Chapter 219: Reveal Oneself“Huh?”


    A woman was crouching and trembling in the corner of the Graypond Public Cemetery as she tried to avoid the tentacles coming out from all directions.


    She hadn’t come here to visit the grave of a friend.


    She was here to pray for the soul of the begging ghost who had tormented her in the past and to forgive him.


    However, the relief she felt from giving forgiveness was overshadowed by the sudden disaster.


    Just like what was happening outside the city walls and at the debate hall, downtown Graypond had also fallen into chaos when Romuleus’ tentacles poured out from the ground and from Mul’s followers.


    The woman, hiding in a graveyard devoid of people, was relatively safer than the others. However...


    Puwaaaccckk!


    Right in front of her, damp soil splashed up like a fountain. A massive tentacle rose, pushing aside gravestones and desecrating the buried coffins.


    “Kyaaaa!”


    With tears flowing down, the woman fell from shock, unable to move due to her legs cramping.


    “No! No!”


    The eye on the tentacle swiveled and focused on the woman. As it squirmed, ready to strike its prey, the woman’s body began to rise slowly.


    As if someone was lifting her from behind, she started dangling in the air. Thanks to that, she was able to avoid the tentacle’s attack.


    “Huh? Huh! What?!”


    The woman couldn’t help but wonder what was happening as the incomprehensible situation continued.


    [Thank you, sister.]


    A small boy’s voice echoed in her ear. And although she couldn’t see him nor could she feel his touch—she knew who the boy was.


    “A-are you the ghost from back then?”


    The one who saved her just now was the ghost boy who had once followed her persistently.


    He was a boy with a tragic backstory.


    Unable to withstand hunger and cold, he eventually died alone in a back alley.


    That was why, even after becoming a ghost, the boy continued to beg for money by clinging to people.


    [Thank you for putting bread on my grave. I’m sorry I pestered you. I wasn’t in my right mind back then.]


    “Ah.”


    Soul Whisperer Deus Verdi had clearly told her that the boy simply became an evil spirit because he was tormented by hunger and cold.


    He wasn’t inherently a bad child.


    Hearing his tragic backstory, the woman had come to place bread on the boy’s grave following Deus’ advice.


    The woman managed to escape danger with the help of the beggar boy. After setting her down on the street, the boy then whispered again.


    [Be careful, sister. I’m going to help other people.]


    Though she couldn’t see him, the woman responded to the empty air in front of her.


    “A-are you leaving?”


    [Yes, please be careful.]


    With that, the cold presence that had enveloped her vanished. The surrounding chaos, which was previously muffled, was now clear to her ears again.


    The woman realized the boy had left.


    “Ah.”


    The woman had now understood that her decision to forgive had meaning. With that, the woman began to evacuate with others.


    [Please go that way.]


    She was unable to see it.


    However, in Norseweden’s sky right now, countless souls were flying towards a single destination.


    And the one who guided those souls was the woman wearing a black veil around her lower face.


    [It is over there. He is at the debate hall.]


    The Dark Spiritualist was guiding the souls who were awakened upon Deus’ call to him.


    [Go there. Gather strength from him and please save those people.]


    Like fish swimming with the river’s current, souls filled the sky, heading towards where her finger pointed.


    [Hohoho!]


    [Finally, we can meet the Soul Whisperer again!]


    [We can finally help him and repay his kindness!]


    [I wonder if my daughter is still living in Graypond...]


    With arms crossed, she simply gazed into Aria’s eyes.


    She could not derive answers through a thinking process like Deus Verdi did.


    But just like a beast.


    Just like a lone wolf.


    She pulled the answer out through instinct.


    “Let’s go.”


    And right now, her instinct screamed at her: ‘Going back was the right thing to do.’


    “Hey you, protect that kiddo. I’ll take care of her.”


    With the Hand of Hemomacy, it was possible for her to hurt the tentacles with her fists. Although it was a shame that her axe was of no use, she had no other choice.


    Findenai was about to launch into a swift assault with full force in mind, however...


    “I refuse.”


    Luaneth coldly dismissed her demand.


    “The request I received is to protect Aria Rias. You are simply involved in it.”


    “Oh, I didn’t realize that someone like you was protecting me.”


    Shrugging her shoulders, Findenai didn’t back down and snapped back.


    Instead of fighting against Romuleus’ tentacles, the atmosphere was so tense that it wouldn’t be strange if they immediately launched their attacks on each other.


    “I-I can escape alone! The spirits Sir Soul Whisperer called will be helping me, so I’ll just be fine!”


    It was as the boy said.


    The ghosts that had come into contact with the Soul Whisperer in the debate hall were using the mana contained within themselves to rescue people.


    Living magic.


    This was one of Deus Verdi’s greatest strengths, a divine skill that no one could imitate lightly.


    The souls were not fighting against the tentacles, instead, they were saving the kingdom’s citizens and guiding them to safety.


    After all, Deus knew that fighting against Mul was pointless.


    Thanks to Owen, who interrupted the two, Aria saw an opportunity and firmly spoke.


    “Then, both of you will come with me. After all, this is my duty.”


    “Hah! How insolent!”


    “Alright, that was my promise with Deus.”


    Aria ran straight towards the debate hall. Findenai, using her War Shoes, kept up with her at nearly full speed. Luaneth floated behind them as he emitted white smoke from his body.


    I heard he is a Necromancer.


    Findenai couldn’t figure out how Luaneth used his magic, but that wasn’t important right now.


    So, she put these thoughts aside for the moment.


    “What’s the plan?”


    When Findenai asked Aria, who was leading the way, the latter answered with determination.


    “Professor already said it himself. In the end, the key to breaking free from the shackles of destiny rests within me.”


    “Ah, right.”


    It was definitely something he told Aria just before heading out to the debate hall.


    “I think I know what it means.”


    “Hmm?”


    “Professor gave me something.”


    Deus had already given her the power and method to break the destiny that was suddenly imposed on her those years ago.


    With those thoughts, just as Aria was about to head towards Mul...


    Kuuuuwaaaaacccckkk!


    A thunderous roar shook heaven and earth; a monstrous creature burst forth from the ground, swallowing half of the massive debate hall in one gulp.


    There was nothing else but a sinister mouth that fit the description of being vast and grotesque on its black body.


    The tentacles, which protruded from its entire body while it writhed in a disturbing manner, looked almost unpleasant to behold.


    And due to that bastard’s sudden appearance, the building that was originally the execution ground began to collapse, and a cloud of dust covered Graypond.


    Finally, the fallen god had revealed his form above this land.