Scarlet Descent
Ch. 73 - My Allegiance

"Lesser Demon?"

At the same time, Wei Wei also sensed the terrifying presence descending upon the monastery. His body felt slightly heavier as the blood threads coursing through him swiftly retracted back into his body, though they remained in an unusually active state. Gripping the scarlet scythe tightly in both hands, his gaze turned cold as he faced this overwhelming force head-on.

This was a willpower no weaker than that of the Black Goat.

So, had some form of consciousness just descended upon this small monastery?

Wei Wei thought back to the piece of Evil God Flesh  he had seen in the inner hall earlier.

He knew that this was an ability within the Life Demon system, belonging to its Fourth Stage: Flesh Parasite.

A Life Demon at this stage could sever a portion of their own flesh and allow it to exist independently. This severed flesh could parasitize other bodies or consume sacrifices on its own while maintaining a mysterious connection to its original form.

Thus, when Wei Wei saw that mass of flesh earlier, he was certain it belonged to a Fourth-Stage entity, or perhaps something far beyond that level.

After all, ordinary Fourth-Stage entities could sever parts of their bodies, but not such a massive piece. Moreover, consuming so many sacrifices and exuding such an evil aura, it couldn’t possibly be a mere Transcendent. It had to be a Corrupted Monster.

Corrupted Monsters in their first three stages were collectively referred to as "monsters." However, once they reached the Fourth Stage or higher, they gained a new title: Lesser Demon.

If they advanced even further to the Seventh Stage, they would no longer be classified as monsters but as Higher Totems.

Still, Wei Wei didn’t believe this entity was a Higher Totem. At most, it was a Demonic Scum. A Higher Totem couldn’t physically manifest within the confines of a Spiritual Barrier  without being detected.

...Or as his instructor had put it: Not under normal circumstances. When faced with an entity of such immense power, respect was necessary regardless of one’s allegiance.

Thus, at this moment, Wei Wei tightened his grip on the scythe while maintaining his stance for slaughter. Yet he also forced himself to stay rational, remembering both his responsibilities and the manners instilled in him by his instructor. He responded to this mysterious will with composure:

"Of course, I’m fulfilling my duty..."

"...Kindly advising these misguided individuals to stop committing evil." The will that had descended into the flesh on the stone platform clearly didn’t understand Wei Wei’s humor. The mass of flesh squirmed violently as countless angry faces emerged from its surface. A voice resonated directly within their minds, a mental shock so intense it felt like their heads might burst:

"Fool! You are the greatest fool! You’ve chosen the wrong side..."

"We are on the same side! We share the same mentor and mission..."

"You returned to Scrap Iron City because of my call, you were meant to help me complete my final task, not..."

"...to ruin my plans!" "What?"

The Third-Stage Life Mentor froze upon hearing these words. His mind buzzed as he stared blankly at Wei Wei.

Too many things were impossible to comprehend.

The will of the Rose had descended before him, a miracle akin to divine intervention. Such a will never expressed emotions; it simply eradicated all heresy without hesitation.

But now... will this be conversing with that lunatic? And it claimed that lunatic... was one of them? Wei Wei himself was baffled by these words. It felt as though something foreign had entered his mind, his thoughts muddled and unclear.

He suddenly recalled countless murmurs he’d heard before, twisted and incomprehensible dreams he’d experienced repeatedly.

Fragments of broken clues and images seemed to coalesce at this moment, lifting a fog from his mind and granting him fleeting clarity for perhaps the first time...

The blood threads within him receded slightly as he frowned and asked:

"Do entities at your level really need to form cliques?" Buzz... Buzz... Buzz...

The furious yet powerful will seemed to be breathing heavily now. With each emotional fluctuation, layers of invisible psychic pressure pressed down upon the air around them.

Under this intangible weight, even one’s eardrums felt assaulted by constant reverberations, an indistinguishable hum between reality and illusion.

If thoughts were tangible entities, then at this moment, they would be fracturing inch by inch... "You’ve returned to your starting point yet remain ignorant of your mission..."

A voice filled with deep frustration echoed:

"You slaughter recklessly without understanding your allegiance..."

"Why must it be you..."

"Why did our mentor choose someone as foolish as you..." "My mission? My allegiance?"

A fleeting look of confusion crossed Wei Wei’s face before it quickly gave way to an unclear smile.

"And which allegiance do you think I belong to?" he asked with feigned innocence. The mysterious will’s anger became almost palpable, flowing through the surrounding air like a tangible force:

"I never imagined you’d ask such a question."

"You belong to the Rose."

"You should dedicate your life to its bloom, to offering me perfect lambs..."

"...Not ruining my plans!" "Then you’re mistaken..."

Wei Wei suddenly smiled warmly, even shaking his head slightly:

"I don’t quite understand what you’re saying but..."

"My mission? My allegiance? I’ve always been very clear about those things."

"You’ve chosen their side?"

"No." Wei Wei shook his head firmly.

Images flashed through his mind, the small teams he’d worked with during training camp; those endearingly terrified teammates; the Foundation’s emblem; Captain Ouyang Jian; and his laid-back colleagues who rarely took work seriously.

Finally... his gaze fell upon the small white shoes tied at his waist.

In this moment filled with uncertainties... he found one certainty. His smile grew warmer:

"I may not be sure about everything else... but there’s one thing I know for sure."

"I choose to stand with the lambs!" As he declared this, bloodlust surged within his eyes once more as he swung his scythe toward the Life Mentor. The mysterious and terrifying will...

The shared mentor...

The countless murmurs from dreams past...

And now, his supposed betrayal?

These sudden revelations left his mind in chaos, his rising killing intent faltering momentarily.

Even his usually vibrant demonic energy seemed briefly subdued... until his gaze landed on those small white shoes tied at his waist.

What am I even thinking right now? he thought abruptly. Isn’t my job still unfinished?

With renewed focus on what mattered most, the scarlet scythe slashed toward its target once again. "Madman! Madman!"

The Life Mentor, the last living entity within this monastery, felt terror surge through him like never before.

How could this monster move so freely amidst such overwhelming divine pressure?

Even as thoughts froze under this oppressive force, Wei Wei acted without hesitation or restraint...

In that moment, even as a Third-Stage Life Mentor, all he could do was scream in fear. "I didn’t expect what awaited me would be... a lunatic..."

Simultaneously, the mysterious and enraged will release waves of immense psychic energy, as if realizing something unexpected about Wei Wei.

This man aligned with its expectations in some ways yet deviated entirely in others...

As boundless energy surged like tidal waves, a climactic confrontation loomed ahead... Swish! Swish! Swish!

Countless tendrils of flesh erupted from within the stone platform’s mass, piercing through layers of stone walls like fluttering ribbons before lunging toward Wei Wei mid-air...

Yet even as those tendrils closed in around him, Wei Wei raised his gaze toward them with unmistakable amusement in his eyes...

As though fear or threat were concepts foreign to him entirely...

Instead, he swung his scythe faster than ever toward the terrified Life Mentor below... In that instant, his thoughts crystallized into simple clarity:

"Damn it, I’m about to die..."

"So before that happens, I need to finish my job!"

"..."

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...

At that exact moment, as Wei Wei’s scythe swung toward the Life Mentor, and just as countless tendrils of flesh were about to pierce through his body, the sound of frenzied clock hands spinning filled the entire space.

The tendrils of flesh extending toward Wei Wei suddenly froze in place.

It was as if a camera shutter had clicked, capturing a single moment in time.

Yet, the scarlet scythe in Wei Wei’s hand seemed unaffected. With a sharp swish, it cleaved into the Life Mentor’s grotesque, three-to-four-meter-tall writhing mass of flesh. The strike carved a horrifying gash straight through the creature’s body.

"Go now..."

A different will, one filled with an almost playful tone, echoed through the air:

"Go find what truly moves you..."

"Go seek what you are missing for your ascension..."

"I can’t wait to see what he thinks when he sees you..."

"Haha”

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