Chapter 475: O... One of Our Own?

Chapter 475: O... One of Our Own?

"Oh? Trash Dog, your wounds are all healed; you've actually recovered so quickly."

Purr examined Gilagon’s body and found that the injuries she had inflicted yesterday were completely gone, leaving no trace behind.

This was the reality of the disparity in their current strengths. After last night's ordeal, Purr and Kevin had fallen into a deep, unbroken slumber, while this creature had merely sent out another ripple of consciousness.

Gilagon nudged Purr with his three heads. Seeing this, Kevin immediately stepped forward, a warning growl vibrating in his throat to signal that the beast needed to know its place!

"Listen, you can't keep coming over like this every day. I need to rest. No, actually, I need to wake up.

Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to appear here with you? The kind of exhaustion that leaves you in a deep sleep, unable to wake up. And if I have to rely on potions to maintain my vital signs, it's easy to get side effects, like... bloating."

A look of confusion crossed all three of Gilagon's canine faces; he clearly did not understand what Purr meant by "deep sleep."

"Do you have a physical form? Trash Dog."

"Roar."

"Oh, so you do. Under that volcano on the island? Then how big is your physical body?"

Gilagon looked contemplative. The question had evidently stumped him. He could only open his three mouths as wide as possible, shaking his heads continuously.

"Alright, I get what you mean. The very, very big kind, right? You still look like a cub, though. Where are your parents?"

"Roar."

"You've never seen your parents? Huh, that shouldn't be the case."

This Abyssal Sinful Three-Headed Hound was clearly underage, so how could it not have parents?

Ominous beasts of this caliber likely thrived in the previous era, the age when the gods were active.

Since the start of this current era, alongside the disappearance of the gods, many legendary beasts had also vanished without a trace.

Therefore, calculating by the timeline of the seals, it was impossible for him to have been sealed away as a cub until now.

At that moment, Kevin extended a canine paw and drew a circle in the sand, then drew a smaller circle inside it, and continued drawing an even smaller circle within that.

An ordinary person would likely find this expression incomprehensible, but Purr understood.

"Oh, so that's how it is, meow."

Purr looked at Gilagon, suddenly feeling a pang of pity for this trash dog.

Because no living being could escape the shackles of time and the passing years—not even the gods, otherwise places like the Divine Graveyards wouldn’t exist.

Some entities that endured through time often ended up as nothing more than an "outer skin."

For instance, Gaetanbert and Funitess, whom Cullen had gone to receive within the Gates of Reincarnation last time; they did indeed still exist, but their original souls had long since weakened and altered. Strictly speaking, they had long turned into a different "existence."

Truly terrifying beasts possessed immensely long lifespans, but they were by no means infinite. If kept under harsh conditions, their lifespans would undoubtedly be compressed even further.

The so-called "suppression and execution" was actually using this very method to rely on time to forcefully grind away his existence.

Kevin's meaning was quite simple: this three-headed hound did have parents, but its parents were itself.

A sealed beast could not withstand the erosion of time. The only way to ensure survival was to use its own flesh and soul as nourishment to breed the next generation.

This generational breeding would inevitably cause the strength of the new generation to continuously weaken. At the same time, the new generation could never see their parents, for they would only be born after the "mother" had perished.

Yet, such a method could preserve the bloodline, a form of inheritance that transcended traditional concepts of gestation and reproduction.

This explained why this three-headed hound was so foolish; it had never received any guidance from parents, and it was highly likely that it had been sealed the entire time.

"Are you sealed away?" Purr asked. "Sealed under that volcano?"

The three-headed hound pondered for a moment, then nodded. He truly could not get out, but...

"Roar, roar!"

"You're saying you can feel that you'll be able to come out and play soon? Someone is going to let you out?"

"Roar!"

Kevin’s eyes instantly widened. Judging by the amplitude of the consciousness ripples this three-headed hound could emit, even though its physical form had been weakened by generations of inheritance, it was still exceptionally powerful.

He could roar back at it during the convergence of their consciousness, but once its physical form emerged, Kevin felt he would stand absolutely no chance. After all, in reality, he was currently just a Golden Retriever.

Imagine a Golden Retriever standing on a tiny pirate ship, facing an unimaginably colossal three-headed hound.

Kevin suddenly felt a surge of irritation, but he quickly suppressed it.

He knew he was different from Purr. Purr could bluntly ask Cullen for methods to increase her power, and could even beg Cullen to perform surgery on her, but he could not.

He could only wait patiently, waiting for Cullen's strength to rise before being granted another unsealing according to the circumstances.

"Then what do you plan to do after you come out, meow?"

Gilagon shook his head, indicating he did not know.

"Oh, I asked the wrong question. Who is the one trying to let you out?"

Only now did Purr realize that someone was trying to unseal an ominous beast!

Although she hadn't been present during the Dark Moon Island incident, she had heard about the terrifying scene caused by Dolons at that time.

Gilagon continued to shake his head.

"You don't even know who wants to let you out. Well, that's just strange."

Purr turned her head to Kevin. "Remember to tell the Radio Fairy about this later."

Kevin nodded.

In truth, Cullen had already transmitted this information into Alfred's hands using the black crow last night. It was just that Purr and Kevin hadn't woken up yet, so they were unaware of this intelligence.

"Oh dear, what a pity you're too big. I can't take you with me because my home is very small, just a single courtyard. Well, actually, for a city house, it isn't considered small, and there are plenty of rooms, but you definitely wouldn't fit."

Kevin immediately nodded in agreement.

Purr added, "My previous home did have a large manor, but if your size is truly that grand, even a large manor wouldn't be able to hold you."

Gilagon couldn't quite comprehend Purr's words, but he could understand the meaning of refusal.

He was a stubborn three-headed hound. Upon hearing the rejection, he immediately lowered his heads to Purr, behaving in a way that intentionally tried to please her. After all, he didn't believe he had lost to that dog—that dog had no advantages other than being slightly faster—he had been completely defeated by this cat.

In his perception, this cat was the most powerful existence in this world!

"Alright, alright, you want to follow me? Hey, I can't afford to raise you. Do you know that my afternoon teas and coffee have already put a strain on the household's financial situation?"

Gilagon continued to whimper and plead.

"Can you live in the sea, then? Over there, in that blue place."

Gilagon frowned slightly, then nodded. He felt he could manage that.

"Then it's settled. When the time comes, I'll introduce you to a friend. Its name is Acelos, and it's also very big. You two can catch fish and eat together in the sea."

Gilagon smiled and nodded.

In truth, all of this stemmed from a coincidence. Because the tunnel had been excavated, the original seal had loosened, allowing Gilagon to stealthily observe this unfamiliar external environment with a sense of curiosity, much like a chick that had just broken through its eggshell.

Then, his "gaze" assessing the outside world had been captured by Kevin.

Actually, another person could have entered as well, but that person strongly resisted the experience and chose to reject it.

Gilagon and Kevin had clashed the moment they met; both being dogs, they subconsciously wanted to overpower each other. Purr's appearance had struck first and "healed" later, a combination that directly won over Gilagon’s affection.

To this three-headed hound, Purr was like the very first person—or rather, the first cat—it had laid eyes upon after cracking out of its shell.

"Since you've come all this way, I might as well play with you a bit. Oh, you spit fire too, don't you? Let's play with fire together."

And so, Purr and Jiragon began tossing fireballs back and forth upon the sandy beach, a game of volley that bore a passing resemblance to beach volleyball, save for the fact that any ordinary athlete would have been instantly reduced to charcoal upon making contact with the ball.

When weariness finally set in, Purr lay down across Kevin's back.

A profound longing welled up in Jiragon's eyes; it was quite evident that the creature yearned for Purr to perch upon its own back instead.

Kevin hoisted his canine neck high, radiating pure pride!

Two dogs and a cat, strolling leisurely along the edge of the shore.

One dog possessed far too many stories, which had long since fermented into wine; too lazy to pop the cork and let the vapors scatter, he chose to remain utterly silent.

The other dog possessed far too few stories, simple as a blank sheet of paper, leaving nothing of substance to speak of no matter how one flipped it.

Only the cat began to speak, recounting the various trials and tribulations of her past adventures.

As the tales flowed continuously from her mouth, two distinct sets of footprints were left trailing behind them on the sand.

After a certain time had elapsed, Kevin and Jiragon's consciousnesses began to drift away, the exact same phenomenon from the previous night manifesting once more.

Purr did not forget to offer a parting reminder:

"Make sure you come over a bit later next time, meow!"

...

By the time they awoke, the morning of the following day was already well underway.

Purr stood up from the bed with a wide yawn, just as Alfred pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Ah, finally awake, are we?"

Kevin snapped his eyes open: "Woof, woof, woof!"

"Oh, the young master spoke of this long ago. The remnants of Light have allied with the three most powerful pirate factions on the island, intending to shatter the seal at the bottom of the dormant volcano. However, that concerns us not. The young master encountered Taofman on the island, the one who defected to the Light—Ophelia's uncle, the former commander of the Dark Moon Island fleet. He will arrange for our departure tonight via a teleportation array.

Therefore, pack your things now; we shall be heading ashore very soon."

"Ophelia's uncle?" Purr murmured in discontent. "How is it that we always seem to cross paths with her relations?"

"Do you harbor a particular grievance against her?"

"Oh, certainly. I harbor a grievance against the entirety of Dark Moon Island."

"I recall you once advising the young master to take Ophelia as a mistress, the better to seize her family's fleet."

"The issue is that her family's fleet is no longer under their actual command; they hold the title in name only. Why else would one choose a mistress if not for her practical utility? For carnal lust?"

Alfred offered a dry reminder: "You seem to have inverted the logic there."

"Hmph, I would much rather choose Philomena. The more I look at that girl now, the more agreeable she becomes."

"That is merely because you know full well nothing could ever happen between her and the young master."

"Why must you always contradict me, you radio sprite? Do I, as an elder, not possess the right to employ my wisdom and experience to guide Karen through his romantic endeavors, meow?"

"Even if you were not an elder, you would still be qualified to guide him now."

Purr blinked, failing to grasp the hidden meaning behind Alfred's words, and could only pivot to another inquiry:

"Shall our departure take place before the seal is broken?"

"Yes. Only after we have teleported away will that elder of the Light remnants arrive to undo the seal. In theory, whatever transpires on Fire Island hereafter has nothing to do with us.

Nevertheless, the captain will report this to the high authorities of Order, and they ought to take notice of this place."

"But that is mere psychological comfort," Purr scoffed with disdain. "The Church of Order possesses neither the capacity nor the necessity to turn its gaze here at present."

"That is no longer our concern. In any case, our return remains the matter of utmost priority."

"Then what of Jiragon?"

"Jiragon? What manner of thing is that? It sounds faintly familiar. Is it the fierce beast that appears in the mythological narratives of the Church of the Abyss?"

"Precisely, the very one dwelling beneath the dormant volcano."

"Yet legends dictate that this place is a sealing ground arrayed by the God of Fire; I have never heard of any connection to the God of the Abyss."

"You doubt my word, radio sprite?"

Alfred pulled out the desk chair and sat down directly facing Purr, speaking softly:

"I believe you. Furthermore, I am now quite intrigued as to where the two of you actually went during these past two days of deep slumber."

...

The old captain, Jin Luo, was the first to go ashore, taking his young son along to the marketplace, with Bart trailing discreetly behind them.

Though there was theoretically no possibility of betrayal from the old captain, the squad naturally took precautions in advance; it was largely a matter of having ample manpower, and they had naught else to occupy their time.

Bart observed the old captain stepping into a shop that dealt in souvenirs—though it was termed a souvenir shop, it functioned in truth as a sort of antique parlor, its interior cluttered with the sacred robes, artifacts, and texts of various major churches. Many ecclesiastical tales often featured some fortunate soul unearthing a high-grade holy artifact in just such an establishment.

Of course, generally speaking, over ninety percent of the wares in such shops were mere counterfeits; yet so long as one knew how to bargain and purchased them strictly as souvenirs, it was by no means a losing venture.

The old captain began gathering items pertaining to the Church of the Abyss from around the shop. The notion of betrayal had never once crossed his mind; he had come solely to repay a debt of gratitude.

He had previously offered to withdraw his own point vouchers stored in the island's bank to present to Karen, but Karen had flatly refused. Seeing that the party was about to depart, the old captain resolved to bestow some gifts upon Karen and his companions.

Within the shop stood two men and a woman, clad in black robes that concealed their entire forms, leaving only their eyes exposed. They, too, were browsing the selection.

Before long, however, the old captain's persistent selection of items related to the Church of the Abyss drew the attention of this trio.

Once the old captain had finished haggling, settled his account, and departed the shop, the three exchanged glances and silently followed him out.

"The Church maintains no missionary outpost on Fire Island."

"It is not entirely strange to encounter a believer out in the wild."

"Yet the ruined artifact hanging upon his person exudes the distinct aura of seawater; thus, he most likely worships some faded branch of a sea god cult, and could never truly belong to our Abyss."

"Waiting until nightfall is a tedious affair regardless; let us follow and observe. It is a rare occasion for us to venture out, and should we happen upon a local believer of our faith, it might prove convenient for gathering intelligence."

"True enough. Our Church has conducted itself with far too much discretion over these past years. Since the three of us arrived here, we have been starved of external news entirely. I have never believed the strength of our Church to be inferior to that of Order."

"Bear our mission in mind. We are here solely to witness the awakening of Jiragon, to ascertain whether Jiragon still harbors malice toward our Church. Unless absolutely necessary, we must not expose our identities."

"Understood, understood. There is no need for your warnings; I remember my duty."

"Someone is following us from behind."

"Where?"

"He has vanished."

"Perhaps your senses deceived you?"

"Mayhaps. I cannot be certain. The old man has entered a tavern."

"Follow him inside to see."

...

The old captain cradled a vast assortment of Abyss souvenirs and presented them before Karen, a gesture that left Karen somewhat caught between amusement and dismay. He had merely assumed the guise of an Abyss believer in front of the old captain as a precautionary measure; he had scarce anticipated that this old captain would prove so fiercely earnest that, upon having his vouchers refused, he would insist upon delivering gifts directly to the door.

Karen could do nothing but instruct Ventura to accept the offerings. Though such items were purchased with valid point vouchers, any attempt to liquidate them back into currency would be nigh impossible.

After the old captain and his son departed, Karen turned his gaze to Purr, who was perched upon Kevin’s back, resuming their prior conversation.

"You must understand that we cannot remain behind to see how things unfold.

Furthermore, we cannot possibly take that Jiragon with us; far too many eyes are fixed upon it. Our wisest course of action now, regardless of whether the island's seal can be broken, is to make our exit a step ahead. That is for the best."

Purr flicked her tail and said, "I know, I understand. I won't make a fuss, I'll be good. I'll just wait until late afternoon or evening, when the Jiragon comes to play with me again, to explain to it that I must leave.

Sigh, it really is a rather pitiful dog, isn't it, stupid dog?"

Kevin did not budge.

Purr swiped a paw against his bald head.

Kevin immediately nodded in agreement.

Just then, from within the room, Alfred touched the blue seashell nestled against his ear and said, "Young master, someone has tracked us all the way here."

"Where are they now?"

"Inside the inn, coming up the stairs."

...

Three figures clad in black robes—two men and a woman—ascended the staircase and headed straight for the room where Karen was staying.

At that exact moment, the door ahead swung open as several people stepped out, while others approached from behind, and still more appeared at the top of the stairs.

"See, we're surrounded. The elder was right; we sorely lack experience, which is why he demanded we do nothing at all and just watch quietly."

"Shut up, what is the point of speaking such nonsense at a time like this?"

Then, Karen stepped out from the room, his eyes falling upon the three individuals before him.

The sole woman among the opposing trio stepped forward and spoke, "If I said we came to make friends, would you believe me?"

"I would, why shouldn't I?" Karen offered a warm, genial smile. "I, for one, am particularly fond of making friends."

"Shall we exchange a formal greeting then?"

"Of course."

Thereupon, both parties raised their hands in unison, bringing them before their chests.

Karen said, "Praise the God of the Abyss."

The woman said, "Praise the God of Order."

The two sides locked eyes, both feeling a sudden jolt in their hearts:

One of our own?