Chapter 287: Grandpa!

Chapter 287: Grandfather!

Lying flat upon the earth, Peide watched the motionless form of Karen ahead, his heart tightening with a tense anxiety. To some degree, his opponent had already vanquished him, yet now, his hope rested upon the soul of his eldest uncle to secure a final, desperate reversal.

He held unwavering faith in his uncle, a man who had once shone as a true prodigy among the previous generation of the Church of Reincarnation; had an untimely accident not claimed his life, he would undoubtedly be groomed now as a candidate for the next generation's Gatekeeper.

Nevertheless, the pendant resting against his chest was swaying ever so gently, a vessel through which he could contact his grandaunt, for it was the very gift she had bestowed upon him at his sixteenth rite of passage.

Yet he was loath to do so; venturing forth this time to find a vessel for his beloved had already transgressed his grandaunt’s strict prohibition, and he dreaded disappointing her, for though she possessed no children of her own, her siblings were numerous, meaning she had an abundance of grandnephews and grandnieces to choose from.

Behind Peide, the woman gripped the rough bark of a tree with trembling, nervous hands, frantic for her lover’s fate, yet fully aware that having only just occupied this ordinary human vessel, she possessed no capacity for combat whatsoever.

Behind Karen, Ophelia’s gaze darted ceaselessly between Karen, Peide, and the woman behind him, her heart aching with worry for Karen, yet his repeated injunctions against her interference left her hesitant to make a rash move.

She had steeled her resolve: should anything go amiss with Karen, she would strike instantly, slaying both Peide and the woman without hesitation.

Yet Ophelia was also mindful of what Karen had been anticipating with such caution; that fellow surnamed Simonson likely possessed a holy artifact capable of transmitting messages, and the adherents of the Church of Reincarnation remained ensconced in the distant hotel.

Ophelia began to chart her course of action, calculating how she might, with the utmost celerity, slaughter that Simonson before he could initiate his next move.

Perhaps,

She might mimic that woman of his, feigning a fragile, bewildered helplessness, walking over to kneel before him and beg him to command that soul to cease its assault on Karen, only to strike when his guard was down?

The niece favored by Toffman was bound to resemble him closely in certain regards, never displaying an ounce of mercy when mercy was forbidden.

After all, it was only a short while ago that she had witnessed with her own eyes the heads of her two elder brothers severed and kicked about like playthings.

In short, the battlefield that had been so tremendously tumultuous moments before suddenly fell into a profound stillness.

The fulcrum of this silence rested entirely upon Karen.

And Karen had already closed his eyes.

…

All around lay a boundless, pitch-black void.

Karen stepped out from the darkness, bearing the solitary beacon of light.

This was a form of "inner vision," requiring not even the medium or guidance of spellcraft, but merely the entry into a meditative state to discern the condition of the spiritual energy within his own body.

As Karen walked forward, the luminescence upon his person began to diffuse, driving back the encroaching gloom; viewed from above, it resembled the exposure of a single, grayish-brown speck.

A middle-aged man clad in shattered armor stood there, a vast network of grayish-brown veins creeping out from beneath his feet, employing this method to compress Karen's domain and usurp mastery over the physical form.

Indeed, he had already begun the process, and had been engaged in it for some time since breaching Karen’s body.

Yet now, seeing Karen step forth from the "fringe" territory with such unruffled composure, he understood that matters had not unfolded as smoothly as he had envisioned.

He had contaminated a vast expanse, yet when Karen’s light flared open, he discovered that the corruption he had wrought resembled nothing more than a minor blemish upon the skin.

"I am exceedingly curious: who exactly are you within the Church of Order?"

Karen looked at him, a trace of a smile touching the corners of his lips as he spoke: "An uninvited guest breaches my body, and the first words out of his mouth are to demand my identity? No law or custom of any nation dictates such a logic."

"Commer Simonson."

"Karen Silva."

"I wish to know if you deliberately shadowed Peide, waiting for him to stumble into your snare?"

"Are you implying that my presence was dictated by the high authorities of my Church of Order?"

"I deem it a distinct possibility."

"My apologies, but I deem it entirely impossible. As the victors, why should our Church of Order specifically fixate upon a pack of defeated dogs like yourselves?

What we desired has already been secured at the negotiating table; we have no interest in playing the sort of games only children indulge in—by which I mean, an entrapment operation. Ah, I wonder if you comprehend the term?"

"So, the events of tonight were pure coincidence?"

"Precisely."

"You sought justice for that girl merely because you chanced to dine at that restaurant?"

"Precisely."

"That simple?"

"That simple."

"It was my failure to properly discipline my subordinate."

"No matter. The souls your Reincarnation fails to govern, our Order shall gladly govern for you."

"Very well, we concede. Peide shall be apprehended by you, he shall confess to his crimes, and Reincarnation shall offer reparations for this affair. I also pledge on his behalf that no retaliation shall be sought against you for this.

I believe that with the prowess you have displayed and your current youth, your standing within the Church of Order is assuredly grand, leaving you with no cause to dread the vengeance of defeated dogs."

Karen remained silent.

Commer spoke again: "You intend to kill?"

Karen still offered no reply.

"You have a secret that demands protection?"

Hearing this, the smile returned to Karen's face.

"Reflecting upon it now, what was the purpose of that shroud of outer flame during your combat? You harbor secrets, and you refuse to let them see the light."

Karen spoke: "Do you know? The more you speak, the more impossible it becomes for you to survive."

"No matter, for you never intended to let me live anyway. Yet if you wish to annihilate my soul, it shall prove exceedingly arduous; the resilience of my spirit is beyond your imagining."

Karen shook his head, replying: "I annihilated a man not long ago, and I doubt I shall encounter anyone harder to kill than him for a long time to come."

The process of slaying Bernard had been truly exhausting.

"The spatial expanse of your soul’s consciousness is vast beyond my expectations; I cannot suppress your spirit to master your flesh, yet for you to expunge me shall prove equally difficult. Should I desire it, I could even carve my spiritual imprint right here. Do you comprehend the significance of that?"

"What does it signify?"

"To slash a rift into your faith, introducing impurities that shall clog your future growth and ascension. You possess a far grander destiny; it is not worth staining it with gloom for this.

I would find it a pity on your behalf, truly."

"About that... haha." Karen chuckled softly. "I am not deceiving you, but I truly harbor no fear of such a thing."

Karen truly feared no impurities, for he had long since converted his soul into a general store.

"Enter a covenant of pledge with me, guaranteeing that Peide shall be delivered to Order for judgment, and I shall instantly vacate your body."

"In truth, I am far more eager to witness how you propose to wreak havoc within my body, or leave a spiritual mark as you claim. I quite look forward to seeing how you intend to stir up trouble inside me."

"You..."

"I am not speaking in irony; I mean it in earnest. When your soul crossed the purifying barrier at the cost of severe trauma to rush into my body, I was genuinely dazed for a moment. I had not expected you to do such a thing.

I liken it to a game, one I am eager to play, because for me, it is a game that cannot be lost.

This is no mockery,

But the absolute truth.

In my eyes, the current you cannot possibly compare to that dog."

Commer smiled. "I deeply admire your pride and arrogance; it shows me the reflection of my own youth."

"Do you honestly think that statement is supposed to make me happy?"

"You have a far brighter future ahead of you. Stay your hand. Pede can become your friend. The war between Order and Reincarnation has drawn to a close, and negotiations between our two orthodox churches are complete. Moving forward, the Church of Reincarnation might very well become the greatest supporter of the Church of Order, ensuring an exceptionally harmonious relationship for centuries to come.

You can use a bond with Pede to steady the trajectory of your own future. And in that dynamic between you two, you will be the one standing at the forefront.

By the way, the Gates of Reincarnation will open next month. With your youth and exceptional talent, you will undoubtedly secure a spot within the Church of Order's quota. Once you journey to the Valley of Reincarnation, we will smooth your path, ensuring you encounter far greater opportunities when you enter the Gates for your trial."

"Is that so?"

"Of course. Every condition I discuss with you can be sealed with a Promise Covenant. Even Pede himself—he isn’t a fool. He simply cannot let go of that past affection, but he is fully capable of recognizing what constitutes a correct, forward-thinking choice. As the loser, he will bear no resentment over this."

"No, what I meant was, I don't even know how to get my name onto that list yet."

"……" Commer fell silent.

"I can tell you are a highly intelligent and rational individual. But I am sorry; I have never taken kindly to negotiating conditions, especially with those who have left a poor impression on me.

You only need to know one thing.

That young girl—her name was Laima. Her father had already accepted that she was going to fly away to a distant place with the person she loved, and he had already prepared a ticket for her journey home. But her father will now wait for her for eternity.

Therefore, I cannot bargain with you, nor will I sign any Promise Covenant. It violates my fundamental principles as a human being.

Whew……

I nearly warped my own views on marriage recently, so I know exactly how uncomfortable it feels to twist one's principles out of alignment.

Because of that, I intend to hold fast to my sense of right and wrong, and simply follow the Regulations of Order."

Commer looked at Karen and said, "Is there a possibility that you suffer from an excess of confidence? Within my soul flows the fused essence of Reincarnation. I have not yet unleashed my true, absolute strength, and you have no inkling of the consequences you will face when our conflict truly erupts within this physical form."

"Is there a possibility that the one suffering from an excess of confidence is actually you?"

"So there is nothing left to discuss?"

"Nothing. I have already broken a girl's heart tonight, so I ought to do something for her. For instance, executing the fellow who uttered the word 'plebeian.'

Ah, it suddenly occurs to me that since I met her, she has always been the one giving me gifts, while I have never given her anything in return.

The head of a Simonson—this gift is surely valuable enough."

"What a pity. I truly did not wish to sabotage the rise of a genius. Your future was destined to be bathed in absolute splendor."

"Fine, let me give you a little more motivation. Talina—do you know her?"

"You know Talina?"

"I do. Of course I do. I would recognize her even if she were reduced to ash. Though I wasn't the one who burned her to cinders, I did stand by and fan the flames a bit.

You know how it is; when dust settles on one's shoulders, it always brings a touch of discomfort, and I happen to be a man who appreciates cleanliness."

Karen watched as Commer’s gaze began to flush crimson, his aura shifting. This was a clash of soul against soul, where emotional perception could be clearly communicated without even needing to "look."

He was furious!

Perfect. Strike, then. Stop wasting words.

"It seems you have harbored malice toward my Church of Reincarnation all along. A genius like you cannot be permitted to rise!"

Karen nodded and said, "Reincarnation is nothing but a pack of scumbags."

Commer's form began to expand, and from his body flowed torrents of greyish-brown light and shadow, spreading outward at an immense speed. He himself strode directly toward Karen.

"You could choose to conceal your soul’s consciousness first. That way, I would be unable to strike you directly. In this space of consciousness, which astounds even me, finding you would prove exceedingly difficult."

"No need to bait me. I have no intention of hiding from you. I am standing right here. Come at me."

"Very well."

Commer advanced toward Karen step by step. When the distance between them closed to a certain point, the ground beneath Karen began to elevate, as though a flight of stairs had manifested, with Karen perched at the very summit.

The surrounding space seemed to compress at that moment, leaving nothing behind but the staircase.

"I can lessen the difficulty for you a bit more."

"Even though you killed Talina, and even though you harbor malice toward Reincarnation, I truly admire you. Yet, I am sorry, I must still destroy you."

Commer began to ascend the stairs, his footsteps unyielding.

Just then, a silhouette materialized at the edge of the staircase. The figure was blurred, coated in a layer of frost, yet surrounded by a wreath of blazing fire.

"A family belief system?" Commer frowned slightly. "Does it stem from that girl behind you? Have you formed a symbiotic bond with her?"

Frost capable of freezing the soul and lava capable of melting all existence began to manifest in alternating patterns across the steps. With every forward stride, Commer was forced to endure either the agonizing pain of bone-chilling cold or the tort

"To think you are a remnant of the Light! Hahaha, so this is the secret you wished to keep? You are actually a remnant of the Light hiding within the Church of Order!"

Instead of advancing, Kang Mo rapidly retreated, the grayish-brown light that had previously scattered now contracting at an extreme speed.

He abandoned the confrontation, choosing instead to withdraw from Kallen's body; as long as he could escape, even if he left Peide behind, Kallen would not dare harm Peide, for he now held Kallen's secret.

A genius of Light, hidden within Order—heck!

Perceiving his opponent's intention, Kallen did not panic; had the foe faced him outside, it would have been troublesome, but since the man had willingly entered his body, failing to handle him would be a true insult to his own dog.

And so, Kallen closed his eyes.

As Kang Mo condensed into a ring of light, preparing to break free from the vessel, he suddenly discovered Kallen appearing above him—no, to be precise, the space above seemed to form a vaulted dome where Kallen's figure loomed infinitely majestic, his eyes slowly opening to look down upon him.

A massive, majestic black chain manifested and began to rotate, the very symbol of Order!

Kang Mo roared, "How is this possible? How can a believer of Light still possess Order!"

As Kallen’s eyes opened fully, the chains of Order flew straight toward the ring of light, and the phantom of the Gate of Reincarnation appeared once more, only to shatter completely under the heavy strike of the Order chains.

"No... impossible..."

The ring of light that comprised Kang Mo began to disintegrate into specks of starlight.

...

Meanwhile, a change was occurring on the outside: Kallen, who stood there motionless, suddenly saw the ring on his left ring finger flash faintly, and a silver mask appeared upon his face.

...

High above, from behind Kallen, the figure of an old man emerged; he was ancient, yet his stature was incomparably grand.

The belief system of Ancestor Allen was merely borrowed by Kallen through his symbiotic relationship with Puer, but he possessed a family belief system that truly belonged to him.

It was Dis who, through a blood sacrifice ritual, transformed the church belief into a family belief system, sustained solely within Kallen alone.

In the Inmeles family belief system, Dis held a status equal to Ancestor Allen, while Kallen was the sole second-generation inheritor.

The old man reached out, grasping into the scattered starlight, forcing the dispersing specks to cohere once more until a smaller, blurrier Gate of Reincarnation was dragged forth.

Then, with a casual flick of his hand, the old man tossed the brand of the Gate of Reincarnation before Kallen.

He did it carelessly, as if tossing a favorite toy to his grandson.

Kallen stared blankly at that ancient figure,

and murmured:

"Grandpa..."