Dietrich laughed, feeling the power that filled his body to the brim.

It was a power that surpassed his expectations, incomparable to mere spiritual power.

After enduring for a long time, he showed it to the world.

His long research was correct.

Infinitely proliferating immortality.

He had finally succeeded in elevating humans to a position equal to God.

“You are lucky. You entered heaven early.”

Dietrich looked back.

A child born with black magic at a young age.

Eve was standing blankly behind him.

It seemed that the brainwashing spell used on young Louise worked well on Eve too.

No, rather, it was easier to control her because of her young age.

“The discovery that black magic is inherited is very important. Immortality continuing to the next generation… That would be a bit troublesome. If you keep giving birth like that, the world will eventually become densely packed with immortals, leaving no room to set foot.”

Dietrich muttered while walking in the rain.

When he first made this great discovery, he thought of sharing this happiness with everyone in the world.

But after a serious review, it didn’t seem right after all.

If everyone becomes immortal, wouldn’t the world become too crowded?

Moreover, the value of eternity would also fade.

The reason immortality is beautiful is because everything else is mortal.

“Indeed, selection criteria are needed.”

Now that he had gained this tremendous power, it became clear.

It would be foolish to share this dangerous and important power with everyone.

Only those who are highly sophisticated, carefully selected, and permitted should reach the world of eternity.

The selection criteria should also be carefully considered and researched.

Dietrich thought it was a cosmic fortune that this power came into his hands.

If this power had fallen into the hands of someone who was not as pure in their exploratory passion as he was, but was steeped in greed and worldliness, the results would have been terrible.

They would have wielded power like a tyrant based on selfish criteria and swayed the world.

“Perhaps it was God’s arrangement that I came to know the truth of the world.”

He had been given the mission to save the world with eternity.

Dietrich laughed at his heavy mission and destiny.

It seemed as if the world had been completely reorganized around him.

When the cool autumn wind brushed against his rain-soaked body, a chill ran through him.

On the secluded road after the rain, the scent of wet soil and grass was rich, and the moisture-filled air was hazier than usual.

Even all those sensations felt new to Dietrich.

He crossed his arms, wrapping them around his falling body temperature.

A careful and intelligent researcher needed to observe everything in detail.

“…Even with immortality, it seems you can still feel cold. If you could also become unable to feel pain, it would be more perfect.”

Dietrich muttered, trying to ward off the chill.

Indeed, there is no end to studying and developing.

It was amazing that even after achieving immortality, there were still things he wanted to figure out and realize.

“But I can take my time to research. There’s plenty of time.”

If he continues to develop infinitely, he will soon be able to figure out how to become a perfect being that does not feel pain.

Before he knew it, he had reached a watchtower overlooking the scenery of Paradel.

The watchtower, which had not been maintained for several years, stood like a damp gray tombstone in the rain.

Looking up at the collapsed top, he casually snapped a long branch that had been stretched by the weight of the rainwater.

With a snap, the severed branch bounced back, and the water droplets that had been pooled on the leaves fell like a heavy rain.

Dietrich had Eve stand on the watchtower stairs, then began to draw a huge formation around the watchtower.

“There are many dead people here. About a decade ago, the sacrifices of Paradel were buried here in large numbers.”

The time had come to give new life to those who were sacrificed for his great achievement.

At that time, they were buried without even a grave, but now they could resolve that injustice.

He drew a huge picture on the mud with the branch.

Then he approached Eve, who was waiting with a blank face.

“Your mother is ignorant of black magic spells or incantations, so she wouldn’t have tried anything like this.”

Dietrich smiled, stroking Eve’s wet hair.

“From now on, you’ll have to learn too. It might be mind-boggling since it has to be written in ancient language, but studying is important. Knowledge is power, after all.”

Dietrich showed his white teeth and began to climb the stairs of the watchtower one by one.

The foggy scenery of Paradel gradually revealed itself as the rain fell.

The broken watchtower still let the rain in, wetting his cheeks coldly.

When he reached the top, the hazy world was spread out below.

Dietrich looked down at the scenery of Paradel, feeling as if he had risen above the clouds.

The protective barrier he had set up flickered faintly above the cloudy sky.

A barrier to prevent heresy.

But from the moment he first created that barrier, he had already punctured holes in the formula.

A small error in the formula that the other foolish priests would not notice.

‘They can’t even filter out true heresy, yet they don’t even notice it.’

The protective barrier could only block half-baked ones.

Dietrich, who had gained eternal life, was not affected by the barrier at all.

Just like how Louise and Eve were able to freely come and go from Paradel without getting caught.

Everything went according to plan.

“It’s time to examine the results of the successful experiment. You watch and learn carefully too.”

He placed Eve on the half-collapsed railing and smiled brightly.

And from the end of his lips, words that were difficult to understand were connected like a long chain.

A dark energy flowed from his body, soaking into the ground of Paradel along with the rainwater through the watchtower.

The ground that had absorbed the dark energy began to vibrate with a rumbling sound.

Soon, the wet, soggy mud wriggled, and with a crunch, a skeletal hand popped out.

Oddly bent bones revealed themselves, making clattering sounds as they collided and twisted.

The skeletons, shaking off the sticky mud, gradually took the form of an army as they rose in grotesque shapes.

Their number soon reached dozens, then hundreds, and then thousands.

“It’s different after all. It’s far more powerful than what the half-baked one used.”

He knew many forbidden spells, but because he couldn’t directly possess black magic, he had to borrow the power of test subjects to confirm it.

But now he had become a body that could directly confirm, feel, and experiment.

A teardrop flowed down Dietrich’s cheek as he watched those who had been resurrected from the underworld.

Death, which humans had long failed to conquer.

It was being conquered by his hands.

Those who had perished on this land were resurrected from death, and the living could now have the hope of living forever.

He wanted to show this hope.

To the foolish denomination that insisted black magic was wrong.

To the fools who had denied and ignored his dream until now.

To the mortals who could not revere eternity.

Dietrich smiled brightly at Eve and flicked his finger once.

Then Eve, who was standing on the stone wall of the watchtower, jumped down as she was.

With a thud, the child’s body fell and collapsed on the mud, but soon got up as if nothing had happened.

“Now, let’s first show the denomination how the world has changed.”

The long underground passage led to the outskirts of Paradel.

Between the bushes where no one passed.

The lush, overgrown grass perfectly camouflaged the entrance of the passage.

When they emerged from the underground against the rainwater seeping in, screams piercing through the rain rushed in.

Sched turned his head towards the center of Paradel, holding Louise in his arms.

The earth was still trembling finely as if aftershocks remained.

Sched witnessed the dark energy darkening the sky even further.

The energy that spread from the collapsed watchtower in the northeast of Paradel was spreading to various parts of Paradel like a black fog.

At the same time, the sound of spears and swords clashing in the eerie void rang out like thunder.

Sched recalled the battle with the heretic Parmen.

The strange sound reverberating in the air intersected with the memory of that time.

“Dietrich…!”

Sensing the danger, Sched first placed Louise under a safe rock where she could avoid the rain.

It was a spot that was far from the origin of the roars and tucked away out of sight.

“Wait here.”

He tried to tighten the jacket wrapped around her more firmly and put the silver dagger back in her hand.

But Louise shook her head.

“I have to go, Sched.”

The voice she uttered between ragged breaths was clear.

She tried to raise her body, putting strength into her hands on the ground.

However, her body, which had not yet fully recovered, did not listen and swayed like a reed.

“I can’t do anything with this body.”

Sched grabbed her small shoulders and said coldly.

But unlike his resolute words, his eyes were gazing at Louise with warm concern.

He knew how great her desperation was.

But there was nothing she could do with that broken body.

Furthermore, if she were to be taken hostage… He would have to yield in front of the hostage.

So for Eve’s sake too, it was right for Louise to stay here.

Louise bit her lip at the cold reason reflected in Sched’s eyes.

The image of Eve suffering in front of her eyes flickered, but Sched was right.

It was difficult to even stand on two feet right now.

She didn’t want to become a burden.

Sched saw her eyes that had become as clear as if tears had gathered.

And he quietly kissed her forehead, which was caked with dried blood.

A brief, hot sensation spread to Louise.

It was as if her five senses, which had become numb to the pain of death, were vividly awakening.

The feeling of being alive becomes vivid.

And Sched was at the closest point to that feeling.

Louise released his sleeve that she had been holding onto with lingering attachment.

As her strength slowly loosened, Sched smiled faintly in the rain.

“I’ll bring Eve back.”

Sched promised, meeting the anxious green eyes.