Lucian hadn’t walked far into the church when he noticed many inexplicable things appearing around him.
Beneath the divine statue lay Hot Pants, wrapped in a thin film, and not far away, Gyro had also fallen victim to the same trap.
The door leading to the backyard was wide open; it seemed Johnny had escaped through there.
Only the cripple had managed to escape.
Things that Lucian had discarded began to appear all around him.
The deceased Blackmore, the horse he had shot while fleeing—things he had casually discarded during this time appeared out of thin air and began to converge around Lucian.
These were all things Lucian had discarded in this world, and they were beginning to cluster toward him.
The distance between them was constantly shrinking.
There were no items from the previous world because death had already washed away all of Lucian’s prior sins.
The meaning behind the Stand Civil War is: does a person need to constantly discard useless things to move forward?
Clearly, the Stand Civil War was currently in this church, and Lucian’s arrival hadn’t changed that.
Those burdened with sin remained within the church.
This was one of the Stand Users Lucian least wanted to encounter; his ability was nearly unsolvable.
However, his Stand’s range wasn’t very large; as long as he took the opportunity to retreat from the church now, he could escape the Stand’s range.
But before that, he needed to rescue Gyro while Civil War’s attention was focused on Johnny.
Just then, a robot-shaped Stand suddenly appeared in the church hall.
Axl RO had naturally noticed this sudden intruder as well.
Since a new sin had appeared within the area maintained by his Stand, he naturally had to come and take a look, and what he saw filled him with immense joy.
Lucian’s appearance was like a double blessing for him; that strange Easterner had actually shown up here too.
For him, it meant completing two of Valentine’s missions today.
So, he set aside his focus on Johnny for now; the main course should naturally be saved for last.
Let him play with his father and that White Mouse.
Once he captured that Easterner, he would receive his fated baptism.
With this mindset, Axl RO appeared in a corner of the church.
He watched Lucian, who was exhausted from dodging the objects, and spoke:
“I will tell you my weakness: fresh water can wash away the sins on your body.”
Don’t talk in your sleep.
Your sins can never be repaid.
Even if someone bears the sins for you under your Stand’s ability, it’s because you yourself cannot let go of the sins in your own heart.”
A Stand ability is a manifestation of the soul; Axl would forever be trapped in that famous war.
Guilt would accompany him until his actual death.
“That’s impossible!
I have already welcomed my salvation.
God has finally placed the path of redemption before me.
Tomorrow will be my rebirth!” Axl RO screamed heart-wrenchingly.
“Haven’t you tried to have others bear your sins before?
You certainly have, but you’ve never succeeded.
Because these are your own original sins.”
Lucian was a professional at stabbing people in the heart, especially someone whose mind was already unstable.
Most importantly, Lucian knew his past.
Axl RO had certainly tried to have others kill him within the Stand’s range to atone for his sins, but it hadn’t worked; the pain and guilt for the sins he committed continued to burn his soul.
This led Axl RO to believe that only those chosen by the Saint were qualified to bear his sins.
Johnny was his chosen target, as the Saint seemed to accompany him.
Once Johnny killed him, the sins of the mortal world would be borne by him.
When the Saint’s corpse part entered his body, it would surely take away all the sins in his heart as well.
Axl RO believed that only then could he achieve inner peace, for the Saint would bear all the sins of the world.
Even someone like him, who had committed great errors, would surely find redemption.
Axl RO’s voice grew more agitated as he screamed, “No, the Saint will personally come to save me.
And you will be surrounded by eternal pain in this church.”
The objects surrounding Lucian began to vibrate violently and then moved toward him en masse.
One can only say that if you don’t have a plan for certain victory, it’s advisable not to provoke the boss.
“These are all the sins you have committed; you will eventually die within your own sins.”
Having said this, Axl RO burst into a laugh as if he had successfully counterattacked.
Lucian naturally felt no guilt for those he had killed; he knew these were merely the abilities of Civil War.
These things couldn’t be killed and couldn’t be touched.
Once touched, they would merge into his body.
Lucian blocked these things with his hardened cloak and fired several shots at Axl RO, but failed to hit him.
At that moment, a tin can Lucian had casually discarded touched his legs, and a thin film immediately appeared.
The film began to spread upward from his legs; this effect was certainly not something that could be ignored just by having no guilt.
Lucian immediately poured clean water from a flask; upon being washed by the fresh water, the film began to dissipate.
The other items had already bypassed the obstacles and were closing in.
Lucian was forced to start running.
Seeing Lucian in such a sorry state, Axl RO asked, “Does a person need to constantly discard useless things to continue moving forward?”
“Of course, a person needs to constantly discard useless things to move forward, but you can’t.
You neither have the courage to face your own sins nor can you become a truly evil person, so you can only leave yourself in endless regret and pain.”
After finishing his taunt, Lucian had approached the church door.
Although he was suppressed by Civil War, the conditions for a counterattack had appeared.
Axl RO himself had shown up.
Civil War’s range was not large; he only needed to run out of the church to avoid its range of ability.
Then he could use a method like Valentine’s to kill Civil War.
Bleeding bullets would take his life.
This wouldn’t let his ability entangle him; distance was the key to defeating him.
Lucian burst open the door and successfully escaped the church.
Just as Axl RO was about to continue the pursuit, he suddenly noticed that Johnny in the backyard showed signs of breaking free.
As a result, Lucian was no longer as important; he had to first let Johnny wash away his own sins.
He would deal with that damn Easterner afterward.