"Speaking of which, Lin, where did you disappear to during that time you were gone?"
To Elysia's question, Lin merely glanced at her, seeing the bright smile on her face.
"Twilight Street."
"Oh~ No wonder you brought Pardofelis back."
"…Don't ask things you already know; it's meaningless."
"How so~ I don't know anything at all~"
"…"
Lin was long used to Elysia's demeanor. No one would fail to get used to it. Everyone initially resisted her, but later they were forced to accept her.
"So, you met Kalpas and Aponia during that time, too?"
"Ah…" Lin didn't avoid the question and nodded, "I don't know what happened, but Pardofelis was taking care of me the whole time."
"During that period, that thing just happened in the Moth of the Fire."
…
Mei struggled somewhat to resist an attack that was completely incomparable to their last encounter. The heat assailed her as if it would melt her. Each strike carved deep furrows into the ground. The enormous energy tore through her defenses, leaving her with no option but to dodge.
The Judgement of Shamash, whose core was the Core of the Herrscher of Fire, the Divine Key with the strongest destructive power. To suppress its power, the Core had to be split and made into two pistols. Only when the two guns were merged did it display its true form.
This Divine Key was Kevin's weapon. His Fusion Soldier abilities allowed him to use the Judgement of Shamash, which would consume his life, at will. Others would self-immolate if they used it.
But "Lin" was using the Judgement of Shamash without any difficulty. Even if the power wasn't the true Destruction Key's, it was close enough.
Recalling her last battle with Lin, Mei understood that she couldn't be purely defensive. She activated her Herrscher power and began to launch an offensive against "Lin."
The Signet of Infinity, the Stigmata of Mobius within Mei, began to exert its power, allowing her to momentarily suppress the Judgement of Shamash.
Good. Lin is indeed not the optimal user…
Blade met flame. Lightning swallowed the scorching flames. "Lin" was inferior to Mei in terms of raw power. He retreated a few steps. The Judgement of Shamash in his hand vanished, and his armor instantly turned green.
As expected, this armor is—
"Boom!"
A violent hurricane appeared in his place, and Mei stood on Kurikara's sorrowful form, looking down at "Lin" who had emerged in the hurricane.
He looked up, the phantom of a weapon shimmering in his hand.
…
"Oh my? Do you mean to stop me now, at this stage?"
Mobius stood in front of the anchor point, slowly tapping her hands. Her closed eyes slowly opened, and her brilliant snake pupils gleamed with cold-blooded light.
Lin stood behind her, saying nothing.
"Judging by the three questions you gave her, you were intentionally leading her to me. So, can I assume you are delivering this gift to me?" Mobius said with a smile, "Mr. Lin, with whom I have a 'very good relationship.'"
"…If you choose to think of it that way, I won't deny it."
"Hahaha~ You would never engage in this kind of manipulation behind the scenes before. Did you spend too much time hanging out with Aponia, after all?" She rotated her neck, her snake pupils narrowing into a thin line, staring at the man in the helmet, "After all, she herself admitted that the sense of guilt from defiling 'purity' is very addictive."
"But she has never done anything of the sort."
"You can't be sure of that."
Tit for tat… No, it was only Mobius being verbally sharp, but Lin did not show much inclination to refute.
"Isn't that woman the prime example of saying one thing and doing another? For her, as a nun, inner desire is a sin, but at the same time, she also believes there's pleasure in committing a sin. If you think about it, that's how it is in many stories—clergymen committing sins for self-satisfaction. For our era, which has already been deified, it's quite fitting."
"…Do you think so too?" Lin asked the wickedly smiling Mobius.
"Me? Lin, what kind of joke are you making? For me, there is no such thing as 'defilement' or 'blasphemy.' As long as I can cross the obstacle I want to cross…"
Both of them fell silent.
Lin and Mobius both knew what they had done. What all the Flame-Chasers in the Elysian Realm had done. Many of them had made mistakes.
Some violated human reasoning, and some violated their own selves.
On the path of sticking to their own self, neither Lin nor Mobius walked to the very end.
Regardless of the reasons, they had truly "betrayed."
"However, the reason for your actions was not for your own sake. That surprises me." Mobius discussed the past with Lin at the very moment Mei was in a fierce battle, "Back then, when the reality that most violated your own beliefs was presented to you, you showed such disregard, but in the subsequent 'betrayal'…"
She sneered, "As expected, you, my friend, lived only for others until your death."
"…And what was your motive for stopping the Ultra-Transformation Surgery at that time?" Lin looked at her shrunken figure, as if going back to the time when she could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Hmph… You weren't suitable. Is that reason sufficient?"
"…"
"If not, I also have reasons like the poor air quality, being unwell at the time, and your preference for spicy food. Choose the one you like."
…
XuanYuan Sword.
Mei clashed with "Lin" while holding the sword. A dizzying series of sword strikes were unleashed by "Lin" holding two swords. The two Dominance Keys were wielded in his hands like two venomous fangs, treacherous and deadly.
"Lin" had now used the Second, Sixth, Seventh, and Tenth Divine Keys. He could skillfully control every weapon.
These were not Divine Keys simulated by the First Divine Key, but the genuine projections of the Divine Keys, like Hua's Cosmic Juggernaut.
"Hypothetical Enemy."
Lin's words from the past once again came to Mei's mind. She now seemed to be gradually understanding what Lin meant by that sentence.
"But… why isn't he acting like he did last time…"
Mei still remembered that "Lin's" combat style was not an all-out power clash. He wouldn't make moves that wasted energy.
Could it be…
"The Signet of Infinity Stigmata?" The Stigmata inside her body was exerting its power.
"Lin" was a supercomputer, so he would identify who was coming to this place. This time, he reacted to the Signet of Infinity Stigmata inside Mei. Since Mobius had given her all the Stigmata, "Lin" identified her as Mobius.
Therefore, "Lin" believes that fighting Mobius means using all his power at once to annihilate her?
In that case, this will be easy!
A sharp light flashed in Mei's eyes, and another Stigmata inside her began to operate.