Beneath the deceptively calm night, while some fled and others fell to Sinners so grotesque their souls fled before the beasts could claim them, while conspirators plotted to seize the world…

Two men sat before the colossal walls of Noah's estate: one in full armor but helmetless, the other shirtless. They talked without care, as if the malicious world devouring all around them couldn't touch them.

"To think you became an Assassin in less than six months… I can only imagine the exhausting Purposes the gods put you through to make that happen."

Noah said with a gentle smile, tilting his head toward the night sky as he stroked his mustache.

Halo gave him a weary look. He wasn't an Assassin yet, but he intended to kill Noah regardless. Traveling this far only to come back later would be tiring enough, but the weight of not knowing whether Noah had achieved his goal would be even more exhausting.

"Not really. I had great allies, and I knew there was a promise I had to keep."

He spoke so calmly that it almost sounded believable. But unless "great allies" referred to people waiting to stab him in the back, the boy was deeply deluded.

"Oh, right. Mine's always been the same. Paul, the man who forged your daggers, died not long after you left. No one knows what he was thinking. He just walked past me one night, went into the forest… and the Beast Sinners devoured him without hesitation.

That's how it is. Always."

His shaky tone was somehow still filled with resolve and determination.

Halo could only imagine how it felt to watch one of the few people close to him walk to their death, the very thing Noah craved for himself but couldn't attain.

Noah's armor clinked as he pulled his knees to his chest. He looked like a lost child, one who'd misplaced their most precious possession, completely disoriented.

"Can we get this over with?"

Noah murmured.

'Huh? I thought this dude wanted to die?' Halo blinked. 'Bro, is he sure about this?'

He sighed.

He hesitated to suggest anything, but seeing Noah's fragile state, he intended to share some of his True Ability.

"How about this… I can give you a second chance at life."

He spoke as though he were Jesus Christ.

Noah turned to him with bewilderment.

"What do you mean?"

Shadow of Death gestured toward Kysa and Saint. They wandered, their curiosity palpable, as though they'd never experienced the world before—Saint glaring at a tree like it had insulted him, Kysa poking a rock as if expecting it to talk.

"They're clones. And in case you haven't noticed… that's Kysa and Dark Saint. I killed them and remade them as mine."

"What?!"

Noah's eyes went wide, practically bulging out of his head.

"Kysa? Like, the Kysa?"

The terror and confusion in his tone were unmistakable.

Kysa, however, turned to them and gave them a gentle wave, cheerfully, like she was cheering her fans on.

"Dark Saint, maybe. But Kysa? You killed her?"

Halo forced a smile.

'This is going to be a flex.'

He even straightened slightly, like he was preparing for applause.

"How powerful have you become?"

Halo shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, but you can ask my fan club."

Noah laughed and exhaled.

"At least now I know you can actually give me a good fight. And… thank you. Before you showed up, I begged seven different people to help me fulfill this wish, and every single one of them failed me. But you came through. You're a true friend, rare in a world like this. Thank you."

The duty tyrant smiled. Genuinely.

However, Halo's expression remained deadpan. He understood Noah's suffering, which is why he'd chosen to help. But he wasn't one to go back on a promise.

"What do you think? You won't be human anymore. You'll be a fragment of me… walking, breathing. But you'll live."

Noah's expression darkened.

"No, Halo. This Flaw isn't something I can escape just by becoming a clone. It's been with me since I was born. I can't say for sure it'll disappear once I'm cloned.

"I appreciate the offer, truly. But this curse is one I placed on myself. The gods barely played a part. And I think… this is the decision I have to make."

Halo nodded in agreement, though part of him was clearly thinking, bro could've just said "no thanks" but alright.

Certain common Flaws—pride, listlessness, sloth—could be avoided entirely once someone became a clone. Saint's manipulation and Kysa's depression had their advantages, but with sufficient willpower, one could simply resist them.

Noah's Flaw was unique, though. Duty wasn't merely a Flaw, it was also his power. Even if he escaped the Flaw, he'd still have to rely on his Duty ability to serve Halo. And all Noah wanted was to break free from that existence, from duty in general.

Soon, Noah got to his feet, a peaceful smile crossing his face.

"Let's finish this, Halo."

Halo looked at him lazily. He'd fought so much recently that he wished Noah could simply bow and let him take his head, but of course, the man's Duty Flaw wouldn't permit even that.

Halo internally groaned: A quick decapitation, that was all he asked. Is that too much for the gods?

Finally, Shadow of Death rose to his feet. This was a promise he'd made and had to fulfill. One way or another, he needed to finish this himself, by his own hands.

Before long, the night rang with the sounds of joyous combat. Their blades clashed, fatal yet respectful, their ideals colliding, rough and conflicting but sincere. This was a battle to kill, but not from malice or cruelty. Instead, it stemmed from mutual respect and honor, evident in every strike and shared laugh.

Before midnight could strike, one of them fell with a radiant smile, one that could warm any heart. Halo stood tall, proud yet disappointed. He'd wanted the fight to last longer.

But Noah could rest now. That was what mattered.

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