"Arost? Is that really you?" Kratos stood dumbfounded for a long while, then was overcome with ecstatic joy.
"So it wasn't my imagination. You really were calling out to me!"
"But... what do you mean I only held on for five seconds?"
"The real deal." This time, Arost did not remain silent as before and immediately responded.
At the same time, he did not forget to answer Kratos's question:
"You held on for five seconds. That is exactly what it means."
"I ignored you for no more than five seconds, and your will was already on the verge of collapse. Useless."
"B-but it felt like several hours had passed..." Amid his shame, Kratos felt even more bewildered.
"What exactly happened?"
"What condition am I in right now? Am I in His Majesty's Soul Realm?"
"The Soul Realm? You wish..." Arost scoffed, his tone filled with unmistakable disdain.
"You should still remember what you did earlier, right?"
"Do you think a sinner as incomparably foolish as you still has the right to enter His Majesty's Soul Realm?"
"I never noticed it before, Kratos. How can your skin be so thick..."
Kratos fell silent.
Though Arost's words were harsh, he had to admit that every word was true.
"Execute me..."
After a long silence, Kratos slowly spoke.
"Please nail the foolish things I did to the Goblins' pillar of shame, then execute me."
"I am willing to endure every torment of pain, if only to repay one ten-thousandth of my sins."
"Execute you?" Arost sneered, his tone becoming even more mocking.
"You're certainly carefree. You caused a monstrous disaster, nearly got His Majesty killed, and now you think one lighthearted sentence—'execute me'—is enough to wash your hands of it?"
"I'm telling you, Kratos, you will spend the rest of your long life