Warlock: Demon Bane

William slowly opened his eyes and found himself back in that dilapidated prison.

"Weird... a dream that continues like this?"

The surroundings were still shrouded in gray mist. Countless empty prison cells loomed silently in the darkness, like slumbering beasts.

In the open space beyond the cells, the stone tablet remained suspended, emanating a faint white mist, adding to its mysterious aura.

William reached out and lightly touched the tablet. A chill seeped through his fingertips.

Suddenly, the white mist surged wildly, as if it had been thrown into a boiling cauldron.

William's heart skipped a beat. Before he could react, the entire prison began to shake violently, as if something was trying to break free from the ground.

Before long, the once-ruined cells transformed rapidly. The moss-covered walls disappeared, replaced by smooth, icy stone surfaces.

The entire atmosphere of the prison shifted. The previous sense of decay vanished, replaced by a suffocating oppression.

Just then, from a cell down the corridor behind him, a low, guttural growl echoed through the silence.

William turned into the corridor and looked towards the cell. It was still the shadow fiend—but now, it wasn't alone. In the once-empty neighboring cell, tiny blue lights flickered and floated in the air.

His heart pounded. He fixed his gaze on the shadow fiend. It was thrashing wildly, its dark form twisting and writhing, yet the chains on its body kept it firmly in place.

In the adjacent cell, countless tiny blue specks hovered in the air, like a swarm of irritating flies. They seemed to be the cause of the shadow fiend's agitation, yet it was helpless against them.

At that moment, a heavy book suddenly appeared in William's hands. There were no words on the cover, but it exuded an ancient and mysterious aura. Instinctively, he flipped it open. Lines of text materialized before his eyes, as if an invisible hand was writing them:

[The Ruined Prison: Holds monsters slain by the Warden. Without the Warden's permission, no creature may leave its cell.]

[Warden: William Lawrence, Human (Special Bloodline)]

[Prisoner #1: Shadow Wraith, a creature that dwells in darkness. It can blend into the shadows and attack with razor-sharp claws.]

[Prisoner #2:Awakening Insects, an alchemical construct, parasitic in nature. It enhances the host's physique and awakens latent abilities. It also emits a special substance that repels certain creatures.]

William's pupils contracted sharply.

He finally understood why absorbing those blue specks hadn't made him glow—because this prison treated them as prisoners!

This was just like…

The discovery left William stunned. He stroked his chin, deep in thought.

First, he had somehow become the warden of this prison. That alone was absurd, yet the evidence was undeniable.

Second, the Spirit Larva was classified as a monster—an artificial one, no less. That was bizarre. Had someone created them to enhance human survival? Or was this part of some grand conspiracy?

Lastly, it seemed that any creature classified as a monster would automatically be imprisoned here under certain conditions. But what were those conditions?

If this prison treated all monsters as inmates… then wasn't he their warden?

"So what? What does this even mean?"

William scratched his head and let out a bitter chuckle.

It seemed the only place he could act tough was in his dreams.

...

Before long, a knock at the door yanked William back to reality.

He slowly opened his eyes, and the dim room came back into view.

Above him hung the familiar wooden beams, from which several strings of dried chili peppers and garlic bulbs dangled, emitting a spicy aroma.

Below, he lay on a hard wooden plank bed covered with a thin layer of straw that made his back ache.

Beside the bed against the wall sat an old, worn wooden table; its legs looked unstable and creaked "squeak" with the slightest touch. On it lay a chipped ceramic bowl, still holding remnants of dark, unappetizing food.

The knock came again, this time more urgently.

William sat up from the bed and rubbed his eyes. "Come in," he called.

The door was pushed open and Baker entered carrying a cloth bag. His face showed signs of fatigue, but his eyes remained gentle.

"William, I heard the village chief already spoke with you," Baker said as he sat beside the bed, letting out a sigh. "I wanted you to leave the village, but it seems that road is no longer an option."

William nodded. "Yes, I've decided to join the defense squad."

"Ah, I knew it would come to this," Baker replied as he reached into his cloak and produced a cloth bag. He handed it to William. "These are five rune coins I've saved up over the years. Keep them—they'll come in handy once you're with the squad."

William took the bag, feeling its weight. When he opened it, inside lay five copper coins, each gleaming softly and intricately engraved with complex runes.

"This... these are too valuable," William said in surprise. Despite his memory loss, he could still sense the significance of these rune coins.

"Keep them," Baker said dismissively. "I've saved these all these years treating patients. You need them more than I do."

After a moment of silence, William finally accepted them. He knew it was Baker's heartfelt gesture.

"Now, we must go see Captain Alpha," Baker announced as he stood up. "He's the head of the defense squad, and you'll be working under him from now on."

"Alright," William replied briefly. He rose and followed Baker out of the room.

Morning sunlight bathed the village's dirt road, and the crowing of roosters could be heard in the distance. Side by side, William and Baker walked toward the defense squad's camp.

On the way, the villagers stepped aside upon seeing them. William noticed that, unlike yesterday when they looked at him with disgust, now their eyes held a hint of pity.

"Don't mind them," Baker whispered. "Once you prove yourself in the squad, everything will work out."

William said nothing, only nodding silently. He knew that from today on, his life would change dramatically—and this was just the beginning.

The defense squad's camp was located on the west side of the village, in a two-story wooden building that looked much more imposing than the other ramshackle houses in the village.

As William followed Baker into the camp, a grim aura greeted them. Several guards stood nearby, their eyes fixed on the newcomers.

Before they could get closer, a few guards stretched out their arms from a distance to block them, scrutinizing them from head to toe as if trying to strip them bare with their stares.

"What's your business here?" one guard grumbled in a rough voice, his hand already resting on the weapon at his waist.

"We're here to see Captain Alpha. William is joining the defense squad," Baker explained calmly.

At the leader's cue, the guard's expression softened slightly, though he remained vigilant. He signaled to another guard to go and inform someone.

While they waited, William idly surveyed the area. This defense camp was truly different; just these few guards exuded far more spirit than the gaunt villagers back in the village.

"Hey, you two, hold onto these," a guard who had returned from his report tossed over two jet-black stones. "Keep them in your hands."

"What are these?" William asked, weighing the stones in his hand—they were cool and a bit hard on the skin.

"Rune stones—another kind," Baker explained. "They're used to check if we've been contaminated by any of that monster stuff. The defense squad is very cautious; they won't come near unless it's safe."

William suddenly understood. This thing was truly amazing—it could detect traces of monster influence. He couldn't help but remark, "These rune stones sure are versatile."

"Of course," Baker smiled, "runes are valuable things." He then added, "Alright, we've passed the test."

The two of them smoothly entered the camp. William couldn't help but glance back at the two stones, thinking, If only I could take these with me, I could use them to identify all sorts of strange things. But then he realized that he hadn't even fully joined the defense squad yet—thinking about that was premature.

"Captain Alpha is upstairs. Let's go." Baker's voice interrupted William's thoughts.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor and entered a spacious room. Inside, various weapons were on display—from ordinary longswords to arms glowing with runic light—like a mini armory.

At the center of the room sat a massive oak table, behind which a burly man sat flipping through documents. This was Captain Alpha.

"Captain Alpha is upstairs," Baker said softly as he led William up the stairs.

On the second floor was a spacious room with various weapons hanging on the walls—from common longswords to exquisite runic arms. In the center stood a massive oak table with a burly man seated behind it, reviewing documents.

"Captain Alpha," Baker knocked softly on the door.

Captain Alpha looked up. He was extremely tall—even seated, he towered over others. His fiery red hair was tied back, with stray locks falling over his forehead, accentuating his chiseled, heroic features.

His prominent brow, high nose, and a scar stretching from his left temple to his right cheek only added to his rugged charm. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, making it hard for anyone to meet his gaze. His broad shoulders and sturdy muscles all testified to his formidable strength.

"Dr. Baker, you came so early—surely it's about that kid?" Captain Alpha's gaze fell on William.

"Yes, William has decided to join the defense squad," Baker replied. "Please take good care of him, Captain."

Captain Alpha nodded. "Since it's the village chief's arrangement, I'll take care of him." His tone was formulaic—just polite courtesy.

Baker then took a rune coin from his cloak and placed it on the table. "This is a token of my appreciation. Please look after William well."

"Dr. Baker, this... isn't it a bit improper?" Captain Alpha frowned as he looked at the coin on the table. He knew its value, and because of that, he was reluctant to accept it. After all, no one should profit without merit—who knows what kind of trick this old guy might be playing?

"What's wrong with it?" Baker laughed lightly. "William is going to be working under you from now on, and as his elder, I must show my support."

"But..." Captain Alpha began to protest, but Baker interrupted him.

"Captain Alpha, I know what you're worried about," Baker lowered his voice. "I only hope that on future patrols, you can assign some seasoned soldiers to accompany William, since he's still just a rookie."

Captain Alpha pondered for a moment; the request wasn't unreasonable. He nodded. "Alright, I'll arrange that."

"Good, good," Baker said with an even broader smile. "And one more thing—I need your help with something."

"Go ahead," Captain Alpha prompted.

"I'd like you to teach William the 'Breathing Technique'." Baker revealed his true intention.

At these words, Captain Alpha's expression changed instantly. He glared at Baker with piercing eyes, "Dr. Baker, do you know what you're talking about?"

"Of course I do," Baker replied without hesitation. "I understand how precious the Breathing Technique is, and I believe it's crucial for William."

"The Breathing Technique isn't like cabbage—you can't just learn it if you want to," Captain Alpha said coldly. "And even if I were willing to teach it, what use would it be for someone unprotected like him?"

"That's not your problem, Captain," Baker smiled. "As long as you're willing to teach him, whether he masters it or not is up to him."

Captain Alpha fell silent as he weighed the pros and cons. Teaching the Breathing Technique to an unprotected person wasn't beneficial for him—and might even cause trouble. But Baker was the only doctor in the village, and he couldn't afford to offend him. Besides, there was a rune coin on the table...

"I can teach him—but you'll have to pay extra." Captain Alpha finally said. "We both know the value of the Breathing Technique. One rune coin isn't enough."

"That's fine," Baker replied cheerfully. "If you're willing to teach, the price is negotiable."

"Alright, deal!" Captain Alpha laughed heartily, pocketing the rune coin from the table. "Tonight, you bring him to my house."

"Agreed."

After leaving Captain Alpha's house, William couldn't help but ask, "Baker, are you really going to have him teach me the Breathing Technique?"

"Of course," Baker replied. "In this world, strength is the only reliable thing. The Breathing Technique may be hard to learn, but as long as there's a sliver of hope, we must not give up."

"But, Captain Alpha..." William began hesitantly, feeling that Alpha was not a man he could easily get along with.

"I know what you're worried about," Baker patted William's shoulder. "Yes, Alpha can be a bit greedy, but he's also quite by-the-book. As long as we pay the right price, he'll teach you wholeheartedly."

"Hopefully so," William sighed.

"Don't worry, everything will work out," Baker reassured him. "By the way, I have to go out for a bit—get some rest in the meantime."

"Okay."

Later, William sat alone in his room as the dim oil lamp cast a long shadow of his figure.

He furrowed his brow and idly rubbed his chin as he replayed all that had happened recently in his mind.

Joining the defense squad seemed like his only way out, though the future was uncertain and fraught with danger.

The mysterious prison in his dream still baffled him—ruined cells, the eerie stone tablet... What did it all mean?

He had inexplicably become the warden, yet had no power to enforce anything. What kind of warden was that?

And then there was that bizarre rule: once he joined the defense squad, would his life be spent forever battling these monsters until death?

The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt.