### Chapter 148: Peilo
In the nighttime darkness, the remnants of black flames flickered with a ghostly pale glow, casting eerie shadows on the rough face of my companion.
I could see his lips trembling, his eyes filled with an indescribable terror.
“Dead Smoke… Impossible… This is Dead Smoke… How could…”
His nonsense really got on my nerves. I furrowed my brow impatiently, massaging my forehead. “Hey! Didn’t you hear me asking you a question?”
The heretic finally snapped back to reality. “What? Who’s Abe? I don’t know… don’t come any closer!”
His voice trembled as if he’d seen a ghost. I didn’t understand why he was so scared—after all, these were people who loved to set themselves on fire and blow themselves up, not afraid of d*ath at all… Oh, look, he’s trying to run away again.
The heretic stepped back slowly, then turned and bolted toward the alleyway. Just a few steps later, he glanced back at me, and seeing I hadn’t moved, his face lit up with misguided hope as he picked up his pace.
…so annoying.
“Not listening… really makes me mad.”
Time for a little punishment.
I waited until he was far enough away. Further… okay, he glanced back again… is he actually happy? Does he think he just dodged a b*llet?
That’s the spirit! Come on, run just a bit faster, a bit further… almost there.
I raised my right hand, my finger like a jade sh**t pointing into the void.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The air churned into wind, lifting my long hair dramatically.
The fleeing heretic heard the commotion and didn’t even dare to look back, screaming, “Ah! Ah—!”
A smirk crept onto my face.
Whoosh—
With a sharp whistle of wind, a black blade, about the length of my forearm and curving beautifully like a crescent moon, manifested in front of me.
Buzz, buzz, buzz…
The blade seemed to be tight as a drum, vibrating in mid-air with the swirling air currents. I looked at the fleeing figure and enjoyed his terrified howls: “No! Let me d*e on my own! I want to return to the embrace of the God of Truth! I can’t be devoured by Dead Smoke… I want to go back to the God’s embrace! Ah! Ah—!”
Hmm… the God’s embrace?
So, according to him, if he gets devoured by Dead Smoke, he can’t return to the God of Truth?
Ah, so that’s what the heretic is afraid of.
My head tilted to the side involuntarily.
…Oh! I just thought of a fun idea!
My eyes lit up as I shouted toward him, “Alright—! I won’t k*ll you!”
“You’re lying! You’re lying—!”
“I’m not lying! Just tell me about Abe…”
…Abe?
I was having fun here; forget about Abe.
“Hey—! Let’s play a game!”
“I don’t want to be abandoned by the God of Truth! Let me d*e! Let me d*e!” The heretic let out a desperate scream.
Not my problem.
“I’ll count to ten! If you can make it to the alley, then I won’t k*ll you!”
Hearing this, the heretic’s footsteps hesitated a bit as he glanced back in disbelief.
My smile grew wider, and I was practically bursting with joy as I began counting loudly, “Ten—!”
“…Ah—!”
In my line of sight, the figure started howling and sprinting forward like his life depended on it.
I bet he’s never run this fast in his life.
“Nine, eight, seven…”
“Ahhhh—!”
“…Two, one! Time’s up!”
The heretic just barely made it to the mouth of the alley. He dove and hit the cold pavement, letting out a laugh of pure ecstasy.
“Ha ha… hahahaha!”
“I made it! I got in—!”
I smiled and nodded from a distance, “Very impressive!”
Then, from his line of sight, I gently waved my arm.
Execution time.
Whoosh—
The pitch-black blade whizzed through the air, slicing through the heretic’s legs in an instant, crashing into the ground behind him.
Boom!
Debris flew everywhere, and a pitiful wail arose from the chaos.
“…Ugh aahhh!”
Delightful.
I tapped my toes, activating Moon Step, and in an instant, I was standing right in front of him.
He wasn’t dead yet.
This confirmed some of my theories… the abyss’s devouring power can be “selectively controlled.” The infinite abyss’s blade, I can block the powers of Dead Smoke, making it merely a sharp kn*fe.
Other abilities… should work the same way, as long as I find the right method.
“You liar… uh… liar…”
The heretic’s legs were severed from just above the thighs. Yet, he was still desperately crawling forward, leaving a trail of bl**d on the ground… like a brush painting a pretty picture.
I leisurely followed behind him, enjoying the sight of his grim struggle.
“I didn’t lie to you,” I said.
“I just didn’t use the power of Dead Smoke, you see.”
“Why… you, you touched Dead Smoke, why aren’t you hurt… how can you control Dead Smoke… what are you…”
…Haha.
Why can I control Dead Smoke… The heretic had only this question. He had no idea I was the abyss itself.
“I’ll count to ten again. If you aren’t dead, I’ll tell you.”
“What are you joking about… what are you joking about!”
In my view, the once-struggling figure suddenly pulled a dagger from his pocket, clutching it tightly, and without hesitation, he lunged it toward his own face.
“God of Truth—”
Your mother’s God.
I kicked it away.
With a snap, his wrist broke, bone jutting out from flesh, the dagger flew off into the distance, clattering to the ground.
I tilted my head to the right and asked, “So, this way, you can return to the God of Truth’s embrace?”
“Ah—!”
All I got in response was a scream.
His wrist broken… he seemed unable to crawl anymore, so I squatted down beside him.
“Hey, what’s this God of Truth about? Have you seen him? Tell me, please, I’m really curious.”
“Ahhh—!!”
Still just screams.
I frowned again, feeling a bit annoyed.
Why not use Sin Fire… this is so boring, let’s play something interesting.
“You want to return to the God’s embrace… hey, look at me!”
I reached out, cupping his bloodied and dusty face in my hands, and couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer horror in his eyes.
“Giggling! That’s how it’s done, you have to look someone in the eye when you talk to them; it’s common sense!”
“Gah… monster… you…”
The heretic stared blankly. He looked like he was about to d*e… hey, don’t d*e on me!
“I’m asking you a question!”
Smack.
I slapped his face and repeated every word, “You want to return to the God’s embrace?”
“…I… want…”
Finally!
“Then I won’t let you go back!”
In the next instant, Dead Smoke erupted.
He didn’t struggle; he simply couldn’t.
“Monster…” was his last utterance.
A cloud of ash flew into the air.
White light smoke swept through, merging into my body.
I stood up, silently rubbing my nose… so itchy…
“…Achoo! Sniff—”
Got choked by the ashes.
I looked around; all I saw was fire and smoke.
I lowered my head and cast my gaze upon the pile of ash at my feet.
…I’m not a monster.
Thinking this, I finally spoke.
“In the Language of the Abyss, I’m called Peilo.”
“In the Language of the Abyss, Peilo Guniver Winter Moon.”
Of course, he couldn’t hear me.
