Chapter 160 God of Slaughter

Screams, then silence. That was the fate of all victims under that sword.

Worlds went to war against the Heavenly Demon, against a single person. Unknowningly upping its tempo, letting it get used to the body to the point it can wield its full power to slash worlds and stars apart.

The Faceless Twilight sees people on their knees, begging for it to stop. Yet it ignores them and takes pleasure in their despair.

She sees the monstrosity of stars standing there; few fight back, as if it was meant to be, watching their own star and true form cut in half.

The most sickening part of these memories is that... The Heavenly Slaughter remembered the face of every single person it killed with joyful glee.

It was born as a definition of evil.

Still, she held onto the blade, experiencing the millions of years it continued its slaughter. Witnessing suffering under its blade.

The malice crashed over Lea in waves, each one carrying the screams of civilizations. Then its voice came to her.

Let go... the Heavenly Slaughter whispered... I will take revenge for you.

"No."

Her consciousness stood firm in the Dream World, clutching the blade even as corruption ate through her soul. The mansion around them cracked, Divine Domains clashing.

The sword showed her more.

A child begging for mercy. The Heavenly Slaughter cut them down mid-plea, savoring the way hope died in their eyes.

A hero standing defiant. Cut into pieces so small, even their heroic tale was erased.

A lover shielding another. Both split in half, together in death as they'd been in life.

I remember all of them... the voice purred... Every face. Every scream. Every moment their light went dark. Beautiful.

"You're disgusting...", she spoke through gritted teeth.

I'm honest... it corrected... You pretend your slaughter serves justice. I know what I am. Which of us is the real monster?

The mansion shook harder. The Jester's power strained to hold the incompatible forces together. She saw herself reflected in the blade's memories. The vagabonds she'd cursed. The warriors she'd judged. The young wanderer she'd marked for death.

Different methods but the same result.

You and I are the same... The Heavenly Slaughter insisted... You just dress it up... prettier.

"We're nothing alike...", she snarled, "I kill for reason. You kill for pleasure."

Do you? The blade showed her the arena. The satisfaction she'd felt watching the guilty suffer, the pleasure of their despair feeding her power... Or do you tell yourself lies to sleep better?

Her grip tightened, "I don't enjoy it."

Liar.

The corruption surged, trying to overwhelm her completely. Lea felt it reaching for her consciousness, trying to make her another puppet like all the others.

But she had something they didn't.

Two Divine Domains, the Jester's blessing. And most importantly—

Nothing left to lose.

"You're right.", Lea admitted, her voice cold and clear, "I am a monster. I do enjoy watching evil suffer, a hypocrite who kills and calls it justice."

The corruption paused.

"But that's exactly why I can wield you."

Lea's consciousness expanded, flooding the Dream World. Her mansion solidified, fed by the fear and belief of thousands who now prayed to the Faceless Twilight.

"I don't need to be good to use you. I just need to be willing. And I am willing to do anything to end Sinclair."

She pulled the blade deeper into her Domain, closer to her Soul. Speeding up the corruption further.

"Do you want to cut an Anomaly? Something that shouldn't exist? Something that violates the universe itself?"

The Heavenly Slaughter's interest sharpened. It didn't really listen to her the first time.

Tell me more.

"Sinclair Apocrypha is her name, The Nowhere Girl. She can't be killed because she is everywhere and nowhere at the same time."

Her eyes blazed with hatred that matched the sword's malice.

"You can cut anything, right? You're the sword that ends all swords, after all."

She felt the corruption shift, no longer trying to overwhelm her but listening.

"Let me wield you until I can strike down that thing."

Why would I agree? I can just take you now.

"Because you're bored.", she said with certainty, "Millions of years cutting the same things, all eventually falling to your blade."

She smiled behind her mask.

"But an Anomaly? Something that breaks the rules? That's new, interesting. That's worth sharpening yourself for."

Silence stretched between them. Then the Heavenly Slaughter laughed, a sound like breaking glass and dying hope.

Very well, little Avenger... I accept your deal...

The corruption stopped trying to consume her. Instead, it merged.

She gasped as the blade's power flooded into her.

One target... the Heavenly Slaughter's voice echoed in her mind... One life. Then you are mine...

"Agreed."

Lea's smile widened, "I don't care what happens after that. Burn the world, cut the stars. Do whatever you want. I already died anyway."

Perfect... the voice purred... We understand each other.

"I am Tianzai Natil the Heavenly Slaughter. I accept this deal."

"I am Haser Pnimalom the Faceless Twilight. I accept this deal."

The mansion stabilized. The Divine Domains found equilibrium, not harmony, but coexistence through shared purpose. She opened her eyes in the real world, still gripping the cracked blade. The sky was a battlefield between an azure fortress and winged Angels.

But that doesn't matter for her right now, because she can feel the power the blade granted. She can see lines in everything, not just objects but also the air.

An instinctive murmur came to her, saying these lines are the separation points of reality. She can cut them.

Her body had also gone through a significant change. This small vessel couldn't fully contain her distortion anymore. Crystals jutting out from her arms.

Looking through the reflection of the blade, she can see that from her lower jaw to below was covered in Cursed Constructs. And her eyes are now different, her golden eyes are now tainted red from the inner and blue from the outer edges of her iris.

"Tell me, who are you?", she heard that unmistakable voice.

"Haser Pnimalom the Faceless Twilight.", Lea answered.

Charlotte chuckled, "Heh."

"You already knew, right? That Lea died and I am just the Divine Domain holding what's left of her?", she asked the Monarch.

She was turning her back against Charlotte, feeling the full might of that scrutinizing gaze... it was still chilling.

"You knew from the start, right?" While I was still acting as Lea.

"I don't have any right to deny or confirm one's agency. Be it a human or a wraith.", the Monarch shrugged, "And I did all I could to, letting you out of my grasp... unexpectedly, you developed delusions."

The azure fortress dissipated, returning to Charlotte's compass. Now only the Angels remain in the sky, Haser looks at the sky again.

She can tell their hostility is aimed at her, the wielder of this sword. The choir Lea would enjoy hearing and welcome the appearance of her former Lord's heralds now sound so jarring to Haser.

"Heavenly Slaughtering Star Art...", she spoke as if it was natural, "Killing Strike - Mercy."

She slashed the sky once. Then all was silenced.

Lea's body broke apart from handling too much power, but from the shadow a new body came out, catching the sword. With a smile, she looked at the sky.

Angels fell from the sky, their lives ended before they could even comprehend what just happened. Their pale golden eyes turned hollow, turning into a rain of life as they burned away.

This was merely the raw power of The Heavenly Slaughter, cutting not the body but the very essence of the soul. And the weakest Killing Strike of the sword. Under the burning sky, with the sun setting in front of her. Lea turned back to Charlotte.

"Heavenly Slaughtering Star Art:Killing Strike - Storm."

A storm of slashes came toward Charlotte, cutting through dimensions and reality all the same. Lea had intended to kill the Monarch; she isn't useful anymore and is a massive liability.

And if she can kill Charlotte... then she can kill Sinclair as well.

But it was too arrogant. Too much to think a wraith can defeat a human.

"Come forth, my Argent World of Chalk.", she snapped her fingers.

That voice rang out like a command, forcing all before her to witness the opening of herself to this land.

Black and white flashed in Haser's eyes. The dimensional slashes stopped before reaching Charlotte, as if they were denied, their logic deleted.

Unfolding before The Faceless Twilight was a world of chalk. Then buildings around her rose and fell, rebuilding themselves and collapsing for eternity.

"A... Divine Domain...?", Lea questioned.

No, it was too bizarre and illogical to be one. Then it hit her.

This place is draining my soul?!

Every second being here, Lea felt her soul being eaten away, devoured by an endless darkness. Fortunately, with the ring and the sword by her side, their protection made this place's effect minimal. But she knows staying here longer would be dangerous for her.

"No, don't call my mind something so inferior.", Charlotte smiled and snapped her fingers, creating a silver throne from gather chalks, "It is my Inner World, a world follow my logic."

Inner World, the highest power a mortal can achieve, an ability strong enough to rival the raw might of Star Gods. The realization of the self, and dragging others into it. Normally, it would drag others into the mind of the owner, into an unfamiliar world following the logic of the owner.

However, unfortunately for Lea...

Charlotte's Inner World is a step above that, manifesting and infecting the real world.

"Will you run away again? Will you abandon your conviction again in the face of absolute power?", she mocked Lea.

Will she?

No. She has to at least try her best. 

"Heavenly Slaughtering Star Art:Killing Strike - Departure."

She swung upward, sending a destructive slash across the pure white world. Heading straight for Charlotte, who was still sitting casually.

"Ryomen Sukuna (Twin Faced Demonic Bodisattva)", she spoke casually, tapping her cane.

A summon?

From the shadow she cast, a two-faced, four-armed, four-legged, topless man appeared. He clasped his hands together, creating a barrier Haser could see.

The slash destroyed the barrier and the Construct. Yet Charlotte was unharmed.

"Heavenly Slaughtering Star Art - Wolf Ravage."

She sharpened the malice emanating from her into blades, forming continuous slashes that cut the air itself. This was the Heavenly Demon's main form of clearing the crowds.

But how...?

Charlotte was unharmed; not even the chalk world stirred.

"Interesting, it can only affect those who feel pressure.", the Monarch spoke casually, "Let's see... who should I summon?"

"Ah, I know.", she tapped her cane, "Li Shuwen (No Second Strike)."

BOOM!!

What...? Lea quickly reformed and moved far back. She replayed the scene in her head... a Construct that was just summoned attacked and killed her; it was so fast she couldn't react, even when it was killed by the storm of blades.

She clutched her chest instinctively, as if she had a heart to begin with. But no matter what, she would try her best.

With a swipe of her free hand, Lea drew several Hexes and threw them at Charlotte. And instead of summoning another Construct, Charlotte just stared at Lea...

Then she realized what was wrong. The curses did hit Charlotte; they just had no effect on the Monarch. She was not resistant, but fully immune to any and all ailments.

Lea realized the truth...

Only one Path had been described as completely immune to any and all mental manipulation, curses, ailments...

The Weakest Path...

"The power of Regression...", Lea spoke in a hushed tone.

"Regression is my primary Attribute.", Charlotte tilted her head, crossing her legs, "I said before, right? I am only human; that is my point of regression and origin."

"I am merely human."

The only mortal in the entire universe to awaken Regression.