The Creators: From Night City

Page 443

A mournful wind blows incessantly from south to north.

The vast expanse of white reeds was bent low by the wind, as if countless unredeemed ghosts were howling upon them.

The spirits, their consciousness extinguished, spontaneously coalesced, forming illusory tombstones, and thus the vast plain acquired its name.

Cemetery plain.

Above the dim sky, the huge hole began to gradually heal, but the chilling golden flames still made all living beings in the Shadowlands clearly visible.

Without the correct method of teleportation, Jiang Bing could only forcefully break apart the hidden curtain held up by the Shadow Tree to send the three of them inside.

The price for doing so was that the arrival of the person alerted the guardian of the place.

Leilana was once a member of the royal family of Kalia, the younger sister of Queen Renara of the Full Moon, and was revered as the Twin Moon Knight.

But long ago, she abandoned her status and glory, and followed the Impaler 'Messermo,' the child hidden by Malica, to the Shadowlands, where they lived in anonymity.

She has been known ever since as "the sword of Mesmer".

But she hadn't seen him for a very, very long time.

One day, when she suddenly saw a spirit horse with long horns carrying a white-haired child galloping past her castle, she knew that the long-silent Shadowlands was about to be turbulent again.

As she expected, things turned out exactly as she predicted.

The sky shattered, confirming her premonition.

So she left the castle he had given her, with her guards and his army, and came to this plain of graveyards, which was full of death but also beautiful.

The soldiers lined up in formation, drew their bows and crossbows, and the banners of the 'Holy War Army' fluttered in the wind. Everyone looked ahead, waiting for the enemy to arrive.

Wearing a helmet adorned with a double crescent pattern, Leilana stood elegantly at the front of the army, before a town almost completely burned to the ground, watching the three outsiders approach.

This is the main and only exit from the cemetery plain.

As the approaching figures drew near, her guards drew their swords and prepared for battle.

"The Faded Ones?"

Finally, the other party got close enough that Leilana could clearly see the leader's dim eyes.

"The Carians?"

Her response was indeed a counter-question from the other party.

The luxurious, exquisite, and magical armor she wore was indeed in Kalia's style, and Leilana didn't bother to hide it.

“This is not a place for you to visit; this is a cursed and hidden place.”

"Just because of the massacre you committed here?"

Jiang Bing gazed meaningfully at the tall woman opposite him, who was dressed in magnificent armor.

The offensive words provoked the fury of Leilana's guards, but their surging fighting spirit was stopped by their lord.

The other party's guard, the cold-faced blonde woman, was so strong that it frightened her. The other party's gaze was like a sharp blade constantly waving in front of her.

'A demigod' Leilana made her judgment with absolute certainty.

"This is the land of 'holy war,' a secret beyond words. We silently bear the price for the prosperity of the Golden Dynasty. If you are wise enough, you, rash visitor, know that leaving now is the best option."

Jiang Bing ignored him, tilting his head to look at the still-burning red flames in the ruined town.

"Giant's Fire?"

The visitor immediately recognized the nature of the flames, and the astonishment caused Leilana to instinctively draw her twin swords and point them at him.

"Do you know that your words are a blasphemy against Lord Messermo and a slander against Queen Marika?"

Her response was a golden ceremonial sword that made her eyes narrow.

The surging aura of the magic rings within terrified the knight, who was brimming with the power of the Twin Moon Laws.

"Marika is dead, she died on the path she chose."

"And you, you've been isolated here for too long. You need to learn to open your eyes and see the world, madam."

"I wonder if you could make way for me. I have no intention of being your enemy. I came here simply to find someone."

Unfortunately, his attitude and behavior were not important. The Shadowlands were inherently unwelcoming to all unknown outsiders, especially those who were not blessed and had no light.

Chapter 902 The Piercer, Messermo

Jiang Bing's well-intentioned advice was taken as sarcastic remarks from the rebels, and his behavior was naturally seen as an act of defiance.

The soldiers who were able to come to the 'Shadowlands' to participate in this holy war in anonymity were undoubtedly Marika's loyal followers. Apart from Leilana's Kalia Guard, the others had long been unable to contain their anger.

A dark shadow was thrown towards Jiang Bing, but missed as the attacked man slightly turned his head, leaving a handful of scarlet flames on the ground that burned fiercely.

"It seems your men don't really respect you, ma'am."

Now that things have come to this, Jiang Bing's words can truly be considered deliberately sarcastic.

The magic of fire and moon ignited from the twin swords, and the warriors had no intention of engaging in futile arguments.

They've become accustomed to using the blade to speak for them.

But isn't this also a form of arrogance?

The sound of the flesh of the 'holy war' expeditionary force being torn apart by blades is neither praiseworthy nor worthy of their self-proclaimed lofty beliefs.

Marlenia, who was in a state of rage from beginning to end, wielded her sword with such ferocity that even Finley was terrified. Any soldier who attacked the two of them ended up with their armor shattered and their weapons broken.

The Twin Moon Knight, Leilana, possesses both elegant and deadly martial arts skills, her twin swords flashing with refined and immense magical power.

But this being, who should have been invincible, was blasted away by an irresistible force the moment he attacked Jiang Bing.

The body, supported by exquisite armor, rolled and slid like a cannonball, carving a shallow crater in the ground. Like a bowling ball, it rolled rapidly for hundreds of meters, smashing one of the few three-story buildings in the still-burning town ruins into a pile of construction waste.

The divine ritual sword was wielded for the first time.

The deformed sword did not hinder Jiang Bing's killing efficiency.

While the curved blade is not suitable for thrusting, it is particularly suitable for slashing and even more suitable for spinning.

Jiang Bing swung his sword so fast that the golden light and wind pressure from the blade swirled around him.

Bloody bits of flesh quickly formed a tornado beside him.

Jiang Bing was always devout to his enemies; death was the only gift he could give them.

The army of several hundred superhumans was slaughtered in less than three minutes.

Thus, less than ten minutes after the three arrived in the Shadowlands, they had already added a bit of nourishment to this world that was already filled with death.

Even after tearing through hundreds of bodies, the divine ritual sword remained unstained by blood, continuing to shine with a shimmering light and guiding the three.

The light had a clear purpose, and its target was exceptionally conspicuous.

At the northernmost point, there stands a colossal tree as tall as a golden tree, yet imbued with a heavy, ominous darkness. Unlike the smooth, straight trunk of a golden tree, its bark is twisted like a snake, covered in deformed burls.

"Shadow Tree!"

Marlenia murmured in a heavy voice.

"It seems your brother has a very clear purpose," Jiang Bing said with a smile, sensing the Great Rune fragment so close at hand. "Let's go!"

Death is everywhere in the Shadowlands, and crimson flames burn everywhere.

The name of the Impaler, Messermo, echoed in their ears as they moved forward, haunting them like a ghost.

He is Marika's biological son, the leader of the extermination 'holy war', and the owner of the 'Messermo Fire' that burns away evil.

Along the way, the trio encountered many spirits that had already died.

These races, who look very similar to the twins Mongot and Monger, are called the 'Horned People' and are the other side in this 'holy war'.

As things stand, they are also losers.

These dead horned people were bound by an intense desire for despair, resentment, fear, and revenge, transforming into vengeful spirits that haunted their homeland and madly attacked all living things.

Or perhaps they transform into earthbound spirits with only a few lingering obsessions, bound to a certain place, murmuring their strongest emotions day after day, year after year.

Most of these emotions are related to 'The Piercer' Messermo, after all, his massacres were the main cause of death for these horned people.

Meanwhile, those 'holy war' soldiers who always maintained a state of combat readiness, patrolling the desolate towns and empty roads again and again, gradually dulled their emotions in the long killing, but still tenaciously fulfilled their duties.

Eliminate all horned beings you encounter, whether they are from the past, present, or future.

Jiang Bing viewed this 'holy war' with its strong religious undertones as so blind, its cause so vague that even after burning hundreds of 'holy war' soldiers, he still couldn't sift through the massive amount of information to uncover the cause of the war.

The followers of the Golden Law only knew that it was an oracle from the Eternal Queen Marika.

However, Jiang Bing was too lazy to care about these things.

He just wanted to find Michaela and settle this deal.

Of course, now there's also the addition of igniting the Shadow Tree, since he already has one of the sacred spirals, and he's still missing two elements to form the 'Forge of Life'.

He longed for this furnace that could create life far more than for the golden tree.

His higher-dimensional senses revealed a glimpse of the future to him, something that would likely be of great help on his path to advancement.

So the three of them continued forward.

The location of the Shadow Tree is not hard to find; after all, this giant tree is so large that anyone with eyesight would not miss it.

However, the path to the foot of the giant tree is firmly blocked by a large city.

'Shadow City'

The Holy War Expeditionary Force's headquarters was heavily fortified and guarded, making it extremely difficult for ordinary people to breach.

However, the sturdy city gate, forged using secret methods and imbued with a large amount of blessings, could not stop Jiang Bing's advance.

The city's intricate and confusing layout, along with its labyrinthine roads, did not deter the three from their progress.

Thus, a deafening roar accompanied the city's violent shaking, spreading throughout the entire 'Shadow City', even waking the demigods who were slumbering in the attic of the 'Species Storage Vault'.

A crimson flame ignited from the dark attic, illuminating the cold, self-exiled demigod.

Like most of the demigods of the Golden Family, Messermo was tall, but his physique appeared unusually thin.

His red shawl contrasted sharply with his long, exposed red hair, which was as crimson as blood, perfectly complementing the flames of the same hue in his hands.

The piercing spear that lay beside the throne was lifted by his slender arm, and as the demigod rose, two strange, entirely red snakes emerged from behind him and slithered around him.

This is the 'serpent of evil,' his limbs, a part of him, a blessing or a curse he has borne since birth.

The dusty door to the attic was pushed open, sending up a cloud of accumulated dust.

The 'Piercer' walked to the platform outside the species storage warehouse with his spear in hand, and immediately saw the riots in the city.

The nearly 100-meter height was not an insurmountable obstacle for him. His demigod-like strength allowed him to use the building for leverage several times before easily descending the stairs to the ground.

Amidst the respectful salutes of the Black Knights, Holy War Soldiers, and Flame Knights, Messermo's left eye, half-hidden beneath his serpentine helmet, suddenly widened in astonishment.

Before him, three thick walls were pierced through by some force, and large sections of bricks and stones turned into a bright, hot liquid, allowing him to see the entrance to Shadow City at a glance.

The gates to 'Shadow City' are now gone.

As he turned around, more large holes appeared behind him, leading all the way to the back door of 'Shadow City', the only entrance to the foot of the Shadow Tree.

Even the demigods, known for their brutality, had never seen such a ruthless way of traveling.

This piqued his interest and led him to follow the trail.

Chapter 903 Michaela

As a crucial point in the war, if Moses is not foolish, he will surely send a large force to guard the pass.

In fact, the gatekeeper is indeed quite 'heavy'.

Gaius, the veteran "Boar Rider," was ordered to guard the north gate of "Shadow City."

Despite his disability in both legs, this Platinum Son's fighting prowess when he is in 'human-boar fusion' with his boar mount should not be underestimated.

Not to mention that he and 'Starbreaker General' Rataen studied gravity magic under the tutelage of the 'White King', making them fellow disciples.

But when Messermo arrived at the North Gate, he only saw a large wild boar lying by the roadside, struggling and groaning. Gaius was even more disheveled, leaning against the boar, covered in dust and mud.

"Who is it?" Messermo asked coldly.

"He is a man, but do not underestimate his strength, Lord Messermo."