Chapter 72

"Not guilty! We are not guilty!"

"We have maintained the stability of Sumeru! What's wrong with having a little privilege? King Dendro is unfair to us!"

"Yes, we have contributed to Sumeru!"

The dignitaries kneeling on the ground shouted hysterically. As privileged individuals, they could not fathom that they were now reduced to kneeling here like criminals.

Before King Dendro could respond, the people of Sumeru were the first to grow furious.

"Kill them! Kill them!"

"Kill them! Kill them!"

"Kill, kill, kill!"

Angry cries of "kill" echoed uniformly throughout Sumeru City. The once-powerful individuals began to lose composure, some wetting themselves in fear, others fainting outright.

Among the crowd, Yae Miko watched the scene with a calm expression. She could sense Takumi's presence, and she knew he was observing everything. After spending time with him, she understood his personality and principles.

Though he had his quirks, his will was unwavering and straightforward. He only cared for the good majority and treated the bad minority as expendable.

If one accepted his punishment obediently, he could at least preserve his bloodline—as seen with Inazuma's powerful families who were sent to labor on Tatarasuna. But those who resisted his judgment would face unimaginable consequences.

Istaru yawned. "If it were Phanes, none of this would be necessary. Humans are replaceable, after all. Only the Great Dendro Archon, the incarnation of the World Tree, is essential."

Hearing this, Yae Miko felt a chill. Ordinary people in Sumeru were innocent, victims in their own right. Punishing them all to become like the citizens of Khaenri'ah, cursed to become Hilichurls, was far too severe.

Watching this scene was also the Salt Archon, Havria, who had disguised herself as an adventurer. She had sought out Morax for guidance on how she could begin anew, to avoid repeating the fate of the Archon War. Morax told her that she needed to understand humanity.

Thus, she decided to journey through the Seven Nations as a normal person. Upon entering Sumeru, she immediately sensed Takumi's presence, so she followed from a distance. Since Takumi had not stopped her, she took it as silent approval.

Now she watched as King Dendro transformed the land of Sumeru before her eyes. Although she did not fully understand humanity, she could feel the change in the atmosphere—Sumeru had become lighter, freer.

"Is this what Lord Tianli wants?" Havria whispered as she looked at the highest point of Sumeru City.

Takumi, noticing the attention on him, smiled slightly. "Havria, does she really think I don't know she's following me? Does she think walking the same path as me will change her destiny?

"Though demon gods possess superior wisdom and power compared to humans, they are still quite simple in their hearts. It's due to their 'original fragment,' after all.

"The God of Freedom desires freedom above all else. The God of Contracts holds contracts higher than even the heavenly law. The God of Justice will never betray justice.

"The Salt Archon, Havria, embodies a power closely tied to human survival, but without great importance. Hence, her character leans more towards compassion, being emotional rather than rational."

This type of character could only thrive in a peaceful world; in a chaotic world, it was akin to being a martyr—kind but incapable of fulfilling all requests. In the end, she would always be the first to fall.

"But if she can truly understand humanity, maybe there's a place for her in other worlds," Takumi thought, his gaze shifting slightly. He was thinking of a world that could use a god like her.

But now was not the time to think about the future. His eyes returned to the defiant dignitaries of Sumeru.

"You truly believe you're not guilty—that you've done no wrong. Good, I like this kind of defiance.

"Confession brings peace, but if you refuse, you and your bloodline will pay a price tenfold for your actions. Buyer," Takumi addressed the Dendro Archon. "Since they don't believe they're guilty, killing them serves no purpose. Tell the people of Sumeru my verdict."

Takumi's "Original Ring" appeared behind him, and the laws of "curse" descended from Celestia upon the earth.

"All sages, mentors, and heirs of the powerful families of the Order are to experience the pain they inflicted on the people of Sumeru—tenfold, a hundredfold.

"The curse of immortality shall fall upon their bloodlines. They shall retain their sanity but become beasts of burden, carrying the loads of Sumeru's people for generations to come, as mounts in eternal servitude."

The people of Sumeru listened, not knowing that this was the decree of heaven. As King Dendro delivered her judgment, countless red rays of light descended from the sky.

The bodies of those touched by the light twisted and expanded, growing brown fur until they were transformed into pack animals used for pulling carts. To mark them apart, the word "sin" was inscribed in bright red on their foreheads.

"Moo—"

The great sage Azar, terrified, watched as his limbs turned into thick, furry legs. He let out a desperate shout, but only a beast's bellow emerged.

Despair filled his eyes. His entire bloodline had also transformed into beasts of burden—"Moo, moo," echoed across Sumeru City.

The people of Sumeru were in shock. They had witnessed firsthand as the sinners transformed into beasts of burden by the Great Dendro Archon.

Moreover, King Dendro declared that these beasts could be taken home for labor. They would never die, and even if injured, they would recover quickly.

Scribes rushed to document the scene. From that day forth, the people of Sumeru would know that evil deeds would turn one into a burdened beast—an eternal laborer, passed down through generations.

The citizens eagerly rushed to claim the beasts for themselves, taking them home for labor. They held no sympathy for those who had wronged them, who had now become beasts of burden—they were beaten or kicked if they disobeyed.

After the judgment of the guilty, a new "Order of the Academia" was to be established.

As the incarnation of the World Tree, King Dendro understood the capabilities and talents of all the people of Sumeru and what roles they could fulfill. Under her arrangement, the newly reformed Academia had all positions filled.

Some people were jubilant, while others looked rather nervous, like cats caught off guard.