――That place had already transformed into a shape that seemed to have forgotten how the original terrain looked.

The trace of destruction was akin to that left by an enraged great serpent. All the trees that once stood tall had been felled, some violently uprooted and tossed through the air.

The fractured and gouged earth had numerous bottomless holes, brutally trampled and seemingly on the verge of collapsing into hell itself.

All this devastation was the work of a single person standing at the center of the place, marked with overwhelming ferocity.

A man, blood streaming from his face, standing on his own two feet while utterly exhausted. A blasphemer who bore an ‘original sin’ that far exceeded his stature, gaining power as a price for his waning life.

Juice — Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti.

“――――”

His breathing was ragged, his complexion pale to the point of resembling a corpse.

Yet, even in such a state, Juice had regained some semblance of composure compared to the beginning. It seemed that the ‘Something’ that had rampaged within him had acknowledged this most uncomfortable place as a temporary refuge.

After having taken complete liberties with his bones and flesh, control of his body had been fully returned to Juice, and the power that served as a form of rent was increasing in precision and might.

The authority swung down, an overwhelming force of destruction.

That ‘invisible hand’ remained potent, reaching for places out of reach, touching what could not be touched, and delivering power against things that should not be challenged.

Within the Witch Cult, Juice’s power, as the leader of the moderates, was far inferior to that of the hotheaded radicals. Especially when matched against the ‘Archbishop of Greed’, Regulus Corneas, who possessed unmatched strength among the Witch Cult.

It was undoubtedly the influence of the absorbed Witch Factor that had prevented Juice from being minced into meat in an instant when facing him.

However, the resistance that Juice mustered with his final breath was—

“What do you… think… of this…?”

With bloodshot eyes glaring forward, Juice strained to lift his trembling arm.

The relentless, concentrated storm of violence unleashed by the invisible hand continued to hammer at the enemy, enveloped in a massive cloud of dirt.

“Ah, is it over?”

Peeking through the clearing smoke, Regulus emerged with a bored expression as he nonchalantly poked at his ear.

The sight of him scratching his ear roughly appeared entirely detached from the surrounding devastation, like he had merely photo-shopped his image over the scene of destruction.

“After all this…!”

“How about you finally realize that it’s different? The roles we play are simply not on the same level. It doesn’t matter how strong you’ve become or what your compatibility is—none of that is an issue. No one can defeat me; no one can injure me. It doesn’t matter if you absorb the Witch Factor or bring along a Dragon or a Sword Saint; it’s all meaningless.”

“But after all that, you’re letting me… buy time, aren’t you…?”

“Because I have no need to rush or chase you down. Can’t you see? I’m merely an escort. I wouldn’t bother coming all the way here if it were anything else. I’m back at my mansion, enjoying my small peace surrounded by my wives. I’m just starting to get bored.”

Responding indifferently to Juice’s words, Regulus stepped forward slowly.

Confidently traversing the altered forest, he lowered his gaze to the same level as Juice’s and lightly lifted his hand.

Making a gesture as if swatting away an insect, Juice braced himself, calling out to the dark writhing entity within him to summon forth power from blood and flesh.

Just then, Juice’s arms were torn off at the shoulders and exploded outward.

“W-what?!”

“What a boring reaction. Since you’re the one who’s been pestering me, it would at least be polite to put on a show worth watching, don’t you think? Well, I suppose that might be asking too much.”

“O-ohhh!!”

The blood-splattered arms, rolling on the ground, sent Juice into a frenzy as he screamed, eyes rolling back.

The grotesque stumps where his shoulders had been displayed ugly wounds, as if ripped apart by a beast’s fangs. His right arm had vanished from the shoulder, while the left was torn from mid-bicep.

Arching back, Juice’s body quaked in intense agony.

He blew blood bubbles, his teeth grinding as they shattered one by one. His already weakened legs collapsed at the knees, bringing his forehead to smash against the ground as despair enveloped him.

“In the end, all your resolve, your determination, and everything else comes down to this. It’s the same for everyone; no one can live holding more than they can carry. Content to live within their small world, they live satisfied, only looking at what’s inside. Modestly, of course. And now you have no arms even to hold onto anything… how self-evident is that?”

“Ah! Ahhh…!”

“Honestly, I truly dislike this. You might think that seeing me torment you brings me some sort of sadistic pleasure, but that’s a grand misunderstanding and a grave insult to my character. I’m not doing this because I want to. There’s not a single thing I want to do. Being satisfied, I don’t want to be influenced by anyone, neither positively nor negatively. I’m disinterested. I’m content. You have no right to resent me; you are nothing more than a mere obstacle in front of me.”

As the flow of blood weakened, Juice’s screams also started to diminish in volume and grew faint.

Short, harsh breaths accompanied the fading echoes of his voice, Juice’s body trembled like an insect on the brink of death.

Regulus’s words, tossed aside with indifference, held no malice or hostility.

They simply stated what he firmly believed to be the plain truth, devoid of emotional weight. It was evident that Regulus viewed it all without any hesitation.

Toward Juice’s desperate struggle, Regulus Corneas felt nothing more than the light rustling of wind across his hair.

“Honestly, this is all quite anticlimactic. Just calling me here to see what happens isn’t a distinct surprise… Though I have to admit, I’ve never been underwhelmed before, but if I’m being summoned, I would like to see something worthy of the effort.”

“I’m truly sorry, Archbishop Regulus. After all the trouble, we have disappointed you!”

As Regulus looked down at the fading Juice, who was on the verge of death, Pandora, who had been watching the battle until now, chimed in with those words.

Standing alone in the devastated forest crushed by the destruction, she was like a solitary figure in a moonlit night. Similar to Regulus, her appearance showed no signs of change. Clad in pure white fabric that was pristine without a speck of dirt, her flawless features bore no injury whatsoever.

“It’s not your fault, Pandora. The forest just seems to be filled with pathetic incompetents. Those worthless morons have no ambition. Unlike myself, who is on a height high enough that I don’t need to strive to improve, they are but simpletons who would cease their struggles once life becomes too difficult. To even refuse to fill their own vessels—what a shallow desire from one like me, who embodies Greed.”

“Not everyone can think like you or reach your level. You are special above all others, and you are proud of that. You are completed, and they are wonderful too, in their own way.”

“I’m not good with logical reasoning. While I appreciate your praises, I’m not seeking admiration. Honestly, there was no need to bring me or the Black Snake along. You, Pandora, could have easily subjugated this forest alone.”

There was a creature amidst this forest, a beast that spread disease.

Regulus felt a sense of repulsion at the existence of that vile malice, failing to notice his own distortion, which ought to have received the same treatment from others.

Responding to Regulus’s words, Pandora nodded and lowered her chin.

“Indeed, I could manage the withdrawal of resistance alone in terms of stealing their willpower. However, that wouldn’t make sense. We have absolutely not come here to harm the forest’s inhabitants.”

“You brought the Black Snake along indiscriminately, and now you say that? It’s true you didn’t intend to inflict harm, but to dismiss the aftermath is to adopt a mentality devoid of reality, wouldn’t it?”

“It is inevitable that lives will be sacrificed for a noble cause, yet we will not forget even the spirit to resist such a cruel fate. That heart’s beauty cannot be negated.”

“You’re missing the point; in the name of a cause, people are killed. Haha, much simpler views make things clearer. It’s definitely better than having to think too hard and waste my precious time.”

“I truly appreciate that indifference of yours.”

Turning to look at Regulus, who was just about to destroy another tool of pandemonium, Pandora called out to him.

Regulus, still nudging against the ground, kept his eyes fixed on her.

He was filled with undirected anger as he shifted his gaze to the forest clearing.

“What’s next? The harmful influence has grown immeasurable.”

“You’re saying goodbye to take cover, right? Regulus, soon you’ll all fade away.”

That’s the purpose, just like him. There is no need for my silent companion to needlessly mop the floor here.

I just want things to be over.

“I’ll be sure to investigate those filthy tenants of yours, even if they’re incompetent.”

That they lacked value, that they were foolishly clumsy.

The more I observed Regulus in this mangled forest, the more amusing it became, until at last, Pandora had finally lost her calm.

The haphazard display shared between them ended it, the very moment when the world snapped back to tears.

That day a thousand times deeper, they would engage in their final dance.

“Farewell.”

As fresh and innocent as the first day she was faced with the encroaching darkness.

“Goodbye.”

Floating within that swelling light, it could no longer be avoided.

I was but silence flowing within the storm of soul-piercing fog.

Darkness would reign absolute in the absence of light, and each would abandon or shatter whatever spark was left.

What hope was white as snow upon relinquishing purity?

A vibrant shatter would scatter.

It was you after all, wasn’t it? Making choices in confidence and disbelief.

In time, this brutal cycle would bring life and love around me, somewhere in-between the black and white.

But in the end, I was left alone, drowning.