"Sharna."
Germain bent down and gently kissed his sleeping daughter on the forehead.
"Sweet dreams."
Sharna curled her tiny pink fists and smacked her lips softly in her sleep.
When he stood up, he saw Shizuku walking toward him. She wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace.
"Do you really have to leave now?" Shizuku narrowed her eyes, clinging tightly to Germain.
Since the birth of their daughter, her attachment to him had only deepened.
"I must go." Germain returned the embrace, his voice calm. "The 'Deep Sea' has been waiting for me for far too long. It's time to end this."
Shizuku reluctantly loosened her grip, her lips brushing his in a lingering kiss.
"Come back safely. We'll be waiting for you."
"I know."
Germain wasn't leaving without notice. He had already informed Chairman Netero, Ging, Bisky, Morel, and the other key figures.
Now, after saying goodbye to Shizuku and Sharna, he was ready to embark on his final journey.
Whoosh—
With the aid of the lantern, he easily transported himself to the "Gate of the Deep Sea."
The sky above was still bright. The Gatekeeper sat silently upon its stone throne, turning its head toward Germain with an expression devoid of surprise.
"So, you've finally come." The Gatekeeper slowly rose from the chair, the tendrils hanging from its chin writhing like a thick beard. "I thought you had lost your courage."
When Germain looked into the Gatekeeper's eyes, he quickly realized that it wasn't the Gatekeeper speaking to him.
It was the "Deep Sea" itself.
"Now tell me clearly," Germain said firmly. "What is your true purpose? Why do you want to help me—and how exactly will you do it?"
"There's no need to rush."
The Gatekeeper stepped toward the massive doors. With a thunderous rumble, the Gate of the Deep Sea began to open before them.
"Walk with me, and I'll explain everything along the way."
The sea roared violently, waves surging and colliding until two towering tides took form.
They rose like ladders before Germain and the "Gatekeeper," solid enough to step on.
Together, they walked onto the waves.
The tides carried them swiftly forward, cutting across the endless horizon.
"I think, by now, you've learned quite a bit about the 'Blood Moon,'" the Gatekeeper said calmly. "I hope you don't mind if I start from the beginning."
"I don't," Germain replied steadily, standing atop the rushing tide.
"That's good." The Gatekeeper's gaze remained fixed ahead. "It all begins with the 'Outer God, the Devourer of Stars.' You should already know that much, right?"
"I do."
"Then that makes things easier. To put it simply… the 'Blood Moon' is sealing this world, waiting for it to reach 'maturity.'"
"'Maturity?'"
"Yes. You caught the key point." The Gatekeeper's voice grew heavier. "Maturity is the endless cycle of demigods rising… and then perishing."
Germain narrowed his eyes at the words.
The Gatekeeper continued.
"This entire world is nothing but a ritual ground. Every so-called 'demigod' is just a sacrifice. And yes… there were more of us once. Many more. But now… only a handful remain."
"A demigod drains the resources of a land, reshaping it into their own strength. But once they fall, that very land undergoes a 'greater evolution.'"
"The strange wonders of the Dark Continent? All of them were born from fallen demigods… or from ancient legendary creatures."
"For example—the 'Herb for All-illnesses.' It was once part of a legendary creature's body."
"Curse of Resentment once tried to use it as ritual material, hoping to turn his followers into legendary creatures themselves. But he failed."
"The herb originally cured only one, or at most a few, diseases. It was through the fusion by a legendary creature that many such herbs were combined into the single 'Herb for All-illnesses.'"
"That… is 'greater evolution.' And once a demigod or legendary creature achieves it, their mission is complete."
"Every 'Apostle of God' chosen by the Blood Moon, if they wish to ascend into a demigod, must first kill one of us. Only then can the cycle of renewal continue."
"Winners… are beings like us. Losers… you should have already seen them."
Germain recalled those pitiful little wraiths circling under the lanterns—trapped in endless torment, unable to live, unable to die.
They had lost the ability to speak, forever bound to the glowing lamps.
It was only then that he truly understood—by taking the lantern, he had already stepped onto a cruel path.
A path where one either died as a 'demigod'… or lived eternally as a wandering ghost.
Of course, there was still a faint glimmer of a third option.
The Gatekeeper continued, his voice calm yet heavy.
"Demigods are not fools. Some of them eventually see the truth. They refuse to be sacrifices, so they resist. But until now, none have succeeded."
"Darkness, however, is different. He was the very first Apostle of the Blood Moon… the only one who directly ascended into a demigod. He is the will of the Blood Moon manifested on earth. He will never betray the Blood Moon, and he will be our greatest obstacle against it."
"That means the only true threat to the Blood Moon comes from the other demigods."
"The Blood Moon knows this as well. Two demigods working together would be enough to threaten its divine throne."
"That is why, aside from forcing the rule that 'only by killing a demigod can one become a demigod,' it also sows discord. It schemes to make demigods fight one another."
"A thousand years ago, the divine war between Flesh and Resentment began for this very reason. They were once allies… but ended up killing each other. One perished, the other was left broken."
"And a thousand years later, the Blood Moon tried the same trick again. It deliberately guided the rebirth of Resentment close to me, hoping to spark another divine war between us."
"So, I acted first. I tried to snuff out Resentment before it could fully awaken. But the Blood Moon stopped me…"
"I could only wait for the right chance. When you finally stood before Resentment, I struck again. And this time… I succeeded."
"It can be said that I am one of the very few who has seen through the truth of it all. Among the last two surviving Demi-Gods, I've endured only by seizing every fleeting chance and doing exactly what needed to be done."
"Now, you are the third Demi-God to live until this moment. Unlike 'Flesh' with its insatiable greed, or 'Resentment' with its foolishness, you are different."
"You are someone I can work with. That is why I chose you—and it seems my choice was not wrong."
Germain and the Gatekeeper sped across the vast ocean, riding the waves with astonishing speed. It wouldn't be long before they reached their destination.
Sure enough, the waters ahead revealed the looming presence of the City Beneath the Sea.
The Gatekeeper spoke again, his voice low yet firm:
"He deliberately guided you, helped you slaughter the other Demi-Gods. His purpose was to complete the ritual of the 'World's Maturation.'"
"You are meant to be the final Demi-God. Once you fall, once we all are gone, the 'Darkness' will conclude itself. That is when the world becomes 'mature.'"
"This is what He intends for you… Go to the realm of the Gaseous Lifeform, Ai. There lies the final 'Star'—and it is yours to ignite."
"When the stars converge, the 'Gate of Darkness' shall appear. There, within Ai's mists, you will find the key to unlock the gate, a direct path into the Darkness itself."
"And when the 'Blood Moon' descends, my City Beneath the Sea will rise in defiance."
"Most of His power is bound in sealing this world. He cannot intervene with us directly. I can hold Him off, for a time."
"You must defeat the Darkness. Then return to me. Together, we shall drag the Blood Moon down from its false pedestal."
Germain's eyes hardened with understanding.
"So even if we fail, our struggle alone would wound the Blood Moon… and its seal would weaken?"
"I dislike such grim predictions," the Gatekeeper admitted, pausing before nodding. "But… yes. The Blood Moon's binding would fracture, and He would be forced to expend immense power to mend it. Hmph, you truly can't let go of those humans, can you?"
With that, the Gatekeeper slowly sank beneath the waves, his voice echoing one last time.
"Go now, Hunter. I await the light of your Morning Star. Embark on the final journey that belongs to you and me."
*******
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