Chapter 572 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

As the battle between the two supreme beings concluded, an eerie silence enveloped the forest. Not a single sound of insects or birds could be heard. There was no time for life to develop in this hastily constructed forest. Within the dense undergrowth, where visibility was limited to just 3 meters due to the tangled brush and trees, Rasch, with a force of immortality, revived his companion who was sleeping in his arms. "Callis. Callis. Are you coming to your senses?" Callis did not respond with words, only a feeble groan escaped her lips. Rasch looked at Callis, who was burning up with heat, with a worried expression. Having consumed the remains of the God of Offering, Callis received the power of immortality. Before they knew it, the bleeding had stopped and the wounds on her body had vanished without a trace. Instinctively, Rasch realized that Callis had obtained the power of the God of Offering. However, the issue was not her body, but her mind. How the power of the God of Offering would affect Callis was beyond Rasch’s knowledge. He soon shook his head to dispel his concerns; worrying would not solve anything. "Teacher? Boy? Are you there?" There was no response. It seemed that they had disappeared alongside Nevida. Though slightly concerned for their wellbeing, there was nothing Rasch could do to resolve the situation just by worrying. Instead, he turned his attention to finding his own kind. "Hey! Get a grip!" Rasch tore through vines and uprooted roots, rescuing the immortals. Their condition was not bad. Unlike the piu, they were immortals. Even entangled in thorny vines and buried under tree roots, they were perfectly alive. ‘...The aftermath is greater than expected. This might have reached Piu Village.’ The battle of the two supreme beings went beyond cooperation. Light incinerated trees to create a storm, and the forest inhaled the air, inflating itself. It seemed as though the clash of these two great natures left scars on the world. Although Nevida was gone, the green explosion continued to pulse, devouring the world. Only then did Rasch recall something he had forgotten until now. ‘Wait. The piu? What about the piu?’ Even immortals could have perished if things had gone wrong. Yet, the piu, who could die for the most trivial reasons? ‘I had no choice. I was too busy looking after my own life! But now that there's some leeway, I should check on the piu!’ Since he couldn’t leave Callis alone in this mysterious forest, Rasch quickly shook his clansmen awake and prepared to leave the forest. As he walked for a while, Rasch soon sensed something amiss. Progress was slow due to the thick brush and trees, but even taking that into account, there seemed to be no end in sight. The terrain had been overlaid with forest, making it impossible to determine direction. Roughly parting the encroaching foliage, Rasch walked determinedly until an end came into view. During his trek, Rasch came to a halt upon discovering something. Artifacts of human construction, incongruous with the primeval forest, were revealed amidst the vines. Recognizing their nature, Rasch muttered to himself. “Is this where Piu Village… used to be?” His ominous premonition had become reality. The explosion of vegetation had indeed reached Piu Village. Although the outer areas had less densely packed trees compared to the center, if swept away, the piu wouldn’t have had a chance to resist. “Hello! Is anyone there?” Rasch shouted in hopes of finding any survivors, but only his echo reverberated back from the trees. He headed toward the nearest visible building. The vines had wrapped around the beams, breaking them, causing the structure to sag unevenly. Rasch tore open the creaking door and immediately regretted his actions. The interior was packed to bursting with plants and trees. Handling the dead seemed impossible. With a grimace, Rasch discarded the door. If the piu had all perished in this explosion... “Woof!” Rasch instinctively turned his head. The familiar bark, temporarily forgotten, stirred a glimmer of hope within him. Unlike the howls of other beasts, it was filled with friendliness towards humans. Rasch sprinted toward the source of the sound. It was easier to move now, not just in his mind. Claw marks, bites on tree trunks, excavated earth—the traces of a stronger, more violent beast had carved a path through the massive forest. Rasch, securing Callis properly in his arms, followed this trail and soon found the piu gathered around a campfire. The piu, armed with weapons and gear under the guise of a vigilante corps, recognized Rasch and shouted. “Rasch!” “You’re all alive!” “No, we almost died! If it weren't for this one, we would have been caught in the chaos and perished!” The vigilantes pointed to Azzy in unison. Finishing up a piece of meat, Azzy acknowledged the attention with a bark. Her strong claws were now worn down and shortened. Despite this, she hadn’t stopped stomping, as evidenced by the dried blood caked into the soil. Branches and leaves tangled her hair and fur, and there was a scratch near her eye, causing her to squint uncomfortably. If she had only fled, she likely wouldn’t have sustained such injuries. These were the marks of battling the forest to save people. “In the middle of the night, she woke us all up and dragged us out!” “Then, light fell from the sky, the forest burned, and an enraged forest began to envelop us.” “But Rasch, what happened? Could it really be true?” “What could it be? I need to know what it is to say if it’s true.” “There’s a rumor that due to the forest burning, the God of Offering got angry. People are in an uproar, saying we need to offer those who suggested setting fires as sacrifices. I’ve managed to hold them off for now, but…” It was not that at all. However, Rasch lacked the eloquence to explain, especially as the recent incident was a monumental event beyond easy description. Scratching his chin awkwardly, the gesture was misinterpreted as confirmation, inciting the crowd to shout angrily. “Of course! Burning the forest angered the Earth Mother!” “The World Tree set itself ablaze for revenge!” “Offer sacrifices! Even that woman who set the fire!” As the crowd’s fury turned toward Callis, Rasch sternly responded. “Don’t talk nonsense. That’s not it.” “Then why did the world tear apart and the forest become angry?” “How should I know?” “It must be the will of the God of Offering! You’re just trying to cover up your wife’s crime!” That wasn’t it. The God of Offering was a misguided deity, transformed into a tree by a vile omen. Callis, having consumed its fruit, embodied the God of Offering. But how could he possibly explain this? Even Rasch himself, who had witnessed everything unfold before his eyes, wasn’t entirely sure what had happened. As he searched for the right words, some of the piu, having found a scapegoat, began to jeer. “Those people from across the plains are all the same! I knew something was up when she was setting fires out of greed, that woman who was sold!” “…What?” The immortals were tolerant and kind, as they could not be harmed physically. However, when their honor was attacked, safety could no longer be assured. Callis was not only Rasch’s companion but also a priestess bearing the deity she was meant to venerate. Insulting her caused a brief flicker of rage in Rasch’s eyes. Under normal circumstances, he might have endured a bit more. However, having crossed the threshold of life and death several times, even he was now on edge. “Woof.” At that moment, Azzy barked loudly. Standing in front of the would-be brawlers, she barked with displeasure. “The God of Offering isn’t angry!” In lands detached from law and morality, loyalty is highly valued. Since acts of salvation are not considered a given, they hold even greater significance. The piu listened respectfully to Azzy, who was their savior. “You're the ones who are angry! You just want to vent! But you shouldn’t be angry!” It wasn’t the god who was enraged, but the humans who nearly faced death. Overwhelmed by fear and chaos, they were desperately seeking an outlet for their emotions. Seeing through their feelings, Azzy barked accusingly. “I saved you all! No one was lost! There’s no reason to be angry!” Azzy, who had saved everyone, had earned the right to say this. The piu, suddenly overwhelmed with shame, bowed their heads. Rasch felt the same. For a fleeting moment, Rasch thought them ungrateful. He considered them insolent for daring to insult him, a being who had settled graciously in their village. Yet, Rasch had given them nothing, and took their respect for granted. Even as an immortal, he was human after all. Rasch merely wanted a release from confusion and fear, just like the piu. ‘No different. Neither I, nor the piu, nor the God of Offering.’ With a resigned chuckle, Rasch took a deep breath. Was it necessary to remain silent just because explaining was difficult? Even if his words lacked eloquence, they needed to be shared. It was at that moment that a halo appeared above Azzy’s head, and simultaneously, a silhouette of light materialized beside her. It was a girl, delicate yet exuding an aura of majesty. With features so perfectly drawn, she seemed unreal; though her eyes were closed as if sleepy, she smiled gently at Azzy. [This dream… is always so joyful and warm, no matter when it is….] Though her appearance was sudden, the Heavenly Saintess was too beautiful and divine to evoke fear. The piu were left in awe, simply startled by her sudden manifestation. But Rasch, who had encountered this presence once before, couldn’t help but feel dread. “You’re…!” [Oh? Have we met before?] The Heavenly Saintess tilted her head slightly, then covered her mouth with her hand, murmuring softly to herself. [There must have been a convergence of possibilities. To be seen twice in one possible future. Whether I wish it or not, the flow of the future seems to converge here. What truly happened in this place?] Rasch attempted to speak, but no sound emerged. Panicked, he clutched his throat. Though his vocal cords were intact and trembling, his voice did not escape beyond. The voice of the Heavenly Saintess resonated in his ears. [I’m sorry, but I’ve silenced you. Since I’ve appeared at two points, it’s imperative that not too much information of this particular moment is observed. The more specific the times and events I hear about, the greater the variance in my existence becomes. Please allow me to infer everything.] ‘What does this mean? Wasn’t that light form fighting against Nevida a moment ago? Why does it act like it’s unfamiliar?’ YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0V3dDWFdPclRkRzZ1UG1xRnByOGdLeGo3Q09vbVdZa2phOXFCKzNUc1pYLw Rasch suddenly realized that the Heavenly Saintess appeared even younger than before. Composed of light, it was hard to discern precisely, but now she seemed purer and more lively. [-In the end, though, it seems I have lost in this land.] The Heavenly Saintess, with a faint smile, approached Azzy. Azzy merely watched the mysterious figure before her silently. [Still, having a good friend who always stands for humans is truly a joyous thing. This child is kind, powerful, and diligent. Oh, how wonderful it would be if humans could be even half like this child….] Her words grew increasingly soft toward the end, becoming nearly inaudible by the last. Whatever burdened her thoughts was beyond comprehension, and Azzy, unbothered by what she neither understood nor needed to understand, barked happily at the apparition. “Woof! I’m a friend!”