Golas stood like a god on a mountaintop, looking down upon all living beings. As his words fell, a dazzling shaft of light descended from midair.
It enveloped Wade squarely, leaving him unable to move.
"Teacher, I'm sorry, but this is all for the Empire."
Bound by the light, Wade showed none of the expected panic. He did not even spare the light around him a glance.
"Golas, I remember teaching you a lesson once. Before absolute strength, no conspiracy can remain hidden."
Golas did not answer directly. Instead, he gave a calm chuckle.
"You also said nothing is absolute, and that we should never overlook a single detail."
Wade said nothing more. He took a small step forward, and the pillar of light binding him shattered instantly, breaking apart layer by layer like shards of glass.
Golas froze for a moment, then smiled bitterly. "Just as I thought. I knew I wasn't the only one improving. Teacher, you're much stronger than before."
He shook his head regretfully. "You shouldn't have come back!"
"You want to kill me?" Wade asked, his voice heavy.
"No. There is no irreconcilable conflict between us, as long as you remain a spectator," Golas replied in the tone of an old friend reunited after years apart.
"You attacked him the moment you met, and now you're saying there's no conflict? Who are you trying to fool?"
The sudden voice interrupted their conversation. Both turned to find its source.
Joey hurried over anxiously, his Sheriff's uniform covered in dust. His dark eyes watched the two men nervously.
"Captain, I'm sorry!"
Wade seemed to have expected Joey's arrival. He merely nodded calmly.
"When they found this place, I guessed you were the reason."
Joey scratched his head awkwardly, glanced at Golas, and said hurriedly:
"I didn't know he was coming after you."
Then he turned the conversation back to Golas. "Everyone you brought is dead, Bishop. Leave. The Dark Matter has fallen into the Disciple's hands too. There's no hope."
It was not that Joey wanted to play peacemaker. He simply had the feeling that all the fighting and slaughter happening now were the work of that being.
Moreover, through his Spirit Vision, he could see that the illusory gate had become more solid after absorbing the energy released by the clash between the two Demigods.
He did not know what the consequences would be, but stopping that being would suffice.
Besides, their earlier conversations had allowed Joey to piece together quite a few things.
As Golas had said, there was no irreconcilable conflict. They could sit down and talk. There was no need to fight and kill.
Huh? Why is energy still pouring toward this place?
Unable to understand, Joey pushed his Spirit Vision to its limit, trying to locate the source.
"Do you mean this?" Golas looked coldly in one direction.
A Black-Robed Man was slowly emerging, step by measured step, holding a box carved with exquisite patterns.
Strangely, Wayne, who should have been on Wade's side, walked over to Golas with a sinister smile.
The corner of Joey's mouth twitched as he stared at him in astonishment.
What's going on? He's working for Golas? Then why did he kill all those Knights Templar?
An eerie silence settled over the scene.
Wade had no face in his mythical form, making it impossible to judge his expression. His voice, however, made it clear that he had not known Wayne would do any of this either.
"You were deceiving me from the start, just to lure me here?"
"Of course!" He admitted it without hesitation, then glared at Wade with icy malice. Veins bulged beneath the shriveled skin of his face as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"If it weren't for you, how could Leila have died?"
Joey glanced between the two sides and gave an almost imperceptible twist of his lips, inwardly grumbling, So there's more gossip here? Judging by their Sequences, is this a love triangle or a late-life romance? Transcendents really do get creative.
Wade remained silent for a long time before his deep, resonant voice sounded again.
"What exactly are you trying to achieve?" He deliberately avoided the subject of Leila.
Joey shifted his feet and slowly moved to Wade's side. Between Bishop Golas and Captain Vade Wisker, he still chose to trust his captain.
Honestly, Captain. A high sequence Demigod, played for a fool by a Sequence 6 Disciple. Women really do slow your sword hand. After those inward complaints, Joey spoke.
"They want to open Sealed Artifact 0-09."
"As expected." Wade scoffed. "You're still chasing those foolish dreams."
As a Demigod who had lived for centuries, he naturally knew what 0-09 could do.
The wanderer who roamed the stars, the master of the gates to all worlds-in a certain sense, that being did indeed possess the power to escape the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
But its unstable Beyonder Characteristics could not be forgotten.
The portal it opened might not lead to the outside world, but instead become another Gate of the Abyss.
Another name for 0-09 was the Gate of the Abyss.
It might open a passage leading to Devils.
There had always been people who advocated this approach. However, no one could locate 0-09's true form, nor could anyone verify whether the method would work.
"No, this isn't a dream." Golas opened his mouth, revealing a row of sharp wolf fangs. He pointed at Joey and spoke excitedly.
"I received a revelation from the Lord. The person in the prophecy has appeared. We will finally walk into the light."
Joey clicked his tongue softly.
What does this have to do with me? A prophecy? What the hell?
"Golas, I remember teaching you that Transcendents are a group of mentally ill people who can lose control at any moment. That stems from the irresistible influence of Potions. Don't believe those ravings."
Potions were made from Magical Beasts, Beasts, and supernatural plants. Along with magical power, they also carried those creatures' tendencies to lose control.
"Can you be certain the revelation came from a True God, rather than a Devil's temptation?"
Golas sank into thought. Only after a long while did he speak.
"I tried it. That being allowed me to advance successfully to Demigod."
Boss, send me their contact info. Which being was it? I want to become a Demigod too! Joey looked at Golas with undisguised envy.
Before Wade could rebuke him, Golas looked down at his wolfish hands and spoke excitedly.
"That being didn't deceive me. Look, Teacher. I'm powerful enough to fight you now."
"Every gift comes with a price, Golas. You've gone mad."
A blessing that granted the standing of a Demigod would demand an unimaginably steep price.
The fur on Golas's body was gradually turning from red to black. It was easy to tell that his power had not been obtained through normal means.
The powers of certain Evil Gods were formidable, but they came with those beings' dark traits. Even the slightest contamination could plunge the recipient into eternal ruin.
It was very likely the Color Out of Space. With that suspicion in mind, Joey asked in a deliberately casual tone:
"Bishop, can you recite that being's Honorific Name now?"
Golas's impassioned expression instantly crumbled, finally giving way to confusion.
"Who is that being?"
Joey glanced sidelong at Wayne, who had remained silent all this time. He was holding the box now, his dazed expression tinged with excitement.
Wayne slowly opened the box in his hands, murmuring to himself:
"Stealer of light from the dark side of the universe, source of all defilement, you are an existence darker than the abyss. Through you, light shall cease to exist."
The instant Wayne recited the Honorific Name, Golas snapped out of his confusion and howled in terror.
"No! He's the Defiler! How can he be the Defiler?"
Watching Golas, who looked as though he had gone insane, Joey asked quietly:
"Captain, what do we do now?"
Looking at Wade's featureless head gave him the feeling that he might be sucked into it. He deliberately averted his gaze, not daring to look.
Wade's laughter came from every direction.
"Joey, go. Leave this place! Don't get involved in the Imperial Family's struggles again." His voice paused, then dropped. "At least not until you have enough strength to protect yourself."
"Captain, where else can I run?" Joey shook his head and sighed helplessly.
He looked up at the sky, where multicolored mist drifted without sunlight or warmth.
Meanwhile, a great crowd of commoners had gathered outside the Imperial Capital.
"People of Senegal, take up your weapons and heed the Lord's revelation! Let us overthrow this rotten kingdom and build a new nation, without nobles or slaves, where all are equal and treated fairly!"
"We are not rebels! We are supporters of the Divine Maiden! She will bring the light of a new life to Senegal!"
Beckett's voice was intensely inflammatory. Behind him, Alisa stood in an ornate court gown, radiating regal authority.
"Open the gates and welcome the Divine Maiden! She will bring abundance to Senegal! Seeds of grain will cover every stretch of land, and you will no longer suffer famine, disease, or pain!"
Alisa's pretty little face was full of exhaustion. She had done this many times already, and the growing procession had now become an enormous army.
She listened listlessly to Beckett's roaring, glanced at the maid holding her long train, and whispered, "I'm so tired. Can I go back now? I still have experiments to do."
"Your Highness, please hold on a little longer," the maid comforted her softly.
Creak!
The tightly shut gates slowly opened. Joy immediately spread across Beckett's face, but before he could react, an arrow whistled over his head, startling him so badly that he nearly fell.
As the gates opened, soldiers poured out after them in an unending flood.
"Protect Her Highness! Prepare for battle!" he roared.
Elsewhere, Second Prince Charles sat astride his horse in silver-white armor. His army had also reached the Imperial City.
He drew the sword at his waist. Where its tip pointed, the charge began.
"Attack!"
For a moment, the clash of weapons and thunder of hooves shook the heavens like a roaring tide.
Chaos. Utter chaos. All of Senegal had descended into turmoil, divided among three factions.
The Imperial Knights, led by Emperor Eng, held the Imperial City.
At the East Gate, the Rebel Army under Charles launched a siege in the name of overthrowing tyranny. Well equipped, this army was evenly matched with the defenders.
At the West Gate stood the Commoner Irregular Army organized by Alisa and Beckett. Its most defining feature was its motley composition.
They had no fine weapons or standardized uniforms. They came from different social classes: slaves, merchants, and even nobles. Some were Transcendents, but most were ordinary people.
Compared with the other two armies, they were far inferior. Yet their numbers were now several times greater than those two forces combined.
The smoke of war spread from east and west like a virus, swiftly engulfing all of Senegal. Blood stained the earth, and cries of anguish became its prevailing sound.
Far behind the army, Alisa rested her chin in her hands and gazed blankly at the sky. She thought the multicolored mist was beautiful.
Beckett entered, his face bright with excitement, and bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness, our army has breached the gates. It won't be long before we fight our way into the Inner City."
She did not understand what that meant. She merely found it dull. With her lovely eyes wide, she asked:
"Beckett, have you found Joey? I haven't seen him in so long."
Beckett kept his head lowered. A strange expression flickered across his face, but he quickly concealed it, straightened, and answered with a flattering smile.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. The people we sent have learned that Joey is in the Inner City. Once we get inside, you'll be able to see him very soon."
"Why do we have to fight?" The question seemed to trouble her deeply.
"This isn't fighting. It's salvation. We're saving Senegal from the oppression of the nobles. Don't you want to see a world without famine or slaves?" Beckett spoke gently, guiding her little by little.
"But I don't like being a princess, and I don't want to be called Your Highness. I just want to grow flowers. I don't like seeing people die. Tony died, and Joey was so sad."
Alisa tried hard to express her displeasure. Though she could not work out the rights and wrongs of it, the feeling was simply unpleasant.
"Without nobles, there will be no more wars. Then no one will be sad, and you can plant flowers all across Senegal."
"Really?" Alisa had never changed for the worse. She was still that innocent, carefree girl. Lifting her skirt, she twirled and said excitedly, "What kind of world would that be? Joey would definitely love it. He said that back in his homeland, there was no hunger, no war, no nobles, and no royal family."
Once he left the tent, the smile on Beckett's face instantly turned grim. He glanced at the guards and said in a low voice, "Protect Her Highness!"
"Yes!"
The soldiers on guard shivered.
Despite looking like a kindly uncle in front of Alisa, Beckett was known outside as the Tyrant.
Anyone who dared disobey his orders would not survive a day.
Everyone who saw him along the way lowered their heads and bowed.
Beckett relished the feeling of standing above others.
Who could have imagined that in just a few months, he would rise from a minor farmer to a commander ruling over tens of thousands of troops?
He owed all of it to Alisa. The seeds she had cultivated were what allowed this force to grow steadily.
Seeds capable of producing food in bulk on mutated land made him practically invincible in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
"I wonder whether that person will regret their original decision when they see me."
Beckett looked at the firelight spreading in the distance, toward the Inner City.
The order he had received back then was to kill Alisa.
He was glad he had kept something in reserve. At the time, he had merely feared being discarded once his usefulness ended and wanted some leverage.
After all, assassinating an imperial princess was no minor crime. Who could have imagined that Alisa would later give him such an enormous surprise?
Of course, he had not known Alisa's identity at the time either.