"It is always like this. I truly never wish to behold such a sight again."
"You've been acting as if something is weighing on your mind lately. Can you tell me why?"
Johanna spoke as she glanced toward Baal's direction. She could clearly sense a power swelling within the air, and seeing Bul-Kathos sigh before her only deepened her concern. She felt compelled to speak.
"Something on my mind? Who doesn't have something on their mind?"
Bul-Kathos turned to her, his gaze somewhat hollow. "It is simply that all things must eventually come to an end. It is time for this battle to reach its conclusion."
One by one, the pieces of his battered armor vanished into thin air. The finale of this struggle would be nothing more than a void—a barbarian filled with nothing but fury, standing within a deep pit, locked in an endless slaughter.
"Now, leave this place. What comes next is my fight alone," Bul-Kathos said, not bothering to look back.
The remaining conflict required only one soul to witness it—the ruins left in the wake of an explosion. There was nothing more worth seeing.
"By the way," Bul-Kathos added casually, "do you think any of the recruits will survive to witness the final moment? I've prepared a handsome reward for any warrior who proves themselves worthy."
Zoltun Kulle's lips twitched at the remark. "And when do you plan to accept Kanai's Hesitance?"
"After the blast. When everything has returned to normal."
Bul-Kathos's figure began to recede into the distance. Having shed his armor, he revealed wounds that had yet to heal. He walked barefoot across the snow of the holy mountain, his footprints sharp and clear, the scars on the soles of his feet etched into the frost.
"Liar. But that's so like you," Zoltun Kulle said with a smirk.
He then shifted his attention toward a hidden corner. The faint scent of Diablo lingered there, and the thought made him want to laugh. When one stepped into the past of Mount Arreat within a specific window of time, one could always find something amusing.
Zoltun Kulle understood. Bul-Kathos simply wanted to deal with that bastard Diablo first before moving on to more important matters. The less Diablo knew, the less danger he posed. Therefore, Kulle wouldn't do anything superfluous.
In this world, many things were not judged by right or wrong, but by the "will of the collective." If everyone did something, did that make it right? Was sacrificing one person for world peace truly an act of justice?
Justice can only truly be called such when the one being sacrificed is oneself. Tyrael never quite grasped that concept. Fortunately, there were those who did.
"A boring battle? Things are never as simple as you claim, Bul-Kathos," Kulle murmured.
He didn't care if Bul-Kathos heard him. He wasn't trying to hide his thoughts, either. Johanna and Leah turned their eyes toward him, their expressions filled with silent inquiry.
"Don't look at me like that! Ignorance is bliss! Hahaha!"
Kulle's laughter echoed across the empty, snowy plains. The overcast sky parted slightly, allowing a single sliver of sunlight to pierce through and fall upon him. In that light, the ghost of the ancient Nephalem radiated a strange, holy glow.
Johanna was speechless, while Leah silently pondered the hidden meaning behind his words.
Qual-Kehk's massive axe slammed heavily into the giant boulder. An icy blue fury flickered across the blade, turning the surrounding air even colder.
"Barbarian... tell me, what is it that you truly desire?"
Baal's voice drifted slowly and calmly from within the stone. The end was predetermined. Even if these Barbarians couldn't end the fight with a single explosion, Bul-Kathos would find another way. It wasn't hard to guess.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"