Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 9 Yes, it’s the Stand User

It was already early morning when Ceres and Xing returned to the tavern, but the first floor was still crowded. Although it was only the first day of business, the 30% off buy-one-get-one-free promotion had already attracted a large number of temporary workers and homeless people.

Although Gornez was the only employee in the entire tavern, the kitchen used an automatic mixer and the front desk didn't offer bartending services. Therefore, he seemed quite capable.

Xing, who had changed into a gray and white windbreaker before going out, lay down in front of the bar after returning, looking at the noisy crowd with his head tilted.

Gornez leaned over the other side of the bar with a smile on his face and chuckled, "What would you like to drink, beautiful lady?"

Xing pointed to a glass of Enmat beer on the shelf behind Gornies: "That."

Gornez didn't turn around to see what Xing was pointing at. He happily took out a glass from under the bar and poured watermelon juice into it.

"We don't sell alcohol to minors here. You should wait fifteen years first." Gornez pushed the glass to Xing with one finger.

Xing took the glass with regret. When they were on the train before, Uncle Yang and Ji Zi never allowed her and San Yueqi to drink. Dan Heng could drink a little, but he himself didn't like it very much.

Xing looked around the pub with the glass in her hand. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she ran excitedly to a table.

This was the scene Serris saw as he returned from the kitchen with a bowl of fried rice. Xing sat at a table, sipping apple juice and talking at length about the adventures he had heard from the sea rangers Poteo and Luanpo. The crowd of drinkers around him listened with a roar, occasionally howling like a group of curly-haired baboons.

Serris blinked and didn't bother Xing. He found a place to eat his midnight snack. He wasn't worried about Xing's safety at all. He just let her play if she wanted to. Nothing could go wrong anyway.

He was not worried that someone had drugged Xing. Given Xing's physical condition, let alone the drugs that ordinary people could get, even the anesthetic needle used for hunting large animals would at best be a tranquilizer for Xing.

One look at Ding Zhen and he determined that his coffee was not as good as Ji Zi’s.

…………

The sun rose, and Xing, who had boasted all night, was still full of energy. However, the audience below had already left because the pub closed at two o'clock in the morning.

"Xing, do you want to go out for a walk during the day?" Serris came behind Xing at some point and patted her shoulder.

Xing immediately stood up, full of fighting spirit: "Great, it just so happens that the trash cans of this world haven't yet received the favor of this Trash Can King."

Silence, silence that lasted for a full five seconds.

Powerful music emanated from nowhere, and Serris's style suddenly became somewhat strange. His shoulders broadened, his features hardened, and several straight lines appeared on his face, making it look even more solid and three-dimensional.

"Oh? The King of the Trash Can? I can't pretend I didn't hear that." Serris lowered his hat slightly, leaning slightly to the side. A shadow cast on half of his face, making it look even more three-dimensional. "Why, are you planning a rebellion?"

Xing placed her hands on the table, leaning forward slightly. Light streamed in from behind her right. Suddenly, her face became three-dimensional, her features hardened. She spoke in a deep voice, asking instead, "Do you know? Serris?"

She raised her head slightly, shadows covering her amber eyes. "There are limits to what a pioneer can do."

He stood up, walked around the table and behind Serris, then looked up at the ceiling. "In my short pioneering career, I have realized one thing."

He raised his hand and reached towards the chandelier above his head, as if trying to grasp the light: "The more one clings to the praise of lofty morals, the more likely one is to lose the meaning of travel."

He clenched his hands suddenly: "Unless it goes beyond [Exploration]."

"Oh, so?" Serris held his hat with one hand and put the other in his pocket. He tilted his head slightly, glanced at Xing behind him out of the corner of his eye, and leaned back.

Gornez behind the bar smacked his lips and snapped his fingers. The power of [Mystery] enveloped the entire tavern hall, weaving it into an illusion and giving them some special effects.

Xing turned around suddenly: "I don't want to be a star core spirit anymore! Serris!"

She opened her arms and shouted, "Prisoner boy!"

A watch boy... no, a "prison watch boy" who was about 1.8 meters tall and used a cane, had a long beard, and was hunched over appeared behind Xing.

As the wave-like special effects spread from the star as the center, Gornez manipulated the illusion to turn grayish white. In this grayish white world, everything was suspended, everything became still.

That's right, this is Xing's Stand ability, the "Prisoner Boy" who can "stop time." Only Xing and her Stand are colorful, and only they can act in this frozen realm.

The "Prison Boy" rushed out at a speed that was completely inconsistent with his trembling image, and smashed the crutch in his hand towards the back of the motionless Serris.

clang!
The sound of fine iron colliding was heard.

A golden trash can appeared behind Serris. It had a crown on its head, a quilt on its body, was two meters tall, had four limbs, and a stubborn strand of golden hair grew in the middle of its crown. The golden "King's Barrel Sword" with gorgeous patterns in its hand easily blocked the attack of [Prison Boy].

The absolute ruler of the "Big No Garbage" Empire! The trash can among trash cans! The king among kings! The great trash can king!

The crown substitute [King of the Throne]!
[So exciting, so exciting. Seeing such a powerful battle is worth the price of admission, even if it means death!]

The [King of the Barrel] swung the King of Barrels lightly, and the frozen air shattered like glass. With a snap, the [Prisoner Boy's] time-stopping domain was broken, and the world returned to its original, vibrant state.

"What!" Xing was horrified. In the time-stopping field of "Prisoner Boy", his Stand could actually still move! Xing couldn't help but take a step back, his eyes becoming solemn.

"You're afraid before the battle. Is this your ambition? With such a belief, you have the nerve to say that you want to be the king of the trash can?" Serris finally turned around, his tone quite disdainful.

Xing was about to retort when she heard Ceres pointing at her and yelling, "There's a flaw!"

She took several steps back as if struck hard, falling onto a chair. The "prisoner boy" was also knocked away by an unknown force.

The next moment, [King Tongse] appeared at the position where [Prison Boy] was just now, with his body tilted to the side, his left hand that was not holding the sword raised, and his elbow pushed out.

An elbow strike that transcends time and goes in reverse!
"This is my Stand ability. Any traitor who seeks to usurp my position as the King of the Trash Can or harm me will be hunted down by me across time. Sometimes, [the elbow strike will precede the impact]."

"When you set your sights on my throne as the King of Trash Cans, your fate was already sealed." Serris opened his arms, bent his knees forward, and leaned back, maintaining a strange balance as if he was embracing the sun.

He stood up straight, his eyes glaring with disdain. "You challenge me with nothing more than a little power gained from [Wang Xia Tong]. Your courage is commendable, but that's all I can praise you for."

In the dark corner beside Serris, a silver trash can suddenly appeared and kicked Serris's head.

This is Wang Xia Zai, once the most capable henchman under the Trash Can King, but now he has defected and joined the Garbage King's camp. The difference between the Garbage King and the Trash Can King is just one word, but it makes a world of difference.

Unfortunately, the mid-air [King's Barrel] was instantly shattered and fell to the ground. [Elbow Strike Predates Prison] had already been triggered. [King of Barrels] also raised his King's Barrel Sword high in his hand, about to strike down.

"Don't underestimate the bond between us, bastard!" A golden light descended from the sky, illuminating the body of the [King of the Bucket]. The next moment, the crown, quilt, King of the Bucket Sword, and even Ahoge's hair shattered in the light.

I saw Xing took out a golden scale at some point, and in the middle of the scale was a strong man with his thumbs up.

In this rich and all-encompassing universe, morality took shape, giving her a thumbs-up. This was the [Approval of High Morality], a rare item that could seal the power of a Stand, and only those of high moral character could possess it.

With the power of the [King of Barrels] sealed, the sword that hadn't yet struck could no longer constitute a cause and effect. The King's body recovered, and it rose from the ground, once again raising its legs to attack Serris.

"Heh, with my physical strength, even without a substitute, you..."

Serris flew backwards and hit the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"You didn't expect that? I had already stacked my passive for an hour before this." Wang Xiatong laughed.

[Wait? I kicked your hand, why are you spitting blood?]

Serris fell to the ground, holding his chest, and glanced at Xing and Wang Xia with complicated eyes.

[It kicked my hand! Why are you covering your chest? It's a mistake! Cover your hand!]

"You've actually received this world's approval for your noble morals. I never thought..."

Xing stepped forward quickly, looking down at Serris from above. "King of the Trash Cans... no... Serris, you cherish the trash cans for yourself, hoarding them in your own treasure trove, forbidding others to browse or explore them. But what you don't understand is that pioneering means following uncharted paths and going further. Your actions are perverse and unjust. Your defeat is my will, and the will of the trash can people! A trash can rule divorced from the people cannot last."

"Goodbye, Serris. I hope you've enjoyed your role these past few years." The [Prison Boy]'s cane fell on Serris again. However, like last time, this attack was ineffective.

The golden light shines on the [Prison Watch Boy], the crutch shatters, and Xing's stand is also sealed.

"What!" Under Xing's shocked gaze, Serris also took out a [Praise of Noble Morals].

"You...how is that possible!"

"What's impossible?" Serris struggled to get up. "You say I'm cherishing my trash? You're wrong. I'm protecting them! Don't think I don't know that you guys never take responsibility after playing with the trash cans! And the trash cans you abandon can only die alone. I just want to give each trash can a home. What's wrong with me?"

Golden flames burned on him and the [King of Tongse]. He raised his hand high in praise of the [high morals] and roared, "I cannot fall here, for behind me are the lamps of thousands of families!"

With the help of [the praise of noble morality] and Serris's own beliefs, [King of Bucket] broke free from his restraints, regained his strength, and evolved.

Now it’s [King of the Bucket: Beyond Heaven]!

"Want a fight? Come on, you two donkeys!" Serris realized his own heart, his ambition, and his own path. "Selfishness, shamelessness, and stupidity will lead to your death at my hands."

"Come on, attack with all your might, don't give me the chance to kill you one by one." Serris now looked terrifyingly strong just by looking at his standing posture.

[King of the Trash Can! We love you!]

[King Tongser: Beyond Heaven] raised the King Tong Sword in his hand high, and a red-gold beam of light erupted from the blade and shot up into the sky.

Barrel meeting, liberation of thirteen restraints!
"This battle is a fight for survival—Tong Kai, admit it."

"This battle is not for the weak—Tondeville, acknowledge it."

"This battle is one against many—Tong Le Midi, admit it."

"This battle is fought for the sake of not going against humanity—Tong Helis, acknowledge it."

"This battle is a battle for the pursuit of truth—the rules of the barrel, recognition."

"This battle is a battle not to be an enemy of the elves—Bungslot, acknowledge it."

"This battle is a battle against evil—Burnsred, acknowledge it."

"This battle is not a battle for selfish desires—Tong Lahad, acknowledge it."

"This battle is a battle of honor—Tongs, acknowledge it."

"This battle is a battle of the brave—Bucket Stan, acknowledge it."

"This battle is a battle between those who are not good and wield the sword. Tong Leisi, admit it."

"This battle is what the King of the Trash Can wants—Zang Wen, acknowledge it."

"This battle is to save the trash can—Bucket, admit it."

"The gathering breath of barrels, the shining rush of barrels, take it..."

"[Contract Trash Can Calibur (EX Trash Can Calibur)"

Looking at the light cannon rising into the sky, Xing couldn't help but sigh, "I'm so sorry that I couldn't let Lord Serris enjoy it."

As she spoke, she double-clicked her temple and said, "It's really beautiful. I'll take a screenshot and use it as my wallpaper."

The beam of light fell, the light cannon swept across, everything turned into nothing, everything turned into dust.

In this desolate ruin, on this burned land, Ceres made a promise to it, to the whole world: "No matter what the cost, the garbage can will defeat the pioneers. He will drive out the pioneers, open their hearts, and give them Hakimi. Because on the other side of the sea is the Polly Seaweed!"

[So passionate! I was moved to tears by a pre-cooked meal vendor. From now on, I'll only sell rotten meat to college students.]

"cough."

With a light cough, all the special effects disappeared. There was no double, no flames, no barrel of the king, no laser cannon, and no ruins. Xing and Serris looked at each other in bewilderment.

After a moment, they both turned to look at Gornes. Gornes spread his hands and said, "No more mana."

After staring blankly into their eyes for a few seconds, Gornez added, "Boss, your special effects are too expensive."

　I thought no one would care until I signed the contract for 50,000 words. It's great that someone is reading it. If possible, please give me some suggestions. Please point out any points that readers think are not well written. As long as they are reasonable, the author will accept the criticism no matter how harsh it is.
　　barley
　　
　
(End of this chapter)