After staying in Rome for a few days, the trio resumed their journey. What was originally a cold and sparse company of two gained a bit of liveliness with the addition of Deathmask.
Having spent years robbing and intimidating others, Deathmask had developed a streetwise personality, quite unlike Kanon, who grew up in the Sanctuary and held great reverence for Maerin.
He never used honorifics when addressing Maerin, and his somewhat arrogant nature led to frequent arguments with Kanon. The result?
Whenever Kanon trained Deathmask, he would add some extra difficulty, leaving Deathmask bruised and battered by the end of each session.
In return, though Deathmask was still young, he had grown up in the city and lived independently since the death of his family. He took on the role of teaching Kanon about the outside world. But, as payback, he would deliberately mislead Kanon, making him embarrass himself.
Maerin found amusement in their antics.
After all, Deathmask was only ten years old, while Kanon was just fifteen. One had once despised the world and faced others with malice; the other, though mischievous in the Sanctuary, became inexplicably serious and reserved once outside. Neither had the vitality of youth.
Now, at last, they behaved like normal teenagers.
"Master! Deathmask is too much! He actually told me that a kiss on the lips is the proper way to greet a woman!" Kanon complained to Maerin, his face flushed red.
"Haha, and did you fall for it?" Maerin asked with interest.
"Hmph! Of course not! I'm not that gullible!" Kanon declared.
"Liar! You were just about to succeed—the girl was already mesmerized by you! But you chickened out at the last moment. Not much of a man, are you?" Deathmask sneered.
"Shut up, brat! Don't think I don't know—this is sexual harassment! That's a crime! Master taught us to be law-abiding citizens!" Kanon retorted.
"It's only harassment if the other party is unwilling. She agreed, so it was mutual! And as for being law-abiding, pfft. Haven't you killed plenty of people along the way?" Deathmask scoffed.
"Those people didn't deserve to live," Kanon said coldly.
War brought not only sorrow and desolation but also chaos. Along the journey, because the three of them were well-dressed and carried an air of nobility, many unscrupulous individuals set their sights on them.
For those who were truly desperate, Kanon would show mercy, merely teaching them a lesson before giving them some money and letting them go. But such cases were rare. Most of their attackers were driven by greed and malice. For those people, Kanon had no mercy—either he banished them to the [Another Dimension] to fend for themselves or ended them swiftly with his [Light Speed Fist].
Maerin did not interfere. The Sanctuary existed to protect the love and hope of the earth. Those who had chosen depravity had no right to that grace. Better to send them to the Underworld to start anew than let them harm others.
"Hmph." Deathmask snorted in disdain. Killing was still killing—what right did Kanon have to act self-righteous about it?
"Deathmask, we never claimed to be righteous," Maerin said, sensing his thoughts.
"Oh, really? And here I thought you guys called yourselves the great protectors of the Earth." Deathmask sneered.
"Not 'you guys'—'we.' You are one of us now, Deathmask," Maerin said with a smile.
"Tch."
**"Back to the point. We don't just claim to be the Earth's protectors. The Sanctuary has been protecting the Earth—since the Age of Myth, for hundreds of thousands of years. It has defended humanity from gods seeking to dominate the land. Generations of Saints have fought and died for this cause.
Without their sacrifices, the Earth would still be enslaved by the gods, and today's civilization wouldn't exist."**
"Hah. Aren't you a god yourself? And what civilization? This world is nothing but war and suffering."
"You're too rude, Deathmask!"
"Kanon, it's alright."
"But, Master—"
"Let it be." Maerin waved off Kanon's concerns and continued, **"Yes, I am a god. But gods, like humans, are not all the same.
You think the world isn't prosperous because you were born in this era. You once had happiness—a wealthy family, loving relatives. You only lost them.
Do you know what life was like during the Age of Myth? People had no clothing, no food, barely any shelter. Every day was filled with danger—not just from beasts, but from dragons, titans, elves, and orcs.
Wars back then were nothing like your wars today. Compared to those battles, this war is mere child's play.
The sky was torn apart. The land shattered. Even gods perished in droves.
Can you imagine such a world? And yet you say today's world is not prosperous?"**
Deathmask fell silent.
"As for killing—'he who kills shall be killed in turn.' I agree with that. The moment a Saint dons their Cloth, they accept the possibility of death. But it is their choice, their sacrifice."
"Yes, Master. I am always ready to lay down my life for the love and hope of the Earth." Kanon knelt on one knee and swore his oath.
"Tch. Who knows if any of this is even true…"
Deathmask's protest was just a final show of defiance. He could sense Kanon's sincerity and resolve.
Yet he still thought it was foolish. With such immense power, why not rule the world? Why waste time on ideals and faith?
"You'll find out soon enough," Maerin said with a smirk.
The lesson for Deathmask was progressing well—but it needed a final push. Fortunately, their next destination would provide just that.
A few days later, the trio arrived at the edge of a forest reeking of death. Flocks of crows perched on the barren branches, their crimson eyes staring at the newcomers. The gnarled trees bore no leaves, and the blackened ground exuded a sinister aura. Shadows stretched between the trunks like gaping maws ready to devour them.
"H-Hey… are we really going in there?" Deathmask stammered, his legs trembling at the eerie atmosphere.
Kanon, though composed, was sweating.
Just then, an old scavenger, hunched and weathered, approached them. "You must be from out of town. Whatever your business is, I advise you to turn back. That place is the domain of death. Many have entered, but none have returned."
"Thank you for the warning, sir. We'll be careful."
"Sigh… Young people never listen." The old man shook his head and walked away, convinced they were already dead.
"Master, what is this place?" Kanon asked. The aura of death within the forest was overwhelming, and he sensed many small cosmos filled with malice.
"The Forest of Death—the former stronghold of Hades' army in the last Holy War."
"What!? The enemy's headquarters from the last war?"
Maerin nodded. "In that battle, Hades' forces massacred countless innocent people, using their vengeful spirits to fortify this forest. Even though Hades was sealed away once more, those spirits were never laid to rest."
"So we're here to exorcise them?"
"That, and to retrieve a certain artifact sealed within this forest."
"Wait… an artifact? Sealed in enemy territory?" Kanon's expression twisted in disbelief.
Maerin flicked his forehead with a laugh. "Stop overthinking, Kanon."
"Alright, let's go."
"Wait! You seriously want to go in there?! I'm not going!" Deathmask protested.
"That's not up to you."
A gentle yet irresistible force lifted Deathmask into the air, carrying him forward alongside Maerin and Kanon. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't escape Maerin's telekinetic grip.
"Let me go, damn it! You bastards! I don't wanna die!" His cries echoed through the forest. Yet, not a single crow took flight.