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Chapter: Moon God Khonshu

"But the quality is okay, and..." Khonshu seemed to be searching for something when suddenly, a flash of light flickered on the demon statue and then abruptly expanded, transforming into a real demon.

After the demon appeared, Khonshu stood stunned for a moment, examining his hands, before speaking excitedly: "This statue is truly remarkable!"

It became evident that it was Kongsi's soul controlling the demon.

"But could you give me another one? I'm not fond of demons," Khonshu requested.

Forseti didn't respond directly, instead asking, "Are you the former high priest, Khonshu, who betrayed Apocalypse?"

"Yes, I am also known as the Moon God," Khonshu replied. He gestured with both hands, causing the surrounding moonlight to transform into tiny particles of light that flowed into his body.

After absorbing some moonlight, Khonshu visibly improved, his voice growing stronger.

Unable to resist his curiosity, Forseti asked, "Why did you betray Apocalypse in the first place?"

"Ah," Khonshu sighed bitterly. "When I was loyal to Apocalypse, I was unaware of his true nature. It was only later that I gradually realized his cruelty... He has no boundaries."

"Every time Apocalypse is reborn, he transfers his soul to a new body, using others' lives to extend his own. Some of those new bodies were stolen, others deceived."

"Transferring souls?"

Khonshu nodded solemnly. "Yes. Some powers eagerly seek Apocalypse's favor, and he grants their wishes in exchange for their willingness to sacrifice their bodies. However, Apocalypse never truly fulfills his promises; instead, he uses tricks to deceive them. To him, even trivial promises are irrelevant."

Forseti remained silent, nodding thoughtfully.

Khonshu was taken aback. "What?"

"Your wealth and knowledge—you won't break your promises like Apocalypse," Forseti stated.

Khonshu hesitated for a moment before responding, "Uh, about that..."

After a pause, he continued, "Well, could you do me one more favor? If you're willing to help me, I'll share all my knowledge with you."

"What do you need?"

Khonshu pointed at himself. "Could you change me into a better statue, at least not a demon? It makes me uncomfortable."

Forseti shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid that's not possible. This statue is known as the 'Demon Statue,' and it can only be a demon."

Khonshu frowned. "Then could you teach me how to make the demon statue, and I'll improve it myself? I'm quite skilled in this."

Forseti was about to refuse when he reconsidered. "It's not entirely impossible, but you must agree to three conditions."

"First, you must instruct me on how to improve the demon statue."

"Alright," Khonshu agreed.

"Secondly, during this time, I have certain tasks related to Apocalypse that I must complete, and you must assist me to the best of your abilities," Forseti continued. "You mentioned earlier that you are still the designer of the city of Serbenitus, correct?"

"Yes, no one knows this city better than me," Khonshu affirmed.

"Good," Forseti nodded. "Thirdly, before I rescued you, you must have mentioned changing the statue. Therefore, you must provide me with at least some of your wealth and knowledge."

"This..." Khonshu hesitated briefly before reluctantly agreeing. "Alright, follow me."

The two immediately departed, with Khonshu leading Forseti to a secluded, uninhabited corner of Serbenitus.

They arrived at what appeared to be an abandoned stable, its interior somewhat disordered.

Khonshu stood behind the stables, gathered moonlight in his palm, and tapped the ground, causing it to ripple like water and reveal a narrow passage.

"This is the secret passage I constructed," Khonshu explained before entering.

Forseti followed, casting light with the Holy Light Illumination Technique.

Khonshu glanced back at the Holy Light, his eyes briefly betraying surprise, though he said nothing and continued forward.

The secret passage wound its way underground, twisting and turning for nearly a hundred meters before finally reaching a golden gate.

Approaching the gate, Forseti marveled, "What is this gate made of?"

"Sun metal," Khonshu replied. "The same material used at the top of the Pyramid of Rebirth—strong, beautiful, magic-friendly, and capable of drawing energy from sunlight. Only two people in the world know how to forge sun metal."

"You and Apocalypse?"

"Correct."

Forseti touched the sun metal, confirming its exceptional quality akin to immortal copper—it was undoubtedly the finest metal on Earth, surpassing even Wakanda's rare vibranium.

Khonshu pressed his hand against the gate, causing it to slowly swing open with a resounding boom, revealing a secret chamber inside.

The room was not large, entirely constructed from sun metal.

At its center lay a heap of gold and silver jewelry, though they appeared ordinary, arousing little interest from Forseti.

Khonshu sighed. "I never expected to return here one day. I thought these treasures would fall into the hands of tomb raiders."

A bookshelf in the corner displayed a dozen ancient tomes. Khonshu selected a few and stowed them away, stating, "I won't give you these books for now; the rest is yours."

Forseti accepted without hesitation, distributing the gold and silver jewelry to Khonshu.

Initially unimpressed, Khonshu's expression gradually turned incredulous. "Your storage item is so vast?"

In truth, Forseti had not utilized the Holy Deed for storage, opting instead to donate the items directly. The text and images on the Holy Deed were concealed from view, giving the impression of internal storage.

All the jewelry was donated by Forseti, save for a few special pieces that he retained, recognizing their uniqueness.

Khonshu examined his depleted treasure, momentarily displaying a trace of regret.

"You mentioned a mission in Serbenitus related to Apocalypse. What can I do to assist you?" Khonshu turned and asked, observing his diminishing wealth.

"Apocalypse likely confines the new body somewhere before the rebirth ritual. Are you familiar with this location? I aim to rescue someone," Forseti explained.

"I am familiar indeed," Khonshu affirmed. "As the city's designer, I can confirm its heavy fortifications, guarded by legions of powers and Apocalypse's knights. Only a direct assault will suffice—if you lack the strength, it's best to avoid such a venture."

Forseti nodded thoughtfully but suddenly narrowed his eyes, fixating on a shimmering necklace amid the treasure pile.

This necklace emitted an unusual energy fluctuation, immediately catching his attention.

With a decisive gesture, Forseti retrieved and stored it within the Holy Deed.

[High-value item, dedication exchangeable for spell: Holy Light Infusion]