Chapter 359

Chapter 145 Red and Black Part Seven

“Ahh…”

I slightly opened my mouth.

“What were those soldiers doing outside the city? Why did the capital turn out like this? What happened here, where is Her Excellency the Holy Maiden…”

He threw many questions at me one after another, then rubbed his stubble on his chin: “Hmm, although I really want to understand everything at once, it’s clearly not the right time now… Eh? What happened to your hair… Wow, you actually grew wings!”

I blinked my eyes.

After the black flames burning before me were entirely absorbed into my body, I suddenly pointed at him: “…Kafuski!”

“It’s Carlos.”

The man shrugged his shoulders, his mouth curled into a slight frown, showing a somewhat helpless expression: “Come on… You only recognized me now? Really?”

“Mmm.”

I nodded, revealing a smile to him.

I intended to say some teasing and mocking words.

But for some reason, looking at his figure standing against the wind, those words stuck in my throat and could not be uttered.

“Ah…” Carlos sighed softly.

“Why do you feel so cold, little Shil… At such times, you should at least pretend to be surprised, and ideally, show a shy and timid glance, hesitantly throwing yourself into my arms…”

Buzz—

Golden light burst forth from afar.

In an instant, the blazing white beam of light came rushing towards us. The swordsman with a full beard was still rambling on, but his tone suddenly turned fierce: “Otherwise, I’ll… lose all! My! Face—”

As he spoke, he slightly bent his waist, the bright silver long sword in his hand dancing, lightning flashing on the blade as if it had anticipated the attack, slightly turning his head to avoid the white light, and striking to the side.

At almost the same moment, golden light bloomed before my eyes, and Cardinal Nero’s figure flashed towards the direction of the sword swing.

Clang!

A resounding sound.

The sword light carrying countless arcs of electricity struck Cardinal Nero’s body, nearly dispersing the flowing golden light. Nero stumbled in mid-air, barely maintaining balance. The white light that exploded from his palm instantly deviated from its original course, aiming for Carlos’s head but instead smashing through the partially collapsed wall below.

The wall began to collapse with a loud noise. As the green bricks scattered, azure lightning rapidly danced across Carlos’s silver armor. He stepped on the green rock, his figure transforming into a swift and fierce lightning, weaving through the air like flying flowers, circling around Cardinal Nero’s falling body, stirring up an astonishing whirlpool of lightning. Sword lights from all directions suddenly slashed out, aiming at the center of the whirlpool, Nero, creating a series of crisp sounds.

How fast…

Cardinal Nero only blocked the first few strikes with his arm, then could no longer keep up with Carlos’s speed, only barely protecting his head as dense sword lights rained down on him. Struggling for less than two seconds, the second gathering of white light finally did not have the chance to release. Golden light flashed again and disappeared.

Zzz.

As the lightning flew by, Carlos’s back appeared before me, his gray-white hair tied behind his head fluttered slightly with the electric light.

“So tough…”

He muttered under his breath, holding the long sword in his hand diagonally downward, vigilantly surveying the surroundings. Then, he unexpectedly continued the previous conversation: “Little Shil, are you having a new love interest in the capital? Actually, you’ve lost all affection for me this ‘old flame’…”

“Puh.”

I couldn’t help but spit at him, the smile on my face becoming even more intense. Suddenly, a playful mood arose: “What if I am?”

“I’d be hurt… Tsk. I always cared about you, even didn’t forget to send greetings to Lady Catherine when I arrived at the Winter City… I never thought you’d be this kind of woman.”

Carlos turned his head, his eyelids drooping to look at me, then gradually withdrew his smile. The playful expression on his face gradually faded, turning serious.

“Are you alright?”

“What do you think?” I retorted.

Then, I saw golden light illuminate the top of a high-rise building across the street.

Cardinal Nero emerged from the golden light, stepping forward two steps, seemingly unscathed, except for the increasingly severe damage to his armor, and the tattered papal knight cloak on his back, covered with sword marks.

He remained steady, standing at the edge of the roof, looking down at us from above, then spoke: “Carlos Gonzales. Known as the Silver Flash, the papal knight who walks through the abyss.”

“Your Eminence Cardinal Nero,” Carlos quickly took a step forward, blocking me, “the way you use the miracle of punishment is indeed as impressive as rumored.”

“I know you; you are a righteous knight.”

Carlos bowed lightly: “It is an honor to receive your praise.”

“Why are you blocking me?”

“This…”

Carlos scratched his head, seemingly puzzled by Cardinal Nero’s question, hesitated for a moment, and asked in return: “Do I need a reason?”

“Do you not need one?”

Cardinal Nero’s voice was low. The dazzling golden light flowed around him, becoming even more dazzling, like a sacred and inviolable saint, his tone filled with unquestionable authority, yet mixed with a hint of sarcasm: “Or perhaps, are you also like that poor holy maiden, content to be just a good dog raised by the pope?”

“Ahh… What do you mean?”

“Do you know what that thing behind you is?”

“Hey, Nero…” I squinted my eyes.

Old guy, how can you speak so rudely?

Dead smoke slowly rose from beneath my feet, about to take a step forward, but Carlos stopped me with his hand.

I immediately frowned: “Why waste words with him?”

“Your Eminence Nero.”

Carlos did not pay attention to my displeasure, only turning his head to give me an enigmatic look, then gently shook his head, once again focusing his gaze on Cardinal Nero, his shoulders slightly rising: “I believe I understand her better than you.”

Cardinal Nero沉

Silent for a moment.

“No, you don’t understand. You actually know nothing. She is a terrible disaster, a scourge that should not exist in this world… Carlos, I admire your character and do not want to fight with you. Someone like you should be on our side. Do not let false emotions blind you… Please open your eyes and see the monster’s true form.”

“Form?”

Carlos turned his head back to glance at me again, then pretended to ponder for a moment: “Hmm… impressive wings, a somewhat strange but surprisingly good-looking armor… and a beautiful face?”

“Can’t you feel the changes? Carlos, it is constantly devouring, evolving, possessing abilities similar to, no, even higher than those of all the monsters from the Abyss. It can even absorb the power of divine relics! You don’t understand what this means… given time, more growth, what terrifying consequences will occur, do you understand?!”

Cardinal Nero’s tone became slightly agitated but quickly calmed down.

“Carlos, before I change my mind, leave. This monster must die today, and if you insist on stopping me, then I will have to make you die here as well… You understand. For me, this isn’t difficult.”

“Aaah… I do know some of your abilities.” Carlos exhaled irritably, “If possible, I really don’t want to fight you… tsk, troublesome.”

“In that case, leave here.”

“…Alright, alright.”

Carlos thought for a moment and surprisingly agreed right away.

I raised an eyebrow, looking at him in surprise.

What was this dog of a man doing here…

But just as I was about to curse him, he continued with another sentence.

The bearded swordsman pointed at me: “But I need to take this girl with me; otherwise, she’ll headbutt me tomorrow. You probably don’t understand, but it hurts.”

Pfft, this person…

“…Tomorrow? Hehe…” Cardinal Nero suddenly laughed, his voice hoarse and unpleasant, “Will you two even live until tomorrow… Carlos, I know you’re stalling. You came with the Pope, didn’t you? The one who used blackbirds to scatter my miracle just now, wasn’t it him? What, are you waiting for him to act? Do you think with him around, I would retreat?”

Carlos hurriedly waved his hands: “No, no, no, I think you misunderstood…”

“Misunderstood? Is that so?”

Cardinal Nero clearly did not believe him.

“How disappointing. You all are willing to protect a monster… what has the world come to… Carlos, as a glorious knight of the Pope, after all these years, have you forgotten your duty? The Abyss is your enemy!”

Facing Cardinal Nero’s accusations, Carlos seemed indifferent,掏起了耳朵掏起了耳朵。

“Sorry, for enemies… I have my own standards. The purpose of the Pope’s knights is not to eliminate the Abyss, but to protect the people, to do everything in their power to prevent innocent people from suffering disasters. In my view, little Shirley does not possess the threats you imagine. On the contrary, the real threat to the safety of the city’s millions is you… who are recklessly killing innocents.”

He stretched out his little finger, which had been in his ear, to his mouth, blew lightly, and flicked it.

Then he stood up straight, his back as firm as a pine tree, looking up at Cardinal Nero, his tone unprecedentedly serious: “The monster you speak of… is actually yourself, Lord Nero.”

“…Hmph.”

After a brief silence, Cardinal Nero sneered.

“It seems you’ve made up your mind to die alongside a monster…”

“Or you could change your mind,” Carlos spread his hands.

In the next moment, that comforting aura once again radiated from the golden light enveloping Cardinal Nero.

“As you wish, then… die…”

Everything began to shake.

“Beware of his divine relic!”

I shouted, taking advantage of the moment before that force was fully unleashed, I stepped into the moon step.

Bang!

My figure instantly leaped over Carlos’s head, rushing toward the golden light across the street. Dark death smoke suddenly rose in mid-air, and red flames gathered in my palms once more.

I could feel it.

The power released by Nero this time was more ferocious than Margaret’s or any previous time.

Damn it…

I thought Carlos had a plan, but it gave the opponent ample preparation time…

“Hold on, Shirley!”

Carlos’s voice came from behind, urgent.

Hold on? Wait for you—

Bam!

Suddenly, in mid-air, I collided with an invisible wall when I was less than ten meters away from Cardinal Nero.

My head went “buzz.”

The speed of the moon step was too fast, and this collision left me seeing stars, my mind blank. The outwardly spreading death smoke instantly dissipated, and the flames condensed in my palms flickered and gradually disappeared. Dazedly, I felt myself falling rapidly, and then crashed onto the ground with a thud.

“We said hold on…”

Carlos’s voice became faint.

It took me a long while to regain my senses. I shook my head, got up from the ground, and immediately jumped back several meters, standing in the middle of the shattered street, staring blankly ahead.

…What?

Plip.

Blood dripped from my nose, flowing down my mouth, and I immediately covered it with my hand.

Following that, an unbearable pain surged from my cheek, wetting my eyes in an instant.

“An! Gil—!!”

Cardinal Nero’s angry roar sounded like that of an injured beast, mixed with a bit of pain, coming from above the street.