Perfect Avatar
Chapter 157: Sinners

Chapter 157: Sinners

The dean raised her blank gaze to him, but in an instant, a spark of life brought her emotion back.

Under the gaze of Iris, Dora crouched in front of Iris and offered Thomas’ soul stone to the dean.

She looked at the symbol of Thomas’ death and looked back at Dora’s face, her lips trembling.

No malice, no trick, the face of the boy conveyed one single emotion: remorse.

"You said that you were weak, but if you have origin beasts, they can fight for you, so you will be strong... I want you to have this."

"... uh?"

The cry of the crowd rose again, burying Dora in insults, but at that moment, he and the dean seemed to be in another world.

Her hand reached for the floating stone, keeping an eye on the boy who had a slight smile.

"You want me to... have this?"

(Why? You are Greed, you are Sin... a Sin should never...)

"It’s just... I don’t know why but... I really... want you... to get everything... urgh..."

He staggered and fell to his knees, Candace leaning over to support him, the soul stone still in her hand.

Cid, Freya, Zuri, and Mercy joined them, keeping their distance from Dora.

Dora held his head, flashes of several past scenes running through his brain, Candace holding him.

"What... is that?.... Dora?"

"Urgh... What... what is this..."

His eyes glowed white and yellow, and suddenly, in front of everyone, he froze.

"... ah..."

"Dora?"

"I remember."

A single sentence that sent shivers down the spine of those who heard it.

He turned around and observed the body of Thomas, around which the members of the council crowded.

"I... remember him... I know who he..." He flinched and turned his gaze to Iris.

Looking into each other’s eyes under the audience’s insults, Dora’s eyes widened and he reached out to Iris.

"Iris... It’s you... I remember you..."

They all turned to Iris with a stunned look, in a single moment the boy’s words crushed whatever wall of reason they might have built.

Iris stared in disbelief, her lips trembling. She glanced at Thomas’ body, then back at Dora. His eyes were not full of mystery but of sadness and relief.

At that moment, she understood that she had to make a choice: recognize the horror that had occurred and join her companions who mourned her old friend, or...

"... What... What is she doing?" A man in the stands murmured as Iris knelt down next to Dora and Candace, hugging them both.

With tears in her eyes, she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Dora... Dora, do you remember me... really?"

Betray the world to join a monster.

"Yes... I remember everything... how could I forget... I had to be... strong... to support you..."

Iris’s eyes widened, tears falling again as she sobbed loudly.

The disturbing scene took place before the eyes of a furious crowd and will soon be famous throughout the Kingdom.

****

Several days passed after this event and soon weeks. The death of Thomas became for many a turning point in their morality.

Hatred against the Sin Avatars grew and riots took place around the hospital where Dora was being held, forcing them to consider moving to another city, but it was another announcement from Parliament that set the people on fire.

"The Avatar of Greed can end the Twilight of the Gods if he is convinced that Players are more interesting than humans. But to do that, we need him to enjoy obtaining soul stones by killing people, and get deceived by their poor quality so we have an important announcement for everyone."

This announcement was another bomb dropped into a burning forest and sparked much discussion.

"Anyone of any level can challenge Greed to convince him. The result must be the inevitable death for the challenger, but if you can push him this far, your entire family will be officially honored as nobles and presented with tremendous wealth."

This day marked the beginning of the second phase of Ambrosia’s descent into madness.

In the first days, several emissaries of the finger type, the lowest, and especially parents, went to Parliament to rescue their families’ financial situation from the mystery and all were taken to the arena where they met a fatal fate.

Their families were designated as nobles, as promised, causing a frenzy of poor people, peasants, and ruined people to do the same, some even just to leave this world devoid of hope.

The objective was the path opened by Thomas: to make Greed regain his monster nature but with a burning desire to concentrate on the Players.

When he left, Dora’s situation worsened. Each of his battles was broadcast, making him the most famous executioner and more hated than the Queen.

In a secret location, he was lying on the bed, chained, next to Candace who patted his head.

"It’s been a long time, don’t think about it anymore."

".... How?... How can I forget?.... I killed them... I murdered them all."

Chained again, he had lost his power and become what they considered as the embodiment of the thing in the Rift.

"Don’t you remember? You were forced to... you’re a hero... so don’t think about it."

"... What kind of hero kills people like I did?.... Candace... I remember everything...That feeling... when I saw their skills... I was obsessed with it... I killed them because I wanted his power."

Candace stroked his head and kissed him on the forehead.

"No, you didn’t. Look" She opened her hand, and a glowing sphere appeared and spun around them.

"See? It’s because of you. You are the purest soul, you are the only victim here. Don’t feel bad for anything..."

Dora sobbed next to her, unable to notice how she had removed the chain from his wrist. The fairy emitted a warm light, triggering the chains but also the boy who gradually calmed down.

He was silent for a moment then sat down, his eyes moist but his expression annoyed.

"It’s a mess."

"... You have to get used to him. Like you, he is a victim of our sins."

Her eyes became a little sharp and she leaned closer.

"So... you still don’t remember anything else?"

"... No. I don’t understand why, but I still don’t remember the others. But now I’m sure I know them."

The dean bit her lips and looked aside.

"... So it’s not just any death... Maybe Agiel was right."

"Agiel... oh, yeah, the guy who asked me about the original world... Pretty annoying honestly, I wonder how you like him."

"I don’t, he is responsible for this situation... but who am I kidding? If I wasn’t so helpless, this situation wouldn’t have happened."

She lowered her head, deep in thought, when Dora’s warm hand patted her back.

"You are powerful, look how everyone follows your orders, and besides, I know you have done a lot for me, so let me be your sword in return."

She stopped breathing for a moment and turned to him.

Meeting the yellow eyes, she remembered Midgard’s words and Elizabeth’s affection for her.

Her vision blurred, and for a moment, the boy glowed with both of their lights.

"Hm? Come on, don’t be so emotional."

"... I’m not... but you... Why is it always so complicated with you..."

"... In a good or in a bad way?"

She shook her head and stood up. Turning her back on him, she wiped away her tears.

"... This is so wrong... why did it have to come to this?"

Dora leaned forward, a worried expression on his face.

"Did I say something that made you angry?"

"... Not you. You’ve never been someone I would hate... and that’s why I’m starting to hate you... because they deserve to be remembered too."

She walked to the door and opened it then took a deep breath and looked at him with a smile.

"Tomorrow you will have many opponents. I am counting on you to do everything possible against them."

"Is that another pair of fingers? Candace, they’re weaker than Thomas, I’m tired of snacks."

"What? You think you could take the Twilight of the Gods?"

"You keep overestimating all the weak, I’m sure I can do it."

"So you know what you have to do."

She leaned forward, hands on her hips.

"Yeah, yeah, kill, soul stone, think, sleep, repeat..."

"Kuku, he’s a good boy, I’ll kiss you if you remember anyone else before tomorrow night."

"... Like every time with the other me? Are you lusting after me?"

She closed the door and jumped on him to give him the painless blows he had never received.

After a moment, she left the room, her eyes closed and her brows furrowed.

"Hmph... It was all a lie, I always hated you, I only cared about Beta... stupid."

"Say that without smiling."

"Shut up and focus on your mantra!"

"Kill, soul stone, think, sleep, rinse and repeat." They said at the same time and laughed together, after which the dean left the room.

She put on a black hood and a nun’s outfit and left the building, then crossed the city until reaching a specific location: a cemetery.

She walked slowly around the tombs and stopped in front of a fresh grave.

Kneeling, she clasped her hands in prayer.

"I hast sinned against thou and I bid thy forgiveness. To the assemblies of gods, whom brought light to mine little besieged orb, receive its lost souls ’i the madness of our pulpit. May their spirits rest ’i peace, may their sins be forgiven because i am the only sinner ’i this country... What do you want?"

In the shadows behind, an advancing silhouette. His long yellow hair in the moonlight, he smiled at the dean.

"It’s going to take forever, there are 31 new tombs today, and tomorrow the 13 from yesterday will join the new world."

"If you have nothing to say, leave me alone. For i agnize mine transgressions, and mine sin is still ere me. ’gainst thou, thou only, hast i sinned and done this evil ’i thy sight, that thou may be justified when thou speak, and be clear when thou judge."

Agiel sighed and walked forward, stopping behind the dean.

"I’m sad that our relationship had to deteriorate to this point... but it’s the Twilight of the Gods for a reason, I guess. Candace, I also think you’re on the right track to making Greed an ally, but you understand more than anyone the weight of his name. A sin is still a sin, and I fear his true self will awaken before you can successfully brainwash him."

"I’m not brainwashing, this is who he really was."

"... Too bad the only way he can remember is by killing someone."

"What do you want? I want to finish before dawn."

Agiel looked at the graves for a moment, then put his hands in his pockets.

"We need to confirm if our hypothesis is correct. His next victim must be among your students."

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