He Will Rise, and He Will Fall

"Everyone here has consumed me—the Child of the Moon feeds on his own Blood Slaves, while I let my lovers feed on me."

Earl Leipzig said slowly, "With that love accumulating over the years, once they have consumed enough of me, they gradually become another me. It isn't about taking their souls away, but merging their souls with mine.

"Therefore, none of them are completely themselves. They are another me. In other words, I made myself into these forms. Did anyone in Stibnite decree that people cannot carve their own severed limbs? Or that people cannot turn themselves into works of art? They all volunteered—volunteered not merely to offer up their bodies, but to the extent that they themselves participated in the process."

As Earl Leipzig finished speaking, the "Vase Woman" opened her eyes.

She spoke in a hoarse, ethereal voice: "If you don't believe me..."

Immediately afterward, the antlered youth who had been pursued by bullets also put away his fear and turned his head around. "Then I can change to another person."

The Saintess sewn into the tree also looked over with difficulty. "I'll tell you the same thing."

"Come and verify whether it's true."

"Come and prove how fervent, viscous, and deadly this love is—"

"...Hmph."

General Karl snorted coldly, his brows tightly furrowed as he spat out a few words: "What a monster."

As his voice fell, the sculptures all returned to their original positions.

Earl Leipzig cheerfully walked behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The Child of the Moon is like that... But you just said you were a Fifth Level Transcender? Now... I'm afraid you're no longer one."

"That's right. I'm a 'Warrior' now, a 'Fire Holder.'"

General Karl spoke calmly and slightly turned his head.

His originally dark-golden pupils had