Endless Debt

The two gazed once more at the approaching storm from afar. Beelzebub spoke softly, "Bologue went in. He might go farther than King Soro did. What do you think will happen next?"

"No matter what happens, the conflicts between us will never end."

Mammon wasn’t thinking as far ahead. He was more focused on what was about to happen, "The situation has escalated. I need you to go see him and get him to cooperate with our next moves."

"Him? You think that proud Morning Star would listen to either of us?" Beelzebub felt like he’d just heard an enormous joke.

Among the blood kin, if Leviathan’s mystery and cunning made Beelzebub wary, then the proud Morning Star simply made Beelzebub uncomfortable.

He was always above it all, considering himself the sovereign of all things, but in truth, he was merely a devil with slightly stronger power.

Like Beelzebub, Mammon, and Leviathan, his essence was still that of a slave.

"He has to listen," Mammon said sternly.

Beelzebub retorted, "And what about you? What are you going to do?"

Mammon said, "To gather more allies."

"Who? Everyone else has long been drawn into Leviathan’s war band," Beelzebub said.

Hearing this, Mammon only smirked, questioning her blood kin.

"Beelzebub, do you really trust anyone completely? Even me?"

Beelzebub fell silent, Mammon’s laughter continued for a few moments, then he murmured to himself.

"How contradictory we are, hostile and divided, wishing nothing more than to see each other ground to dust, yet we are tightly bound kin, allies.

We are fire and water, yet so united.

How ironic."

...

As Bologue ventured further into the storm, he turned and looked back, discovering that the pitch-black shadow had already faded into an indistinguishable horizon beneath the light. It seemed he was safe, yet seemed to be heading into another unknown peril.

"Are you going to keep going forward?" Aimou inquired.

"Yes."

Bologue rotated his wrist, the hand axe and long sword traced a few beautiful arcs before being sheathed into the straps on his waist. With weapons by his side, Bologue felt surprisingly at ease.

"Going forward? Aren’t you afraid of getting lost in there?" Aimou asked further, then whispered, "Do you know what’s ahead?"

"No, absolutely not, but I can vaguely sense something waiting for me in the depths of this Secret Source."

Bologue reassured Aimou’s emotions, striding forward with unwavering steps.

"Do you remember what I once told you, Aimou? In the storm of the Secret Source, as I collided with those wandering souls, I could read their memories from the echoes of their souls."

The wind gradually grew stronger, making Bologue’s steps difficult. He squinted, feeling as if he was walking through a snowstorm.

"I’ve seen the memories of many, among which quite a few carried astonishing amounts of information. At first, I thought it was just coincidence, but later, these coincidences became more frequent."

Bologue gripped the tangible entanglement with both hands, using it as a grappling hook to move forward along its path.

"Hill’s memories, Saqin’s memories... all these people’s memories pointed to the Fall of the Holy City, to the center of past mysteries."

A resounding voice echoed in Bologue’s mind, "I never thought of myself as a lucky person, nor did I think I could precisely find these people’s memories among thousands of spectral souls."

Bologue paused his words, looking at the white expanse before him. The bright light enveloped everything. Without the entanglement pointing the way, he wouldn’t even understand his direction or where to head.

"So... someone is helping me!"

Bologue suddenly exclaimed, "Someone is deliberately showing me these memories, guiding me towards the enigma!"

Immediately, Bologue’s voice softened, as if drained of all energy.

"Who do you think is capable of this?"

Bologue seemed to ask Aimou, yet seemed to be inquiring of himself.

Staring at the pure white that filled his entire vision, the answer was already quite clear.

Aimou responded, "The Secret Source, it’s calling out to you."

"I must reach the depths of the Secret Source, to confront that Daylight Core. I want to hear what exactly it has to say to me."

Although Bologue said so, at that moment he remained standing still.

"Aimou," Bologue spoke again, "you don’t have to risk it with me."

The Secret Source, the ultimate for all Condensers.

Bologue did not know what would happen next. He did not fear death, but he was cautious of the unknown.

"I’m with you,"

Aimou responded firmly, "I came here to save you, you know that? Not to let you venture alone."

Afraid Bologue would disagree, she added, "I carry a beacon, Mamo can use it to retrieve us from the Ethereal Realm.

Don’t forget, you are not in an astral form right now."

Bologue was silent, looking resolutely at the radiant light source.

Aimou called out again, "Don’t think about going alone, Bologue, we are partners as well! A destiny-sharing collective! We rise and fall together!"

She knew what kind of person Bologue was, Aimou wanted to say more, trying to persuade Bologue, but at that moment Bologue suddenly laughed.

"I know," Bologue said to Aimou, "I won’t leave you behind."

"Then... then say that earlier!"

Aimou sighed in relief, just now Bologue was so silent that she really feared he would leave her and rush alone into the Secret Source.

"Haha, I was just thinking about something."

"Thinking about what?"

"Thanking fate," Bologue stepped forward again, "I imagined this scene before, but in my imagination, I was advancing alone."

Bologue expressed gratitude, "I never thought anyone would be with me."

Aimou was momentarily stunned, in the Heart Overlapping Shadow state, Bologue couldn’t see Aimou’s expression, and Aimou was glad he couldn’t see her face. She said nothing, but she unleashed all of her Ether.

The power filled Bologue’s spirit, almost bursting out, which quickened Bologue’s pace significantly.

Following the entanglement, to the very end.

The blinding light took away Bologue’s sight, he called Aimou’s name, but this time there was no response in his mind. He wanted to try more things, but then the pure white view dimmed, and the blurry scene became clear.

Bologue saw it.

A heavy, ancient stone tablet stood before him, engraved with patterns long faded, the lines detailing the traces of time.

Initial Scroll.

Upon shifting his gaze, Bologue found himself back in Raymond Gaudent, long since destroyed, now within a slightly dim room, where the crystal curtain walls cast a hazy glow.

This time Bologue’s consciousness did not fully immerse into memory, but retained a certain level of awareness, wanting to know who he was "playing" as this time.

For this, Bologue rose from a chair, walking to the crystal curtain wall, first discerning a silhouette from the hazy reflection.

Clad in all black, hands leaning on a cane, a faint smile with a mocking undertone appeared on his pale face. Then in the reflection on the crystal curtain wall, Bologue saw another familiar face.

Bologue’s own face.

Hill’s face.

"I never imagined you could bring it back from the Ethereal Realm." The Devil stroked the mottled stone tablet, his gaze rare with a touch of nostalgia.

"I didn’t expect the devils to leave behind evidence of their crimes." Hill responded coldly.

The Devil maintained a smile, saying, "Someone must remember all of this."