Death.

Death appeared out of thin air from behind, climbing up along the calf.

The cold sensation gradually moved upwards, finally gripping the throat tightly, making it hard to breathe.

The tongue of death licked Herbert's cheek, mocking his struggle.

Even with death beside him, the Death God kept summoning him.

But in the disoriented moment at the critical juncture, Herbert instinctively recalled a not-so-funny Hell joke.

He looked down at his empty chest, his lips twitching into a dry smile.

Where's my heart?

Am I... becoming invisible?

Am I about to turn into a bull-headed spirit and play spiritual flash next?

Oh right, there's one more thing.

"Now, my heart can't shatter into many pieces. Looks like I won't be a heartbreaker in this lifetime... ha!"

After mocking himself for a while, Herbert squinted, licking the blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Tsk."

The joke was a joke, but Herbert really didn't want to end like this.

I'm not ready to die yet!

He suddenly regained his senses, then pressed down on his chest, gathering a large amount of Holy Power into it.

Holy Light Healing Skill.

Flesh Regeneration Skill.

Regenerate!

Regenerate!!

Regenerate!!!

In a critical moment, frost rose in Herbert's eyes, his will clear and exceptionally calm.

Calm.

I can't die, and I won't die.

Having obtained the ability to manipulate flesh from Svanni, such injuries are still within control.

Plus all the physical enhancement abilities accumulated over time.

A mere fatal wound won't kill me!

Flesh manipulation tightens the flesh around the wound, no longer losing blood.

Ice and Snow Body temporarily elementalizes the area around the wound, preventing further deterioration.

Demon Body hardens the body, enhancing the defense of other vital areas to prevent the next sneak attack.

In the span of a breath, with Herbert's full effort in healing, he had already moved from the death scenario of "having his heart ripped out" to safety.

Although still severely injured, he had at least escaped danger, avoiding immediate death on the spot.

At this moment, Herbert, who had narrowly held onto his life, didn't relax at all.

Didn't dare relax, couldn't relax.

We're safe... for now. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Surviving temporarily isn't the focus; if the biggest issue isn't resolved, he'll still end up dead afterward.

So the question arises... who was it that stabbed me in the back?

After using the force of the Sun Pope, the God of Sinful Desire should have no other means left.

Facing Sinful Desire, Herbert had never been careless.

He always displayed disdain toward Him, arrogantly scornful of the Divine as a mere mortal, but in his heart, he never relaxed for a moment.

Strategically underestimating the enemy, tactically valuing the enemy!

After several rounds of probing, Herbert was one hundred percent certain that Sinful Desire's incarnate winged snake had run out of tricks.

Utterly exhausted and at the end of His rope.

Even if there was a desperate last struggle, it would just be futile, only making the current situation uglier.

And for the proud Divine, that might be even harder to accept than being killed.

Unless, unless Sinful Desire was so infuriated by Herbert that He disregarded everything to bring His true form down, only then could He do more.

But would Sinful Desire do that?

He wouldn't.

Herbert was one hundred percent certain about this.

Absolutely wouldn't!

Because, if it really came to that step... hey, it wouldn't be him, the fake Angel, leading the crusade against Him.

His true opponents had long been patiently waiting.

Then it would be a true god-slaying feast.

Even without the Sun God's personal involvement, the Sun Pope alone wouldn't let Him easily escape.

Even if the Sun Pope couldn't defeat Him, he'd drag it out until other Saints arrived or even wait for the arrival of the True God!

Sinful Desire is not a typical Evil God.

Even among all Evil Gods, He is considered to have a fairly low moral bottom line. Compared to Him, other Evil Gods are relatively virtuous.

Not to mention being hated by the True God, even most Evil Gods don't like Him.

His divine relationships are utterly poor.

However, Sinful Desire is not one to be pitied as bullied and isolated, but rather the type that isolates everyone else...

Successfully sickening everyone with His bottomless moral level!

He's especially fond of sending His followers to corrupt the followers of other Deities...

So, as long as Sinful Desire is aware of His situation of being universally attacked, not wanting to be thoroughly killed by the victims, He definitely won't mobilize His true form.

But... if it wasn't done by Sinful Desire, then who was it?

Could He possibly have another trick up His sleeve?

With such doubts, Herbert turned to look behind him.

Who is it that stabbed me in the back?

Upon turning around, Herbert saw a slowly healing spatial rift, and from it, a filthy hand covered in blood and dirt was extended.

The filthy hand was wrapped with yellowed, ancient bandages, and from the gap, half-decayed sores could be seen.

And a still-beating heart was tightly gripped by that hand.

Herbert's heart.

"Oh? Haha, you actually didn't die? Haha, good, very good!"

The owner of the filthy hand noticed Herbert's gaze, first stunned by surprise, then happily laughed aloud.

The previously shrinking rift widened a bit, revealing half of a face wrapped in dark red bandages and grotesque.

"Hehehe, hehe, I've taken your heart! Hehe..." The grotesque-faced monster squinted mockingly at Herbert and laughed maniacally.