Chapter 252: It's All for the Greater Good! (44K, please vote!)

Within the quiet sanctuary, Herbert walked forward slowly.

"……"

Herbert's brow furrowed slightly as he gazed into the distance at the old man's back.

Unlike before, when he had walked straight up to the Daodazhu Sect's leader, the sanctuary now seemed to have expanded dozens of times over.

He had already walked for a full five minutes, yet still hadn't reached the Daodazhu Sect's leader!

He could plainly see the Daodazhu Sect's leader sitting quietly there, yet simply couldn't close the distance.

Between the two of them, there seemed to lie an incomparably vast distance.

"What is this? A fathom separating heaven and earth?"

After trying a few more times in his heart full of doubt, Herbert finally stopped walking.

He could already confirm that the rules of the sanctuary had changed—if he relied only on walking, he would never reach the Daodazhu Sect's leader's side.

But such rules could not trap Herbert.

"Huu……"

Accompanying a sigh, a pair of crimson wings unfurled from behind Herbert.

Whoosh—

Relying on the wings formed from holy power, Herbert's feet broke free of the ground's hold, rapidly shortening the distance between them.

Tap.

Herbert landed lightly, the wings on his back dissipating, and he bowed respectfully toward the old man resting with closed eyes.

"Your Excellency."

In the interval of his bow, Herbert secretly observed the Daodazhu Sect's leader.

His earlier intuition had not been an illusion.

The old man before him seemed to have become "stronger."

But this thought might not be the truth.

With Herbert's current strength, he was in no position to judge the Daodazhu Sect's leader's power—in fact, even understanding it was difficult.

Precisely because of his ignorance, he could not perceive the true depth of the Daodazhu Sect's leader's strength.

And now, as his own power grew, his sense of the Daodazhu Sect's leader's might deepened as well.

The stronger one became, the more keenly one felt one's own insignificance before this old man.

"This level of strength… truly terrifying…"

He looked at the Daodazhu Sect's leader, and before his eyes a faint distortion seemed to appear—he saw a shadow like an abyss.

The entire sanctuary seemed to have changed appearance, becoming vast and deathly still, filled with thick fog and twisted shadows.

!!!

Herbert's spirit jolted, his mind going blank for an instant.

As though an ignorant child had finally glimpsed through a crack what lay beyond the surface, catching a glimpse of a suffocating truth.

Like a small boat sailing into the vast ocean, feeling that chilling, awe-inspiring depth, unable to stop himself from shivering.

But as Herbert's daze passed, all those visions vanished.

The fog and shadows all disappeared; the sanctuary was still bathed in gentle holy light, its warm radiance dispelling the chill that seemed to have crept into his body.

The old man before him still wore the familiar gaze he knew—appearing kind and serene, without a trace of pretension.

"You're back?"

He smiled and nodded at Herbert, gesturing to the spot beside him.

"Mm, I'm back."

Herbert obediently complied, sitting down honestly beside him—playing the part of an obedient, sensible junior.

Obedient. jpg

As for things like "I'm evenly matched with him!" or "Just some old fogey!" or "He could be replaced by me!"… those were all jokes.

Everyone knows it—I'm the type who always respects the old and cares for the young.

I've always held the Daodazhu Sect's leader in the deepest respect!

I've done my part in "respecting the old," so I hope Comrade Old Fogey can carry forward the spirit of "caring for the young."

Thank you very much!

"……Mm?"

After sitting obediently for a while, Herbert suddenly tilted his head in puzzlement, wondering why the old fogey hadn't said a word.

Daodazhu Sect's leader: "……"

The old man did not speak, merely maintaining his half-closed-eyed posture,

You're the one who called me over, right?

So why aren't you saying anything?

This silence was truly a little unsettling.

After enduring for quite a while, Herbert still couldn't help but ask: "Your Excellency? Is there something you wanted to see me about?"

Herbert asked anxiously, unsure whether he had somehow given himself away.

To his surprise, the Daodazhu Sect's leader paused upon hearing this, tilted his head to glance at him, then said as if suddenly remembering: "Oh, oh! You're still here?"

?

A string of question marks floated above the young man's head.

??

Friend, when I type out question marks, it's not that I really have a problem—it's that I think you have a problem.

The old man chuckled and shook his head at the boy's unguarded expression, then patted his shoulder.

"Hah! People just can't get older! I actually fell asleep just now, hahaha…"

Herbert:???

Wait, you really are old, aren't you!?

Are you, a Saint, really pulling this crap on me!?

I believe your nonsense? You old scoundrel, you're up to no good!

Herbert couldn't help but sneer—he didn't believe the Grand Archbishop had actually fallen asleep.

Both the Warden and the Grand Archbishop—these two old bastards are the same: not a single word out of their mouths is true.

I'd believe you if pigs could fly!

You're clearly thinking about something else!

The Warden at least pretended he was just zoning out—but you? You didn't even bother acting, just outright said you fell asleep.

"Hehe…"

After laughing for a while, the Grand Archbishop shook his head slightly and looked at Herbert, asking softly: "Do you feel better now?"

Herbert stared at the old man's expression, his mouth twitching, then sighed:

"... It's hard to say if I'm really better, but I'm definitely less tense."

Is this some new way of comforting people?

But… my dear old man, your method feels less like a surprise and more like a scare.

"Good that you're not tense anymore—that's what matters, hehe."

The Grand Archbishop smiled warmly, shook his head with a sigh, and said:

"It's rare to meet a little one like you who isn't afraid of me—I can't let you become like everyone else."

As an ancient elder, as the most important being in the entire monastery, as the supreme mortal power beyond the realm of mortals… the Grand Archbishop had always faced only looks of awe and fear.

Very few young people, like Herbert, outwardly showed him respect while inwardly feeling little true reverence.

No, perhaps there was fear—but genuine respect? Very little.

Would this disrespect offend the Grand Archbishop?

No.

He didn't find it offensive at all; instead, he found it amusing because it was so rare.

Hehe, what a fascinating little one.

The Grand Archbishop's eyes flickered with countless memories, recalling the varied gazes that had met his over these long years.

Enemies had looked at him with hatred and terror… but most had been those around him, with respect and fear.

Aside from a few old friends, few could treat him with ordinary calmness… Once one grows powerful enough, even gods do not take him lightly—they look at him with caution and wariness.

Sigh!

This power is truly annoying!

"And what good are all those little ones' awe toward me?"

The Grand Archbishop, thinking of the worshipful gazes of the monks, sighed: "I won't bestow blessings on them like those beings seated in the heavens."

As the Grand Archbishop grumbled, Herbert suddenly interrupted, curiously asking: "Can't you?"

"If I wanted to, I could."

The Grand Archbishop answered without hesitation: "The gods' tricks aren't complicated; faith energy isn't that… hmm?"

He raised an eyebrow, smiling as he looked at the white-haired boy's innocent expression: "Looks like you really aren't tense anymore."

"Yes, thanks to your kindness."

Herbert grinned and shrugged: "You're the one who told me not to be so formal."

You're the one who asked for this, after all.

"Hah, that's right—I told you to do it."

After laughing a bit, the old man's smile faded, his gaze turning calm as he fixed his eyes on the boy and said slowly: "But I never told you to go on a massacre of demons in the Misty Mountains."

Hum—

In an instant, Herbert felt his pressure surge violently, as if he'd plunged into the deepest abyss.

Again?

Herbert stared at the old man's sudden shift in demeanor, mentally sneering.

Can't you ever stop doing this?

First you're all cheerful, then you suddenly scare the hell out of someone… you old scoundrel!

"Is it not allowed?"

Herbert, accustomed to this routine, remained expressionless and countered: "As a Holy Knight, isn't it natural for me to fight and train against demons?"

"…."

The Grand Archbishop's brow furrowed slightly; the pressure radiating from him lessened considerably as he asked gravely: "Have you grown to despise demons?"

"No."

Herbert shook his head calmly, earnestly: "I have never despised them—not before, not now."

Demons?

I love them so much~

No one loves demon girls more than I do!

The Grand Archbishop's brow relaxed further as he pressed: "If so, why did you kill so many demons?"

"Your soul has far exceeded the number required for training! Are you torturing them? Killing them for amusement?"

Holy Knights do not forbid killing, but they do forbid killing for sport.

Their swords may destroy evil, but they must never butcher the innocent!

Herbert had already guessed what the Archbishop was worried about the moment the old man brought it up, and had long prepared his response.

"No, I have never once felt joy in killing."

Herbert met the old man's gaze openly and said with absolute sincerity:

"If you doubt my words, I can swear an oath to you — every killing I have ever committed in my life was never done for pleasure."

"Everything I have done has been for a greater righteousness that transcends personal enjoyment!"

That's right.

Slaughtering the Mist Wraith Wolves may seem brutal and cruel, but it is in fact the necessary path to unify a pack that has scattered after the Wolf King's tragic death.

For more Mist Wraith Wolves to survive, the stubborn holdouts must yield — if they won't, they must be crushed.

This is righteousness in the name of survival.

And looking even further, killing the nobles of Frost Crystal was also, in truth, for the sake of Frost Crystal's common folk.

That too is a form of righteousness!

"Righteousness, is it?"

The Archbishop chewed on the word, looked at the boy before him whose will was firm and whose words matched his deeds, shook his head with a touch of emotion, and sighed:

"Child, can you not feel that your soul has already been stained by blood? Do you not fear losing yourself in the process?"

"No, Your Grace, I will not."

Herbert shook his head firmly and said with conviction: "I have never wallowed in killing, never found any pleasure in it — it is merely a means to an end."

Besides, even if one day I truly did lose myself… there would surely be someone to help me find my way back.

"Is that what you think…"

The Archbishop, sensing the strength of Herbert's resolve, nodded with emotion: "Perhaps you truly are suited to become a Holy Knight of Punishment."

There was a special quality about this boy.

He was not bloodthirsty, yet he never feared killing either.

Like a piece of sharpened steel, the crimson of slaughter would not stain his soul — a rinse with water would reveal its original sheen.

He was a born killing star.

Fortunately… he had not fallen into the hands of evil forces, but had become a Holy Knight who kept his oaths.

Otherwise, the Archbishop did not know how dangerous a figure Herbert would have become, one capable of stirring up a storm of blood and carnage.

Perhaps one who would have forced him to take the field personally?

Thinking of it that way, he felt a touch of regret.

With that thought, the Archbishop gave Herbert a regretful glance, shook his head, and sighed.

Sigh! One less excuse to go out for a stroll…

Herbert was a bit baffled by this turn, thinking his performance had failed to land, and was about to add another line.

"Alright, I understand your thoughts, no need to explain further."

The Archbishop waved his hand, ending the topic, and shifted: "Speaking of which, before you tell me about your experience training in the Mist Mountains this time, is there anything else you've forgotten?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

Forgotten what?

Herbert tilted his head, not quite understanding what he was referring to, and tried hard to recall.

"Now that you mention it, I do have a vague impression… I seem to have really forgotten something."

"What on earth could it be?"

The boy looked at the old man, gave an "oh," and suddenly remembered something important.

Rings!

He was out of rings!

"Right, I need to ask him for more rings — I still have to capture more monster-girl young ladies… wait, hss!?"

Herbert was just about to speak when his eyes suddenly went wide.

In that instant, he thought of another major matter he had subconsciously overlooked.

A very important matter!

Not good!

Fu Leimei had walked back to the Third Precept House on her own — she would head straight into the Endless Labyrinth.

Then… that means!

Without him as a buffer, Valentina and Fu Leimei, the two of them… are now meeting face to face, forced into a situation where they're alone together in one room!

This is bad!

……

……

Third Precept House.

Endless Labyrinth.

"Tch, get down here!"

"I don't wanna."

"Get down!"

"I won't!"

"You! Don't push me… it's not like I can't fly."

Valentina rolled her eyes, staring at the long fish-person floating in the sky with a look that said "idiot."

'That's not a 【Long Fish-Person】, but a 【Sea Siren】, also known as a 【Mermaid】 or 【Beautiful Mermaid】. They love to sing and are skilled at communicating through song...'

'She seems to be connected to Herbert. Eating her is not recommended.'

Listening to the voice in her head, especially that final warning, Valentina's expression grew even more impatient, and she clicked her tongue.

Tch.

Do I even need to say it!!?

Of course I know that!

After receiving the inheritance, Valentina still couldn't really be called smart, but her general knowledge had increased quite a bit, and she had gained knowledge of many other races.

This was very useful to Valentina — it let her know the names of many of the races she'd eaten before, making it convenient to go find some of the same kind to eat later.

As for the sea siren before her eyes, Valentina really hadn't eaten one before.

Then, just before Fu Leimei could speak, Valentina stared at her tail and instinctively wondered what it would taste like.

It really was just instinct.

She only stared a bit longer, licked her lips slightly, and finally swallowed some saliva... so why are you getting so worked up, you?

"Tch, you there... hurry up and come down, I'm not going to eat you!"

Valentina bared her teeth and threatened: "Move faster, don't force me to make a move!"

However, Fu Leimei refused her call.

"I'm not coming down!"

She pressed her body tightly against the ceiling edge, trying to get away from the terrifying red-haired woman below, and shouted anxiously:

"I'm warning you! Don't come any closer!"

"Until Herbert comes back, I won't say a single word to you!"

Herbert!

Come back quickly ahhhhh—

Valentina is actually going to eat me!!?

(End of chapter)