Chapter Sixty-Three: The One Who Arrives Late (Second Update)

The land stretched out before them, ravaged and desolate, mountains piled high with corpses. Amidst this vast, tumultuous tableau of death walked a youth with features as delicate as those of a maiden. Emerald eyes, clear and tranquil as jade waters, gazed unruffled upon the devastation. His golden hair, tousled and bright, swayed naturally with each step, and his handsome face remained utterly untouched by emotion.

“It seems I’ve come at just the right moment.”

In the eerie silence, the Apostle of the Dice House halted, his gaze lingering briefly on the young man and woman opposite, then shook his head, speaking in a tone bordering on jest.

“Yes.” The Glory Bearer, dark-haired and dark-eyed, echoed the sentiment without a hint of a smile. He looked meaningfully at him, pronouncing each word deliberately, “Not too early, not too late—just right.”

“Did something happen just now?” Dick arched his brows, instinctively scanning their surroundings before shaking his head. “Forgive me… my eyesight isn’t as keen as yours, and I lost my kerosene lamp in the chaos with the monsters. Now I’m completely in the dark—I can’t see a thing.”

“Nothing much, really,” Amy scrutinized the youth before her, seeking traces of emotion on his face but finding none. From the start, the Apostle’s expression hadn’t changed, as calm as stagnant water bereft of its source. “It was merely a chance encounter with a high demon—equally by chance, we defeated it. That’s all.”

“However,” his tone suddenly shifted, eyes burning as he fixed his gaze upon the supposed ally, “you don’t seem surprised by any of this.”

“Not at all,” the young Apostle shook his head, still wearing that serene, easy smile. “In the Lower District, everyone has a trump card or two, especially organizations like the Dark Guild, which have one foot in the shadows. Even if their Guildmaster is himself a high demon, it’s hardly surprising.”

“That sounds reasonable enough,” Amy Ulysses allowed a faint curve to touch his lips, growing ever more certain of the youth's confidence. “But don’t you find it all a bit too convenient?”

“All things are born of circumstance, all things are the result of the Gate of Fate’s decisions.” Under the Glory Bearer’s probing, the beautiful youth’s brow remained unruffled. His emerald eyes seemed bottomless, swallowing everything around them. “The goddess of fate is fond of harmless little jokes.”

Amy met this with a cold laugh. “It appears you have no intention of concealing your motives.”

“At a time like this, concealment serves no purpose. I am merely a humble guide of fate.” Dick placed a hand over his chest, bowing respectfully. “I dare not deceive you—after all, our cooperation is built on mutual benefit and assistance, is it not?”

“But the foundation of mutual benefit is trust,” the Glory Bearer replied coldly.

“In that case, let me ask differently,” the Apostle said, unfazed, locking eyes with the youth’s dark irises. “Before seeking mutual trust, I have a question—do you have at least a basic trust in me?”

“Our interests are aligned,” Amy met his gaze without the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes. “Up to now, I have believed so—or at least, I am willing to believe so.”

“In that case,” Dick extended his hand, “why not let our trust grow stronger? After all, our interests coincide—there’s no conflict.”

“Are you sure?” The Glory Bearer laughed coldly. “I don’t believe you know nothing about high demons—you, or rather the Dice House, must intend for us and the Dark Guild to destroy each other.”

He spoke with certainty, but the Apostle merely shook his head. “Not so. Our only aim is to eradicate the Dark Guild’s influence in the Lower District. Perhaps you don’t realize—the situation in the Upper District has grown dire. Neither the Glory Bearers led by Galsworthy nor the Swordbearers of the Order can spare themselves. In the past few days, upwards of ten extraordinary individuals have fallen, and even ‘Dawn of Fire’ Samuel Aldington, strongest among the Glory Bearers, was lost in the shadow of the Dark Lords. Therefore, having drawn the ire of the Dark Guild, we must show no mercy, nor rely on others. We must, with thunderous force, cleanse these parasites from Hemtica completely!”

He paused briefly, then declared, “Otherwise… neither we of the Dice House nor you could withstand the revenge of such a colossal entity.”

“So this is your reason for using me?” the young Glory Bearer asked, his voice deep.

“But are you not using me as well? That’s what mutual benefit is.” With no hesitation, the golden-haired, emerald-eyed youth laid bare the nature of their alliance. “If you resent this, I apologize. If that isn’t enough to quell your anger, I imagine the lady at your side, so passionate in her hatred of evil, would gladly end my life with her sword.”

The Apostle opened his arms.

He smiled.

His emerald gaze lingered on the youth’s face, and in a perfectly calm tone he ventured, “So, what is your answer?”

“You’re putting me on the spot,” Amy Ulysses replied after about twenty breaths. He knew full well the youth was confidently retreating to advance, but now was not the time to break with the Dice House. For that, he had to endure. “But remember, my patience has limits. Don’t let there be a next time.”

“As you wish.” The Apostle finally moved forward, stopping before the Glory Bearer and extending his right hand. “May our friendship burn ever bright, like a spark that never dies.”

“I hope so.” The dark-haired, dark-eyed youth replied noncommittally, yet he took the offered hand, and even patted the Apostle’s shoulder like an old friend. “I’ll rely on you for the journey ahead—hopefully, we won’t encounter any more high demons.”

“The Dark Earth Mother is unique,” Dick narrowed his eyes. “Once she’s dealt with, all that remains to be wary of is the mysterious Guildmaster of the Dark Guild and his brood of killers.”

“In truth, we nearly died at its hands,” the Glory Bearer glanced at him, his tone steady. “And the Dark Guild controls more than one high demon.”

“If the Dark Guild could control two or more high demons, Michelangelo would not be Emperor of the Lower District.” The Apostle frowned, then slowly relaxed. “I think I understand now—your previous enemy was a killer, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right.” Amy could hardly forget the fighting style of the killer who had once claimed his life in the misty night, even after only a few days.

“A century ago, the Lower District saw the rise of a demon so fearsome it silenced children’s cries—the first killer, and the strongest. It was the final product of the Dark Guild’s artificial hybrid project, a high demon able to move freely under the light of the fire of order.” Dick recounted calmly. “The Guild’s sudden success left them unable to control the new demon; it slaughtered half the Lower District until the Flame of Glory arrived and dealt it a heavy blow…”

“Wait—” The Glory Bearer raised his brows. “Are you saying a Glory Bearer could defeat a high demon ranked above him?”

Amy was familiar with the name Flame of Glory; in the last generation, he’d been Hemtica’s undisputed strongest. The academy Amy had attended, established for Glory Bearers, was founded by that renowned elder.

“Don’t underestimate the potential in your blood, Mr. Ulysses.” The golden-haired youth smiled softly. “Glory Bearers are born to bear glory, inheritors of ancestral blood. From the outset, they stand apart from the rest. Among them, the strong—even without breaking through to the chosen—can defeat or even slay the Dark Lords of the Chaos Cult or the great Swordbearers of the Order. As for mere high demons, what are they in such eyes? Know that among Glory Bearers, some can traverse half the depths of the night by their strength alone.”

He finished with a pointed remark.

“And then?” the Glory Bearer pressed.

“What do you mean?” the Apostle countered, then eased his brows. “Oh, I see… The wounded first killer was re-contained by the Dark Guild. Its flesh was implanted in thirteen experimental subjects, giving rise to the current killers. If they could split it, then surely there’s a way to recombine it. I imagine when the Dark Earth Mother was defeated, the Guild leaders had no choice but to unleash this uncontrollable demon for a last desperate gamble—but it seems their final effort failed.”

“So our last obstacle is only the Guildmaster of the Dark Guild?”

Despite retaining some skepticism toward Dick’s information, Amy felt tension ease at the news.

“The only true obstacle is him.” The beautiful youth replied, then turned his gaze to the Swordbearer. “And you, young lady of the Order—you’ve been wanting to ask something, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” The girl’s question was characteristically brief. “The Upper District.”

“You want to know the current situation in the Upper District? I suspect Mr. Ulysses is equally interested. In that case, consider this my apology for earlier actions.” With the Dark Earth Mother and killer eliminated, most of the Guild’s resistance had been broken, and time was suddenly no longer pressing. The Apostle paused for a while before continuing:

“War has broken out…”