Grand Return System

The End of Gareth!!!

Nothing was left to explain.

Gareth slowly closed his eyes.

For a few breaths, he remained completely still.

Then he opened them again.

"Do it."

His voice was weak.

Yet strangely calm.

"I, Gareth, have committed a heinous crime. I never thought the heavens would forgive my sins. From the moment I performed the blood sacrifice, I had already become indifferent to life and death. Even if I am forced to suffer for a hundred lifetimes in the Nine Nether, I have no regrets."

His pale face carried a helpless expression.

There was no fear left in his eyes.

Only exhaustion.

Perhaps, somewhere deep inside, Gareth had already accepted this ending.

He had known for a long time that this moment would eventually come.

Everything he had done had not been purely for himself.

At least, that was what he had always believed.

He had wanted to protect this so-called holy land of inheritance.

The pure land that existed within his heart.

The place he had once believed was worth protecting at any cost.

Worth sacrificing everything for.

Even his own life.

Leon looked at him coldly.

For a moment, he said nothing.

There was something complicated about people like Gareth.

Perhaps that was the most frustrating thing about human nature.

There was always something hateful hidden inside the pitiful.

Gareth had wanted to protect the pure land in his heart.

He had wanted to preserve what he believed was his dignity.

He had wanted to prove himself.

More than that, he had wanted the world to acknowledge him.

To look at him and admit that his existence mattered.

But to achieve those things, he had sacrificed a million living beings to refine his Dark Body.

A million lives.

Countless innocent people.

Their blood.

Their souls.

Their final moments.

All of them had been reduced to nothing more than fuel for his ambition.

Leon’s gaze remained fixed on him.

Could someone like that truly be called innocent?

No.

Gareth was at fault.

There was no way around that.

No matter what reason he had given himself, the lives he had taken could not simply be erased.

But at the same time...

He was not entirely at fault.

The thought quietly passed through Leon’s mind.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

It was not an easy thought to accept.

This world had never been simple enough for every tragedy to be divided into black and white.

There were people who became monsters because they were consumed by their desires.

There were others who became monsters because they convinced themselves their sacrifices were necessary.

They told themselves there was a greater purpose.

They told themselves that someone had to make the sacrifice.

They told themselves that what they were protecting was worth more than the lives they destroyed.

And after repeating those words enough times, they eventually began to believe them.

Perhaps Gareth had once believed that too.

Perhaps, when he first stepped onto that path, he had never imagined what he would eventually become.

Maybe the first sacrifice had been difficult.

Maybe the second had hurt even more.

But after that?

Perhaps the boundary slowly disappeared.

One life became ten.

Ten became a hundred.

Then thousands.

And eventually, a million lives were nothing more than numbers in his eyes.

That was how people changed.

Not always in one sudden moment.

Sometimes, they simply took one small step across a line.

Then another.

And another.

Until one day, they looked back and realized they were standing somewhere they could never return from.

Leon understood that.

But understanding did not mean forgiveness.

Whatever reason Gareth had carried in his heart, the dead were still dead.

Their families would never see them again.

Their voices had disappeared forever.

Their lives had been taken so that Gareth could become stronger.

No explanation could change that.

No regret could bring them back.

Perhaps that was the cruelest truth of all.

Gareth could accept his punishment.

He could accept a hundred lifetimes in the Nine Nether.

He could even willingly surrender his life right now.

But none of that would return even one person he had sacrificed.

Leon’s eyes slowly narrowed.

The silence between them grew heavier.

Gareth did not look away.

He simply waited.

For judgment.

For death.

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Or perhaps, after everything he had done, he was simply waiting for the weight inside his heart to finally come to an end.

There were no excuses left.

No words could comfort the families they had destroyed. No explanation could bring back the people whose final screams still lingered in the memories of those who had survived.

Saying that the sacrifice had been necessary would not change anything.

The dead would still be dead.

Their blood would still stain the earth.

There had never been true mercy in this world.

Justice was even crueler.

Sometimes, it came down to nothing more than a single strike.

The winner was justice.

Leon said nothing.

He simply raised the Supreme Demonic Sword.

The broken blade pointed directly at Gareth.

For a brief moment, neither man moved.

Gareth’s expression remained strangely calm.

There was no plea in his eyes.

No attempt to bargain.

Perhaps he already knew how this would end.

Leon stared at him for another heartbeat.

Then his wrist turned.

The sword moved forward.

Slowly.

Almost quietly.

Pfft!

The blade pierced through Gareth’s chest.

Everything became silent.

Gareth’s body jerked.

His eyes widened for an instant.

Then the strange black aura hidden within him suddenly erupted.

It poured from his body like thick smoke escaping from a dying flame.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Grand Return System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scoturn777

Creator of Grand Return System

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