Chapter 92
The wind had not stopped.
It moved through the broken sanctuary like something that refused to leave.
Dust hung between them.
Neither stepped back.
Neither blinked first.
---
Lord's voice broke the silence.
Quiet.
Controlled.
Dangerously controlled.
---
Lord: "…Are you willing to sacrifice your mother for humanity?"
---
John didn't answer.
Not immediately.
---
Then—
his voice came.
Cold.
Detached.
---
John: "Humanity has always sinned."
---
A pause.
---
John: "And they are paying for it."
---
The Lord's eyes narrowed slightly.
John: "But… they are changing."
His gaze drifted past the Lord.
Not at him.
Through him.
John: "They want to change."
Silence tightened.
John: "And it's not only humanity that has sinned."
---
The Lord's expression shifted.
Barely.
---
John: "The Gods did too."
---
The air froze for a fraction of a second.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
---
John: "That's why they were sealed into stone."
---
Lord: "…What?"
---
John: "Wasn't that the punishment?"
---
A step of silence followed.
Then—
the Lord's voice darkened.
---
Lord: "…You're talking nonsense."
---
John didn't respond.
---
John: " The future was written long ago by god Himself."
---
Lord's fingers tightened.
John: "Before humans even existed."
---
John: "Something already decided it all."
---
John: "We're only following it."
---
The Lord stared at him.
Unblinking.
---
Then—
something in his expression cracked.
Not rage.
Recognition.
---
Lord: "…You've lost your mind."
John stayed silent.
And that silence—
hit harder than agreement.
---
The Lord moved.
---
BOOM—
John's body was thrown backward.
Stone shattered beneath him.
---
Before he could rise—
BOOM—
another strike.
A pillar cracked as he hit it.
---
Dust exploded into the air.
Lord: "Speak."
BOOM—
another blow.
Lord: "Say something."
---
CRASH—
John hit the ground.
Blood at his lip.
Still no sound.
---
The Lord grabbed him.
Pulled him up.
---
For a fraction of a second—
his grip trembled.
---
Then—
BOOM—
he slammed John down again.
---
The ground cracked.
---
Lord: "Why?!"
---
BOOM—
another strike.
Lord: "Why are you doing this?!"
---
CRASH—
John didn't answer.
Didn't resist.
Didn't react.
---
Only silence.
BOOM—
another hit.
---
BOOM—
another.
---
Then—
the Lord stopped.
Breathing heavy.
Hand still raised.
John lay beneath him.
Barely moving.
Still looking at him.
Still silent.
---
The Lord froze.
His hand didn't move.
The air shifted.
And then—
a memory broke through.
---
A training yard.
Warm sunlight.
Not dust.
Not blood.
---
Young John struggling to hold a sword too heavy for him.
The Lord standing behind him.
Lord (memory): "Hold it properly."
---
John stumbling.
About to fall.
---
The Lord caught him.
Not letting him hit the ground.
---
A pause.
A quieter voice.
Not harsh.
Not cold.
---
Lord (memory): "…Don't rush."
---
Young John looked up.
Trusting.
Silent.
than john nodded...
The Lord placed a hand on his head.
Just once.
---
Lord (memory): "You'll break yourself like that."
---
Back to present.
---
The Lord's grip loosened.
Slowly.
---
John still stared up at him.
Blood on his face.
No emotion.
No reaction.
---
The Lord stepped back.
One step.
Then another.
---
Silence filled the gap.
Heavier than before.
---
Lord: "…Leave."
---
John blinked once.
---
Lord: "Take her."
His eyes moved toward the Princess.
---
Lord: "And go."
---
A pause.
---
Lord: "…If you believe in fate so much…"
---
His voice tightened.
Controlled again.
---
Lord: "Then let it happen."
---
He turned slightly away.
---
Lord: "But remember this."
---
John didn't move.
---
Lord: "I still believe what I'm doing is not wrong."
A step.
---
Lord: "The Gods didn't deserve what they became."
Another step.
---
Lord: "And humanity… will answer for it."
---
Silence.
---
Lord: "I will stand by that."
---
The wind moved again.
John slowly pushed himself up.
Unsteady.
But silent.
---
Neither looked at each other anymore.
---
And for the first time—
they didn't move closer.
Not even once.
---
Not because the fight ended.
But because something between them no longer reached.
---
The sanctuary stayed broken.
The wind kept passing.
And the distance between them—
remained.
...CHAPTER 92ENDS...