The Gentleman at the End
Chapter 556 - 554 Pilgrimage

Chapter 556: Chapter 554 Pilgrimage

’Accidental formation’ palm masks were larger than regular palms, just as an adult’s hand covers a child’s face, completely hiding William’s forehead, eyes, and nose, leaving only his mouth exposed.

When such a palm-structured mask fully formed on William’s face,

even Lord Karimus, the black treeman who ruled the settlement, oozed a thick sweat from between the trunks, instinctively recoiling his body, and if his legs hadn’t become deep roots, he might have even stepped back a few paces.

"Why would there be a mask of this shape? All Solid Maskers’ masks should be of the same shape, with only the composition of the mask’s strip varying.

And yet, the Abyss strips this guy has formed are so fine, finer than the roots I initially condensed, and there are several times more of them, with an indescribable feeling, as if something is controlling this mask.

With only the Open Source Limit, how is it possible to go this far?"

As Lord Karimus continued to watch the young man, he even began to see some surreal images,

first seeing a pallid arm draped over the young man’s shoulder,

then a head with an eerie smile rolling beside the young man,

followed by more and more visions of the dead clinging to the young man’s back, eventually piling up an image that even surpassed the height of his huge tree body.

But in the blink of an eye, those images disappeared.

The young man, having completed his Solid Face at the base of the tree, didn’t move, as if quietly experiencing the process, or perhaps suppressing the killing intent and thoughts wildly growing inside him, or maybe reconciling with ’himself’.

He remained seated for three full days and nights, and during that time, no one dared approach him.

On the fourth day, William, who was seated cross-legged, finally made a move, shifting his body into a slow, standing posture.

With one hand bracing the back of his neck, he forcefully rotated his head a full circle... The cracking sound of his neck echoed through the plaza area.

"Ah, this is truly... spectacular! This is the essence of the Abyss Solid Face, displaying the individual’s most authentic and superior side through the mask by replicating the body’s optimal genes through the virus.

To face the Abyss with such a state is to truly show sincerity.

You agree, don’t you, William."

"Yi Chen, is this your purpose? To affect the Solid Face process through implanted memories, allowing your own consciousness to attach to the mask and coexist with me."

"Undeniably, that’s one of my purposes... But you must admit, William, this is the most perfect, most suitable mask for us.

Our coexistence will maximize this body’s potential.

Don’t worry, I’m not the naive fool I once was. I can at least maintain basic self-control. I will assist you honestly in the important matters to come, in completing the very path you’ve dreamed of."

"It’s best if that’s the case."

"Let’s hurry and start the next step~ Witness what they call ’Pilgrimage’."

The conversation seemed like a dialogue between two people,

but from an observer’s perspective, it was all William talking to himself,

This form of self-dialogue also unintentionally exuded a more tangible social phobia, with no one daring to approach, fearing a sudden conversation.

Adorned with the Abyss Mask, William took the initiative to walk towards the black treeman who also steadied his trunk, calming down to ask as a Gatekeeper:

"You have completed the Condensed Face, and by the rules, you may commence your Pilgrimage... However, I suggest you rest in the settlement for a day; those who have completed the Solid Face can enjoy the top services of the settlement for free for one day."

"(Yi) Oh? Is there such a service, one that provides me with women of beautiful faces and lower body genetic mutations, preferably leg replication.

If so, please summon several for me, and then arrange a school scene, the best if they could wear uniforms!

(William) We are here for serious business; don’t waste time! Three days of forming the Solid Face has been rest enough. Let’s promptly set upon the Pilgrimage Road, to face the Abyss.

(Yi) Oh, right! As long as we can establish a connection with the Abyss, even take full control over it, we’ll play however we like afterward, even directing mutations according to my XP.

Alright then, I’ll trouble you, Lord Karimus, to open the Pilgrimage Road to the Abyss."

The great black tree, confronted with the seemingly insane young man, also felt a tinge of fear, as social phobia began to take root in his own trunk of veins.

Facing the young man’s request to embark on the Pilgrimage Road, he said no more.

With a crack, the base of the trunk slowly split open, revealing a path stretching downward to the root’s very bottom.

Just as the body controlled by Yi Chen eagerly anticipated stepping in, William suddenly seized control with a strong willpower, halting at the entrance of the root path.

Looking up towards the top of the tree,

"Lord Karimus, there must be certain precautions or conditions regarding the Pilgrimage, yes?"

When William mentioned it, the Gatekeeper realized that he had actually forgotten to explain the relevant matters of the pilgrimage, which was one of his main duties as the Gatekeeper.

"Ahem! Yes, the pilgrimage is a mandatory process to meet the Abyss.

The so-called ’Pilgrimage Road’ is an absolutely dark path with no sense of direction, only those who are devout enough to move forward in the manner of a pilgrimage can steadfastly walk in the right direction.

Even the slightest stray thought can cause one to veer off course and never reach the Abyss.

Throughout the pilgrimage, the mask will continue to grow. If it completely covers the head and still has not reached the edge of the Abyss, then the pilgrimage is considered a failure.

As a result, you shall remain here forever, becoming a servant of the Abyss."

"Sufficient devotion, huh? That’s a broad condition... Okay, I got it."

"Then I wish you good luck."

Lord Karim’s attitude had improved quite a bit at this point, and he even forgot the young man’s earlier disrespect in his speech.

William placed his hand on the opening of the tree root, and he wasn’t sure if it was his own illusion, but he felt that in his Condensed Face state, he could smash the Lord’s tree roots with his bare hands, even possibly confront this Lord who had completed the Path directly.

When William had this thought, a chill also ran down Lord Karim’s spine.

He promptly reinforced the lower part of his trunk, and several spike-like structures rose from the soil, hovering around.

"So I’ll see you later, Lord... Don’t worry, I’m not about to lose control."

William patted the tree root gently with his hand and then leaped into it.

Below the trunk was a slide woven from ancient roots, longer than William had imagined. The only certainty was that the aura of the Abyss was continually increasing throughout this process, drawing ever closer to the Tenth Abyss.

During the slide, the two consciousnesses began to communicate again.

"William, let me take care of the pilgrimage that comes next."

"Why?"

"Because I am more devout in this regard than you. In my previous life, I had a certain level of faith, although those beliefs weren’t very effective."

"Is it yet another memory that I haven’t inherited from you?"

"No, no, no~ It’s merely a cultural influence. Where I lived, there were concepts related to pilgrimage and worship... And it seems, William, that you never truly believed in these things. The only thing you’ve ever trusted is yourself.

Just leave it to me, I wouldn’t joke about my own future.

Watch my performance. I’m not only good at killing; I’m also quite adept at these so-called ’devotions’."

"Fine."

William did not deny Yi Chen’s words; indeed, he never believed in any gods, having always trusted only himself.

At this moment, he willingly relinquished control of his body, allowing Yi Chen to completely control it through the Abyss Mask.

Ten minutes passed, and finally, he slid out from the root channel.

Unlike the black and white imagery provided by the black candles’ illumination in the settlements, there was only endless darkness below, but this was nothing for Yi Chen who was accustomed to the dark room.

Without resorting to the help of the grape for illumination, any release of light was an act of impiety.

The usually manic and irritable Yi Chen calmed down in the darkness, stripping off all his clothes and leaving only the mask.

He tucked in his chin, pressed his tongue against his palate, hunched his chest and arched his back, keeping a humble and submissive posture,

Standing firmly, he leaned forward and knelt, with palms stacked, and hands cupped in front,

Performing an extremely standard Taoist ritual in the darkness – the "Three Bow Nine Kneels" that he had learned in his previous life.

However,

Yi Chen’s version was a personal intensified one; with each kowtow, he drove his masked face deep into the ground,

By the time he finished the ninth kowtow, his entire facial bones had shattered, and the palms he used to cushion his forehead were also smashed to a bloody pulp.

After completing a round of kowtows, Yi Chen slowly stood up and stepped into the furrows formed by his kowtows to begin the second round.

This way of moving was extremely slow, and he had moved less than thirty meters even after an hour had passed.

But... the aura of the Abyss below grew more intense with each of Yi Chen’s kowtows.