While most of the world is focused on Jin’s death, there is one crucial fact that must be addressed.
A region where demon worshippers infiltrated in an attempt to bring about the resurrection of Diabolus—only to be completely annihilated after Jin’s relentless pursuit.
Although The Chronicles of Zenon is a fictional story, some parts are based on real motives, and the Gray Desert is one such example.
In both reality and The Chronicles of Zenon, there is a place called the Gray Desert—a cursed land where no life can flourish, only death exists.
When people think of a desert, they usually imagine a vast, scorching land covered in sand.
The Gray Desert fits this stereotype.
However, the sand here has a distinct gray hue, and the frequent cloud cover keeps the temperature relatively low.
Despite this, the persistent gloominess creates a dreary and ominous atmosphere.
If that were all, it could be dismissed as merely an unusual place—but that is not the case.
If the Gray Desert were safe, it would have been developed into a major trade route.
It could serve as a convenient shortcut for travelers, but beneath its surface lie countless dormant monsters.
The most notable among them are skeletons.
Originally, the Gray Desert was the land of the Gerios Kingdom, where countless people were slaughtered during the Demon War.
Naturally, an immense number of corpses must be buried beneath the sands, which explains the overwhelming presence of skeletons.
And it’s not just skeletons—because the Demon War started here, all sorts of monsters infest the region.
From colossal desert scorpions to desert sharks and even giant sandworms—the term “inhuman wasteland” suits it perfectly.
In most deserts, there are at least oases or large rivers maintained by the Hirt, but the Gray Desert has none of these.
Yet, despite the desolation, scholars remain deeply interested in this land—because of the ancient kingdom that once stood here, Gerios.
The Gerios Kingdom expanded steadily under an exceptional conqueror, naturally growing into a prosperous nation.
And prosperity meant immense wealth.
During the Demon War, this land was used as a stronghold for demons, and afterward, it became a cursed wasteland—so no one has dared to explore it.
Occasionally, a few passionate adventurers set foot in the desert, only to either never return or come back as broken shells of their former selves.
An unknown desert where no one knows what lies within.
A place so dangerous that even nations refuse to interfere.
Originally, this land was left untouched, but after the release of The Chronicles of Zenon, Volume 29, everything changed.
“Demons are not beings from another dimension. Their true identity… is human.”
“The origin of the demonic race lies in both demons and humans. They live as humans normally, but when they experience intense rage or despair, they transform into demons.”
“Could it be that, just as The Chronicles of Zenon suggests, demons were originally human?”
Most people were so shocked by the grim conclusion of the story that they temporarily overlooked an important detail.
The truths that Zenon uncovered while tracking Jin in the Gray Desert:
That the origin of demons was human—and that some entity was responsible for their corruption.
Had it not been for the story’s shocking ending, the world would have focused entirely on this revelation.
Of course, even if demons were originally human, it doesn’t change the fact that they ravaged the world and destroyed countless civilizations.
The perception of demons wouldn’t shift, but the greater issue was the nature of the Demon War itself.
“Was the Demon War truly a ‘man-made disaster’? The twisted greed of the last King of Gerios?”
“There’s no way so many humans could have transformed into demons by accident. Some external force must have intervened.”
“Was it the work of demon worshippers? Or were the people of Gerios themselves the ancestors of demon worshippers? Nothing is certain…”
There are too many suspicious elements to simply dismiss this as a human-caused accident.
Beyond their overwhelming power, what made the Demon War so unprecedented was that even the gods themselves intervened.
The gods of this world genuinely love and cherish mortals.
While they display many human-like qualities, they sometimes act in ways only deities can.
A prime example of this was the massacre of beastmen during the Racial War.
Immediately after the Demon War ended, Savior indiscriminately slaughtered the newly emerging demonic race, labeling them as demons.
Religious fanaticism, fueled by the direct presence of the gods, escalated the chaos.
It was only through Luminous’ direct intervention that the conflict was halted.
But the massacre of beastmen was different.
At that time, humans weren’t driven by religious zeal like Savior; they were consumed by the madness of war and committed genocide.
And in that instance, the gods remained silent.
They dislike seeing other races suffer because of them, but when mortals choose their own path, they do not interfere.
“If the gods intervened, it means the demons had an equivalent entity on their side.”
“Could that being have been the one that transformed humans into demons? But how?”
This realization left scholars utterly confused.
As explained earlier, the gods require a justification to interfere.
And that justification implies that an entity of godlike power must have actively opposed them.
Scholars hastily concluded that this entity was an evil god from another dimension.
After all, demons were seen as invaders from an unknown realm, and the gods went to great lengths to intervene in the mortal world to protect humanity.
This theory aligned too well with established mythology, leading not only scholars but the majority of people to believe it—until the revelation that demons were originally human shattered everything.
“This is absurd! The origin of demons is human? No matter how reputable Zenon is, this is impossible to accept!”
The group most sensitive to this revelation was, unsurprisingly, the Holy Kingdom of Savior.
Cardinal Hera slammed her fist on the desk, shouting in a furious voice.
Though she had been shaken by the incident involving Cardinal Bach, she had since regained her composure—if anything, she had become even more devout, using Bach as a cautionary example.
“Cardinal Hera, please remain composed. We are in the presence of the Pope.”
A deep, calm voice spoke.
It belonged to Cardinal Deimos, whose thick beard and bushy eyebrows—so long they nearly covered his eyes—gave him a distinct appearance.
Though he understood her frustration, they were not alone in this room.
Hera, still breathing heavily, heeded his advice and exhaled deeply to calm herself.
“Hah… My apologies. But I trust that His Holiness understands my feelings.”
“Of course.”
A solemn man’s voice resounded throughout the conference hall.
Whether it was because of the natural resonance of his voice or because he deliberately raised it, it was undeniably powerful.
The man who agreed with Hera’s opinion was none other than Savior’s supreme leader and the most cherished light of Luminous—
Brich Lawrence.
The surname “Lawrence” could only be held by the one who assumed the position of the Pope, and upon ascension, they abandoned their original surname.
This was to ensure that they remained solely as Luminous’s faithful light.
One might imagine the Pope as a kind and dignified elderly figure, but Brich presented a stark contrast to that expectation.
His priestly robes, harmoniously blending white and gold, covered most of his body, yet they failed to conceal his imposing physique.
And then there were his trapezius muscles—just by looking at them, one could easily imagine the rest of his formidable build.
His face was another striking feature.
There was no trace of warmth; instead, a long scar carved across his cheek told the story of his harsh life.
Before ascending as Pope, Brich had held the position of Grand Inquisitor.
It was Brich, not Kate, who had been the Grand Inquisitor before.
“As Cardinal Hera said, we cannot overlook this matter. Even if we must push ourselves, we need to determine whether the truth lies in the Gray Desert.”
Brich spoke with his hands clasped together, his expression grave. His piercing brown eyes blazed with intensity.
Hera and the other cardinals of Deimos felt overwhelmed by that gaze alone. It was a presence similar yet different from Kate’s.
Whereas Kate led Savior with an almost fanatical devotion, Brich commanded it with sheer, overwhelming charisma.
“Is the expedition team’s preparation proceeding well?”
Brich subtly turned his gaze to Deimos and asked. Deimos cleared his throat before answering in a weary, aged voice.
“Yes. Adventurers are being recruited one after another, and the holy knights have begun their intensive training.”
“What about Cardinal Kate?”
“Unfortunately, Cardinal Kate will have to be excluded. She is currently focused on helping a child who was harmed by demon worshippers.”
“Hmm…”
Brich nodded at Deimos’ report. Kate’s absence was a significant setback at this stage.
Her combat strength was undeniable.
While Brich saw many flaws in her, her divine power compensated for them all.
Furthermore, this expedition prioritized support over combat.
The scouting party had already mapped out an optimal route—they only needed to follow it.
“That can’t be helped. Let’s move past Cardinal Kate’s absence. Instead, Cardinal Deimos, I would like you to take charge.”
“Understood.”
“Thank you. Now then…”
Brich fell silent, deep in thought. The other cardinals waited quietly for him to speak again.
His greatest concern at the moment was timing.
Should they deploy the expedition now, or should they wait until things had settled down?
Right now, the world’s focus was entirely on Zenon’s Chronicles and the question of whether Jin was truly dead or alive.
The shocking conclusion had caused such a massive stir that discussions about the truth behind demons had been almost entirely overshadowed.
More accurately, those discussions had been deliberately suppressed.
Savior had exerted its influence to ensure that no articles on the matter were published.
Any stray reports that occasionally surfaced were swiftly erased, and outside of certain high-level national circles, things had remained relatively quiet.
“If it’s false, only Zenon suffers—and even then, the impact will be minimal. But if it’s true…”
The theory in Zenon’s Chronicles that demons originated from humans… If that turned out to be true, the consequences would be beyond imagination.
Jin’s death might conveniently distract from the revelation for now, but Brich couldn’t help but deliberate.
Should he send the expedition immediately, even without public support, risking failure?
Or should he wait until things quieted down, securing national backing but inviting a far greater storm afterward?
“Zenon must have known something was there. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have proposed such a blasphemous origin theory.”
Brich himself regarded Zenon’s Chronicles as a prophecy.
He couldn’t ignore the fact that before becoming Pope, he had served as Grand Inquisitor.
His role had been to hunt heretics and uphold faith in the gods—yet Luminous openly protected Zenon.
How could he not believe it?
Besides, Zenon—no, Isaac—had heard it directly from Clark. That meant it had to be true.
If a mere scholar had uncovered this, they would have been branded a heretic and executed immediately.
“Why? Why did Luminous hide this truth? Is it because we never asked? Or is there… another reason?”
Doubt breeds doubt, and doubt leads to unease. Brich furrowed his brow as his thoughts spiraled.
If demons originated from humans, then who transformed them?
What kind of existence had the gods intervened against?
And if such an existence was so dangerous, why was there no trace, no record of it at all?
Why did the gods…
“…Do not doubt.”
As his suspicions turned toward Luminous, Brich shook his head violently.
Doubting the gods was blasphemy worthy of divine punishment.
The gods, including Luminous, were compassionate, benevolent beings who loved mortals above all else.
Even if demons had once been human, they were still invaders, still cruel by nature.
Had they not once tried to flood the world completely?
If not for the World Tree, the entire planet would have been swallowed by the sea.
Snapping out of his reverie, Brich seemed to come to a decision. He nodded and issued his orders to the cardinals.
“The operation will commence once things have settled down. The priority is not relics or treasures, but the truth. We must maximize our chances of success.”
“Understood.”
“We shall proceed as instructed.”
“Good.”
Having made his decision, Brich exhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and muttered softly—
“Do not doubt…”
Another strategic warhead had been planted.
Around the same time, in the Michelle Manor.
“Grandma!”
“Yes, yes, it’s Grandma.”
“Grandma! Grandma!”
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“Ah~ My goodness. How can you be this adorable?”
Anna was finding solace from her emotional wounds in Ariel’s cuteness.