Read Novel Full Chapter 170: Ever the Hypocrite
Chapter 170: Ever the Hypocrite
Vale sighed as he stood at the exit of the maze.
’Seriously, this jump in difficulty is insane...’
The only reason it was possible at all was the absurd strength of his Champions. Well, and the fact that the opponents would have their tactical mind devolved.
’I just wish Ximena were free...’
Her dreadful ability gave him solace. As he always had the option to use her to block a chokepoint
A few minutes had passed since Vale had initiated Level 8, and he’d sent everyone into position, a variation of their usual defense.
Toy was alongside Edith’s and Diana’s squads in the maze. With Alpha taking charge.
Stacey’s squad, along with all the workers, was guarding the chokepoint leading to the core.
Awilix was stationed at the entrance of the maze, where Ximena had once been.
Salome would mark the enemy, test their strength as she led them to Awilix, then act as she saw fit.
Mias was to assist wherever he saw needed. But more importantly, he’d be shadowing everyone by leaving a plume to watch over them and allow them to communicate.
Finally, Vale sat in his stone throne, now slightly decorated with a torn purple banner.
’I don’t particularly like how much we have to rely on him...’
Vale still didn’t know how to feel about his smoky Champion, but the bastard’s Loyalty was still 50/100. It still hadn’t fallen.
Still, Mias was the entire communication line so Vale had to trust him. Or at least use him.
"Mias, is everyone in position?"
A mini Mias appeared and sat on Vale’s shoulder.
"Yes, there’s just one slight problem..."
Vale looked over his shoulder at the ashy wisp.
"Problem? What problem could there be?"
"Awilix... she keeps trying to attack me when I talk to her. Can you please make her stop?"
Vale swiped at mini Mias and made his form disperse — a slight grin was plastered on Vale’s face.
Maybe it wasn’t the best time for Awilix to harass Mias, but...
’Have at ’em.’
***
Salome stood stalwart at the bottom of the initial ramp leading outside the dungeon. She stared at the swirling black mass before her.
A mass that contained in it the most devastating force the dungeon had ever faced, yet her mind was elsewhere.
’Weird...’
Things had gotten weird.
When Salome accepted the voice’s proposition, she had merely seen another avenue to continue her fruitless struggle and kill a few more of the bastards before she perished herself.
Even after the first two months, she’d still prioritized herself and her revenge.
But now...
’Revenge?’
Salome knew where that bloody path led. She knew, yet she’d willingly walk it, having already lost everything.
But that was her answer before...
Before she found something new to protect.
Before she’d formed a connection that she’d never thought she’d be able to again.
Within Salome, a seething hatred had bubbled and festered for two centuries, but all it took was a few months of tender care and companionship for her to decide...
To decide what was truly to be valued.
’Protection...’
She’d walk the same bloody path, but instead of her goal of killing the Scourge.
’I’ll crush it...’
Instead of a childish revenge to cull a few, she’d kill them all.
Salome had vowed to make a world where a person’s value wasn’t decided by strength. One where there wasn’t a legitimate case for a merciless execution on the grounds of weakness.
After all, Salome saw Awilix’s point. Her unfiltered, raw, untamed argument prioritizing survival.
’But what’s survival if you’re not living?’
Salome, one who’s ’self’ had once been ’dead and lost,’ wanted to chew up all that conceived bullshit, spit it out, stomp on it and twist her heel.
While this train of thought was one that had been building ever since she’d noticed the bud of love in her heart, it only bloomed into something ineluctable when Awilix had died.
Well, died and revived...
Then it was solidified when Awilix brought up some terrible memories of the past. Memories of all the weak who’d been left behind and left to rot for no reason other than their ’worthlessness.’
Salome didn’t show it, but she cared a little more than she let on for the cat...
So, her initial reaction to her surprise death was pure shock.
She’d once again felt the emotions of loss.
Sure, her fears soon proved to be unfounded, but it was the small instance in which she realized the level at which she cared for each of Lust’s inhabitants.
But what really hurt her was when Awilix suggested the utilitarian mindset some people of her world once held...
It was hard to stay sane when the people following you begged to abandon the weak and feeble.
As a queen who had once made that terrible decision, she dreaded the idea of a future where the argument reappeared.
She dreaded the future in which she would once again choose to abandon the weak, especially one where it proved to be the correct decision...
Salome thought back to the time she’d almost let Toy die in battle, and a world of regret and lost memories — lost feelings — resurfaced.
Salome’s eyes flickered brightly.
Her once weak and shallow resolve to kill what’s in front of her transitioned into an unyielding beacon that would protect what’s behind her.
’Perhaps this is what Hope felt...’
What Hope felt as he fought on the front lines.
’But what did Hope feel when the people behind him fell...’
It crushed him more than anybody. More than Salome herself had been.
After all, Hope was more scared of losing life than anyone else.
Salome knew the dangerous possibility unfolding before her. The prospect that she’d be inviting into her the same pain Hope once felt.
Yet, even with the factors clear in her mind, Salome didn’t regret her changed goal.
There was still one problem with her line of thought...
The hypocritical Succubus had only one way to truly show she meant the vow of protection spoken in her head...
’Saving that Icy Bitch.’
While Salome could deny it all she wanted, Ximena had shown very few inclinations to actually act for revenge, thus far.
’...’
Yet...
’I can’t. I can’t justify unleashing that fiend back into the world.’
Salome was scared of loss, and the Ice Witch was the one who wished loss upon Salome the most.