Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 693 Living Angel (First Update)
Behind Finlake, Rosh was still watching him.

From Finlake, Luo Xiu sensed his spirituality and felt the deep sorrow emanating from him—he must have remembered everything, everything.

“I did it…all of it, I did it all…”

Finlake knelt on the ground, his face contorted in pain, muttering to himself.

He clutched his head tightly with both hands, his fingertips digging into his flesh and drawing blood—but he seemed to feel nothing, only repeating the same words over and over again, "I did it."

Luo Xiu, Franya, Monigne, and Bishop Donovan were all watching Finlake from behind.

No one spoke; there was only silence. Until Finlake's almost mournful murmur finally ceased, he shakily rose again and turned around—

"I...remembered it."

Finlake's voice trembled and broke as he spoke:

“I was deceived and bewitched by...Achilles. For a long time, I was lost and confused... But last night, Acchilles completely controlled me and made me do... these things.”

"Now, I have remembered everything. From the moment I left the Holy Court until this moment... I have remembered everything I have done."

“I confess the sins I have committed, and I accept whatever judgment the Holy Court may give me. This is the price I must pay, the consequence of my sins I must atone for.”

"..."

Finlake spoke in an old and low voice, then looked at Franya, his eyes filled with vicissitudes and loneliness. After a moment's hesitation, he asked Franya:

"...Your Highness, please tell me, what kind of judgment will I face upon returning to the Holy Court?"

"..."

"After all the crimes you have committed are confirmed, the Holy Cardinal Bishops will witness that you will be permanently sealed at the bottom of the Holy Court, in the Holy Prison."

Frania's expression also turned melancholy. She gazed into Finlake's eyes and said in a soft but clear voice:

"Sealed beneath the pillar of divine punishment, never to see the sun again."

"..."

"That's it..."

Finlake nodded.

"You won't kill me, you'll only seal me away... You're as kind and benevolent as ever, Your Highness..."

"But... this price is too light for me."

"..."

As he spoke, his expression became conflicted, as if he were fiercely struggling with something in his mind.

As determination gradually surfaced on his face, and a golden light began to ignite in his eyes, he began to mobilize the last remaining trace of his spiritual energy. That energy gathered in his right hand, and then—

puff! !

He plunged his right hand quickly and heavily into his left chest!

"...!"

Finlake's sudden action took everyone by surprise. In an instant, Luo Xiu and Monine's spiritual energy simultaneously spread out and locked onto Finlake. If Finlake made any new or rebellious move, Luo Xiu and Monine would stop him without hesitation.

But Finlake simply plunged his right hand into his left chest, a狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious) and painful expression on his face, as blood gushed from the wound and seeped into the earth.

His right hand had grasped something in the blurry flesh and blood, and then, with a sudden tug, he pulled out a pounding golden heart—

"This is... my heart."

Holding the golden heart in his palm, Finlake's face suddenly turned pale. He almost collapsed to his knees, but still held the heart in his right hand, presenting it to Franya.

"Please...please accept this."

Finlake said weakly:

"This is my...judgment, my atonement."

“I am willing to give everything to atone for this, and I will become… a living angel.”

……

Finlake wanted to become a "living angel"!
As Luo Xiu listened to Finlake say these words, his pupils contracted slightly.

He knew what a "living angel" was.

That is different from the true "angel"—the "angel" who is purely a saint who truly dedicates everything to the [radiance] and to the Great Sun Moment, and is sublimated from the flesh in the "reconstruction" of the Great Sun Moment.

Because they still possess human flesh and blood and physical forms, they are called "living angels." However, they no longer have the consciousness they had as humans; they only have the sole faith of serving and following the [Radiance]—

In a sense, they voluntarily became the vessel and container, becoming servants forever loyal to [Glory].

In this way, they will become living angels with angelic divinity and divine immortality, retaining the power they had when they were "saints".

However, this "sublimation" ritual only existed in the "Age of Gods" period tens of millions of years ago.

The purpose of such a ritual is not to mass-produce "living angels" for the Sun's fleeting command.

The purpose is to enable the saints who are seriously injured, on the verge of death, or whose lives are in danger to receive the grace of the Great Sun through this method, so that they can continue to devote themselves to [Glory] and continue to walk on the path of [Glory].

This was another path they could choose, distinct from "death." For the saints who served the [Radiance] at that time, this was definitely a better ending than "death."

In other words, the "living angels" only existed during the Age of Gods. After the Age of Gods ended and the pillar gods disappeared, the "living angels" also disappeared, and there have been no more living angels walking on earth since.

In Luo Xiu's memory—he knew about the "Living Angels" because in the later stages of the 4.0 version of "The Path of Gods," during the [Resurrection of the Age of Gods], many ancient beings who disappeared during the Age of Gods would reappear, including the "Living Angels" who voluntarily dedicated themselves to the [Radiance] and were elevated during the Age of Gods. But that was a long, long time later.

At least for now, no “living angels” are walking on the earth; however, the skills required to become a “living angel” have been preserved.

Because the sacred ritual that allows one to ascend to become a "living angel" has been passed down through the Saint Leron family since the first Saint Leron, and the Holy Court has always mastered this ancient sacred ritual technique through the saints of Saint Leron.

However, this is no longer the era in which the pillar god walks among mortals, and this art has been covered in dust for a long time. The origin and effect of its rituals have also changed.

For example, the "living angels" who can be sublimated through rituals are not driven by the will of the Great Sun, but by the presiding priest of the ritual—the purest [Radiant] saint.

And starting with the first Pope, Saint Léon, there is a provision recorded in the sacred commandments—

All mortals are sinners, and so are saints. If in future generations a saint commits an unforgivable sin, he will deeply repent—and our merciful Father will grant him the opportunity. He will offer his soul, his flesh, and everything he has, becoming a mortal with a body. In this way, he will be without sin, and he will remain holy.

【…】

This is an ancient commandment inscribed on a sacred stele, left by the first Pope, Saint Leran, who was also the ancestor of Finlake.

Although this precept, inscribed from the very beginning of the "Holy Court," was erased in later generations, and most subsequent saints were unaware of its existence, Finlake knew it, and so did Franya.

All the saints present—Franja, Monigne, Bishop Donovan, and Finlake—knew this.

Luo Xiu, who shouldn't have known this, naturally knew it through his memories of his past life.

“As you know, Your Highness, all saints who have committed grave sins can choose this: I offer my heart, my soul and my body, so that I may die bathed in radiance, and then be reborn in the fleeting, merciful radiance of the great sun, becoming a living angel with a body.”

Finlake's voice was old and heavy.

"..."

"You... want to become a 'living angel'?"

After Finlayk expressed his determination to Flanda, a stunned and bewildered expression appeared on Flanda's face.

She knew what becoming a "living angel" meant for the saints of today—

This means that the saints died as "human beings," losing everything that made them "human." Everything about them will become an instrument, a vessel, a container to carry that pure [radiant] will.

We are no longer in the age of gods. Even though for the saints of [Glory], dedicating everything to [Glory], even sacrificing themselves and becoming martyrs, is the most sacred, sublime, and immortal thing, it does not mean that the saints would be willing to give up everything, including their lives.

In this day and age, life is the most precious thing—especially after a war that has just experienced that "judgment".

"Yes... Your Highness."

Finally, the contorted, pained expression faded from Finlake's face, and he weakly forced a feeble smile, saying:
"I wish to become... a living angel."

“I am a guilty man. But the power I possess, and everything I know, makes me not want to spend the rest of my life in a dark and hopeless prison.”

“You will need me…you still need my power, Your Highness. I am still the ‘Holy Primordial of Divine Pardon,’ and only when I become a living angel can you…command me without any more worries.”

Finlake gazed at Franja, and now, as he finally understood something and made a decision, he spoke these words to Franja in a gentle and kind tone.

"And I also know, Your Highness... Although Accipiles is dead and has severed his spiritual connection with me... He is only the beginning."

“I know that beneath the earth beneath our feet, an even more terrifying calamity is already taking shape. Moreover, in the distance, a great, scarlet enemy has already set its predatory gaze upon us.”

"Outside the city of Agrus, the scarlet war head discovered and placed there by Accipileus is merely the vanguard before the arrival of the calamity called 'Scarlet'... Soon, the crimson tide will sweep in, a catastrophe far greater and more terrifying than the war of judgment, therefore... you still need me."

"Therefore, I beg you, Your Highness! Let me become a 'living angel,' so that I may atone for even a fraction of my sins. And please, do not hesitate any longer, accept my heart, and use it as my 'scepter.' Please allow me to atone for my sins. Please allow me to make my final sacrifice for you and for the Holy Court..."

"..."

In the end, Finlake's voice almost became a plea.

His face was extremely pale and his body was extremely weak.

After saying all this in one breath, he collapsed to the ground, but his right hand was still raised, holding the golden heart that flowed with the divine blood of Saint Leron.

Franya looked at him, then at Luo Xiu, and then at Monine.

Luo Xiu nodded slightly, indicating his attitude.

Monine remained silent, merely watching Finlake and observing his movements. She remained silent about the trial he would face and what he would offer as a price for his atonement. At this moment, she did not want to sway Franja's judgment with her own will.

"..."

Franya looked at Finlake again and remained silent for a long time.

Finally, she walked forward to Finlake, extended her right hand, and took the heart from Finlake's right hand.

"I'll accept your heart, Finlake."

Franya said in a light yet clear voice:
“I allow you to become a ‘living angel’ and atone for your sins by following the ancient commandments.”

"..."

"thank you……"

Finlake's right hand finally gave way and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

His body also slumped to one side. After losing his "heart," he finally became so weak that he lost all consciousness, collapsed, and never woke up again.

He was smiling, finally having achieved his wish, and was no longer in pain.

……

(End of this chapter)