-----
The Spiral of Compassion.
Among all Spirals, this one is the most harmless and is considered a must-have in the game Sinners Academy: Love at the End of the World.
Spiralwalkers who possess the Spiral of Compassion can heal the wounds of others far more effectively than any other form of Healing Magic or medicine.
At higher levels, they can mend not only wounds but also broken bones, missing limbs, vital organs, and even revive the dead if not too much time has passed since death.
Yet there is another side to this Spiral. It was born from a Martyr—someone with boundless compassion for all things who chose to sacrifice themselves for others.
Its primary source of power is the absorbed pain and suffering of those it heals. While the targets are freed from agony for an extended period, the Spiralwalker bears every bit of it.
Each healing carries a risk of inflicting severe Status Conditions on the wielder. The stronger the healing power, the greater the chance of the user suffering in exchange.
However, upon reaching a certain Rank, the Spiral of Compassion transforms completely.
That moment arrives at Tier 4, when the Spiralwalker ascends and becomes a Saint.
Saints no longer merely heal. They wield the pain and suffering they remove from others, converting it into defensive, utility, and even offensive magic.
Yet no one has ever achieved what the One-Hundred Limbed Fallen Abyssal Mother has accomplished.
Tier 0.
At this Tier, its power twists beyond recognition, as though this woman has rewritten the Spiral itself to perform the impossible.
Such is the might of those who dwell in Tier 0, mythical existences akin to gods.
Thus...
"S-Sinner...! Secure... the Sinner...!"
The creature before Louis was one of her creations, born from the Spiral of Compassion twisted into a Demonic Curse. Those freed from their emotional weaknesses become aberrant slaves of the Abyssal Mother—her spawns.
The Children of the Painless Abyss.
Every member of her church holds the power to transform into one of these Children and is controlled remotely by her Divine Will to carry out her bidding and spread her doctrine.
Her ultimate goal was now clear to Louis: she sought to swallow the entire world, devouring every living soul to "save" them from the agony and despair of existence.
Their souls would be placed in an endless dream, a fabricated heaven.
Is it truly heaven? No.
But is it evil? Not entirely.
Louis had considered it for a moment.
As long as everyone is happy, does the method truly matter?
The creature before him was currently experiencing eternal bliss within the "Heaven" crafted by the Abyssal Mother.
Though its true body had been warped into this monstrous form and enslaved to her will, its mind had been liberated, and negotiation was impossible.
"Every single one of you creatures is a delusional bastard living under an eternal illusion, a dream! Because you're cowards who cannot face reality!"
Louis spoke without hesitation. The instant the creature attacked, he swung his pure white lance. Bright pale light and draconic energy surged, twisting and merging.
"Holy Dragon Lance Style."
"First Form."
"Radiant Fang."
The fusion of Dragon Fang Spearmanship and Holy Lance Style, two halves of Benladra's original Martial Art, which she wielded even in dragon form, channeling greater power through the majestic divine holy lance forged by her father, the Dragon King, and gifted to her as a child.
Martial Arts at this level are far more than techniques for defense. They carry a Legacy, a history, memories, and emotions intertwined into a single, blossoming strike of immense weight.
To wield this technique meant bearing the burden of his family's legacy, even though he was not yet truly a dragon.
That single strike summoned a fragment of his mother's power. Louis' Aura exploded with blinding radiance, forcing nearby people to shield their eyes.
The light coalesced into the form of a roaring white dragon. Its sharp fang pierced straight through the creature's body.
One strike was all he needed.
BOOOM!
The Child of the Painless Abyss burst apart. Black, twitching masses of slime scattered across the floor, slowly burning away beneath the pure radiance Louis had summoned.
"I can see why that Abyssal Mother hates my mother so much. My mother's power is the exact opposite...! While hers absorbs pain and empties a vessel of all agony, my mother grants happiness and helps people move forward from their suffering, to face reality and fight back together. Of course, I will never be able to do what she does... but that's fine!"
Louis glanced back at little Melisa. Her eyes were wide with awe at the incredible display.
"Don't worry, Melisa. As long as I'm here, I won't let anyone harm you... or take you away. I made a promise to myself."
"P-Prince Louis..."
Tears welled in Melisa's eyes as she clung to his leg. At that moment, several more Children of the Painless Abyss charged the group.
Louis smiled. His Aura surged once more. The Five Elements, Heavenly and Earthly Essences, Mana, and Fantasium blended into the shape of a powerful figure.
A faint ghost, a mere fragment—but unmistakably her.
"To think I am finally seeing the completed form of our goddess' legacy in action again!" Catrise said, moved, as she swung her hammer and crushed an incoming creature.
"Protect the orphanage!" Gustaf commanded, raising his hand. Several psychic force fields appeared, forming a barrier around the building and then around the personnel. "Do not let these things reach the Sinners!"
"Zorba! Mirai! Your turn," Louis said. The two Sinners beside him nodded.
"Very well, Master Louis," Zorba replied with a smile. He tapped the ground with his black staff. Shadows flickered, revealing dozens of monstrous undead rising. "Go, my precious creations! Show the world your might!"
The Chimeric Zombies charged first. With multiple arms, legs, and heads, they resembled the Children of the Painless Abyss. Individually weaker, they overwhelmed their foes when they swarmed, tearing them apart limb from limb. When struck down, they simply reassembled and attacked again.
"I guess this is my first time fighting outside for real...! Those creatures look really nasty...!" Mirai said nervously, her heart pounding. She sprouted demonic wings, black horns emerged from her forehead, and demonic runes glowed around her body. "I'll do my best...!"
Nervous but determined, she attacked with sharp claws, channeling her developing Demon Fighting Style. Her self-contained strikes maximized her power while minimizing collateral damage. They proved devastating. Her claws tore through flesh, burning insides with demonic flames. Alone, she dispatched many monsters, fighting with greater ferocity than Louis and more endurance than all of Zorba's zombies combined.
Meanwhile, Elises, Fernand, Catrise, Belladine, and the hidden knights joined the fray. They combined Magical Techniques with VPI Agents' technology and Psychic Power, overwhelming the army of over thirty Children of the Painless Abyss in minutes.
Gustaf focused solely on protection, trapping the monsters within the combat zone and shielding the orphanage. He had also given Melisa a special magical ring that formed a personal barrier.
"As expected, you seem quite prepared, huh? I suppose there's no longer any point in hiding when you took little Selene from me and refuse to hand over little Melisa either~"
A voice echoed from the shadows of a nearby alley. Louis impaled the last Child of the Painless Abyss, ending its existence. Everyone froze as a potent aura surged, warping space itself. The Fantasy Heart of someone at an extraordinarily high level had arrived.
A Tier 4 Spiralwalker!
"What...! This guy's coming right away? Why?" Zorba muttered, stepping back and clenching his teeth as he stared at the tall, handsome figure of Priest Soma Ferrera.
"Hoho, it's nice to meet you all!" Soma said. His perpetual calm smile sent chills down everyone's spine—even Louis, who struggled to maintain composure.
"We've been waiting for you, Soma," Louis replied sharply, snapping everyone out of the strange daze induced by Soma's presence and aura.
That sensation came from the overwhelming Fantasium radiating from his body, carrying the power of his Spiral, Consciousness, and Soul.
Tier 4 Spiralwalkers possess not only immense physical and magical strength but also a presence akin to Grievances. Their very existence warps reality and can affect the minds of those who witness it.
Higher Tiers are even worse, just as the Abyssal Mother's mere presence had once killed everyone in the Frostbane Kingdom without moving at all. This is why Spiralwalkers were so feared: their power defied logic and every other system the Fantasy Worlds connected to Earth had developed.
Spiralwalkers emerged as unique existences when the Dimensional Convergence began. Some say the phenomenon is only possible when a compatible vessel links to the Dimensional Labyrinth and the Plane of Fantasy, the dimension consuming everything.
Thus, Spiralwalkers draw strength from the destruction of the world.
"Oh my, I had no idea you already knew my name... I've been careful to hide well and slowly spread my doctrine, but time and again something goes wrong..." Soma sighed. "You don't know how terrible these last two days have been. All members of my church have been hunted down... Do you know what's going on, Prince Louis?"
"Ngh...?!" Louis felt nauseated. Meeting Soma's intense gaze was unlike anything he had experienced. In his previous regression, the priest had toyed with them and never turned serious. Now he viewed everyone here as genuine threats and had likely come prepared to eliminate them all if necessary. "Yes... Haaa... that's me!"
Louis stepped forward. His Fantasy Heart beat faster. His Fantasium Aura manifested, and ashes began raining from the sky, startling everyone. The eternal darkness emanating from Soma wavered for a moment but ultimately proved far stronger.
"I see. Well, I'm glad to know everyone is gathered here for me as well!" Soma said with a bright smile. "Shall we all pray together? I would rather not resort to violence; it goes against my doctrine."
"Then simply leave this Kingdom and never return," Gustaf said. "You are not allowed within the Frostbane Kingdom, Soma Ferrera."
"Haha, so you're the King of Frostbane? The man who married the Anomaly known as Benladra, the Holy Dragon Mother Goddess. Yes, yes, Gustaf, right?" Soma asked. "Well, that seemed quite rude... right? Why would you tell me to leave? Have I ever harmed anybody? Not at all. I have not committed a single crime either. Is my presence alone something the people of Frostbane fear so much?"
-----