Chapter 343 [Event] [Dolphian Kingdom Under Ruins] [29] My Hope

Chapter 343 [Event] [Dolphian Kingdom Under Ruins] [29] My Hope

"Show a little more happiness," Edward asked, a smile on his lips.

"...what?" John replied, his expression hard.

Both of their hands were bound, treated like criminals and guarded closely aboard a ship.

Destination: Sancta Vedelia.

"I said, try to be happy about being with your brother-in-law," Edward repeated.

"Fuck off," John shot back.

Sitting on the cold, damp ground, John rested his arm on his knee with an annoyed expression.

"It's also for Layla's sake," Edward reminded John, his tone serious.

"I know. I just despise this Game," John admitted.

"What don't you hate?" Edward scoffed. "Except Layla, of course."

"You seem too carefree, Edward, considering how the First Game ended," John said but didn't finish, noting the stiffness in Edward's expression.

After all, it had barely been a month since Thomen's and Elona's deaths.

"Maybe things would have been different if you'd helped me from the start," Edward said, his tone indifferent.

"You had your goals, I had mine. I wouldn't risk Layla's safety for this wretched Kingdom," John replied coldly.

"You sound more mature. What kind of mental torture did that idiot King put you through?" Edward arched a brow.

John remained silent.

The truth was, Elona's death weighed heavily on his mind. She had been a childhood acquaintance, and her loss, along with Edward's imprisonment, had deeply affected Layla. Belle Falkrona had been trying to help Layla and Miranda cope, but it was difficult even for her, as she mourned her brother and niece.

"You want Layla's safety as much as I do, but I'm sure you're not foolish enough to think you can guarantee it, regardless of the events of the Second and Third Games," Edward continued. "You can escape Celesta to avoid the First Game's ending. You can even flee the continent of Sancta Vedelia to some remote island to escape the Second Game's bad ending. But if we don't stop the Third Game's bad ending... I don't know much about it, but I'm sure it won't bode well for this world." John clenched his fists.

He hadn't fully participated in the Third Game, but he knew its ending all too well.

"What do you propose then?" John asked.

Edward smiled. "We keep our cool. Stay calm and collected. You can fight back, but don't go overboard. There are plenty of dangerous enemies in there. Acting recklessly right from the start would be foolish."

"Slow and steady, then," John agreed.

"Yeah. Personally, I might need some time before I can awaken my Olphean Bloodline. Until then, I'd prefer to keep it under wraps and maintain a 'calm' facade as best I can. You should do the same. Alfred isn't around so you better work on your anger issues," Edward advised.

"Tch," John clicked his tongue irritably. "And who killed the King's brother in a fit of rage?"

"I'm pretty sure you would've done the same if the roles were reversed," Edward retorted, shooting John a glare.

"What the hell..."

Meanwhile, the other prisoners listened intently to their conversation, with their mouths wide open not understanding a single bit.

John scoffed before something crossed his mind, causing him to fix Edward with a piercing stare.

"Just know that I'll never trust you completely, Edward. It was true in Celesta, and it'll be even more so in Sancta Vedelia. You've played this Game before; I'm sure you understand what I mean," John warned.

"I know, and I wouldn't expect anything less from you," Edward replied with a smile.

"Then you'd better understand that I won't let you disrupt the plot again. You can intervene if necessary, but it must remain predictable, or we'll end up with similar outcomes."

"I know that. But first, we need to gain the strength to awaken our abilities," Edward agreed.

"I'm working on it, just like you should be. You have three Legacies, right?" John asked.

"Even if I do, it's complicated," Edward replied. John snorted. "Whatever god sent you here certainly favored you compared to me."

"Are you sulking now? Shall I remind you of the destruction you caused in Celesta alongside Layla in her Villainess' route?" Edward shot back.

"I'm not the same 'John'," John retorted.

"Then I'm not the same 'Edward'," Edward countered.

A tense silence settled between Edward and John as they locked eyes, until Edward lowered his cuffed hands to the ground.

"John, you're a reincarnator just as much as I am. I'm sure you understand, like I do deep inside, that we can't erase the parts of ourselves that have always been in 'their' genes, or whatever you want to call it. Perhaps... I don't know. Maybe accepting it could help us fully inhabit these bodies," Edward suggested.

John bowed his head slightly. "...maybe."

***

-BOOOOM!

"Vysindra's Burning Claws!" I summoned a mana circle and unleashed fiery claws towards Lomar.

His hand swiftly countered the attack. "You are weak," he stated coldly.

-BAM!

Surprise flickered in Lomar's eyes as I appeared behind him, landing a punch on his back. However, his Prana-protected back remained unscathed.

"Blazing Sword of Vysindra," I thrust my sword towards him, but his tail deflected the burning blade.

Lomar turned to face me, his expression contorted. "You dare to attack me?"

"You're rather noisy, Lomar," I retorted, widening my smirk as I swung my leg towards his side.

-BAM!

Though he shifted slightly, he didn't seem greatly affected.

"A weakling like yo-"

I thrust my right palm forward. "Giant Fireball of Vysindra."

-BOOOOM!

A purple fireball erupted, engulfing him and sending shockwaves through the air. As the smoke cleared, Lomar stood a meter from his original position, his tail coiled defensively around him.

"Your weak attacks won't-" Lomar began.

My body dissolved into particles of sand on the ground, and I reappeared behind him.

Damn it.

Surprising freaks like him doesn't seem to work, huh?

Gripping Trinity Nihil tightly, I pushed deeper, but Lomar's tail, despite bleeding profusely, resisted.

-Spurt!

Suddenly, Lomar's second tail pierced my left side.

I glared at him, pushing through the pain to thrust Trinity Nihil forward. His main tail was slowly disintegrating under the Holy Blade.

"You... bastard!!!"

-SPURT!

His third tail pierced my stomach.

"UAGH!" I spat out a mouthful of blood, his poison corrupting my internal organs completely.

I just wanted to close my eyes forever.

Lomar's calm demeanor soon paled as he saw the shining blade nearing his heart.

"RELEASE!!!"

-BOOOOOOOOOM!

I was hurled away at tremendous speed, crashing against the wall due to the sheer amount of Prana surrounding Lomar.

His entire appearance shifted, his strength multiplying several times over.

I had never witnessed so much Prana surrounding someone before.

He grew taller and bulkier, fangs sprouting in his mouth, his eyes turning pitch black.

"KRAAAAAAH!" He unleashed a deafening scream, sending shockwaves of Prana rippling out, eliciting a response from the Behemoth's Horn.

"A-Amael?!" Celeste crawled to me, clutching her stomach.

She appeared to be poisoned as well.

She shouldn't even be alive, but her Prophetess powers might be weakening the poison's effects significantly.

My face lay against the ground, but I forced my body to turn, facing the ceiling.

Soon, Celeste's pale, tear-streaked face replaced my vision.

"I-I...!" She reached out her hand to my wounds as a soothing breeze seemed to cover them.

"...are you an...idiot? I have internal wounds, not external..." I muttered, grimacing.

Celeste bit her lip, her hand resting on my stomach, where dark blood seeped out.

"W-Why... why did you come...?" She asked, her voice trembling.

I didn't answer.

Celeste nodded slightly, tears choking her voice. "I... understand. I-I will give up my status as Prophetess... I-I will give up my faith in the Holy Tree..."

"...what?" I frowned.

"A-Another Prophetess will be born, just like when Mama died, a-and you can protect her... so now leave..." Celeste pleaded.

Oh.

I understand now...

She seems to have interpreted my words and desires regarding the Prophetess.

"...what are you blabbering about?"

I tightened my grip on Trinity Nihil.

The poison slowed down, numbing all the pain.

"...I don't want the Prophetess," I mumbled, raising my upper body.

"...B-But..."

I regarded her seriously. "I want you. I want you to be the Prophetess. Only you are acceptable. You are the best suited. No, you are the only one truly meant for it..."

"...!" Celeste's eyes widened as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

Stabbing Trinity Nihil into the ground, I painfully rose to my feet.

"...because you are Sancta Vedelia's Hope." I gently patted her hair before turning away.

"And my Hope."

For this world.

"You've finished your transformation, huh?" I called out, but he didn't respond.

He seemed in a trance-like state.

I extended my left arm.

"It's my turn then."

Gripping Trinity Nihil with my right arm, I cut the cuff around my left wrist and did the same for my right wrist.

The ground rumbled violently as I did so.

Lastly, I retrieved the black coin hanging around my neck as a pendant.

A gift from my mother before she handed me over to Oryanna Olphean and Thomen Falkrona, sending me to Celesta.

She sealed away all traces of my Olphean Bloodline for the right moment for my well-being.

"War Goddess, Athena," I raised the coin high above my head. "Bestow upon me once more your pure Bloodline and release me from my stigma."