Chapter 308: Dawn Knight

Kill you? Klein heard this kind of request for the first time, encountered this kind of task, and briefly didn't know how to respond.

He even began to wonder whether there was some great conspiracy behind this.

Bishop Utlaovsky opened his eyes, looked down at Klein, and said: "Kill the old me."

...Father, please don't pause so dramatically mid-sentence... Klein's lips twitched slightly, and he asked in confusion: "Even in myths and legends, no one can go back in time. This commission of yours can probably only be completed by the seven gods."

"No, what I mean is, kill the past that still hides deep within my heart and has never truly died." Seeing that Klein was still somewhat puzzled, Bishop Utlaovsky hunched his back slightly. "The old me who loved killing and was fanatical about battle did not die completely along with my heartfelt repentance. I can clearly feel that he still lives within my body, constantly trying to seize control of everything. Every moment, I suppress him, hoping to convert him through Mass, through asceticism, through preaching, so that he too will truly believe in the Earth Mother's doctrines and merge back into one with me."

In simple terms, the marks of the past run too deep, conflicting violently with the current life, resulting in a kind of personality split... The pseudo-psychologist and genuine armchair expert Klein Moretti made his preliminary assessment, then said carefully: "This is a psychological issue. I think what you need most is to see a psychiatrist."

"I've tried. You may not be aware that among the Beyonder Pathways the Earth Mother commands, there is a Sequence called 'Physician,' which in ancient times was known as 'Healing Priest.' They studied my condition and concluded that it wasn't simply a psychological disorder—it also carried tendencies toward losing control. If the old me ultimately defeats the current me, I will unquestionably lose control and become a monster." Bishop Utlaovsky sighed.

Then what you need is the Sequence 7 of the Spectator Pathway, "Psychoanalyst"... Klein thought for a moment and said: "Your words convince me that you've already found a solution—you're just missing a suitable executor, correct?"

"Yes. Over the years, besides preaching, I've been searching for people and things that could help me. Eventually, under the Earth Mother's protection, I obtained a very miraculous item—said to be the relic of an ancient dragon." Seeing that Klein hadn't been frightened away, Bishop Utlaovsky answered with a glimmer of hope. "It allows the holder to enter the deepest reaches of the target's mind, or rather, the lowest layer of the dream, and materialize the corresponding scene. That way, you can directly see the old me, and then through combat, eliminate him. In that special state, once he truly dies, he will never appear again."

As expected of the mystical world—there's even a way to treat personality disorders like this... Klein sighed inwardly and asked cautiously: "What are the limitations, or rather, what harm might it cause to the holder? Why do you think I wouldn't be able to complete this commission?"

Bishop Utlaovsky lowered his head to look at Klein: "Once that miraculous item is used, the holder will remain conscious, but the mind—or rather, the dream—has many layers. The old me can fully exploit this to deceive you, even turn the tables and hunt you down. And after exceeding the predetermined time—five minutes, that item will cause you to become completely lost, your spirit unable to return to your body ever again, becoming its offering."

"In that manner, you would become a vegetable."

"Additionally, because the scene is materialized, if you are killed in the deepest reaches of the mind—or rather, the lowest layer of the dream—similar aftereffects will occur, equivalent to true death."

"Believe me, the old me is far more powerful than you would expect."

I see... But your problem isn't actually a problem for me at all. I'm someone who can voluntarily maintain consciousness and rationality in séances and dreams. Even if that miraculous item tries to make me completely lost, there's no need to worry too much—as long as there's still room to struggle, I can walk the four steps in reverse and chant the honorific name, going directly above the Gray Fog... The real question is, how powerful was the old Bishop Utlaovsky, and how confident am I that I can defeat him? What limitations and taboos exist when fighting in a materialized mental world? Klein pondered for a while and said: "Father Utlaovsky, just how powerful was the old you? I don't believe I'll necessarily lose."

Bishop Utlaovsky's gaze went momentarily distant: "I was a warrior."

"I've already reached Sequence 6 of this Beyonder Pathway and become a 'Dawn Knight.'"

So he wasn't a Beyonder of the Planter Pathway after all... He had said himself that it was after committing crimes and becoming a pirate that he was reformed by the Church of the Earth Mother... Sequence 6, hmm, it's not like I have no way of winning. The Magician is the type that becomes significantly more powerful with prior preparation, and given my special abilities, the depths of the mind or the lowest layer of dreams could both be considered my home turf... Klein pondered for a few seconds before asking: "Will that magical artifact weaken him?"

"It will, but that area is still his primary domain of activity, so the weakening won't be significant. At most, it would be equivalent to having already fought a fairly intense battle." Utlaovsky recalled his earlier attempts.

Then my chances are even better... Klein continued asking: "In that kind of special environment, is there anything I should be mindful of?"

"It's the same as a real fight—effective attacks remain effective, illusions are still illusions. However, you must pay attention to one thing: at any moment, he could drag you into several deeper layers of dreams, creating a situation where it's nearly impossible to tell truth from falsehood." Bishop Utlaovsky emphasized this point. "So, you must be at least Sequence 6, or a particularly special Sequence 7, to possibly complete this commission. And the risk is considerable. Heh, if I hadn't once sworn an oath upon a sacred relic of the Mother, promising not to seek help from the Church before achieving success in my missionary work, things wouldn't be this difficult."

I see... I'm not actually afraid of dreams nested within dreams... Klein tugged the corner of his mouth: "One last question—what are the combat characteristics of the 'Dawn Knight'?"

Bishop Utlaovsky's heavily wrinkled face pulled into a wistful expression: "For a Beyonder, this is something that must be kept absolutely secret."

"However, if you participate in enough battles, others can usually piece it together. And the more detailed your knowledge, the higher your chance of success, right?"

"Yes." Klein nodded frankly.

Bishop Utlaovsky spoke in a tone of reminiscence: