Hearing Roger's words, the people were moved to tears. One after another, they stood up, clenched their fists, and pressed them to their hearts.
Dedicate your hearts!
"We only wish to dedicate our hearts to you!"
They shouted at the top of their lungs.
Before the capital, countless Eldians cried out Roger's name and dedicated their hearts to him.
"Darling, you've done it."
At Roger's side, Historia congratulated him with a warm smile.
Dressed in royal robes, she looked so dignified and noble.
Roger gave a slight nod. This was exactly the outcome he wanted to see.
The two of them embraced, and something between them quietly rose to a new height.
And it was at that moment that Nelly and Levi arrived behind Roger.
"Congratulations, you little bastard. You finally did what you said you would."
Levi spoke as he stared at Roger.
Roger turned to look at him and found that the once gloomy Levi was smiling now, too.
Nelly, on the other hand, was crying openly. He knew his choice had been the right one. Even if, at the beginning, he had doubted whether he should follow Roger to the end—now it was clear it had been the correct decision.
Roger patted his shoulder. But as he looked at him, he also thought of someone else.
Tours.
The one who had believed in him from the very start—who had even traded his life to bring him information that decided life and death.
A subordinate that loyal… Roger felt that once he lost someone like that, he would never find a second.
Unfortunately, he would never have him again.
The people's cheers still echoed.
Because he had gained the hearts of the Eldian people, the World Source within them surged toward Roger, gathering into his body and forming a complete whole.
[You now possess two World Sources.]
Kaneki Ken said from within Roger.
"If it's two… then does that mean we don't need to fear Dior and the others anymore?" Roger asked.
[That's true. The power of a World Source is absolute. If two World Sources coexist within a single person, then someone with only one World Source can never contend with them. No matter how perfectly their skills counter your abilities, no matter how strong they are, there's nothing they can do. This is absolute suppression—the power of rules.]
Hearing that, Roger nodded.
But then Kaneki Ken's tone abruptly shifted.
[By common sense, Dior would never allow you to obtain a second World Source. I just don't know why—you haven't even seen him once. If you triggered the Rumbling, he should have followed closely behind, trying to steal your World Source. But now, not only has he made no move at all, it even seems like he's deliberately letting you do this.]
"Then what do you think the reason is?" Roger asked.
[I don't know. But you must be extremely careful. He could come take your life at any moment.]
After saying that, Kaneki Ken fell silent.
Roger walked down from the capital. In a shadowed corner along the stairway corridor, he suddenly felt the air turn thin, as if he was about to suffocate.
[Just as I expected… he's here.]
Time slowed—almost stopping.
Roger didn't feel anything happen, yet he could watch with his own eyes as Dior stepped toward him, knife in hand, aiming to drive it straight into his heart.
His body couldn't move at all. It was as if something mysterious had seized him—his limbs refused to obey, leaving him only able to watch as Dior brought that razor-sharp blade closer and closer to his heart.
"You look awfully lively," Dior said, a smile on his face that was impossible to read. "Deliberately guiding the World Source, forcing it into a fully completed state—so I can't get close to you. So you could finish what you needed to do in this world first. Ah… then now you should be free, right? Now we can finally settle our accounts, can't we?"
He continued, "As long as I kill you, the World Source inside you will automatically transfer to me. If you have any last words, you'd better shout them out while you still can."
Then he leaned in closer to Roger.
Hidden by the shadows, Roger's face was hard to make out, as if there were no expression at all. He stared at Dior like he wanted to swallow him whole. Even so, Dior still pressed the tip of the knife against the skin over Roger's heart and spoke words that made the spine go cold.
"I know you can ignore my time-stop now—but everyone else in this world can't move. The only one who can act freely is you. Right now, you're being restrained by [The World]. You can't move an inch. And hurting me is absolutely impossible."
"Then try it."
All of a sudden, Roger spat out those words—even though his body truly couldn't budge.
But the moment Dior heard that, he hesitated suspiciously.
He clearly had victory in hand. If he stabbed the blade into Roger's heart, Roger would die without question.
Because the power of this knife came directly from Dior's World Source. Regeneration from the Titan world was useless against it.
Yet once Roger said something so arrogantly confident, Dior became extremely cautious. He no longer dared to approach so boldly. Instead, he abruptly stepped back and grinned at Roger.
"You think I'll fall for that, Roger? I've known for a long time there's another guy inside you who shouldn't exist in this world—trash like Kaneki Ken, the world's master from the ghoul world. I'd bet that if I got close right now, that guy would manifest a weapon from his world—what was it again? Oh, right. A kagune—and pierce my heart in one strike. With the World Source empowering him, he could deal me a fatal blow too.
"But!
"I'm not getting close to you. His kagune can't extend that far."
As he spoke, Dior suddenly hurled a throwing knife at Roger.
Whoosh!
The blade shot forward in a straight line, about to plunge into Roger's scorching heart.
But at that very moment, black armor spread across Roger's body, completely covering him. With a hard shell, it knocked the flying knife away.
"You're right, Dior! But now it's already too late—your world can't restrain Roger anymore. We have the blessing of two worlds. With only one world, you can never contend with us!"
A voice sounded beside Roger's ear. He turned his head and saw a black centipede.
So this is your true body, Kaneki Ken… Roger thought.
"Break free, Roger. Dior's Stand can't harm you at all. Because the two of us are already above Dior in strength!"
Hearing that, Roger tested it slightly—and sure enough, that mysterious force binding him was instantly torn apart.
Seeing his restraint completely broken, Dior didn't look surprised at all. Instead, it was as if he'd expected it.
"Then…
"If that's the case, there's no helping it…"
With that, Dior's expression gradually turned cold,
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.