The formation of a new priest faction consumed a long time for the Saintess Charlette. She herself needed to expend energy to maintain "Divine Grace," to restrain the Demon King's right hand.

A·Gedora was in a weakened state, yet the Saintess Charlette was not necessarily in a better place. The Demon King's right hand needed to be suppressed, and she could not muster all her strength to battle Doro, for once this curse spreads, it would be enough to turn Nalune, hailed as "Divine Grace City," into a dead land, and make the Starfall Plateau a barren wasteland.

After all, this right hand had already lost control, unlike before when it grew on the Demon King. The Demon King would control his own power, preventing it from being leaked. After this hand was severed, in terms of sheer destructive force, it even surpassed the Demon King himself. The Demon King sought dominion and control over the world and would not annihilate life in a region completely. But for this right hand, the curse itself, if not curbed, would apply curses to everything in a very short time. It required a strong individual like Charlette to counter it.

In such circumstances, Charlette's journey to develop the Combat Priest path was extremely difficult. Yet, to prevent the issues faced when the Demon King was previously defeated, and to fight alongside the "Hero," she spent a lot of time developing this branch. Finally, she successfully explored a faction that allows priests to possess formidable combat ability.

However, fighting alongside the Hero had become an impossibility.

Her opponent now was none other than the Hero himself; the power she once sought to rival the Hero had become the force opposing the Hero.

The sorrow flowing in Charlette's gaze had never ceased; she always held profound reverence for fate. But when the trajectory of fate became clear, when people embraced their own destinies, she always felt this fate was too cruel. This man in front of her, calling himself Doro, the man who once saved the world, was attempting to push the world into an abyss... How tragically sorrowful could this be?

Yet she could not express her own sorrow.

Anyone could resent the Hero; anyone could pity the Hero, except Charlette, because she was one of the culprits for the Hero's current state — at least, she knew, Doro believed so.

Doro fell from the pillar: "I know the architectural level of your church is quite good, but is it really okay for this pillar to be damaged? If this temple collapses, there'll be many troubles, right?"

"No trouble is scarier than the Demon King reclaiming His right hand, gaining the power to curse all things. You personally battled this power, you know better than anyone how dire this situation is."

Doro snorted: "What you're saying is, no matter how strong the Demon King's curse is, it's better than the curse hidden in the Holy Water I drank. The deceiver managed to fool me because that cup of Holy Water was given by you. Don't tell me you didn't know, Charlette. The Demon King's curse is not as potent as that curse. I barely endured the curse he unleashed, but your curse tormented me for many years."

Charlette opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but she ultimately couldn't. Instead, she slightly leaned forward, her legs slightly bent, adopting a combat stance.

Doro could discern from the opponent's body curves and flow of power that she was ready to strike, convinced she could defeat him.

"I really have been underestimated, huh, Charlette."

The dull light in Doro's eyes finally revealed a glimmer as he gripped his sword.

At this moment, Charlette seemed to transform into the Demon King of the past.

Decadent, as if hollowed out by alcohol, the body finally squeezed some power like a sponge, and then...

Came down upon Charlette's body, who had already appeared before Doro at an unknown time.

The woman's tender, delicate skin started from the shoulder, the sword embedded in her flesh, breaking a few bones, even shattering the heart, splattering blood onto Doro.

In just a moment, Charlette had already sustained a mortal wound.

Yet...

Doro was once again kicked away.

That attack, nearly cleaving Charlette in half, with a massive enough wound to be fatal, did not even suffice to change Charlette's facial expression. Her body quickly healed, visibly, within just a few seconds, becoming perfectly intact, except her clothes.

Doro once again crawled out from the ruins of a column: "Sometimes, I feel you're walking the same path as the Demon King, pushing your regeneration ability to its extreme, without the curse's power to suppress it, nearly 'immortal.' How's this different from the Demon King's eternity?"

"Everything we have is given by the gods, all is the gods' grace. As the gods permit, we shall attain eternity."

God...

The former A·Gedora, like everyone else, held supreme faith in the gods, believing the gods created all things, granting everything—Gods allowed the Demon King to emerge, only to test humanity.

However, there's probably no difference between the Demon King and the gods.

She could create life, even in her current weakness, could resurrect Frodonick, and transform Frodonick into the Demon Race... She equally wielded the power of eternity, letting some attain life almost akin to eternity.

He began to doubt his own understanding—although such doubts didn't hold any significance for the present Doro; he cared little about such matters. Yet, he found it somewhat laughable.

Perhaps he could be considered a pitiful person?

Yet sometimes, he felt like some people might be even more pitiful than himself. He seemed to have no particularly pitiful aspects, at least...

"You are worthy."

For some reason, the words spoken by the girl named Mohe suddenly appeared vividly in his mind.

Am I worthy?

Doro shook his head, stretching his somewhat stiffened body, glanced at the broken, inferior sword.

Driving those images from his mind, he would no longer easily trust others. Even if the Demon King said he was worthy, so what? She was merely using him. However, speaking of it... being used by the Demon King was still somehow different from being used by others, at least—when used by the Demon King, he felt it was "inevitable."

After all, the opponent was the Demon King, possessing terrifying intellect and wisdom. Being used seemed understandable, albeit blaming his own lack of vigilance.

When being used by this person in front of him.

His heart would twitch again and again, the agony spreading from within, rendering him incapable of movement.

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