Eldritch Horror Theatre

I think I know what this "sinner" business is all about.

Though Yun was currently striking a rather imposing figure, his Zen-like speech moments ago—combined with the nature of the task and everything observed along the way—led Fu Qian to a different conclusion.

Yun's belief that his heart was free of hindrances and attachments was likely just a misunderstanding.

His act of washing away his worldly burdens just now had not achieved the Sublimation of his essence; it had merely changed his form of existence.

Simply put, Fu Qian believed that facing the Statue, establishing a connection with the Goddess of Sins, and purifying the Fire of Sin was essentially a ritual.

It was similar to the rituals used when ascending to the Demigod Realm.

Only this particular ritual was highly unusual—it came with almost no restrictions.

It didn't require strength at Peak Tier 4, nor did it demand a specific type of ability.

Any transcendent tainted with sin under the Goddess's gaze could simply run to the Statue, strike a pose to receive redemption, and complete the ritual right then and there.

Every purified transcendent did indeed undergo a qualitative transformation, but they did not undergo Sublimation as independent individuals. Instead, they bound themselves to the Goddess of Sins, merging into a unified whole in a very specific way.

It was much like the relationship between the swearer and the sworn in a covenant.

Except this time, the bond was between the "sinner" and the Goddess of Sins.

This was why Yun felt his heart free of hindrances and attachments when he swung his sword.

The karmic weight of that strike had already been shouldered by the Goddess of Sins.

It was the exact same reason why those who had been purified once no longer felt the pain of the Fire of Sin.

"I actually have you to thank."

Yun's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"It is truly fortunate to have someone here to witness this moment as it arrives; otherwise, I would be left to admire my own perfection in solitude."

He looked at Fu Qian with a peaceful smile.

"In return, I will grant you a swift release."

"You're too kind."

Facing this death sentence, Fu Qian's tone was entirely perfunctory.

If his guess was right, this Goddess of Sins truly possessed the demeanor of a proper God.

Just like the entity that had orchestrated a Descent onto Ariel, she was an existence bordering on the conceptual.

Thinking about it, the Fire of Sin burning on everyone was itself akin to the physical manifestation of a specific concept.

"You really aren't afraid of dying, are you?"

Yun seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Fu Qian's overly calm reaction. He stared intently at him.

"Or do you think that without the enhancement of the Fire of Sin, I'm no longer your match?"

"Unfortunately for you, both guesses are wrong."

Fu Qian shook his head. Instead of voicing his deductions, he held up two fingers.

"First, regardless of what state you're in, you aren't my match."

"Second, I don't intend to grant you a swift release."

Fu Qian rolled his shoulders as he spoke.

That simple motion radiated an aura of extreme danger. Yun's gaze sharpened drastically, and he launched a preemptive strike almost on instinct.

A piercing shriek tore through the air. The Long Blade in his hand carved an impossible arc, and a blinding, snow-white flurry of blade light instantly flooded the entire space.

Pfft!

Caught in the omnipresent storm of blades, the Formless Black Shields surrounding Elena shattered one after another, and she violently coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Although the attack lacked the terrifying momentum of the Fire of Sin from before, its pure intent was indeed vastly superior.

The human heart truly was a marvelous thing. A mere sense of self-satisfaction could elevate one's power to such a degree!

Even as he marveled at the sight, Fu Qian directly cashed in a life.

[SAN Value -1]

The guest of honor would be arriving soon. It was best to end this quickly.

The next moment, a shadow blotted out the light!

Hundreds of black-and-red tentacles violently erupted from his right arm. They twisted together into a colossal, grotesque appendage that crashed down like a collapsing glacier, entirely engulfing Yun and his surroundings.

The Biochemical Demonic Arm. Before he reached the Demigod Realm, this very move had instantly obliterated the Black Knight in a single strike.

Now, fueled by his status as a genuine Blank-Slate Demigod and enhanced by his Mythical Form, its destructive power simply could not be mentioned in the same breath.

Yun's blade storm managed to resist for a mere half-second before it helplessly shattered into pieces.

His body fared no better.

After slamming into the Statue like a broken ragdoll, his neck was seized by several thick tentacles that slowly hoisted him into the air.

"Please believe me when I say that whether it's tumbling down from the divine pedestal right now, or stumbling your way up onto it earlier, I completely understand how you feel."

Fu Qian spoke slowly as he looked at Yun's shattered, disillusioned expression.

"Don't worry too much. You won't have to endure this suffering for long. Just wait a moment."

As he spoke, Fu Qian glanced at the Statue of the Goddess of Sins standing behind them.

It truly lived up to its indestructible reputation. Despite weathering such a devastating attack, the Statue hadn't suffered a single scratch from top to bottom, save for being splattered with Yun's blood.

Cough, cough!

A suppressed bout of coughing echoed out. A figure shakily climbed to her feet in the corner. It was Elena, covered in grievous wounds.

Thanks to her and Cross huddling in the corner, neither of them had borne the direct brunt of the Biochemical Demonic Arm.

On the contrary, the instantaneous shattering of Yun's blade storm had actually relieved the pressure on her; otherwise, she would have eventually been shredded to pieces.

However, even though her physical crisis had been resolved, she had clearly suffered a massive mental shock.

Completely ignoring her blood-soaked white skirt, Elena stared dead-eyed at the thick tentacles coiled around Yun's neck.

The peerless, impossibly aloof Demigod Realm swordsman from just moments ago had actually been instantly defeated in a single strike?

Furthermore, was a move like that even something a human could use?!

Uncontrollable despair flooded her heart.

Only one winner could emerge from this death match, and against a monster like him, she had absolutely no chance of surviving.

He was an entity far more terrifying than the Butcher.

He didn't even bother going out of his way to collect the Sin Fire!

At this exact moment, Elena felt that even the strength to turn and run had been completely sapped from her body.

However, even when he finally pulled his gaze away from the Statue, Fu Qian didn't so much as glance in her direction. Instead, he looked out past the edge of the platform.

Subconsciously following his line of sight, Elena thought she could hear the faint, rhythmic sound of colliding metal.

This was...

Before she could even process it, a massive figure leaped onto the platform with a thunderous crash.

The sheer impact of the landing caused the entire platform to tremble.

The Sin Seeker!

Even with her spirit entirely crushed, Elena still nearly cried out in alarm at the sight of the newcomer.

Why would this thing come here?

Shouldn't it be hunting down the person carrying the heaviest Sin Fire?

Could it be... A realization struck her, and she whipped her head toward the Statue of the Goddess of Sins.

When Yun first arrived, the Sin Fire burning on his body had been a raging inferno, but it had all just been completely purified.

Did that mean the vastly strengthened Sin Seeker had already killed the Butcher?

Then didn't that mean it was here to... Elena instantly felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss.

In this place, only she and Cross still carried the Fire of Sin, and Cross's flames were nowhere near as intense as her own.

It was here to kill her.

An overwhelming wave of regret surged in Elena's heart. If she hadn't hesitated for so long earlier, she wouldn't have even run into the arriving Yun.

Now, trapped in front of two ruthless gods of death, her heart was truly filled with absolute despair.

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