Chapter 1285

「… senior？」

Shishang awkwardly approached, saying, "What's wrong with you? Were you frightened by the battle scene just now?"

"Ugh… no… I, I don't know either…" She sniffled, wiping the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, "It's just… so moving! Especially when the three of them teamed up… a miracle appeared at that moment! It's so beautiful… so dazzling! I couldn't help but…"

She cried while wiping her tears, rubbing the black hair bow on her head—already crooked—into an even more askew shape.

"In short, I'm so moved I can't stop crying! Miss Feng Jin doesn't look much bigger than me, yet she acted so brave. Am I looking a bit pathetic, sob sob…"

Shishang's face showed a few dark lines; he truly couldn't fathom his senior's odd way of thinking, and casually comforted, saying:

"Um… their bravery and whether the senior is successful are two completely different matters. Actually, you and Feng Jin do share some common points."

"Huh? Common points? Between me and Feng Jin…" Fujiwara snapped his head up, his expression clearing in an instant, "…Tell me, tell me!"

Shishang thought hard and said, "Um… probably both have pink hair? And both are girls?"

"……"

Fujiwara couldn't help rolling his eyes: "If you can't think of a common point, you can just not think of it. You'd better shut up, Shishang."

——

"A thousand years ago, the KefaLe priest's sleeping palace…"

"'Um… valuable stuff, where exactly is it hidden?'"

"'Ragged, or still ragged… what is this? Never mind, just take it for now…'"

Saifei'er, cloaked in a priest's ceremonial robe, rummaged through a secret chamber and finally retrieved a carefully preserved red little box from an exquisite wooden case.

"'…Ah, finally I found it!' Saifei'er's eyes lit up, 'It must be this! The Grand Archdeacon's hidden "All‑World Gem", said to be a fragment stripped from the Dawn Machine…'"

"'Hehe… even through the little box I can smell the sweet fragrance of a premium treasure. The Grand Archdeacon who devotes everything to faith is just padding his private coffers…'"

"'For this trinket, I've been lurking in the priestly academy for over half a year! Listening to those rigid priest apprentices chant daily almost fried my cat brain… thanks to "Stealing the Path for Diligence", hehe…'"

Suddenly, the cat, dazzled by the treasure, slipped on its foot and almost lost balance, "Ah… me…!"

The dying Grand Archdeacon heard the movement in the room, but he was already on his last breath, unable to rise, and could only ask through the curtain, "Atil… Atilkas… is that you?"

Saifei'er felt suspicion: "Atilkas? That name sounds familiar… Oh, it's the priest apprentice he favored most, the one deemed by everyone to be the next Grand Archdeacon… Hmm, not responding isn't good… I'll prop it up with Zageles's power for now?"

"Now… *I am Atilkas*."

"Atil…kas? Why… no response…?"

"Old… cough, Grand Archdeacon, it's me. I'm here to change your medicine."

——

Kobayashi's dragon maid.

"Saifei'er's ability, to be honest, is somewhat similar to 【Joy】. I recall Huahuo can freely shapeshift into others, even mimicking their voices," Kobayashi said, propping his chin, "but Huahuo uses transformation to deceive, whereas Saifei'er must deceive first before transforming… that's a big difference."

"But Kobayashi… the power of the 'Trick' ability is clearly far stronger than 【Joy】, right?" Tor objected.

"No, you can't think that way." Kobayashi shook his head, recalling the masked fools' experiences in Beloberg and Pinokangni, "Sambo and Huahuo could speak to us through the firmament, showing they not only know the firmament exists but also know we are 'watching' them. If the galaxy were a stage, they are the 'actors' on it, and we, the 'audience', are fully in their sight."

"That means… the power of 【Joy】 could likely break the barriers between us and the many worlds of the cosmic galaxy. Yet in Weng Falos, the power of 'Trick' cannot even perceive our existence."

Tor nodded vaguely, "Um… Kobayashi means the power of 'Trick' also has limits?"

"Exactly. Though it's unclear whether the Titan's power can still work beyond Weng Falos, I think this power essentially belongs to the 【Joy】 destiny line, like a tributary branching from a river. If there are other 【Joy】 path walkers in the universe… perhaps, if the command permits, they might also wield a power similar to Saifei'er's."

——

"Ah… thank you. Without your care, I would have already swallowed my last breath and been claimed by Senatos into the River of the Dead…" the frail old man on the sickbed whispered.

"Oh… you needn't be so formal, mentor. Tending to you on the sickbed is my duty," Saifei'er replied, muttering inwardly, "This old man is sicker than expected… seems the priests are deliberately hiding his condition."

"Atilkas… I can feel my life rushing away, and I don't know when I'll fall into eternal sleep…" the Grand Archdeacon forced a breath, struggling to lift himself, "So… there's one final thing… I must tell you…"

"(One more thing? Wait a minute, could it be… the old guy hid another treasure elsewhere?! My Saifei'er's coin, my lucky day has arrived!)"

The golden light in Saifei'er's eyes grew brighter.

"(Cough, stay calm, Saifalia… you must stay calm.)"

Saifei'er cleared his throat and said, "You'll recover, Grand Archdeacon, stay optimistic and don't be discouraged. But, but! If you have any important matters to entrust… I will listen earnestly."

"Ah… this matter… is deeply disgraceful, and I am ashamed," the old man sighed, shaking his head, his expression sorrowful, "But I must speak it… because it concerns the very survival of our holy city beneath our feet."

"(It concerns the lives of everyone in this city? Is it really that dramatic? I want to hear what it is… )"

"Our all‑knowing Heavenly Father KefaLe, in the moment before it fell silent… I heard its final words at Dawn Cloud Cliff, 'The divine decree has descended, my mission ends, and from now on I return to silence—'" the Grand Archdeacon said with difficulty.