When the plot-skips players into the game world

When he awoke again, he saw Lancelot I half-kneeling on the ground, his face twisted in pain—nearly limitless strength was continuously pouring into his body.

His forehead was covered in fine sweat, but the founding Knight remained determined and silent, not uttering a single word.

The power was so immense it could even directly break through the upper limit of the energy level. But Lancelot's body seemed to be overloading during the ritual...

His reddened skin was sizzling, emitting white smoke, as liquid strength flowed through his body like flames.

It was as if there was some glowing creature moving beneath his skin, occasionally bulging into a large blister that would quickly travel along before sinking back in.

"Shepherd... I don't know if I can call you that..."

Suddenly, enduring the agony, Lancelot spoke, "I've seen your portrait... I've also heard about the secrets of the Herding Skill. I know that your soul can enter the body of a Phantom Demon..."

Aiwass looked down upon hearing this.

But Lancelot slowly stood up, his tone becoming slow yet clear: "I can feel it, what this ritual is pulling into my body... It's not the knight of the Crown Lord, but the Angel Envoy of the Bear Celestial Marshal."

"If the body is given to her, that would be troublesome, so..."

"—I'll give my body to you."

"You can't do that," Aiwass said with a helpless smile.

Of course, he also didn't want the Angel Envoy of the Bear Celestial Marshal to descend—he himself was still marked by the Bear Celestial Marshal. If They descended, Aiwass would be the first to take a beating.

However, Aiwass wasn't extremely worried. After all, Isabel should have already received the message he had sent and was on her way to the Holy Nation at full speed.

What he had to do on his end was to stall for time—delaying the completion of the Ring of Ouroboros and also delaying the destruction caused after the Celestial Marshal or Angel Envoy's descent.

Although the Nurturing Skill and the Ring of Ouroboros were both powers of the Serpent Celestial Marshal, and the Shepherd back then had also pulled down the Fallen Celestial Marshal...

"...Wait?"

At that moment, Aiwass suddenly paused.

—How exactly did the Shepherd pull down the Fallen Celestial Marshal?

Does the Herding Skill contain the ability to bring down a Celestial Marshal to the Lower Realm?

Suddenly, Aiwass remembered the phrase that the Serpent Celestial Marshal had just said:

[—When I ascend into thy heart, then the kiss of the stars shall pour into thy body]

All at once, Aiwass remembered his first Transcendence ritual.

After Aiwass committed suicide during the ritual, he did not die. His soul still clung to the body of the Hook Demon, which had evolved into the Aberrant Limb Demon, and he could even manipulate its body to move.

The Shepherd was indeed capable of casting his soul into the body of a Phantom Demon.

If one were to die in a Herding ritual, that would...

Upon this realization, Aiwass' pupils suddenly dilated.

The Shepherd of those days...

Did he truly die?

If it wasn't the Herding Skill or the Ring of Ouroboros that brought down the Fallen Celestial Marshal, but some other ritual, what then?

The ritual of the Ring of Ouroboros is about inserting the soul of a Celestial Marshal into a body in the Material Realm; for this reason, once summoned by the Ring of Ouroboros, one cannot be reborn from the Dream Realm before dying, and even if reborn, they will lose their authority. Yet the Fallen Celestial Marshal managed to return successfully, indicating They were brought down in the body of a Phantom Demon, which obviously is not the same ritual.

...And if They were brought down in the body of a Phantom Demon.

The Nurturing Skill is capable of inserting the Shepherd's soul into the body of a Phantom Demon.

The one who returned in the end, was it truly the Fallen Celestial Marshal?

Why couldn't it be the Shepherd?

—Why was the Serpent Celestial Marshal so fixated on the Fallen Celestial Marshal? Why go through the trouble of using the Ring of Ouroboros ritual to bring Them down?

The Serpent Celestial Marshal had laid their plans for hundreds of years...

The Shepherd was a follower of the Serpent Celestial Marshal.

According to the "Nurturing Secret Sequel," the Shepherd initially cooperated with the Serpent Celestial Marshal's plan, cultivating Demons in the Material Realm, and ultimately sacrificed all his followers to bring down the Fallen Celestial Marshal. He tried to sacrifice the Fallen Celestial Marshal to himself, thus was devoured by the backlash of the Herding Skill, stripped of all his strength...

But what if, that ending was a lie?

Or to say, from an outsider's perspective, that's how it seemed... But in reality, he wasn't sacrificing the Fallen Celestial Marshal to himself, but rather sacrificing himself to the Fallen Celestial Marshal, his soul thus returning to the Dream Realm along with Them.

So, the Shepherd is a betrayer? Or perhaps it isn't a conscious betrayal but a plan that failed… or maybe succeeded? Is this the effect the Serpent Celestial Marshal wanted?

If that's the case...

"...No, I might actually be able to do it."

Aiwass whispered.

At that moment, when he touched the purple Ring, the Ring of Ouroboros suddenly turned red. If the Herding Skill is the special condition to activate the Ritual of the Ring of Ouroboros...

Then, just like his first Ascension Ceremony, he could enter into the body of the Celestial Marshal pulled down by the Ring of Ouroboros!

But if he failed... he might die. If one died during the Ascension Ceremony, then they would also be greatly harmed in reality.

Because whether it was Lancelot I or any of the Angel Envoys pulled down, they might not be identified as a Phantom Demon...

With this thought, Aiwass looked toward Lancelot I.

He suddenly came to a realization, another thought striking him.

From Lancelot's perspective, he didn't know what was going to happen next.

He didn't know whether his soul would be scattered to the winds or if he would serve as nourishment for Aiwass, or if his soul would ascend to the Dream Realm, or remain unharmed. He had guarded the dark Shadow Nation for centuries, just to return to the world of men. And now, just as he had come back, his body was taken from him...

Despite this, he held no resentments. He didn't rage or weep; instead, he willingly gave up his body to Aiwass. All to prevent the Bear Celestial Marshal's Angel Envoy from using his body to harm the people of Avalon, whom he no longer recognized or understood.

The Ascension Ceremony was indeed a falsehood. Because in the end, it was a fabricated story.

But every person involved, in their own eyes, was real. The sacrifices they made, all their determination, were real. Yet Aiwass hesitated because "it was all a lie"... even though the risks he faced were far less than Lancelot's.

If Lancelot, who wasn't on the Path of Devotion, could do it, then why couldn't I?

...How ridiculous.

Could someone like me even be considered a Contributor?

——In a moment of clarity, Aiwass gained a deeper understanding of the Path of Devotion.

The essence of the Path of Devotion is sacrifice, but sacrifice doesn't necessarily have to be meaningful.

It is a kind of fierce fire, burning eternally with intensity.

When something happens before one's eyes, even if they know they can't stop it, even if they know they can't do anything, they must still face it head on.

Simply because they cannot bear to witness a tragedy unfold before them.

From the very beginning, Aiwass was such a person.

When he first saved Isabel and Sherlock during the Ascension Ceremony, he had no idea what would happen if he died. He didn't even know them well; they were just strangers. Yet at that time, Aiwass was willing to give his life for them without a second thought.

When did it start...when did he begin to chase "efficiency in sacrifice"? When did his acts of sacrifice and devotion start becoming tentative?

Now his heart for Transcendence was growing stronger, but the once bright fire of devotion had gradually dimmed.

He was becoming selfish.

It required being moved time and again to return to his initial resolve, for his Path to briefly regain its balance.

Now, was a time for a [trial].

Aiwass picked up the dagger, holding it firmly.

"...Feast in silence, my lamb."

Taking a deep breath, Aiwass spoke softly.

He gripped Arondight's Dagger, positioning it over his heart, waiting for the Ritual of the Ring of Ouroboros to conclude.

Seeing his actions, Lancelot finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He gradually gave up his resistance, eventually nodding at Aiwass: "It's up to you now..."

Aiwass watched as Lancelot's black pupils gradually stained with the frenzied crimson of madness.

With a resolve for death, Aiwass slowly pushed the dagger into his heart.

Feeling the cold blade slicing through his flesh, he trembled in pain, his voice hoarse and low:

Focused on that growing murderous intent, directed at him.

Aiwass recited each word of the Nurturing Secret Sequel's chant:

"——This is the Eucharist, this is mercy."