Crimson Pope Lawrence

A blood droplet brimming with vitality fell onto the surface of a monster whose flesh had long since become grotesquely mutated, then swiftly vanished. The monster’s flesh slowly began to regress…

Yes, in Bai Cangshu’s view, the essence of this so-called "purification" was actually regression—the removal of an ability.

No matter how severe the mental effects Blood Therapy had on humans, on a physical level, the Blood of the Ancient God had undeniably evolved human mortal bodies.

Abnormal flesh growth; strength, constitution, agility, and even mental power—all had surpassed their limits, reaching heights ordinary Human Race creatures could never attain.

They had gained physical strength beyond that of lions and tigers.

Even if such power was difficult to control, it was still evolution.

Yet now, a mere drop of blood erased all those changes, forcibly causing the overgrown flesh to recede.

That drop of blood also contained enough life force to ensure that humans freed from their beastification, who should have died after being stripped of massive amounts of flesh, could survive.

Etoris looked left and right, his long golden hair constantly swaying as he paced back and forth. The lion-like man’s face was full of conflict.

The secret Dragon Hunters who, like him, were Mixed-bloods all watched the Black Armored Knight standing before them with wary expressions.

Just moments ago, this female knight had cleaved through the town gate and the hill on the other side with a single sword strike. That terrifying power, no weaker than that of a pure-blooded Second Generation dragon, deeply concerned these Mixed-bloods.

In their eyes, aside from beasts who had turned themselves into neither human nor ghost through Blood Therapy, only dragons could possess such power in this world.

Even the highest-ranking bloodlines among Mixed-bloods could hardly display such combat strength.

Seraphina wiped her forehead. She felt that her senses were strange now. Her chest was hot, like a small furnace, yet her limbs were growing colder and colder.

She did not know what His Excellency Mercenary Tao had done, but there was indeed more blood in her body now. At the same time, the wound on her wrist was healing much more slowly.

Though such changes would seem dangerous to ordinary people, Seraphina felt a little delighted.

She felt that in this state, she could absolutely heal everyone near Red Stone Town.

Seraphina narrowed her eyes and rotated her wrist, letting blood drip onto another person once more. She felt a rare sense of ease.

After today, although she would likely no longer be able to travel everywhere, this world would at least be a little more normal.

Everyone was born with a mission. Some were born to herd livestock, some to bear children, some to uncover wealth, and some to enlighten the masses.

And she, without question, had been born to heal this twisted disease.

Humanity was no longer in an age of ignorance, much less the dark era when they were raised by dragons. Now, even without the Blood of the Ancient God, humanity could still survive well in this world.

And so… humans like her, capable of purifying the Blood of the Ancient God, had been born.

Seraphina’s heart was filled with peace. Only those unable to find where they belonged would be consumed by fear. She would not be. Ever since she had been four years old, when her beastified grandmother had clawed open her back and she had healed her—

She had always known where she belonged.

A smile rested on Seraphina’s face. She opened her mouth, and a melodious hum slowly rose, the tune cheerful and uplifting.

Even Artoria, whose heart was full of indifference, now leaned on her sword and looked at her.

Beyond the gray, stinking town, in the grasslands and wilderness outskirts, the hem of the red-haired girl’s white robe had already been dyed black. Yet she held up her arm lightly, crimson blood dripping down drop by drop.

The twisted, agonized expressions of one human after another gradually became peaceful.

"Saintess Seraphina…"

Artoria murmured the name.

The gray-robed Hunters resting beside haystacks outside the town also rose one by one, removed their hats, and watched the scene.

They opposed Seraphina saving these useless people, yet they could not help but feel respect for this sight.

They could not save this world. Perhaps His Excellency Seraphina could not either. But at the very least, this young girl had saved many people.

From England to France, and even on more distant islands, the Ash Hunters had heard people chanting Seraphina’s name.

Many humans struggling bitterly to maintain their sanity amid beastification had endured solely while waiting for Seraphina’s arrival.

Etoris clenched his fists tightly, his pupils trembling violently. His heart constricted again and again. There was resentment born from his own weakness, as well as fear born from watching the person he admired burn away her life.

Those tangled emotions once again caused him to feel the Mixed-bloods’ fated Sorrow of Blood.

He covered his heart and subconsciously turned to look at the strongest man here.

The next moment, Etoris froze. It was as though the other man had seen through everything and had already been looking at him. Their eyes met, and the smile at the corner of the man’s mouth carried both mockery and cruelty.

He saw the man’s lips move, seemingly saying—

"Has your heart grown cold?"

Thump!

Startled, Etoris’s heart pounded violently again. He remembered the deal he had made with the other man.

Etoris slapped himself hard across the cheek. The blow was so powerful that his face rapidly swelled.

That was right. This was not the time for him to wallow in self-pity. For the comrades who had died protecting Seraphina, for those desperately waiting for salvation, for the Hunters who had risked their lives to stand before the Hymn Choir.

For… Seraphina.

Etoris’s expression softened. At that moment, he no longer fled. A warm current surged through his heart, spreading throughout his body in an instant and driving away all fear and exhaustion. Before such emotion, the Sorrow of Blood melted away like ice and snow.

His footsteps broke Seraphina’s song and roused the Mixed-bloods and Ash Hunters who had been entranced by it.

"Your Excellency Seraphina, and Your Excellency Mercenary Tao, since we have already resolved to purify Holy City Latina, why not let me infiltrate it first while we have the chance?"

He looked into Seraphina’s eyes and said solemnly,

"I will find those former holy knights unwilling to join His Excellency Lawrence’s plan, and when you arrive, we will purify the holy city together!"

Without waiting for anyone else to speak, Etoris turned and left. Afterward, the Ash Knights and Mixed-bloods discussed it briefly before departing alongside Etoris.

The Professor was somewhat moved as he watched this. He knew Etoris’s journey would be extremely dangerous. That Crimson Pope Lawrence had not even shown himself yet, but according to the revelation he had received—

That man’s level of danger was almost no different from that of a Dragon King.

Other than Mercenary Tao, perhaps no one in this world could match such a figure.

He looked toward Mercenary Tao, only to find that Mercenary Tao was pressing one hand against his chest, his black hair gently stirring.

Bai Cangshu held his chest. That illusory warm current seemed to continuously flow from every limb and bone, making him feel better than ever before.

Moreover, this sensation felt familiar. Back in the One Piece World, when the soul of the marine soldier named Corey had merged with him, he had felt exactly this way.

Good. Very good, Etoris!

Keep stirring your heart…

About half a day later, the sky had grown dim. Out at sea, Etoris dropped his oar and stared blankly at the sight before him. He turned to the people behind him and asked in confusion,

"Hey, did we go the wrong way…?"

"What… is that?!"

His pupils trembled without stop.

Upon the pitch-black sea, countless masses of flesh sprawled across the water like tree roots, rising over a thousand meters high. Scarlet Sheen flashed continuously within the flesh, illuminating the surrounding ocean in pulses of red light.

Suddenly, a scarlet eye lit up atop that enormous flesh tumor. Within its pupil, countless eyeballs spun chaotically.

"Etoris… come. Evolve toward the stars with me!"

Etoris shuddered all over, his body involuntarily floating upward.

Fortunately, someone in the boat below grabbed his ankle and slammed him down hard.

After breaking free from the entanglement of that strange force, Etoris gasped for breath.

"It’s His Excellency Lawrence. He… he devoured Latina!"