Chapter 382: The Journey and the Pain
On the dark stone steps spiraling downward, their footsteps maintained the same unhurried, steady rhythm, strangely at odds with the arrhythmic cries of pain, sometimes long and sometimes short, that seemed to come both from deep underground and from right beside their ears.
"The damaged statue at the entrance above is the God of Joy," Kurt said with a smile. "In other words, who I once was. Making people laugh... is far too difficult. Just like that clumsy performance onstage. The only thing in that performance that made me laugh aloud was the performer's distorted expression, which lasted only an instant. I, too, once twisted my face in bewilderment like that. My expression might have been even uglier. In the end, just as the performance portrayed, that great figure kept changing his own story, and it inspired me. I had to make a change. Someone as insignificant as me could never reach his goal in a single step..."
Kurt looked at Ruger with a smile.
Ruger naturally knew that the great figure he revered was the current God of Knowledge.
"Many people fail to recognize that. Having a lofty goal doesn't mean you can march straight toward it. Even that great figure, with his extraordinary wisdom, took his first step as the Bread God. How much more true is that for someone as insignificant and ignorant as me? So the God of Joy died, and the God of Sorrow was born. Although that delayed my advancement by another few years, fortunately, none of it is a problem anymore. And now I have your help as well, Master Ruger..." Kurt said wistfully.
Ruger scratched his head, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with such praise.
Or rather, with being valued so highly.
He only hoped that the