Chapter 555 - 318: Sinner

Chapter 555: Chapter 318: Sinner

Rhine contemplated the question Roya had asked him.

’What exactly could be called chaos?’

’Riots? Fear? The unknown? Randomness? Deliberate sabotage? Intentional mischief?’

’Could these things alone be called chaos?’

’If the Secret Sea is destined for destruction, if this is an absolute certainty, would you want to experience what it feels like to destroy it?’

Rhine’s answer was... he wanted to.

But at the same time, he didn’t.

Because if he didn’t do it, maybe the Secret Sea wouldn’t be destroyed.

"If you really want to see what it’s like, I’m willing to give you the chance."

That’s what Roya had said.

Then, he pulled a large red button out of his crotch.

"Want to give it a try?"

"The Secret Sea is done for anyway."

Only Rhine saw him do it.

For the first time, Rhine, who had always been so carefree, felt a true sense of gravity...

"If you don’t press it, I will."

"And you can’t possibly snatch this button from me. Therefore, this is something you’re powerless to prevent."

"So, faced with this situation, what will you decide? Ahaha."

Roya chuckled nonchalantly, one hand behind his head.

His other arm stretched out, long and straight like Luffy’s from *Pirate Monarch*, bringing the huge red button right in front of Rhine. It practically begged to be pressed.

Decisions, choices...

Rhine had always believed that everything in this world followed some predetermined fate.

So, it was best to just drift through life, taking things as they came.

If he died, he’d just chalk it up to bad luck. After all, in this goddamn world, you could be doing absolutely nothing and still get vaporized by the aftershock of some powerhouse’s fight.

And even if you tried to do something, it all came down to luck.

If your luck was good, everything you did would go smoothly. If your luck was bad, no matter how careful you were, you’d end up getting killed by some accident eventually.

So... any effort was just a waste of time.

It felt like no decision he made had any real impact on the outcome.

At least, that’s what Rhine had always believed, up until now.

So what if he became Yakadikto’s Inheritor? Rhine was well aware of his own strength. He was just an ordinary Level 6 Reincarnator who had gotten a bit lucky and stumbled into this position.

In terms of strength, he was just an ordinary person.

Among the Inheritors of the great Divine Spirits, his combat power would undoubtedly be dead last.

But now... Roya had placed this bizarre choice in front of him.

’How should I choose?’

’A normal person definitely wouldn’t press it, right?’

"Uh, if you’re not willing."

"How about I sweeten the deal with a Gold Coin? What do you say?"

"If you press it, I’ll give you one Gold Coin."

"If I press it, you get nothing."

SLAP—

Rhine slapped the red button.

THUMP—

THUMP—

THUMP—

Rhine’s heart was pounding wildly. It had never beaten so fast in his entire life!

Rhine himself didn’t even know why he had pressed it.

It was just one Gold Coin. This wasn’t about the coin.

’It’s just... this feels so insane!’

’Since the Secret Sea is doomed to destruction, why can’t the final decision be in my hands?’

"Haha... You’re kidding, right? As if the power over the life and death of the Secret Sea could be decided by a single red button."

"I just hit it for fun," Rhine laughed loudly.

However, the look Roya gave Rhine was anything but a joke.

"You’re actually pretty crazy, you know, Rhine."

"Perhaps, instead of Yakadikto, you should consider Aigemisa."

"Of course, I’m not sticking up for that mad one. I’m just saying... you’re a better fit."

Roya flashed a provocative smile.

The instant he did,

Rhine saw a colossal ball of golden light manifest before him.

An eye, with a pupil so immense it defied all description, materialized in his sight.

The very instant he saw it,

Rhine felt his life coming to an end.

At the same time, he also had a premonition of an impending Doomsday. The Secret Sea... was about to be destroyed.

...

"Lord Zuya."

"I was defeated by someone. I have lost the Divine Artifact..."

A faint Oracle descended from the Abyss of the Sea.

In a remote corner of the Abyss of the Sea, a faint glimmer of light drifted down.

In the darkness of the Abyss of the Sea, Yelieya listened to a distant voice. It was the sacred voice of Zuya, a call from afar.

The celestial voice was serene.

Yelieya felt as if she were being baptized by a heavenly sound. Zuya didn’t care about the Divine Artifact she had lost.

She received Zuya’s forgiveness...

’So, this had been part of Lord Zuya’s plan all along.’

’Ah—’

’Lord Zuya, you are truly worthy of your title as the all-knowing Moon.’

’So my failure was also part of your grand design? Understanding the Moon’s intentions, Yelieya’s heart was put at ease.’

The Oracle washed over Yelieya.

Yelieya listened quietly to Zuya’s pronouncement. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

"I am your most loyal believer. Whatever your will may be... I will carry it out."

Yelieya looked up at the light, and from within it, a golden key slowly descended.

"Open... the Seal of Light..."

"Lord Zuya, may I know what is within this Seal?"

"Of course! If you would rather not say, I shall not press the matter!"

Yelieya spoke with reverence to the lone ray of light.

"It is... the Original Sea?"

"Isn’t this the ultimate taboo from the scriptures?"

"If it is unleashed upon the world..."

Yelieya’s hand, clutching the Key of Light, trembled.

’I’m to become the Destroyer of the Secret Sea?’

’So... it was me all along?’

’Then how laughable was everything I just did?’

’I wanted to prevent the destruction of the Secret Sea. I accused that person, tried to stop him from arranging the Pure White Descent Ritual, all to keep him from destroying the Secret Sea.’

"Lord Zuya."

"Why..."

Yelieya struggled with anguish in her heart. She couldn’t understand why Zuya would issue such an Oracle.

Yelieya pleaded in agony.

But the ray of light before her had already vanished.

Zuya’s voice was gone as well.

Leaving her utterly alone in the Abyss of the Sea...

The Abyss of the Sea was cold.

As a Level 6 Reincarnator, she shouldn’t have felt cold. Yet right now, Yelieya felt the bleak winds of the pitch-black Abyss of the Sea chilling her to the very bone.

’The Light I believe in is absolute justice.’

’But what the Light is asking me to do now...’

’Is it truly just?’

Yelieya gripped the Key of Light, her eyes filled with confusion.

In the end, she tightened her grip forcefully... and continued her descent.

’I am the Inheritor whom Zuya trusts.’

’He entrusted this great responsibility to me. Lord Zuya must have His profound reasons for this.’

’Perhaps this is to prevent an even greater sacrifice.’

’How can a mere mortal like me presume to fathom the will of a god?’

’But... do I really have to do this?’

Though Yelieya tried to convince herself, the pain in her heart did not lessen in the slightest.

Yelieya wished more than anything that an enemy would appear at this moment, that someone would come and kill her.

To end her mission.

But the long, drawn-out journey was eerily calm; she didn’t see a single living thing.

As she descended, she couldn’t even sense any danger.

Yelieya clutched the Key of Light to her chest, descending like a bright, vertical beam of light plummeting into the Abyss.

’This is a horrible feeling.’

Yelieya hated the Abyss more than anything. It was the antithesis of the bright, magnificent Celestial Realm.

And yet, here she was, falling into that very Abyss.

’It’s so cold...’

As she fell, she finally saw it growing brighter and brighter below.

The Key of Light was guiding her.

A colossal prison-palace woven from countless beams of light appeared before Yelieya.

Yelieya knew what she had to do, and how to do it.

There were no superfluous steps.

Even a fool would know to insert the key into the keyhole.

’Is no one here?’

’Is no one going to stop me?’

Yelieya extended her Perception in all directions but detected not a single sign of life.

THUNK—

The Key of Light slid into the keyhole.

A gentle turn.

Yelieya could feel countless chains snapping with the turn of her key. The Seal of Light was breaking. Something that had been pinned down fast by the Light was now Awakening.

But...

its Awakening was incomplete.

After the Seal was undone, it fell silent again.

Yelieya’s heart filled with trepidation.

’Could it be... a failure?’

’If that’s the case, that would be wonderful.’

’If only...’

BOOM!

Her relief was momentary, however, as she watched the entire palace of light burst apart!

A wall of gold and white materialized before her.

Yelieya’s body shattered in an instant.

’So... it was released after all.’

’The Original Sea.’

’Lord Zuya... I have completed the mission You bestowed upon me.’

’But why do I feel this indelible stain of sin upon my hands?’

’Was what I did... truly just?’

’Am I... the sinner who destroyed the Secret Sea?’