111. See You Tomorrow, Good Morning
A deafening gunshot rang out in the street, and the last infected person fell to the ground dead.
Garan looked at the fallen corpse, let out a long sigh, and murmured silently.
"Just two more steps and it will all be over."
In a very short time, Garan had eliminated all 30,000-plus infected in the entire town.
As a fraudster, he shouldn't have possessed such power, but as Father Garan, he did.
The terrifying battle in the distance was clearly audible to his ears.
"Truly terrifying. Even without being at his peak, he still possesses this kind of power."
After saying this, Garan walked in one direction, towards his final destination—the Tranquility Church.
The location of all the survivors in Moonlight Town.
The road wasn't long, but for Garan, it felt exceptionally long.
He was pondering a question, a question he knew he would face next.
How was he going to face those people?
"Should I just take action directly?" The fraudster's slick voice echoed through the silent street.
A while later.
"Let's forget it," the priest's kind voice rang out.
From the moment he decided to rebel.
Didn't he already know what to do?
The townspeople huddled fearfully inside the church, unsure of what was happening outside.
The moon, already cleaved in two, was once again pierced by a beam of light. In the town's dark edge, some terrifying existence seemed to be battling each other.
Fear gripped the hearts of the people in church; even the dutiful knights felt fearful.
Some, barely managing to control their emotions, asked those around them.
"Have you seen the priest?"
The answer was a shake of the head.
The news of the priest's disappearance quickly spread, intensifying their panic.
The priest was their pillar of support; it was he who had constantly comforted them, and it was under his guidance that they had persevered until now.
They couldn't imagine what the future would be like if even the kind priest who had always guided and comforted them were gone.
People prayed silently to their faith, sincerely hoping the priest was safe and sound.
Elaina watched all this from the crowd.
She knew where the priest they so desperately wanted was, and she also knew what he was about to do to them.
Another loud bang echoed outside. Elaina turned to look into the distance.
Xiling was there, fighting to liberate those people whom the Ancient Gods are assimilating…
Yes, to liberate the people, but… not her.
Elaina gently patted her cheeks, a smile returning to her face.
"Why think so much? Things have reached this point; there's no going back. Rather than waiting here to be assimilated by those Ancient Gods, we might as well fight."
Just as the knights were about to rush outside to find the priest,
The doors opened.
In the dappled moonlight, the shadow of the doorway enveloped the entire church. The priest the people had been longing for had returned.
Excitement and joy appeared on their faces. They asked the priest where he had been, and whether he knew what had happened outside. Some even told him not to leave without saying goodbye again.
Garan walked towards the podium, smiling as he answered each person, just as he had always done.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Garan ascended the podium. He stood there, surveying the congregation, and their gazes followed him. Although some were puzzled as to why the priest was standing there, they waited for his words.
Garan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the priestly benevolence had vanished, replaced by the cold indifference of a deceiver.
Under the gaze of the crowd, he slammed his fist on the podium and roared at them.
"Listen up, everyone!"
The priest's sudden shout caught everyone off guard. The usually calm and serene priest now wore an expression they had never seen before.
But Lanster's words continued, his voice echoing in the ears of everyone in the church.
"All of you, including myself, are dead!"
"Did you hear me? You are all dead!"
His words and current frenzied demeanor caused the others to exchange bewildered glances, some cautiously asking questions.
"Father Garan, what's wrong with you?"
However, this man's words seemed to provoke Lanster further. Lanster jumped from the podium, pointing at his face.
"Look closely, you idiots! I'm the conman from three years ago! I'm not the priest at all! You've all been fooled!"
Garan spread his hands, seemingly pleased with himself for deceiving everyone.
"You fools, look closely! I'm Lanster! The priest you knew died the moment this dream appeared!"
"Ah, right!" Lanster seemed to remember something and continued speaking to the crowd.
"You too, you died the moment this dream began."
"Yes, I lied to you. This isn't reality. You had no chance of being saved."
"Hahahaha!"
Lanster laughed wildly, his eyes wide as if he wanted to see the people's violent reaction after the lie was exposed. However...
The church was silent.
The expected violent reaction didn't occur. People silently watched Lanster, no anger, no roars.
Lanster seemed unable to bear the silence. He jumped down from the platform, grabbed someone, and shouted angrily.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you all so quiet? Speak up!"
The person grabbed didn't speak, but a woman's voice rang out from the side.
"What should we say?"
Maya stepped forward and stood beside Lanster.
Maya looked into the priest's terrifying eyes and slowly spoke.
"Perhaps you have indeed deceived us, but haven't you, Father, been the one who comforted us all along?"
"Wh…what?"
Lanster unconsciously released the person he was holding, and the person he had released spoke up at that moment.
"Actually, we knew a long time ago that you might not be the priest we knew."
"That's impossible!" Lanster wanted to deny it. If these people discovered this secret, then his power of deception would make it impossible for him to realize the dream.
But he forgot one thing: the power of deception lies in making people believe, not in whether the deception is exposed.
"We don't care who you are; we only know that you are the priest who has always been with us."
"We remember everything you have done for us."
"We remember everything you have said to us."
More and more people surged towards Lanster, chattering about the things Lanster had done for them.
After everyone had recounted one story after another, Lanster seemed unable to bear it any longer and roared at the crowd.
"Enough!"
The church fell silent once more.
Lanster roared furiously.
"Don't you understand? You're all dead! Do you hear me? You're dead!"
"We have no hope! Do you understand?"
After shouting this, Lanster gasped for breath.
"Understood, we're dead," Maya's voice rang out, but it was excessively calm.
But as she spoke, a conversation that sounded more like everyday chatter filled the air.
"Ha, so we're dead."
"Honestly, it's good, we don't have to suffer like this."
"Finally, we can take off this armor."
"Honestly, if I didn't see you all still alive, I would have killed myself long ago."
Lanster's eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't understand why these people were so calm after knowing they were about to die.
Of course, he didn't know, because he knew everything. Their perspective had been different from the beginning; he knew they were all dead.
And the others who had struggled for the past three years had actually stopped valuing their own lives. The only thing that had kept them going was their companions here. This was also what the priest had taught everyone.
"Alright," Maya gently patted Lanster's shoulder, rousing him from his confusion.
"Father, there must be something you want to tell us, right? Tell us, what do you need us to do, or what's the situation?"
Lanster took a deep breath.
His mind was a complete mess; he didn't want to think about anything anymore, but he still told everyone everything he knew.
A dream.
An ancient god.
And what they were about to do.
Looking at the two weapons the priest carried, they knew that the man who wielded them would make them disappear from this dream. Of course, they could also wait for that damned ancient god to assimilate them, but rather than let that damned ancient god assimilate them...
The bodies of these people began to emanate a faint glow, disappearing into the air.
Maya stepped forward.
"Father, can I trouble you with something?"
"What is it?" Lanster's voice was somewhat muffled.
Maya scratched her cheek a little shyly.
"Could you please lend a hand? And could you please hurry? I'm a little afraid of pain."
"...If you're afraid of pain, you can wait for that damned thing to assimilate you."
"That would be too frustrating, so..."
Maya took a step forward, but more footsteps followed at once. They took a step towards the priest, their voices not in unison, but saying the same thing.
"Under your witness, we will return to the Kingdom of God."
Maya smiled.
"Thank you, Father. I should be able to catch up with my brother, since he doesn't walk very fast."
"...Alright."
The knife, imbued with the aura of Garan, was slowly raised. Watching Lanster's movement, Maya slowly closed her eyes.
The blade flashed, but no blood blossomed. Maya's body instantly vanished before everyone's eyes.
Then, one person after another took Maya's place. Lanster, like a ruthless butcher, wielded his blade with deadly precision, familiar faces disappearing before him, their last words echoing in his mind.
"Father, you've worked so hard all this time."
When the last person vanished, only two people remained in the church: Lanster, whose expression was completely blank, and Elaina, seemingly oblivious to everything that had happened.
Lanster took a deep breath and walked towards Elaina. Through the window, he could see the horrific battle raging on the edge of town.
"Are you ready?" Lanster asked.
"I'm ready. But you..." Elaina turned to look at Lanster, "Are you alright?"
"Hmph! What could be wrong with me? I'm perfectly fine."
Elaina looked at his face, which was filled only with sorrow, and stood up from her stool.
"Then let's begin, the final step."
...
"Crimson Moon!"
The ancient god's terrifying scream exploded. The shattered moon hovering above the town, seemingly tainted by blood, transformed into a complete moon—a crimson moon.
THEY shouldn't have been able to use this technique, but as the shackles dissipated, THEIR power began to return. This meant THEIR plan to seize the Hero's body using the Secret Technique had failed.
The dream that suppressed THEM would soon vanish.
Just as Xiling, sensing his opponent's rapidly rising power, was about to strike at his opponent first, the ancient god's body underwent another change. THEIR previously soaring power plummeted even faster. THEIR body began to wither, and THEIR power began to dissipate.
THEY let out a roar.
"Damn you, what have you all done!"
Someone had somehow stolen THEIR power. Even if THEY could easily reclaim it given time, but...
The holy sword instantly cleaved THEIR body in two!
THEY had no time to reclaim it!
A painful roar attempted to erupt from the ancient god's mouth, but Xiling above THEM fell instantly, piercing THEIR mouth cleanly.
The ancient god tried to raise THEIR scythe in resistance; however, he was powerless to do so, as THEY were no match for Xiling!
Almost the instant the scythe was raised, THEIR arm, along with THEIR body, was slashed off by the holy sword, THEIR arm falling to the ground with a heavy thud.
"If it weren't for... if it weren't for that damned bastard, how could someone like you possibly defeat me!"
The ancient god roared at Xiling, clutching THEIR severed arm, but THEIR roar carried a hint of fear.
Pain, so much pain!
The feeling of the holy sword slicing through THEIR skin was so...familiar. Watching the figure wielding the holy sword approach, a scene from THEIR memory overlapped with this moment.
The holy sword was raised high.
"It's time to end this!"
"Holy Sword—Unsheath!"
Watching the torrent of light descend upon THEM, the ancient god uttered a few words as THEY were about to dissipate:
"Don't think you've won. This battle isn't over yet."
The light instantly engulfed THEM, and THEIR body rapidly dissipated within it. However, Xiling didn't feel anything surge into his body, which meant the opponent was still alive.
Xiling looked in the direction of the town, where only a single aura of life remained.
It was an aura he knew all too well.
Xiling took a step forward, heading towards the source of the life force.
The church doors opened again, and Xiling entered, seeing the figure there.
Moonlight streamed through the windows, like a spotlight on a stage, gently illuminating the girl, outlining her thin and fragile features, giving her an ethereal, divine quality.
The moment Xiling entered the room, a smile he knew all too well bloomed on her face.
"Hero, you've come."
Xiling gazed at the girl. Something had changed about her; she now resembled the ancient god he had fought before—eyes like the crescent moon and silver markings appeared on her body.
Facing the girl's call, a smile appeared on Xiling's expressionless face.
"I'm here."
"Could you please come over here for a moment? I'm not feeling well right now."
Xiling silently nodded, taking a step forward. As he drew closer, more questions about the girl surfaced in his eyes.
The girl seemed like a vessel, something trying to break free of that vessel and reappear in this world, but she held it firmly within.
With the final step, Xiling stood before the girl. She smiled at him.
"Why do you look like you're about to cry? This isn't like you."
Xiling forced a smile, trying to show his usual self, but he couldn't.
Xiling stood silently before the girl. She sighed, as if in despair.
"Could you please squat down a little?"
Xiling didn't ask why. He simply slowly squatted down, looking up at the girl.
Just then, a cool hand rested on Xiling's face. The girl gently stroked his face—the face that brought her peace, the face that stirred inexplicable emotions within her. A smile returned to her face.
"Thank you for appearing and saving me when I called for you. Thank you for watching over me when I fainted. Thank you for being willing to deceive me with a lie, even though I'm not her."
Xiling wanted to say something, but a finger pressed against his lips, silencing any possible words. At the same time, the girl gently placed another finger to her own lips, making a shushing gesture.
"I know, I know, Xiling, but... leave me a fantasy, a fantasy of my own."
The girl withdrew her hand, then slightly opened her arms, making a weak yet apparent gesture of affection, her smile carrying a final hope:
"Finally... can I... have a hug?"
Xiling stood up and silently approached the girl, but just as his arms were about to encircle her slender body—
The girl threw herself into his embrace!
As if still half-asleep, the girl snuggled against Xiling's chest.
"So warm, and smells so good. I love it. No wonder I slept so soundly back then."
Xiling remained silent, only tightening his embrace slightly.
Time seemed to freeze. The moonlight flowed silently.
A few seconds passed, then the girl's voice rang out again, weak yet incredibly clear, carrying an undeniable resolve:
"Do it, Xiling."
She placed her hands on Xiling's chest, pushing herself away from his embrace.
The instant she was completely free from his hold, the moonlight clearly illuminated her current state—cracks, shimmering with light, spread wildly across her exposed skin! From her cheeks, neck, and arms, all the way to her body covered by clothing!
However, a bright smile bloomed on the girl's face. She even winked playfully at him:
"Don't say 'no'~ You promised me a request, whatever it was, you'd agree...right?"
Her gaze was fixed on Xiling, with a final plea, "...Don't let me...die...when I'm at my ugliest, most unlike myself...okay?"
The girl took Xiling's hand, which was holding the Holy Sword, and placed it against her own neck.
At the same time, a deafening shriek erupted from something that was imprisoned within her mind! Like a million rusty steel needles churning deep within her soul! The girl's body jolted violently from this internal shock, more cracks bursting open on her skin, silvery fragments scattering like teardrops from the fissures!
But the smile on the girl's face grew even brighter. She even slightly raised her chin, like a proud witch, uttering her final farewell:
"See you tomorrow!"
—
Consciousness…sinking into the warmest depths of the sea.
Light…softly filtered through her thin eyelids.
Elaina, groggily opening her eyes, her vision gradually clearing, met an unfamiliar ceiling.
Somewhat bewildered, she propped herself up from the soft bed, her fluffy gray hair slipping down her shoulders.
When her gaze fell upon the person sitting quietly in the chair with their back to her, a perfectly ordinary greeting, tinged with the languor of just waking up and a hint of dependence she herself was unaware of, followed:
"Good morning, Xiling."
Xiling turned around, smiling at the figure.
"Good morning, Elaina."