Chapter 1813: Chapter 1813

"Who on earth did I manage to piss off tonight?"

Jenkins complained under his breath, turning the unicorn's head and urging it to fly faster, away from the contingent from the churches.

Of course, he didn't forget to put away his cane, guiding the unicorn downward so he could scoop up a black metal sword.

"Have the red dragon follow me to prevent these specters from losing control again and returning to their original target," he shouted back.

Without waiting for the church members to discuss whether they should follow the Believer of Lies' instructions, the red dragon spread its wings and immediately gave chase, joining the spectral cavalry with their frost-covered hooves as they followed the unicorn into the distance.

The unicorn's speed was incredible, yet the specters somehow managed to keep pace. The red dragon, with its wings fully extended, could just about keep up. Such a velocity wasn't entirely unattainable for humans, but those who could achieve it were not present tonight.

After all, the original plan was for the red dragon to lead the specters in circles around the Nolan region at a speed humans could follow. No one could have foreseen that they would end up chasing a unicorn flying at full tilt.

Regardless, it counted as the Believer of Lies containing the enemy. Even knowing they couldn't catch up, they dispatched the demigods from the Nature Church and the Church of Death and End to pursue, while the others landed to clean up the battlefield. At the same time, they immediately contacted the Evergreen Forest, both to investigate what had gone wrong and to request more support.

They weren't particularly worried about the unicorn, the specters, and the dragon disappearing. The cursed item's very nature restricted its range of activity. Although the specters were now behaving inconsistently with the church's records, the Believer of Lies had no reason to leave Nolan.

"Sword Dance: Whirling Blades!"

A white halo of light, with the ascending unicorn at its center, spun and expanded. The whirling sword light swept across everything in its path with a ferocious momentum, blooming like a white flower in the night sky.

As the light neared the oncoming spectral cavalry, the three leading specters simultaneously raised their hands. A dim, dark light radiated from the palms of their gauntlets, and the phantom of a skeletal dragon materialized in the air, forcefully blocking the outwardly spiraling halo.

But the "Whirling Blade Dance" wasn't so easily broken. The skeletal dragon's phantom held for less than two seconds before dissipating. That was enough, however, for the specters to change direction, allowing a third of their forces to survive the attack.

The display startled the red dragon flying in from behind. It flapped its wings hesitantly, stopping at the perimeter, unsure if it should approach.

Only when the dense, thread-like sword light completely vanished did the unicorn cease its ascent. Jenkins glanced at the distant red dragon, knowing that he would likely only get answers from it. But first, he had to deal with the enemies before him; only then would he have time for questions.

While the specters were regrouping for their next charge, Jenkins took out his notebook, tore out a blank page, and tossed it into the air. As it danced on the night wind, the distinct ritual array of Psychography was seared onto its surface.

With a flick of his right hand, he offered up the holy water from his regenerated Flask of Holy Spring Water and the black metal sword he had just picked up as sacrifices.

As the page drifted away on the wind, a plume of cold, dark smoke billowed from it and rushed toward Jenkins. When the smoke cleared, Mr. Augustus, clad in a black robe, stood materialized in the night sky.

"Good evening, Jenkins. I feel like I've been showing up rather frequently lately. Is something the matter?" he asked with a smile, removing his hood. Then he noticed the dozens of fully-armored knights surging with cold mist below.

"These things count as souls, right? They should fall under your jurisdiction. Don't tell me those aren't specters inside that terrifying black iron armor," Jenkins said.

"They are indeed specters. Oh, so it's those dragon-hunting madmen. How did they get out again? My apologies, I'll take them away right now..."

Mr. Augustus suddenly stopped talking. He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and squinted as if trying to get a better look.

"Something's not right. These are definitely those madmen, but how did they become ? What power is this?"

He looked up and around, his confusion deepening when he saw the red dragon in the distance. "Jenkins, wait a moment. I'm going to go ask about this. I'll be right back."

With that, he dissolved into a howling cloud of black smoke and plunged into a dark void that had appeared beside him.

Only a descendant of the Lord of Death could come and go so freely. Jenkins certainly didn't believe all death messengers could enter and exit the material world at will, let alone just "go back and ask."

Mr. Augustus returned in less than ten seconds, dressed exactly as he had been before he left.

He shook his head at Jenkins. "My apologies. Since these madmen have come to the material world and you've found us, they should naturally be our responsibility. But I've just received word that I am not to interfere."

"This matter involves certain secrets that cannot be spoken of."

He glanced toward the red dragon. "But it probably knows. You understand, but I cannot speak plainly."

"If that's the case, I think I understand," Jenkins said, flourishing the White Bone Holy Sword through the air, leaving two arcing white trails of light lingering beside him. "Then I'll wait until I've repelled these enemies to ask that dragon. I think I have an idea what this is about."

"Jenkins, I can help you. As things stand, your victory is already a foreseeable outcome, so there's no need for you to act. Let me. I can't interfere too much in this matter, so I'll leave immediately after dealing with these specters. According to the rules, they will appear one more time, and you'll have to handle them on your own then.

I look forward to our next meeting."

With that, Mr. Augustus flew past Jenkins and dove downward with his arms outstretched. A series of crisp sounds, like wind chimes, rang in the air, and then Jenkins realized it wasn't chimes, but horse bells.

He and the cat, which had poked its head out of his pocket, watched as Mr. Augustus vanished into a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke cleared, a black-cloaked man drove a spectral carriage, carving a terrible path through the sky—a river crowded with souls.

It crashed into the specters below, and a cloud of black smoke nearly swallowed everything. When the dust settled, the sky was empty, leaving only Jenkins's party and the red dragon.

"You, get over here," he called to the dragon, which was still circling hesitantly in the distance. The red dragon visibly flinched and refused to come closer. So, Jenkins had the unicorn fly over to it. The dragon wanted to flee but felt it would be rude, so it could only watch as the unicorn drew nearer.

The small beast called out to it, though its meaning was unclear.

"I am Jenkins Williams," he stated plainly. The dragon immediately shook its head.

"I didn't hear a thing."

"Stop playing dumb. Before the last wave of specters appears, tell me what's going on. When you gave me the Dragon Soul, you never said anything about this."

Sparks flew from the red dragon's nostrils. "You know as well as I do that matters concerning a Savior can never be discussed openly."

It was the first time Jenkins had seen a dragon be so evasive.

"The Four King Souls themselves are tied to the secrets of an ancient epoch, and now they've been chosen by the eighteenth. The mysteries hidden within are something even I can't fully comprehend. Even if you ask me, I can't answer... Don't look at me like that. I haven't been charged with the responsibility of guiding you, but perhaps I can offer a hint—have you met the wielders of the other King Souls?"

"Then have the King Souls manifested any effect through them? The Four King Souls are myths and legends forged by humanity—not matter, not information, not energy, but concepts. Even if all four aren't gathered, they shouldn't be completely inert. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The red dragon asked. Jenkins thought of Sigrid, of Dolores. Miss Windsor didn't count, as the Dark Soul hadn't fully matured yet. But the Tree Soul and the Ice Soul truly seemed to have shown no power in them. Sigrid hadn't even been affected when she lost the Tree Soul.

"The King Souls don't just need to be possessed, they also require a process similar to an awakening?" Jenkins asked.

The dragon immediately shook its head.

"I didn't say anything~"

"Then I understand. That death messenger told me those specters were different from how he knew them. I suppose the awakening process of the Dragon Soul affected them."

"I didn't say a thing... You know a death messenger? I always thought those strange fellows in black robes were mute," the red dragon said.

"The question now is, does every King Soul have to go through an awakening process to be effective?"

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The red dragon shook its head again. Jenkins ignored it, took out the miner's lamp, and spoke the Star Spirit's name. "Rakul."

The vast sea of stars, though ever-changing, seemed eternally constant. The bespectacled Star Spirit stood above the shimmering silver stars, looking curiously at Jenkins.

"Good evening. I'm short on time, so I'll get straight to the point. Do you know about the human legend of the Four King Souls?"

The Star Spirit hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I know a little."

"Do all Four King Souls need a process similar to an awakening before they can be effective?"

The Star Spirit gave a direct answer, making it clear that the ancient beings of the cosmos were far more knowledgeable than the red dragon.