The next day.
Morning light slanted down from the church curtains, shining on two bodies still tightly entwined.
Breaths intertwined, the lingering warmth had not yet dissipated.
Aponia's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her drowsy eyes.
Looking down at Ryuga, who was still fast asleep beneath her, her heart tightened, her face flushed, and she quickly propped herself up to sit.
As her gaze swept over the traces of last night's frenzy, her cheeks burned like fire.
Especially the absurd scenes before the divine statue.
She, the nun, had fallen!
At this thought, she quickly knelt on both knees, her fingers tightly interlaced in prayer. She lowered her head piously, her lips moving as she repeated the prayers of confession over and over.
"God... please forgive me."
It was as if only by doing this could she quell the sense of guilt in her heart.
At that moment, a lazy voice came from behind her.
"God won't forgive you. You are now a fallen nun."
Ryuga lay on his side, one hand supporting his cheek and the other resting casually on his waist. His body traced a wild and dangerous silhouette in the morning light.
"And... when you're praying so piously, could you at least put on some clothes?"
"My dear Sister Nun, you are desecrating the divine statue~"
As he spoke, he deliberately elongated his tone, teasing her.
It was hilarious.
That so-called divine statue was just a piece of art. Its only effect was to add a bit of flavor when he was desecrating the Sister Nun.
He hadn't discovered any actual gods in the Previous Era.
They were all fabrications of man.
The gods worshipped in the Current Era were actually Kevin, Fu Hua, Su, and the others.
Some of Kevin's miracles back then were accidentally recorded by bards, and as they were passed down, they became myths, wearing the skin of God.
Su was also mistaken for Bodhi.
He was even mistaken for the Lady of the Lake by the child King Arthur.
Fu Hua was further transformed into a myth by Cangxuan and Danzhu, later becoming the "Celestial Fenghuang."
Aponia let out an "ah," hurriedly lowering her head as she remembered she wasn't wearing any clothes.
She subconsciously reached for the clothes scattered on the floor, but... her nun's habit had long been torn into strips, just like her shattered faith.
"..."
Aponia froze in place, the tips of her ears so red they looked like they might drip blood.
Her gaze accidentally slid over her lower abdomen, and she froze again.
Yesterday, Ryuga had been struck by a whim and had drawn a strange "stomach bar" on her fair skin.
A vertical scale line extended downward from her navel.
Each increment was marked with words that made her face flush.
5cm: "Trash"
10cm: "Friend"
15cm: "Best Friend"
20cm: "Lover"
25cm: "Beloved"
30cm: "Master"
"I will never call you 'Master'!"
Aponia bit her lip, stubbornly turning her head away.
She had realized that Ryuga was a pure pervert, his mind full of nothing but yellow thoughts.
Ryuga laughed even more heartily, rolling over to sit up. His muscle lines rose and fell in the morning light like a wild beast.
He reached out and pinched the Sister Nun's burning cheek.
"You'll grow to like it."
With that, he began the daily trial.
Aponia pursed her lips, her heart whimpering: (God, please forgive me.)
An hour later.
Ryuga flicked his fingertip, and a cluster of flames incinerated the battlefield.
Aponia had changed into a brand-new nun's habit. The pure white collar made her face look even more clear and beautiful, though a complex emotion was hidden in the depths of her eyes.
Afterward, she received the buyer and exchanged the sanatorium for gold at a price thirty percent higher than the market rate.
Actually, Aponia had wanted to sell it for thirty percent less.
How could Ryuga let his woman suffer a loss?
He had influenced the buyer's mind on the spot.
"..."
After walking out of the sanatorium gates, Aponia stopped, turned back for one last look, and let out a soft sigh.
"Let's go."
"Mr. Ryuga, fate is almost non-existent on you. Can you teach me?"
She had always been fighting against fate.
But her efforts were ultimately in vain. Many people, because of her kindness, stepped into an even more withered fate.
Some lived because of her, only to fall into deeper pain later until they committed suicide.
Some were saved by her, only to eventually kill their loved ones with their own hands and die by swallowing gold. She had been trying, yet she always failed.
She was like a moth to a flame, crashing into the bronze wall of fate time and again, all for nothing.
She used every means to extend the lives of those children destined to die young and to pray for those souls eroded by the Honkai.
But her kindness always resulted in a more tragic end.
However, just last night.
In the sanatorium, those children who should have died of Honkai sickness—the threads of fate above their heads should have snapped, but they lived.
And the broken threads drifted toward an unknown place she couldn't see.
At that moment, her heart almost stopped.
"That?"
Ryuga stood beside her, his arm around her slender waist. He thought for a moment before speaking.
"Because you are trapped within the established fate of this world."
"No matter how you choose or struggle, it is ultimately just a part of fate's script."
"You think you are working hard to change it, but in fact, you are just completing it, leading to another established script choice."
Aponia froze, her hands beginning to tremble.
"Then... what should I do?"
"It's difficult," Ryuga shook his head and said slowly. "Unless you jump out of the established cage of fate of this world, or follow the 'Path' I mentioned."
As he spoke, he gazed seriously at the nun.
"Of course, I will also grant you new power to become an Ascended."
"In this way, you can jump out of the trapped fate."
Aponia murmured, repeating: "Ascended?"
"Yes."
"Let's go, they are ready."
Ryuga reached out, suddenly pulling Aponia's plump body into a tight embrace, lowering his head to take a long, hot, and domineering kiss.
Then, with a sweep of the back of his hand, a portal slowly unfolded.
Behind the door was the headquarters of The MOTHs.
...
On The MOTHs' plaza.
Councilor Veda stood below the high platform, her fists clenched in excitement.
Kevin had informed her that the Demon God was coming for the "Ascended" trial.
Only this time, no list was given.
Veda didn't dare to gamble, nor did she want to miss the opportunity.
With one command, all ten thousand elites of the headquarters were assembled.
Each one looked up expectantly, hoping they could become powerful Ascended.
In the next instant, the portal opened.
At that moment, everyone straightened their backs and held their breath.
Kevin was the same, standing with the newly joined members of The MOTHs squad, hands behind his back, chin slightly raised, and spine straight.
(This time, he must be included.)
(He was personally named by Captain Elysia. Both the Captain and Vice-Captain of The MOTHs are Ascended; there's no reason for them to just be ordinary people, right?)
In front, Vice-Captain Fu Hua stood as still as a pine tree.
Ryuga directly released Elysia, Eden, and the others.
Elysia took Kalpas and walked toward the platform, leaving Eden and Pardo on the stage.
"Hi~, did you miss me, Hua?"
Elysia waved with a beaming smile.
"Naturally."
Fu Hua nodded slightly, then looked at the masked man. "And who is this?"
"A new teammate~"
Elysia winked lightly and pointed. Only then did Kalpas walk to the side, standing quietly next to Kevin.
"..."
Kevin frowned; he could feel the beast-like aura coming from the person beside him.
"Who is this?"
"Could it be another newcomer Captain Elysia picked up from somewhere?"
"Tch, I'm so jealous... to be personally recruited by Captain Elysia, he must be something."
"Jealous my ass! Do you dare to go face-to-face with an Emperor-class Honkai Beast? In that last battle, the entire third squad was wiped out, and they couldn't even piece together the bodies!"
"Hiss... you're right, better just stand here and watch..."
"But is that the superstar Eden?"
"Hiss~"
"The Demon God actually brought Eden here too. Hiss, I'm a fan of hers. Is Eden going to join us too?"
"Even if she joins, she'll join The MOTHs squad. What does that have to do with us?"
On the plaza, everyone began to whisper.
Same as before.
Ryuga still used "Time in a Bottle" to lead the way. Ripples of time covered the entire headquarters like glass, and everything was sealed in amber.
Time was temporarily removed.
The next moment, the "Sun Disc" rose from his palm, turning into a blazing golden wheel that broke through the clouds and flew into the sky.
"It's coming."
Everyone's hearts trembled.
In an instant, golden light exploded, and a vast sea of solar energy poured down, as if a god had opened its eyes.
Sunlight incinerated the mundane.
Heat waves cleansed the soul.
Terrifying energy swept out wave after wave like a tide. The elites on the plaza felt their legs go weak, and many were knocked directly to the ground.
The veins on Veda's forehead throbbed, and black lines crawled across her face.
"A bunch of trash..."
...
"Eden, Aponia, Pardofelis, and..." Ryuga spoke slowly, then his gaze swept below the stage. "Dystopia, come up!!"
"Eh, me?"
Dystopia was stunned, pointing her index finger at her own nose, her eyes full of bewilderment.
She subconsciously looked around as if to confirm if someone had the same name, but then realized they were looking at her.
Kevin froze in place, his pupils shrinking. Still not him?
He trained every day without fail. Although his combat achievements weren't yet illustrious, he hadn't fallen behind anyone.
But instead, that recruit who had just joined the squad and hadn't even been on a mission was chosen by the Demon God?
Beside him, Kosma also widened his eyes, his brows knitted together.
Also a newcomer, why are you earlier than me?
The entire MOTHs fell into a brief silence, whispering and looking at each other. Could it be... the Demon God only favors beauties?
"Yes, come up."
Ryuga nodded and beckoned to Dystopia.
"Oh."
Dystopia shrunk her neck and ran onto the stage in a daze.
Her heart pounded like a drum, and her mind was a complete blank.
She had only joined the squad three days ago; she was still a rookie and hadn't achieved anything yet.
"The four of you will 'Ascend' together."
Ryuga looked at the four of them, then slowly raised his right hand and—snap—gave a crisp finger snap.
In an instant, a blazing and glorious golden pillar of light cast down from the "Sun Disc."
As it approached the stage, the pillar split into four, enveloping Eden, Aponia, Pardofelis, and Dystopia respectively.
The four of them felt a vast power surge into their bodies almost simultaneously, and their souls trembled.
As if awakened by some ancient will, they couldn't help but close their eyes, their bodies slowly floating off the ground.
Then, a strange phenomenon occurred.
Within the pillars of light, four distinct sounds were heard.
A dragon's roar, vast and distant, yet instantly calming the restless heart.
A cat's meow, soft and clear, like a lightly shaking bell, with a hint of innocence and cunning.
A strain of zither music, graceful and ethereal, plucking the softest corners of the heart.
And a laugh—low, enchanting, and full of malice, like a dark witch whispering in the night, making one's spine chill and hair stand on end. The four distinct auras intertwined, appearing both sacred and eerie.
Light and shadow shifted within the pillars, as if a giant dragon was circling, a spirit cat was leaping, zither strings were trembling, and a demonic shadow was dancing.
It was impossible to tell who had inherited what.
It was a mess.
The crowd below held their breath.
Only Elysia's lips curled up slightly, her gaze as confident as a fox: "The zither music must be my dear Eden; the cat's meow is Pardo; the dragon's roar and the witch... those are hard to guess."
As she spoke, she tilted her head and thought for a moment, her smile deepening.
"But I guess the dragon is Aponia, and the demon inheritance is for Dystopia."
"Ah? Why?"
Fu Hua's brow furrowed slightly.
She had guessed Eden was the zither music, after all, she was a superstar and a great singer.
But why was Pardo a cat? Just because she was small?
"Of course, I mean, Aponia is a holy nun, after all. Using a demon would be too strange, wouldn't it?"
Elysia commented.
Uh, not necessarily?
After all, Ryuga had already "corrupted" the nun; a demon inheritance seemed to make sense too.
Her peripheral vision suddenly caught Kevin's somewhat lonely figure, and she quickly comforted him.
"Don't lose heart. Next time, your name will definitely be there. Ryuga just hasn't seen your performance yet."
Kevin forced a smile: "Yeah, I'll work hard."
He was a bit heartbroken and disappointed, feeling he had no chance. The Demon God clearly favored beauties.
...
Pardo's illusion was a secluded valley woodland.
Moonlight was like gauze, and the water rippled slightly.
Moonlight Moths flickered, and Rainbow Fish leaped by the stream, looking very much like a fairyland.
With a child's temperament, Pardo blinked, and the word "trial" was long forgotten.
She giggled all the way and plunged into the stream to catch fish.
Water splashed everywhere, startling the fish.
Pardo was not discouraged; she bent over, reached out, missed, and tried again—a complete human-shaped cat.
Nearby, in a small cabin in the woods, a blue-furred cat was sitting on a grimoire.
A faint golden glow swirled around it.
"An interesting child."
Yuumi murmured softly.
She liked leisure time, pouncing on spots of sunlight every day, or napping under the mottled shadows of the mouse-trees, listening to the wind whispering through the leaves.
The little one was to her taste.
Until the sun set, the tired Pardo lay on her back on the soft grass by the stream, her small feet splashing in the cool water, creating ripples.
"You should have been a cat. Why do you have no ears or tail?"
A voice drifted over, and Pardo suddenly realized she was still in the trial.
She quickly did a "carp skip" and stood up.
"Eh?"
"Are you my trial? A cat?"
Pardo narrowed her eyes, curiously sizing up the blue cat before her.
Yuumi's cat ears flicked, and a hint of interest appeared in her eyes: "Answer me first."
"Oh~, I see. You think I looked like a cat when I was catching fish just now, right?"
"I learned the techniques from a black cat master in Sundown Alley."
"Uh, it really was a black cat. It couldn't talk, but its eyes were very expressive."
Pardo said, scratching her head as she explained.
Yuumi listened quietly, the smile in her eyes deepening. After a moment, she nodded slightly: "Yes, you've passed your trial. Take it."
As she spoke, she raised her front paw and tore a golden, glowing page from the grimoire beneath her.
Magic script flowed incessantly on the page, moving and reorganizing like a living thing, eventually condensing into a spirit cat rune.
Then, the page merged into Pardo's chest.
"Ah? Just..."
Pardo froze in place, blinking, her face full of bewilderment.
So her trial was just catching fish?
Before she could clear her thoughts, her vision suddenly blurred, and her consciousness was pulled away.
...
Outside.
"Meow~!"
A loud and clear cat meow pierced the silence, and a brownish-yellow, fluffy little cat suddenly sprang out of the pillar of light.
Its four paws stepped on the air, moving lightly, with golden runes beneath its feet as if stepping on stars.
Its tail was held high, like a flag of victory.
Elysia's eyes widened: "Eh? Pardo turned into a cat?"
A moment later, the little cat landed lightly, kicked its four paws, and golden light exploded all over its body.
Poof!
The light dissipated, and standing there was Pardo with cat ears and a cat tail, stretching.
She rubbed her eyes and even yawned.
Elysia: "Uh, she looks even more like Cipher now."
...
On the other side.
"I am the Guqin Sona. If you want to receive my inheritance, use a song to move me."
To be continued…
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