The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 625 Elegy and Redemption
In this vast void intertwined with filth, they not only face physical threats, but also bear the inescapable responsibility of protecting the future destiny of the world.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound rang out, and vibrations emanated from the depths of the star ring. A portion of the gear chain began to spin rapidly, releasing intense energy fluctuations that caused ripples to appear throughout the entire area.

The sound of shattered metal scraping and colliding echoed through the silence, alerting everyone.

Hill drew his sword and stood guard beside him, while the high-ranking wizard knights quickly formed a defensive formation, ready to face any surprise attack or trap.

Inside the command center, Liliana rapidly deployed complex barriers with her hands, hoping to firmly control and activate the energy flow to prevent a greater catastrophe from spreading throughout the entire territory.

"Guards, everyone!" David's voice was deep yet firm. He raised his crimson-gold halberd and declared loudly, "Only by traversing this nightmare can we truly see the dawn of the future!"

In the void, the gears and chains of the star ring creaked and groaned with a tremor, as if a long-dormant mechanical behemoth had been awakened.

David's eyes were sharp as he looked around. The slowly rotating gears emitted a dark and distorted light, and the oppressive feeling in the air suddenly intensified.

The Wizard Knights stood ready, each with a solemn and resolute expression.

Liliana stood before the command platform, her brow furrowed, her hands moving in the air as she chanted ancient incantations.

Pale blue runes surged like a tide as she attempted to stabilize the constantly flowing, distorted spatial energy around her.

However, the cold sweat beading on her forehead silently testified to the severity of the situation.

"'The Navel of Corruption' is already active." Liliana's voice was low, like an echo from the abyss. "It is erupting with entropy, the most extreme corrupting power remaining in the remains of the ancient gods."

This force can erode and decompose all matter into gray dust.

David gripped the crimson gold halberd tightly, its tip burning with a blazing holy fire as intense as the midday sun.

He took a deep breath and focused all his attention on the corrupted core in front of him, which was gradually expanding and sprouting countless black tentacles.

These tentacles wriggled and spread like living things, and wherever they passed, whether it was steel debris or witch knight armor, they began to rapidly disintegrate and crystallize.

The air instantly became murky and foul-smelling, a suffocating stench of decay engulfing the entire battlefield.

In the distance, dust and debris drifted down from the ruins, each speck seemingly carrying a life-devouring pheromone, spreading through the void.

Hill stood beside David, his hands gripping his sword, its blade gleaming with the crimson gold bestowed by the authority of war.

However, even so, he could not completely resist that invisible erosion.

He gritted his teeth and growled, "We must build a protective barrier, or we will all be swallowed up!"

Immediately, he raised his longsword high and drew a dazzling star ring rune in the air.

The star ring emitted a strong arcane glow, enveloping the team within a radius of several dozen meters like a sturdy suit of armor.

The priests stepped into it one after another. This defensive shield, formed by the war ring, was like a constantly flowing, indestructible holy shield, temporarily suppressing the impact from the outside.

However, this line of defense is not impenetrable.

The "corrosion" continued to penetrate the shield at a visible rate, with countless tiny black dots beginning to adhere to the shield's surface and rapidly expanding inward.

Some of the wizards were pale, and their arcane armor began to crack and become dull and mottled. Even the sacred fire could not completely block this malignant power invading from the abyss.

Even more despairing is that those most deeply affected by the pollution collapse to the ground in agony, wailing. Some people's bones slowly crystallize into grayish-white crystalline forms, while others' skin quickly loses elasticity and becomes dry and cracked.

Under this intense pain and mental pressure, many soldiers had glazed eyes, and some even let out heart-wrenching screams, yet they could not escape the destructive fate brought about by the spread of decay within their bodies.

"Hill! Support our wounded comrades!" David shouted, wielding his halberd to slash at the ever-surging tentacled evil spirits, while simultaneously channeling scorching flames into a runic shield, hoping to slow the spread of the malignant tumor.

Sweat rolled down his face, but he did not flinch in the slightest. His eyes grew even more resolute. "We must hold on until the very last moment!"

Hill gritted his teeth, his fighting spirit erupting, and he continuously slashed and cut down the attackers who came close to him.

However, whenever the tentacles are cut off, they instantly regrow.

Veins bulged on his forehead as he shouted, "These tentacles seem to possess a will to live! They not only destroy matter, but also pollute the spirit and soul!"

Beside him, a young shaman suddenly collapsed in agony, his entire body rapidly crystallizing into a translucent, ice-blue stone, within which one could still vaguely see a pale, contorted, and struggling expression.

This sight made the other soldiers' hearts tighten suddenly, and they fought even harder, but fear and exhaustion were gradually taking away their fighting spirit.

Liliana continued chanting the purification incantation; her face was pale, but her gaze remained unwavering.

“I will do everything I can to slow down the expansion of the ‘entropy flow,’ but ultimately the ‘corruption navel’ core will need to be physically destroyed.”

Time seemed to be stretched out, each second feeling as long and agonizing as being cut by a knife.

Broken runes drifted down from the space, countless fragments stirring up a chilling aura. They swept across the battlefield like icy blades in the eye of a storm, yet also brought a faint glimmer of life.

"Even so, we cannot give up!" David's voice resounded throughout the surrounding area. "Our conviction burns brighter than any darkness!"

In the distance, a hurricane howled, scattering debris across the ruins. Meanwhile, the spreading black mist writhed like a living thing, enveloping the mechanical remains, disintegrating the rusted metal, and devouring all traces of life.

Under the violent impact, a huge mechanical arm collapsed, causing further shockwaves and making the spacetime laws of the entire area even more chaotic and unpredictable.

Hill fought to the limit, sustaining multiple wounds all over his body, but still managed to wield his sword to block the fatal attack.

During one engagement, a huge, dark tentacles suddenly wrapped around his chest, and he could barely break free.

But at the critical moment, David charged into the battle with the last embers of his power, sweeping his halberd to sever the tentacle at its root, while simultaneously unleashing scorching red lotus flames that burned away the remaining evil spirits.

Seeing this scene, the soldiers felt an unprecedented sense of conviction. Inspired and encouraged by their leader's bravery, they became even more united and built an ironclad defense.

However, faced with the threat of entropy gushing from the "Navel of Decay," no one dared to be careless. The blood in everyone's chest seemed to be burning hot. For the future, for protection, they were willing to pay any price!
At the far end of the void, a dark, gigantic shadow stirred restlessly; it was the master of conspiracy who, with his remaining strength, stirred up the chaotic torrent to sweep across the land once more.

His cold laugh echoed, "You are nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot... You will eventually be trapped in an eternal abyss!"

A heavy, stagnant atmosphere filled the hall. David stood in the center of the platform, clad in a crimson-gold battle robe, his resolute and profound gaze sweeping over the representatives of the various races present.

His deep purple eyes shone with a burning conviction, yet they could not conceal a trace of unresolved heaviness.

"Gentlemen," his voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the silence, "after the battles on the Corroded Metal Star and the Seventy-Fourth Layer of the Abyss, we have encountered unprecedented disasters and pollution."

The chaotic and corrupting power unleashed by the remains of the mastermind and the Gate of Decay has severely torn apart the foundations of our divine kingdom.

The representatives in the hall all bowed their heads, their faces showing exhaustion, anxiety, and helplessness.

Some people clenched their fists, some sighed softly, and some had tears in their eyes.

These people, clad in silver armor or flowing robes, their skin radiating an eerie glow, all understood that the crisis was no longer a localized event, but rather concerned the very survival of the entire multiverse.

David continued, "After a long period of dedicated research and purification attempts, we have proposed the ultimate solution—Elegy of Redemption."

Everyone held their breath and stared intently, a tense atmosphere filling the council hall.

Liliana stepped forward slowly, her silver moon robe fluttering with each step, her elegant face reflecting a mixture of determination and worry.

"Master," she said, her voice clear and resolute, "what exactly is your so-called ultimate solution? Please explain clearly, otherwise we cannot make a decision."

David flicked his sleeve, and a large holographic projection slowly unfolded.

A magnificent yet desolate and broken map of the divine realm appeared in the void, with a bright red area prominently displayed on it. That was the area that had been proposed to be cut off and transformed into a pure energy torrent for purification.

“This is about one-third of the territory of our divine kingdom,” David pointed to the projection. “In order to curb the spread of corruption, at the cost of purifying this area, we cut it into a torrent of pure energy to drain its corrupt tumor.”

Only in this way can we protect the remaining areas from being completely contaminated and spreading.

Before he finished speaking, whispers began to circulate in the hall.

Some people frowned, some had tears welling up in their eyes, and some representatives even showed strong opposition.

They all shook their heads or argued in whispers:
"To sever such a vast territory is tantamount to abandoning the souls of seventy million believers. How can we bear such a price?"

"Our duty is to protect every life, not to sacrifice the majority for the peace of the minority!"

"Isn't this like losing the foundation of faith and letting darkness forever creep into the depths of the soul?"

Faced with overwhelming opposition, Liliana frowned and said in a serious tone: "I also oppose sacrificing the innocent, but if we allow corruption to spread, countless lives will become prisoners of evil."

I prayed that we could find a better way, but reality is cruel…

Just as everyone was engrossed in a heated debate, a clear, gentle yet firm and resonant voice rang out: "Everyone, please listen attentively to the discourse of Saintess Alia!"

All eyes were drawn to the noble figure walking in from the entrance, Saint Alia, who wore a pure white and blue robe adorned with silver badges symbolizing faith and glory.

Her steps were steady, each one seemingly bringing peace and tranquility, yet exuding an undeniable and unquestionable sense of authority.

Aliya slowly walked to the center of the platform and said in a soft and warm voice: "At this critical moment of life and death, as the Speaker of the Faith Council, I have to admit a cruel fact: to live in the midst of calamity and cancer will only lead to our slow self-destruction."

What is truly heroic and noble is the courageous sacrifice of a few for the future of the whole, paving a new path for millions of lives. She paused, looking at the crowd, "The division of a third of our territory is a painful but unavoidable loss; it is both redemption and liberation."

Having finished speaking, she firmly cast her vote in favor. This action was like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the dissenting voices that were still fiercely debating.

David stood in the center, his gaze piercing, yet the heaviness between his brows was undeniable. He slowly turned and stared at the enormous projection in the void.

That was the chosen sacrificial region of the divine kingdom, a vast and corrupted land, like ashes burning in the night.

Immediately, countless tiny points of light rose from the ground, the souls of millions of believers twinkling like stars.

Guided by divine power, they slowly gathered into a vast, magnificent, and shimmering silver river that stretched across the starry sky.

The river of souls flows like a poem, with silver-gray ripples spreading in the void, as if in an instant turning endless years and the lament of life and death into a silent tale.

Every twinkling light here embodies the believers' most sincere and unwavering protection and expectations for their homeland and their faith.

David took a deep breath and turned to face the group of Wizard Knights assembled at the border.

Clad in fiery armor, they resembled steel guardians amidst burning flames, their faces etched with unwavering resolve and determination.

Against the backdrop of a dark blue sky, they stood in neat rows, exuding a breathtakingly solemn and dignified aura.

Hill stood at the very front of the line, gripping his blood-stained longsword tightly. After exchanging a knowing glance with his comrades, a deep command resounded: "Fellow priests, rise!"

Immediately, the entire army joined in singing "Requiem for the Fallen Heroes," a solemn elegy adapted from an ancient hymn, used to comfort the fallen heroes and guide the souls of the deceased to their final resting place.

The sound resonated throughout the world like a great bell, and nourished the heart like a gentle rain.

Every chant was filled with deep emotion and power, flowing and echoing in the air, making the entire space seem to be infused with an irresistible purifying energy.

Strands of blazing crimson flames surged from the depths of the shaman's heart, forming a stark contrast with the cold void. It was the undying call of the will to live, and a resolute vow to defend the new order to the death.

As the chanting reached its climax, the silver river of verses began to pulsate, and the energy gathered from billions of souls converged into a vast and surging torrent, like a giant wave of life surging forward.

Under the leadership of the Witch Knights, this pure power was systematically injected into the previously discovered decaying core agitated zone, the huge spatial rift known as the "Chaos Furnace".

The Chaos Forge is a place where darkness and decaying forces intertwine and merge, and all forms of depravity are born from it.

Like a fountain spewing forth molten lava, the injected power quickly generated a violent reaction, with countless twisted runes flashing and changing. Each leap was accompanied by a booming, resonant echo, completely washing away and destroying the filth, while also reshaping some of the laws of space, causing them to shift towards a pure and stable direction.

However, this solemnity also brings enormous danger and pressure.

David felt an overload of energy surging within him, and spiderweb-like fine cracks appeared on the surface of his crimson-gold armor, a warning that his divine body was at its limit.

(End of this chapter)