Mystery: A Spark

"What deal?"

He was only at Sequence 8, while Bernadette was already a Sequence 3 Saint. He didn't think there was anything Bernadette couldn't do that he could.

A pale white mask materialized in Bernadette's hand, and she said:

"I have a sealed artifact, and I'd like you to try and see if you can break it."

Chapter 52: The Grim Reaper's Path and Two-Handed Swords Go Better Together!

Could this be the level 0 sealed artifact, Pale Death, that Huang Beibei has? Why would Huang Beibei want to remove it...? Arthur looked at the phantom of the white mask in Bernadette's hand and couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

“It seems you recognize it. That’s right, it’s a Level 0 sealed artifact, Pale Death.” Bernadette looked at Arthur’s expression and wasn’t surprised that he recognized the sealed artifact.

"Madam, why would you want to destroy such a powerful sealing artifact?" Arthur asked, voicing his doubts.

Bernadette waved her hand, dispelling the illusory mask in her hand.

As a level 0 sealed item, "Pale Death" naturally cannot be displayed for an extended period of time.

So she merely manifested a phantom of this sealed object to facilitate her explanation of her thoughts.

"This sealed artifact is indeed very powerful, but at the same time, its negative effects are also very serious. It will cause the wearer to die little by little, turn into a corpse, and eventually become its slave."

"Such severe negative effects mean that I can only use it at critical moments, treating it as a piece of equipment for the final battle."

"I was originally helpless about this, but when I saw you making magical items just now, an idea suddenly came to my mind."

"I want you to help me smash it up and then make a new piece of equipment, so that its negative effects should be reduced."

"At the very least, it allows me to use it as a more conventional piece of equipment, rather than just something I can use to fight people to the death."

Bernadette's voice was calm, as if she were talking not about a level 0 sealed artifact, but about an ordinary magical item.

“Hmm… But what if I can’t destroy it? Judging from the name, this sealed artifact should be formed by the extraordinary properties of Sequence One, right? To destroy it, I’d probably need the power of a true god.” Arthur stroked his chin and said.

He knew that in addition to this sealed artifact, Huang Beibei also possessed a "Sage's Forehead Ornament" formed from the Sequence Two "Sage" trait.

In the original story, Bernadette later used "Pale Death" to shatter the "Sage's Forehead Ornament," acquiring its sage-like qualities and thus ascending to become an angel.

Therefore, without a doubt, "Pale Death" is a sealed artifact formed by the Pale Emperor trait of the Corpse Collector pathway, Sequence One.

To destroy such a sealed object formed by the characteristics of Sequence One would require at least the power of a true god.

So, should we take this opportunity to test the quality of Gul'dan's Skull...? Arthur fell into deep thought.

“If you can’t break it, then pretend this deal never happened.” Bernadette didn’t urge Arthur, but waited quietly for him to think it over.

From the moment Arthur discovered the Demon Hunter's insignia on the back of his hand and used it to summon the Skull of Gul'dan, he had been trying to figure out the origin of this cheat.

Because there's a saying in the mysterious world: every gift from fate comes with a hidden price tag.

Although, in essence, this statement was actually made by the blond priest to fool Klein.

However, judging from the story in the original work, this statement does indeed make some sense in a certain sense.

Bernadette wants Arthur to help her shatter "Pale Death" and then reforge it into a new magical artifact to mitigate its negative effects.

This was also an opportunity for Arthur, a chance to understand the power levels of the Demon Hunter's insignia.

When you destroy a sealed artifact formed by a Sequence One property, there are only two possible outcomes: success or failure.

If it fails, it means that the power level of this cheat is about the level of an angel, and Arthur can use it as a level 0 sealed artifact in the future.

And if it succeeds...

Of course, Arthur also knew in his heart that, given the wonder of the Trial Illusion, the origin of his cheat ability was probably not simple.

But speculation is speculation. Now that there is an opportunity to provide concrete evidence, Arthur naturally does not want to let it pass.

But before that...

"Ahem, madam, if I were truly able to shatter the pale death, you wouldn't have any other thoughts, would you?" Arthur asked somewhat nervously.

"What do you mean?" Bernadette's lips curled into a smile.

"Uh... for example, murder and robbery, or locking me up to make me create magical items or something." Arthur mentioned some common tropes found in online novels.

“Hmm, so that’s how it can be done. You’ve reminded me that I don’t seem to need to make a deal with you this way.” Bernadette rubbed her chin, seemingly seriously considering Arthur’s suggestion.

“Okay, ma’am, I was just kidding.” Although Arthur didn’t think Bernadette would really do that, he still softened his stance.

Bernadette's lips curled slightly, and then she said:

"If you fail, it means that your item is at most at the level of an angel, and for me, more of this kind of thing is not necessarily better."

"And if you succeed, it means that your item is at least at the level of a true god, which is not something you can just take whenever you want."

“Of course, the most crucial thing is that the item is completely connected to you; only you can use it.” Bernadette’s words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

Arthur scratched his head; this was actually the issue he cared about most.

Although Klein started with Source Essence in the original work, his fate was truly heartbreaking to watch.

He died several times, unable to reunite with his family and friends, and at the end, he fell into a deep sleep, not knowing if he would be the same person when he woke up.

I wonder what this cheat code will bring me... Arthur sighed softly, then summoned Gul'dan's Skull again.

Bernadette then took out the "Pale Death," placing the sealed artifact on the table to signal Arthur that he could begin.

Without hesitation, Arthur used Gul'dan's Skull to absorb "Pale Death," and sure enough, Gul'dan's Skull was able to shatter this level 0 sealed artifact.

He licked his dry lips and nodded to Bernadette.

“In that case, you can help me recreate it into a new magical item. As for what conditions you want, you can think about them slowly over the next few days,” Bernadette said cheerfully.

"So, ma'am, what are your requirements for the style of the new magical item?" Arthur asked considerately, inquiring about the requirements of his major client.

"There are no requirements; you can do whatever you want."

Arthur raised an eyebrow after hearing this.

He thought for a moment, analyzed the situation calmly, and then...

"Madam, what are your thoughts on two-handed swords?"

Chapter 53 The Holy Light Forsaken Me

Two days passed after Bernadette asked Arthur for help to shatter "Pale Death".

During these two days, Arthur will spend his days familiarizing himself with the use of Salamani, while at night he will receive training from his instructors in the Trial Illusion, and after the training he will learn sorcery and master ghost vision.

In Arthur's plan, he would first engage the enemy with firearms during battle, making himself appear as an extraordinary individual incapable of close combat.

If the enemy falls to his Blink followed by American Iaijutsu, then everything will be fine.

However, if the enemy is tenacious enough and realizes that Arthur's close combat ability is weak, and wants to find an opportunity to fight at close range, then Arthur would be more than happy to do so.

After the enemy breaks through Arthur's firepower and manages to get close, Arthur will draw Salamani and give them a small "Anduin Shock".

Of course, just like when Klein fought Bishop Utravsky in the original story, the length of the two-handed sword made it impossible for Arthur to wield it in close-quarters combat at extremely close range.

Therefore, if the enemy is smart and perceptive enough, he will, like Klein, try to engage in close combat in order to limit the effectiveness of the two-handed sword.

At this point, Arthur's hidden blade will come in handy.

There's a saying that goes, "The best hunters always appear as prey."

Arthur is like an onion now; when enemies try to break through his defenses, they always find plenty of surprises on the next layer.

......

Arthur went to the blacksmith again and retrieved the items he had entrusted to him to forge a couple of days ago.

After returning to his room, he placed the long box on the table without immediately beginning the reconstruction of "Pale Death".

Because the magical item he's about to create requires a sense of ritual, otherwise it won't have the right feel.

Arthur restored his attire to resemble that of the High King Anduin, making himself appear as a radiant messenger of light.

Then, with a solemn expression, he opened the box, took out the blank of a two-handed greatsword, and placed it on the table.

Arthur took out the skull of Gul'dan and slowly infused the extraordinary properties of the "Pale Emperor" obtained after crushing it into the sword embryo.

The temperature inside the room plummeted, and a chill that seemed capable of invading the soul emanated from the two-handed greatsword that had just been forged.

Under the influence of its extraordinary properties, the design of the sword blank on the table changed slightly, but it still largely followed the image of the sword in Arthur's mind.

This is a sword with a grayish-blue color throughout, as cold as ice. The hilt is shaped like a skull with a goat's head, and the eye sockets gleam with a cold, eerie blue light.

The sword is about five feet two inches long, its blade covered in endless frost, and several inscriptions that also emit a blue light are engraved on the spine of the blade, making it a standard two-handed greatsword.

Arthur gazed at the greatsword, which exuded an eerie aura, with his blue eyes, and then slowly extended his hand.

"Holy Light..."

He murmured in a clear voice, as if he were sighing, or perhaps expressing regret.

The next second, his voice became low and hoarse, as if it were not coming from him, but echoing directly in his soul.

"You betrayed me..."

As Arthur reached out and grasped the greatsword, which was entirely gray-blue, his entire body, starting from where he held it, was gradually covered in a pale white hue.

Soon, his golden armor, which shone like that of a messenger of light, transformed into a pale white armor that was both strangely designed and imposingly powerful.

The original lion head decorations on the armor have been transformed into eerie skulls, and the luxurious gold-trimmed blue ribbons have disappeared, replaced by a black cloak that seems to be shrouded in an aura of death.

Under the influence of this sword, Arthur's original golden hair quickly lost its luster and turned into a deathly pale white.

His face also lost its color, becoming like a corpse.

"Oh? Is this the magical item you remade for me?"

Bernadette asked curiously in a soft voice behind him.

Upon hearing this voice, Arthur didn't turn his head, but instead spoke in his deep, hoarse voice with a peculiar rhythm:

"What, the mysterious queen who prides herself on justice has finally arrived? Should I lay down Frostmourne and beg for your forgiveness?"

Bernadette: ? ? ?

She was visibly taken aback after hearing Arthur's words.

But Bernadette, who was raised by Russell from a young age, had considerable experience in dealing with such situations.