Chapter 146: I Will Retrieve the Original You, No Matter the Cost (5k)
Light flows, light gathers.
As if illuminating the boy who overlooks the people as a supreme mission, the glow of the entire city converges toward the high platform.
It was clearly two o’clock in the afternoon, when the blazing sun was at its highest, but the central area of the Royal City felt as if night had fallen, with daylight dimmed.
Only the fierce and clear golden starlight remained, illuminating the night.
Then, after a few breaths.
The glow condensed.
At the fingertips of the boy on the high platform, it transformed into a brilliant and dazzling entity.
It was a small goblet.
Within the cup’s wall, the starlight had transformed into an ethereal liquid.
Like the bl**d of the giant of dusk, the dim golden starlight swayed slowly within the goblet.
“A symbol of faith, a prototype of the divine nation—”
“The ‘Holy Grail.'”
In the square below.
Grey gazed at the goblet in Rast’s hand, filled with starlight, and murmured.
Beside her, many forms of the deceased had completely faded, almost to the point of becoming formless… It was difficult to discern their outlines with the n*ked eye.
This was a sign that the “existence” of these deceased had been stripped away.
The power of existence that constituted the foundation of their lives had now been transformed by the holy ceremony… into that goblet, the ethereal liquid adorned with starlight.
That was the bl**d of the God of d*ath, symbolizing “dusk.”
However, within the realm of authority, even those humans who still retained their flesh and bl**d, untouched by the stripping of the power of existence, merely gazed reverently at the figure atop the high platform, unaware that the deceased beside them were continuously dissipating.
Watching the goblet, which was being filled to the brim and even beginning to overflow with the dim golden divine bl**d…
Grey’s green eyes grew colder.
Thanks to the eye technique that allowed her to see spiritual sight, as well as the complete confidential file left to her by Leader Ciser, Grey clearly understood the entire process of the holy ceremony at this moment.
The authority gathered by divinity, the faith anchoring the divine nation, and the shell of mythical beings…
These were the “three elements” of the path to becoming a god.
Authority, faith, divine body…
Only by achieving such a perfect Trinity could one ignite divine fire and truly ascend to the divine throne.
And any deficiency in one of these elements would merely result in one being a so-called saint or angel, a mythical being closer to the divine realm than ordinary humans, yet unworthy of being called a “deity.”
Previously, when Rast broke open Queen Helen’s heart and extracted the “d*ath God’s Chalice,” and completed the initial fusion over three years, he had already grasped the “divine authority,” one of the three elements.
If one were to compare the path of the “God of d*ath” to an ancient road named the Underworld, there were three unbreakable ancient bronze doors along this deep path, which only those holding keys could pass through.
Beyond the three bronze doors lay the long-lost divine throne.
The former God of d*ath had fallen for several eras, and this throne had remained vacant for countless epochs, waiting for someone to pass through the three bronze doors and truly ascend to the throne, becoming the new God of d*ath.
Rast, who had previously contained the d*ath God’s Chalice, had obtained the first key, and at this very moment, having refined the souls of all the deceased in Paradise during the holy ceremony, the goblet, representing the anchor of faith and the prototype of the divine nation, would soon be revealed…
The second key to the bronze door was about to be obtained by Rast.
…
On the high platform, the black-haired, black-eyed boy gazed at the overflowing chalice of dusk, his eyes shimmering with an unusual light.
Then, he slowly extended his hand.
As long as he contained this goblet, which gathered the power of faith from the entire Netherworld, he would fully grasp both keys to the bronze doors.
Only the final step remained to the God of d*ath’s throne: “complete the incarnation, merge with divine flesh, and obtain the perfected divine shell.”
But just at that moment, Grey suddenly moved.
This was the moment the path to the Underworld was opened, and the Holy Grail emerged.
Even with Brother Rast’s temperament, he would surely be distracted, focusing all his attention on the revealed chalice.
And this moment was the opportunity Grey had long awaited.
Though it was merely a fleeting instant, it was enough for a girl who had waited for three years for this moment, who had yearned for it.
She would not miss, and could not afford to miss this opportunity.
Raising her g*n, aiming, and then pulling the trigger…
Using the noise of the crowd engaged in the holy ceremony as cover, Grey completed this series of actions in a single breath.
Then.
Bang—
The sharp whine of the b*llet leaving the barrel tore through the silence above the Royal City square.
A bl**d-marked alchemical b*llet spun swiftly out, targeting the boy on the high platform… or more accurately, the chalice materializing in front of the black-haired boy.
This was Grey’s primary target.
If Rast, who had already contained the chalice, were to contain it again…
Then he would have crossed more than half of the ancient road to becoming a god on the path of the Underworld…
At that point, Brother Rast might completely lose his humanity and become one of those mythical beings who disregard everything for the sake of becoming a god, never able to turn back.
Once the path to divinity is opened, it is very hard to stop with one’s own will.
Therefore, to make Brother Rast completely awaken…
Shatter this chalice, which symbolizes the divine nation and faith, breaking one of the keys to the three bronze doors.
Let Brother Rast completely abandon the thought of becoming a god.
This was what Grey had to do.
Only then could she fulfill the wishes and thoughts that had echoed in her ears during those thousands of days and nights.
Boom—
The alchemical b*llet rushed out.
Tearing through the atmosphere, it stirred a storm.
This alchemical b*llet was specially made under Leader Ciser’s design, its crystal head sealed with a strand of the purest sunfire.
Once the head hit its target, it would ignite the most intense burning in the world.
Even the goblet, which gathered the faith of an entire nation and symbolized the prototype of the divine nation, would turn to ash under the burning of the legendary-tier sunfire.
However—
In that fleeting moment.
On the high platform, that black-haired, black-eyed boy suddenly turned his head.
That cold and indifferent gaze fell toward Grey’s direction.
Clearly, it was a critical moment for the emergence of the Holy Grail, but the joy of advancing further along the path to godhood seemed to have not swayed his focus in the slightest; he still perceived Grey’s ambush in that brief instant.
The glances between Grey and Rast crossed the several hundred meters distance of the square and holy ceremony high platform, meeting in mid-air.
This was a meeting of gazes after years apart; the raucous square, filled with thousands of people, fell into silence at this moment, leaving only the two who gazed at each other from afar.
The boy’s eyes remained clear and bright, just like that rainy night three years ago, as if the stars were perfectly settled at the bottom of a lake…
Yet, in the grey-haired girl’s emerald green eyes, there was no longer the shattered, hollow despair from that rainy night.
Instead, it was a flame rising like the stars, as if ready to illuminate the long night.
As if sensing the b*llet Grey had fired, which contained the sunfire capable of incinerating the goblet, as well as the “certain hit” fate intertwined within it, Rast frowned slightly.
Then he spoke softly, his voice metallic.
That was the decree of the king of the Netherworld within his realm of authority, a word spirit that controlled d*ath…
The command of d*ath was directly imposed on the b*llet racing through the air, aiming to sever the “life” of the b*llet and bring about its rotting demise.
Just as three years prior, when Rast used the word spirit he gained from the chalice to erase all of Grey’s anger after she learned of betrayal… causing her to kneel on the ground, sinking into deep despair.
However—
Just then.
In Grey’s green eyes.
That flicker, seemingly a spark in the wind and snow, that could extinguish at any moment… suddenly burst into a raging fire.
“‘Original Text · Instant d*ath Invalidation’”
“‘Original Text · Dual Mirage’”
“‘Original Text · Life’s Praise’”
Within the raging flames, a streak of illusory light flickered across the alchemical b*llet that contained the sunfire.
Then, under the decree of d*ath, the alchemical b*llet vanished.
It was as if it had completed a hundred years of journeying in an instant… the yellow brass shell aged, decayed, and then transformed into scattered dust that drifted across the square.
However, that was merely a phantom created by replicating someone’s ability, “Dual Mirage,” which had been imposed with the decree of d*ath, an irreversible ending of fate.
The phantom’s double bore the brunt of the d*ath decree while the essence continued rushing toward the goblet, unhindered.
The scene unfolding before the boy on the high platform made him frown slightly.
The metallic voice echoed again throughout the Royal City as Rast again spoke the ancient word spirit, the decree of d*ath.
Without the dual mirage, this time the yellow brass b*llet was directly struck by the word spirit.
But it wobbled slightly; though its speed slowed, it still maintained its original trajectory, not completely destroyed.
That was the protection of “Instant d*ath Invalidation” and “Life’s Praise.”
The direct command of d*ath was indeed powerful and unreasonable but not uncontrollable… the blessings of life were the natural enemy of d*ath.
Such a turn of events made the dim golden light around Rast surge again.
He unleashed the kingly power of the Netherworld for the third time, and this time the alchemical b*llet was finally completely obliterated, turning into scattered dust.
But at the same time, Grey’s figure disappeared.
Vanished into the dark rift of space.
“‘Original Text · Dimensional Leap’”
“‘Original Text · Shadow March’”
“‘Original Text · Instant Transmission’”
Using the guardian flame seed inherited from Leader Ciser as the foundation… at this moment, Grey manifested countless extraordinary abilities and sequence skills held by other supers from the Guardian of the Shore Organization using original text.
Crossing the barrier of space, she completed an instant teleportation over a distance of several hundred meters through the rift of shadow and dimensions.
Her figure appeared beside Rast, and at that moment, Grey’s right hand suddenly manifested a glove flowing with sunfire.
Then, taking advantage of the moment the black-haired, black-eyed boy released the power of the God of d*ath for the third time and his brief distraction… her right hand, ablaze with sunfire, shot straight toward the chalice in front of the boy.
This was Grey’s backup plan—when the alchemical b*llet failed, she immediately launched a physical assault, using the second item, the glove containing sunfire, to destroy the chalice.
For this moment, Grey had prepared for three whole years.
In those thousands of sleepless nights of starless long nights… Grey had imagined countless times, on that rainy night cliff, of the boy casting her a distant glance, as her theoretical enemy—
Simulating various scenarios and all possible fluctuations and branches during their next battle in her mind, over and over.
She had long realized Rast’s unreasonable d*ath power, which could directly bring an end to all things… how could she not prepare in advance for it?
The six original texts Grey activated at this moment were all part of her preparation during these three years with Rast as her theoretical enemy.
Every situation, every possibility, numerous backup plans, she had elucidated, contemplated during these three years.
All to—
Sever Brother Rast’s thought of becoming a god, and pull him back from the wrong path… that was the only wish she made under the starless long night.
However.
Just a thousandth of a breath later.
Grey saw a dim yellow rune suddenly illuminate under her feet.
Then.
The light cage, formed by the gathered rays of dusk, suddenly surged forth based on that hexagram pattern rune.
Enveloping the grey-haired girl’s petite figure completely within the light cage.
Her limbs and every inch of flesh were pierced by beams of light, restraining her body, rendering her unable to move in the slightest.
Brother Rast—
He had long anticipated that after the failure of the alchemical b*llet, she would approach as her original self, wanting to seize the chalice…
Had he even predicted the possible landing point after her spatial leap and set a trap in advance?
Such thoughts surfaced in Grey’s mind the moment they arose.
In the next instant.
Grey saw the black-haired, black-eyed handsome boy before her gradually lowering his gaze toward her, who was bound within the light cage.
Those once comforting black eyes now brimmed with a cold and distant indifference that made Grey feel utterly foreign and unfamiliar.
As if a majestic king was looking down at a prisoner plotting rebellion against the throne beneath him.
Though their bodies were merely a step apart, the distance between their hearts was overwhelmingly unreachable.
“Three years without seeing…”
“Grey, you are still as weak as you were before, still harboring unrealistic naive thoughts… yet you have not turned them into the power of reality.”
“Such you do not qualify to challenge me.”
“Not then, nor now.”
“Only, unlike three years ago.”
“This time, no one will come to pay for your recklessness, to clean up your mess.”
The boy’s cold voice penetrated the light cage, echoing in Grey’s ears.
In just three short years, Brother Rast seemed to have taken another step closer to the divine throne, losing a bit more humanity while gaining an air of divinity that looked down upon all life.
In this moment, he emanated a mountain-like majesty, making those around feel as insignificant as ants.
However, in the face of the boy’s mockery, Grey merely gently closed her eyes.
“You are not wrong, Brother Rast.”
“I know, I am still very immature, very naive.”
“Even if I have obtained the flame seed passed down by the Guardians… the power I can exert now is still far from even a fraction of Leader Ciser’s.”
“But—”
The girl suddenly opened her eyes, her emerald green gaze fixed unwaveringly on Rast.
“Even an inept person like me—”
“How could I remain stagnant in these three years?”
Though she was trapped in the light cage, unable to move a muscle.
Grey did not give up on struggling and resisting, unlike three years ago when she had collapsed in the muddy cliff.
With her words came the rekindled azure silver flames in her eyes.
“Fate, oh—”
The girl’s soft whisper was reminiscent of the despair she had faced over a decade ago in Frozen Water Town.
And with that gentle murmur, everything around—
Whether it was the crowds that had reacted in the palace, erupting in chaos, the clock hands atop the belfry, or the gentle wind and flowing clouds in the sky…
Everything twisted and froze in that moment.
As if a film reel was being replayed.
All scenery, all things, began to flow back at a remarkably strange pace.
That flowing time and fate was exactly the same as when Grey had been trapped in the cycle of despair in Frozen Water Town years ago.
Only this time.
What she sought was no longer to delude herself, to trap herself in an unending dream.
But to stand before Brother Rast…
And personally retrieve the most important man in her life from the wrong path.
“I will reclaim the original you…”
“No matter the cost.”
The girl’s voice resonated with sorrow, as if confiding in the most familiar stranger before her, yet also like self-talk.
“So—”
“Time, oh…”
“Rewind.”
(End of Chapter)
