“A vortex going against the current?”
“Yes. A tiny vortex, that’s all.”
This was the “false royal capital.”
Or rather, the “false royal capital” he had once believed it to be.
From the very first moment he successfully went against the river of time and opened his eyes, Muen understood the situation.
Although he had successfully stepped onto the stage built by the Salvation Society and obtained a chance to rewrite the ending, that chance was not so easy to grasp.
Everything had been confined to this stage. Just like Muen once had been, audience members who were not onstage could never interfere with the development of the story onstage. As for which way the final ending would go... that could only depend on the actors’ own performance.
And unfortunately, in terms of the actors’ lineup... the difference was enormous.
Look at who was on the other side. The illustrious Salvation Society performance troupe! Experienced, veteran actors, especially troupe leader Gaius and third assistant Witch of Repentance, who simply performed the roles of lunatic exterminationist and foul, troublesome old hag to perfection.
And who was challenging them?
That’s right. None other than the rookie actor who had barged onto the stage midway, Mr. Yellow Hair! Special skills: struggling to survive romantic carnage, and a kidney that never gives up!
Therefore, in terms of combat strength on paper... the odds of victory were slim.
“That’s why you came to find me first.”
The priest finally understood Muen’s intention, as well as the deeper logic behind this matter.
“If a vortex going against the current wants to change the direction of the world’s river, it must become larger and faster. You need to devour more help before you can gradually strengthen yourself and gain the power to truly rewrite the ending.”
“Though it sounds like some perverted priest starving for little boys, that is the basic idea.”
Muen nodded.
“This is very difficult, because every opportunity for me to seek help from the outside has now been cut off. But I don’t think it’s completely impossible. There is still hope of success. That is exactly why I didn’t hesitate to stake everything on this insane matter. Like a gambler who has already lost until his eyes are red, still throwing his final chip onto the table, because I believe this chip still has a chance to turn the game around.”
“What chip?” the priest asked in surprise.
“Very simple.”
Muen turned his head and gazed at the city struggling in agony amid the flames.
“I’m betting that this city still contains a power capable of overturning everything.”
“...”
The night was deep.
The flames were bright.
The West District was gradually being swallowed by raging fire.
But whether it was the priest’s illusion or not, he discovered that compared to the beginning, the speed at which those flames were spreading was gradually slowing.
It seemed this ancient city, already rotten to the bone, had finally begun to reveal its most primitive power under the pressure of some external force.
That power might not be able to change the ending, but in its own way, it was delaying the ending’s approach.
“I see... I think I understand what you mean. But staking everything on yourself for that reason alone...”
The priest looked at Muen and scoffed.
“You really are naive.”
“Naivete is one of the traits of a minor villain in a story, isn’t it? Otherwise, why would he dare spend all day thinking about stepping on the all-powerful protagonist?”
Muen shrugged.
“It’s just that in this story, the ‘all-powerful’ protagonist has been replaced by the Salvation Society. Nothing too serious.”
“Is that so... I don’t really understand what you mean, but it sounds rather blood-stirring. At least it’s much better than some old bastard obsessed with past sins, who doesn’t even have the courage to face the future. Perhaps under your influence, that old thing can muster a little courage again.”
The priest took out a shabby cigarette, lit it with trembling hands, then took a deep drag.
Because his clothes were not wrapped tightly this time, wisps of smoke drifted little by little from the wounds on his chest, veiling his decadent face.
“Tell me.”
But the priest’s eyes gradually became firm.
“What’s the plan? Even if it’s naive, since you dare make a gamble like this, then you must have discovered the other side’s flaw, right? You aren’t the type to casually throw your life away.”
“As expected, I can’t hide it from you.”
Muen smiled.
“Indeed. Before coming here, I had already drawn up the relevant plan.”
“That is very reassuring to hear.”
“It’s actually very simple. I reviewed everything the Salvation Society has done and found that in their plan, the core figure supporting the entire plan is not only the Archbishop.”
“Oh? How so?”
“To be sure, the Archbishop is extremely important to the Salvation Society’s entire plan. If the Archbishop were still here, the power balance of Saint Blancfazesiya absolutely would not have been broken so easily, and this so-called third stage would not exist.”
Muen paused.
“But before that, the Salvation Society’s entire plan was actually dependent on another person. Someone even more important than the Archbishop.”
“Another person...”
The priest thought for a moment, then suddenly understood, because this answer was much simpler and far more obvious than the Salvation Society’s previous plan.
“The King... Saint Peron V!”
“Exactly. That old thing!”
Muen snapped his fingers. Black flame swayed, outlining an aged face.
“Whether in the first stage or the third stage, that old thing absolutely has an enormous role for the Salvation Society! And that role is definitely not limited to the convenience of hiding behind this country and taking action. There must be an even more irreplaceable aspect!”
“For example?” The priest narrowed his eyes.
“For example... the true foundation that lets the Salvation Society control this city and split the timeline... the grand barrier!”
Muen thought back to what he had seen not long ago... not long ago from his perspective.
A massive formation spread outward. Under the influence of some bizarre power, millions of Kingdom citizens who were already dead raised their hands, prayed to the Evil God in the sky, and offered up everything they had.
Muen was very certain that the Witch of Repentance alone could not control an entire city’s people.
In other words, the one truly qualified to control the entire city and guide them into praying to the Evil God... was actually this country’s true ruler in every sense, the king who bore the name of King, Saint Peron V.
Although according to the intelligence, he was an ordinary old man with absolutely no talent for cultivation.
But like Celicia, he could use his status as King to receive the support of the entire Kingdom’s national power.
Adding the fact that he could control the grand barrier, then sacrificing a “mere” few million people was not something impossible to understand for him.
After all, all these people were his citizens.
“Although the Salvation Society has already taken control of this city, they do not possess the qualifications or title of King. So they are actually controlling this place indirectly through Saint Peron V.”
“In other words, as long as Saint Peron V dies, the Salvation Society’s plan will naturally go completely up in smoke...”
The priest raised his head.
“Is that what you mean?”
“Exactly! As expected of the Church’s former executioner. You’re clever.”
Muen approvingly patted the priest’s shoulder.
“Trust me. As long as we kill that old thing, every difficulty will be solved, and we’ll be able to easily rewrite the ending!”
“You make it sound simple.”
The priest rolled his eyes.
“Since you can deduce that much, I imagine the Salvation Society understands Saint Peron V’s importance to them even more. Add his special identity on top of that. Do you really think he’ll let you kill him so easily?”
“Of course it won’t be easy, but it isn’t completely impossible either.”
“Hm?”
“Didn’t I say it? I have my own plan. As long as that plan is completed, there will absolutely be a chance to successfully assassinate Saint Peron V. A very high chance!”
“As... long as?”
The priest looked at Muen’s smile, which was gradually becoming gentle and calm, and suddenly felt a bad premonition rise in his heart.
“Yes. As long as. But before that, I have one tiny little problem that requires the help of the clever and powerful Lord Executioner.”
“Wh-what?”
“You saw it just now too, didn’t you?”
Muen raised the lantern in his hand.
“Because of a certain old woman’s pursuit, no matter what I do right now, I have to carefully conceal my figure. This makes it truly difficult for me to act freely, and naturally, I have nowhere to implement the plan. In other words...”
“You need someone to help you resolve the trouble of the Witch of Repentance?”
The priest’s cheek twitched.
As expected. He had known this brat was up to no good!
He actually wanted him to handle the most troublesome person!
“Exactly! As expected of Lord Executioner. You and I truly hit it off at once. If not for how urgent the situation is right now, I would practically want to become sworn brothers with you despite having different fathers and mothers!”
“Forget it. I’m old enough to be your father...”
“If you don’t mind, I can suffer a little loss and persuade my old man to become sworn—”
“Stop, stop, stop. That isn’t what I meant!”
The priest interrupted Muen with a helpless expression.
“What I mean is... are you sure I can do it?”
As he spoke, the priest lifted his clothes and let Muen look at his side.
There, blood was still flowing. A savage wound that clearly did not come from self-harm had nearly cut him in half at the waist.
Flesh wriggled, constantly healing with the help of Holy Light, but some terrifying power continued to corrode the priest like maggots clinging to bone, making that wound recover extremely, extremely slowly.
“Oh, looks more serious than I guessed.” Muen raised a brow.
“You see.”
Perhaps because even he could hardly endure the severe pain surging up again, the priest let out a long breath.
“I’m no match for her at all. That was true even in my prime, let alone now, when I’m already wounded this badly.”
“Indeed. You look like you’re about to croak at any moment.”
Muen suddenly looked into the priest’s eyes and said,
“But what if I told you... your injuries aren’t a problem?”
“What?”
“I said your injuries aren’t a problem.”
Black flame flickered in Muen’s pupils.
Like the depths of night, devouring everything.
“I can help you recover your condition again, help you face the Witch of Repentance once more. I’m not asking you to defeat her. I only hope you can hold her back... and the only problem is...”
Muen reached out, his finger touching the priest’s chest.
It seemed to pass precisely through the dense wounds on his chest and touch his beating heart.
“The problem is whether you have the courage to face her again... to face the nightmare that has made you blame yourself for decades, that has made you live in agony for so long.”
“...”
The priest was stunned.
Then the muscles in his cheek slowly twitched in a strange manner.
It was hard to imagine that as the cathedral’s executioner, as a genuine Crowned, he would actually be unable to control his expression.
Countless images began surging through his mind. There was the regret from decades ago, when he discovered that his own actions had caused an irreversible outcome. There was also the powerlessness and despair from not long ago, when he faced the woman who now called herself the Witch of Repentance.
Finally, as if by some strange compulsion, he once again thought of that kind and gentle face he had seen in the cathedral’s prison.
A certain emotion began to grow in his heart.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
His heartbeat gradually accelerated.
Was it fear?
No.
It was anger.
Anger toward himself... and anger toward her.
“Of course I can.”
The priest grinned and crushed the cigarette hard.
“No matter what... I’m not so pathetic that I’d lose to a naive little brat like you.”
“You sound like you’re about to burn yourself out.”
“And you? Haven’t you already burned yourself once?”
“Haha. True.”
Muen extended his hand and suddenly clenched it into a fist.
“Then let’s burn one more time. If once isn’t enough, then twice. If twice isn’t enough, then even more. Until the entire city... burns!”
Firelight blazed, illuminating the sky.
But Muen felt it was not enough.
This fire had to become fiercer.
Hotter.
Fire against fire.
