlike some people in the Holy Light Church. Instead, they found the sensation nauseating.

Regarding the mysteries Kas left in that Painting World, the Fran Guards had gathered to discuss and finally concluded:

If you encounter Kas alone, never speak to him; only speak if everyone encounters him together.

Moreover, don't trust this guy's words, no matter how startling they may be.

The magician in the team disinfectedly pulled out the magic wand and cast a calming technique on everyone one by one.

A flash of green light, and people's eyes became ultra-calm, like those of a sage, as Kas spoke again at this moment:

"Very well, very well, wise choice, Undead Brave Warriors."

A cold, putrid smell wafted from his lips, his skin appearing sleek under the reflected light, eyes unblinking as they fixed on the people.

This lifelike feature finally gave people the true sense of engaging with some mysterious creature; the feeling Kas gave was entirely different from Furaamte, instinctively putting them on guard.

"In the past, even if you defeated the four kings and passed the test, I would not have revealed the truth to you—unless you went to Yanor Londo to bring back the Royal Artifact. Only undead truly qualified to become king warranted my wasting words."

"But now it's different. I see immense possibilities in you... You will certainly become kings; acquiring the Royal Artifact is just a matter of time. I'm willing to tell you everything I know in advance!"

First stating his principles and then explaining his willingness to make an exception this time, it was a common tactic in conversation to gain others' trust, a method that, although common, was surprisingly effective.