Chapter 320

Kanzaki Rei.Yelia.Rhein.

Three people.

Six eyes met.

And yet—

The atmosphere was as silent as death.

Rei looked at Yelia, his emotions... complicated.

I did use the Pure White Descent Ritual to "save myself."

But the White I summoned... ultimately wiped out all life in the Secret Sea.

Maybe it had been the correct choice.

He hadn’t been wrong.

In that situation—

There had been no other option.

But still...

It didn’t feel entirely right either.

Rei didn’t feel overwhelming guilt.

But facing Yelia—

A quiet sigh was inevitable.

And yet—

He noticed something.

Yelia’s gaze toward him was evasive.

There was pain in her eyes.

A struggle of the soul.

But the atmosphere was wrong.

No one spoke.

Rei turned his gaze toward Rhein.

...What the hell?

The usually cheerful Rhein now looked utterly gloomy.

His expression was so heavy it looked like he’d just eaten something disgusting.

Did you seriously eat something nasty?

Someone like him suddenly turning this serious—

It almost felt unnatural.

Even if you killed him, he’d probably still be grinning.

Did he get scared stupid?

...Sigh.

Fine.

If you’re all going to act deep—

I won’t say anything either.

Rei had his own concerns.

Had Earth...

Already been completely destroyed?

Those people on Earth—

He had wanted to find a way to restore them from monsters.

To save them.

But now...

They had probably died alongside the descent of White.

Or perhaps—

They had already been killed when the Origin Sea awakened.

Maybe they hadn’t even lasted until White descended.

Sigh... I didn’t want this either...

There were still so many secrets on Earth.

So many mysteries in the abyss.

Something had been calling Kumironi.

Rei had originally planned to go with her—

To see what that call truly was.

Right.

Yelia had heard it too.

After letting her go back then, he hadn’t seen her again.

Maybe she had gone to investigate that voice.

He should ask her.

And—

Why had Rhein been with Roa?

That was another unresolved mystery.

As for the others—

The remaining participants in that chaotic trial.

The inheritor of Naraku.

Adraliel.

That battle-focused half-goat blacksmith.

And the small-statured summoner.

None of them had appeared again.

Who knew what had happened to them.

But...

In the face of something like the destruction of the Secret Sea—

People like them probably couldn’t change anything.

After all—

Not everyone had access to the Pure White Descent Ritual.

And even fewer could actually activate it.

Rei adjusted the coverage of [Unsolvable Enigma].

He altered Yelia’s perception of him.

"Big Sister Yelia."

Yelia looked at Rei—

Confusion flickering in her eyes.

She couldn’t recall who had participated alongside her in the Ascension Realm trial.

"You... came back?"

But in her memory—

Rei hadn’t been there at all.

Reviewing the participants—

His name simply didn’t exist.

Yelia asked:

"You... didn’t go in?"

Rei nodded.

"Yeah. I was blocked outside."

"I didn’t inherit anything from any god. Only after examining the entrance carefully did I realize—only inheritors of a deity can enter."

Yelia recalled what Aegmisa had said.

That rule did exist.

Only those chosen by gods could enter the trial.

It was—

A carnival.

A game.

Aegmisa had claimed it had already informed the other gods.

Lord Zhua... was this also your will?

Being chosen.

Arriving at the Secret Sea.

Even obtaining that divine artifact—

All of it had been arranged.

A powerful sense of fate overwhelmed Yelia.

Every step she had taken—

Had been guided by the gods.

"...It’s fine."

The guilt in her heart was overwhelming.

But she didn’t speak of it.

Releasing the Origin Sea—

That was a secret of the Church of Light.

If word got out—

It would shatter the world’s perception of the Church.

She could only bury it.

"Inside... there was only danger. Not entering was a good thing."

"Have you been waiting long?"

Rei glanced at his pocket watch.

"Not too long. A few hours."

"Yelia—what did you encounter in there?"

Yelia forced a smile.

But it lacked her usual calm composure.

Pain seeped through it.

"If... your faith and your beliefs were to conflict... what would you do?"

...That’s a heavy question.

Did the Church of Light betray you?

Rei suddenly recalled what Lomo had said—

That the Church of Light was collaborating with the Nest of Aberration.

Maybe Yelia had discovered something.

Given her strong sense of justice—

She must be suffering.

Rei could relate.

After all, Kumironi, as a High Priestess of the Church of Life, had often been caught between doctrine and reality—

Especially when dealing with him, a Death Priest.

Conflicts of belief...

They were painful.

Rei thought for a moment—

Then gave a standard answer:

"I’d think about what I truly want... and stick to my own convictions."

Yelia simply nodded.

"...Thank you."

Clearly—

It didn’t move her.

She changed the subject.

"Should we... continue exploring?"

Rei looked ahead.

The path stretched into darkness.

But honestly—

This Ancient Ruin no longer held much appeal.

He had already gained plenty from the Ascension Realm.

More than enough.

Even if there were treasures left here—

They probably weren’t worth days of exploration.

Better to leave.

"Big Sister Yelia, I’ve been thinking."

"We’ve already lost one member."

"Continuing feels risky."

"While waiting, I saw warnings on nearby stone tablets."

"I’m worried something might happen. Maybe... we should head back?"

Yelia turned to Rhein.

Rhein looked... drained.

Gone was his usual liveliness.

Lord Yakatikto...

I usually ignore you... but today, I really want to talk.

I think... I’ve become a sinner of history.

Do you think the souls of the Secret Sea will come after me? Can your church block them?

"...If it’s dangerous, then yeah... we should go."

Rhein scratched his cheek.

"I’m not much of a fighter anyway. If we rely entirely on Yelia, that’s too much pressure."

Yelia folded her arms.

Normally—

She would have insisted she could handle it.

But this time—

She had already reached the Ascension Realm.

Thanks to Rhein.

There was no need to continue.

Besides—

She was anxious.

She wanted to return to the Church.

To pray to Zhua.

To get answers.

"...Then let’s go back."

Each of them carried their own thoughts.

But none of them had any desire to stay in this place.

They had come as four.

Now—

They left as three.

The moon hung high in the sky.

A full moon.

This was the Moon Sea.

Countless billions of kilometers away from the Secret Sea.

After exiting the ruins—

Rei looked west.

That direction...

Led to the Secret Sea.

What was happening there now?

Whoosh—

In just a few flashes—

Rei returned from the outskirts to his residence.

The moment he landed—

He felt Luluvi’s perception collide with his.

"Rei!"

"Hm?"

Her emotions were frantic.

"What happened?"

"Leng Qingying... she entered a strange portal and disappeared!"

"...What?"

Rei felt a headache coming on.

What the hell is happening today?

"Which portal?"

Whoosh—

Rei and Luluvi appeared on the rooftop.

Guided by her perception—

They blinked repeatedly through space.

Soon—

They arrived back at the outskirts of Atlant City.

He had just gotten back—

Hadn’t even sat down—

And now he was out here again.

Before them—

A narrow portal.

Just large enough for one person.

Rei reached out—

The moment he touched it—

A feedback surfaced in his mind.

Another portal created by Aegmisa.

Wasn’t teleportation supposed to be rare?

Why were there so many today?

And—

This portal had restrictions.

Only those with God-tier talents could enter.

It was practically tailored for him.

But—

Leng Qingying also had a God-tier talent.

So she had gone in.

Just how many portals had Aegmisa created?

How much chaos had it sown?

Rei hesitated.

Should he enter?

If he did—

Would he repeat everything again?

Should he save Leng Qingying?

Rei had no desire to risk himself.

If entering the portal had been her own choice—

Then she should bear the consequences.

He had no obligation to save her.

Just as he was thinking—

The portal suddenly contracted slightly.

And then—

A small figure stepped out.

Seeing Rei standing there—

She froze in surprise.

"Rei?"

"Weren’t you exploring the Ancient Ruins?"

It was none other than—

Leng Qingying.

...

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