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Chapter 218

"... I\'ll revert to the original plan. No need to worry, Ian. We can search for clues after everything is over. Though I can\'t guarantee anything will be left intact."

Despite the situation, Ian continued to stride through the interior covered with moss, mold, and mushrooms of various colors without hesitation. The poisonous spores were not significantly harmful to the party, but their equipment was visibly corroding. Mev\'s armor, in particular, was severely discolored. Considering the previous battles, it was impressive that it was still intact.

It was thanks to her meticulous maintenance from the start. Otherwise, it would have already rusted away or fallen apart at the seams.

Anyway, we\'ll need to replace all our gear once this is over.

Even if I spent all my remaining money, it might still fall short.

Realizing that no matter how much he earned, it would never be sufficient, Ian finally stopped walking. They were in front of a firmly closed door. Beyond it lay the chapel, and the power of the void was palpable.

That they had arrived with no interference was likely due to the chaos he had created. The enemies were probably focusing all their efforts on re-establishing the broken cycle and suppressing Ian\'s minions.

They\'d want to finish before I arrive.

Ian\'s minions were rapidly decreasing in number, but enough remained to hold out until he reached the underground. Placing his hand on the door, Ian looked back at Charlotte and Thesaya.

"You know what to do, right?"

"Don\'t worry. I\'ll pretend to be an underling and just watch from the back."

At times like this, you\'re really reliable.

Ian responded to Thesaya\'s answer with a chuckle and then looked at Mev.

"Don\'t forget. When I hand the sword..."

"... that\'s when I\'ll step in."

Ian nodded at Mev, who was looking at him through her face guard, and finally opened the door.

Creeeeak—

The spacious chapel, laid out in a circular pattern, was revealed.

Ian leisurely walked inside. Charlotte and Thesaya stopped at the door\'s sides, bowing their heads, while Mev followed behind him as if she were his knight. The chapel was covered in moss and mold, just like the outside. In the center, a pitch-black tree trunk spiraled upwards as if it had burst through the floor. The top was jagged, as if someone had snapped it off.

Black vines sprouted from various parts of the trunk, wrapping around the surroundings. The ends of the vines connected to the robes under the hoods of the priests sitting around the jagged edge of the trunk. As Ian entered, they all rose simultaneously, as if they had been waiting.

Then a quest window appeared before Ian\'s eyes.

[The Altar of the Defiled Tree.]

The Defiled Tree, huh...

Ian didn\'t immediately charge at them. Instead, he stopped at a reasonable distance as planned. Then, he pulled his straight-bladed two-handed sword from his pocket dimension, planting the tip into the ground and resting his left arm on the counterweight. It was a stance that showed he wasn\'t planning to fight immediately, but was ready to grab the hilt with his right hand at any moment.

Woosh...

Meanwhile, the priests circling the trunk floated into the air as if swimming through the void, spreading out widely. There were six in total. As they moved, the vines wrapping around the trunk rubbed against the surface.

The tree bark crumbled like decayed matter, scattering dark dust. It was surely dust that caused status effects such as poisoning or infection.

The priests weren\'t actually flying; the long, snake-like vines were supporting their bodies, giving that impression. By now, living vines were no longer a surprising sight.

Their robes, as they turned toward Ian, were unnaturally raised at the back of the shoulders, as if hiding wings underneath.

Of course, they’ve mutated. First insects, now plants?

Ian thought indifferently as he reached out with his right hand to retrieve a wooden case from his pocket dimension. His movements were leisurely as he took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth. After all, the priests hadn\'t immediately attacked him. Their dark green eyes glowed under their hoods as they stared at Ian.

Whoosh—

With a flick, he lit a flame between his fingers and set the end of the cigarette alight. As he exhaled the smoke, his eyes, scanning the priests, glowed a clear purple. The priests\' eyes flickered with a strange mix of fear and reverence as they met his gaze.

... This really works.

Ian stifled a chuckle. Of course, they had seen him taint the roots of the cycle with chaos power. It was only natural they would consider him a high-ranking corrupter or even something more. Given the broken cycle, he was no longer in a state of perfect immortality.

As Ian exhaled another puff of smoke, a priest spoke.

"Oh, great Avatar of Chaos...."

The voice was low and cautious, as if he were speaking with great care. They were treating him not just as an apostle but as an avatar now.

"The Lord has proclaimed that chaos and order coexist and thus have no reason to destroy each other. Since you have refused unity, we will no longer insist... Nor will we hold you accountable for breaking the cycle of order. So, how about we put an end to unnecessary sacrifices now?"

A truce proposal, how amusing.

Instead of scoffing, Ian took another drag of his cigarette and nodded. Perhaps in the game, if a character fell to corruption, it might have been possible to establish a friendly relationship with certain corrupt factions. They could offer minor quests or small aids. Naturally, this would lead to hostility with the church or the royal family, so it might have been a necessary content.

In any case, the current situation was clearly something that didn\'t exist in the game. After all, no additional quests had been triggered.

"I have a question." Ian, who had casually spoken, glanced at the priests. A faint sense of relief spread across the priests\' faces, which resembled the texture of tree bark beneath their hoods.

"Ask, and we shall answer."

"Which of you is Bishop Jurdo?"

The priests’ eyes wavered in confusion, but only for a moment. The priest in the center, closest to the altar of the Defiled Tree, bowed his head.

"I was once called by that name."

It was Jurdo who had been speaking all along.

How predictable.

"Do you know Viscount Flint?"

"... Flint? Do you mean Zeckle Flint?" Jurdo’s voice held a note of curiosity.

Ian nodded, holding the cigarette in his mouth. "Yeah. The kingdom of La Drin, of Delraham. You must be familiar with it."

"That... is correct. I used to guide him at one time. It\'s been quite a long time since we lost contact. Have you come to see me? On Flint\'s recommendation?"

"In a way, yes."

"How is he doing?"

"He\'s dead."

"... So it finally came to that." Jurdo\'s lips twitched slightly before he eventually sighed.

"He was born weak and sought to gain strong vitality that could overcome any illness. But at some point, it seems he took the wrong path. Illness and pain are not to be overcome, but accepted—"

"Was it your will that brought that worthless man in?" Ian cut him off.

He had no interest in the story of someone he didn\'t even know. Looking directly into Jurdo\'s dark green eyes, he added, "Or was it the order of Duke Kralen?"

From behind, Mev let out a short, surprised breath.

Originally, Ian had just planned to ask about the one behind all this. But now he decided to push further. After all, Duke Kralen was a boss that existed in the game.

Jurdo sighed once more. "How much do you know... Did you come to the West to kill him? Did that cold-blooded man also commit sins against you?"

"In a sense. So, answer my questions properly."

"... Choosing Flint was indeed my will. But it is also true that the Duke ordered me to sow the seeds."

"He\'s the one who brought you into this path, isn\'t he?"

"Yes. When I was searching for a way to ease the suffering of the lepers, he presented me with a new path. Foolishly, I was grateful to him, not knowing that his only interest was in immortality and eternal life."

"That’s why he abandoned you?" Ian asked nonchalantly.

He was already half ignoring Jurdo\'s words.

This old man talked too much. Besides, Mev was the only one who needed to pay close attention. Meanwhile, Ian was searching for a way to go underground. It wasn\'t difficult to locate. On the opposite diagonal wall, the entrance to a spiral staircase leading downward was revealed.

It was a secret staircase hidden behind a mechanism in the wall. It was created as an escape space to hide the priests and residents in emergencies. The monastery was built in an old style, after all.

"As you can see, we opened our eyes and followed the great truth of the cycle. However, the Duke did not. He said it wasn\'t the immortality he wanted. He even denounced it as a failure."

"A failure...? Ah, I see." Ian, who had instinctively asked, soon chuckled while exhaling cigarette smoke before continuing, "It\'s because the ego can collapse and can\'t be completely controlled."

"As expected... you understand. I said that true liberation is inherently uncontrollable, but he didn\'t accept it. He even thought the consciousness would fail. That was the last time. Foolishly, he abandoned us."

What is with this so-called liberation?

Internally snorting, Ian nodded. Anyway, it was another moment where the hypothesis that Duke Kralen was a member of the council became more likely. Immortality and eternal life were among their primary concerns. Using the vampire clan as subordinates was also to research the secret of immortality.

"But by now, his thoughts might have changed a bit."

"It seems Racliffe’s ritual was also successful."

"Indeed, Avatar of Chaos... It was the smallest scale ritual, but enough to preach the great truth of the cycle. Even if the Duke resists... becoming one with us is only a matter of time now." Jurdo laughed.

The priests responded with phlegmy laughs.

Ian, inhaling smoke, recalled Duke Kralen from the game. He had probably kept these people alive to leave open a possibility. He couldn\'t have known they would prepare the ritual in secret and succeed.

And yet, when it came to an irreversible situation, he just accepted it.

Or maybe he went mad after experiencing the same vision of unity I did. The latter seemed more likely. If he were a council member, he would have considerable power, enough to catch the eye of the being of the void.

So without these things, it was highly likely that the Duke\'s mental state would be different from what Ian remembered.

As Ian smiled coolly, Jurdo, who had stopped laughing, added, "But if what the Agent of Chaos desires is his life... we will gladly yield. Our Lord has also proclaimed that he will not stand in your way."

"He can try," Ian added sharply, meeting Jurdo\'s gaze with his violet eyes. "I have business with that old tree you serve. I need to settle the score for trying to devour my soul."

Jurdo and the priests froze for a moment. Ian removed his arm from the counterweight of his sword.

Thud.

The sword, tilting backward, was caught by thick steel gloves.

As Mev silently stepped forward, Jurdo spoke. "But Agent of Chaos... didn\'t you promise? If we gave you the answers you sought—"

"That was just you jumping to conclusions."

"Jumping to conclusions...?"

"I had no intention of keeping that promise. Besides..." Ian dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it underfoot, smiling fiercely. "The same goes for you, doesn\'t it?"

"...!" Jurdo\'s eyes flickered.

Even during their conversation, Ian\'s minions were still decreasing. The pulsation of chaotic energy beneath their feet had not subsided, either. In fact, during their talk, it had emitted a heavy resonance again. Engaging in conversation was merely a stalling tactic for them.

Jurdo\'s lips curled up slowly.

"You... you knew everything from the beginning... But it\'s too late now—" Jurdo\'s voice suddenly faded.

Swish...

A red light was spreading beside Ian.

"Thank you, Ian." Mev, enveloped in sticky red divine power like blood, lowered her two-handed sword and stepped forward.

"Now, you can leave this to me."