Hunting Greed, Part One

The church doors were open, and golden light poured out, bathing the stone path in front of them in a warm hue.

Higashino Makoto stood outside the door, his golden eyes gazing at the space enveloped in light.

Reisen stood behind him, her long, pale purple hair swaying gently in the night breeze, her rabbit ears standing straight up, and a hint of wariness flashing in her crimson eyes.

"Master, there are many people inside, all women, dressed the same, just like the information you gave about the Bishop of Greed."

"Um."

The "Garden" unfolds.

Higashino Makoto stepped forward and pushed open the door.

The world inside the door is even more magnificent than it appears from the outside.

The church is not large, but every inch of space is decorated with extreme intricacy.

The walls were covered in gold leaf, the dome was painted with murals of angels and saints, and the floor was paved with white marble that gleamed softly in the candlelight.

Bright red carpets were laid between the benches, and the benches were full of people.

Women, young women dressed very similarly.

They were wearing matching white long dresses, the hems reaching their ankles, with ribbons tied at the necklines.

Their hair was also all long, with matching white floral ornaments adorning their hair.

Their faces were all different, but they were all beautiful.

But their expressions were equally empty.

It was as empty as if its soul had been ripped out.

At the deepest part of the church, before the altar, stood two people.

A man, a woman.

The man was wearing a white suit, and his short white hair was carefully combed.

A hollow smile hung at the corner of his mouth.

Sin Archbishops, Regulus Corneas.

The woman wore a more elaborate white wedding dress and a small silver Crown.

Her face was expressionless.

Her eyes were red, but there were no tear stains on her face, as if she had already cried all her tears, or perhaps she dared not shed a tear.

That's today's bride.

"Oh dear, oh dear--"

Regulus turned his head, his blue eyes fixed on the uninvited guest at the door.

The smile remained unchanged, still empty, still like a mask.

"We have guests."

He released the bride's hand, turned around, and faced Higashino Makoto.

His pace was neither too fast nor too slow, each step carrying a sense of composure as if he were the master of the place.

"Who are you?"

Higashino Makoto.

"Higashino Makoto... I've never heard of that name before."

Regrus tilted his head, his blue eyes scrutinizing Higashino Makoto.

"Are you here for the wedding? If so, I'm sorry, the wedding has already started, and you are a late guest. Being late is wrong. Being late is disrespectful to the hosts. Disrespect is cowardice."

"An uninvited guest has undoubtedly violated my rights. You should apologize to me and beg for my forgiveness..."

Higashino Makoto looked at him, his golden eyes devoid of any emotion.

"I'm not here for a wedding."

"Honestly, barging into someone's wedding not as a guest, but for some other reason, you're really annoying. By the way, what are you here for?"

"I'll kill you."

The air in the church seemed to freeze.

The women on the bench looked up, a glint of light flashing in their empty eyes.

Regulus's smile remained unchanged.

"Kill me? Why?"

"Because you are Sin Archbishops."

"Sin Archbishops... Yes, I am Sin Archbishops, I am Sin Archbishops, but that doesn't mean you should kill me. Killing me is your desire, desire is lust. You are using your lust to Judgment my lust, which is unreasonable."

Higashino Makoto looked at him.

Are you finished speaking?

"No."

Regulus strode forward, stopped in front of Higashino Makoto, and walked away.

Her blue eyes stared straight at him, a smile still playing on her lips.

"You know what? I'm very content with myself. I have no desires, I don't want anything. I don't need anything, I'm already fulfilled."

"Then what?"

"Then your very existence proves your imperfection. You want to kill me because you're jealous of me, jealous of my completeness, jealous of my lack of desire, jealous of my perfection."

"Are you done talking?"

"No."

Regulus's voice rose.

"You actually interrupted me! You violated my rights! Speaking is my right, and you shouldn't have interrupted me. You are greedy, and greedy people should be punished. Without a doubt, punishing you is my right."

He stretched out his hand and pointed at Higashino Makoto.

"However, I forgive you, because I am selfless. Therefore, I forgive your disrespect, your interruption, and your lust. All you need to do is obediently die. Isn't that simple?"

Higashino Makoto looked at him, his golden eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Are you done talking?"

Regulus's smile froze for a moment.

"You... you're interrupting me again. You jerk!"

He angrily grabbed a handful of sand from the ground and threw it at Higashino Makoto, anticipating what would happen next.

This wretched creature, like all the wretched creatures before it, was torn to shreds by the unstoppable sand.

But the sand fell to the ground just like ordinary sand a meter or two in front of him, and the rest was knocked away by the opponent with a wave of his hand.

Regulus's blue eyes widened.

"You... how could this be! My power, my Authority..."

"What... what did you do...?!"

Regulus's voice trembled.

He wanted to use his Authority, to Time Stop, to sever himself from this world, but he couldn't.

The Authority is still there, but it has become ineffective.

It was as if something was suppressing it.

"It's simple, I can use my Authority disable Authority."

Higashino Makoto withdrew his hand, and the purple-gold light dissipated.

"I'd like to ask one more time: what is Sin Archbishops who has no Authority?"

Regulus stood there, his blue eyes filled with fear.

His body was trembling, his lips were quivering, and he couldn't speak.

"They are ordinary people, they are the weak."

Higashino Makoto answered for him.

He walked up to Regulus and looked down at the trembling man who was no longer invincible.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Regulus stared at him for a long time, his lips opening and closing repeatedly.

The fear in his eyes gradually turned into despair, and the despair gradually turned into emptiness.

He had nothing left.

Authority, pride, invincibility... all gone.

"I... I..."

"What?"

"I... have no desires... I... am content... I... are fulfilled..."

Higashino Makoto looked at him.

"Are you done talking?"

"I've... I'm done talking..."

Higashino Makoto nodded, raised his hand, and golden light condensed in his palm, transforming into a long spear.

"Goodbye."

The spear thrust out, piercing through Regulus's limbs.

His body swayed, then he collapsed.

His entire face was contorted beyond recognition.

"It hurts... it hurts so much!!! --Why... why did I have to--"