Chapter 178

178: Origin

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍moment Jasmine spoke those words, everyone present, including Sauron himself, instantly froze in surprise.

What ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did she just say? The first one was understandable enough, but the second and third...

"I ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍see. So you've learned quite a lot from that old man!"

Sauron ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the first to recover. He smiled slightly and nodded in Jasmine's direction, his eyes full of approval and satisfaction.

"Grandfather ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍knew all along that you hadn't died. And regarding the origins of Lina and myself, he knew from the very first moment he saw us when we joined the Church."

"Naturally. ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍After all, the characteristics of white hair and golden eyes can basically be considered the mark of the Gregory lineage among humans. It's just a pity that there are too many variables in modern times, making these physical traits that could once have served as proof of identity no longer particularly unusual."

"Wait, Jasmine! What are you two talking about? Why can't I understand a single word?"

Finally, Lina couldn't hold back anymore. She interrupted the conversation between Jasmine and Sauron, voicing the confusion that everyone else shared.

"What did you just call him? Zophi? Father?"

"Yes, Zophi Gregory. Sauron's real name, and also... our biological father..."

"That Zophi Gregory? The previous wielder of the Spear of Destiny [Longinus]? The Old Pope's only son? Didn't he die a long time ago?"

Amya couldn't hold back either. She looked at Sauron, then at Jasmine and Lina, truly unable to see any resemblance between them.

"If even Miss Amya the angel couldn't tell, then my disguise must have been quite successful!"

Sauron chuckled as he stroked his beard. He slowly walked to the edge of the blood pool, turned around to face everyone, and spoke calmly.

"Consider this one of the compensations for my failure as a father. If you have any questions, please ask freely. I will tell you everything I know."

"Then tell me! What exactly is going on with the black mud and Death Magic? What's happening with Jasmine's body? And the truth about that incident back then, as well as Howard's matter..."

Before anyone else could speak, Lina immediately bombarded him with all her questions. Sauron smiled helplessly and said, "Little Lina, I can tell you everything you want to know, but please ask one question at a time. At my age, I'm afraid I can't explain so many questions all at once!"

"Then first tell me about Jasmine's situation!"

Lina didn't hesitate to choose Jasmine's matter as her first question.

"Jasmine... what she said just now was correct. She took the initiative to bear all the black mud's curse in order to protect you. You've seen Howard's Recording Orb, so you should have a basic understanding of the black mud and Death Magic. Death Magic, in essence, is the curse of a fallen god. Its manifestation is that pitch-black mire, like an abyss that swallows everything."

"Research into Death Magic has always been one of the Descent Faction's directions. But because the black mud, while granting power to life, will gradually pollute and assimilate it, ultimately turning it into a monster that knows only bloodlust and violence, even after so many years of research, the Descent Faction's progress has remained negligible."

"Until... the first variable appeared."

Sauron gazed intently at Jasmine and continued speaking.

"That time, the experimental subject was a girl we brought from the orphanage. And among the other experimental subjects brought with her was her younger sister. After witnessing the cruelty of the black mud experiments, that girl actively begged us to conduct the experiments on her instead. If she could succeed, we would not harm her sister."

"And during the experiment, that girl displayed astonishing willpower. With a mortal body, she miraculously broke through the first round of experiments. This was the first time the Descent Faction had achieved such breakthrough progress since beginning research into Death Magic!"

"...But as far as I know, that experiment ultimately failed."

After listening to Sauron's words, Lina remained silent for a long time before speaking.

"Indeed. Those with magic resistance are already one in ten thousand. That girl's magic resistance was ultimately too low. She didn't survive the second round of experiments."

At this point, even Sauron shook his head with some regret.

"Howard was still too young back then... As the person in charge of the Descent Faction's Death Magic experiments, he failed to recognize the key point immediately and simply treated it as a mere accident."

"But I was different! After being invited by him to watch the records of that experiment, I immediately saw the key point! Emotion is humanity's most powerful force! It is the power named [Love]! And the black mud will only recognize life forms that harbor [Love] in their hearts!"

"...But [Love] alone is not enough. Those who accept the black mud must first have sufficiently powerful magic resistance! Otherwise, the outcome will be the same as that girl's, ultimately swallowed by the black mud!"

Hearing this, Lina was already feeling chills down her spine. And just then, Jasmine beside her also spoke quietly.

"And that's why Lina and I exist, right?"

"Correct. Among humans, what magic user family could compare to us Gregories in terms of magic resistance? Therefore, I created you."

"Wait, I suddenly want to ask, who is Jasmine and Lina's mother?"

Amya suddenly spoke up, and she asked a heavyweight question.

But Sauron's answer slightly disappointed her burning curiosity about the gossip.

"Mother? I'm sorry, but I long ago made a vow to dedicate my life to following the Lord's path. I had no heart for romance. As for casually finding a woman to serve as the mother, that was not something I, bearing the glory of the Gregory lineage, could bring myself to do."

"Then how did you accomplish it?"

"Using the power of [Longinus] to manipulate [Fate], combining my own magic power and essence, I performed a miracle close to ancient alchemy to successively create two lives. Only in this way could I guarantee that they would retain to the greatest extent the powerful magic resistance passed down through our Gregory lineage since ancient times."

"You're unbelievable..."

"So that incident back then was also..."

Ignoring Amya's sarcastic remarks, Lina stared intently at Sauron, her voice trembling as she asked.

"Yes, that fire in the residential building was indeed artificially orchestrated. The purpose was to enable Howard to legitimately take you in, laying the groundwork for the smooth implementation of the later plan."

"As for what happened after, you can probably guess."

"At my suggestion, Howard first approached Jasmine, who was slightly older. And she, as I predicted, chose on her own to bear the black mud's curse alone, in exchange for Lina's safety."