Blood tax

Chapter 592: The frightened Xiao Yugan will miss the prelude to the final battle

Back in time, it was January 1444, 1, the day after Griffith arrived at Neopolis Island.

The horror and twisted phantom pain swallowed by the void gradually dimmed, replaced by an indescribable powerlessness and paleness. Griffith was like a canvas that had been stripped of its color, leaving only empty lines.

"The defeated eat dust", the twisted will of facing the virtual world severely damaged Griffith's mind and rank, and he fell to the rank of Sequence 7 "Spellbreaker"! All the extraordinary abilities, the power of the war knight to cut off magic and gallop on the battlefield have disappeared, and he is even no longer qualified to use the teleportation array!

Erza is missing too. She should have gone back with us...

The strength and help needed to face the demigod evaporated in a flashback.

"You look really bad," Elodie gently wiped the sweat off Griffith's forehead, "Is this really such a terrible nightmare?"

"Yes, it's a nightmare that makes people afraid to look directly at it."

"The loser eats dust" is a terrifying power. After repeated battles, Griffith's power is deprived. The further he goes back, the weaker he becomes, and finally he will be crushed to death by a single finger of Salorian.

Griffith gradually calmed down and sent Elodie back to sleep. At this point, there was no point in worrying or panicking. Salorian would call soon, and he had to be prepared.

Fortunately, the equipment was still there. Dual swords, Judgment, Bloodthorn, shield, breastplate, dagger, mace, grenades and potion materials were all there.

The mark of the God's Hand has not disappeared. The power obtained from Nara, Commodus, Erza, and Aaron, and the fragments of the wishing device are still providing endless spiritual energy. Griffith has fallen from the mysterious position, but the attribute panels of physical strength, strength, agility, perception, spirit and resistance remain unchanged and are still strong and powerful.

Moreover, although Erza was lost, where was this place now? Neopolis, the territory of the mermaid lady Arendelle and her people. As long as it was handled properly, there was still a chance.

Wait, it's January 1444th, 1.

……

Starting from Elodie's house, Griffith immediately called Arendelle with the Echo Crystal. There was no response.

At this time, Miss Mermaid was still unfamiliar with him, but with her intelligence, Griffith was still confident of seeking support.

As long as we can find Roland in this time and space through Arandelle...

Griffith hurried along the cliffs by the sea. The cool breeze of the early morning blew on his face, and snow-white seagulls flew low over the sea. On the rocks at the edge of the cliff, Griffith saw an elegant figure who seemed to be painting.

It's him!

This young painter wore a loose cloth shirt and wooden shoes, with the left and right lapels overlapping each other, and a black cloth belt tied casually around his waist. He had a thin and handsome face, neatly combed black short hair, beautiful eyes and features, but he could not hide his decadence and melancholy.

Sure enough it was him!

This black-haired painter looked similar to the Salorian he had seen when he first entered the Loser's Dust. Griffith had also seen him before the Festival of the Chosen, after the strange "gathering of earls, wizards, and wealthy merchants" in Bayerland.

This person possesses the authority that he calls "No Longer Human". He can construct a profile of reality, refine and concretize people's experiences and thoughts subconsciously, and face people's most real pain.

This person is almost certainly Salorian, perhaps his split personality, or a clone...

It's probably impossible to hide... Griffith immediately pulled out Conviction, opened the bolt, and approached carefully.

"Oh, good morning, you're finally here," the painter noticed him, "Please come over here. The other 'I' won't be here soon, there's still time."

"Why isn't the other 'you' here?" Griffith raised his flintlock and pointed it at the painter's head.

"The damage of facing the breath of the end is horrible, even for us it is difficult to bear. Otherwise, every time I rewind the "loser eats dust", I will choose to self-destruct, opening the arrival of the end. You who are trapped in it will lose all chances to resist. Isn't it simple?
"This is the price of being a demigod of the 'Illusion' path, a 'tyrant of time and space'. The physical and mental backlash created us."

"What do you want to do?"

"Talking to you," the painter said, "I exist in the cracks of matter, watching my struggle and also watching you, the other choice. Before we reach the end, I want to tell you some of my views."

Griffith raised his hand and fired.

"Oh!"

The fine gold bullet whizzed out and pierced the painter's body. However, this person was like a ripple, calming down in the waves, without any injury.

He wasn't even angry:
"All this is meaningless. Griffith, my student, let me tell you something about myself.

"Salorian Plagueis,
"I was born into a noble family and completed my studies at Homerworth. I was supposed to become the most powerful and intelligent wizard. To be honest, I am a genius. I have mastered the highest-level spells at a young age. I can even trigger a horrible killing spell with a chain reaction, and kill people in Homerworth in one night. Even the legendary Dark Lord thinks I am a bit too extreme." At this point, the painter sighed softly:
"I've seen a lot of that. Griffith, I've experienced all the drama and tragedy you've experienced in your past chapters. I've felt all the beautiful tenderness and entanglement you've encountered.

“I made mistakes too, all because of being young.

"We are the protagonists of generation after generation chosen by the times, you and I. The indescribable mystery and reality come to us as a wonderful temptation that we cannot refuse. We cannot refuse it at all.

"Take you for example. Even if you defeat me, conquer the world, and beat the stupid roe deer of Canaan to their knees, a new war has just begun. How are you going to make the Elf Lady, the Countess Lady, and your Valkyrie live in harmony? If the Duke's Lady in the South asks you to implement the Pasha's will, or the mermaids in the South want to spread the songs under the moon, the Holy Light and the gods will offer their respective puppets, just for a little favor under the new order.

"Will you accept them? Open your arms to those tiny little desires?"

Griffith's face twitched.

"This is just an appearance," the artist continued. "If this only concerns one individual, it is not a problem. However, as the conqueror of the world and the commander-in-chief of the Grand Republic Army, what are you going to do in the coming new era of upheaval?"

"What do you want to say?" Griffith tapped his forehead. "Is this why you want to become a Shoggoth and end this world?"

The artist looked into Griffith's eyes:
"This is not such a distant thing. I can show you the world beyond 'The Losers Eat Dust'. During your absence, the wheel of history is rolling forward, and the final decisive battle will be held at the gates of Canaan.

"It was a bloody fight. No war in history could compare to the war awakened by the engine of industry. Humans and elves, reality and mystery will fight to the last scrap of flesh and blood, until the ancient mystery is destroyed and the new civilization builds the kingdom of God on the corpses of the old gods.

"Griffith, you will see it soon. The changes in human history will be presented in an extremely crazy way! The endless wailing will turn into the smoke of conflict. The flames of war have just subsided, and the next war is already at hand."

Griffith's eyebrows twitched:

"The theory of chain of hatred is not uncommon. Humans are not as absurd as you say. Lord Salorian, this is just your personal opinion."

"Hahahahahaha!"

The painter suddenly laughed wildly. He stood up, and his melancholy and depressed temperament began to turn crazy:
"No, this is the future! I've seen it with my own eyes!
"In my time, the world was shrouded in shadows, like a dying patient. All the light that magic could give, mankind spread it into the world, and it was a dim light.

"Let's put it even more, it was a dim light. Compared to day, it was literally night.

“One after another, pioneers stepped forward, bringing new light, but darkness soon arrived, the old system became the new system, and light and darkness exchanged places.

"Magic has its limits. In my wasted and chaotic life, I found that the more I explored the origin of magic, the more I was shrouded in darkness. So, I decided to find a new path.

"Finally, I found it. The key that can end all evil and suffering!"

The wind and clouds suddenly changed, and the seaside that was calm and peaceful a few seconds ago was now covered with indescribable black clouds. The painter's personality seemed to have changed at this moment, filled with desperate madness.

"Oh!"

A spear of light shot out from a distance and pierced through Griffith's eyebrows.

Salorian and Shadow appeared. They launched a sniper attack from out of sight, sending Griffith back into retrospection again.

This time, the reversal of time began to disturb reality. As Griffith fell to an earlier time, he saw something.

……

1445 6 Month 25 Day.

On Arendelle's flagship, Erza gave a small-scale report on the progress of events.

"The Dictator and the Hand of God will be absent from the next battle..."

"Didn't we arrange for you and Sidious to provide support? Can't you two Sequence 5s handle it? If there are any problems, don't I still have you!?" Roland felt that the current situation was simply unreasonable. "Why did you come back by yourself? Where is Sidious? Griffith is the most important piece of the puzzle for our victory. We cannot afford any mistakes! Do you understand the seriousness of this matter?"

"This is exactly what Sidious judged," Erza replied, "He brought the words of Lady Avina of Arran..."

Several days had passed since the dictator and Griffith disappeared, but Bayerland's offensive did not stop.

Even without the Dictator and Griffith, the Senate and the Confederation Congress still sent out their best generals and troops. The 20-strong Republican Army, led by Roland, Count Lamor, and Erza, sailed upstream along the Tyrne River by sea, heading straight for Canaan.

The Grand Army of the Republic will land near Canaan. The Canaanite rebels who have already been active there will do their best to hold their positions until the army arrives.

Canaan's response is a total war mobilization. The army led by Paulus Stannis will, with the assistance of the two God Hands, Galadriel and Tarkin, wipe out the rebels and sink the entire Grand Army of the Republic into the sea!