Next page password is bold portion: pASWa6l?h*ch
Translator: SumTLMan
“You’re courting disaster,” remarked Isabella, her eyes transformed into a haunting shade of crimson. Draped in her dark veil and skin so pale it almost gleamed, she exuded an eerily captivating aura.
Though her voice remained steady, it was laden with an iciness that touched the zenith of frostiness.
Kimberly furrowed her brows, sensing the powder keg of tension that Isabella had become.
While Kimberly did find Angel’s comments a tad provocative, sparking full-fledged animosity with Phantom Island now was hardly the opportune moment.
Having fortuitously stepped into the realm of true knowledge, Kimberly still possessed self-awareness. Her current prowess was yet a significant stride behind Sanders.
Especially considering Sanders possessed the Gravity Garden.
Engaging the forces of Phantom Island under such circumstances was an invitation to bite off more than she could chew. Furthermore, the adversary might very well emerge unscathed.
With these thoughts, Kimberly resolved to dissuade Isabella.
However, when Kimberly finally broke her silence, her words seemed to fan the flames of Isabella’s ire.
Isabella cast a chilling glance at Kimberly, “I knew it. You’re siding with them, aren’t you? You think I brought this upon myself, don’t you?”
As Kimberly tried to respond, Isabella let out a derisive chuckle, slowly elevating herself into the air.
Whispers and rustles emanated from all directions.
An abundant surge of blood materialized from the unknown, coalescing around Isabella. This sanguine fluid morphed into wings, weapons, and runes for her, radiating a ferocious energy!
Witnessing the scene unfold, Kimberly heaved a sigh. She took a step back, aligning herself with Isabella’s stance.
No matter how much she disliked Isabella, at this moment, it was crucial to stand united with her.
Both Sanders and Angel took their positions, with each side staking their claim.
Tensions rose, hinting at an imminent clash.
“Alas——”
Yet, just then, a soft sigh echoed, reaching everyone’s ears.
Upon hearing the sigh, Isabella’s once-fiery demeanor cooled instantly, as if drenched by a bucket of ice-cold water. Her long black hair, which resembled venomous serpents ready to strike, gently fell in place.
“Angel is right. Isn’t Black Castle’s current predicament a result of your actions?” a detached voice reverberated throughout the hall. “Furthermore, are you planning to make the Savage Grottoes your next enemy?”
Lifting her head to an unseen void, Isabella, with a face bearing restrained anguish, murmured, “Mentor…”
As her words trailed off, a passage seemed to emerge from the void.
A woman with hair as white as snow coiled into a bun, icy-blue eyes, dressed in a silvery robe, emerged. As she descended, ephemeral steps faintly materialized beneath her feet.
Among those present, only Sanders had not met her before. However, without any introduction, he recognized her identity.
The genius witch from a millennium ago, the “Twilight Queen” Isabella!
While her appearance had altered, her presence, reminiscent of one seated atop a royal throne, remained overpowering, dominating the entire room.
Isabelle’s sudden appearance caught everyone off guard.
What took them by even greater surprise was that, upon her arrival, Isabelle did not align herself with her former student——Isabella. Instead, judging by her tone, she sided with Angel.
This left Kimberly taken aback.
Isabelle, after positioning herself, did not glance at the now subdued Isabella but fixed her gaze on Angel, approaching him with deliberate steps.
“Since our last meeting, not much time has passed. Yet I never expected you to have advanced so much in such a short period. It seems your journey to the Abyss has reaped more rewards than the outside world speculated,” Isabelle remarked, a hint of admiration glinting in her eyes.
Both Angel and Sanders understood her words. On the other hand, Kimberly and Isabella were left in the fog.
Kimberly knew Angel as an alchemist, but what was this “journey to the Abyss” that Isabelle mentioned? It sounded crucial, otherwise, Isabelle wouldn’t have pointed it out so specifically.
Moreover, Kimberly was puzzled by Isabelle’s earlier words. When Isabelle asked——’Do you intend to oppose the Savage Grottoes?’, Kimberly felt there was more to it. Weren’t they supposed to be opposing Phantom Island? How had it escalated to opposing a significant wizard organization?
Angel and Sanders exchanged a glance. Though they didn’t understand why Isabelle had suddenly taken their side, opposing Isabella, one thing was clear: Rosen had not lied. Isabelle had recent ties to Sky Mechanical City; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known about Angel’s visit to the Abyss.
“I had the good fortune to gain some insights,” Angel replied, his demeanor more reserved in front of Isabelle.
“It’s more than just luck,” Isabelle responded, her eyes briefly resting on Angel’s earlobe. “Forging a bond with Odeklaes means that in some aspects, you’ve managed to catch his eye.”
“Have you met Odeklaes, Lady Isabelle?” Angel inquired, noting the familiarity in her tone.
“I once had the privilege of witnessing him, but at that time, he wasn’t nestled within Ice Valley; instead, he roamed the various Phase Gateways alongside another Abyssal Frost Dragon,” Isabelle recalled with a nostalgic gleam in her eyes.
“Bina Jonis?”
Isabelle quirked an eyebrow, nodding in affirmation, “Indeed, it is Bina Jonis. It seems the rumors are true; you are well-informed.”
Angel merely responded with a smile, choosing not to elaborate further.
The dialogue between Isabelle and Angel left Kimberly, who was standing nearby, swimming in a sea of confusion: What are they discussing? Who are Odeklaes and Bina Jonis?
At that moment, nobody stepped forward to elucidate her doubts.
Isabelle appeared at ease, taking a seat on the sofa. Following her lead, both the silent Isabella and the perplexed Kimberly found their own seats.
The tension from earlier dissipated instantly, and Sanders, along with Angel, settled down as well.
“I’m intrigued by the journey to the Abyss,” Isabelle began, glancing at Isabella, “But this isn’t the right moment to discuss it. As for the matter between you and Isabella, I’ve already been informed.”
Kimberly perked up her ears, eager to uncover what had transpired between Angel and Isabella on Silent Hill. However, Isabelle breezed past it without delving into specifics.
“As for past misunderstandings, I won’t cast judgment. Any future disputes between you and Isabella are for the two of you to settle,” Isabelle asserted, her tone shifting, “However, when it comes to Isabella seeking your weapon that eradicates ghosts today, I think you might want to give it some more thought.”
Isabelle’s mood grew contemplative as she mentioned the Prelude of Reincarnation. Had she not severed half of the Mysterious Spirit back then, it might very well have become an item of legend.
Isabelle bore a pang of remorse towards Angel in her heart, but she did not stand indebted for long. Handing over the Mysterious Soul Whisper to Angel was, in essence, her way of making amends.
Angel did not respond, yet his visage bore an unmistakable air of resistance.
Isabelle continued, “I urge you to reconsider because the upheaval at Black Castle is, in some twisted way, connected with you.”
“Connected to me?” Angel’s brows furrowed in confusion.
It wasn’t just Angel who was puzzled. Both Kimberly and Sanders displayed a glint of astonishment on their faces. How could the incident at Black Castle be related to Angel?
Isabelle remained silent, merely tapping the void with her fingertips.
A phantom image materialized out of thin air.
Though the illusion seemed a bit unrefined, especially when compared to Angel’s masterful illusions, the message Isabelle wished to convey through it was crystal clear.
What emerged within the illusion was an oddly distinct soul.
Its peculiarity lay in the fact that it bore features of both a ghost and regular soul.
It was as if someone had cleaved her in twain with a sharp blade right down the middle.
On one side, malevolence seeped, looking vengeful and fierce, still very much in the state of a restless ghost — eyes blank as fog and veins bulging like gnarled roots, emanating sheer malice. Yet, the other half radiated a stoic calm, almost reminiscent of the refined poise of a noble lady.
“Do you recognize her?” Isabelle’s gaze shifted to Angel, awaiting his acknowledgment.
Kimberly turned her gaze to Angel. Everyone in Black Castle was intimately familiar with the countenance of this phantom, for it was she who had disrupted the tranquility of the castle.
To Kimberly’s knowledge, Angel had no known connections with this ghost. So, why would Isabelle specifically inquire about her to him?
As Kimberly pondered in bewilderment, a peculiar expression painted Angel’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he uttered, “Could the disturbance in Black Castle be linked to her?”
Although Angel didn’t affirmatively respond, the undertones in his voice suggested he might indeed know this ghost.
Could it be possible that Angel was actually intertwined with the upheaval in Black Castle?
At this juncture, not only was Kimberly filled with doubt, but both Isabella and Sanders looked at Angel with questioning eyes, anticipating his explanation.
Angel, his face lined with confusion, massaged his temples, murmuring under his breath, “How could it be? She was only hit by a single bullet; how did she not vanish?”
Hearing Angel’s mutterings and piecing together the puzzle with the phantom in the vision, Sanders seemed to have an epiphany.
“Was she the first test subject of the Prelude of Reincarnation?” Sanders inquired.
With a resigned nod, Angel responded, “Indeed, she was the first to be impacted by the white light bullet during my experiments in Black Castle.”
Due to subsequent tests on the Prelude of Reincarnation, Angel had reached a pivotal conclusion: upon being struck by the white light bullet, the subject would enter an irreversible transformation phase.
During this metamorphosis, the ghost must be impacted by all six bullets from a full chamber to dispel the negative energies within, transitioning from ghost to a regular soul.
However, if not all bullets struck, and only one or two managed to hit, the ghost’s internal negative energies would become imbalanced, leading to their eventual dissipation.