Miss Heber is fighting her way out of the Lostbelt!

Andon's body finally stood up straight, tears of blood streaming from his eyes like a living thing, creating cracks on his sad face that exuded a bloody smell.

Blood-red, pearl-like eyes looked around nimbly between the two vertical slits.

A pair of small, baby-like arms broke free from Andorn's ribs, piercing through the tattered priest's robes, waving and grasping in the air, bloody.

"Therefore, I detest this world, and therefore, I renounce my faith in the Holy Grail. Just as the moth found light in the darkness, so too did I."

Birds gathered and circled.

Mastema's heart sank uncontrollably.

ps: And thank you to every reader who collected this book!

Volume 14: The Eternal King

The Special Patrol Office divides an apprentice's loss of control into two stages: loss and distortion.

The former can still be treated and soothed through certain means, but the latter is a permanent change that occurs in the physical body and spirit, just like [印铃萌稀紦j iu屋把⊙⒋又伍記] which cannot be reversed.

Generally speaking, it takes a process to go from being lost to being distorted.

But Andorn's deformation was so fast that there was no time to comfort him.

Usually, there is only one possibility for such a rapid distortion - looking directly at a higher being far superior to one's own status, or being influenced by a higher being.

Andorn renounced his faith in the Holy Grail, but he was not excommunicated by the Holy Grail, or even by the Code itself...

It’s even steadily climbing.

If Qiming wants to be promoted to Daytime, he must do things that suit his desires, just like the Knights of the Round Table who expanded their territory and conquered their enemies under King Arthur.

This is why the daytime rank is called the "hero" rank.

However, neither the Special Patrol Office nor the Orthodox Church will easily give their subordinates the opportunity to be promoted.

Andon has been waiting for this opportunity for almost ten years.

Lemiaoan suddenly laughed bitterly: "Andorn...has been promoted to Daylight."

Mastema was horrified. She looked at Andorn, who was surrounded by black crows, and saw a vague halo gradually rising from behind the tattered priest's robe.

That was the gift that came with the distortion, allowing Andon to achieve the first mark.

The gradually rising wing-like deformation on his back will allow him to achieve the second mark.

In today's world without [Dusk], this is the pinnacle of the present world.

What kind of existence is the new god that Andorn worships? Why does he bestow power so generously?!

"Even the Holy Grail and the Celestial Turret have regrets," Andorn said calmly. "Lemuian, Mostima, I know you too feel resentful. But the new God I worship has promised me that when He is born, all will be well and in perfect order."

"Sisters, I sincerely invite you to come and sit with me."

Mostima looked at Lemion first.

Pain and struggle appeared on Remnant's gentle face.

Andorn waited quietly for her answer.

Mastema began to call out in her heart to the "higher being" who had also descended upon her.

"Are you still there?"

Yes. Hebe replied.

"If I want you to help me, what do I need to pay?"

Mostima no longer had any hope in the Knight of the Round Table, and facing Andorn who had been promoted to the Daylight Realm, these apprentices who had not even achieved the Mark of Enlightenment were naturally powerless to resist.

If it were in reality, they would still be able to use heavy firepower, but this is at the border.

Faced with this situation, Mostima had no choice but to save herself.

Your faith.

That grand and indifferent voice rang in her ears.

"I don't know what I have that deserves your attention." Mastema took a deep breath, "But if you can really rescue me from this desperate situation..."

"I dedicate myself to you. I dedicate my thoughts, words, and spirit to you. Please give me peace and joy. Please enlighten my eyes and heart. Please grant me protection."

"—that I may walk behind thee in the light of life."

In her almost desperate thoughts, she heard a loud voice like the tolling of a bell.

【as you wish. 】

......

The old card turned to ashes in the card slot, but the ashes turned into a new card.

【Follower "Mastema"】

[Path: Watchmaker. For a watchmaker, time is no longer a matter of seconds.]

[Principle: Kai. Represents the principles of oracle, opening, and closing.]

[Rank: Enlightenment. The first level of the path to achievement.]

[In the cracks of history, Mastema saw the lock and key. Time must have a magical power for her.]

【Your believers, students, followers, and possessions. 】

The simple, abstract brushstrokes vividly depict Mastema's smiling face against the deep purple background. Behind her, two key-like staffs form the shape of clock hands.

Heber clicked on the card and put it into the newly appeared card slot.

……

"I—don't want to!"

Lemiaoan answered painfully but resolutely.

Andorn's long eyebrows trembled. "Why? I know the pain you endure is no less than mine. Don't you want your sister to wake up from her hospital bed?"

"I do hope so. Perhaps one day, I will regret it!" Lemiaoan trembled as he pointed his specially made gun at Andorn. "But what I am about to do is far more important than my future. My sister, and thousands of people like her, live in this world—I will protect this world!"

Lemiao's fingers turned white from exerting too much force, and she was screaming loudly, using almost all her strength.

"Andorn! You should keep this promise to yourself!"

The muzzle spewed out a blazing flame, and the nickel-iron bullet that had been consecrated nine times was fired towards Andorn's heart.

flutter--

The bullet pierced through the torn priest's robes and opened a huge hole in Andorn's chest.

He did not show any pain, but nodded calmly.

"I see, that's your answer. I respect you, Lemiaoan."

While he was speaking, Remian continued to fire, and the barrage of consecrated bullets ravaged Andorn's face into a charred honeycomb, until the gun in Remian's hand finally fell silent.

The birds in the sky flocked towards the torn priest robe, and new flesh and blood filled Andon's body.

"If that's the case, then we are enemies," Andon said with great regret. "For the safety of our God, I cannot let you escape alive."

Remian stared in despair at the birds falling from the sky like a rainstorm.

She had lost all means of resistance, and so had Mostima. They could not cause any harm to Andorn as it was already daytime.

However, in the next moment, Mostima, who had been standing there motionless, suddenly stepped forward, passed Lemion, and faced the birds that were swooping down like a rainstorm.

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

Invisible air waves rippled out from her body, as if an invisible umbrella was slowly opening above her head.

The range of this air wave is not large, but once it crosses that limit, it will be delayed ten or twenty times.

The birds, which were originally flying as fast as heavy rain, suddenly slowed down.

Their bodies collided with each other and quickly stacked up into a terrifying sphere in the sky above the border.

Like a halo of lock and key, it lit up above Mastema's head.

——[First Mark·Subjective Slow Time].

"Achievement Mark, at this time?!" Andon almost wanted to laugh.

A scene that only appears in a play was actually being performed in front of him - How could Mastema achieve the mark so easily?

How much practice she has gone through.

What did she know about her own desires?

Does she truly believe that the path she has embarked on is not easy?

God is so cruel to me, but so kind to Mastema!

At this moment, Andon finally understood this "cruel fact": the so-called talent actually existed and was so unreasonable.

But it didn't matter, his new god was fair and generous.

Those who desire power will have power, and those who desire talent will have talent!

——Therefore, in order to make the world promised by my Lord come true, I must make all sacrifices and use all means!

The halo above Andorn's head shone brightly.

[The First Seal: Light bestowed upon suffering].

The birds were covered with a layer of clear light. When the transparent air waves swept across their bodies, some of them were "exempt" from the delay effect.

Although their speed has also decreased, they are still much faster than their companions.

Andon had completely seen through the effects of Mostima's mark. Apart from the area-based slowdown, it had no other effects.

When enough birds fell like a rainstorm, even if only a small number of them were spared, it would be a devastating blow to Mostima and Lemion.

"But, that's enough—"

In the transparent air wave, Hebe controlled Mostima's body and grabbed to the left and right with both hands.

In this state of "descending", Hebe could not use too many things, such as the "pseudo-holy sword, the sword in the stone", and he could not use illusions as he pleased.

However, it is not the magnitude that limits illusion, but imagination.

......

Hebe had observed the Sword in the Stone up close countless times. Although she had never actually held the sword, when she closed her eyes, she could imagine the details of the glorious and brilliant sword.

As she imagined the sword, her fingers touched the heavy, cold metal.

The sword is there, but who will hold it?

The sensation sealed in memory suddenly emerged like flowing water. It was as if someone from far away had responded proactively, and my fingers, searching in the mist, had touched a blazing body temperature.

There was also a faint calling.

"Merlin..."

Heber, who was sitting in the thrift store, was so scared that he almost jumped out of his chair.

She directly exited the "Advent" state and quickly logged out of the Secret History Simulator.

......

When Mastema regained control of her body, she saw that her hands had grown fine, cold scales.

Mist dotted with candlelight rose from all around, and a pair of metal boots emerged from the mist and stepped on the ground in front of them. The gorgeous long sword that pierced the ground lit up inch by inch, shining brilliantly.

This was the last scene Mastema saw at the border.

Then everything started to spin.

When she came to her senses, she and Lemion had already fallen on the mottled grass. Fiammetta rushed over and hugged them tightly, tears in her eyes.

A heavy footstep sounded.

The Knight of the Round Table, Bedivere, was already standing before them.

He had a face as soft as a woman's, but his eyes were as blazing as fire. However, his most striking feature was his entire arm, extending from his right shoulder.

It was not flesh and blood, nor was it armor, but pure metal.