Who left their last words here?

Chapter 58 Advancement! Power of the Heart! Slash! Slash! Slash! (Second update, 5k words)
People say that eating eyes can improve eyesight, and eating liver can nourish the liver.

You are what you eat.

What if you want to become someone superior to others?

—They're going to eat people.

In a world where people eat people, to avoid being eaten...

You have to make yourself tough enough.

—When this seemingly polite but actually extremely neurotic one-eared killer said he wanted to invite Shiraishu to complete a great painting with his life.

Bai Zhou knew that he was also someone who was good at "eating people".

Although the methods of "cannibalism" differ...

But this person wore a mask, spouted nonsense about "fire" and "art," and looked at me with an intense gaze—

All of this reminded Bai Zhou of Lieutenant Han.

"No, no, no, you need not be afraid. Death is not such an inconvenient thing!"

Seeing the mockery on Bai Zhou's face, the man wearing the "Van Gogh" mask knew he had misunderstood and waved his hands repeatedly:
Do you know what stars are?

"The stars are the souls of departed poets, but to become a star, you must die!"

"Just like traveling by train, we board death to reach the stars. The unchangeable fact is that we, as living people, cannot go to the stars, just as the dead cannot catch the train."

"So to me, cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis, and cancer are like transportation to heaven; just as ships, buses, and trains are transportation to the human world."

"—So you understand, young man?"

"I want to paint with your life because only you have this potential."

"Death is not the end of life. If we can create an immortal painting, we can both live forever!"

As he spoke, Van Gogh raised his arms and shouted, his voice trembling with excitement.

"What transcends time is art, and a passionate love for life!!!"

Undoubtedly—

This is a lunatic.

A madman, a man lost in his own world.

A mad world thus spread from him, with blue-green torrents surging like a ferocious monster.

Bai Zhou got goosebumps.

Talking to oneself, neurotic, deliberately playing a certain role—

This person is somewhat similar to the feeling he had when he first met the Undead General.

But it was precisely because they had seen such "real stuff" as Alle that they realized...
That's why Bai Zhou felt a strong sense of incongruity with this "masked madman".

"you……"

Seeing his extremely exaggerated movements, Bai Zhou blinked and asked:
"Is he faking insanity?"

"—Gah?"

It looks like a goose with its neck being choked.
Van Gogh's ramblings came to an abrupt end.

Poetic speeches, a love of life...

They all vanished in the blink of an eye, like balloons that had been ruthlessly punctured.

“Vincent van Gogh…are you imitating him?”

Bai Zhou continued to ask questions sincerely.

"Actually, you're not like that in real life, so what's the benefit of playing him?"

"Living behind a mask, living as a counterfeit for others—is this your love for life, your definition of art?"

Bai Zhou shook his head—

"I don't know."

If you imitate other people's lives, what about your own?

But Bai Zhou keenly sensed...

Perhaps, this is a kind of "ritual"?
In the mysterious world, words, names, and even identities possess certain special effects.

[Art Club]

As the name suggests, it should be a place where a group of artists and painters gather.

Are all those people inside these kinds of special assassins...?

"..."

under the moonlight.

The one-eared, crazy masked man stood there, stunned.

Behind the solid metal mask, the oil painting-like man with a blank stare stares back at the moonlight with his stubble-covered face.

Somewhat funny.

Although he was far away from Bai Zhou, it felt as if Bai Zhou had grabbed his throat, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

Then--

He began to fly into a rage.

"you……"

"you also……"

"You don't understand me!"

His harsh voice seemed to explode in the air.

The old blue suit that hugged his thin, bony figure began to inexplicably swell.

"If a painter sees colors differently from others, the other painters will say he is crazy."

"Geniuses are always like this; I should have realized it sooner."

"—Your soul is more foolish and corrupt than I imagined!"

With a loud "boom"—

He leaped up from the ground.

The blue-green starry night rushing water seemed to lift him up like ocean waves.

He stood on the fifth floor, approached Bai Zhou, and slowly walked to the rooftop of the dilapidated villa.

"pat, pat..."

He tapped his walking stick on the ground, took a deep breath, and leaned back.

"Burn the flame of your life—"

He says,

"Then, become a painting!"

That concludes the discussion.

When they can't win an argument with words, they're quick to resort to their fists to prove themselves.

—And so the battle began.

Bai Zhou always seemed to be exceptionally good at ending conversations, something he was quite proud of.

But actually, he just felt that he couldn't let the other party's piercing voice continue to assault his ears.

Mentally ill people are always good at turning others into mentally ill people and then defeating them, because they have more experience in the field of mental illness.

As a semi-hypnotist who has hypnotized countless people, Bai Zhou has no intention of being brainwashed by random people.

But, as the price for not wanting to listen to speeches anymore.

"Rumble--"

The surging torrents reached the top floor of the villa.

A tall, thin figure wearing a mask stood behind the rapids, softly chanting.

The suffocating feeling of facing Level 4 Extraordinary beings is indescribable, because they possess the transformative power to distort reality.

The masked monster who rides the blue-green torrent perfectly fits every ordinary person's imagination of a "superpowered person" in a movie.

—The kind of superpowered person who can participate in interstellar wars and form a "quarrelsome women's neighborhood committee on Earth".

In certain specific contexts, they are also referred to as "gods"—

Before him stretched an overwhelming torrent of blue-green water, and Bai Zhou felt as if he were fighting against a maddening night sky.

How can man fight against Heaven?
But the purplish-gold saber thrust out.

Under the masked man's shocked gaze, the purple air currents trembled, and their incredible sharpness tore the blue-green torrents apart.

What a coincidence, isn't it?

The people of the city of Wan are the least respectful of the gods.

Because anyone who pretends to be a charlatan will be sent to the burning cross.

They also showed no reverence for heaven and earth.

Because their "sky" has already collapsed once!
"It's coming!"

Bai Zhou gripped the knife tightly.

Suddenly.

Just then, the folded silk ribbon in his arms seemed to get a little hot.

Bai Zhou: "?"

Why are you kicking off the covers when you're trying to sleep?
The ribbon burned Bai Zhou's heart again.

Okay, okay, I'll take you along.

...No one appeared, and no power was transmitted to Bai Zhou.

—But Bai Zhou inexplicably felt that he was no longer fighting alone.

Just like the undead general Ale always has his thousands of troops,

Bai Zhou also has his own companions.

Take a deep breath and gently place one hand on your chest.

Then I'll take you with me, and we'll fight side by side—

Under the pale moonlight, the white boat suddenly leaped into the air.

Blades and revolvers clashed in unison, and he fearlessly engaged in battle against the raging torrent.

The entire villa trembled. As the torrent surged again, Bai Zhou unleashed the [Moonlight Oath Saint Slash] head-on.

"boom!"

A violent collision.

The ground beneath my feet was teetering on the brink of collapse.

The "Moonlight Oath Saint Slash" evaporated half of the blue-green torrent.

But the torrents quickly regenerated, and countless sunflowers sprouted limbs and climbed up from downstairs, swarming towards the white boat.

The floorboards on the top floor of the villa finally broke, and Bai Zhou lost his balance.

Everyone, along with the concrete slabs and sunflowers, fell towards the ground below.

……

Inside Base 36 of the Special Administration, in a conference room.

"What! Minister Qian and his entire army of Swordholders have been wiped out!"

"How did that kid do that?!"

The officers, who had just received the news from the major, roared in shock that nearly lifted the roof off the conference room.

Their eyes widened in disbelief, and they felt a chill creep down their necks for some reason...

Just like when you see the black box [E-1350] borrowed from the Louvre.

A lineup consisting of a swordsman and a lieutenant...

Any officer present who encountered this would most likely be killed on the spot!
Bai Zhou could wipe out their entire army, so he could also cut off his own head.

Fortunately, it wasn't him he encountered, but rather the anxious Old Qian... But how could that be—

Didn't Bai Zhou have a hard time beating up Lieutenant Han before?
It doesn't seem like it should suddenly become so fierce, does it?

"The facts are right here."

"This white boat has become a major threat!"

The major casually tossed a stack of reports onto the table and spoke coldly, causing the officers to lower their heads.

The conference room fell silent.

"It seems you haven't forgotten what I said."

Even in the conference room, he wore sunglasses, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

The officers all shuddered.

They hurriedly looked up and rushed to explain to the major:

"We still have a few days, let's go find him!"

“Bai Zhou couldn’t have come away without paying a price; this might be his weakest moment…”

"Don't worry, as long as we all go out in force, we will definitely be able to take down Bai Zhou!"

"..."

Fearing they would become the "useless people" the major had once described, the officers were all striving to prove their worth.

But the major shook his head:

"I didn't expect Bai Zhou to be so strong."

"I know the responsibility doesn't lie with you."

"so……"

"We will continue to cooperate."

He spoke softly, and the officers' long exhales echoed in his ears.

The major nodded slightly and leaned back in the leather seat.

—He seems to really enjoy the feeling of controlling other people's emotions.

"New clothes are worse than old ones, but old friends are worse than new ones."

“You have already proven your worth, and I hope that you can continue to make a greater contribution in your respective positions.”

"As for Bai Zhou..."

He glanced around at the crowd of people with varying expressions, pausing briefly in his speech.
"I've already asked the art club to send someone over there."

"The one dispatched was one of the sixteen 'painters,' Vincent van Gogh, who was particularly skilled at tracking and direct combat."

Art Club!
An officer shuddered, as if thinking of something extremely terrifying.

Listen to the most mysterious, sinister, and fearsome extraordinary assassin society in the underworld of Tinghai City!
They are named after most of the Renaissance and Enlightenment period, and a small number of modern artists—

They firmly believed that by using the names of these powerful and extraordinary individuals, they could steal the power and good fortune contained within them through "rituals," even through incomplete means.

No one knows their true identities. In ordinary times, they may be food delivery riders braving the wind and rain in the city, or they may be well-dressed, picky coffee shop owners.

But at night, their "art" sends chills down everyone's spine.

Every death of a life is, in their eyes, an outstanding creation.

Within this organization, the sixteen "painters" and seven "artists" are all renowned top assassins, each possessing a unique "aesthetic" and "creative style."

As for the three most famous painters...

Rumor has it that they are three extraordinary individuals with Level 6 titles.

This is the main reason why they can remain unscathed and untraceable despite being notorious in Tinghai City and causing many extraordinary forces to tremble...

one.

...Although, the art society is not enough to compete with the entire Special Administration.

But in the face of Branch 36, it was an undeniable behemoth that existed only in legends.

That's how it used to be.

Now, several officers have met the "expert" from the art society.

I even witnessed a "famous painter" [Picasso] making a painting.

That's the real reason they're sweating so much right now.

They witnessed firsthand this extraordinary individual, a Level 6 titled expert from the art club…

They pulled the heads out of several Level 5 elders of the Blood Worship Cult like pulling up radishes.

The visuals are extremely stunning.

Who would have thought...

Major, or rather, the massive company behind the major,
How could they have such a close relationship with the elusive Art Club?
"This time, no matter what, Bai Zhou will not be able to escape."

"The major said."

He raised his wrist and glanced at the hands of his watch:
"Judging by the time, Van Gogh should have already met the White Boat by now."

"Presumably, we will hear good news here in a little while."

"...Everything ends tonight."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and tapped the table twice.

A waiter stepped forward and served each officer a glass of champagne.

With a "smack"—

A bottle of "Louis Royal Crystal Champagne" was opened, and bubbles rose from the bottle neck like fine pearls.

“Thank you all for your hard work during this period of ‘catching mice’.”

The major raised his glass, bubbles rose, and the golden, amber-like liquid swayed against the glass under the light.

"I hope our cooperation will continue to be pleasant."

He says--

"Everything is for our great cause."

A crisp, pleasant "snap" sound rang out—

The wine glasses clinked, and the champagne inside sloshed around.

The major took a sip and put down his glass.

He bent down and patted his perfectly pressed, wrinkle-free military uniform a few times, then said:
"Let us stay here and patiently await the arrival of good news..."

……

The saber, trailing flames and shadows, repeatedly burst through the thick fog, leaving behind turbulent purple currents in the air.

"Futile! Futile! Futile, futile, futile!"

[Van Gogh] shouted wildly.

The ground was covered with crisscrossing knife marks.

But the raging torrents nearly submerged the entire level, continuously encircling the white boat from all sides.

not enough!

not enough!
These are things that cannot be eradicated or eliminated...

Bai Zhou's hands were almost numb.

He knew he had nowhere to retreat. The torrent of "Starry Night" pressed down on him like the night sky, endless, just like when the sky collapsed.

Fortunately, he is no longer the frail boy he once was. He holds a knife in his hand, and his fate is now entirely up to him.

No one can kidnap him so easily anymore... No one can.

He needs a stronger Oath of Sainthood.

He needs... the power of the heart!
Guardian rituals, enhancement rituals, adrenaline stimulation, blessing rituals...

Hundreds of rituals set up in the villa were launched one after another, bestowing blessings upon Bai Zhou.

It made the white boat seem to burst.

Curse weakening ritual, power weakening ritual, movement slowing ritual...

All of it fell upon [Van Gogh].

Without hesitation or pause, Bai Zhou immediately unleashed all his spiritual energy, holding nothing back.

Light them all up!

He ignored the excruciating pain that felt like his body was being torn apart.

In his calm eyes, there was a faint light, a light that seemed to ignite his entire being.

The purple aura spread out for a full two meters, and Bai Zhou's entire mind and spirit converged on this one strike.

Faintly—

The sliver of inspiration that had solidified in his mind also shifted towards the hand holding the knife...

"Rumble--"

Van Gogh went all out, doubling down on "The Starry Night," ready to finish it in one fell swoop.

"Let it become a painting!"

He said.

The effect is immediate.

A surging blue-green torrent rose into the sky and swallowed the white boat whole.

Van Gogh showed a joyful expression:
"I just said..."

The next moment,

A flash of sword light flashed.

The blue-green torrents correspond to "stars" and "night," respectively.

The moon is Van Gogh himself.

But at that moment, in the heart of the starry night, a strangely incongruous red moon suddenly rose.

The red moon was burning with flames.

But its shape is very similar to the moon that once hung high in the Ruins City.

Under the crimson moon, the starry night begins to crumble piece by piece.

"What!" Van Gogh's eyes widened, his mask shaking violently. "How is this possible?"

"Starry Night" is a secret technique he refined when he broke through to level 3. After level 4, it was further enhanced and could never be torn apart by any level 3 extraordinary person!
That knife! What kind of knife is that?! How could it possibly be an extraordinary weapon?
Damn it, why are there so many rituals!
And what about the moon? A secret technique? Which secret technique in Tinghai City looks so fierce!
"..."

The rapids were torn open, revealing the white boat within.

Bai Zhou brandished his sword.

He didn't look at anything, nor did he think about anything; he just swung his knife.

The frustration of being relentlessly pursued and on the verge of death, the oppression of being wanted by a massive manhunt... all the pent-up emotions were channeled into this one strike—

Under the moonlight, the blade's aura stretched long!

Level 2 "Adventurer" successfully promoted!

The power of the heart is in the palm of your hand.

A young man's spirit is such that he doesn't care about the difficulty; he only knows how to wield his sword.

It doesn't matter if you're a major's son, a member of the Sword-Wielding Art Club, or some kind of demon or monster—

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A long sword flashed across the sky, and behind the boy, a blazing blood moon descended, tearing through the starry night and illuminating Bai Zhou's focused profile as he wielded the sword with the precision of an axe.

The storm of blades slices through the torrents of the starry night, just as Prometheus broke free of his chains on a stormy night.

...I don't care who you are.

Give them all to me—

cut! !

(End of this chapter)