’No... Now is not the time to be flustered...’ As the Nameless Entity reeled from the shock and rapidly healed its host’s injuries, it oped to be calm about the matter.
Rather than focus on the negatives, it chose to grasp some advantages that it possessed.
’Although I can only unleash Tainted Sorrow in limited quantity because I haven’t attained Full Control over my host, anytime Tainted Sorrow is destroyed, I can cause new ones to appear. Also, due to their carelessness towards the host, every time I am injured and my defenses are breached, I can cause Tainted Sorrow to reappear in much larger quantity.’
This was exemplified earlier.
When faced with the first attack, this Nameless Entity could only create a canopy to blanket itself as well as a dark armor. In the subsequent attack, it tightened its defenses and even spared enough to attack its adversary.
The important thing to note was that the defenses, while imperfect, still held up against the barrage and protected the vitals of its host.
It was still alive as a result!
’Due to how severe the injuries are and how well I am healing them, my corruption as seeped even deeper. I can now conjure twice, no thrice the number of Tainted Sorrow.’ The Nameless Entity grinned to itself. ’This time, I’ll—’
"I sense amusement from your position. How truly pitiful..." The Ancient Sun Emperor shook his head at this point and chuckled. "The ignorant truly do not know the difference between allowance and permission. It appears you mistook my small act of mercy for weakness. My intention to entertain myself while watching you wriggle and squirm until you reached the point of despair has caused you to misunderstand my intentions... How conceited can you really be?"
"W-what...?"
At this point, several points of lights appeared all over the room.
They were hundreds.
No...
... Thousands!
Each radiant display caused weapons of all sorts to appear, each of them being genuine Historical Projections.
"T-this...!"
"Did you really think I wouldn’t notice your attempts at deepening your connection with that host?" The Ancient Sun Emperor laughed casually while his arms remained folded. "Now, why don’t I ask you a question...?"
"...." The dazed Nameless Entity could not speak.
It simply stared at the resplendent lights that had blanketed the hall.
Merely staring at them was despair-inducing, and it felt its entire body on the verge of breakdown just being in their presence.
Its darkness was already burning up... slowly corroding as it stood there.
"Which do you think is faster? My unlimited arsenal or your regeneration? Why don’t we put it to the test?"
At that moment, the weapons shifted in the air, ready to descend.
The Nameless Entity heard its own shriek through the voice of Sir Winston. It tried to will itself to move, but was unable to achieve the desired effect.
It was truly scared stiff!
"Now then... like the worm that you are... look into the light and die—"
"That won’t be necessary..." Lazarus suddenly spoke, his too feet clacking on the ground as he began to advance.
Before the Historical Projection and Nameless Entity could respond in confusion, a silhouette suddenly appeared right next to Sir Winston.
"Shadow Self..." With a whisper, Lazarus commanded the newly manifested shadow.
—Another Historical Projection.
"... Remove the Nameless Entity from Sir Winston."
The shadowy figure nodded, and without saying any words, it reached out to grab something.
It wasn’t Sir Winston.
Instead, what it grabbed was Sir Winston’s shadow!
It had been clearly outlined thanks to the golden rays that manifested in the room.
Using this opportunity, the Shadow Self touched the squirming shadow of the motionless Sir Winston and ripped it away from the main body.
Once that happened, Sir Winston suddenly threw up a sludge of darkness.
It formed a pitch-black puddle right beneath him.
The puddle looked like a combination of all manner of filth, as well as feces. It smelled disgusting, like rotten eggs mixed decaying dung and fermented sewage.
Despite the pungent odor that wafted in the room, Lazarus found his smile widening.
As the last of the thick, detestable liquid oozed from the throbbing old man’s mouth, he began to shudder violently.
The black cracks on his face receded and his face began to warp.
"N-no... No... I won’t go... I can’t...!!!"
As Sir Winston shrieked, his mouth suddenly began to enlarge, almost at an abnormal rate.
The sludge beneath his feet started to rise, almost as though they would return to his mouth in a hurry. However, just as they were lifted a few feet above the ground, something else manifested in the old man’s mouth.
It looked like an earthworm, but it was larger than a python.
It was pitch-black, having several rings covering its slimy body. Despite how hard it tried to struggle, doing its best to stuff itself back inside the body of Sir Winston, it was inevitably expelled from its host.
Once the large worm was puked out, it completely fused with the dirty dark pool beneath the unconscious old man.
"Skrieeek!!!" It screamed in an indiscernible language, its high-pitched voice sending a shock wave of terrifying noise everywhere.
Lazarus covered his ears and closed his eyes, using his best attempts to shield his mind from perceiving any of the information that was being transmitted. After all, one of the best methods that Nameless Entities used to infect their victims was through knowledge.
They could hide within forbidden knowledge to gain access to the Mind’s World, using that as as the foundation for fully taking over the body.
As such, merely seeing or listening to this Nameless Entity—especially at Lazarus’ level—was bound to bring corruption. He didn’t dare to to look upon the screeching worm despite his scalp tingling and the horror intensifying.
Instead, he shouted with all of his might.
"What are you waiting for, almighty Ancient Sun Emperor?! Are you going to let such a filthy existence continue to remain in your domain? Will you let this stain your wonderful garden that is New Earth?"
"Hmm? Who exactly are you?" At this point, the Altreius glanced at Lazarus.
A hint of recognition appeared in his eyes, but nothing more.
When Lazarus didn’t respond, he clicked his tongue and yelled with a surge of pride, "I was going to do so even without you saying anything. In the first place, how dare a nobody like you give commands to an Emperor of my standing? I’ll be sure to punish you once I’m done with this filth!"
’Yeah, yeah...’ Lazarus rolled his eyes once he heard this. ’This is why I was hesitant to summon this guy. His personality is too problematic, and it appears it hasn’t changed in the last thousand years. But... he’s one of my strongest cards at the moment.’
Indeed!
Despite the arrogance displayed by this Ancient Sun Emperor, there was no doubt about it.
When it came to vanquishing the corruption that plagued humanity, he stood out in the records as a paragon worthy of emulation.
His grand achievements were immortalized in the form of legends.
Such feats were simply too spectacular.
As such, this Ancient Sun Emperor, Altreius, took on a special rank among Historical Projections.
Rank 7... Emperor!
Only one step beneath the almighty Principalities & Powers!
"Cast open your gaze and sear my might into your eyes!" Altreius declared with a mighty shout, instantly causing the entire hall to quake.
But Lazarus didn’t dare obey!
’If I see it, wouldn’t my mind be filled be too much knowledge? I’ll return to the Celestial Domain, and no one will be able to maintain your state.’ He lampooned inwardly. ’Once that happens, the Nameless Entity will use the opportunity to escape before I can descend.’
As such, Lazarus kept his eyes tightly shut.
Despite that, he felt a scalding heat that threatened to swallow him whole.
The blinding rays of light nearly pierced through his eyes, causing him to go blind despite tightly shutting them and looking away.
Then—
BOOOOOMMM!!!
The ground shook, almost like the world was breaking apart.
The devastation caused the entire hall—no, the entire Historian Cathedral—to be covered in magnificent light.
It even pierced through the rest of the city, causing everyone who walked through the streets to witness cast their gaze on the glory of an unknown entity.
Then, almost as quickly as it appeared, the light dimmed.
Hissing sounds echoed from all over the room, causing everything to disappear in an instant.
Only then did Lazarus open his eyes.
He saw the Golden Sun Emperor standing amidst the ruins of destruction.
A huge crater stood right in front of him, but nothing remained in the deep hole that had been dug. Not even a trace of corruption could be detected.
It became apparent at first glance.
... The Nameless Sin had been destroyed!