**Meanwhile, back on the mountain on the outskirts of Kline Village**
Death looked toward the cave where Jacob had established a connection with the mythical-like creature, the atmosphere thick with an aura of ancient enchantment. He let out a soft chuckle and then vanished from his position, leaving not even a trace of his existence.
**In the Cave*
Jacob continued to examine his status screen with intense enthusiasm, basking in the remarkable enhancement of his stats and reveling in the sheer magnitude of his transformation. Amidst this exhilaration, he became increasingly curious about the concept of a chimera. The word was completely unfamiliar to him.
It was at this juncture that a hooded figure materialized in a shadowy recess of the cave, entirely unbeknownst to Jacob or even L. The figure surveyed Jacob with its spirit sense completely undetected and nodded in appreciation.
Death walked out from the shadows of the cave and approached Jacob, who noticed that the figure was covered from head to toe in a billowing black cloak. Suddenly becoming aware that he had company, Jacob felt a wave of apprehension wash over him and instinctively put up his guard against this unknown figure.
He had already scanned the room when he first arrived, not detecting this individual, and he was certain that he had been alone until just now. After his recent harrowing experiences, Jacob found himself particularly open to the idea of the supernatural, recognizing that almost anything could happen in this unpredictable environment.
Death, however, remained unfazed by Jacob's heightened defenses. He retained a nonchalant demeanor. "Quite the precarious predicament you've found yourself in, young man," Death remarked, halting just shy of a few feet away from Jacob and releasing a light chuckle.
"Who are you?" Jacob asked. "That's not important, but if you really want to know, then I suppose you can call me Death, as does everyone else." Jacob found himself increasingly beset by anxiety as he heard the name of the man, for it was accompanied by an aura of power—an authority that Jacob could scarcely fathom, let alone hope to confront.
Death ignored Jacob's plight and continued speaking, "You have the bloodline of a berserker, a lineage notorious for distorting your rationale and inducing violent impulses. Simultaneously, you bear the burden of a decrepit monarch whose lingering spirit seeks to influence and seize control of your body. Furthermore, a creature of immense power, far superior to your own capabilities, is utilizing you as a catalyst to orchestrate its escape from long-standing confinement. An escape that will inevitably result in a severe backlash against your soul, a consequence from which you could hardly hope to survive."
Jacob was overcome with a sense of dread as he absorbed the words of the figure who identified himself as Death. Memories of his earlier skirmish with the beasts of the forest flooded his mind, where he had brutally eliminated countless creatures, their anguished cries still resonating within him. Furthermore, he considered L's narrative about the Scarlet Sovereign, a once-mighty entity who sought to reincarnate but ultimately failed, leaving behind an inheritance instead, reminding him of his father's proverbial saying, "If it's too good to be true, then it probably is." His thoughts then shifted to the chimera, a powerful being labeled as his bonded companion in his status, and he felt beads of sweat trickle down his brow, anxiety tightening its grip as he contemplated the significance of such a precarious situation.
Jacob looked up at the figure staring intently, as though trying to see through the shadows of the cloak that draped over him. The air was thick with tension, and he could feel his heart racing as uncertainty enveloped him. With a hint of trepidation, he gathered his courage and asked, "What should I do?"
At this juncture, L, who had remained silent until now, suddenly materialized before Jacob, appearing somewhat agitated. "He is a deceiver, Jacob! Do you not sense the vigor coursing through your veins? It has been bestowed upon you by the Scarlet Sovereign, yet he dares to label him as decrepit. How can you entertain such absurdities? You must flee or perish in the attempt. I daresay that if he lays his hands upon you, you will endure a fate far worse than death itself."
Seeing L appear so frantic made Jacob instinctively raise his guard, but this time, it was not against the enigmatic stranger standing across from him, but rather against L himself. Death, who had been silently observing from a distance, looked intently at the panicked L and, with a deliberate motion, reached out toward him. In an instant, L found himself ensnared, pulled into the encompassing palm of Death's hand, as if a puppet drawn by an unseen force.
"Such an intriguing little creature. I presume you were created by the will of the so-called Sovereign to guarantee that whomever inherits his power follows a meticulously prescribed path. I imagine you never anticipated that someone would emerge with such a prestigious lineage that defies conventional boundaries."
"Well, my young friend, I shall present you with two alternatives to contemplate: you may either persist with this diminutive companion and await your inevitable fate, one way or another, or you can submit and become my devoted disciple. Embark on this undertaking, and I shall resolve these challenges for you, thereby granting you the opportunity to initiate your journey of authentic cultivation. This will serve as a vital stepping stone to unlock your full potential. However, if you decide to become my disciple, you will need to restart from the very beginning, forfeiting the powers you have accumulated so far." Death stated and waited for Jacob to come to a decision.
Jacob contemplated the options laid before him with a pensively and inquired, "How strong are you compared to the decrepit sovereign?" He found it hard to believe that someone capable of bestowing such rapid strength upon another could be weak in any manner. To him, it seemed that it would require a being of significantly greater power to reverse the effects of whatever transformations the powerful sovereign had enacted.
The weight of his inquiry lingered in the air as he considered the implications of such strength and its potential to shift the very balance of power before him.
"I would be more than happy to share this information with you; however, you are far too weak. Just knowing the name of my realm of power is enough to break your spirit, making even the chance of reincarnation impossible. Therefore, I advise caution when seeking knowledge as some things are protected by the very laws that govern the universe itself. Without sufficient power, even knowledge can kill you."
L, who had been immobilized and deprived of the ability to speak while he hovered helplessly in the palm of Death's hand, broke into a cold sweat as he contemplated the profound implications behind the enigmatic figure's proclamation. His mind raced with anxiety over the vast realm of power the Sovereign sought to achieve before his impending demise, a pursuit that hinted at unimaginable power and unpredictable future. The weight of this revelation pressed heavily upon him, intensifying his fear and foreboding as he grappled with the reality of his helplessness against such an overwhelming entity.
The more L contemplated the matter, the more his trepidation intensified. The Scarlet Sovereign was supposed to be at the pinnacle of power within this known universe, unchallenged by any adversary. It would require eons for anyone to eclipse his dominion in this realm and attain the formidable might that this entity known as Death alluded to.