Chapter 81: Life or Death

Reno stood outside the prison door, and everything before his eyes felt like a nightmare come true.

He had recalled this scene countless times in his dreams: that numb, lifeless gaze, yet one tinged with pleading, had become the nightmare he could never escape.

How he hated his younger self for not being stronger back then. If he had been, he could have broken through every obstruction and brought liberation to his sister, Ania.

Now, having returned once more to the underground cell, what he saw was no different from what it had been years ago, not even from what appeared in every nightmare.

The only difference was that Ania was thinner now, and the scars upon her body were denser still. The years had given her nothing but endless suffering.

"Ania!"

His hoarse, desperate cry echoed through the hollow underground chamber.

But his voice did not draw the woman's attention. Only when Edward smashed the prison bars apart with a hammer did the heavy clang make the chains tremble faintly.

Ania lifted her head. Her eyes were empty and vacant; it took a long moment before her gaze finally settled on Reno's face.

She seemed to be trying to recognize him, memories stirring slowly from pain and darkness.

"Reno... is that you?" Her voice was hoarse and faint, almost swallowed by the prison's gloom.

Reno's heart clenched. He hurried forward, with Edward close behind, swiftly severing the iron chains binding Ania's wrists.

Reno gently helped her upright and carefully drew her into his arms, afraid that even the slightest force might shatter her fragile body.

"Ania, I'm back." Reno's voice trembled, heavy with guilt for the past.

In that instant, all suffering seemed to dissolve with the breaking of the chains, leaving only the reunion of brother and sister in the dark.

Yet Ania's words shattered that brief peace at once.

"Reno... kill me."

Her voice remained weak, her gaze carrying pleading, even begging, as though this were her greatest wish at this very moment.

"Please, kill me quickly."

Reno's body stiffened. Though his original purpose had been to help Ania find release, at this moment of reunion, faced with his sister's plea, a hesitation he should not have felt rose within him.

That hesitation did not come from any wavering resolve. He knew full well how much suffering Ania had endured, and he understood that death was the best way to end her endless torment.

He had countless times imagined returning to the underground cell, personally granting Ania release, and then dying amid the encirclement of the Punishment Army. His conviction had long since become unshakable.

Reno's hesitation lay elsewhere: he now realized there might be another choice.

If he and Edward together could withstand the oncoming Punishment Army, there was hope of escaping with Ania alive. That possibility gave his hesitation a reason.

Edward stood to the side, frowning as he watched the scene, his expression complicated.

"Reno, you know this already. Ending Ania's suffering is the most rational choice."

The hidden objective demanded either rescuing Ania or killing her; fulfilling either would complete the hidden node.

But the former was undoubtedly far more difficult than the latter.

What counted as rescue? If taking her away from the Holy See and escaping its grasp meant rescue, then one must not forget that outside the cathedral stood countless Punishment troops in encirclement.

At present, only the large defensive prayer wards allowed the two of them to remain safely within the Holy See.

To flee the Holy See meant facing an endless tide of Punishment soldiers. Even if the two were powerful, they would be swallowed by that wave of enemies, unable to stir even the slightest ripple.

And merely escaping the Holy See could not end Ania's suffering. The sanctuary mark and the divine blessing of pain would follow her forever. For Ania, death was the best release.

Edward said in a low voice, "If you can't make up your mind, then I'll help you."

With that, he drew his chainsaw sword and walked toward the brother and sister.

Withered, scarred arms lightly pushed away from the chest, and Ania left Reno's embrace. There was no longing for life in her eyes, only relief and release.

She said softly to Edward, "Thank you. I've waited a long time for this moment."

Edward raised the chainsaw sword, preparing to carry out Ania's wish.

A solemn atmosphere hung in the air, as if every sound had been swallowed by the silence.

A cold gleam flashed across the blade of the chainsaw sword.

Clang!

Just as the blade was about to fall, a crisp metallic ring broke the stillness.

A wolf-headed greatsword was thrust before Ania, blocking Edward's strike.

Reno lowered his hand, and the wolf-headed greatsword clattered to the ground. His eyes were red, and he lowered his head, too ashamed to meet either of their gazes.

"I'm sorry, Edward... can you help me?" Reno's voice trembled as his fists clenched hard. "I know that's a terrible thing to ask, and I know Ania wants the pain to end, but I keep feeling there may still be another way to save her..."

Ania looked at Reno, her eyes full of exhaustion.

"Reno, I'm already very tired."

Her voice was still hoarse, but gentler now. "I'm glad you came back for me, but what if there really isn't another way?"

Edward withdrew the chainsaw sword and studied the man before him, whose heart was locked in painful struggle.

Reno had already cast aside the wolf-headed greatsword, and if Edward now insisted on ending Ania's life, Reno would no longer stop him.

"You should respect Ania's wish..."

He pondered for a long while, then finally sighed. "Let's go. Take Ania with us. We'll kill the four Inquisitors. Only by taking the Holy King hostage will there be even the faintest chance of escaping the Holy See with her."

Reno snapped his head up, his eyes bright with surprise and emotion.

He knew his request was monstrously unreasonable. To get Ania out of the Holy See alive was a thousand, ten thousand times harder than decisively ending her suffering. It was almost impossible.

And yet Edward had agreed, just as he had once agreed to come to the Holy See, risking death nine times out of ten.

Edward carried the chainsaw sword and turned away. "Don't bother shielding Ania from blades on purpose. The Holy See cares more about Ania's life and death than you do."

Reno dared not look at the disappointed expression on Ania's face. He hoisted his sister, whose leg muscles had atrophied, onto his back and bound her tightly there with chains.

Ania's body was delicate, very thin and very light. Carrying her would slightly affect his strength, but not by much.

As Reno carried Ania out of the cell, a prompt sounded in unison.

You have initially completed one branch choice of the hidden node: rescue Ania, the Ever-Pained Maiden.

If you keep the Ever-Pained Maiden, Ania, alive until this forbidden dream ends, you will receive additional special exchange privileges.

Hidden node reward: Trait "Flame Breath" (claimable), unlock partial special exchange privileges, increase dream settlement rating!

Since you have chosen the relevant hidden-node branch from the beginning and obtained the related intelligence compendium, An Overview of the Divine Grace of Pain, the hidden node will be triggered during a specific time period in this forbidden dream!

End of chapter.