https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-764-Shadow-World-The-Eternal-Punishment-Unending-Part-1-/12585302/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-765-Lanchi-and-Sigurei-s-Journey-Once-Again-Part-1-/12585304/
Chapter 764: Shadow World: The Eternal Punishment Unending (Part 2)
Chapter 764: Shadow World: The Eternal Punishment Unending (Part 2)
"
Empress Kexia finally continued, her eyes downcast,
"You hold too many secrets. From the time you went by the name Wilford and spent nearly twenty years climbing to the top of the political arena in the Pelant Empire... Even then, I never thought that you were actually from the Honing Empire."
As one of the few friends of the Pope, or rather, one of the few living friends he had left, she knew the Pope's secrets and his past.
Ever since he underwent the modification in the Honing Empire's experimental facility, his physical age had been permanently frozen in time.
Strictly speaking, as a product of this forbidden technique, he should be called a "demon-human."
Neither a true demon nor a human.
The success rate of the demon-human modification surgery was extremely low, requiring one to endure countless tortures with only a slim chance of success. In a sense, it was akin to giving up one's race, transforming oneself into a monstrous freak.
As a side effect, not only did he lack the true demons' longevity, but his lifespan was also significantly shorter than that of a human.
Perhaps for Lanci, living to be over forty years old was already a miracle. Every moment might be filled with unimaginable pain, with his resilient soul stubbornly resisting death and holding together a body that was on the verge of collapse.
"... "
The man in the white robe sitting opposite her remained silent.
"Lanci, if you don't want to talk, then you don't have to. Just listen to me."
Empress Kexia continued gently.
Originally, the empress had thought that this lunch would be a difficult ordeal, but Lanci's earlier words had lightened the atmosphere.
Lanci was always changing, but his emerald eyes always revealed a hint of sincerity and humility.
She could see that, unlike most of the powerful and influential, this man had a sense of responsibility but no desire for power.
This was why, despite his enigmatic nature, she was willing to treat him sincerely.
"To be honest, the more I get to know you, the more I feel like a stranger to you."
She looked directly at Lanci,
"Regardless, I will help you. After your death, I will also hide your secrets and ensure your legacy shines forever."
Empress Kexia assured him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Lanci replied.
Since the nation followed the Holy Pelant Church, the Pope had a significant amount of influence, and in practice, his power even exceeded that of the emperor. In many policy matters, the reigning emperor needed to seek the Pope's opinion.
By now, Lanci had a rough understanding of what had transpired in the past twelve years.
During the initial nine years of war, the church he belonged to had made outstanding contributions to resisting the Honing Empire, and its religious authority had grown stronger. On the surface, Prime Minister Wilford and Pope Lanci appeared to be rivals for power, but no one could have guessed that Prime Minister Wilford's other identity was actually the leader of the church.
In secret, he had been gradually transferring power to the church, ultimately setting the stage for his own grand exit and the rise of religious authority.
So, in the following three years, Prime Minister Wilford became a figure of history, and a Pope, standing above the emperor, emerged.
Now...
Perhaps the Pope was nearing the end of his life, and the empress, as an old friend, wanted to see him off on his final journey.
"May I never have to wield my power, for a Saint Pelant without the need for my abilities is a truly beautiful realm."
Lanci replied with calm ease, his tone devoid of any pretense.
This shadow world seemed to represent the final chapter of Lanclos' life, bathed in the black sun.
In his second shadow world, within the Lichthens Castle library near the Honing Empire's border, he had read about the price of human demonization.
For someone like Lanclos, who underwent immature artificial modifications in the Empire's experimental facility at an early age, it was rare to live past the age of thirty.
Now, counting the years in this timeline, Lanclos was already approaching forty-nine.
Even Lanci himself found it hard to comprehend how he was still alive.
Nevertheless, the advantages accumulated from the previous three shadow worlds had finally brought about a beautiful ending.
"You haven't changed."
Kexia, the empress, remarked as she gazed at Lanci, her heart filled with a mix of guilt and reluctance, turning her eyes watery.
She couldn't forget how Prime Minister Wilford had responded the first time they met.
Even if the Empire wronged him, he would never wrong the Empire.
"You said you're not hungry, and I've said all I wanted to say. I won't keep you any longer, so please return to the Pope's Hall."
Wiping the corners of her eyes, Empress Kexia managed a smile as she bade farewell to her old friend.
"Your Majesty, farewell."
Lanci stood up and bowed once more to the empress before taking his leave.
After their meeting, he felt it was time to depart from this shadow world and learn more about this era.
He wanted to know about the Demon World.
He wanted to find his friends in this timeline.
Since he had won, his friends in the shadow world should have also achieved their happy endings.
"Yeah, goodbye."
Empress Kexia waved at him.
Escorted by the palace guards, Lanci strode through the corridors, exiting through the grand doors of Salem Palace.
The streets of Helsalem bustled with activity as citizens went about their business. The city's hustle and bustle filled his ears from left to right.
It was different from over a decade ago.
There was hope in people's eyes now.
The mist of fear had been dispelled.
Life had returned to the city.
After his meeting with Empress Kexia, Lanci, as the Pope of Saint Pelant, was expected to return to the Pope's Hall.
As Lanci's figure appeared at the entrance of the Royal Palace, the waiting Knights of the Divine knelt on one knee, as if in the presence of a divine being.
Clad in silver armor, with the emblem of Saint Pelant emblazoned on their chests and long spears in their hands, they resembled a celestial guard.
"Your Holiness, the Pope has arrived!"
"Glory—Praise—"
As the captain of the knights sang out in a loud, clear voice, a tide of harmonious praise reverberated through the clouds.
Lanci strolled forward, followed by several clerics dressed in robes of apocalypse, who attended to him with reverence.
Soon after, they boarded the vehicle of the Divine Temple, returning to the Pope's Hall of Saint Pelant.
Several minutes later.
The majestic fortress, perched atop the pinnacle of the imperial capital, came into view.
As always, it shone with solemnity and holiness in the afternoon sun, just like the painting hanging in the palace.
Along the way, Lanci peered out from behind his mask at the bustling city.
Occasionally, he spotted elderly couples carrying mementos of their deceased soldier grandchildren, their eyes filled with tears as they prayed. Young girls offered lilies, their first blooms, with shy reverence, while children excitedly climbed onto their parents' shoulders, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the Pope's vehicle.
Lanci watched quietly.
Before he knew it, the vehicle had slowed to a stop in front of the Pope's Hall of Saint Pelant.
Located at the highest point of the imperial capital, the Pope's Hall served as the residence and power center of the Pope of Saint Pelant.
Constructed with stone, its towering spires reached for the clouds, and its massive stained glass window faced the front of the hall. It was encircled by chalk-white walls and defensive towers, with the core area being the Pope's Throne Room, apart from the external foundational structure.
Lanci's footsteps echoed on the pristine white stone steps as he entered the Pope's Hall, where lamps illuminated the interior with a soft glow.
He strode past the rows of silver-armored knights, making his way toward the throne. The clerics on either side of him closed the towering ebony doors of the Throne Room behind him.
"..."
Standing before the throne, he didn't immediately return to his seat.
Instead, he turned toward a mirror on one side of the hall.
In the reflection, he saw a tall figure, who, due to his white hair, could be mistaken for an elderly man, despite his youthful features being hidden behind a mask.
He wore a pure white robe with golden embroidery on the outer layer, golden trim on the cuffs and hem, and a deep red lining inside, adorned with a religious triune pattern.
"Heh, so I've become the Pope?"
Lanci lifted his silver-white mask as he stood before the mirror.
In this shadow world, his attire had been transformed into that of the Pope, and his hair had turned white.
Even he didn't recognize himself behind the mask.
"Wait, Lanci. It looks like you've got a debuff."
Talia suddenly pointed out.
She noticed that Lanci had acquired a strange status effect ever since he entered this shadow world.
"It's just that it's too secretive. It's only now, in the space of the Grand Hall, where she can use her magic with ease, that she was able to identify it."
Mental Rift
Category: Negative Status
Grade: Epic
Attribute: Spiritual
Tier: 9
A residual effect from battling the Third Progenitor, Duke Lachariel.
Talia shared the information with Lanci through their mental link.
"I don't feel anything unusual," Lanci replied after carefully sensing his condition.
He didn't feel any weaker or uncomfortable, perhaps due to his naturally high spell resistance.
"Please take care of yourself. If you feel anything unusual, let me know immediately." Talia instructed with concern.
"Thanks, Master Talia." Lanci put his mask back on, restoring his aura as the Pope.
"So, this is my Holy Pelant now." Lanci stood before the wall engraved with a map, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the world map.
Even without deliberately acting, the moment he donned this attire, his aura became naturally majestic.
"I feel like you're a super mastermind behind the scenes now!" The Cat Boss poked its head out from the shadows, its fur standing on end as it looked at Lanci with a sense of foreboding.
Typically, in these kinds of stories, this kind of mysterious figure who holds supreme power and outwardly projects an image of greatness and righteousness is never a good person!
"You're right, you're absolutely right. The territory of Holy Pelant has expanded far beyond what it was before to the point where it's like a northern continent version of the Krexi Empire. Even though it's still not as vast as the Honing Empire during its war prime when it annexed the entire southern continent, Holy Pelant now has what it takes to go head-to-head with the Honing Empire." Lanci mused as he traced his finger lightly across the map.
"What are you thinking?! Are you scheming something?" The Cat Boss had initially thought that Lanci's power would decrease in this shadow world, but it seemed that his influence was as stable as ever and even continuing to grow.
Before the Cat Boss could say more, the long-awaited shadow world information finally appeared before them.
Shadow World: Eternal Punishment Unending
Tier: Eighth-Rank
Total Number of Challengers: 9
The delay in the appearance of the shadow world information was typical, as it waited for the other challengers to enter through the different entrances of the Void Gate.
Seeing this number, Lanci was somewhat relieved.
It seemed that Hubertian had made it as planned.
"Twelve years ago, you withstood the pressure from Congress and, in the darkest hour of the Northern and Southern Continents, became the light that illuminated the Pelant Empire, igniting hope and courage in the people, mobilizing the nation to go to war against the Honing Empire."
"Some old things perished, but some new things took root. Although the number of crosses in your cemeteries multiplied, and your homes turned into black ruins, your nation was resurrected, and the blood race bore witness to an unprecedented power."
"You traded your life and relentless efforts for the Pelant Empire's final glory and the turning point for humanity's fate. The determination to resist spread throughout the Pelant Empire, beginning to turn the tide of the Northern Continent's defeat. Even if it meant losing everything, it was better than surrendering their ancestral lands and becoming slaves. The Empire began its final swan song, its final act of defiance, its final stubbornness, and its final splendor."
As usual, the shadow world's instructions began to appear before Lanci's eyes.
"After enduring a grueling nine-year battle, uniting the Northern Nations and the Demon World against the Vampire Honing Empire..."
"You won."
"But at a terrible cost."
"That's why this victory is so precious."
"You've traveled a long road, shining like the stars, and no matter how unknown your past lives were, you didn't care. Compared to the obliterated memories that couldn't be described with loving words, you sank deeper into the quiet embrace of dreams."
"People celebrated and cheered for the hard-won peace, holding on to their imagination of happiness and awaiting the rebirth of a golden age."
"You... were lost."
Suddenly, the font of the shadow world's text turned dark red and twisted, as if it had cracked.
Lanci's ears were filled with piercing screams, wails, and the roar of raging flames, as if witnessing a catastrophic inferno.
He instinctively covered his eyes, feeling a neural sting.
"What's wrong?" Talia sensed Lanci's abnormality and asked with concern through their mental link.
"It's nothing. It felt like I was under an illusion spell just now, probably a side effect of the negative status I've had since entering this shadow world... It affects me from time to time." Lanci replied, blinking his eyes and looking back at the shadow world's instructions. The last sentence he had seen before had disappeared.
He must have misread it.
"A lonely soul must be sacrificed, one chosen from a thousand, ten thousand."
"Every time you count the stars in the sky, you wonder why someone has to make a sacrifice."
"And why, in the end, you were the one who survived."
"In the final moments of your life, your dream is just a step away, yet it feels like it's worlds apart..."
Mission Objective 1: Read your old friend Caliera's letter. (To be continued)
Mission Objective 2: Understand the mindset of the Black Sun, Lanclos. (To be continued)
Mission Objective 3: All challengers must survive until the 21-day time limit ends.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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