Entering Death Again

The church itself was a building with a complex interior layout, but most of the intersections had been thoroughly blocked by tables, chairs, benches, or other clutter. Combined with Shade being almost certain of Joey Barton and Iluna's destination, he continued forward with a clear goal even without seeing any trace of them.

There were even more Ritual Traces inside the church than during his last visit. Even without a light source, they were enough to cast the corridors in gold. Most people were currently resisting the undead, so Shade did not encounter any other Ring Arcanists as he ventured deeper. Yet resounding hymns constantly echoed in his ears.

The Nature Church's hymns leaned toward folk songs. In the choral passages, they could make one close one's eyes and see vast sunlit grasslands and lush summer forests.

Shade did not know what the singing meant at that moment, but from the state of things inside, the Sealing Ritual was undoubtedly nearing completion.

The farther inward he went, the more crooked the corridors became. The concept of death distorted space, warping the corridors to varying degrees in all four directions. As the Ritual Traces grew denser, Shade finally saw silver metal wires crossing the corridor like spider silk, snapped apart by an impact. That proved he had not gone the wrong way.

He suddenly heard something behind him. Turning around, he saw a middle-aged man in square-framed glasses, carrying a sword, approaching as though flying just above the ground. He looked even older than Doctor Schneider, close to the boundary between middle age and old age. The golden spiritual light overflowing from his body showed just how many Divine Rituals had enhanced him.

Shade recognized him. This was Lacan Matisse, the Sun Church's Twelve-Ring Arcanist in the region. Aside from the