Chapter 556: First Tattoo
(Planet Morod, The Central Jail-House) .
After arriving on Planet Morod, home of the Second Elder, Leo was surprised to be summoned to the Central Jailhouse, which he felt was an unusual place to begin his training.
He was escorted through the crowded prison, where he passed by rows of cramped cells, the faint stench of blood, sweat and grime entering his nose.
*Clink*
*Clink*
Every step that he took along the iron-floored corridor was accompanied by the dull echo of chains clinking together, as prisoners peered out from behind rusted bars with hollow, resentful eyes.
Most of them were not common criminals.
Their posture and hardened gazes spoke of years spent on battlefields, yet now they were reduced to living in filth, their hair matted, skin pale, and bodies weakened from malnourishment.
Some cursed him in hushed tones, while others simply stared in silence, too weak to even throw insults.
Leo could tell that many of them were captured spies or high-value enemies of the Cult, who were stripped of their pride and left to rot in this place.
However, he did not spare them even the slightest sympathetic glance.
*Step*
*Step*
Soon, he descended down a flight of stairs, the air around him growing colder and more humid, until eventually he reached the second basement floor, where the execution rooms were located.
Here, the atmosphere was heavier, almost suffocating. The hallway walls were lined with thick steel doors, each marked by deep scratches, as if desperate hands had clawed at them in their final moments.
The faint scent of old poison lingered in the air, a grim reminder of what these rooms were built for.
And at the very end of this second floor basement, in an open room, the Second Elder waited, standing beside a man who could only be described as a tattoo artist of the most intimidating kind.
The mystery man’s skin was covered in dark, intricate tattoos from neck to wrist, the patterns twisting like living serpents under the basement light.
A massive, ring-shaped earring hung from each ear, swaying slightly as he turned his head to look at Leo.
"Is this the boy?" He asked, as the second elder replied with a quiet nod, before gesturing to Leo to come take a seat.
In the center of the room sat a heavy metal chair, one that Leo recognized immediately.
It was the kind used to restrain inmates before they were sedated and executed, a slow and painful poison coursing through their veins until their hearts stopped.
However, the execution system had been pushed into the far corner of the room, its tubes and needles disconnected.
In its place, a tattoo setup had been arranged, complete with sterile tools, ink containers, and a faintly glowing array carved into the table beside it.
*Bzzzzttt*
The buzzing hum of the tattoo needle filled the air, as any lingering doubts Leo had about what might happen next vanished completely when he heard that sound.
*Sigh*
Letting out a deep breath, he slid his robe from his shoulders and let it fall around his waist, sitting down on the chair with his upper body bare.
"To learn my technique, you first need to receive the Mark of Parinthrak, the ancient Death God. Do not worry, Veyr has received it as well, and so have I," the Second Elder said as he pulled back his own robe, revealing the gleaming tattoo covering half his body, identical to the one Veyr bore.
"This man here is the Supreme Runic Expert, Mikanos. He is one of only two Supreme Runic Encryption experts alive in the universe.
Commander Charles personally kidnapped him from the protection of the righteous faction about fifty years ago. He was originally a dweller of a neutral planet," the Second Elder introduced, as Leo gave the Supreme artist a respectful bow.
*Chuckle*
The tattooed man let out a low chuckle as he adjusted Leo’s posture, beginning to mark the rough outline of the tattoo across his body.
"The other boy I tattooed a few months ago screamed the whole time. I had to stop twice just to let him recover. I hope you do not whine as much," Mikanos said in a cold tone, as Leo raised an eyebrow in mild confusion, glancing toward Dupravel, who gave him a reassuring nod.
Leo sensed no killing intent from the man, which put him somewhat at ease, yet there was still something unsettling about sitting this close to him.
The tattooist’s appearance and presence carried an eerie weight that Leo could not ignore, as just looking at the marks on his body for too long gave him goosebumps.
"Don’t worry, what you’re feeling right now is completely natural.
The marks covering my body are called intimidation marks, and they are meant to make all that gaze upon it fear and respect you.
You must have a strong mind if they only bother you very slightly, because usually, warriors belonging to the Grandmaster Tier often tremble in my presence," Mikanos reassured, as Leo finally understood the reason behind his uneasiness.
With the explanation given, Mikanos resumed his work in silence, his hands moving with a precision that spoke of decades of practice.
The faint scraping of his marking tool traced each curved line and sharp edge of the death god’s sigil across Leo’s chest, shoulders, and back.
He worked methodically, occasionally stepping around the chair to view his work from different angles, his gaze sharp and calculating.
When the final line was drawn, he stepped back, eyes narrowing as he examined the outline in its entirety.
After a brief pause, he gave a single nod of approval and turned toward the nearby metal table. Small glass vials of black, silver, and crimson ink lay neatly arranged beside an assortment of finely honed needles.
Without hesitation, Mikanos selected a vial of ink so dark it seemed to drink in the light, as he loaded it into the buzzing needle.
Returning to Leo’s side, he placed his fingers firmly on the young man’s left shoulder, the grip almost grounding him for what was about to come.
"My engraving technique is called ’branding the flesh.’ It is among the most painful Runic engraving methods in the universe. Expect everything from the tip of your toes to the top of your hair to hurt like hell. That being said... hold your screams in, for it breaks my focus and makes the process less enjoyable for me."
*Pierce*
As soon as the needle bit into his skin, a white-hot line of agony surged through his nerves, spreading like molten metal poured directly into his veins.
Leo’s jaw tightened, breath caught halfway in his throat, as the pain tore through him with a brutality that no blade, burn, or broken bone had ever matched.
It was not the sharp sting of a wound, nor the dull ache of blunt force, but a searing, invasive heat that clawed into the marrow itself, dragging every nerve along with it.
His muscles twitched on instinct, yet he forced them still, inhaling slow and deep through his nose, as if anchoring himself against the tide.
With time, the sensation refused to fade. Instead, it deepened, gnawing further into flesh and sinew, until each heartbeat seemed to hammer the pain deeper.
"If you are wondering how much time has passed," Mikanos murmured without looking up, "it has been exactly two seconds."
Leo’s teeth ground together, and despite every effort to keep silent, a low growl slipped free.
"...fuck."
It was not loud, but it was enough. The sound earned the faintest curl of amusement on Mikanos’ lips, as Leo realized with grim certainty that the next few hours were going to feel like eternity.