Chapter 161: The Healing Power Of Time!

"Yuzuru, what should we do?" one of the two figures in the basement asked, breaking the tense silence.

They were twin girls, nearly identical in appearance. Though twins are not rare, a pair with such sweet faces and contrasting temperaments was an unusual sight.

"Don't be afraid, Kaguya," Yuzuru reassured her. "Those monsters can't get in. We've locked the basement door, haven't we? You'll be fine!"

"But Yuzuru," Kaguya countered, "I saw something on that evolutionary forum. They're telling people to go out and kill those zombies! We can't stay hidden down here forever, can we?"

This made both girls fall silent for a moment.

"Yuzuru, the people on the forum say those zombies are slow and stupid! Please, let me out!"

"No!" Yuzuru's voice grew stern. "Our parents are gone! I'm the older sister, and as the younger sister, you have to listen to me, Kaguya. Understand?"

"But I'm suffocating in here. I can't take this anymore!"

"No!" Yuzuru cut her off. "It's too dangerous outside! The world is full of monsters. Kaguya, you must stay with me. Always stay by my side. I'll protect you."

Her tone shifted, growing sharper, almost hysterical. Another stretch of heavy silence followed.

Then, Yuzuru spoke again, her voice darker this time. "Someone's here. Someone has entered our house! I know you've always been obedient, Kaguya. You didn't want to leave until this stranger arrived. It's because of him, isn't it?"

A twisted expression spread across her face as she continued, "Don't worry, Kaguya. I'll kill him. I'll kill the intruder, and then you'll never want to leave me again. Just wait here. I'm going to kill him."

Meanwhile, half an hour earlier, farther to the west...

At the Vatican Cathedral, inside a dimly lit chamber, a group of figures stood before an ornate table. Leading them was a man in gleaming silver armor.

Despite the modern age, remnants of the old Holy See still lingered. The Pope, the cardinals, and the Knights Templar were still active, though the apocalypse had brought great change. The former Pope and the elder cardinals had become bloodthirsty monsters, leaving the head of the Knights as the new leader of the Holy See.

"Lord Lorca, this is the Holy See's treasure hoard. Everything here has been blessed by God Himself," one of the priests announced.

Lorca, leader of the Knights, surveyed the items without much interest. The relics and artifacts meant little to him until his gaze landed on one particular object—a long spear.

"The Spear of Longinus," Lorca murmured. "A treasure blessed by our Lord, with the power to judge all heresies and evils. With this artifact restored, the glory of the Holy See will shine across the world once more!"

"Congratulations, Lord Lorca!" the cardinals cheered in unison. "You are truly the most noble representative of our God on Kepler!"

At this moment, within the church bathed in sacred light, something was amiss. The Spear of Longinus, an artifact that was once supposed to glow with divine brilliance, now remained nothing more than a cold, lifeless piece of metal.

This unsettling sight gradually calmed Lorca's excitement. His blue eyes fixated on the Holy Spear, his mind racing. Just days ago, the spear had indeed radiated a brilliant light. Though no one could approach it back then, it had unmistakably been a revived, powerful relic.

But now? Now that the light had faded, and the spear finally rested in his hands, there was no response—nothing at all. How could this be?

Lorca stood frozen, stunned by the contradiction. Could it be that the glowing aura surrounding the spear in recent days had been nothing but an illusion? His eyes darted around the room, searching for answers.

Compared to the red-robed priests surrounding him, Lorca—the young head of the Knights Templar—was less knowledgeable about the intricate history of the Holy See. Noticing his concern, the priests exchanged uneasy glances, until one of them seemed to remember something. Rushing to the depths of the Holy See's archives, the priest returned quickly, holding a weathered manuscript.

"I found it," he announced. "There's a record from the Middle Ages. It says that a loyal plague angel, sent by our Lord, descended upon the world. But in their ignorance, the Holy See's rulers condemned this angel as a heretic!"

The priest continued, "The plague angel walked the Kepler, curing the great plague that had ravaged the land, restoring the glory of the Holy See and our Lord. And in punishment for the Holy See's offense, the plague angel took away the Spear of Longinus, the sacred weapon bestowed upon us by the Lord Himself, as the price."

He paused, eyes scanning the room. "The spear has appeared many times throughout history since then, though whether these sightings were real or not... remains uncertain."

This revelation left the room momentarily silent, everyone processing the priest's words.

Of course, they had all heard of the plague angel from the Holy See's lore. Without this angel's intervention, the western continent might have faced even greater devastation. Three years after the plague was vanquished, an unprecedented flood struck, wiping out tens of millions of lives.

Lorca, however, had no interest in ancient legends or forgotten angels. He only cared that the Holy Spear—the divine artifact that had seemed to beckon him—had inexplicably lost its power. The profound sense of disappointment weighed heavily on him, as if something vital had slipped away, lost in the shadows of fate.

He glanced at the cardinals, who continued to recite prayers to the Lord and the plague angel. Helpless and frustrated, Lorca could do nothing but watch.

---

The endless river of time flowed through the boundless universe, untouchable and uncontrollable. No one, not even the greatest of beings, could truly command it. Only time itself could master its course.

Perhaps there were occasional disruptions—small, unexpected events that caused ripples in the intended flow of time. But just like ripples on a beach, they would eventually smooth out, leaving no trace behind, as though they had never existed.

The diamond grains of time trickled slowly through the hourglass, and the divine light once surrounding the Spear of Longinus faded into the past.

——

Meanwhile, Novak, after a moment of internal struggle, finally shifted his attention. His focus locked onto a new path of power he had yet to fully explore—'Progenitor Virus.'