Desperate Countdown

The unconscious church members were surrounded by a layer of pink aura, protecting them safely inside while they dreamed.

Edinia took out the mask from her waist.

The cracks on it had now completely healed. She put it back on her face.

A white-haired boy, with pink at the tips of his hair, appeared in her place.

“Well then, time to see what’s really going on.”

Su Mo let out a breath, then walked toward the church.

He already knew something was wrong with them, but he hadn’t expected their flaws to show so quickly.

Not only had they exposed Firefly’s identity, they even sent people to hunt her.

Su Mo wasn’t sure what the purpose of this was.

So, he decided to return to the church and check things out.

The look on Firefly’s face just now left him feeling uneasy.

Luckily, he had been in Edinia’s form at the time, which allowed him to remain calm.

Su Mo ran swiftly through the forest, and soon a building shrouded in darkness appeared before his eyes.

Because this was only a branch of the church, and in a rural area, its scale wasn’t very large.

There were just over 200 members here.

Compared to the thousands or even tens of thousands in big cities, this was indeed very small.

“But… a smaller place makes it easier to hide dirty secrets, doesn’t it?”

Su Mo stopped running. He saw the church’s gates left wide open—probably from when the hunters went out after Firefly.

Without hesitation, he walked straight in through the open gate.

Inside, the church was in chaos. Battle marks were everywhere, and traces of black energy scattered across the hall, giving a disturbing feeling.

Su Mo ignored it, following his senses step by step until he reached the tightly shut doors of the chapel.

Here, the sensation was strongest.

It was as if everything had started inside.

He pushed open the doors.

The hall was pitch black, with only the front faintly lit by moonlight.

There, standing in the very center with his back to the doors, was a figure Su Mo recognized—the archbishop of this branch.

Silent for a moment, Su Mo stepped forward.

Hearing the footsteps, the archbishop slowly turned around.

“It’s you, Su Mo? What brings you here in the middle of the night? Could it be you’ve come to pray?”

The same kind and gentle face appeared, smiling warmly at Su Mo.

Hearing this, Su Mo stopped. The distance between them was only twenty meters.

“Who are you?”

He asked flatly.

“Eh? What do you mean? Have you gone senile and forgotten even me?”

“Don’t talk to me in such a familiar tone. The black smoke around you nearly hides what you really are.”

At Su Mo’s words, the archbishop fell silent.

Then suddenly, a terrifying smile stretched across his face.

Like a slit-mouthed woman, his lips split all the way to his ears, revealing a mouth full of shark-like teeth.

His once clear eyes turned pitch black, leaving only a tiny red dot in the center.

“So, you really aren’t just an ordinary person.”

The archbishop, revealing his true face, spoke in a voice dripping with amusement.

“What did you do to the real archbishop?”

Su Mo, unfazed by the grotesque sight, asked with the same calmness.

“Oh? Did you never consider that I might have been this way all along?”

He gave Su Mo a curious look, but the boy said nothing. The archbishop chuckled again, then continued:

“That man was troublesome. He was the first to notice me hidden inside that girl.

To protect her, he even used his own body to contain my power.

But he was only human—how could a mere mortal withstand the combined power of an entire planet and its civilizations?

So, when he was at his weakest, I broke his seal and freed myself.”

At these words, Su Mo recalled what Key had once told him, and asked:

“You’re the black thing that destroyed Firefly’s homeland?”

“You know of me? How disappointing—I’m not.

I’m merely the presence of my master, attached to that princess.

The purpose was simple: when she fled to another world, I would use her power to destroy that world.

Truthfully, I hadn’t planned to reveal myself so soon.

But then, a terrifying energy beam erupted from the kingdom of Augilis not long ago—so terrifying even I felt fear.

Though it vanished quickly, I couldn’t risk complications.

So, when that force weakened, I activated the plan to destroy this planet early.”

At this point, the archbishop’s eyes locked onto Su Mo, his already twisted smile growing even more sinister.

“The despair of that princess isn’t enough yet. I still cannot gather much power.

So, to drive her into complete hopelessness, I must use every resource at my disposal.”

Hearing this, Su Mo felt a wave of dread.

The archbishop, noticing his expression, laughed gleefully.

“Yes, yes! You already know what I mean, don’t you? Hahaha! To plunge her into true despair, I carefully waited until she formed deep bonds with the people here!

And the fastest way to make her despair? Brand her as a demon! Then have her hunted!

But those close to her won’t give her up so easily.

So, I’ll kill them all, one by one, before her very eyes!

And blame everything on her!

With her kindness, she’ll drown in endless guilt!!!”

The archbishop opened his monstrous mouth wide, cackling madly as he declared his plan.

Su Mo, hearing this, realized the town might already be under attack. He immediately turned and ran for the exit.

Watching his retreating figure, the archbishop narrowed his eyes.

“Of course, that alone won’t bring her absolute despair.

Only the death of the one most important to her will.

And that person… is you.”

With that, the archbishop swung his hand, sending out an invisible force.

The pews inside the hall split apart in neat lines.

Su Mo suddenly froze mid-stride.

His vision began to blur and shift.

Then—his head fell from his shoulders.