Chapter 86: The Corrupted World within the Painting

"No!"

The Dark Saint's pupils shrank as he watched everything unfold before him. Realizing that lanevus was already dead, he decisively abandoned him, not even bothering to deal with the dog that killed lanevus, and without hesitation, flashed away from the scene.

The remaining two demigods had different expressions on their faces. Anthony looked a bit frustrated, while Bernadette quietly breathed a sigh of relief, and even a hint of joy appeared on her face.

As a "Clairvoyant," Bernadette had foreseen an opportunity for advancement long ago and had predicted that such a chance would arise in Backlund. Thus, she had made extensive preparations there many years in advance.

Now, with lanevus death, she realized that she had completed the corresponding ritual, preventing a disaster involving higher-level powers.

"I will compensate you for this matter," Bernadette said softly, her voice as calm as ever, as she looked at Anthony opposite her. Without waiting for Anthony's reaction, she prepared to leave immediately.

However, as a demigod, she was also on guard for a sneak attack from him.

To her surprise, Anthony seemed to have no intention of stopping her from leaving. He just stood there quietly, watching her, even with a smile on his face.

"He's not looking at me!"

Bernadette's expression suddenly changed as she quickly turned around.

She discovered that at some point, a woman in a simple linen robe had appeared behind her, only ten centimeters away. However, the woman did not take advantage of this opportunity to attack. She simply stood there, quietly watching Bernadette with her dark eyes.

"Arianna."

Bernadette struggled to utter the other person's name.

The Abbot of the Night Monastery, the leader of the Ascetics, the Secret Servant, and an Earthly Angel—these were all her titles.

Because she was Arianna, a Sequence 2 "Servant of concealment" of the Darkness Pathway.

"You have taken something that belongs to His Grace," Arianna said calmly, her tone devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

"I will make amends," Bernadette said after a long silence.

Arianna nodded slightly, as if it were a matter of course, "Yes, you must indeed provide compensation. But the dead cannot offer compensation."

Bernadette frowned, not understanding what Arianna meant.

"If it weren't for the Goddess's protection, attempting to ascend alone would have killed you without a doubt," Arianna said calmly, her dark eyes staring at Bernadette's beautiful face. "Come with me. I will help you complete your ascension and tell you some things to ensure you survive to repent before His Grace."

Bernadette was silent for a long time. She disliked the condescending tone and the half-spoken manner in which Arianna spoke.

But she still chose to obey, landing on the ground with Arianna and heading toward Saint Samuel Cathedral.

She knew Arianna had no reason to deceive her. Ascending to Sequence 2 certainly involved secrets she was unaware of, secrets a wild demigod like her did not know.

Of course, another more important reason drove her choice.

She was certain she could not defeat Arianna, a Sequence 2.

"His Grace is missing."

Anthony walked over to Arianna and hesitantly asked, "Shouldn't we do something?"

Arianna drew a scarlet moon on her chest and softly recited, "It is part of the plan."

…

"Bam!"

Ince Zangwill kicked over the table in front of him, his lips moving as if cursing someone.

He had planned everything for so long, only for a dog to ruin it all!

Damn it! Where did that dog come from?

How could a dog manage to kill lanevus, who had the "True Creator" parasitizing him?

Even if the True Creator had only just started transforming lanevus body, the power contained within him should at least have been equivalent to a Sequence 5 Beyonder.

But with such strength, lanevus had still died so pathetically at the hands of a dog!

Everything Ince Zangwill had meticulously planned was now mostly ruined. The successive appearances of several demigods would undoubtedly make them suspicious. Arianna's appearance had been entirely unexpected!

There was even a chance his identity would be prematurely exposed.

The more Ince Zangwill thought about it, the more uncertain he became, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat.

No, he had to do something to save himself.

…

"Slap!"

Walking on the ground covered with flesh and blood, Ashes casually killed a large fly that had just hatched from a nearby "flesh egg."

He seemed to have become accustomed to this, as he had been aware of the nature of this painted world the moment he stepped onto this land:

This painted world had already completely decayed.

When the Sun King Gwyn realized that the First Flame would inevitably extinguish, he made two preparations.

On one hand, he established the system of kindling the flame and personally led his invincible Silver Knights to throw themselves into the First Flame.

But all of this was ultimately in vain. The First Flame was destined to go out.

Neither the four Great Souls nor the gods, neither the Silver Knights nor the sacrifices of the successive Lords of Cinder, could prevent the extinction of the First Flame.

All they could do was delay the end of the Age of Fire.

In the end, even the Lords of Cinder, who had already been burned once, had to be dug up and burned again.

In addition to kindling the flame, Gwyn had a second preparation.

That was the Painted World.

The Painted World was a homeland for the forbidden and the lost, a refuge where the gods could linger after the First Flame had gone out.

However, the Painted World was not perfect, as it too required kindling.

Over time, the Painted World would begin to decay, and then it would have to be gradually burned, allowing the "Painter" to create a new world.

Those who do not understand the flame cannot paint the world.

Those who are tempted by the flame cannot paint the world.

Now, the painted world where Ashes found himself was thoroughly decayed.

The level of decay was far more severe than any other painted world he had seen.

Such a world held no value for Ashes because it could not even provide him with a single clue.

Ashes even suspected that this painted world would collapse soon due to the extent of its decay.

This was the fate of the Painted World.

It should have been burned by the flame long ago, and a new world should have been painted by the Painter, instead of clinging to life in decay.

As he continued walking, Ashes saw some scattered, dilapidated buildings, suggesting that people once lived here long ago.

But now, these buildings were also covered in a blood-colored fungal carpet, and the world's "natives" had long since disappeared.

Apart from the blood and flesh fungi, only the flies hatched from the "flesh eggs" remained.

But fortunately, Ashes had already reached the foot of the mountain.

The towering mountain that had been faintly visible in the distance now stood right in front of him.

Through the hazy sky, Ashes could even see, through his telescope, the green at the mountain's summit.

That area had not yet been completely overtaken by the decay.

And at the top of the mountain stood a tall and majestic building, faintly visible.

(End of Chapter)