Pause

"Boy, I envy you for being chosen by the god," one of the elders said from the back, attempting to flatter the Great Priest.

"Come on, let's trade then," Kogan smiled.

"I can't do that, I wasn't chosen by the god," the elder replied quickly.

"Don't worry, I'll intercede for you, and He'll accept you. Come, we'll go together to meet Him, you shouldn't miss this opportunity."

"It's impossible, I'm a sinner, and I shouldn't contaminate the pure offering," the elder replied, pretending to regret.

"These religious people are really smart," Kogan praised quickly in response to that poor, decayed elder.

"Enough chattering, we will begin the prayer," the High Priest interrupted their conversation and started the prayer.

All the attendees closed their eyes, placing their interlocked hands in front of them, and began chanting.

"Don't you think the god will be angry if you offer Him a roasted sacrifice?" Kogan continued to disturb them.

"Your soul will go to Him, not your body," the fawning elder replied quickly.

The veins in the great Priest's face swelled with anger, he glanced at the guard beside him and gestured with his hand toward the fawning elder, "Take him upstairs."

Immediately, the guard grabbed the elder by the neck and began pulling him violently.

"Wait, stop, I'm sorry, I won't speak again, I'm a sinner, I'll anger the god!" the elder tried to resist, screaming at the top of his lungs.

But how could an elder, who only eats a poor meal once a day, stand up to a guard in the temple who eats four nourishing meals?

"Hahaha, come on, come on, the god will be pleased with two sacrifices!" Kogan laughed loudly, he was laughing from the bottom of his heart at the state of this elder.

He knew there was no point in resisting. Even his parents had abandoned him for a meal.

So he decided to enjoy a little in the last moments of his life. Despite feeling fear from the pain and from death, he accepted it, since he had no decent life to long for anyway.

Every year, the temple takes a tax from the people as a right for mediating between them and the god.

There were many poor families that didn't pay the tax, and Kogan's family was one of them.

Perhaps his family was one of the lowest and worst in terms of living conditions, and so they decided, a month ago, to offer their son as a sacrifice to the priest to improve their situation a little.

The priest told them to keep it a secret until the god agreed to accept this 'sacrifice.'

And today was the promised day.

After the sacrifice is made and the god accepts their prayers, the temple will double the tax amount.

The guard continued to drag the flattering old man, while the old man kept resisting. Suddenly, the guard stopped, grabbed the old man by his clothes, and punched him.

After the punch, the old man stopped resisting and his body went limp. He was barely conscious.

"No need to be afraid, old man. You've lived long enough anyway," Kogan mocked him.

The guard tied the old man to the metal pole, which was on the opposite side of the crowd. Since Kogan was considered the main sacrifice, he was positioned facing the crowd.

After finishing and ensuring the bindings were secure, the guard returned to the side of the priest.

"Let the ritual begin now," the great priest clapped his hands.

The torchbearer stepped forward, preparing to throw the torch onto the top of the altar.

'It's finally time,' Kogan sighed, casting one last glance at the crowd and at his parents, who stood at the front.

"What is this madness you're doing?!" a man shouted from behind the crowd.

The great priest and the entire crowd turned toward the source of the voice.

"Mr. Frederick?" Kogan's eyes widened as he spotted Mr. Frederick running toward them, followed closely by his young daughter, who was only twelve years old. In the distance, his wife and eldest son, who had recently turned eighteen, were also approaching.

"We were just about to offer a sacrifice to the god and plead for his mercy, but you've interrupted us," the great priest replied coldly.

"And what is Kogan doing up there? Just today, he and I were the ones who cut and brought the firewood here, and in the end, you made him the sacrifice?" Frederick shouted, spitting in anger.

"To participate in offering himself as a sacrifice is a great honor for him," the great priest replied without even turning to face him.

"You scoundrel…" Frederick was on the verge of exploding when Kogan spoke from the top of the altar.

"Mr. Frederick, there's no need to worry. Look, even my own parents have abandoned me. Besides, the fact that I've lived this long is thanks to you. So, as a final favor to me, take your family away and don't let them watch a filthy young man burn. And don't forget to take them to the great capital, as you promised me."

Kogan clenched his teeth as tears streamed down his face.

'It's sad that I'll die before I can repay your kindness. In fact, even if I didn't die, I wouldn't be able to repay it.' 

'Thank you for everything.'

"This is unacceptable! I won't let you take the life of a promising young man. Why don't you take one of those filthy old men instead?" Frederick stepped toward the altar, filled with rage. 

'Mr. Frederick, please stop. You've already done so much,' Kogan was crying, barely able to get the words out.

"Ugh..."

Frederick's pupils dilated as he vomited blood.

The guard's sword pierced his heart, and he fell to the ground in a humiliating collapse.

"Father!" his daughter screamed, rushing toward him in a panic.

Kogan lifted his head from his tears to see Frederick lying on the ground, drowning in a pool of his own blood, while the guard wiped his sword on Frederick's clothes.

"Mr. Frederick!!!" Kogan screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice nearly bursting his eardrums. 

Tears streamed from his eyes, and they became bloodshot, as he began to thrash, shake, and scream wildly, using all his strength to break free from the iron chains. 

"Mr. Frederick..." 

"Why..." 

"Mr. Frederick, please, please!" 

Kogan continued to scream and cry. For him, being burned alive was easier to bear then this torment.

"He looks like a rabid dog."

"What's his connection to that man?" 

"It doesn't matter, both of them deserve to die."

The voices rose from within the crowd.

Frederick's wife and son reached his dying body. 

"Father, Father"

"What have you gotten yourself into, my poor husband"

She placed his head in her lap, tears falling onto him.

He tried to utter a few words, but only blood poured from his mouth.

"You monster! You're the one who asked for this!" Frederick's young daughter began to weakly punch the Great Priest, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes.

"Get off!" The Great Priest slapped her, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"You savage!" Her brother stepped forward, trying to strike the Great Priest, but the guards intervened, pushing him back forcefully.

"Alright, I've spent enough time here. Let's finish this," the Great Priest gestured to the torchbearer, signaling the start of the ritual.

The guard threw the torch high into the air, and it landed in the middle of the firewood, and the flames erupted in a huge wave.

The flattering old man began screaming in pain until his voice gave out.

"I'll feed you your own dick!" 

"You pansy priest, I'll shove your dick down your throat, cut off your head, and throw it to the rats!" 

"I swear it!" 

"Do you hear me? I swear I'll cut off your head!" 

"I swear it!" 

"I swear it!"

Kogan continued to scream and threaten, no longer feeling his body. His gaze was fixed solely on the Priest, his eyes burning with fury. 

Gradually, his vision filled with a bright white light, and the scene of the burning Priest and the crowd began to fade from his sight. 

After a few moments, the bright white light dimmed, and his vision started to clear.