Chapter 392

The priests, naturally, did not believe Chris's words.

But they could not lay a hand on him either, and there was a reason for that.

'To cast out one who wishes to convert to the order is against their doctrine.'

It was something he had learned when he absorbed Sherad through Gluttony.

The Mystic Demonic House, being a religious group, had a tendency to obsess over their doctrine.

'Of course, they're probably just watching for now because they think they can subdue me at any time.'

In any case, the Mystic Demonic House probably would not have tried to kill him right away.

They would have intended to use him as a sacrifice or for some other purpose.

The high priests stood guard around him sternly, to prevent Chris from trying any funny business.

"Aren't you all being too stiff? We'll soon be brothers, you know."

[…Shut your mouth.]

"How about you watch your impudent mouth? I'll soon be your superior, after all."

Chris wagged his finger in an obnoxious way.

"If I convert to your order, I will at least become a Grand Apostle. I will be second to one and above all others."

At Chris's reaction, everyone from the Mystic Demonic House looked dumbfounded.

[…I have no idea what you are thinking. To act like this in our domain of the Mystic. Well, it matters not.]

The Apostle looked at Chris with a chilling gaze.

[Because once you have an audience with His Holiness, your little tricks will come to an end.]

He was referring to the Pope, the head of the Mystic Demonic House.

In the Mystic Demonic House, the Pope's word was above the doctrine.

Therefore, if the Pope gave the command, it would be the end for Chris.

[Enter.]

It was a portal.

A creepy, evil energy, as if it were leading to Gehenna, was undulating.

Once he crossed this, there would be no turning back, but.

'To catch a dragon, you must enter the dragon's lair.'

Chris steeled his heart and threw himself in.

Unlike other portals, which were merely for passing through subspace, a chilling scene flashed by.

Large eyeballs, presumed to be a demon's, looked down on Chris as he passed through the portal, as if looking at a coveted prey.

A madness that would have twisted the sanity of any ordinary person immediately infiltrated his mind, and.

'Get lost!'

He passed through the portal at the same time as he drove out the madness.

Simultaneously, desperate sounds were heard.

[Guaaaaaah….]

[Please… please… I'd rather die….]

[Aah….]

Frowning, he looked around to see a gruesome scene unfolding.

It was a garden.

The problem was, the sculptures decorating the garden were 'humans'.

No, to be precise, things that were 'once' human were displayed as sculptures.

He used the expression 'once' because they did not have the proper form of a human.

The facial features, hands and feet, and so on, nothing was in its proper place.

As if clay had been kneaded at will, an arm was attached to the head, having left the shoulder, and the eyes, nose, and mouth were also out of place.

A large skewer pierced the center of their bodies from below and rose above their heads, yet they were caught in a curse of immortality, unable to meet death and suffering in pain.

'A terrible, twisted hobby.'

It was the moment Chris frowned.

[Is it not a beautiful sight?]

"!!"

Thud, thud, the sound of soft footsteps was heard.

A chill ran down Chris's spine.

He did not feel any overwhelming presence, but he felt an indescribable fear.

Slowly turning his head, a figure he had seen in his previous life had appeared.

An extreme beauty that made it difficult to distinguish their gender.

Abyss-like, jet-black eyes that seemed to personify evil energy.

It was the head of the Mystic Demonic House, the Pope.

"I greet the great His Holiness."

As Chris bowed his head slightly to show his respects, the Pope showed a strange look in his eyes.

[I have wanted to see you for a long time, but to think you would come here on your own two feet. I do not know what you are plotting.]

"Have you not already been informed? I wish to convert to your esteemed order."

Chris shrugged his shoulders.

"The situation is hopeless no matter how much I struggle, and since it has come to this, shouldn't I at least try to survive?"

[You speak a joke that is not even funny. Do you think I would believe that story?]

"I swear by the great demons, it is the truth."

He had no qualms about making a false oath in the names of the demons he would chew up and kill.

The Pope was silent for a moment.

He seemed to be trying to see through Chris's inner thoughts with the authority of mind-reading, but it was impossible for even the Pope to see through the mind of Chris, who had reached the 9-Star state.

[Rather than be swayed by your silver tongue, it seems it would be better to break you so that you can neither live nor die, and then use you as a sacrifice for the great cause.]

"Well, that will be difficult."

Chris gave a faint smile.

"Because if you try to harm me, I intend to extinguish my own soul on the spot."

[!!]

"No matter how great the Mystic is, you will not be able to stop me from extinguishing myself."

Yes.

This was what Chris was counting on.

'They cannot give up on me.'

Although they had caused the encroachment by offering the Dragon King as a sacrifice, their great cause was not yet complete.

To completely break down the boundaries of the three realms as they wished, they needed a sacrifice that surpassed the Dragon King.

A sacrifice like him or Idrinne.

"Ah, and I'm telling you just in case, but I will not die alone. I will extinguish Idrinne's soul along with mine. You know that Idrinne has become my kin, don't you?"

[…….]

"If both Idrinne and I were to be extinguished, I think your esteemed order would be in a very difficult position."

The Pope's eyes sank coldly.

[What on earth are you plotting?]

"Did I not tell you? Since it seems I will lose, I am switching to the winning side. Ah, and if you accept me, I will bring Idrinne as well. A sacrifice of Idrinne's level should be sufficient to achieve the great cause."

[…….]

The Pope only stared at Chris without a word.

It was not a look of belief at all.

In the first place, Chris did not expect the Mystic Demonic House to believe him.

Since those guys were not fools.

He spoke of his true aim.

"If you cannot trust me, how about this? I will undergo the baptism ceremony."

[…What did you say?]

The Pope's gaze wavered for a moment.

He could not help it.

The baptism ceremony.

Because that was a ritual of offering one's soul to a demon.

"I will prove my heart through the baptism ceremony."

Chris raised the corners of his mouth.

***

The Pope accepted Chris's proposal.

'Because he will think there is no possibility of me surviving the baptism ceremony anyway.'

In the first place, the reason the Mystic Demonic House had targeted Chris was to offer his soul to a demon, so there was no reason to object.

He was obediently guided to the altar.

Just by setting foot on it, he found himself standing before a chilling magic circle.

[Are you the great vessel?]

A beautiful woman appeared behind the altar.

Although it was the first time he had seen her, he could guess her identity.

'The High Priestess. The second-in-command of the Mystic Demonic House.'

At the mid 9-Star state, she was the second-in-command of the Mystic Demonic House.

[I do not know what intentions you harbor, but it matters not. As of today, you will become a part of the great evil.]

"Wait."

Chris raised his hand.

[Are you regretting it now? It is too late. Now that you have set foot in this place, your soul has already been marked by the great ones....]

"No, it's not that."

Chris shook his head.

"I will choose the demon to whom I will offer my soul."

[!!]

"I think it is my natural right to at least choose the demon I will serve, don't you?"

The High Priestess closed her mouth.

Chris was right.

Because the other priests of the Mystic Demonic House also offered their souls to the demons of their choosing.

[…Which one do you intend to choose?]

"It is the 'One Who Swallows the Light'."

A great being of the 4th realm.

"We have communicated before. If I were to offer my soul to a demon, I had decided to offer it to him."

[…Is that so.]

"Yes, so if you do not wish to incur the wrath of a great one, do not object."

The High Priestess swallowed a groan.

Something felt amiss, but there was no justification to object.

And the 'One Who Swallows the Light' that Chris had pointed out was not a renegade who opposed the ruin.

[…Very well. It matters not. Whoever you become the property of, you will ultimately become the vessel for the great cause.]

Swaaaaaa.

A wicked, evil energy began to flow from the altar.

[Ascend.]

Chris took a step forward with a thud.

Without any hesitation.

In truth, even someone like Chris could not help but feel fear before what was to come, but he shook it off.

'As long as I don't fail, it's fine. I will never die before I've enjoyed wealth and glory.'

He said with resolve.

"Let us begin."

Paaaaaaaat!!

A wicked darkness enveloped him, and his consciousness faded into the distance.

In an instant, when he came to his senses again, his soul was in a different place.

A terrifying evil energy, of a concentration on a different level from any he had ever experienced before.

Gehenna.

It was the throne of a great demon.

***

[Are you… Christian?]

A spirituality that shook the soul echoed.

It was merely conveying a meaning, yet it felt as if his soul was being turned inside out.

A being of the 4th realm was before him.

He tried to lift his eyes to see his opponent, but an immense pressure crushed him, and he could not even lift a finger.

'This is the power of a being of the 4th realm. It's horrifying.'

It was not his first time seeing a being of the 4th realm.

But a being of the 4th realm that had descended to the mortal world could only manifest limited authority, and this was the first time he was experiencing one manifesting its perfect power from its own throne.

It felt as if he had become a worthless insect.

[I have heard the story from Lady Mefina… but you are pathetic. A mortal like you… can become our hope? It seems Lady Mefina's eyes have grown dim after falling from her throne.]

At those words, Chris clenched his teeth.

'This is no time to be dazed.'

The great demon before him, the 'One Who Swallows the Light', was a subordinate who had been under Mefina back when she was a being of the 3rd realm.

In other words, offering his soul now was a deal that had been pre-arranged with Mefina, a setup, but he could not be complacent.

He could change his mind at any time.

Because that was the kind of race demons were.

'I can't let him look down on me.'

He took a breath and drew up his power.

Paaat!

The power of the Throne pushed away the authority of the great being.

For Chris was no longer a being to be called a mere insect.

No matter how great a being it was, it was possible for him to resist to some extent.

[Hmm? So you are not a completely worthless bug, after all. But.]

"!!"

Kwaak!

A pressure incomparable to before came crashing down again.

[What can the likes of you do in the face of a great destiny?]

Kwa-deu-deu-deuk.

An immense pressure, as if it would extinguish his soul right then and there.

'I won't lose!'

Paaaaaaaat!!

Chris also clenched his teeth and resisted.

Simply unfolding the Advent of Creation was not enough, so he also drew upon the power of Starlight and intricately crossed the powers of light and darkness.