For Beyonder at the Demigod level, due to the strength of their souls, a qualitative change occurs, and even after death, their spirit can remain for a period of time unless deliberately destroyed by an enemy. If the deceased High-Sequence being still had strong desires for certain things or contained unresolved emotions, their remaining will will last even longer, to the point that it can slowly assimilate the surrounding area, allowing it to merge with the Spirit World or even the Underworld, helping it to transform into Evil Spirit.
Therefore, although Colin Iliad's aura had vanished, he, clad in tattered silver armor and seated at the top of the Ancient God's steps, still heard Derrick's low shout. Turning his head, he looked at this Demigod who had not yet truly come of age and smiled, saying:
"Compared to the elders of the past, it's a blessing that Lovia and I can die here."
Upon hearing this, Derrick opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but felt something pressing on his heart, choking him.
Not far away, Klein raised the " Staff of the Stars," attempting to recreate Will Auceptin's " Restart " to save Colin Iliad. However, after several failed attempts, the ability he successfully used did not reverse the situation. It seemed to be significantly less effective than the original and involved " Uniqueness " —Amon was the original form descending.
He's already dead, unable even to Marionettization, so the only option is to become Evil Spirit. But almost no Evil Spirit can retain humanity; even the " Dark Angel " Sasrir couldn't... The only exception is the " Red Angel " Medici and the other two, but that was after they left their "territory" and went to Bansy Harbor... This chief doesn't seem too willing to take this path... For the residents of City of Silver, becoming Evil Spirit is undoubtedly a curse... Klein sighed inwardly and turned his gaze elsewhere, observing the Giant King's Palace, now free of shadows.
Colin Iliad scrutinized Derrick's face, then sighed and said:
"When you go back this time, you will be a member of the ' Council of Six '."
"I know this is a very heavy responsibility for your age, but everyone in City of Silver must be ready at any time to shoulder the Fate of everyone."
Derrick nodded vigorously, his voice nasal as he said:
"Yes, Your Excellency!"
Colin Iliad smiled kindly and said:
"Don't worry about them misunderstanding. I'll tell you a Concealment that currently, only Waite and I know about it in the entire City of Silver."
"When you get back, immediately recount this to Waite. He will then understand that my and Lovia's deaths had nothing to do with you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have learned this Concealment from me."
At this point, Colin Iliad looked up at Gehrman Sparrow and nodded slightly.
"From this day forward, everyone in City of Silver is free to convert to the faith of that ' The Fool '."
Derrick wasn't excited at all; he simply nodded emphatically to indicate that he understood.
Colin Iliad then looked away, his face, already showing obvious fatigue, now bearing a solemn expression and a hint of bitterness.
"That Concealment is related to the second divine-level Sealed Artifact in our City of Silver."
It's called ' The Earth's Gift '.
Derrick wiped his eyes with his arm and listened intently to the chief's explanation.
Colin Iliad sighed and continued:
"It was because of it that Blackface Grass could grow in the area surrounding City of Silver, preventing us from completely succumbing to the Dark Ages..."
Derrick's pupils dilated slightly, and the sadness in his heart eased somewhat.
He remembered clearly that the general education textbook regarded the discovery of Blackface Grass as a key turning point in the history of City of Silver, believing that without this safe and harmless staple food, City of Silver might have long since become a paradise for Monster.
In that instant, Derrick thought of many things and finally understood why the mushrooms given by "The World" had undergone a gigantic mutation in City of Silver, which was different from the original description.
Colin Iliad's gaze swept across his face, his voice suddenly turning low:
"It is precisely because of it that we bear the cursed Fate, and only those who are murdered by their immediate family members will not become terrible Evil Spirit."
"Abundance comes at a price."
Derrick's expression froze.
The murder of his parents was a wound in his heart that could never heal. He always blamed the curse on this land abandoned by the gods. But now, the chief tells him that the truth is not like that. The curse comes from the food they depend on for survival!
With graying hair and a weary expression Colin Iliad's eyes glazed over for a moment, as if he too were recalling his father, mother, brother, sister, eldest son, youngest son, daughter, and eldest grandson, all of whom he had killed with his own hands.
His voice therefore became ethereal:
" Lovia once said that after leaving City of Silver, a fallen warrior did not transform into Evil Spirit."
"I didn't tell her that this was the truth at the time, because the ' Earth's Gift ' covers a wide area, and most of the dying people cannot leave the corresponding area in time."
"This is a secret that only a chief can master. I strive to explore and fight for it so that those who come after me will not have to endure this pain."
The City of Silver chief, who looked noticeably old, slowly exhaled, not giving Derrick a chance to make a promise, and then, as if remembering something, said:
"Furthermore, the details of the ' Rose Redemption ' recorded within that palace cannot be entirely trusted."
Hmm? Klein stopped examining his surroundings, Derrick looked slightly confused.
Colin Iliad added in a deep voice:
" The Earth Mother cannot be the Giant Queen Omebella."
" Omebella is long dead; her remains are in City of Silver, the ' Earth's Gift '..."
This... Klein's pupils dilated suddenly, and a chill ran down his spine.
The true Giant Queen died long ago in City of Silver and became Sealed Artifact, so who is the current " Earth Mother "?
Within that dark "kingdom" overgrown with the Moon and night-blooming jasmine, the Twilight Giant's longsword struck the heavy, pitch-black scythe, freezing in mid-air.
In the darkness, which had been largely destroyed by the previous fierce battle of the gods, time seemed to stand still. Whether it was the Giant wearing decaying armor and bathed in the Twilight, or the humanoid Demonic Wolf with six arms wearing a long dress of stars, they all seemed to have become part of an oil painting, standing in place, maintaining their previous posture.
However, a dark brown wooden staff was inserted into the vest of the Twilight Giant, which was frantically absorbing the life of the god, dragging him back to the earth, back to the embrace of his mother.
The dark brown wooden staff, held in the hand of the Giant, plump woman, together with the withering flowers, grass, and mushrooms surrounding her, created a scene reminiscent of late autumn.
The Twilight Giant slowly turned its head, looking at the woman holding the illusory infant in one arm, and cried out in anguish:
"Lily, Lily?"
At this moment, the " Demonic Wolf," dressed in a long dress adorned with stars and possessing the head of a woman, chuckled and sent the bird-shaped golden ornament in its hand flying out on its own, accurately inserting it into the gap of the Twilight Giant's mask. Then, it tossed the "Crimson the Moon," which it held in its other two hands, to the voluptuous lady.
The next second, parts of the Twilight Giant's body collapsed, and clumps of orange-red Twilight pierced through the tranquil darkness and fell back into the real world.
Some fell onto the battlefield, killing countless soldiers instantly; some collapsed mountains, creating lakes that Aging all living beings; some merged with certain lucky creatures, turning them into crazed and powerful Monster; some enveloped the Giant King's Court outside Saint Milom City, extinguishing the solidified orange-red glow there...
Outside the Serenity Cathedral in the Amanda Mountain Range, the Mythical Creature, including the " God's Abomination " Suah, who were helping Feysac and the Angel of Intis besiege the area, seemed to sense something and simultaneously ceased their battle.
On the pitch-black tree with its many arms, bloodshot black and white eyes rolled once, and then " God's Abomination " Suah immediately stepped into the void and fled into the Spirit World.
Inside a small, unnoticed chapel on the outskirts of Backlund.
A devout priest, dressed in a simple white robe and sporting a light golden beard, opened his eyes, revealing a childlike clarity and innocence.
He calmly took out a bottle of golden Potion from his robes, unscrewed the cap, and poured the liquid into his mouth.
And so the war ended.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes and experienced it firsthand, Audrey would never have believed that the war was over.
As the deep Evernight swallowed the orange-red Twilight and then faded away on its own, the " Silver Knight " before her seemed to have suffered a heavy psychological blow. Even though he had recovered, he did not attack the enemy again and retreated in a slightly disheveled and confused manner.
Like the " Silver Knight," the Angel and Saint within the Feysac and Intis alliance fled one after another, and the army, whose backbone was composed of Beyonder, collapsed uncontrollably.
However, none of the Demigod, Low-Sequence Beyonder, or ordinary soldiers on Loen's side attempted to pursue, because they shared the same confusion, bewilderment, and incomprehension.
Audrey walked back into the city and saw the surviving citizens of Backlund emerging one by one from their homes, shelters, and other places where they could hide, staring blankly at the primeval forest-like scene.
They didn't cheer, shout, or vent their anger; their expressions were numb, their eyes blank, not understanding why the disaster had suddenly ended.
Among them were many people who had previously received relief from charitable foundations, and many faces that Audrey found familiar, but their condition was not much different from when they had lined up to receive food before.
Audrey silently observed the scene as she returned to Queens Borough and to her own villa.
She saw her father, mother, elder brother, butler, male servant, and maid all staring blankly out the window, their expressions exactly the same as those of the citizens on the street.
For some reason, a sentence suddenly flashed through Audrey's mind:
We die without knowing why, and live without knowing why.
A crimson Twilight calmed the Storm of frequent lightning, disappearing into the bottomless deep blue ocean, nearly burying the " Dawn ".
The " Mystery Queen " Bernadette used her other "0" level Sealed Artifact in time, allowing the ship to escape a terrible disaster.
She frowned slightly, as if she had a premonition of something, but then relaxed, allowing the " Dawn " to continue its journey through unsafe waters, battling all sorts of dangers such as gales, giant waves, lightning, and sea monsters.
In the pitch black, Bernadette's gaze seemed to pierce through all obstacles, finally seeing the light she longed to pursue.
No matter how many obstacles there are, she will not stop getting closer.
Inside the Giant King's residence, on the steps bathed in Red Light.
After recounting the Concealment of Colin Iliad, he said to Derrick:
"Go open that door, I want to see what the sunlight looks like outside..."
"Hmm!" Derrick's eyes reddened again, his lips pressed tightly together, and he stood up.
He put down the giant hammer in his hand, and with Klein's encouraging gaze, he steadily walked around the iron-black throne and came to the gray-blue gate depicting a scene at Twilight.
Derrick stared for a second, then bent down, stretched out his hands, and placed them on either side of the door crack.
Then, he flexed his muscles and pushed hard.
At that moment, he seemed to see his father and mother, his deceased comrades Joshua and Antillna, Lovia in her purple-patterned black robe, and Colin Iliad with his gray hair.
They stood beside him, placing their hands on the door, and together they pushed open the grey-blue door.
Drops of water slid down Derrick's face, the heavy pattering sound echoing in his ears.
A crack appeared, letting in the golden sunlight.
The gap widened, and a vast, golden sea gradually appeared before Derrick's eyes, and before Colin Iliad's eyes.
Seeing this scene, bathed in the warm sunlight, Colin Iliad, whose body was slowly "evaporating," smiled slightly, revealing a smile devoid of any gloom and a hint of longing.
Light is the meaning of everything.
(End of Part 6)