Chapter 165 Have you heard of the roundabout way to save the world?
“Finally, the truth is revealed.”

Mary’s thousands of words finally came together in this one sentence. She had been preparing for this moment all her life.

After meeting the man with the mysterious vortex mask, she dreamed of bloody ice and a chair that turned into a red tapeworm and fell to the ground for several months. This made Mary realize a tragic fact – at that time, if the other party wanted to, he could easily take her life.

But he didn’t do that. Instead, he took the attitude of teasing her like a toy, showing her how the scarlet plague worked and enjoying her struggle.

This made her, the chief priest of the Temple of Life, feel her own insignificance in front of the evil god Bazatos.

This is consistent with the usual style of behavior of the followers of Bazatos.

Even later on, she couldn’t find any Bazatos believers who were similar to her.

Ethan didn’t respond, just stared at Mary.

Such an encounter was indeed beyond his expectations. He had not expected that Turzan’s trump card was actually an old acquaintance. The last time they met, Mary was just a fourth-level priest, running around for the scarlet plague, and had obvious dark circles under her eyes due to not sleeping for several nights.

That was a figure from another era, but at this moment he actually appeared before him, as the chosen one of the Goddess of Life.

The feeling was somewhat subtle, and what was even more subtle was that when this chosen one confronted him, he vaguely protected his butt with his hands.

It made him look like he had done something perverted.

Ethan’s complicated look immediately made Mary alert. She even looked back to make sure there was no stool or anything else behind her butt. She never wanted to see such an extremely disgusting scene again in her life.

And she, as the chosen one of the Goddess of Life, will never give the other party a chance to escape!
“I won’t give you any chance to repent, take it!”

Mary said in an unprecedentedly vicious tone. At this moment, she finally released the resentment that had been accumulated in her heart for many years, “This is a spell I created especially for you!”

As a fellow chosen one by God, she knew that she couldn’t give the other party any chance to breathe.

The giant sword hanging in the sky fell to the ground, sucking away all the light in the world, but only in this way could the bond between the man in the vortex mask and the evil god Bazatos be severed. The other half of her soul that was separated existed for this spell.

The people of the imperial capital looked up at the sky, and as the sword of judgment fell, they forgot to escape.

They witnessed the sword described in the scriptures falling from the sky. It was the goddess’s judgment on this filthy world in the fable. When the Day of Judgment comes, their bodies will be destroyed, the souls of the vile will be torn apart by the goddess’s wrath, and the noble souls will return to heaven amid the sound of hymns.

Suddenly someone noticed the changes in the surrounding ice, and images appeared on it again.

That was the battle taking place in the hall.

They saw Mary, the chosen one, facing the devil in the hall. Someone immediately recognized Ethan. A day ago, posters of this D-level investigator from the Containment Bureau were posted on the streets.

It was difficult for the people of the imperial capital to describe such a wonderful heart – after the Vatican implemented a high-pressure policy and labeled one person after another as believers of the evil god, they finally found a real one.

It seems that he is the most powerful one among the evil god’s followers.

For a time they forgot that death was approaching. The sword of judgment that was getting closer and closer to them announced the arrival of the end of the world. Faced with the inevitable destruction, there was only tranquility in their hearts.

The silvery-white light shone on everyone. It was the only remaining light in the world. After that, all that remained was the eternal night.

Mary in the temple looked straight at Ethan. She had long forgotten all the fables and doctrines. This was a battle between two chosen ones of God. She would not hesitate even if the aftermath of this battle would destroy the entire city, because the believers of Bazatos would bring more destruction.

In an instant, those twisted creatures of flesh and blood, those souls twisted by pain flashed before her eyes.

This made Mary more determined.

Mary never stopped her research on bloody ice. She exhausted her own knowledge and that of all the believers of the Goddess of Life, and finally created this spell called “Judgment”.

Although she was extremely reluctant, Mary had to admit that to some extent, this spell was taught to her by the Chosen One of Bazatos.

It was the experience of that night that left her with a huge psychological trauma and made her realize that the magical power of the Goddess of Life could restrain the power of the evil god.

The Sword of Judgment is getting closer and closer to them. She will burn the other half of her soul and use the original magic she has comprehended to destroy the other party’s evil power that comes from Bazatos himself.

Their lives were coming to an end, so Mary tried hard to see the change in Ethan’s face.

Regret, fear, or anger?
She has captured countless followers of the evil god, and those people almost all showed the same expression when facing trial. She wanted to know whether the Chosen One of Bazatos would also show his human side at the end of his life?
However, the result disappointed Mary.

Facing the sword of judgment that was about to fall, Ethan’s expression did not fluctuate at all. He seemed to be just calmly waiting for the arrival of judgment.

“Even if you destroy this skin, my spell will not stop.”

Mary said coldly. She knew she shouldn’t have said this to the Chosen One of Bazatos, but she couldn’t help the emotions stirring in her heart, as if a lifetime of hunting had finally come to fruition. “Are you regretting letting me go? It’s too late now.”

“Mary, I have never regretted it.”

When Judgment fell, the Chosen One of Bazatos finally spoke, but the tone that came out was something she had never expected, “Although this may be difficult for you to understand, it is the only way to solve the Scarlet Plague.”

This didn’t fit any of the images she had imagined.

What do you mean?
Solve the scarlet plague?

This must be a trick of the followers of Bazatos!
Mary couldn’t help but want to ask, but the falling silver-white light drowned everyone, and her vision was also obscured by the strong light, and she could no longer see Ethan’s face.

The light lasted for several minutes, and then there was a deep and dead darkness.

The sky was black, the sun was still high in the sky, but only a vague outline remained.

Is this… the ending?
Mary was a little confused in the darkness. She could still feel her own existence, but before this, she had never seen the scene after the Sword of Judgment fell. It was a magic that could only be activated once in a lifetime. Life, light and soul would be annihilated by the falling Sword of Judgment.

What about the Chosen One of Bazatos?

His soul should also be torn apart, but what will happen after that?
Will he return to the abyss created by Bazatos, or will he disappear forever?

More and more doubts occupied Mary’s heart. She felt that she was still here and her thinking was still going on.

“Sometimes, in order to achieve the ultimate goal, you must take incomprehensible means.”

Mary heard the familiar voice in the darkness again. She reflexively mobilized her magic power, but the silvery-white light never gathered towards her again.

The sword of judgment that had just fallen had exhausted all of her strength.

“That is the most effective way to make you understand the Scarlet Plague. Your fear will become your motivation.”

Ethan said, “Your goddess can no longer save you. Her life was exhausted in the First Age and came to an end in the Second Age. You are the only one who can cure the plague, Mary. Before that, you must break free from your blind faith.

“But that’s not enough. You have to understand your opponent more deeply, and even become one with them, to understand the essence of the evil god’s power.”

Everything he did in the contaminated area as the Chosen One of Bazatos was to solve the plague in a roundabout way. This was the rule set by Bazatos.

Mary was the only “vision” that could touch the essence at that time.

But he didn’t expect that Bazatos had reached an agreement with an unknown existence, causing what happened in the contaminated area to be reflected in reality.

Ethan had no regrets and was even somewhat relieved.

He had read about Mary’s later history in books, and witnessed the sword of judgment brought down by her. This feeling… was like witnessing the growth of his students.

The little priest who was so scared by the bench that he fell to the ground has now grown into the chosen one of the Goddess of Life, an existence that surpasses that of a saint.

Ethan suddenly thought, did Winter have the same feeling when he first saw the sun he created in the pollution area?
“Mary, you’ve become stronger.”

“you–!”

Mary’s chest rose and fell violently. She instinctively wanted to say something, but all the words were stuck in her throat. Even breathing became difficult. As the chosen one of the goddess of life, she could easily see the truth and lies, so she knew that the words just now were sincere. Especially when her growth was recognized by the other party, she was surrounded by joy from the bottom of her heart.

But, if what the other party said was true…then what did she do?
This thought suddenly plunged Mary into even deeper panic.

She had spent her entire life and energy just to avenge a teacher who had taught her how to solve the scarlet plague? One day in the future, she would even use the sword of judgment to destroy a city in exchange for her teacher’s death.

Mary couldn’t help but tremble. Her sight was taken away by the darkness, and she couldn’t see Ethan’s expression at the moment, but perhaps this could make her feel better.

She could fully imagine Ethan’s sadness and disappointment at this moment.

And she will soon face the souls of those whose lives were taken by the Sword of Judgment.

In an instant, cracks appeared in that indestructible belief, and almost at the same time, something slipped in through the cracks. It was a whisper that Mary could not understand, but it gave her an unprecedented sense of security in the dark night.

The whispers were calling to her, as if with a simple response the crack would be mended and everything she had done would be forgiven.

Until the chatter was interrupted by Ethan’s voice, “Aren’t you ready yet, Lao Ba?”

Mary heard the whispers suddenly become sharp. Although she had no idea what they meant, she could vaguely tell that they were cursing at Ethan.

But…who is Lao Ba?
“I know. She should have been your believer.”

When Whisper arrived, Ethan discovered that Lao Ba was actually a very persistent evil god. Even though the course of history had changed, even though Mary later opposed him all her life and became the chosen one of the Goddess of Life, Lao Ba’s feelings for Mary remained the same.

He found an opportunity and took the opportunity to invite Mary.

After four eras and countless years, Lao Ba is still waiting for the bloody priest who should belong to him. It is difficult for Ethan not to be moved by this persistence and deep emotion. He also admits that he is indeed suspected of being a minotaur in this matter.

Ethan tried to persuade the other party, “Listen to my advice, let the past be the past. You still have a long life ahead of you, and you shouldn’t dwell on the regrets of the past.”

The whispers became more intense, and even the tentacles in the void were about to tear through space and come to the real world to point fingers at him.

This time Mary finally reacted.

Could the “Old Ba” the teacher is talking about be Bazatos?
Persuasion failed, as Lao Ba’s nostalgia and obsession were beyond Ethan’s imagination.

All Ethan could do was to pat Him on the shoulder like an old friend and comfort Him with practical actions. However, they were separated by many dimensions at the moment, and the distance in time and space made him powerless.

Thus, a light dispels the darkness.

Mary stared blankly at the increasing golden light, which made her realize that she was still in the hall and allowed her to see Ethan’s face again.

What came into view at this moment was no longer the ominous red, and his eyes also turned the same color as the light.

It was a fluctuation of magic power that Mary had never felt before, far beyond her comprehension. She also realized that the Sword of Judgment, which should have destroyed the entire city, failed to leave a crack in this magnificent hall.

The blow that carried through her beliefs and soul seemed like a child’s play in front of the teacher, and the other party seemed to never take these “plays” to heart.

Golden light continuously emerged from the sky, overlapping with the outline of the sun, and under people’s gaze, it turned into a new sun.

In the shining light, the sharp whispers disappeared.

And this is the only thing Ethan can do for Lao Ba as an old friend.

He could only pray that the sun’s light could cross countless dimensions, pass on warmth to Lao Ba who was in the deepest part of the polluted area, and bring his old friend’s most sincere greetings there.

However, in the eyes of the residents of the imperial capital, the greetings between old friends were a different scene.

The golden light made them realize that they were still in the same place. In the past period of time, they witnessed the process of world destruction and reconstruction with their own eyes. When the new sun hung high in the sky, even the priests of the church who participated in the rebellion put down their staffs with tears in their eyes.

This is exactly the same as the parable described in the scriptures.

They were all witnesses, witnessing the return of a righteous God.

“You… no, you, you are!”

Mary lost the ability to speak for a moment, and she also had the urge to cry. Nothing was more moving than witnessing the arrival of a righteous God. The names of all the righteous Gods flashed through her mind, but none of them matched Ethan.

She has little time left, and the soul attached to her body is being pulled away.

After this, her soul will return to the ruins, unless someone uses the séance ritual again to find a suitable body for her… But she wants to know more.

“My soul is in the Temple of Life in the north of the continent. It is the resting place of the goddess. If possible, please go there to find me!”

“Did you misunderstand something?”

The admiration in Mary’s eyes made Ethan’s scalp tingle. He had seen such a look in Ivy and others. “I am just an elemental shaper. What you see is just the use of the upgraded fire element.”

This is the result that Ethan least wants to see.

He has always emphasized his identity as a non-believer, believing that people should take the objective world as a criterion rather than pinning their hopes and future on illusory gods.

Especially at this moment when the righteous gods and middle gods have fallen one after another, there are still many beings like Lao Ba and Kane. When the day of destruction comes, the gods cannot save them.

But before that, they still have enough time to tap into their own strength.

If supernatural powers don’t work, use magic technology. If magic technology doesn’t work, switch to steam machinery.

“I believe what I witnessed.”

Mary’s expression did not change. “But I believe you. There must be a deeper meaning behind this.”

This is the motto in the holy scriptures of the Church. Every word spoken by the Righteous God should be part of a grand plan. However, due to the limited knowledge of mortals, they are unable to comprehend the mysteries contained therein, so they can only record them and pray that they will understand them one day.

The silver light in Viola’s eyes disappeared, and her body fell to the ground like a puppet with power cut off.

Mary’s unexpected arrival actually helped him a lot – nothing is more important than the words of a chosen one of the Goddess of Life, and just now, Mary acknowledged the disappearance of the Goddess of Life.

She personally brought to light the secret that the Church had tried to hide for hundreds of years.

If nothing unexpected happens, the people of the empire will finally be freed from their belief in the Righteous God.

Thinking of this, Ethan hurriedly left the hall, climbed up the city wall and came to Ivy. The war had come to an end, and now was the time to reveal the secret.

From now on, people will usher in a new era of vigorous development of magic and technology.

“As you can see, the Goddess of Life and other gods have passed away, and the evil god is still eyeing this world covetously, so from now on, we can only–“

Ethan’s voice stopped abruptly.

All his appeals to the future caught in his throat.

Looking down from the city wall, he saw the knights of the kingdom crawling before him, and even the rebels who had not yet had a chance to flee.

They were either in reverence or in fear.

Ethan turned his head and looked at Ivy, and Ivy gave him a meaningful look in return.

these people……

There’s something wrong with these people!
(End of this chapter)