Law of The Web - Volume 1 Chapter 5 - The Pit I

As Gideon studied the details, one glaring thought bubbled to the surface.

‘At that time when I provoked him and he killed me, I was way over my head.’

Name: Clark Maddian

Age: 47

D.O.B: 6th December, Cycle 1697

Date of Death: 3rd October, Cycle 1753

Cultivation Type: Orthodox

Classification: Orthodox Awaken | Hunter >> 2nd Transformation

Transformation abilities: (1st Transformation Hunter: Tracking, Scale, and Dodge), (2nd Transformation Great Tracker: Monitor, and Slo-mo)

Soul Quality: Mortal Grade 

Cultivation: Mortal Ascension Stage

Status: Happy, Hungry, Want to grab a Drink

Injuries: None

Danger: Too Strong

The words floated above Clark’s head before Gideon’s eye. 

With the image of his soul, which was a hulking, red crab-like beast with jagged pincers and a sinuous scorpion tail dripping with venom. 

Gideon’s jaw tightened.

Comparing it to the kid’s personal info was like comparing an ant to a man.

His was completely different; for one, he had these things called transformation abilities, new classifications, and Law Beasts.

It all felt overwhelming.

The sharp outlines of the text only emphasized how little he knew. And yet, his instincts were screaming to him that the monstrous crab in question was just for show; it was indeed his law beast, but it was like the poor thing had neglected all its life for some reason.

But when he thinks more about the concept of a Law Beast, he begins to question himself further as he asks himself internally.

‘What the hell is a Law Beast, really?’

But before he could even linger too long on the thought, Clark’s barked orders snapped him back to reality.

Two men stepped forward. The first was wiry, his sharp features accentuated by a crooked nose and sunken cheeks. He moved with a certain twitchy energy, as though constantly on edge. A jet-black crow perched on his shoulder, its head cocked unnaturally; it was large, and its wings stretched a meter wide.

Name: Tint Face

Age: 33

D.O.B: 11th January, Cycle 1720

Date of Death: 3rd October, Cycle 1753

Cultivation Type: Orthodox

Classification: Orthodox Awaken | Hunter >> 1st Transformation

Transformation abilities: (1st Transformation Hunter: Tracking and Scale)

Soul Quality: Mortal Grade

Cultivation: Awakening Stage

Status: Want to visit the local brothel inside the Pit

Injuries: None

Danger: Moderate 

The second man was broader, with a barrel chest and a shaven head marred by a jagged scar running diagonally from his temple to his cheek. His crow was smaller but sleeker, its feathers almost liquid-black as they shimmered in the faint moonlight.

Name: Horace Denholm

Age: 29

D.O.B: 3rd August, Cycle 1724

Date of Death: 3rd October, Cycle 1753

Cultivation Type: Orthodox

Classification: Orthodox Awaken | Hunter >> 1st Transformation

Transformation abilities: (1st Transformation Hunter: Tracking)

Soul Quality: Mortal Grade

Cultivation: Awakening Stage

Status: Just want to sleep for the night, lay back, and drink 

Injuries: None

Danger: Moderate

Upon observing the group, Gideon quickly deduced that all three men were hunters in some form, though Clark stood out as an evolved version of the classification, a Great Hunter. While Gideon struggled to grasp what their listed abilities actually did, it was clear that Clark’s advancement placed him far above the others in terms of strength and skill.

Among the other two, the wiry man with the twitchy head crow—whom Gideon identified as Tint Face—was clearly the second strongest.

Horace, the broader man with the scarred face, appeared to be the weakest of the trio. Even so, Gideon could tell that facing either of them would be no small challenge. Attempting to take on Clark, however, was an entirely different story. For someone at Gideon’s current level, the thought of defeating him directly was nothing short of impossible.

As Gideon’s attention shifted to their Law Beasts, he noticed that all three men possessed jet-black crows of the same species. Tint Face and Horace’s crows perched dutifully on their shoulders, their beady eyes glinting with an unnatural sharpness.

But Clark’s crow was different.

Instead of sitting on his shoulder, it soared high above the treetops, its wings casting ominously large shadows that rippled unnaturally across the ground.

This bird wasn’t just another Law Beast of the same type; it felt and looked like something more. Its presence loomed even from afar, an almost tangible aura that set it apart. If Gideon had to guess, this crow was an evolved form of the others, likely reflecting Clark’s higher stage of cultivation.

But before he could even gauge these creatures more.

A coarse rope was shoved over his eyes, and the scratchy fabric of the blindfold blocked his vision. For most people, this would’ve meant total darkness. But when Gideon let I Spy flow through him, the world sharpened into eerie clarity, its hues duller yet precise.

The children were chained together, their shackles clinking softly as Garrett and Horace secured the line. Clark led the group, his heavy boots crunching against the undergrowth.

“Move.”

Clark ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The line of children stumbled forward, the chain links rattling with every step. Gideon fell in step, his thoughts racing as he analyzed his surroundings through his enhanced vision.

The forest loomed tall and menacing around them, its gnarled trees twisting toward the starless sky.

And then it hit him.

The other children didn’t feel it, but Gideon did for some reason; every step he took felt like he was being distorted slightly.

The feeling was subtle at first, like a faint shift in air pressure. But the further they walked, the more it grew, a ripple in the fabric of reality itself. The dark, oppressive woods seemed to waver, their outlines softening and distorting.

Gideon took another step, and the world around him changed.

It was as though they’d walked through an invisible curtain. One moment, they were in the dense forest; the next, they stood in what appeared to be a vast hall.

Gideon’s breath hitched at the sight, his sight clear of the world around him

“What… is this place?”

He muttered under his breath.