Chapter 893: Internal Strife
Chapter 893: Internal Strife
"You?"
As the Death Realm Overlords, some with apologetic expressions and others with fierce gazes, stood behind the Faceless One, the First Death couldn't help but furrow his brows in anger. Then, with a disappointed gaze, he shouted,
"Have you forgotten what you once promised? When I opened the No Return Path and distributed my abilities, every one of you assured me that you would maintain the normal functioning of the Death Realm! This is a shameful betrayal!"
"We are maintaining the normal functioning of the Death Realm right now."
The Faceless One gave a slight bow, his voice cold and detached as he retorted,
"First Death, is it possible that you are the one who has truly betrayed the Death Realm?"
"I betrayed the Death Realm? What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I'm not speaking nonsense, but the truth," the Faceless One said, correcting the First Death's statement. Straightening his back slowly, he continued with a hint of disgust in his tone,
"It's true that we once came from the living world, but we are already dead! We are deceased beings, standing at the pinnacle of the entire Death Realm as its Overlords! Without us, the living world would have perished long ago!
After sacrificing so much for humanity and the living realm, we desire the respect and status we deserve. We want the right to return to the living world. Is that not justified? What have we done wrong?"
"..."
"As for you! Although you are the first deceased in the Death Realm, you have never considered yourself a part of it! Despite having the ability, you have never fought for our chance to return to the living world!
In your eyes, we are not the Overlords of the Death Realm but mere helpers tasked with managing the souls of the dead. We are slaves destined to remain in this dull world of black and white, forever serving humanity and the living realm!"
"I..."
Seemingly startled by the Faceless One's sudden outburst of anger, the First Death, who had been filled with indignation, unconsciously took a half-step back. Then, taking a deep breath, he spoke with a hint of guilt,
"I've never thought of you as slaves, nor have I ever considered you as such. I just believe that since we are already dead, we shouldn't return to the world of the living.
Moreover, after so many years, you have become deeply entangled with the Death Realm. Ordinary people couldn't possibly withstand the transition. Returning to the living world would undoubtedly bring about widespread death, so sacrifice is the only choice..."
"Why should we be the ones to sacrifice?"
The Corpse Lord, with layers of corpse bands wrapped around his body, spoke with a fierce gaze as blood mixed with thick yellow fluid seeped from them.
"The living beings in the mortal world will eventually come here. Why can't we go back? We came from the living world, and we've sacrificed so much to maintain its stability. It's not us who should be making concessions!"
"But you are already dead..."
Apparently not skilled at handling such a situation, the First Death took another step back as the Death Realm Overlords glared at him with eyes that seemed to burn. Then, with a sense of helplessness, he argued,
"It is a part of the world's rules that the deceased enter the Death Realm, return to their origin after extinction, and then new souls can be born in the living world.
Compared to other souls, you have gained a lot. Besides not supporting your return to the living world, I have granted you eternal life and never restricted you. Why can't you be content with what you have?"
"We are not discontent; we want a reward equal to our sacrifices... Never mind, just go."
After shaking his head slightly, the Faceless One, seemingly tired of explaining, raised his arm and pointed it towards the direction away from the Frozen Casket River.
"Step aside," he said, making a gesture with his hand and speaking in a flat tone. "Even though you are the strongest of the Death Realm Overlords, after you loosened the No Return Path and separated the rules of the Death Realm, my strength, along with that of the Carver and the Mountaineer Woman, is not far behind yours."
"In a three-on-one situation, even you would not be our match, let alone with others backing you up... Considering the care you've shown us in the past, please leave this place. I won't ask again."
The Death Realm Overlords, with the exception of the Lamp-Holding Elder, who still seemed hesitant, stood resolutely behind the Faceless One. The First Death Incarnate, the Mud Man, couldn't help but feel a hint of gloom in his eyes. He sighed and said, "I can leave... Also, although I'm not sure if what I did in the past was right or wrong, there's one thing I'm certain of—you are definitely in the wrong!"
"Are we wrong?"
The First Death Incarnate, leaving behind a sentence, turned away with a heavy heart. The Faceless One paused for a moment before calling out, "First Death Incarnate."
"Hmm?"
Hearing the voice behind him, the First Death Incarnate, whose body was shedding clumps of mud, turned back in surprise. But what caught his eyes first was not the Faceless One's expressionless face, but a faintly glowing phosphorescent blue light.
"My apologies."
As the Faceless One apologized, black and white stones spread from beneath his feet, replacing the pale ground along the Frozen River with an eerie square of intertwining colors.
A massive tombstone, covered in thick green moss, suddenly emerged from behind the First Death Incarnate. Following the shadow of the blue light, it seemed as if the entire shadow of the tombstone was carved onto its surface.
Not a single mistake was made, and the scene was captured in a single shot.
Finally, the lamp in the Lamp-Holding Elder's hand shook slightly. The blue light that filled the First Death Incarnate's eyes flowed out of its sockets, instantly covering his entire body, turning him into a human-shaped torch of deep blue flame.
"Let's send him off," the Faceless One said, his voice slightly somber. The Lamp-Holding Elder sighed and raised his other arm, which was missing a hand. With the flat end of his arm bone, he gestured towards the First Death Incarnate's feet.
"Crack!"
A strange tearing sound rang out, and the black and white stones, blue light, and moss-covered tombstone all disappeared from the Death Realm Overlords' sight. In their place appeared a familiar, rustic cliff.
The Lamp-Holding Elder, temporarily in charge of Terminus Cliff, looked at the First Death Incarnate's eyes filled with resentment and confusion, sighed, and then, avoiding his gaze, stepped forward and pushed the motionless First Death Incarnate off the cliff.
You didn't choose to side with the Death Realm, and the plan to ambush the Purge Bureau must not be revealed... So, I can only apologize for what must be done.
The Faceless One glanced at the First Death Incarnate, who fell like a stone, his body rigid as he plummeted down Terminus Cliff. He couldn't help but sigh and then turned to the stunned Death Realm Overlords. "I didn't want it to come to this, but the First Death Incarnate knows too much. If he..."
His eyes widened as he spotted a pile of shattered ice in the distance and a black glacier with a gaping hole in it. The Faceless One's eyes nearly burst from their sockets in shock! "Where's the Mountaineer Woman? Where is she?!"
(End of Chapter)
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