Sacrifice

The next day, no one went out for activities. Instead, everyone stayed at the training base to familiarize themselves with their war implements. Karen stayed in his room all day, leaning back on the sofa with his eyes closed and his hands stuffed in his pockets. In his mind, he reviewed the contents of Mr. Hoffen's notes, while the [Key to the Rubik's Cube] silently carried out deductions. He essentially spent the entire morning sitting like this, and after eating lunch, he sat through the entire afternoon as well. This led Ventura, upon unlocking the door and returning that night, to mistakenly believe that his captain's "illness" had not yet improved, and he insisted on making his bed on the floor outside Karen's bedroom door again that night. Once night fell, Karen generally stopped studying and read some novels to break up his study routine. When he felt tired enough, he went to sleep. On the third day, the routine remained the same: studying alone in the morning. In the afternoon, however, the doorbell rang. Karen went to open the door, and standing outside was Muri. "We're setting off tomorrow. My grandfather told me to come home for dinner, and I wanted to invite you to come with me," Muri explained the purpose of his visit. "I don't want to go," Karen declined. Visiting someone else's home was inherently a suffocating affair, not to mention that he already knew about Muri's family dynamics. He could imagine it with his eyes closed: after arriving at the house, he and Muri sitting on the sofa under the scrutinizing gazes of the elders—it certainly would not be a warm, cozy visit. "Alright then." Muri offered a wry smile. "I didn't expect you to refuse so bluntly." "Have a good family dinner." "Yeah, see you tomorrow." "Sure, see you tomorrow." After seeing Muri off, Karen sat back down on the sofa, intending to spend the rest of the afternoon "studying." Just then, a faint cracking sound reached his ears, and Karen opened his eyes. He had set up a small formation barrier in the living room area—an array so simple it could not be simpler. Its difficulty lay entirely in how to make it even simpler. The true purpose of such an array was not defense or isolation, but an early warning. A mere light touch would crack it. "What are you doing?" Piro appeared in the living room. His ability to get in was not surprising. He had started the first substitute lecture by leading twelve people out of the training base without triggering any response from the base's defensive formations. Karen stood up and replied respectfully, "Studying." "Studying what?" "Formations." "Hehehe." Piro chuckled heartily. "Is that so? Formations are the true path. What formation are you studying? Where are your books?" "I memorized some in my head, and now I'm 'taking' them out to ponder." "Mm, a good method of study. Here, take this." Piro raised a hand, carrying a box. Karen stepped forward and took the box, opening it to find notebook after notebook inside. "These are a portion of my personal notes on formations." Piro sat on the sofa as he spoke, anticipating the excited look that was about to appear on Karen's face. Karen said with great excitement, "Thank you, Instructor." Piro blinked. The boy looked excited enough, but Piro still felt something was missing. What he did not know was that Karen already possessed a complete set of formation notes. "Do you have any questions you want to ask me?" Piro pulled out his pipe. "I happen to have a bit of time right now." Karen hesitated for a moment before naming a formation. Piro puffed on his pipe while explaining it to Karen. Once he finished explaining that formation, Piro smiled and said, "I think it's still a bit early for you to study a formation of this caliber. Formations aren't like spells; spells have very distinct tiers and grades, but formations don't place much stock in that. Master the fundamentals thoroughly again, and when you climb higher in the future, you'll avoid many detours." "Yes, Instructor, I will keep that in mind." "Alright, I should get going. You're setting off for Samsara Valley tomorrow. Stay safe. Mm, no need to see me out." With that, Piro's figure vanished. Karen carefully put away the notebooks along with the box. Even though he had no use for them, that did not diminish their immense value. When Ventura returned that evening, Karen had him send them via teleportation array express delivery. The downside was that it cost point coupons, but the upside was that it would arrive home quickly. At seven the next morning, everyone packed their things and gathered in the first-floor lobby of the base. Two squads, two captains standing in front, everyone wearing clerical robes. Regular luggage was entirely taken care of by ordinary staff; each person only needed to carry what they required for themselves. Karen strapped the Sword of Arius across his back. Aisli nudged Bart, who was standing beside her, with her shoulder and teased, "The Captain's sword is way bigger than yours." Bart rolled his eyes at Aisli. His weapon was also a sword, but not a greatsword model. Regardless, when it came to questions of size, few men could remain indifferent. "Aside from that class with Instructor Liwen, I haven't seen the Captain fight with a greatsword yet. I'm really looking forward to it." "What's there to look forward to?" Bart asked. "Sigh, watching you fight with a greatsword wouldn't be worth looking forward to, but when the Captain uses one, it gives off a special feeling." "A sense of contrast?" "Yeah, contrastingly handsome." Several bishops, relevant officials, and reporters arrived, starting to snap photos, pose for group pictures, give speeches, and offer blessings. Generally speaking, the more meaningless a ceremony was, the longer it dragged on. When all the relevant leaders finally concluded their performances, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Next, following the arrangements, the group arrived at the Religious Affairs District. Outside the entrance of the Teleportation Building, another team was waiting to receive them, led by a scar-faced middle-aged man. "My name is Growen, and I am the person in charge of this expedition to Samsara Valley. You may call me by my name directly, or call me Leader." This "leader" title had nothing to do with a knight order; it was more like a tour group leader. Growen handed a document and an appointment letter to Muri, gesturing for him to pass them around. After reading them, Muri passed them to Karen. There was no need to question the appointment letter—it was certainly genuine. The document instructed the members of both squads to follow Leader Growen's arrangements, stating that he would represent the will of the Holy See here. So, did this leader carry some special order that would only be issued once they reached Samsara Valley? Otherwise, there was no reason to issue an extra document like this. After reading them, Karen passed the document and appointment letter down. He turned his head to glance at Muri standing beside him and asked, "What's wrong? You seem weighed down today." Hearing this, Muri smiled and said, "Last night I felt the affectionate care of my grandfather." "Did something happen?" "No." Muri shook his head. Once everyone had finished reading the document and the appointment letter, Growen spoke up: "Once we reach Samsara Valley, all your actions will follow my command. Understood?!" "Yes, Leader!" "Yes, Leader!" Karen's side comprised twelve people across the two squads, while Growen's team had more than thirty, who also took charge of Karen and the others' luggage. Unfortunately, because a teleportation array ahead experienced a minor technical issue, all the teleportation arrays on this floor were delayed. Everyone had no choice but to wait in the waiting area. Though called a waiting area, it didn't even have a single chair; everyone sat on the floor with their personal weapons placed beside them. This gave Karen the familiar feeling of an airport flight delay from his past life. After waiting nearly two hours, the broadcast finally sounded an announcement. The group stepped into the teleportation array. Accompanied by a flash of white light and roughly ten minutes of shaking, Karen and the others appeared on a small island. Ahead lay a dock, where a ship was moored. Around the teleportation array, a squad of knights was patrolling. After stepping out, everyone had to stretch and loosen their bodies. This was by far the worst experience Karen had ever had with a teleportation array—it felt as though his body were about to fall apart. The reason was simple: the teleportation array at the reception point was a crude, temporary one. The Church of Samsara was not like Dark Moon Island; even though they were defeated, they would never allow the Church of Order to establish a permanent teleportation point inside their Samsara Valley. After arriving here, the next leg was taking a boat to Samsara Valley. It wouldn't take too long; it was around noon now, and they should arrive by tomorrow morning. It was just that everyone had originally assumed a single teleportation array would take them straight to their destination, never expecting a transfer would be necessary. On the dock, Karen also saw many Samsara priests. This island was likely under temporary joint administration by the two great churches, or perhaps the Church of Order was only permitted to use it under Church of Samsara surveillance. However, no one on the Order side felt any humiliation at being watched. This was equivalent to setting up a teleportation point right at the front door of someone else's holy see; it was only natural for them to be nervous. After all... the Church of Order had beaten the Church of Samsara into submission using teleportation arrays. The passenger ship was quite spacious. Each squad member had a single room with a simple washroom. Karen took a shower, changed out of his clerical robe into casual clothes, and lay down on the bed. He had developed a habit back in the Hound Squad: before a mission began, seize every available moment to get as much sleep as possible. Eating and drinking could be resolved quickly, but sleep required time. After napping for an hour, a knock came at the door, followed by Ventura's and Muri's voices outside. Immediately after, Muri opened the door and walked in, carrying two trays of food. Karen sat up, took a tray, and said, "Thanks." Muri sat on the chair while Karen sat on the edge of the bed, the two of them eating. After finishing the food, Muri picked up the trays and prepared to leave. Karen asked in confusion, "Didn't you have something to say?" Muri shook his head, sighed, and walked out of the room. After eating, Karen went out on the deck for a walk. The sea here was peculiar: there were hardly any waves, but the fog was growing visibly thicker. When they had first boarded, it was only a light mist, but now visibility was already quite low. "Captain Karen?" Karen turned around and saw Growen walking over. "Hello, Leader." Growen nodded, pointing toward the heavy fog in the distance. "Later tonight, in the second half of the night, if you still feel like taking a stroll out here, you can borrow the searchlight above to shine down. You'll be able to see quite a few phantom skiffs floating on the sea." "Phantom skiffs?" "They don't truly exist—they're just a form of spiritual imprint recorded by this thick fog. The closer you get to Samsara Valley, the more active souls become. You could also understand it as an alteration of certain rules." "So that's how it is. Leader, have you been here many times before?" "The resident priests have rotated through many terms, but I've served as the deputy military attaché beside them for three consecutive terms." Karen knew that a resident priest here was equivalent to an ambassador between nations. "I'm quite fond of this place." Growen leaned his back against the railing. "It's always very easy to find peace here. Sometimes, I deliberately go to the border of Samsara Valley to look out at the walking corpses marching in lines in the distance." Growen waved his hand lightly and continued, "Life and death lose their traditional sense of boundaries there, creating a unique aesthetic." Karen nodded. "I can imagine that feeling." "Yet that beauty doesn't make you linger. Instead, you constantly think about destroying it. It's like a brand-new book with a dog-eared page—you know it's wrong, and you want to smooth it out, but you can never manage to do so." Karen didn't know why this leader was sharing so much with him. "Alright, there's a matter I need to discuss with you. Come to my room." "Yes, Leader." Karen followed Growen to his room. To Karen's surprise, Ventura was already standing inside, holding a letter and reading it. "Whose letter is that?" Karen asked. "Captain, it's a letter from my grandparents." "Couldn't they just call?" Karen asked. This letter must have been sent via teleportation array express; otherwise, it couldn't have reached this place so quickly. Ventura couldn't possibly bear to spend such a large sum of point coupons on sending and receiving letters. More importantly, the hotel telephone allowed free long-distance calls, even if the connection took a bit longer. So was the purpose of this letter to tug at Ventura's heartstrings at this moment, or was it... a form of threat? Karen's cautious nature made him habitually anticipate the worst, and what was unfolding before his eyes was indeed unnatural. Growen produced a letter, opened the envelope, and pulled out a new document, handing it first to Ventura. After reading it, Ventura's eyes went wide. Karen reached out and took it. The document was an order commanding Ventura to use his own body as a vessel to carry Furnites's soul back. It was stamped and signed by several people. "What is the meaning of this?" Karen asked. Growen put a cigarette between his lips, lit it, and exhaled a smoke ring. "Can't you read, Captain Karen?" "I mean, can safety be guaranteed?" Growen chuckled. "If safety could be guaranteed, there would be no need to issue a separate order. Once we land on the island, we will give you Furnites's token out of the two tokens. It will be kept by Ventura. Array patterns tailored to his soul characteristics have already been inscribed on it, making it easier to summon and carry the returning soul through the token." "If I'm not mistaken, the array also suppresses the user's soul, doesn't it?" "Of course. Otherwise, how could it receive the soul effectively?" "This is gambling with Ventura's life." This was equivalent to stabbing one's own soul first, then guiding another soul inside to push one's own soul aside and seize control of the body. This was not a soul contract; this was outright usurpation! "Yes, that's right. That is why the church will reward him. Whether it succeeds or fails, his family will be honorably provided for by the church." "I cannot accept this," Karen said. "I understand how you feel, Captain Karen, but this is his duty. We are all loyal to the church, loyal to the God of Order. Giving everything for the church is the duty of every one of us." "You are twisting concepts. If a church war broke out and someone died on the battlefield, or if someone died saving comrades during a mission—sacrificing in those circumstances is truly a sacrifice. "Yet to demand someone prepare for sacrifice in advance simply to bring back two souls whose current state even you cannot be sure of—I cannot accept that. "Ventura is still very young. He is talented. Do you know how much effort and hardship he went through to get where he is today? "Our faith in Order should not be trampled like this." "Captain Karen, I understand your feelings, but I'm sorry, this decision has already been made by the higher-ups. Ventura is one of the most suitable candidates." "And who is the other person?" "Captain Muri. He already knows his duty, and he has agreed." "We don't agree on our side." "Someone must make sacrifices. This is an established order. Violating orders will bring punishment down on the entire squad! Besides, Captain Karen, if we don't choose Ventura and choose you instead, would you be willing?" "I am willing!" Karen said without the slightest hesitation. He wanted to see whether Furnites's soul could push into and occupy his body—something even Raniedal had failed to achieve. Karen agreeing so decisively caught Growen off guard, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words. "If this matter cannot be changed, fine. I request that the vessel be changed to me. I will take Ventura's place." "Ventura is the most suitable candidate; it has already been confirmed." "You can dial up the array's intensity on the token. The difference won't be that great—isn't it just acting as a vessel?" "Heh, the roster is already confirmed. It cannot be—" "Leader, either switch it to me, or in my capacity as captain, I will lead my squad in refusing to enter the Gate of Samsara. That is my bottom line." "No, let me do it, Captain! It should be me, I'm the most suitable..." Thud! Ventura was kicked flat onto the floor by Karen. Immediately after, Karen stared at Growen and said with utter seriousness, "Please make your choice, Leader. I know you have the authority to make this change." "Are you serious?" Growen looked back at Karen. "Yes. If loyalty is to be dedicated to Order, I don't wish to yield this honor to someone else. Praise the great... God of Order!" "Heh." Growen smiled. "I admire you, Captain Karen." "You agree?" "Yes, I agree. The token-binding ceremony will be held tonight. Please attend on time." "I will." Karen walked out of Growen's room, just in time to see Muri leaning against the hallway wall with his arms crossed. He looked at Karen with a faint smile. At that moment, Ventura caught up, saying, "Captain, I can't let you take my place, I should..." Thud! Karen delivered another kick to Ventura, who rolled across the floor and banged the back of his head against a metal door with a loud clatter. Muri looked somewhat surprised and said to Karen, "You replaced your squad member?" "Yes." "I admire you." "Thank you." "I did it because of my grandfather's 'loving care.' What about you?" Karen looked over at Ventura, who was picking himself up and seemingly preparing to come over and get kicked again. In his heart, Karen thought: "I did it because of a grandfather's loving care, too."