Even if this world is a cesspool.
But it is also the cesspool that bore and raised her.
Countless days and nights they have fantasized about what this world might look like after defeating the Undead Scourge, dreaming of a beautiful future.
Perhaps she, a makeshift Pope, would step down and become a cattle farmer, busy every day with the pumpkin harvest and milking cows...
But such a mundane future is a luxury.
"The contract, established..." The old undead finally smiled.
Goodbye, Alola, leave this cesspool with the last hope of the Balak Family.
Leave this cesspool without a future, without hope, without light...
In another world, you will become lovers with Xue, have new partners, friends, build a family and career, and perhaps, one day in old age, tell your children and grandchildren the story of this Empire...
And I will follow the contract and become the Empire's last gravekeeper...
An outcast of the old era like me should be buried along with this era.
...
Xue Dili felt like he had an extremely abstract dream.
In the dream, countless people passed on light to him.
He was in a coma within a crystal, he saw a skeleton demon wrapped in chains, speaking in a hoarse voice: "Xue Dili, open your eyes!"
Xue Dili: "..."
What brought him here, is this still the Empire?
"Old Deng?" Xue Dili asked in confusion.
He remembered showing Old Deng Digimon, not Saffron.
Where did he learn this trope?
"Kid, I've already convinced Alola, now I am setting up the teleportation ritual..." the old undead finally spoke seriously.
"You convinced her just like that?" Xue Dili was somewhat surprised.
Given previous situations, the old undead would certainly bicker with him now, and they'd pull each other's hair, exposing faults.
But now, the old undead only slightly arranged things like final affairs, saying bit by bit: "Kid, take good care of Alola, she has a temper like mine in my youth, pamper her well, and don't do anything to wrong her..."
"When the time comes, you two should have plenty of children, hopefully dozens, then pick one that resembles me the most, let him take the Balak surname, and teach him the Imperial Swordsmanship and Divine Art..."
"And Alola is a good child, she won't do bad things, so once she crosses over, help her learn your world's language, laws, and customs, she will understand you..."
"Also... sorry, kid, this old man has a lot he wants to say to you, to Alola, and many things he wishes to do..."
"I really want to see you live safely and happily in that world, I also really wish to see a Da Gu concert one last time..."
"Sorry, my mental state is unstable again... Please forgive an old man's ramblings at the end..."
"Lastly, thank you for being willing to fight alongside me, Xue Dili, you are my most prized student..." the old undead finally smiled with relief.
A teleportation gate appeared in the consciousness space.
"Your Holiness the Pope! Something bad has happened!"
A sudden voice invaded the temporary quarters, startling Pope Alola, waking up the unconscious Xue Dili.
"What happened?" Alola asked.
"The Witch Demon King is advancing toward the Imperial Capital with several bone dragons and undead giant beasts, it seems intent on ignoring the wrath of the Holy Mountain God and directly wiping out everyone!" the priest delivering the message shouted.
"What!" Both the Female Pope and everyone else were shocked.
On the city walls, the gates once destroyed by the undead were hastily sealed with stone, as all combat-ready holy professionals looked in terror at the Witch Demon King advancing with volcanic ash, intent on attacking the Imperial Capital.
"Why? Why would the Witch Demon King still dare attack us under the wrath of the Holy Mountain!" one bishop shouted.
But no one responded, they knew the terror of the Holy Mountain's volcanic ash, which yesterday wiped out about a million undead in an instant.
But today, the Witch Demon King attacks the Imperial Capital with just a few top-notch undead!
Even without the undead army, the Witch Demon King is a top legendary powerhouse, and the bone dragons and undead giant beasts it brought are of quasi-legendary level.
This level of combat ability, without an undead army, is enough to wipe out all living human forces now.
The Female Pope, who was originally prepared to leave this world, felt her heart sink to the bottom, left with nothing but despair.
Originally, they thought the volcanic ash could at least hold off the undead army for several years...
"Seems the Witch Demon King realized it had been tricked, perhaps it originally thought the Holy Mountain was about to erupt, but discovering the deceit, it's now raging and out for blood?" Xue Dili's somewhat weak voice came.
Everyone turned to see Xue Dili leaning on a greatsword like a cane.
"Enough, all of you leave quickly, I will block the Witch Demon King!" the old undead seemed to float behind Xue Dili like a shadow, roaring.
"Your Holiness, please go..."
"Yes, you must leave, protect the great hero, he has already done enough..."
The Holy Knights, the bishops, all knew of the deal between the Pope and the old undead, and whether for the upcoming battle or the world, none held complaints.
Unlike Pope Alola who stood alone, they also had family, friends, children, and loved ones behind them.
Even if given a chance to leave this world, they would not go.
They did not know when light would return, but until dawn comes, someone must hold the last post.
"Xue, Alola! Go, leave this to me!" the old undead shouted.
"Sorry, I didn't say everything, but you must live well there, live well..." the old undead spoke with a pleading tone.
In the distance, the sun set.
In the sunset, the undead giant beasts and bone dragons of the Witch Demon King looked like monsters heralding the end of the world.
The twilight sun stretched shadows long, especially those of the monstrous beasts.
Xue Dili smiled faintly, no longer like a patient reliant on a greatsword to move, but carrying the greatsword over his shoulder.
"Old man, your Holiness, I understand your contract, and thank you, your Holiness, for choosing to protect me with your remaining life..."
"But, I refuse!"
Xue Dili's words struck the old undead who once felt at peace, he immediately shouted: "What are you doing! What do you want to do!"
"I'm sorry, your Holiness, it would not work between us." Xue Dili turned, in the sunset, now able to speak complete sentences in the clumsy Imperial Language, his shadow stretched long, very long...
Behind him were those earth-shaking beasts, their every step causing the earth to tremble slightly.
"Sorry, old man, you'll have to say your unsaid words to your granddaughter yourself."
He seemed ready with a final decision, interrupting the old undead's roar, cutting off the Female Pope's outstretched jade hand.
"Don't I still have that last quarter of life?"
The sunlight fell on his face, half in beautiful light, half hidden in darkness.
"Watch closely, everyone, this is my final..."
"Transformation!"