My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

"So, you've finally awakened from your long slumber, Guren Leywn?"

At the sound of that voice, he quickly turned his head, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw a man approaching.

The man was tall and well-built, his face concealed behind a devil's mask.

A black cloak draped over his broad shoulders, further amplifying the mysterious aura that put Guren on edge.

"Who are you?" he asked coldly, his eyes narrowing.

For some reason, the man's presence sent a strange, unsettling sensation through him, making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

"Hehehe..." The man chuckled at Guren's wary reaction. "There's no need to be so tense, Guren Leywn. If I meant you harm, you would have been dead long ago."

His words made sense, rendering Guren momentarily speechless.

If this man had truly harbored ill intentions, there was no way he would have woken up at all.

Taking a slow breath, Guren steadied himself, easing his guard slightly—though he remained cautious.

"Then tell me—who are you, and why did you save me?" He asked, his tone indifferent.

His memories were fragmented. He had no idea how he ended up here. The last thing he recalled was battling a masked figure—the Demon Emperor—on the battlefield of the Desert of Chaos.

That battle had left him gravely wounded, and he had lost consciousness almost instantly.

Frowning, he scanned his surroundings. The place was completely unfamiliar.

His gaze then fell upon a nearby pool, and a chill ran down his spine.

Earlier, he was certain the pool had been filled with water. Yet, the moment he emerged, the water had turned to blood.

Just the thought of floating on that much blood was enough to make his body stiff.

"Before I explain, let me introduce myself first," the man said casually.

Placing his right hand over his left chest, he gave a slight bow in a respectful gesture. "I am the Son of God of the Twilight Temple and the Supreme Leader of the Twilight Temple."

"Son of God? Twilight Temple?" Guren raised an eyebrow. "What are the Son of God and the Twilight Temple? Some kind of cult?"

Though Velix had forbidden him from appearing in public, limiting his knowledge of the outside world, he still had a general understanding of heretical cults that worshipped gods.

They were dangerous groups of fanatics who frequently incited chaos and destruction, their influence bringing harm to society.

He couldn't be certain if the Temple of Twilight this man mentioned was one of them, yet, inexplicably, he was convinced that it was.

The man lifted his head and let out a small chuckle. "Yes, the Twilight Temple is a cult. However, we are different from those who worship gods that don't actually exist. The god we serve is real, merely sealed away for now. But in time, he will rise and usher in a new era for all beings in this world!"

His voice brimmed with fervor and fanaticism, sending shivers down Guren's spine.

"Damn… This man is a lunatic." He cursed inwardly.

He had no idea how he ended up in a cult like the Temple of Twilight, but one thing was certain—he needed to get out of here and return to the Holy Empire of Elysium.

The war might still be raging, and he had to inform Velix about the emergence of the incredibly powerful Demon Emperor.

Without hesitation, he rose to his feet, stretching his body.

"I do appreciate you saving me. However, I must return to the Holy Empire of Elysium to meet Holy Emperor Velix and deliver urgent news," he said in a detached tone.

Without waiting for a response, Guren strode past the man without a second glance.

But then...

"Return to the Holy Empire of Elysium? Heh... You may not know this, but the Empire has completely fallen, and Velix, the Holy Emperor, is dead."

The man's words stopped Guren in his tracks. His handsome face turned pale, and his body trembled violently.

*Boom!*

A surge of holy power erupted from him, flooding the area with overwhelming pressure.

"What did you just say? The Holy Empire of Elysium... has fallen?" He asked through gritted teeth, turning to glare at the man coldly.

Yet, despite the crushing weight of Guren's holy power, the man remained unfazed.

Instead, a faint smile lurked behind his mask as he silently observed the holy energy radiating around him.

"Holy power, huh? But not pure... A bit different from the heroes'," the man murmured softly.

Calming himself, he gave a casual nod before continuing, "A lot happened while you were asleep—things you could have never imagined. The army of mankind, which you led alongside the two heroes, suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of the demon army."

"In addition, three of Velix's most trusted subordinates—Jim, Natasya, and Rain—were slain by the 'Demon Emperor.' Furthermore, he captured humanity's forces and imprisoned them in an ancient city deep within the Desert of Chaos. After that..."

The man went on, recounting event after event. With each word, Guren's expression grew rigid, fear creeping into his eyes.

"Why... why did everything turn out like this?"

The holy power radiating from Guren flickered before fading completely. Despair etched itself onto his face as he clutched his head.

The man's words were difficult to believe, yet Guren couldn't think of a reason for him to lie.

"I know this is hard to accept, but this is the truth," the man said flatly, devoid of emotion. "You've been in a coma for over eight months. It's only natural that the world has changed in your absence."

At the mention of "eight months," Guren's eyes widened in horror. He stared at the man, his breath hitching.

"Eight months? Are you... serious?" He asked, his voice trembling.

To him, it felt like only yesterday that he had blacked out and woken up the next day. He had never imagined he had been in a coma for over eight months.

The man gave a small nod and stepped closer. "During that time, the Holy Empire of Elysium collapsed and fell into the hands of the Holy Orthodox. Now, humanity is ruled solely by Saint Arshley."

Stopping just a meter away, he continued, "So... returning now is pointless. Velix and the Holy Empire of Elysium no longer exist."

His words struck Guren like a blade to the heart. Every part of him resisted the truth, but he knew the man wasn't lying.

If he went back now, it would be in vain—he would only end up captured by the Holy Orthodox.

After all, he was the bearer of the fourth hero's destiny—an existence that was never meant to be.

"Who... who did this?" Guren demanded, his eyes burning red with fury.

Despite Velix's impure intentions toward him, Guren had seen him as a parental figure. Velix had raised him, granted him extraordinary status, and shaped his fate.

And for that—he would have his revenge.

As if anticipating the question, the man let out a small chuckle and replied, "The culprit is the Sword Hero, Leon Kruger."

Guren's mind went blank at the name. "Leon Kruger? That's impossible! Isn't he already..."

Before he could finish, the man cut him off.

"By the way, the 'Demon Emperor' you fought on the battlefield... wasn't the real Demon Emperor." He paused briefly before continuing, "It was Leon Kruger in disguise."