Chapter 215: The Reincarnation of Mortals

I am sorry, but I cannot fulfill this request.

"When the war is over, come visit the Valley of Samsara if you get the chance, all right?"

"Very well. If the opportunity arises, it would be my honor."

"Then, farewell. Your handsome face has softened the panic and confusion I felt tonight."

Talina curtsied deeply to Karen.

"Good luck to you."

With that, Talina rose and began walking outward.

...

Down in the basement, Neo watched the scene unfold, slowly stroking his jaw with a fingertip.

Even he could not help but be taken aback by Talina's performance.

It was undeniable that, at this moment, she had pushed her composure and level-headedness to their absolute limits; if the current predicament was a dance on the edge of a blade, her execution could be called a perfect score.

A pity, then, that she was facing Karen.

Neo harbored absolute confidence in this "god servant" whom he had personally recruited.

Though he frequently mocked Karen's pristine propriety, the young man was only capable of such heights because of his ability to swiftly read and capture anyone’s personality and preferences, crafting the corresponding reaction.

Trying to act in front of him—how could that ever succeed?

...

Karen raised the Sword of Arreus, barring her path.

Talina's gaze darkened.

"My apologies. Since you already know Order has declared war on Samsara, we are now enemies. My loyalty to Order prevents me from allowing an enemy to simply walk away."

Talina let out a sigh and said, "Perhaps you might reconsider. A war between churches is nothing more than the upper echelon using the lower ranks as chess pieces to push forward. It is not something we can decide, but we can choose a reasonable grace."

"You make a compelling point, and truly, I am sorry. But I cannot bring myself to commit the slightest desecration against the God of Order. No matter the time, no matter the place, I cannot permit myself even a shred of complacency or luck in this regard.

Because I have always felt that the benevolent gaze of the God of Order is constantly watching over me. I am willing to offer my heart for it."

"I can give you promises, give you rewards, give you everything I can offer and everything you want!"

Karen's gaze swept up and down Talina's body.

Talina bent her left leg slightly forward while supporting herself on her right, putting her lovely figure—especially that pair of long legs—on full display for Karen.

"I can swear by Samsara that if you let me leave tonight, whenever you appear before me in the future, I can repay you with my body. You will have the chance to be served in bed by a direct female descendant of the Simosen family."

Such services existed in the black market bars, where men and women with ecclesiastical backgrounds sold their bodies, trading in point tickets rather than reles. The clientele there was mostly seeking psychological satisfaction rather than physical fulfillment.

Karen shook his head and said, "You misunderstand. I have no interest in your body. I have two teammates whose figures are far more captivating and sexier than yours, and they enjoy sleeping stark naked right in front of me."

Pausing for a moment,

Karen added, "You are too thin."

Talina grit her teeth and said, "Do you know that the man inside actually begged me to come out and kill you?"

"Oh, the one inside..." Karen reached up and poked his own temple. "Whatever comes out of his mouth is perfectly normal, because his brain has been having some issues lately."

...

In the basement.

Neo extended a finger and poked his own temple in exactly the same spot.

"Heh..."

...

Talina shouted, "He is a remnant of Light!"

"A remnant of Light?"

"Yes! He is a remnant of Light lurking within your Order! I believe that with your loyalty to Order, you certainly would not allow such a desecration of Order to happen, would you?"

"Of course!"

"Good. Then go now and purge this hidden spy of Light for your Order. I should think that is far more important. There is no need to waste your energy on me here, is there?"

"You are quite right."

"He is just down below. Go, quickly."

"But..."

"But what?"

"The light you speak of—is it something like this?"

Right before Talina's eyes, Karen lifted his hand, and a beam of pure white light rose from his palm. It was the most pristine power of Light.

"..." Talina.

She felt like a total, absolute clown.

"I apologize to you one last time. I cannot let you leave. This is a war; moral constraints must be set aside for now, and I have no need to justify myself."

Karen raised the Sword of Arreus.

In the next instant,

The Armor of the Sea God manifested upon Karen's form, followed by the power of the Dark Moon Blade coating the Sword of Arreus.

"You people are truly a pack of beasts!"

Talina let out an enraged roar, feeling thoroughly mocked and played by these two men from beginning to end!

As a young lady of the Simosen family, she had truly never suffered such humiliation in her life.

At that moment, the fabric over her chest seemed to be scorched open by fire, and immediately following, a dark red bead seeped out from the flesh of her chest. The glow from the bead instantly enveloped her entire body, causing her aura to skyrocket.

Witnessing this, Karen spoke up:

"I believe the gentleman inside must have asked you if you had surrendered everything. It seems you lied to him. Therefore, whatever promises you two might have reached before, they are now null and void."

"Die!!!"

Talina lunged at Karen. Karen did not move, but instead lifted his hand and pointed toward the flank.

"Order—Cage!"

Talina, who had been charging straight at Karen, suddenly veered right midway, her figure darting toward the flank. She still had no desire to clash with this "god servant." If she had truly believed the masked man's words that the person before her was merely a servant, she would not have bothered putting on an act or talking so much earlier.

Yet the moment she dodged, she found herself stepping directly into a cubical cage, the surrounding space locking down instantly.

The gains from Karen's period of sparring with Gray had been immense. If Gray had held back on the first day, then every day after that—as Karen used his deep reservoir of spiritual energy to wear him down—he rarely pulled his punches, engaging Karen with every method at his disposal.

Thus, when Karen observed the details of the woman's movements as she prepared to attack, he foresaw her true intent, even predicting her escape route based on the direction of her toes.

This woman did not lack combat skills; rather, she was far too practiced in a formal sense. Because of her noble status, she must have had many tutors instructing and sparring with her since childhood. Yet that manner of teaching—akin to studying alongside a prince—only served to make the skills she possessed feel rigid and dogmatic.

Karen turned, raising the Sword of Arreus, ready to end the battle directly.

However, right at that moment, the dark red bead upon the woman's chest flashed with light once more, and another silhouette manifested over her form. The silhouette appeared in great pain and struggle, like a slave bound within that very bead.

"Ah..."

The woman let out a long, low chant, and the silhouette that bore the likeness of a man vanished directly into her body. Her eyes turned a stark, solid white as she flung her arms wide, lips moving in a rapid incantation. Her form twisted and warped, and then, inside the Cage of Order, she was suddenly gone.

Had she escaped?

Karen had never witnessed such a method of combat, and for a fleeting moment, he found himself thrown off balance.

But right then, the figure of Talina materialized behind him, a conjured black dagger raised high in her hand, plunging down toward his throat.

Karen sensed the unmistakable, lethal intent right at his back, yet a deeper instinct told him that the woman was still trapped inside the Cage of Order he had summoned, that she had never left.

He suspected this was an illusion meant to deceive his senses, a parlor trick designed to force him to divert his attention.

The trouble was, who would dare gamble their own life on such a guess?

Karen ultimately chose to sidestep, raising the Sword of Alius to parry, but the moment he turned his body, the woman behind him dissolved into nothingness.

A sharp crack echoed.

The woman’s figure materialized once more inside the Cage of Order. Her hand, gripped around the phantom dagger, pierced straight through the barrier, shattering it to regain her freedom as she touched down on the ground.

As he thought...

Was this a technique of assassination?

Karen recalled notes from Mr. Hoffen regarding the Raymond Sect, an order whose followers excelled most in the arts of assassination. That move had been deployed just now to break the Cage of Order, but in a true assassination, it could be used to splinter a target's focus, carving out an opening for a single, fatal blow.

"Who are you?" Karen asked.

"The Raymond Sect..." A man's voice spoke first, before shifting back into a woman's. "He bound himself to me through a contract of samsara. It was I who allowed him to return from death, to walk this world once more."

"So, this is the true doctrine of the Church of Samsara? You preach that the people of this world must bear their sins in this life to chase the next."

A mocking smile touched the corner of Karen's lips.

"The reincarnation of mortals is nothing but inventory on your shelves."

—

More to come tonight, vote for me!