Episode 935
Chapter 232: Awakening (3)

“Chaos… I never thought you’d pull something like that out all of a sudden.”

Jin didn’t know what the orb really was.

But he understood better than anyone the path of destruction that Chaos had carved through people and the world. The moment that orb was used, things would undoubtedly spiral further into darkness.

“I can’t die like this. Not yet… I haven’t avenged Sachiel.”

“Stop it, Paelito. Do you really think using that orb will let you get revenge on me? Not a chance. It’s far more likely you’ll overcome the demonic corruption and reclaim your true power.”

“Ha ha ha… So you fear this power.”

“I say this for the sake of the you from the past. Stop your fall, Paelito. You still have a chance.”

“A chance?”

“I told you I can’t forgive you. Yes, you will die by my hand. But not today.”

“What nonsense are you spouting, Jin Runkandel?”

“I’m offering you a chance to pay your dues, even if only a little. Break free from the brainwashing, overcome the demonic corruption, and become the true demon swordsman again. Then use that power to atone for your part in Zito’s death. Until then, I’ll keep you alive.”

Jin believed Paelito could do it.

Though he was a monster now, he was once a shining giant of creation. He could break free from the corruption and become that light again.

Given time, and with Jin’s help, it was absolutely possible.

Of course, even if Paelito did that, once the fight with Zito was over, Jin would take his life.

No matter how much Paelito contributed to Zito’s death, that was an unchangeable fact. As Jin had said before, the past was no excuse for the present.

“Paelito, all the tragedies unfolding now in Inse and the Demon Realm are Zito’s doing. Your true enemy isn’t me—it’s Zito, the one who turned you and the demons into monsters. So drop that orb and accept your chance.”

“Shut up!”

Paelito’s eyes trembled slightly as he shouted in rage. Like Dailus recalling a buried memory in his final moments, it seemed Paelito was trying to remember something.

“You feel it too, don’t you? That what I’m saying is true. That’s why you can’t bring yourself to use the orb right away, even though it’s in your hand. Put it down. You can come back. Return, avenge Sachiel, pay your dues, and then die.”

“Shut up! Shut up! All this happened because there’s no order. Yes, I can come back. When order is restored, Sachiel will return. Back to me!”

Jin stepped forward slowly.

Paelito was a saint who had been used by evil and stained with unforgivable sins. He had succumbed to the overwhelming force of Zito, becoming a monster without even knowing who he was or what he was doing—just like every other demon in the Demon Realm except Biseps.

“When that time comes, Sachiel can be resurrected just like you…!”

With about ten steps left between them, a small ship suddenly appeared overhead. It was the Red Owl, a spatial leap ship from the Balmur Alliance. Jin had just subdued Paelito, lifting most restrictions on spatial leaps and communications.

“Jin.”

Valeria descended from the Red Owl to the ground. Paelito glanced nervously between her and Jin.

He dared not attack or take Valeria hostage. Any rash move would mean Jin would snatch the orb and subdue him.

“Valeria?”

Valeria noticed the change in Jin but didn’t comment. The fight had clearly ended in Jin’s favor, and the black orb in Paelito’s hand was troubling.

More importantly, the reason she had rushed to the battlefield was closely tied to Paelito.

“…While investigating Groshie Castle, I found a strange record. It’s about Sachiel.”

“A record about Sachiel?”

“Yes. That terrible monster who’s been laying waste to the kingdom—after reading this, I wonder if anyone could still obey Zito.”

Without further explanation, Valeria raised her Silver Pine Staff and opened a record window for Paelito to see.

<Before his death, Sachiel Groshie heard Zito’s voice.>

<“Pffft, pffhahaha. This is maddening. Yes, this is exactly what I wanted, Sachiel. So you don’t need to apologize to me.”>

<“Hahaha, anyway, thanks for all your hard work. Paelito, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.”>

<“You still address me formally. Hey, Sachiel, don’t you remember anything? Like a certain happy time with Paelito?”>

<Sachiel Groshie realized he was Paelito’s lover, screamed, and died.>

Paelito’s eyes widened.

Jin was shocked too. He had always known Paelito’s obsession with Sachiel was unusual. He had even suspected they might have been lovers, but he never imagined Zito would toy with them like this.

According to the record Valeria found, Zito had deliberately driven Sachiel to death, then reveled in his despair and pain. It was the confirmation of what Jin had only vaguely suspected.

“W-what is this… what kind of record is this…?”

“Exactly what you see, Paelito. Sachiel Groshie realized just before dying that he had been completely toyed with by Zito. Zito doesn’t just want to torment us in Inse. Even his subordinates like you are nothing but playthings.”

Valeria’s calm voice continued. Black tears streamed down Paelito’s face.

“That’s a lie. It’s a lie! It can’t be true. It’s a forged record! Aaaah…!”

His head felt like it was about to explode. If it did, the memories he’d been suppressing would flood back.

Paelito refused to accept it. He wanted to vanish rather than face those memories. He couldn’t even tell if the feelings were from his brainwashed self or his true will.

“You want to believe that. But unlike Ziphl, our Hister never forges records. That’s why it exists—to prevent that.”

“Then why would Lord Zito do this? We pledged loyalty to fulfill his wishes. What does he gain by betraying us?”

“Probably pleasure. He’s a being who pursues only the pleasure of pain.”

Magic gathered again in the Silver Pine Staff. Valeria struck the ground lightly, and three record windows opened before Paelito.

<Sachiel, this is the only way to save you.>

<I accept defeat today and will become Zito’s dog… before I become a demon-corrupted monster with no choice.>

<We won’t even remember today, just like our other comrades captured by Zito. It’s over. I can’t fight anymore.>

The records described the memories Paelito was barely holding back.

He could avoid seeing them by closing his eyes.

But the desire to see was so strong, he gouged out his own eyes without hesitation. His fingers pierced his eyeballs, but he felt nothing.

Still, once the floodgates opened, the memories couldn’t be ignored—even without sight.

Closing his eyes only made them clearer.

“Ah, ah ah… ahhh… ah, ah, ah, ahh, ah…”

The voices of the demon corruption and Paelito blended together.

Jin saw another glimmer of hope in that moment. The possibility that Paelito could break free from the corruption, pay his dues, and then die.

“Paelito.”

Finally, Jin knelt before the sobbing Paelito.

He reached out and gently took the black orb from Paelito’s chest, where he clutched it tightly. Paelito didn’t resist, only sobbing brokenly. But he didn’t let go of the orb.

He cried like that for a long time.

Jin recognized that Paelito was breaking free from the corruption. The deep sorrow that no brainwashing or demonic influence could hide was bringing him back to being human.

Jin didn’t forcibly take the orb. Now was not the time to provoke him.

At last, Paelito lifted his head.

“The tragedies that have already befallen you and us can’t be undone. But the fall can be stopped. Let’s take down Zito together. When it’s all over, I’ll send you to Sachiel’s side. Even if you become a monster again in the process, I have the power to stop you anytime.”

“To kill Zito… together…”

“Yes.”

“Such… a nice story… But as you said, I committed massacres I should never have done, and you… killed Sachiel.”

“Even now, after breaking free from the corruption, do you still think I’m the one who killed Sachiel?”

“Jin Runkandel, you still hate me… don’t you?”

Jin nodded. He had no intention of letting Paelito live.

“I do too. Though I followed orders under brainwashing, I’m the one who killed humans. And while it’s true Zito drove Sachiel to death, it was you who struck the final blow. So I can’t help but hate you still. Even though I know it’s not fundamentally your fault. Fate… is cruel and twisted.”

“I see…”

“So we can’t fight together, Jin Runkandel. Maybe you could, but I… I just can’t stand beside the one who struck down Sakiel. Instead…”

Paelito’s grip tightened around the black orb. Jin tried to pry it from his hand, but Paelito had already slipped free of the mind’s control.

In an instant, he shattered the orb.

“I’m going to Zito now. They say if you break this orb, it transports you to Zito’s place—if you truly want it.”

With the orb broken, Jin had no way to stop him. The spirit energy escaping from the shattered orb was already enveloping Paelito.

“Anyway, the brainwashing and the demonic influence aren’t completely gone. Within hours, I’ll lose my mind again. If I’m going to die, it’s better to fight Zito now, while I’ve regained some of my ultimate power and senses. To die after wounding him, even just a little—that’s the best I can do.”

But watching the spirit energy swirling around Paelito, Jin’s instincts screamed that this wasn’t some simple teleportation device.

Paelito realized it the moment he broke the orb, too—but it was already too late.

A sudden, dark flame engulfed Paelito.

Jin exhaled deeply and gripped his sword.

From Paelito, an aura similar to the one that had birthed the fiend in the Sword Garden was radiating.

“You chose an end where you’re used by someone until the very last moment, Paelito. You should never have broken that orb.”