For Beyonders at the demigod level, because the soul is strong and has undergone a qualitative change, even after death the spirit can linger for a time, unless the enemy deliberately destroys it. And if the deceased high-sequence individual still has strong attachments or unresolved emotions, their residual will lasts even longer, slowly assimilating the surrounding area, merging it with the Spirit World or even the Underworld, and helping them turn into an evil spirit.
So even though
“Compared to the elders of the past, Livia and I are lucky to die here.”
Derrick opened his mouth to say something, but it felt like something was pressing on his heart and stuck in his throat.
Not far away, Klein raised the “Star Staff” and tried to reproduce Will Onsetein’s “Restart” to save Colin Iliad. But he succeeded only after several failures, and the ability did not reverse everything—the effect was much weaker than the original, and it involved “Uniqueness”:
He was already dead, not even puppetization was possible; only turning into an evil spirit could be considered. Yet almost no evil spirit retains humanity—even the “Dark Angel” Saslir failed… The sole exceptions are the three of the “Red Angel”
Colin Iliad studied Derrick’s face and sighed as he spoke:
“When you go back this time, you will be a member of the ‘Six-Man Council’. “I know it’s a very heavy burden for your age, but in the City of Silver, everyone must be ready at any time to bear the fate of all.”
Derrick nodded firmly, his voice thick with emotion: “Yes, Chief!”
Colin Iliad showed a kind smile.
“Don’t worry about being misunderstood. I’ll tell you a secret. Right now, only I and Wait know it in the whole City of Silver. “When you get back, repeat this matter to Wait at once, and he will understand that Livia’s death and mine have nothing to do with you. Otherwise, you could never have learned this secret from me.”
Saying this, Colin Iliad looked up at Gehrman Sparrow and gave a slight nod.
“From today, everyone in the City of Silver is free to convert to that ‘Mr. Fool’.”
Derrick was not at all excited; he just nodded heavily to show he understood.
Colin Iliad withdrew his gaze. His obviously tired face took on a solemn and bitter expression.
“That secret is related to the City of Silver’s second divine sealed artifact. “It is called ‘Earth’s Blessing’.”
Derrick wiped his eyes with his arm and listened intently to the Chief’s account.
Colin Iliad sighed and went on:
“It is precisely because of Earth’s Blessing that the black‑face grass can grow around the City of Silver, preventing us from completely sinking into the Deep Dark Age…”
Derrick’s pupils dilated slightly, and his grief eased a little.
He remembered clearly: the common-sense textbooks called the discovery of black‑face grass the key turning point in the City of Silver’s history. Without this safe, harmless staple food, the City of Silver would probably have become a monster’s paradise long ago.
In that instant, Derrick thought of many things and finally understood why the mushrooms given by Mr. “World” had undergone such a huge mutation here, different from the original description.
Colin Iliad’s gaze swept over his face, and his voice suddenly became low:
“But it is also because of Earth’s Blessing that we carry a cursed fate: only those killed by a direct family member do not turn into terrible evil spirits. “‘Abundance’ comes at a price.”
Derrick’s expression froze.
Killing his parents was a wound in his heart that could never heal. He had always attributed the curse to this god‑forsaken land. But now the Chief was telling him that the truth was different: the curse came from the very food they depended on!
White‑haired and weary, Colin Iliad seemed to lose focus for a moment, as if he, too, was thinking of the father, mother, brother, sister, eldest son, youngest son, daughter, and eldest grandson he had killed with his own hands.
His voice turned distant.
“Livia once said that after leaving the City of Silver, a warrior who died in battle did not turn into an evil spirit. “I didn’t tell her the truth then, because Earth’s Blessing covers a vast area, and almost everyone who is about to die cannot leave that area in time. “This is a secret that only the Chief may know. I have struggled and fought—hoping that those who come after will not have to endure this pain.”
The visibly aged Chief of the City of Silver breathed out slowly, not giving Derrick a chance to make promises, and then, as if struck by a thought, added:
“Also, you cannot fully trust what the records in that palace say about the ‘Roses of Redemption’.”
Klein stopped inspecting the surroundings; Derrick looked slightly puzzled.
Colin Iliad spoke with a heavy tone:
“The ‘Earth Mother’ cannot be the giant queen Oumibella. “Oumibella died long ago. Her corpse is in the City of Silver—that is ‘Earth’s Blessing’…”
This… Klein’s pupils suddenly dilated, and a chill ran down his spine.
The real giant queen had died long ago in the City of Silver and turned into a sealed artifact. Then who was the current “Earth Mother”?
…………
In that dark “domain” overgrown with moons and night‑scented herbs, the Twilight Giant’s sword struck the heavy black scythe and hung frozen in mid‑air.
In the darkness that had been largely shattered by the fierce divine battle just before, time seemed to stand still. Both the giant in faded armor, bathed in twilight, and the six‑armed humanoid wolf in a starry dress stood motionless, as if they were part of a painting.