Chapter 195

Chapter 167: Bluefire Burning the Moon, Blood Staining the Royal City Part I

Whoosh—

The wind pressed down heavily.

In an instant, I reacted. Without lifting my head, I bent over, lowering my back almost ninety degrees, firmly planting my feet in a horse stance. I thrust Captain Gray’s blade towards the taut skin of my back and received the fierce blow against my body.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The collision of weapons reverberated like thunder, deafening.

“Ugh!”

An irresistible force surged from my back to my entire body. I was stunned; my back instantly lost all sensation. Unable to hold back, I groaned in pain, my body losing balance, nearly collapsing to the ground. Clenching my teeth, I mustered all my strength to resist the terrifying force.

Snap!

The rock beneath my feet cracked. Pebbles scattered, clattering against the surrounding walls.

Pata.

In my line of sight, someone fell beside me.

Due to my current posture, I could only see her legs below. Despite this, I recognized her immediately from the voluminous, dark nun’s habit she wore.

In the next moment, the immense pressure on my back suddenly vanished, leaving me feeling a sudden relief. Then, an unprecedented sense of danger swept over me. My scalp tingled, and I tried to quickly retreat, but my feet couldn’t react in time—

Thud! Clang!!

Withdrawing the impact, my knees finally gave way, and I half-knelt down.

I can’t be knocked down…

“Ah—!” A furious shout.

I bit my lip, abruptly twisting my body to one side, deflecting the force of the black axe to the side with a loud thud. At the same time, I turned my scythe and used the handle to press against the stone surface underfoot, pointing the blade at the enemy’s direction. With my left hand, I pulled the trigger.

Ding—

The blade sprang up again, transforming back into a spear, forcing her to stagger backward. I took advantage of the opportunity and pulled the trigger again, returning Captain Gray to its scythe form and swinging it at her feet.

She immediately jumped back, easily avoiding my attack.

But you won’t have the chance!

I swiftly adjusted my steps. With my petite figure, I charged forward, raising Captain Gray high above my head, striking forcefully towards her head.

“How beautiful…” The nun in front of me murmured softly.

Clang—

She held the horrifying double-bladed long axe to her side, using the handle to block my attack. Her other hand quickly formed a fist, carrying a strong gust of wind, directly aiming for my face. The speed was so fast that the sound alone indicated the dire consequences if it hit.

My pupils constricted sharply. My mind focused intensely. I tilted my head to the right, barely dodging the attack by my ear. My eyes glared fiercely at her gentle face, biting my lips until blood flowed.

“Why—!!!”

As I shouted, I pressed my body against hers, delivering a punch to her lower abdomen.

Bang!

Her body arched.

The punch infused with frost mist spread out like a violent wave, tearing through her nun’s habit with a series of explosions, quickly covering her in a thin layer of frost. Her white veil was blown away, revealing her silver hair cascading down. She was lifted off her feet by the force, flying backward with inertia.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my scalp, so intense that I involuntarily screamed, “Ah—!”

My hair was caught…

My body instantly lost balance, stumbling forward a few steps. Then, my eyes flashed blue.

Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!

Countless sharp ice spears erupted from the ground, freezing everything in front.

Blood splattered in the next instant. Teresa’s leg and waist were pierced through. She still maintained her flying posture, frozen mid-air, unable to move.

I took a deep breath and swung Captain Gray upward.

Snap.

I severed the hand holding my hair at the elbow.

This wasn’t enough…

I exerted more force. In the next second, Captain Gray was raised high again and then suddenly dropped—

Thud!

The black double-bladed giant axe, along with the slender arm holding it, landed with a muffled thud.

“Amazing…” she said.

Her tone remained as gentle as ever, her face showing no signs of pain.

“She truly is… a hero capable of slaying the abyss alone.”

I gritted my teeth and looked at her.

“These… did you do them…”

“Mm.”

Theresa curled the corners of her mouth and actually chuckled lightly. Her smile was still so soothing, pleasing to the eye.

But in my eyes, she was no longer the gentle and reliable nun she once was.

She was an utter devil.

“Madwoman… madwoman…”

The surging emotions in my heart made me want to tear her apart alive, dismember her with a thousand cuts.

“You—madwoman!!!”

“Aaah!”

With a desperate cry, I clenched my fists and struck her face repeatedly, as if venting all my anger.

Bang! Bang!

“Why—!”

“Why are you—so cruel—!”

Bang! Crack!

I shattered her facial bones, broke her nose, and blinded her eyes.

Blood splattered on her face. Even so, it couldn’t extinguish the rage and sorrow in my heart.

“Devil in human skin—! Damn heretic!”

“Aaah!!!”

I beat her face until it was a bloody mess.

But Theresa remained silent, smiling. She spoke to me with blood-foamed lips that trembled slightly: “I’m… sorry, we couldn’t become… friends…”

…friends?

I raised Captain Gray high above my head.

“I won’t befriend a monster—!”

Swish!

I slashed down at her neck with all my might.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, washing over my dress.

My hand was trembling.

Gurgle…

Theresa’s head rolled to my feet.

Her originally beautiful silver hair was stained with blood, tangled around her face, and I could no longer see her face.

My whole body was trembling, my chest heaving violently. The intense pain in my back finally surged up.

“Cough, cough.”

Unable to hold back, I coughed twice, then slowly turned around, my gaze landing on the stunned Charles. After a moment of staring, he seemed to suddenly come to his senses.

“Miss, save someone, quickly! There are still living children!”

Still… living children?

“Over there!”

He supported himself with his hands, struggling to stand up, but his legs seemed broken. He tried several times but couldn’t get up. Finally, he raised his hand, pointing frantically behind the pool of blood, his voice hoarse: “They’re behind there! Please, save them—I beg you!”

I finally snapped to attention, rushing behind the blood pool.

One… two… five more children. Their heads were intact, lying quietly on the ground.

Their consciousness was still clear. Upon seeing me, their terrified little faces pleaded with me. Among them was a young girl, her dirty face crying instantly when she met my gaze.

That’s… Ellie… she’s not dead… she’s still alive…

Suddenly feeling drained, my legs wobbled. The Captain Gray I held fell to the ground with a clatter.

My legs were trembling.

I walked over cautiously, squatting down in disbelief, picking up her small body from the ground.

“You’re still alive…”

“It’s good… Ellie… I thought… you were dead too…”

Ellie stared at me with wide eyes, her breath carrying a faint scent of alcohol. Tears poured out like beads from her constantly trembling pupils, her mouth open wide in silent sobs.

It seemed she couldn’t move…

“What’s wrong with you.”

Suddenly, I heard an odd sound. It sounded like something had cracked, a “crack” coming from the blood pool beside me.

I looked over.

The bead hanging above the vertebrae seemed to have grown more prominent, faintly emitting a blood-red glow.

I felt an ominous premonition, instinctively placing Ellie gently on the ground and standing up.

Whoosh—

The blood pool erupted with tiny, dark brown flames.

Before I could react to what it was, the flames shot into the blood bead and disappeared.

“The Tear of the Goddess… is complete.”

A slightly joyous voice came from the direction of Theresa’s head.