Game World: I Can Share Talents

Chapter 145 - 143: You Too, Mr. Righteous

As soon as Westheid finished speaking, the red-haired Witch before him fell silent.

"Chaos... is naturally the enemy of all Witches. The very purpose for the Ring of Clear Skies’s founding was to contain and fight Chaos."

Even as she sought to seize control of the conversation, Hecate could not deny this point. She nodded and said:

"But are you suggesting that a common enemy implies common interests, that we can become friends? The Realm of Order is also an enemy of Chaos, yet they view us Witches as something even more foul than Chaos itself."

"That’s due to Imperial political correctness."

Westheid replied without hesitation, "After all, in the Realm of Order, which reveres the Celestial Gods, the existence of Demons... is simply too sensitive. While you may study Demon Power for noble purposes, in the eyes of the Celestial Gods’ followers, it is an unforgivable heresy. I hope you can understand this."

Hecate said, "We are of course aware of this, which is why we have never resented the Realm of Order for exiling and hunting us. From the moment we resolved to embrace Demon Power, we were prepared. It’s just... we know all too well that in gazing into the abyss, we have become fundamentally different from you."

"No matter how many sweet words you speak, as the Imperial’s Branch of Prosperity, you only see us as tools, don’t you? It’s harsh, but it’s the truth."

Miss Witch conveyed her detachment with a level tone. In her eyes, every last member of the Imperial Nobility was a purely political animal, a fanatic of the Celestial Gods, who could never genuinely associate with Demon Practitioners.

Unless bound by powerful interests and constraints, there could be no trust.

"Tsk. You really underestimate my sincerity."

Westheid chuckled at her words. He understood the red-haired Witch’s concerns, but he also had a simple and direct solution.

Duke Qinghui took a step forward, standing right before Hecate. His impossibly handsome face was on full display before Miss Witch, causing her hands, resting on her abdomen, to clench.

’What is he trying to do?’

Behind Westheid, Roy and Rozana even thought that Duke Qinghui, having lost the argument, was planning to just kiss her—given Westheid’s style, it was a distinct possibility, and might even have worked.

But Westheid simply took Shadow-Born from his waist and held it in his hands, gently stroking the exquisite scabbard as he said:

"Miss Hecate, you must have heard that I possess the ability to purify Chaos Corruption. That ability comes from this very blade, Shadow-Born."

Only then did Hecate’s attention focus on Westheid’s tachi.

She was, of course, aware of the Purity People’s recent, rapidly advancing reclamation campaign. In fact, it was precisely because of the incredible purification ability he had displayed that Hecate had agreed to an Apprentice’s request to meet with Westheid.

Otherwise, as far as the Witch was concerned, this meeting would have been a complete waste of time.

Hecate frowned and asked, "Is this a Shadow Fire Weapon? I’ve never heard of any weapon having such a significant purifying effect on Chaos Corruption. Could it have been blessed by a Celestial God?"

Westheid said, "Why not take a closer look? I’ve always been quite open-minded. There are very few things I’m opposed to."

Hecate hesitated for a moment before reaching out to gently touch Shadow-Born. In an instant, she convulsed as if struck by lightning, a dazzling wave of allure rippling through her.

"!!!!"

Enduring the pain that felt as if it were searing her very soul, the red-haired Witch’s strange and bewitching eyes widened in utter disbelief.

From Shadow-Born, she felt a powerful and unfamiliar Demon Power.

Others might not have recognized it, but when it came to familiarity with Demons, no one in the Mortal World was more knowledgeable than the Witches of the Ring of Clear Skies.

"This is Dem—"

"When fighting Chaos, the pure Power of Order is still the most reliable, isn’t it?"

Westheid interrupted Hecate with a smile.

As the Celestial God’s Shadow, a Demon’s power source was mutually exclusive with a Celestial God’s, but not diametrically opposed. One could even say that Demon Power was a form of Sub-Deity Power, belonging to the same Order faction.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for the Ring of Clear Skies, which specializes in Demonology, to fight against Chaos.

Hecate had considered that Westheid might have received a blessing from the Radiant Holy Tree, or perhaps it was a hidden trump card of the Pure Holy Spirit. But she had never, ever imagined that the great Duke Qinghui would actually be relying on the power of a Demon.

’You! The oh-so-righteous Branch of Prosperity, a Holy Spirit Descendant, are meddling with Demons?!’

’And not just any ordinary Demon! Hecate’s own attainments in Demonology were already considerable, yet just touching Shadow-Born had sent a pain through her like her very bones were dissolving. But such a terrifying Demonic creation was being held so nonchalantly by Westheid. It seemed he had completely tamed it.’

’Wait a minute... don’t tell me Duke Qinghui’s secret proficiency with Demons is even greater than a Witch’s?’

Just as Hecate’s thoughts grew increasingly alarming, Westheid asked, "Miss Hecate, do you now think our common ground provides a basis for cooperation?"

This time, Miss Witch offered no sarcasm. Instead, she twirled a lock of her blood-red hair with her slender, pale fingers and looked directly into Westheid’s eyes, saying:

"Duke Qinghui, what is it you intend to ask of the Ring of Clear Skies?"

’Everything, of course! All their resources, all their talent, all their technology—it must all become mine!’

’From the very beginning, Westheid had wanted to completely absorb the Ring of Clear Skies. Only by doing so could he guarantee the future rise of the Qinghui Territory.’

’But he also knew that a peaceful annexation would be a long process. He couldn’t be hasty or reveal his ambitions right from the start.’

’Alright, first open the diplomacy screen. Step one: Improve Relations.’

"A mutual assistance treaty."

Westheid said, "We both use similar powers to fight a common enemy. Right now, I must reach the Purity Forest and rescue the Holy Spirit Ancestor of my Qinghui Clan. This matter doesn’t just concern us; it is intimately tied to everyone in the Borderland."

"You’ve studied Chaos for so long, so you must know how dire the situation would become if the Pure Holy Spirit were to be corrupted by Chaos, right?"

Hecate nodded gravely. "A Holy Spirit that represents pure Order, if corrupted... would inevitably become a Tier One entity of the Chaos Hundred Forms, a Dirt World Desolate God."

"It could be even worse than that."

Westheid held up a finger and said boldly, "Let me propose a possibility—if the corruption is absolute, and Chaos is willing to pour resources into it, then during the next Chaos Tide, I’m afraid you will witness the birth of a Source God."

"Chaos Hundred Forms" is the collective term for all Chaos Demons.

Chaos is fundamentally a formless spiritual entity, but to destroy the Mortal World, it requires a physical form. Thus, Chaos spawned all manner of bizarre, corporeal offspring. These Chaos Demons possess all sorts of indescribable forms, but after millennia of exploration, the Mortal World has managed to create a bestiary to classify them.

From the lowest-ranking Chaos Egg and Fallen Beast, to the Mad Beast Vanguard and the Wind of Calamity... each classification corresponds to a different Tier. Studying the Chaos Hundred Forms is a required course in the fight against Chaos.

As for the highest Tier within the Chaos Hundred Forms, it is without a doubt the Chaos Source God, which represents the primordial Chaos’s deepest malice toward the Mortal World—the God of the End.

’Westheid didn’t actually believe his unworthy ancestor had what it took to become a Source God. It had been useless as a Holy Spirit; it probably wouldn’t be much better after defecting to Chaos.’

’But that didn’t stop him from bluffing. In any case, the Ring of Clear Skies absolutely could not afford to take that gamble.’

Hecate’s beautiful eyes gradually turned cold:

"Duke Qinghui... are you threatening us?"