CHAPTER 178
The Regular Army Central Headquarters.

As I entered, I saw countless people who had come out to greet me. From those indebted to my Resurrection magic to those who had their loved ones returned to them. So many people had come out to welcome just one person: me.

"Saint, you've arrived!"
"We've been waiting for you!"

A passionate response. It showed just how excellently the Resurrection magic had worked. It made me realize once again just how terrifying death was to people.

Through the crowd, one person walked toward us. As her cape fluttered, the people naturally parted to make way. She was now the person with the highest position within the Regular Army.

"Commander-in-Chief Anastasia."
"I didn't expect to be called that as soon as I arrived. You've spent much more time calling me Lieutenant General, after all."
"I adapt quickly."

Commander-in-Chief Anastasia Petrovna. Having now become the Commander-in-Chief, she had come out to greet me personally.

"Lululio, you brought him well."
"Yes, sir-ssumda!"

After her brief exchange with Lululio, I slyly asked her a question.

"You came because you heard from Inferno, right?"
"It wasn't my own idea, that's true."

Just as I thought. For the Commander-in-Chief to personally come out to a place like this was akin to directly showing off her close relationship with the Saint. The Regular Army was currently united as one thanks to the Saint. Inferno must have caught on to my intentions and tipped her off.

With this, the Regular Army soldiers who followed the Saint would also support Anastasia. The situation was flowing exactly as intended.

"Let's go."

As Anastasia took the lead, a path immediately opened up. She was slowly starting to show the presence of the Regular Army's Commander-in-Chief. There were probably still a mountain of problems to solve, but she'd just have to handle them step by step.

"Commander-in-Chief Anastasia, what is the reaction of the other Lieutenant Generals?"
"For now, it's largely split fifty-fifty."

Even though Anastasia had revealed her ambitions, this victory was heavily influenced by the Imperial Family. I had originally intended for a situation like this, but I never expected things to blow up to this extent. With the Emperor's throne becoming uncertain, the 1st Prince's power weakened. As a result, Anastasia's side naturally gained power and votes. This was the exact plan we had wanted.

Since one side completely crashed, from the perspective of the ruined faction, it was easier to shout that it was just luck rather than try to understand it.

"Still, you look bright."
"I am the Commander-in-Chief. The one who represents everyone shouldn't have a dark expression."

Did her mindset change upon becoming Commander-in-Chief? They do say the position makes the person. Having succeeded Rapha Hastel, she seemed to be feeling a heavy sense of responsibility in many ways.

"Then, what about Lieutenant General Kandelhar?"
"He resigned over this incident."

I fell silent upon hearing her next words. Kandelhar had been connected to the Imperial Family through his ties with the 1st Prince. However, with the 1st Prince he supported collapsing, he naturally became a headache within the Regular Army as well. If they weren't careful, the Regular Army could be attacked by the newly rising Imperial power simply for having a connection to the 1st Prince.

Ultimately, to nip that problem in the bud, Kandelhar voluntarily stepped down.

"He was someone who cherished the Regular Army more than anyone else. He didn't want the Regular Army to suffer because of him."
"If he had become Commander-in-Chief, he would have led the Regular Army brilliantly."

I could feel how much the central faction must be lamenting his departure.

"I have no choice but to work even harder."

She was right. With Kandelhar gone, Anastasia had no choice but to do her absolute best.

As we talked, we arrived at the guest room before we knew it. Inside the guest room, an important figure was already waiting.

Creaaak—

Inside the opened door, I saw a man. Disheveled hair that looked like a burlap sack. Grimy, worn-out clothes and a bushy beard. No matter who looked at him, the man sitting there looked like a homeless person.

Beside him, Aigis was sitting with a familiar air before standing up.

"Harua-nim, you've arrived."
"Yes, Aigis-nim. Thank you for your hard work on the trip."

Aigis, who had left for the 2nd World to bring back the Lord of Souls. She had returned safely. And that meant...

This guy is...

He must be the Lord of Souls. The Lord of Souls. Legolash Angor. A soul master from the Gnome race.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Lord of Souls, I am Harua."
"Hmm."

Legolash glared at me through his shaggy hair. After staring at me for a long time, he furrowed his brows.

"Are you a human? Or a Transcendent?"

I didn't expect to be treated like a Transcendent right off the bat. It was probably because there was so much holy power tangled up inside my body.

"I am human."
"Human, eh? You're definitely not a normal one. Yeah."
"I'm trying my best to live as normally as possible, in my own way."

I was suddenly treated like an abnormal freak, but it was fine. At least from that brief exchange, I could clearly deduce his skill level. This guy was the real deal.

"Right, so who are the bastards whose souls I need to examine?"
"Two of the Deadly Sins."

There was no need to drag the conversation out. When I looked back at Anastasia, she moved swiftly.

"Let's go immediately."

The two corpses that had been taken to the Holy Land had been transported back to the Regular Army Headquarters. Thus, we headed to the underground prison where the corpses had been stored previously.

Inside the underground prison. The bastards from the Deadly Sins, who pissed me off just looking at them, were still sprawled out as corpses. Corpses that wouldn't revive with Resurrection magic. In reality, both were just empty shells.

Legolash trudged over and sat down in front of the corpses.

"I was just planning to research souls all day, what kind of disaster is this, damn it..."

Although his mouth grumbled, he pulled out various tools from his worn-out bag. Then, he began to draw red lines on the floor. It was a reagent exuding magic power. After drawing with the reagent for a long time, he hauled the corpses and placed them on top of the magic circle.

From now on, it was his show. As we stood quietly, magic power extended from Legolash's body. I was now at a level where I could directly see the movement of other people's magic power. Once again, I felt just how much I had grown.

The corpses and Legolash's magic power connected. Following that, Legolash repeatedly snapped his fingers.

How much time passed?

"They're empty."

Legolash also informed us that the souls were missing from the corpses. Just as I thought, these bastards had been revived as vessels for the Transcendents.

"Can you track them?"

More important than the previous fact was this. Whether we could track Black Dawn or not. Legolash slowly stroked his chin, then raised his head.

"Hey, do you have a map?"
"A map?"
"A map of Gladion, here."

A sudden request for a map. When I looked back at Anastasia, she tactfully ordered another Regular Army soldier to fetch one.

A moment later, a hastily brought map was unfolded in front of Legolash. Legolash stared at the map, shifting his gaze here and there before suddenly stopping his finger.

"Found 'em."

The place he pointed to. It was the exact center of Gladion.

As soon as we heard his next statement, everyone's faces stiffened in unison. I also revealed a dumbfounded expression.

"The bastards from Black Dawn are in Gladion?"

They were definitely being chased in the 2nd World. Even though the pursuing forces had decreased due to Rapha Hastel's critical condition, we had continuously blocked Black Dawn from entering. To hear now that they were found in Gladion was naturally bewildering.

"No, to be exact, you shouldn't call it Gladion."

To us, Legolash snapped his fingers and pointed upwards.

"Thousands of meters in the sky. I can feel their souls from up there."

...Son of a bitch.
The bastards of Black Dawn. Those crazy lunatics had pulled some kind of stunt in the sky above Gladion.

Thousands of meters in the sky. Black Dawn was up there.

The moment I heard that, this was the first thought that came to mind.

"They shouldn't have been able to cross over from the 2nd World, right?"

The Regular Army was still chasing them, and we had completely blocked the entrance to the 2nd World and the Void Space. It was impossible for them to reach Gladion.

"But Harua." Aranseol cautiously spoke to me.

Black Dawn were bastards who committed terrorism all over the place to begin with. Naturally, their remnants would still be left in Gladion. Above all, there was one guy. A guy I knew was roaming around the 1st World, Astrape.

Sohan.

It was probably wrong to call him by that name now. The Deadly Sin of Lust. He had inherited the seat of Lust, who died in the past war.

If it was prepared by Sohan and his gang...

It wasn't an impossible task. The 1st Princess had said that the deal between the 1st Prince and Black Dawn was made a long time ago. To carry this out, they needed to gather information on Gladion. At the point they executed this, it was certain they were staying here.

That meant there was a high probability Sohan was up there too. Sohan, whom even Soun couldn't track down. If he had fled up there, it wasn't impossible to understand.

"Let's prepare. Divine Lord, could you deliver the message to the Holy Church as well?"
At Anastasia's question, Aigis immediately nodded. "I will do so."
"I'll inform Lord Iox at the Imperial Palace," Babiyen added, moving swiftly.

With Black Dawn in the sky above the Gladion Empire, Gladion naturally needed to prepare its own countermeasures.

"Lord of Souls, may I ask you to guide us?"

The only one who knew the exact location was the Lord of Souls. When I asked, he nodded without difficulty.

"Sure." He agreed to cooperate obediently.

"Lord of Souls." Therefore, I had no choice but to say this. "Excuse me, but may I check one thing?"
"Check what?"
"The Deadly Sin of Wrath, Asheria Eve, can brainwash people by manipulating their brains."

Legolash widened his eyes. I felt sorry for him, but I had already been through too much.

"Please. It is a necessary process for all of us."
"Good grief." Legolash clicked his tongue and tilted his head. "Do whatever you want."
"Thank you."

Hearing his answer, I took out the magic tool used to check for brainwashing. It was something Inferno had made for me in the past after hearing about Horizon's incident. When I checked Legolash with the magic tool, thankfully, it indicated he was normal.

This meant Black Dawn really was up in the sky, just as he said.

"You're going to have a hard life ahead of you, too."

A situation where you have to suspect everyone of being brainwashed. Legolash was right. I would have to live the rest of my life carrying this magic tool.

"It's fine. Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat the same mistakes."

Even if it becomes a world where I have to doubt everything, this was better than repeating the same mistake and ruining everything.

"That is why everyone can trust me."
"I suppose so."

Legolash said so and looked behind me. Standing there were the people who had come all this way, trusting solely in me. Legolash nodded, as if he had noticed that fact too.

"I guess it's a responsibility someone has to shoulder."

With that, Legolash left to assist with the preparations. Watching him walk away, I looked behind me. I saw the same sight Legolash had seen.

Aranseol, Babiyen, Lululio, Aigis.

Not just them, but the various people I had met came to mind. That, truly, was the most precious scenery I wanted to protect above all else.