Chapter 1658: A Treacherous Alliance
Or perhaps, given the sheer depth of the Cult of Four’s foundation, they had never taken Orion and his allies seriously to begin with. Even if the Archbishops lacked the individual strength to secure a one-on-one victory, they held the advantage.
"You seem to have forgotten that we were never friends," Archbishop Kysar said, his voice as cold and heavy as a glacier. "I admit, this was a trap. But if a wolf wants to feast on sheep, it must jump into the pen and risk the shepherd, must it not?"
This cold, calculating presence was the true face of an Archbishop of the Cult of Four.
"If the Titanion Realm is to truly grow and successfully devour the domains of the four gods, we must draw out every trap they left behind," Kysar continued, a sneer twisting his lips. "Did you really think stealing from the divine would be simple?"
To the Cult, failing to kill Orion, the Lifeless Dreadgod, and Moriphara was nothing more than a stroke of bad luck.
A heavy silence settled over the group.
Can we work together to force him out completely? Orion transmitted to the Lifeless Dreadgod, his brow furrowed. After nearly dying in their trap, he realized the Cult of Four was far too dangerous and scheming. They needed to be eliminated, and soon.
Naïve, the Lifeless Dreadgod shot back. The World Tree branch Kysar occupies was granted by the Titanion Realm itself. Without the permission of the World Tree’s will, even our combined strength cannot expel him. For now, he is an indispensable part of the Titanion Realm.
The Dreadgod shot Orion a look that clearly said: Why do you think the three of us didn’t team up to purge you, a native, the moment the world rebooted?
So I just sit here and wait to be killed? Moriphara chimed in. As the weakest among them, she was the most likely target for the next purge.
What alternative do you have? the Lifeless Dreadgod replied, his impatience flaring. Why do you think I’ve been targeting the Cult of Four from the start? They fight dirty, and their roots run too deep.
Compared to the four scheming Archbishops, the Dreadgod found Orion and Moriphara frustratingly green.
In the end, the bait left by the four gods was simply too tempting. We were a hair’s breadth away from death, the Dreadgod added, reflecting on his own misstep.
"There is no turning back now. Not for us, and not for you," Kysar’s voice broke the silence. "So far, it seems the God-Slaying Ballista only targets traitors and outsiders. It cannot lock onto the roots of the World Tree because they do not qualify as living entities. The Will of the Realm is immune. That is a cosmic conflict, entirely beyond the ballista’s range."
The hypocrisy was staggering. Kysar had just orchestrated a plot to slaughter them, yet here he was, smoothly demanding their cooperation to complete the Titanion Realm’s consumption of the other worlds.
"Behold the true face of a false god," the Lifeless Dreadgod sneered, masking none of his contempt. "Two-faced, treacherous hypocrites. And he still has the nerve to act like he’s doing us a favor."
"Say what you will," Kysar replied, entirely unfazed. "The trap in the second world has been sprung. The Titanion Realm will devour it. That is an indisputable fact. And it is my achievement. It belongs to the Cult of Four." He spoke with sheer, shameless arrogance, treating their survival as an inconvenience.
"What I am warning you about is the third world. It will almost certainly draw the gaze of the four gods themselves. We may face entities far beyond our power. We have a brief window to prepare."
Kysar studied Orion, the Lifeless Dreadgod, and Moriphara. It was a pity he hadn’t managed to kill them all. They possessed powerful backers. The Cult’s betrayal was a calculated gamble to secure multiple objectives: seize more Authority over the Titanion Realm, claim additional thrones on the World Tree, and force out the ancient entities backing Orion’s group—future rivals for the Divine Mantle—to gauge their strength. Furthermore, they needed to use these outsiders as pawns to disarm the deadly failsafes left by the four gods. The Cult intended to sever the gods’ lingering control, seize absolute power, and cut off the gods’ source of faith in the mortal plane.
"Unfortunately, our betrayal means we cannot fight with our full strength," Kysar continued, his tone entirely detached, as if the impending crisis had nothing to do with him. "Our divine power is a gift from the four gods. If we use it, we will only empower them."
"Shameless! Absolutely utterly shameless!" the Lifeless Dreadgod exploded, unable to tolerate the sheer audacity. "How can you stand there and say that with a straight face?"
He knew exactly what Kysar was doing: forcing them to clean up the Cult’s mess.
"As I said, neither of us has a way out," Kysar replied calmly. "We all seek immortality. We all want to ascend to godhood. It is a treacherous path, and the four gods are the first major obstacle. I have said my piece. Do as you see fit."
Kysar retreated to his throne and closed his eyes, waiting for the Titanion Realm to finish absorbing the second world. Once it was done, the third world—and the fury of the four gods—awaited.
"Fucking trash. I couldn’t find creatures as vile and filthy as you in the deepest pits of the abyss!" the Dreadgod spat.
Kysar ignored him. Orion glanced between the raging Dreadgod and the silent Archbishop before retreating to his own throne, deep in thought.
I need to secure the God-Slaying Ballista before we face whatever the four gods left behind, Orion realized. He had no idea what the final trap would be, but obtaining a Demigod Artifact capable of locking onto souls was the only way to guarantee his safety.
Possessing the God-Slaying Ballista was akin to holding a supreme deterrent. Executing traitors like Clown and Witch would become effortless.
I need to inform the Commander.
