God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.

Evangeline rolled her eyes,

"Rather than worrying about something so inconsequential, I'd rather you figure out how we solve the most pressing issue." Evangeline cleanly deflected.

Seeing right through her, Cain sighed. Before he could say anything, Luke and his entourage broke across the water and arrived beside them.

Evangeline raised a brow.

"We just happened to run into each other..." Cain clarified.

"Things are quite strange today, it seems..."

Cain shook his head, "What could we have to deal with that is more important than dealing with the other one?" Cain asked with annoyance, referencing Lukas directly.

Evangeline sighed, "Things have taken quite the turn."

Her face turned serious, "There's a huge Mutant Beast beneath the island trying to sink it. If we don't act fast, everyone on there will die and be devoured."

Cain frowned, "Are you serious?" He asked with a decent dash of skepticism.

"Do I seem like the kind to joke around?" Evangeline asked with a raised brow.

Cain furrowed his brows. That question had thrown him off more than he would have liked.

For one, he couldn't quite guess what Evangeline's intentions were, mainly because trying to see through her was like trying to search for a tiny black item in pitch-black darkness.

One moment, she seemed amused, and another, she was the definition of indifferent. She was enigmatic, her mood shifting as she wanted uthers to perceive.

'I can't help but wonder how many masks she has put on. So many, I can't see through the surface layers...'

In a sense, she was similar to Vincent. Of course, comparing the similarities between the two was like comparing donuts to multi-layered sponge cakes because they were both pastries. That was where the similarities ended...

Still, it was enough for him to experience a wake up call. This girl, was not as she seemed. He had experienced a portion of her true self before, but so many things had happened since then, causing that memory to be buried under so many others.

Cain shook his head, "Sometimes, the things we don't expect to happen, happen the most."

He turned to Luke, "How many of your men are on the island? Do you have a way to reach them?"

Luke shook his head, "I stayed with Lukas for the sole purpose of looking for an opportunity to kill Guy whilst growing I and my men's power at the same time. This is all of us."

Cain nodded.

This was to be expected. After all, even if Luke was lying, which he highly doubted, he had no right to throw commands at him or his men. He still felt a bit apprehensive telling others what to do.

If it was received well, it would end up fostering a sort of natural dependence. Something he wasn't used to at all. It was also very uncomfortable.

He turned to Evangeline,

"We need to get to Hunter. He's on the island. He should warn those idiots fighting on the island to get out begore it's too late."

Jenny shook her head as she rose to her feet. Her face was grim,

"Even if they are warned on time, that doesn't change the fact that leaving will be difficult. Perhaps we have been looking at this all wrong."

Cain frowned, "What do you mean?"

Jenny sighed, "The Mutant Creature that is trying to drown the island might as well be the same creature controlling these lower Tiered ones. If that is the case, then its objective is quite easy to see through."

Winifred adjusted his glasses, "A mouse trap built on faith. The Western Island has the greatest population density of all that is left of us. Perhaps the creature was drawn in by the strong scent of humans and hoped this large gathering would draw in more of us eventually."

Cain shook his head, "But that doesn't make sense. The Beast Horde attacked before we even began fighting."

Evangeline smiled, "Perhaps the beast lost patience and decided to attack anyway. The heavens seemed to favor it, as we just happened to dive right onto its serving plate."

Cain sighed, "Well, isn't this great..."

Evangeline smiled at him, "So, what do you suggest we do, leader?"

Cain frowned.

'Leader, huh... Such an uncomfortable word...'

A leader...

The Savior and the Scapegoat...

The right choice could save a multitude, and the wrong choice could easily damn them as well. Two sides of the same coin...

He had to consider things calmly. Come up with a plan that would not only lead them to survival, but also do that with the least possible sacrifices as well.

'Damn that Demon!'

Cain had eagerly out himself in this predicament when they were still on the Northern Island. He had fought Hunter for this right.

At first, it had been a subtle ego play. He had been drunk on the feeling of experiencing power for the first time.

True power in a world who's fate was to be lawless.

And while it had not necessarily been a mistake, it sure as hell came with its own share of headaches...

Cain quickly considered everything...

'Right now, there are five groups on the island. Hunter's, Leah's, the rest of the Crimson Warriors, the Lightslayers, and the malignant horde of mana-mutated Sea Creatures.

Cain turned to Luke, "What is your opinion on Guy's men?"

Luke paused, trying to digest the question...

Reginald snorted, "Bastards... Every single one of them. Drunk on their imaginary power, they revel in their own filth day in and out."

Cain turned to Luke for confirmation.

He sighed, "The reason I wanted Guy gone is because on the Eastern island, he has a pen where most of the surviving women are kept for... them to unwind and decompress on."

Jenny's face scrunched up in disgust and rage,

"True bastards indeed..."

Cain was a bit shocked. It was rare to see Jenny curse.

Evangeline merely shrugged, "Well, what do you expect? Rules and laws do not exist anymore. Whatever chains held these monsters down have been broken. However, It is safe to say that they might have been influenced by the dead god who holds a portion of their divinity."

Cain turned to her, curiosity in his eyes.

Evangeline explained calmly, "When mortal being is bound to a Celestial through a piece of them left behind, their will bleeds into their soul, influencing them. It is only through the will of the living that a Celestial can be born back into existence."

Cain frowned, 'What the hell?! System,.why didn't you tell me any of this?'

{Replying to Host: The host didn't ask... Plus, even if the host did, information like this is not one that is easily accessible.}

'Faie point, I guess... Then how did she get her hands on it?'

{Replying to Host: If my prediction is accurate, then she must have acquired this information from a piece of forbidden literature}.

Cain raised a brow, 'Forbidden literature?'

{Replying to Host: Affirmative. Knowledge that should no longer exist, destroyed by the one who rules everything. The [Records of Akasha] are an example of Forbidden literature}.

Cain felt even more confused, 'Then why could I get it from you?'

{Replying to Host: The system's authorities exists outside of the perceived everything: Even the Heavenly Golden Emperor does not control}.

'Hmmm...' Cain fell silent.

As the saying went, knowledge was key. The way a person acted, their choices and decisions... everything about them, was subtly yet greatly influenced by the information or knowledge they possess.

Knowing the cards your opponent could play, as well as the ones still in the dealer's hands would make every game easy to conquer.

At least, under normal circumstances...

When arcane elements like magic were mixed in, things became far more complicated than that...

Evangeline continued, "Azimuth, the god, or Celestial those fools are bound to is a rather nasty being. War is associated with plunder, so in a sense, Azimuth, apart from being the Blood god of War, is also a Heretical god of Plunder."

Cain thought it made sense,

"So you are saying their actions and thoughts were slowly being influenced by him, making them creatures more fit to be his servants?"

Evangeline nodded solemnly.

Cain turned back to Luke. Luke eventually spoke,

"They are beyond saving. It wouldn't be too much to say they have gone past the edge and are already one with the abyss."

Cain nodded grimly, "In that case, we can do what must be done. As Eva said... There are no rules or laws anymore. Ethical cleansing is not going to far at all."

Luke's face turned pale, "That is definitely going to far!"

Cain snorted, "Nonsense! Of course not! Besides, we won't be the ones doing the cleansing."

Not understanding what Cain meant, Luke could only turn to Winifred,

"I have no idea as well."

It seemed Winifred was just as clueless as he was. He couldn't even be bothered with Reginald.

Cain gently picked Susan up. Despite having been laying on the surface of water, she was not wet at all. It was even a miracle how she was able to keep afloat.

However, Cain had long since learned but to question things. In a world of magic, the rules of science and common sense gently flew through the window of their own accord.

If he could find a way to walk on water, so could others as well. It was nothing unique. In fact, it seems like everyone had found a way to do it. It was nothing special at all!

Clearing his throat, Cain spoke with great levity,

"Getting in contact with those on the island as soon as possible will be ideal. We should go back and end the rest of the Crimson Warriors Guy brought with him now." Cain said, referring to Rollo, Francis, Idris, and the men they had brought along.

Evangeline smiled with satisfaction,

"That's not bad. Then, what about the ship? If we want to move a large amount of people..."

Cain cut her midway, "Don't worry. I can sense the ship. It won't be a problem locating it. I can also tell you can as well." He said, shooting her a strange stare.

Evangeline smiled innocently, seemingly oblivious to his thoughts.

Cain could only sigh and shake his head,

'Being unnecessarily crafty, yet trying to hide it would only make other suspect you more, no?' He couldn't tell what she was thinking.

Luke rubbed his nose, "You... You are a good man."

Cain couldn't help but turn towards him,

"Where did that come from?"

"Although only having met you for a small period of time, I can tell you aren't callous, or cold-blooded like those others. Yet, you are still strong enough to defeat them."

Cain shook his head, "You are mistaken. I am not a good person. I simply do what I feel I should for my own sake. Having so many people die would be contrary to my goals. In fact, I need to make sure as many as possible survive."

This was the truth. Azazel had told him;

The future of Urbus was in the hands of the humans. Would they be able to get out of their impending doom, or would they embrace it with open hearts and minds.

At the end of the day, hell lay on both ends of the road. It was only a matter of moving forward or backward. A simple, yet difficult choice indeed...

Luke seemed to have grasped something more from Cain.

'He's better. But far scarier...'

Luckily, his thoughts were just that;

Thoughts...