Imperial Tribunal, private room of Levi on the fourth floor of the West Wing.
Levi knelt beside the bed, put his hands together, and rested his forehead on a small altar.
It was a simple altar made of black stones, with a Holy Symbol placed on it.
A winged stabbing sword with broken chains wrapped around the blade.
[Holy Symbol of Arazni].
Unyielding Goddess.
The former paladin, later the lich Queen, eventually became the patron saint of those abandoned by fate.
Her teachings are simple: freedom, protection, revenge, self-determination, and survival at all costs.
Arazni There is no organized church, no hierarchy of faith.
Her followers are often those who are cornered, the collapsed Warrior, and the fallen Jihadi Army.
And poor people like Levi, who do whatever it takes to survive.
"The great Marshal Red Crusade----"
Levi prayed quietly, and the sound echoed in the empty room.
"Please give me the strength to survive today's actions."
"Please give me wisdom so that I can protect myself and take revenge on those who have hurt me."
"Please give me the courage to never be like that again----"
His voice was stuck.
Like before - cowardly.
Levi Close your eyes and the past comes flooding back.
[Five Years Ago, Thunderclap Town Suburban]
It rained heavily.
Levi was lying in the mud, covered in blood, looking ahead in horror.
That's a demon.
A true devil.
[Hellfire Manticore], has the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion and the wings of a bat, and is burning with the fire of Abyss.
It's staring at Sky.
Sky·Xinghui, the partner of Levi.
Her long silver hair was wet from the rain and stuck to her face. Her left arm was broken, and blood was dripping down her arm.
"Levi!" she shouted, "We need to buy time for Priest to cast Banishment!"
Levi's hand holding the sword was shaking.
He is just a newcomer.
If you rush him, he will die.
He will definitely die.
"Levi!!"
Sky's voice sounded again, with despair.
Hellfire Manticore rushed forward.
And Levi----
Turned around and ran away.
He cast [Dimensional Gate], a special skill given by Arazni to her most devout followers.
Then he escaped into the portal without looking back.
A second before the door closed, he heard the roar of Sky charging.
[The next day, Nirose, Empire Hospital]
Levi stood at the door of the ward, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
He stood outside the door for a full hour, still not having the courage to open the door.
Finally, he put the flowers at the door, turned and left.
Sky survived in the end, and never mentioned his escape to anyone, and even covered it up in his report, saying that he "split up to request support."
But that didn't make Levi feel grateful.
On the contrary, that kind of charity-like "mercy" became his nightmare day and night, and became a poisonous insect that gnawed at his self-esteem.
He applied to act alone and would never accept any partners again.
[four years ago]
"Levi, are you acting alone again?" Calderon's voice was filled with dissatisfaction, "Inquisition's rule is
"I have completed the mission." Levi interrupted him, "Kill all eleven believers with high Areshka."
"But you caused civilian casualties."
"Collateral losses," Levi said coldly, "Cannot be avoided in the process of clearing Cultist."
Calderon stared at him and was silent for a long time.
Levi has no answer.
He turned and left the office.
Calderon doesn't know anything.
He wants to become stronger.
He wants to prove himself.
He wanted to wash away the shame of that day.
No matter what the cost is.
[Three years ago, Black Marsh Town]
Levi stood in the shadow of an abandoned Temple, staring indifferently ahead.
In the center of Temple, five Cultist are undergoing a summoning ceremony.
A huge magic circle was painted on the ground, and three civilians were tied to three nodes of the magic circle.
They cried, struggled, and begged.
"Help! Is there anyone there?"
"Please! Let my child go!"
"I don't want to die----"
Levi gripped the sword tightly.
He can stop this.
If he rushes out now and kills those Cultist, he can save these three people.
But----
If the ritual is allowed to continue, a more powerful demon will be summoned.
When the time comes, he will be able to kill powerful demons and gain greater merit.
The lives of three civilians were exchanged for the head of a demon.
Worth it.
Levi stood in the shadows, motionless.
The magic circle lit up with a bloody light.
The screams of the three civilians echoed in Temple, and then stopped abruptly.
A [Succubus] crawled out of the magic circle and licked its lips.
"So delicious----"
Levi raised his sword and jumped out of the shadows.
The battle begins.
Ten minutes later, all Cultist died, and Succubus was also exiled back to Abyss.
Levi stood among the piles of corpses, breathing heavily.
He began to process the scene.
Burning the magic circle and forging traces to make it look like he arrived too late.
He is already very skilled at doing this.
"Pah, pah, pah."
A burst of slow and elegant applause suddenly sounded from the shadows.
Levi turned his head sharply and pointed his sword at the source of the sound.
Temple Standing at the door is a middle-aged man.
He was wearing an elegant black dress and a pale mask on his face. The mask had no expression and only had two black eye sockets.
"Wonderful."
The man's voice carried an extremely uncomfortable sense of joy, as if he was enjoying a comical drama.
"Who are you?!" Levi shouted sharply, while quietly activating the detection scroll in his sleeve.
There was no reaction. The opponent was like a ball of air in the detection spell.
"A passing audience." The man slowly walked into Temple, "I just saw the whole process. You stood in the shadows, watched the three people being sacrificed, and then waited for the devil to come out before taking action."
His voice was filled with obvious sarcasm. "What a brilliant tactic."
"Shut up." Levi's voice was cold, "You don't understand the situation."
"I understand very well." The man smiled, "You are proving yourself at the expense of the lives of innocent people. You are escaping from the cowardice of the past, but you have turned into something even more tragic."
"What did you say?!"
No matter what he is, since he saw this scene, he must die!
"Judgment: All things defeat the enemy!"
He directly exploded with all his strength, and the long sword, wrapped in pure flames that could melt through steel, pierced the man's throat.
"Look," the man's voice was filled with joy, "He finally showed his true nature."
The man did not hide.
He just raised a finger slightly.
Wow!
The next second, Temple the chain on the floor suddenly came to life.
[Animated Chains].
Those rusty Iron Chains sprang up from the ground like poisonous snakes and instantly entangled Levi's limbs.
"What?!" Levi was shocked.
He struggled desperately, but the chain was incredibly hard and had a chill that could freeze his soul. The Judgment: Enemy Breaker he was so proud of was extinguished the moment it came into contact with the chain.
"Too weak."
The man shook his head in disappointment, "Whether it's strength or state of mind."
Levi feels the fear of death.
Escape! Just escape!
Levi wanted to use [Dimensional Gate] to escape, but the moment he started singing, the man snapped his fingers.
The space solidified.
A terrible sense of oppression enveloped the entire Temple.
"Want to escape? Within 30 feet around me, space is solidified. You are locked in a cage."
The teleportation light that had just been lit was extinguished with a pop like a candle that had been snuffed out.
Levi struggled desperately, but the chains became tighter and tighter.
His magic is draining.
His strength is fading.
"Don't----don't kill me----"
"Kill you?"
The man tilted his head, as if he heard something funny.
"Why should I kill you? It would be a pity to kill someone like you."
"People like you are the most interesting." The man slowly walked up to Levi and looked at him condescendingly, "You are not evil, you are just cowardly. You are not crazy, you are just desperate."
"I care about your future story."
The chains were loosened a little, allowing Levi to kneel on the ground.
He knelt down and looked at Levi.
"I can help you realize your wish and give you new power."
The man stretched out his hand. "Do you agree? Or choose death?"
Levi's throat is dry.
He wanted to refuse.
He knew it was a trap.
But he doesn't want to die.
He is a believer of Arazni.
Survive at all costs.
"I----agree." Levi's voice was hoarse.
"A wise choice."
The man turned around and threw it backwards.
A mask exactly like the one on his face fell in front of Levi.
"Then, the deal is done."
"Levi?"
Someone is calling him.
Levi opened his eyes suddenly and woke up from the memory.
He found himself still kneeling in front of the altar, with cold sweat on his forehead.
"Are you ready?" Another Inquisitor voice came from outside the door, "Everyone is waiting for you."
"----Ready."
Levi stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He walked to the mirror, arranged his equipment, took a deep breath, opened the door and walked out.
Imperial Tribunal, War Command Hall.
Inquisitor has been assembled.
Calderon stood on the high platform, and beside him stood the green Twin-Tails woman, Mina·Bronze Bell.
He looked at Mina just like he looked at the three civilians who were sacrificed back then.
Indifference.
Numbness.
Without any emotion.
Any possible threat must be eliminated, she saw my back.
"Levi. You lead First Assault Squad and be responsible for the main attack." Calderon ordered.
"Understood."
"Mina will accompany her as an intelligence consultant. You must protect her."
"----Follow your orders."
Levi lowered his head and raised a sneer at the corner of his mouth.
Protect?
Maybe.
If she's lucky.