Night World Players

Chapter 123: Admiration is the emotion farthest from understanding, Gray (two in one)

In the dark night sky, it started raining without me noticing.

The rain turned the mountain road, which was already sparsely traveled on, into a muddy mess and blurred the girl's eyes.

Gray ran along the winding path up the mountain. The dirty mud stained her fair cheeks, but it did not stop her steps for a moment.

And deep in Gray's soul, the power of destiny that was originally illusory, difficult to perceive, and elusive...

At this moment, it became an extremely clear warning sign.

will die.

will die.

will die.

It was as if written in blood, extremely clear, a warning that was directly engraved into the depths of Gray's soul... It was also an omen from fate.

Silent disasters, calamities, conspiracies...are slowly gathering in paradise, in this royal city.

And the end of this winding path, the peak of this mountain, is the core of the storm, the source of all disputes and disasters.

To protect yourself as much as possible and survive the coming storm -

So now, what Grey should do is to return to Leader Cessel immediately and seek the protection of this legendary shore guardian.

Finding a backer to protect one's own safety... This is the idea and principle of action that Gray has always held.

In her eyes, the human settlements scattered across the continent were like wolf packs in the wilderness, and she was a wolf cub wandering among the wolf packs.

Some wolf packs are very weak and will be devoured by stronger beasts in the wilderness. Then she will have no choice but to wander again... Some wolf packs are very strong and have the most powerful leader. Joining such a strong wolf pack will ensure her safety.

This was how Grey perceived the world before she met Rust.

The reason why she wanted to join the Shore Watchers in the first place was because in her opinion, the Shore Watchers were a powerful wolf pack in the wilderness, with Cecil, the strongest alpha wolf... As long as she joined, she would be safe.

but--

At this moment.

The knowledge and principles that she once believed in, as well as the biological instinct to seek benefits and avoid harm that emanated from the depths of her soul... were all thrown out of Gray's mind.

She staggered as she ran, taking one deep step and one shallow step, and her dirty boots created muddy puddles on the mountain road.

The rain is still falling.

The drizzle turned into heavy rain.

I don’t know how much time has passed…

This seemingly endless winding path finally came to an end.

Gray used up her last bit of strength to climb over the last small slope.

Then, Gray saw the top of the cliff... the slender figure in a black windbreaker.

He stood beside a steep cliff, overlooking the dark sea beating against the rocks below. His dark silhouette seemed to merge into the cliff.

It's Brother Rast.

Although she couldn't see the face clearly because he was facing away from her, Gray immediately recognized the other person's identity just by the vague outline of his figure.

fortunately.

Fortunately... I caught up with him.

The worst possible scenario that I had expected did not happen.

Brother Rast is safe and sound, nothing happened to him.

It seems that the legendary gravekeeper was frightened by Leader Cessel and has not come here yet.

The last of her remaining energy was exhausted as she climbed over a slope, and Gray lost the strength to support her body.

She stumbled and fell into the muddy water.

The girl's silver-grey hair was stained by sewage, and her clothes were covered in muddy dirt, making her look even more miserable than a beggar...

But at this moment, Gray only felt relieved.

Fortunately, brother Rast is safe and sound.

However, he and his brother Last were far from safe now.

Although he confirmed that his brother Rast was safe, the warning from fate deep in his soul had not dissipated, but lingered in his heart like a dark cloud.

This place will soon become the center of the storm...

Therefore, I must take Brother Rast away from here immediately.

With such thoughts in mind, Gray endured the pain of falling on the gravel, raised her head from the heavy rain, looked at the figure in the distance, and wanted to speak.

However, the next moment.

Gray's gaze suddenly froze.

As if he had noticed Gray's movement behind him, Last, who was standing at the end of the cliff, turned sideways, revealing his front face.

In his left hand, he held a dagger that seemed to be made of pure light. The golden blade was clearly stained with a hint of bright red.

The front of the black windbreaker, as well as Last's face, were stained with splattered blood. Even the strong wind and rain could not completely wash away the bloodstains.

In Rast's right hand, he held tightly a chess piece that was shrouded in the hazy glow of dusk, yet crystal clear.

The moment the dim yellow chess piece appeared, Gray's soul began to hurt wildly. The power of destiny was going crazy and alerting her desperately.

This chess piece is the core of the storm in the omen of fate and the source of all disasters.

It was also based on the information from his brother Rast that he had previously wanted to steal the "Relic of the God of Death" in the royal palace, but he did not find it at the location of the information and instead fell into a trap, causing his sister Shadow Servant to sacrifice herself in order to rescue him.

The words that hadn't been spoken were stuck in my throat.

The cold raindrops hit Gray's cheeks, and her heart fell into the dust.

Countless pieces of information that had been known before but were suppressed and ignored by Grey... at this moment, they burst out like an explosion, washing over her brain and leaving Grey's mind blank.

Why was it that even though he had bypassed all the restrictions with the help of his sister Shadow Servant... the plan of the Shore Guards to sneak into the palace and steal the relics of the Grim Reaper was still discovered, and they even had time to set a trap in advance?
Why was Brother Luster the only one left on the top of the mountain when he had clearly climbed the mountain with Queen Helen? And what about that bloodstain?

Why, according to the information passed back, the relic of the god of death, which should have been in the palace treasury, now appeared in the hands of Brother Rast?
From beginning to end, Leader Sissel's judgment was never wrong.

It was Brother Rast who deliberately passed back the wrong information and leaked the plan of the Shore Guard team to the enemy in advance.

The entire Lost Paradise plan failed and all the team members were put in danger. If it weren't for the timely arrival of Leader Cecil, the entire Shore Guard team would have fallen into an abyss from which there was no return.

In fact, Gray should have discovered it earlier.

It's just that I have been deceiving myself and unwilling to believe in this possibility.

Gray raised her head with great effort and looked towards the end of the cliff.

In the dark sky with heavy rain falling, the young man’s slender figure…seemed so strange at this moment.

"why?"

"Why did you pass on the wrong information?"

"Why did you leak the team's action plan?"

Gray's screams were mixed in with the violent storm, and were so hoarse and broken that even she could hardly make them out.

"Why... do you want to betray the shore guard?" "Answer me, Brother Rast!"

"Tell me, this is a misunderstanding caused by my own stupidity. It's just a coincidence, not your intention!"

"Tell me...you were coerced by the legendary gravekeeper and you had your own reasons for doing this!"

However, facing the girl's question that was so hoarse that it even sounded like a plea.

However, Rast never gave Gray the answer she was eagerly expecting and longing for.

"why?"

The young man slowly lowered his eyes and stared at the dim, hazy chess piece in his hand.

That handsome and indifferent face… now had an expression that made Gray feel extremely unfamiliar: "Of course it's for the Relics of the God of Death, the Remains of God."

"For extraordinary people, this is the key to open the road to legend, a treasure that can help them ascend to heaven in one step."

"At the same time, for me, this also gives me the opportunity to become a gravekeeper..."

"To truly ascend to the divine realm, unconstrained by the end of the era, a stepping stone towards eternity and immortality."

click-

Even though I had a premonition in my heart.

But at this moment, listening to the undisguised words from Rast's own mouth...

Amid the frenzied sound of the rain, Gray could clearly hear the sound of something breaking deep in her soul.

"Just for... that kind of thing?"

Under the dark sky and in the violent rainstorm, Gray lowered her head.

Her voice was trembling slightly, as if she was suppressing the emotions that were about to erupt like a volcano.

"The Road to Legend, isn't it possible to embark on it solely by relying on one's own strength, without the help of external forces?"

"Gaining immense power, becoming a god, living forever, and becoming immortal...are these things really that important?"

"Is it even worth betraying your companions who trust you and the life of your shadow servant sister who works hard for you?"

She looked up suddenly, her long gray hair was wet by the heavy rain. The wet hair fell down close to Gray's cheek, and the water droplets fell on the rocks, making a popping sound.

Her voice changed from a wail to a roar.

There was a blazing flame in those emerald green eyes, but the firelight reflected a fragile longing that was being shattered.

"If this is what you wish..."

"Then what about my memory of Brother Luster, who was desperate and even willing to hurt his own eyes in order to save me from the endless dream in Frozen Water Town?"

"What about Brother Luster, who personally explained to me the true meaning of "Shore Keeper"... and planted the seeds of my admiration for shore keepers?"

"My admiration for you, the desire to join the Shore Watchers that sprouted because of you, and all the sweat and effort I put in for this... all the pride and satisfaction I feel after joining the Shore Watchers."

"Because of my reunion with you, Brother Last, I began to look forward to the arrival of the next day. I began to look forward to returning to the Watchtower and continuing my previous life after the mission is over..."

"What does all this mean to you?"

"In your eyes, what are I, the Shore Guards, and Sister Shadow Servant and the other members who trust and admire you... considered?"

……

The girl's roar penetrated the rain and echoed across the entire cliff.

However, facing Gray's angry questioning, Luster's expression remained unchanged.

He just raised the imaginary chess piece silently.

The next moment, a blue light flashed in Rast's eyes.

The aura around him also suddenly changed.

The gentle and steady aura that was like a "tower" before disappeared... replaced by a gloomy and dead silence.

Cold, silent, pale...like eternal nothingness.

Just like Helen, the former queen of the underworld.

"The Fool's Library" is activated, and all the originals are replaced with the original abilities of the Death God Series inherited from the newly acquired "Death God Axia" card.

Six original copies of the Death God sequence were equipped at the same time.

In an instant, the air around Rast was filled with the color of dusk.

Using the "Library of Fools", he briefly transformed himself into a true transcendent being belonging to the senior level of the "Death God" sequence.

After completing the preparations, Rast finally held the Star Cup of Death.

Then, he raised the scarlet-gold blade and pressed it against his left heart.

Blood splattered along with the knife light, and the sternum was pierced through by the blade of light without any hindrance.

Among the shattered flesh and broken bones...Last's bright red, beating heart was revealed.

If it were a normal person, even an ordinary transcendent... with such severe injuries to the heart, he would probably have died suddenly.

However, at this moment, Rast still had no expression on his face.

[Death God: Pale Body (Unlocked)]

[As an apostle of the god of death, you have the ability to resist death temporarily]

[Your body does not have the concept of "fatal weakness". The injuries you sustain will be evenly distributed throughout your body, and you will be immune to most common diseases.]

This is the ability at the fifth level of the long sequence of "Death God".

At this moment, the pale body was also protected by Last, so that after suffering a heart piercing injury, his face only turned pale and he still maintained the ability to move.

Then, he pressed the Death Star Cup in his hand, which looked like an illusory chess piece, into his living heart.

It was clearly a glowing chess piece, but the moment it touched his heart, it merged into Rast's body without any hesitation.

The next moment, the damaged flesh at his wound suddenly began to twist.

The wound on Rast's body that was pierced by the dagger of light began to repair and heal rapidly, and soon returned to its original state.

After doing all this, he turned around again.

Through the pouring rain, across the gap of the cliff.

Looking down at the girl in front of him who was sitting in the mud, her fair face was stained with mud, and her emerald green eyes were full of brokenness, disillusionment and anger.

The red-gold blade light cut through the rain curtain and deftly changed direction at Rast's fingertips.

Then, the dagger, which was stained with the blood of both Last and Helen, was placed against the silver winged emblem with the image of a shore watcher.

"So, you still don't understand...Gray."

The indifferent words, mixed with the harsh sound of metal friction, came through the rain.

The red-gold dagger of light burned the metal it touched and pierced through the entire badge.

On the silver wing emblem of the shore defender, there was a deep and clear scratch, symbolizing "betrayal".

“Longing is the emotion farthest from understanding.”

(End of this chapter)