Chapter 119: He Betrayed the Guardian (120,000 Words)
A note reminding her?
So, was this maid saying… that Brother Rast had informed her about his upcoming infiltration?
Listening to the cold words echoing in the room, Grey couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.
Brother Rast, he betrayed the Guardian?
Such thoughts were fleeting, quickly forced from Grey’s mind.
This was merely the words of an adversary trying to confuse her.
If such a casual statement could sway her mind, then she was unworthy to be a part of the Guardians, even more so to be a companion of Brother Rast.
As her thoughts raced, an obscure premonition suddenly rose in Grey’s heart.
It was an insight from “Fate”.
Thus, following this feeling, Grey’s figure suddenly sprang forth unexpectedly, dashing towards the iron gate she had entered before.
In the next moment, a chain glowing with the light of dusk pierced through the ground where she had just been, accompanied by a deafening sound.
Sixth stage—
Feeling the forceful energy waves coming from behind, Grey made a judgment in her heart.
Although nominally, Anna was merely the head maid of this palace.
However, as a servant of the former Queen of the Underworld who had begun serving before Helen’s birth… Anna’s rank far exceeded what the title “head maid” could encompass.
As the earliest recipient of the eternal blessing as a citizen of Paradise, this head maid even had the ability to command a certain degree of the powers of the dusk domain within this palace, capable of exerting forces comparable to the sixth stage.
This was all intelligence transmitted from Brother Rast, perfectly matching the current situation.
However, looking at it this way… it was evident that those words Anna had said earlier were merely lies meant to confuse her.
If Brother Rast had truly betrayed the Guardians, then how could he have transmitted all the intelligence, including the true combat power of Anna?
Clearly, she was in danger, but Grey felt her heart ease.
The chains fell beside her once more, but Grey narrowly avoided them again by a hair’s breadth.
One side was at the sixth stage, while the other’s rank was at most the second stage… In a typical battle among extraordinary beings, this should have been an unequivocal confrontation, where the latter would be instantly killed by the former without a moment of struggle.
Yet, following that vague premonition in her heart, Grey managed to dangerously dodge the waves of yellow chains advancing towards her, successfully reaching the grand entrance from which she came.
This was the terrifying aspect of the path of “Fate”.
It could disregard the enormous rank disparity and directly alter the trajectory of the future in such an enigmatic manner.
She took out the “Universal Key” once more and reached for the descending steel door.
However, the crisp click of the lock opening did not sound as Grey had anticipated.
“It’s the force of that dusk restriction. The opponent has applied it to the steel door, exceeding the rank range the Universal Key can affect.”
The urgent voice of the Shadow Servant echoed in Grey’s ear.
“Regardless of whether what she said is true or not, whether Captain Rast has truly betrayed…”
“But the opponent has somehow sensed our plan to steal the remains of the God of d*ath and has set a trap in advance.”
“In this situation, the final link of the ‘Lost Paradise’ plan must be aborted, and we have to execute the emergency evacuation plan.”
“Little Grey, stall for time with the opponent; I will forcibly break through the restriction surrounding the palace to assist your escape.”
“She is merely a sixth stage result achieved with borrowed external power… as long as that Queen of the Underworld is not present, a mere head maid cannot stop me.”
Hearing the vice captain’s instructions, Grey nodded seriously.
She certainly didn’t believe that Brother Rast had truly betrayed the Guardians and leaked the plan.
However, she equally did not know how this maid, Anna, had discovered her… the opponent had even set a trap in advance.
The only explanation was that the opponent had already anticipated everything about the Guardians’ squad well before she had infiltrated.
Thinking this way—wasn’t Brother Rast’s identity already exposed? It seemed that the ruler of the underworld had not revealed it in order to lure the snake from its hole.
Moreover, unlike her side that had the vice captain to assist in the escape, Brother Rast was completely in a situation of isolation…
And he was to face that all-seeing, furious queen.
Countless chaotic thoughts surged in Grey’s mind, feelings of confusion and doubt about her plan being seen through, alongside worries for Brother Rast’s safety.
But Grey forced herself to regain her spirits, and following that vague premonition in her heart, she once again evaded a yellow chain piercing towards her.
Her mind became agile, tapping into the wisps of the ethereal sea within the star realm…
Then, following the thread called “Fate”, she peered into the flow of the future.
As long as she could hold on against that maid until the vice captain broke through the restriction and help her escape from the palace.
At that time, the vice captain would be able to free up their hands to go help Brother Rast…
Carrying such faith—
In the blink of an eye, Grey suddenly felt her spirit connect more closely with that force called “Fate” lurking deep within her soul.
From the star realm came revelations, spiritual premonitions…
Those previously nebulous and difficult to grasp vague signs in Grey’s eyes… transformed into tangible light and imagery, directly manifesting in the depths of her soul.
No need for playacting or training, nor any battle between life and d*ath—
At this moment, the “Fate” sequence of Grey suddenly and unanticipatedly broke through, reaching a higher rank.
Flowing time, the trajectory of fate… everything became clear before Grey’s eyes.
A silver gleam suddenly flickered in her emerald eyes, as if a silver essence was flowing within.
No longer just vague revelations or nebulous premonitions.
But rather, she could clearly see what the future would hold just moments after—
This was true “future sight”.
With the aid of “future sight”, Grey’s evasive actions became much more serene, every movement leaving ample room for error.
Anna, the maid, revealed a look of surprise.
Clearly, she hadn’t anticipated that this seemingly weak thief before her could repeatedly escape from her grasp.
If things continued this way, holding out until the vice captain broke through the restriction should pose no problem.
Such thoughts emerged in Grey’s heart.
However—
In the next instant.
The “future sight” image of Grey’s soul, transmitted from the star realm, suddenly stuttered.
In her eyes, that silver gleam shattered without warning, revealing her original weak gaze.
Flowing time, clearly defined fate trajectories, fragments of the future… everything vanished without a trace.
As if something had forcefully severed the original trajectory of fate, leaving only pure void.
Grey’s complexion turned ashen, devoid of any color; tears of bl**d streamed from her eyes…
This was the backlash of peering into fate, leaving her soul and psychic power grievously wounded in an instant.
But even more unsettling than the pain that felt as if it would tear her soul apart was that subtle, nearly imperceptible premonition before the backlash struck.
As if—
A dreadful event was about to unfold.
……
“Indeed, the remains of the God of d*ath are not here.”
Suddenly.
A calm voice echoed in this metallic space.
It belonged to an ordinary-looking old man resembling a gardener, dressed in pure white robes adorned with grave-like patterns, surrounded by green tendrils.
His expression was plain, and his indifferent gaze overlooked the entire palace with a certain indescribable aloofness.
No one knew exactly when he had appeared, but he stood there as if he had merged with the world… unless one saw him with their own eyes, even the slightest aura wouldn’t be detectable.
“Who are you?”
“Are you also a conspirator with those thieves?”
Head maid Anna glared at the suddenly appearing old man and couldn’t help but shout sharply.
She waved her hand fiercely, and chains glimmering with yellow light surged forth, rushing towards the gardener-like elder.
However, next moment.
“Without even possessing your own domain… merely relying on the blessing of the remains of the God of d*ath to exist in this world as a wandering spirit, an illusory specter.”
“Yet you foolishly attempt to act against the incarnation of bounty, the ruler of life.”
“Moths to a flame… how tragically comical.”
Accompanied by that indifferent voice, in the next instant.
A vibrant green domain filled with life silently expanded beneath the gardener-like old man’s feet.
Then, in the blink of an eye, it enveloped the entire palace.
Soon after, amidst the life-affirming green radiance—
The surging yellow chains, the form of head maid Anna, and even the palace itself… everything was frozen.
The hues of dusk shattered quietly, gradually fading inch by inch back into the void.
Even Anna herself, her body froze in place as the yellow aura faded away… that glow was a blessing from the God of d*ath, and at this moment, it was being stripped away from her body.
It was as if in just a few seconds, she had undergone through again that stagnated time of hundreds of years due to the eternal blessing.
Anna’s body and clothes were rapidly aging, weathering, decaying.
Then, in a single breath, that time accelerated by billions reached its conclusion on her.
Head maid Anna vanished from this world.
All that remained were those yellowing fragments, scattered in the air along with the ashes of the weathered.
What… exactly happened here?
Grey found her thoughts slowing enormously, completely unable to comprehend everything happening before her.
Although from the current standpoint, head maid Anna was undoubtedly her enemy…
But a sixth-stage powerhouse was erased from this world in an instant?
No, it was more than just those chains and head maid Anna.
The entire palace was gradually losing that layer of yellowish light.
The eternal blessing disappeared, and the previously halted time was once again imposed upon the seemingly unchanging palace.
Thereafter, it weathered, decayed, shattered… ultimately turning to scattered dust.
The sound of the palace’s main beam cracking echoed in the wind, as if the entire world was disintegrating and collapsing.
The scene was identical to that of Frozen Water Town turning into ruins in Grey’s memory.
“Little Grey, hurry and escape!”
“If I’m sensing correctly, this is a legend.”
“From the ‘Graveminder’, a legend of the Bounty Sequence.”
The voice of the Shadow Servant pulled Grey from her dazed thoughts.
Graveminder?
What is that?
As such thoughts flashed through her mind, Grey instinctively wanted to follow the vice captain’s orders and immediately flee from this palace that was continuously decaying.
However, she then saw that the old man in the white robe with grave patterns turned his gaze toward her.
Within that green radiance, Grey’s body froze in place, unable to move.
“Indeed.”
“Earlier, that sensation of my destiny being observed came from you?”
“It’s not a prophecy-type ability, but rather a birth of the divine path of ‘Fate’… It seems that the unique divine path of ‘Fate’ has been born.”
“Having not found the remains of the God of d*ath, unexpectedly, I have found an unexpected gain here.”
With just a casual glance.
The old man referred to as the “Graveminder” had seemingly gleaned all of Grey’s secrets in that instant.
In the next moment—
Thousands of rose petals and leaves soared.
Transformed into a giant hand that overshadowed the sun, descending towards Grey from above.
That giant hand moved slowly, appearing as if it could easily evade its range… yet it also held a force that seemed impossible to resist, unstoppable and irreversible.
Grey’s mind and spirit struggled desperately, trying to awaken the power belonging to the “Fate” sequence within her soul.
Yet, that power which had once seemingly always succeeded, could easily restrain even the pollutants of the Evil God, and could reverse situations in the face of sixth-stage powerhouses… at this moment seemed like a still pond, utterly silent.
Grey could only watch helplessly as the hand composed of flowers and leaves slowly descended from the celestial dome towards her.
Before the power of legend, all streams of fate were severed… the originally infinitely extending future world line was now being continually constricted, leaving only that increasingly imminent, singular predetermined conclusion.
But just at that moment, beneath Grey’s feet, the shadow that had been quietly lying in wait… suddenly surged forth inky black.
The shadow transformed into a sharp long sword, intersecting with that descending benevolent hand from the heavens.
The inky shadow collided with the vibrant green light…
In just an instant, the pitch-black shadow shattered inch by inch, turning into mottled remnants.
It was like a moth to a flame.
That heavy shadow was unable to withstand even a single second, swallowed by that verdant light, extinguished into nothingness, stirring not a ripple.
Yet that less than a second of gap allowed Grey to momentarily escape the locking pursuit of that bountiful domain.
An extremely faint shadow, carrying a surreal feeling rippled beneath Grey’s feet, lifting the young girl’s figure.
Then, it swiftly fled towards the palace’s outer area.
“Clearly, it’s the sixth stage of the ‘Demon’ divine path, yet it carries a trace of the sun’s aura.”
“Cecil’s subordinate, perhaps?”
“Beyond just the sequence, the abilities are also interesting; she can actually slice her own soul, dividing off a second avatar…”
“If not for her body being severely damaged, there might have been a sliver of opportunity for her to advance to legend.”
“Too bad—”
The Graveminder’s gaze calmly swept over the shadow that was dissipating and vanishing in his bountiful domain, not causing even the slightest ripple… then turned to the distant phantom rapidly fleeing away, still without a ripple in his aged eyes.
In that brief exchange, he had already comprehended everything about the Shadow Servant.
The divine path of “Demon”, or as it is called in this era—the sequence divine path of “Shadow”.
To reach the sixth stage of the “Demon” divine path in this era where extraordinary knowledge is almost severed is indeed uncommon.
Contrasting with that earlier revenant who could only barely reach the sixth stage due to the blessing of the “Remains of the God of d*ath”, there was a fundamental difference.
This was a true legend seed, one with a real possibility of crossing that divide and ascending to legend.
Every path to legend is unique, an irreplaceable miracle… every legend ascendant is the protagonist of an era.
Thus, even a secret organization like the Graveminder that has spanned several epochs has the qualification to overlook all beings in the world, seeing them as mere ants… but they would still regard genuine legends and legend seeds with more reverence.
However, this woman’s path to legend… had already been thoroughly severed.
Her body was already broken, merely maintaining life through that power of the “Sun”.
Moreover, this woman also possessed a rather powerful ability, allowing her to sever her own soul and divide off a brand new shadow avatar.
Just now, she had indeed collided with her own body, paying the price of her soul’s silence… to momentarily break through her own bountiful domain, using another shadow avatar to rescue that young girl of the “Fate” lineage.
“Exchanging her life for this moment of escape…”
“But what is the meaning of that?”
“It’s just an act of futility.”
The Graveminder reached out again, grasping towards that dwindling phantom carrying Grey as it rapidly escaped.
Clearly, within those brief breaths, that illusory shadow had already managed to escape several miles, becoming nearly invisible in sight.
However, in the gardener-like elder’s hand gestures, that distance of several kilometers seemed to be traversed in an instant, continuously approaching.
Only legends can contend against legends; this is the iron law in the world of extraordinary beings.
Beyond this, even those who have reached the sixth stage, only a step away from legend, can merely hinder a legend for a trivial moment with an act born of life’s sacrifice… which won’t affect the eventual outcome at all.
This is the honor unique to legends—unyielding, unstoppable, as if it were destiny.
But just then, the gardener-like elder suddenly halted his movements.
At this moment, though it was surely dusk, a blazing, pure light rose from the end of the horizon.
It seemed to intertwine with the setting sun in the sky, as if there were two suns in the sky simultaneously.
That was the radiance of the blazing sun, carrying a scorching illusory corona, along with an aura not inferior to the elder’s bounty domain.
“This generation’s Guardian, Cecil.”
The Graveminder, that old man of legend, finally displayed a change in his previously calm eyes.
He recognized that aura; not long ago, he had briefly clashed with the owner of that aura.
There existed a disparity even among legends.
As a Graveminder who had experienced several epochs, in the realm of legend, he should far surpass the newly born legends of this era.
However, that previous brief clash—revealed to this gardener-like elder that this generation’s Guardian, Cecil, was far from just an ordinary newly ascended legend.
But rather, he had genuinely pushed its path to legend to the utmost, being a force substantial enough to contend with his own existence.
At the same time, his spirit stirred.
This legendary figure of the bounty sequence finally noticed… the location of the remains of the God of d*ath that the Graveminder was seeking.
At this moment, that legendary artifact of the God of d*ath was not within the core of Paradise, where the God of d*ath’s power was most concentrated, in that palace.
But instead, it was located on a mountain peak in the outskirts of Paradise City.
The elder’s gaze paused slightly towards the direction Grey and the Shadow Servant were swiftly escaping, as well as where the aura akin to the blazing sun rose.
Ultimately, he still turned his gaze towards the city fringes—where the remains of the God of d*ath were located.
“Destined ones of Fate…”
The indifferent words dissipated.
In the next moment, that gardener-like figure had vanished from view.
Compared to the “Fate” divine path that was discovered by coincidence, the goal of “recovering the remains of the God of d*ath”—this from the Graveminder, was undoubtedly of higher priority.
The shadow swiftly whisked away Grey’s petite body, the surrounding scenery changing like lightning.
In an instant, she had crossed the entire Paradise City and found herself just outside its suburbs.
Yet, even though she was now thousands of meters away from that palace and the elderly gravekeeper who resembled a gardener…
The ominous sense of extinction, as if it had severed all futures and led only to a solitary bleak conclusion, still lingered in Grey’s heart, refusing to dissipate.
It was a warning from “Fate,” a pressure from a legend. At Grey’s current level, she could neither interfere with a legend’s fate nor foresee its future.
Until a middle-aged man with graying hair appeared before her.
He looked to be about fifty years old, wearing a linen shirt, and his silver-gray eyes held an indescribable weariness.
The moment he appeared, the flickering fate warning deep within Grey’s soul vanished, returning to silence.
As a member of the Guardian of the Shore Organization, Grey naturally knew the identity of the person before her—
Cecil Barzet.
Leader of the Guardian of the Shore Organization, currently the strongest known human.
She never expected that Leader Cisel had come in person.
Moreover, since the organization referred to by Sister Shadow as the “Graveminder” had mobilized a legend, the Guardians would also undoubtedly correspond with matching strength.
Leader Cisel was truly a legend…
Since he had arrived, the upheaval in the Paradise would no longer be feared.
Just as this thought arose in Grey’s mind.
In the next moment, the previously rushing shadow also came to a halt.
The shadow that had enveloped Grey’s body faded, reforming in the air into a blurry, distorted humanoid shape that resembled the appearance of Sister Shadow on ordinary days.
Yet, for some reason, the figure of the shadow seemed strangely illusory in Grey’s eyes.
Life was continually flowing from that shadowy humanoid… Grey felt as though, within the Paradise, it was akin to those deceased natives—
Already dead, yet still retaining an ephemeral form.
“What… what happened?”
Grey’s figure froze in place.
She had thought that although Sister Shadow had clashed with that legendary gravekeeper to save her… the injuries she sustained should not have been severe.
If it were otherwise, how could Sister Shadow have possibly taken her away from the scene?
However, at that moment, the revitalized power of fate deep within her soul returned a clear answer to Grey.
To confront a legend at sixth tier… even if it was merely to obstruct an ephemeral moment, how could it not come at a cost?
And that cost—was her life.
Sister Shadow’s original body had already perished, and the one who had fled the palace with Grey… was merely a doppelgänger formed by Sister Shadow using her shadow servant ability, separating a small part of her soul.
But the essence of the soul had already died.
The only fate awaiting this rootless shadow manifestation was naturally extinction.
This was merely the last remnant of a departed soul… with no difference between it and those who had died in the Paradise yet still lingered in the world thanks to the God of d*ath’s blessings.
Grey instinctively raised her head, casting a hopeful gaze toward the gray-haired elder before her.
If it was the legendary Leader Cisel…
Perhaps there would be a way to save Sister Shadow…
Just as that thought arose.
In the next moment.
Grey saw Cisel seemingly see through her thoughts, silently shaking his head.
“I arrived late.”
“Life is the hardest to salvage.”
“Perhaps due to the uniqueness of your ‘Fate’ Sequence at a higher tier, one day you may achieve the great deed of reversing time after ascending to legend…”
“But at this moment, no one can resurrect the dead, not even I as a legend.”
How could that be?
Deep within Grey’s heart, she clearly heard the sound of something breaking.
It was as if a layer of false bubbles had burst, leaving only pure nothingness and emptiness in her mind.
From reuniting with Brother Rast at the Headquarters of the Watchtower, to joining the Guardian team and going to Paradise City to execute a mission.
For Grey, these past six months felt like a dreamlike time.
On her birthday, having hot pot with Brother Rast was wonderful.
Even going to the Paradise, helping Brother Rast strategize against the Night Queen with the team, or acting as a diviner was part of it.
Although along the way, she often felt frustrated when seeing Brother Rast interact intimately with other women.
Overall, the atmosphere of this journey was quite joyful and relaxed for Grey.
It was as though it was a story written in a fairy tale book—peaceful, light-hearted, bright, and beautiful.
Grey had long been immersed in this fairy-tale-like atmosphere.
So much so that, even though she had known from the very beginning that the ultimate goal of the “Lost Paradise” plan was to overthrow the Netherworld…
As an observer witnessing the moments between Brother Rast and Queen Helen, feeling that tranquil beauty… Grey had always thought they would ultimately find a mutually beneficial solution—
Perhaps this Netherworld, a land where numerous deceased lived in peace, need not be doomed to destruction.
Perhaps the relationship between the Guardian of the Shore Organization and that Queen of the Underworld was not necessarily one of implacable opposition…
There must be a way… for both humans and the souls of the Paradise, for Brother Rast, Queen Helen, and even herself, to ultimately achieve a happy and fulfilling ending.
However, at this moment—
Looking at the palace that held countless memories of Queen Helen, now weathered and rotting into dust.
And Sister Shadow, who had sacrificed herself to save her, while Grey could only watch helplessly…
The fairy-tale-like filter in Grey’s heart shattered just like that.
It became countless sharp and pointed shards that pierced into her soul, bringing with it the pain of penetrating flesh.
Reality was not a child’s play fairy tale.
And not every story would necessarily have a romantic and beautiful happy ending like a fairy tale.
From beginning to end, this was a war.
A war between humans and other races, a war between the living and the dead, order and chaos, the continuity and obliteration of civilization, and the war between the Guardians and the Gravekeepers.
The moment she donned the Silver Wing Emblem of “Guarding the Coast,” pledging to become a Guardian, she had already stepped onto the battlefield.
And those who step onto the battlefield must bear the awareness of a deadly struggle; there is no romantic and beautiful war in this world… the main theme of war is d*ath and bl**d, and everyone stepping onto the battlefield is ruthlessly slaughtering their enemy’s lives.
They roared, shouted, wielding bloody blades against one another, fighting until the end.
The fairy-tale-like illusion shattered.
Only the cold reality remained, the cruel truth washed over Grey’s mind again and again.
But even so—
In Grey’s heart, there was still one last belief supporting her, preventing her from getting lost in the impact of that shattered illusion.
Brother Rast…
That’s right.
Brother Rast is still in danger.
The gravekeeper legend who killed Sister Shadow… due to Leader Cisel’s threat, had given up hunting her, and now was very likely to go after Brother Rast!
With a sense of urgency and a glimmer of hope, Grey frantically raised her head, speaking quickly yet with some hope.
“Leader Cisel, though it may be presumptuous, could you go rescue Brother Rast?”
“He is currently facing that Queen of the Underworld, and that gravekeeper legend is very likely going to find him!”
She had already lost so much, she could not afford to lose Brother Rast again!
However, faced with the earnest gaze of the gray-haired girl.
Cisel’s eyes clearly showed a hint of indifference.
“I’m afraid he does not need my rescue at the moment, nor is he qualified to be rescued by me.”
“Rast has betrayed the Guardians.”
Like thunder clapping in her ears, all thoughts froze at that moment.
Brother Rast… betrayed the Guardians?
No, that was impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Even if it were the words uttered by the legendary Leader Cisel, the leader of the Guardians.
Reason told Grey that what Cisel said was most likely the truth, but Grey was still unwilling to believe it.
If Brother Rast had betrayed them, then what about that boy who had saved her from the predicament in Frozen Water Town… what about all the goals she had been striving for and pursuing all these years?
Yet, Cisel’s cold words echoed again in Grey’s ears.
“Rast’s intelligence returned false from the very beginning.”
“That relic of the God of d*ath has never been in the palace of the Royal City… but within the body of that Queen of the Underworld.”
“Rast must have noticed this, giving rise to greed, which led him to orchestrate this betrayal—”
“For that relic of the God of d*ath, which would allow one to attain greatness in a single step.”
“I even suspect he may have contacted the Gravekeeper… it was my failure to judge character; if it were not him, then Sister Shadow would not have perished in battle.”
“From this day forth, Rast will appear on the highest wanted list of the Guardians—”
“As long as the Guardian Organization exists, the bounty for his pursuit will continue, without rest.”
…
No, there must be some mistake!
Even Leader Cisel could very likely have been deceived by someone.
Or perhaps Brother Rast had some leverage threatened against him.
Or he was hypnotized, manipulated… his spirit controlled, polluting and corrupting his soul, forced into a situation where he had to act.
If that were true—
Then Brother Rast was in an extremely dangerous position right now.
Holding such thoughts.
Completely ignoring the sudden rise of the prophetic warning of fate deep within her soul, the foreboding of d*ath and extinction.
Grey suddenly stood up and ran along the mountain path behind her.
She had originally been taken away from the Royal City by Sister Shadow and had reached the outskirts—
Therefore, it wasn’t too far from the peak where Rast and Queen Helen were supposed to meet.
Grey did not believe others’ recounting, even if it was the leader of the Guardians, the legendary Cisel.
She needed to find Brother Rast herself, to ask him in person what was going on.
And then, clear his name and prove his innocence!
…
The petite figure of the gray-haired girl, shrouded in her hooded cloak, gradually disappeared into the end of the mountain path.
Yet Cisel did not stop her.
He merely used his silver-gray eyes to silently watch the gray-haired girl who, disregarding the muddy mountain path, ran toward the peak.
Beside Cisel, the dark shadow also quietly faded away.
Revealing the figure that had previously been obscured by the shadow, making it hard to see.
Different from the haggard and emaciated body of Sister Shadow that Rast had once seen, riddled with wounds.
Once the shadow faded, what emerged was a mature woman with a lithe figure.
Her brown wavy hair cascaded smoothly down her back, her facial features were elegantly defined, yet her face bore a soft curve.
Unlike the ugly and grotesque appearance Rast had seen earlier, Sister Shadow now appeared as a true beauty.
Yet, the form of Sister Shadow carried a certain ethereal and elusive quality, as if it could disappear at any moment.
This was, of course, a fact.
Her body, filled with scars, could only barely sustain the heartbeat through Cisel’s power… had already perished within that palace, drowned in the realm of that legendary gravekeeper of bounty.
Silently extinguished.
And what still existed was merely a shadow manifestation created by Sister Shadow using the power of shadows, combined with her severed soul fragments.
Since it was a manifestation… it could naturally exhibit a form that aligns with her soul’s origin, showing her appearance before experiencing that life-threatening injury.
However, with the d*ath of her original body, once the power sustaining this manifestation was completely depleted, it would inevitably return to the void.
“Actually, you’ve been here for a while, haven’t you, Cisel?”
Sister Shadow’s manifestation gazed toward the mountaintop, shrouded in the sunset, and suddenly spoke.
Her voice was no longer vague but had returned to the soft, mature voice that Rast had once heard.
“You arrived earlier than that gravekeeper… you weren’t late; from the very beginning, you could have acted.”
“But you didn’t, did you?”
Cisel did not answer directly.
He simply stood with Sister Shadow, quietly watching Grey’s ever-shrinking figure on the distant mountain path.
After a long while, Cisel’s voice finally came, tinged with a slight hoarseness: “I’m sorry.”
“No, there’s no need to say sorry to me.”
However, faced with Cisel’s apology, Sister Shadow merely shook her head slightly.
“I know, Cisel, you are more protective than anyone else, wanting to protect the members of the Guardians more than anyone.”
“But you are afraid.”
“You are the leader of the Guardians; you have more to consider and contemplate than anyone.”
“You are unwilling to recklessly engage in a fight with the enemy because you fear dying before nurturing your successor; in that case, the Guardians would lack a legend-level leader, while the Gravekeepers have multiple legends… everything would be irretrievable.”
“You are also afraid that because of your intervention, little Grey would not personally experience sacrifice and d*ath, and her character wouldn’t complete its transformation and growth, becoming an adequate leader of the next generation capable of carrying the future of civilization as a Guardian.”
“You fear that your intervention would disrupt Rast’s plans and arrangements, leading to his exposure… and for the sake of saving me, dragging the future of the entire organization into an abyss of no return.”
“You also need to preserve the full strength of your combat state at all times because the Broken Coast has not been stable recently… should the forbidden entities from the sea sense your weakened state, they would undoubtedly launch an assault on the coastline, and if the defenses of the Broken Coast were to crumble, tens of millions of lives would be in peril.”
Sister Shadow’s voice was reminiscent of self-talk, or perhaps a confession.
“The burdens you bear are not only your own, but also the weight of the entire Guardian Organization, indeed the fate of human civilization in this era.”
“So you can no longer act as carelessly and freely as we did when we were young… acting solely based on your whims and emotions to save all living beings in front of you.”
“Because back then, we had the old leader backing us up; no matter the consequences we caused, he could help us clean up the mess… but now, you have become the one responsible for the future of all humanity.”
“I understand all this, I truly do.”
“If it were not for your nature… how could I have willingly stayed by your side for so many years?”
“I am also a member of the Guardians, paving the way for little Grey’s growth and transformation as a soldier, this has always been my duty and my determined mission… I have no regrets.”
“I just feel a bit unwilling.”
“Since you became the leader of the Guardians, Cisel…I have not heard you lay bare your heart to me again.”
Sister Shadow paused momentarily.
“Cisel, may I use your shoulder for a moment?”
“Consider it the last request of a subordinate who has toiled tirelessly for you for hundreds of years.”
In the glow of the sunset, the gray-haired elder looked momentarily stunned.
Then, he nodded.
Cisel reached out and gently embraced Sister Shadow’s figure, which was beginning to dissipate, becoming increasingly ethereal in the light of the setting sun.
Sister Shadow rested her head lightly on Cisel’s shoulder, yet there was no weight to her presence.
“Fortunately—”
“I am meeting you with this shadow manifestation, rather than that aged and exhausted original body.”
“In this way, the last moment I spend with you, the final memory I leave for you…”
“Should be able to be fixed in this most beautiful form of mine.”
Sister Shadow and Cisel looked out toward the mountaintop, stained red by the sunset, appearing hazy and elusive.
“Speaking of which, I guess I am already a few hundred years old… yet I’m still saying things like ‘I want you to remember my most beautiful form,’ which is quite embarrassing when I think about it.”
“However—I’ve really recalled many memories from my youth.”
“The first time we participated in the new Guardians assessment together, the newcomer training, our first outing to execute a mission, the applause and flowers when we returned victoriously…”
“By the way, Cisel.”
“Don’t you think little Grey and Brother Rast resemble us quite a bit?”
Sister Shadow’s form grew increasingly ethereal, wavering and indefinite.
The fiery red light of the sunset streamed through her almost transparent body, casting mottled shadows on Cisel’s worn face.
“Really, during this mission, I saw little Grey staring out of the window in a daze several times, as if I were looking at my younger self.”
“Back then, it was because I was on a mission with you and saw that boy who commanded the radiance of the sun, that desire for you arose in my heart… that’s what led me down this path of no return.”
“And Brother Rast, that little fellow, is just like you… in every aspect, if it weren’t for him not knowing why he refused to become the leader of the Guardians, I would even feel that he could immediately take your place without any issue.”
“I cannot bear to see little Grey and Brother Rast end up treading our tragic path.”
“So, please promise me, Cisel.”
“When little Grey has fully grown up, becoming a qualified leader capable of bearing the future of the Guardians… please tell her the truth.”
“Don’t let them, due to misunderstandings and baseless hatred… tread on a path like us that has no outcome.”
In the fiery red glow, the gray-haired elder remained silent for a long time before gently nodding.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll be at ease.”
Sister Shadow’s voice grew increasingly faint, and if it weren’t for Cisel’s legendary physical capabilities, he might not have been able to hear her at all.
“Finally.”
“Let me bask in your light once more.”
“The light I once saw when we first met… that pure and clear light capable of dispelling all darkness, illuminating the path of the Guardians.”
Upon hearing this, Cisel quietly raised his hand.
In the next moment.
Like a blazing sun, the fiery and sacred sunlight shone forth.
Within that pure and clear radiance, the last trace of the shadow sustaining Sister Shadow’s manifestation dissipated.
(End of Chapter)
