My magic panel is too numerical.

Serena hadn't expected the spikes to shoot out.

By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late.

She could only try her best to lower her center of gravity and find a way to avoid vital points.

With a "hiss," the spike struck his left shoulder, and blood gushed out immediately.

"Ugh..." She groaned in pain, her legs and arms went weak, and she lost her balance and knelt on the ground, the greatsword slipping from her hand and falling to the ground.

At the same time, the tentacles arrived as promised, attacking Serena from different angles, and were about to kill the girl.

"Serena!"

Pharos's head buzzed.

He couldn't believe that Miss Serena had suffered such a severe blow after only a brief moment of hesitation.

What... what have I done? In a moment of impulsiveness, he abandoned the idea of ​​activating the Holy Sword skill.

With a determined look, he charged forward, sword in hand, shielding Serena with his body and taking the thorns that were hurtling towards her.

Four sharp spikes pierced Pharos's left and right thighs, forearms, and waist, respectively.

"Pharros!" Miss Raven exclaimed involuntarily.

For Miss Raven, Pharos's extremely rare physique was something that no amount of Serenas could compare to.

At this moment, it was as if a revolving lantern was flashing before her eyes, flashing through all sorts of memories of her past wanderings, as if she were about to return to the days when she was lonely and adrift in the mortal world.

"Why are you being so silly!" Miss Crow exclaimed, both surprised and angry, her small eyes gradually welling up with tears.

Pharos first felt a tingling sensation through the penetrating wound, his muscles twitched as he felt the foreign object, and finally, waves of excruciating pain swept over his brain.

The charred woman seemed to be startled as well.

"Hmph~ You're asking for death. Since you're in such a hurry, I'll help you get rid of this first..."

She aimed at Pharos and extended both hands.

Sharp bone spurs extended again from his fingertips, aiming at Pharos's neck and heart.

I will die, I will die... The premonition from the "spirit" exploded, and Pharos clearly felt the breath of death approaching.

But at that very moment, amidst excruciating pain and the threat of death, he miraculously alleviated the extreme warning from the "spirit."

Pharos found that he finally had the courage to forcefully suppress his fear and activate the Holy Sword skill.

This time he did not hesitate and firmly grasped the "Raven" to gather elements.

"Soul...split!"

In an instant, the intricate runes on the sword emitted a purple glow.

At the same time, his consciousness exploded.

The intense, frantic tinnitus instantly overwhelmed my consciousness.

Vanessa froze, the air around her seemed to freeze, and even Miss Raven's gasp ceased.

Time seemed to stand still before Pharos's eyes, and his consciousness plunged into darkness without warning.

……

"Every gift... comes with a price tag... Li Su, you are the only one cursed by fate..."

Deep within consciousness.

Pharos slowly opened his eyes. Before him was a blurry darkness, and he could vaguely see a blurry figure standing not far away.

He heard that voice again.

"Li Su? It's Li Su again. What gives you the right to call me Li Su..." Pharos questioned.

This name is his biggest secret, even more absurd and secretive than Miss Raven's existence.

He is a time traveler.

He possesses knowledge, insights, and ways of thinking that are different from those of this world.

He did not have a devout faith in God; he was a complete heretic.

At that moment, Pharos could hear his heart pounding wildly in his ears. He kept rubbing his eyes, trying to see the person clearly.

Because...you are me.

Gradually, a person who looked exactly like Pharos appeared before his eyes.

No... to be precise, he was the original Pharos.

His entire body was pitch black, his limbs were as black as if they were coated with ink, and his thick blood vessels had turned scarlet, like red branches crawling all over his body.

Pharos could not see the other's face, but he knew very well that their souls were compatible.

"This is..."

"Black Blood..."

"sick……"

He grinned self-deprecatingly, speaking one word at a time.

"This is...the disease I had? This is...the disease I had?" Pharos stared blankly at the other version of himself in front of him.

It was like a dialogue between souls.

They shared the same sentiments and understood each other.

"Terminal illness! Black blood disease?"

"The disease... hasn't disappeared from your body; it's just been suppressed by your soul. Once that suppression is broken, you'll contract black blood disease like me... and ultimately, die from it. Are you willing to accept that? Everything you've ever had will be reduced to nothing by this disease."

"Is it contagious?"

"If the illness doesn't develop, it won't."

"Hmph... I have a reason to fight..."

Even if it means giving up the future you've worked so hard to achieve?

"Only by surviving can we have a future..."

"If you just want to survive, then you should choose the Originator... That deity abandoned the Church, abandoned the Empire, abandoned his divinity, but He did not abandon you, and even gave you special favor."

"Even if... he wants me to become his puppet?"

"He willingly took your pain upon himself and gave you the highest level of vision, yet you still refuse to believe in Him?"

"Why... what have I done to deserve this...?"

"He chose this way. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He exists deep within everyone's heart. He is the Holy Spirit. His choice must have its reasons. Aren't you curious about why you are so special?"

"Everything has a cause and effect. Whether it's your panel, your powerful 'spirit,' Miss Crow, or the black blood disease deep in your soul, you have received the benefits of fate, and you will inevitably have to bear the price of fate. And now, that god is willing to help you bear this price."

"You have one last chance to choose: give up your freedom and become His 'chosen one'... or bear this karma alone."

"I……"

Pharos fell into deep thought.

Are you going to give up your freedom with your own hands? To surrender your body to that enormous ring?

"Freedom is not a lie; freedom is an inherent right of everyone..."

These words kept floating in my mind.

He remembered Miss Christina and Detective Simon.

Even on his deathbed, Detective Simon was still fighting for Miss Christina's freedom.

Miss Christina was also fighting for his freedom.

He once said to Miss Christina, "A dragon should return to the sea, and a sparrow should return to the blue sky."

Now... another self from within my body actually wants me to be a puppet?

What reason would Pharos have to give up his freedom to become a puppet?

"I choose freedom!"

He was unwilling to give up this second life, which was so important.

Even if the hell ahead is endless karma, as well as illness and suffering.

"well……"

"God respects your choice..."

……

The moment he made his decision, Pharos's entire body burst into purple flames.

[Activation successful, Soul Splitting (Phase Two)]

At this moment, he clearly felt that the most precious thing from the depths of his heart was burning, and he had to endure the burning pain of the flames every second.

His whole body convulsed violently involuntarily, the intense pain feeling as if his entire body was cramping.

No wonder Detective Simon said that there was something wrong with his "spirit".

Perhaps he once burned his soul in the same way.

The burning pain of the soul is far greater than physical pain.

Pharos knew that he would have to endure not only pain, but also the relapse of his leukemia.

Bright red blood vessels began to appear on his hands, and these blood vessels started to climb up his arms inch by inch.

"Pharos! Pharos..." Miss Raven's calls kept coming, but her hearing was becoming increasingly faint.

"Miss Raven, please speak more clearly... I can't hear you..." Pharos said.

No… it’s not his hearing that’s the problem, it’s his soul, his soul is visibly weakening.