Ch 185
White Shadow Cult.
Those who walk the path of denial.
They did not care about the means or methods to achieve their purpose.
Even the morality of being a Human is nothing more than an easily exploitable gap for them.
Therefore, deception was their privilege.
They very easily devised schemes, committed betrayals, and achieved their goals.
High Priest Kadin of the White Shadow Cult.
He was the same.
He had devised numerous schemes and committed betrayals to get to where he is now.
He was always the one devising schemes and the one committing betrayals.
“Kadin, you bastard…!!! From the beginning, you intended to do this to me━”
That was why Dedof could immediately accept the betrayal（?） of his collaborator, Kadin.
Dedof ━ the Elder with age spots all over his face trembled with anger.
His murky yet deep eyes moved busily, examining Kadin and their henchmen（?） simultaneously.
Even in the midst of writhing in the anger of betrayal and despair, Dedof saw a glimmer of hope.
Kadin was hesitating without taking any significant action.
Perhaps, he is conceited about the fact that the scheme was successful.
‘Arrogant bastard!!!’
Dedof thought as he took steps to prepare for combat, such as retreating and increasing the distance.
Kadin.
That he is conceited and intoxicated by the fact that the scheme was successful.
‘Damn it, what the hell is going on!’
The truth was the exact opposite.
Intruders who suddenly appeared and offered to help with a betrayal he had never even considered.
Kadin couldn’t even fathom how they had created the situation, but he was certain of one thing.
That not only himself but even Dedof was being played by them!
‘That’s Frozen Breath Pallag…! And even the Pilgrim Chender!’
Kadin, who belatedly identified the intruders, took a deep breath.
Even if he cooperated with Dedof right away, he had to be prepared for significant damage.
But, internal strife arises because he got caught up in their tricks?
‘He must have shown them an opening in the process of carrying out the plan, that fool!’
Kadin suppressed the urge to kill Dedof, who had not only ruined the plan but also put himself in danger, and shouted.
“Calm down, Dedof! If we are hostile to each other in this situation, we will surely all be ruined!!! We are being played by them!”
“Really!? Then what should I do!? Trust you obediently and turn my back on you? And face death without even resisting!?”
“You fool! That’s exactly what they want! They only want us to split up and be alone! The worst situation for them is having to face both of us at the same time!”
“Kuhahahaha! Kadin! You damned Illegitimate Child! I admit it! That silver tongue! It’s truly extraordinary! To make me waver even in this situation!!! But, it’s best not to be too confident in that tongue! Do you think I’ll be fooled by you twice!!! Keep blathering!!! If I, Dedof, can’t get out of this place, I’ll use any means to take you with me to your death!”
“This fool━ Think about it! What can I gain by betraying you in this situation!!!”
“…”
It was then.
Dedof was speechless.
As he mulled over the situation as Kadin had said, he felt a sense of unease.
Leaving aside the possibility of betrayal, the unchanging fact was that Kadin was after the Holy Sword.
So Dedof thought about it.
Cooperation with himself.
Cooperation with the enemies.
From Kadin’s point of view, which option would give him a higher chance of obtaining the Holy Sword?
That’s how Dedof questions the situation.
One way or another, Kadin is still the High Priest of the White Shadow Cult.
The sins he has committed so far can never be washed away.
Even if such Kadin cooperates-
Would Frozen Breath Pallag and Pilgrim Chender really hand him the Holy Sword?
‘No…’
Dedof had heard of Pallag and the Pilgrim’s fame.
They would never sell their souls to a Black Mage or a Demon.
“Dedof! Are you finally coming to your senses!”
Kadin, who had read Dedof’s confusion, shouted with a delighted expression.
“…”
At the same time, Lisir was feeling uneasy.
The two High Priests’ conversation.
It seemed to be fiercely opposed on the surface-
‘If they were really going to fight to the death, they would have done it a long time ago-‘
The conversation continued without interruption.
Lisir saw Dedof’s hesitation and expectation in it.
While doubting the other person-
On the one hand, he seemed to want them to persuade him.
In fact, the persuasion seemed to be working to some extent.
‘Damn it…’
He wanted to jump in and interrupt their conversation right away.
However, if he rashly stepped forward in this situation, it would only lead to misunderstandings.
‘I guess things don’t work out that easily, do they?’
Lisir’s expression darkened as the possibility of combat became more likely.
No matter how optimistic he was-
He couldn’t guarantee that everyone would be safe after a full-scale war with those two.
Above all, what he was most worried about was her condition.
‘Klana-‘
Lisir glanced at her condition.
Her appearance had been strange since a while ago.
This situation right now, before the battle.
The Murderer would normally be happy, but she was showing signs of discomfort.
‘Is she checking her physical condition in preparation for battle, and the conclusion is that she’s not okay?’
An untimely nightmare attack.
Due to Halona’s fainting as a result, there was a setback in Klana’s Resurrection Ritual.
What kind of impact would it have if Klana forced herself into battle in such a situation?
There might be a disruption in the Ritual, or perhaps her body itself might collapse.
It was then that Lisir’s anguish was also deepening as the silence between the two High Priests grew longer.
“Kadin. That’s enough.”
The nerves of the two High Priests, who had been facing each other, were helplessly drawn away.
This was because the weight in that voice was extraordinary.
Frozen Breath Pallag.
He, the Former Tower Master of the Blue Tower and Archmage, said to Kadin.
“You have already done your part enough.”
The tone and gaze contained a deep understanding, as if looking at a comrade.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden…”
Pallag continued the story, leaving behind the confused Kadin.
“To be honest, I was suspicious of you at first. I was suspicious of the information you gave us, and I was also suspicious of your offer to help us completely subdue him without any damage.”
“Without any damage…”
Dedof pondered that part as he listened to the story.
Listening to Pallag’s words, Kadin’s actions to somehow avoid breaking up with him began to feel different.
Above all, Pallag’s attitude.
That Frozen Breath Pallag, who was also famous for being eccentric and stubborn-
Was directing a favorable gaze towards Kadin, the High Priest of the White Shadow Cult.
The weight contained in that action was incomparable to the nameless Man who had simply shouted, ‘Kadin is on our side!’
“I will believe in your innocence. As a reward for that innocence, I will tolerate some damage. Now, shall we join forces to subdue that Man?”
“Damn it!!! What the hell are you babbling about!!!”
Kadin, who had been watching Dedof’s reaction, shouted as if he was having a seizure.
“Dedof!!! You don’t believe that senile old Man, do you!?”
Kadin, sensing that Dedof’s atmosphere was changing, shouted urgently as he looked at him.
“…Come to think of it, Kadin. There’s something you haven’t explained yet.”
However, the fading distrust had already been reignited.
“How did they find out about this place and come here?”
“That’s…!”
Kadin was speechless.
He also knew.
How strict the defenses of this place were.
How abnormal it was for these defenses to be breached so quickly.
“You’re not going to tell me that they pinpointed the location in that short amount of time, then subjugated the Demon guarding the path, and then accurately found the trace among the jumbled stars, are you?”
For a moment, the party’s gazes awkwardly wandered through the air.
“…Damn it, it’s not an impossible story, is it!”
Kadin shouted without realizing it, feeling frustrated.
“Kuhahahaha!!!”
Dedof burst into wild laughter.
“Now you’re even making unreasonable demands!!! Why have you fallen so low, Kadin!!! No! Should I call you Frozen Breath’s bastard now!”
“…Keuk, Khahahahaha!!!!!”
Kadin also burst into wild laughter.
“A fool who is blind and can’t even take care of himself-… Very well. So that’s what you want. You want to be hostile to me that much? Then there’s no choice. I have no choice but to grant your wish.”
Dedof laughed loudly, saying that he knew it would be like this.
Kadin laughed loudly, saying that he didn’t know anymore and that he should do whatever he wanted.
Between the two people who had completely lost their Reason, a full-fledged murderous intent began to flow.
‘Oh oh, could it be!?’
Is it now!?
Lisir shouted.
“Kadin! We will support you!”
At that moment.
Pale gray flames and the Energy of ice simultaneously covered Dedof.
“Well done!!!”
Then, Kadin immediately took over the offensive.
The joint attack of White Shadow Cult High Priest Kadin and Lisir’s party began.
The target of the joint attack was High Priest Dedof, who had been Kadin’s collaborator.
“…Heuheo.”
Chender, who had been standing back, made a sound of air escaping and joined in that collective ‘Oh well, whatever’.
✦✦✦
How long had it been since the battle between the two High Priests, who had lost their Reason due to anger, began?
They felt an extreme sense of unease during the battle.
A sense of unease that was enough to immediately regain their lost Reason.
Lisir.
None other than he was appropriately distributing（?） the attacks against the two High Priests.
So that it would be easy to subdue the remaining Kadin after Dedof fell.
“…!!!”
Dedof’s eyes flashed open as he noticed the intention.
But, it was already too late.
Dedof had already reached his Limit due to the joint attack of Kadin and his comrades（?） and had fallen to the ground.
Thud.
And, almost simultaneously with that, Kadin also fell to the ground.
Lisir and Klana simultaneously launched a Surprise Attack and delivered the final blow.
“Why…”
Kadin muttered.
He knew that they were not his comrades, but even considering that, it was an unfairness that made him feel like his Mind would collapse.
Kadin writhed in that unfairness and lost consciousness.
Crackle-
Then Pallag’s Ice Prison swallowed him.
Now the only one left was Dedof.
Lisir approached Dedof, looked down at him, and said.
“Now, shall we wake up the people trapped in the nightmare?”
“…”
Ha.
Haha.
Hahahahaha!!!
Dedof laughed like a madman.
It was a sound that sometimes sounded like sobbing.
High Priest Dedof was the owner of an inhuman Reason.
If it were him in his usual state, he would have tried to survive somehow and plan for the future.
But.
Right now, all of that didn’t matter.
“Embracing Nightmare, Srahan!!!”
Dedof focused his Energy on Srahan’s Crystal, which he had kept hidden in his arms until the very end as his last resort.
“Grant them an eternal nightmare!!!”
Giving up on Srahan’s Revival and receiving his Power-
He released the Power that had been accumulated in the Crystal until now.
It was one step away.
That Power, which could have revived a transcendent being with one more step-
Was used only to destroy the High Priest’s enemies.
“Ugh…!”
Rumble-
It was the emission of a powerful Energy that resembled a physical explosion.
At the same time as the space vibrated, the Energy of the place was instantly overwritten.
“…!”
Stagger!
Chender, Pallag, Klana-
Their bodies shook greatly.
“This is…”
A sudden drowsiness covered them.
Klana took action before being completely consumed by the drowsiness.
She pierced Dedof’s chest with the tip of her sword.
Nevertheless, the drowsiness did not subside.
Klana, her strength gone from her hand, dropped the sword.
“Foolish thing… It’s not that simple…”
Cough!
Dedof coughed up blood and wore a grotesque Smile.
“It will be different from the previous nightmare… This is… Not a Ritual to gain Power, but a pure form of Power-… The Power that That person received from the Boss of Dreams along with Duties… The only ones who can wake up from that sleep are That person and the great Existence that reigns above them… Let’s see… If you can wake up from that nightmare this time too…”
Dedof, convinced of mutual destruction, eagerly exhaled his ragged breath to savor that sense of victory.
Thud.
Klana, who had tried to pick up the sword again and cut off Dedof’s neck, knelt down in place.
Then Chender.
Then Pallag.
“Everyone…!”
It was the moment when Lisir, who was the only one without any symptoms, was about to take action.
-Wake up!
A vigorous voice suddenly rang out.
The Spirit of Sand, who had manifested, spoke to them.
No, commanded.
-It’s not time for sleepy time!!!
The sand dust that had been cast over their eyes began to clear.
People were escaping from the dream one by one.
On the other hand, Dedof, who was watching the scene, had a face as if he was dreaming.
“How can a mere Spirit…”
✦✦✦
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