Chapter 1400 Hiding <TOC> Chapter 1402 Series of Unsettling Events
Translator: SumTLMan
In the profound void of darkness, a figure cloaked in black abruptly appeared, as if regurgitated by some monstrous entity lurking within the shadows. Bathed in blood, he floated suspended in this empty abyss.
After what felt like an eternity, a glimmer of lucidity returned to the bewildered man.
“What kind of ghost was that? Its power was astonishingly immense…” A trace of perplexity lingered in his eyes as he recalled the recent encounter, sending shivers down his spine.
Suddenly, agony radiated from his right arm.
“Hiss——“, he quickly unfastened his tattered black cloak, revealing his true form.
His face was obscured by a peculiar brass gear mask, hiding his features. While his upper torso was lean and lanky, it was marred with myriad gashes and tears. Notably, a significant portion of his right arm’s flesh had been ripped away, exposing the bone beneath.
More disturbingly, the fragmented bone was covered in a dark, viscous substance. This malign substance was rapidly corroding his hand.
“It seems there’s no other way,” he murmured, gazing at his nearly severed right arm, then made a resolute decision.
With a swift flash of cold light, he amputated his arm, letting it plummet into the boundless void below. Given the presence of the dark substance, he surmised that the detached hand would soon be completely consumed. Thus, discarding it would not risk exposing his blood’s secrets.
He glanced at the now-empty space where his right arm once was, taking a deep breath. A faint gleam sparkled in his eyes. Following that, the fractured bone started regenerating, with flesh winding around it like wriggling worms. In mere moments, the arm was whole once again.
However, in contrast to his previously robust arm, this reborn limb appeared somewhat frailer and paler.
“For now, make use of it. Once we’re back, we’ll look into transplanting another arm,” said the figure in the black cloak… But the cloak was no more, and the proper title would now be the Masked Man. He let out a sigh.
“What information have we acquired?” The Masked Man pondered for a moment, as if recalling something.
A while later, he raised an eyebrow in intrigue.
“Just left that place, and surprisingly, the intel points right back there. Seems fate really ties me to it,” the Masked Man mused. “Might as well revisit. It would be a good opportunity to cross-reference the data.”
Having said that, the Masked Man’s gaze drifted to a particular point in the void, and in a blink, he transformed into a streak of light and vanished.
…
Outside Black Castle.
Despite the assistance of numerous witches standing guard, Angel wasn’t entirely free from peril during his task of eradicating the ghosts.
For instance, right now, Angel found himself in a precarious situation.
From the uneven black soil, an ashen hand suddenly emerged.
Upon spotting the hand, Angel’s initial thought was, “Such slender fingers, clearly defined knuckles; these hands were born to play the piano. If Jon were to see these hands, he’d probably envision nurturing their owner into an artist… provided those nails get a trim.”
Before Angel’s admiration for the hand could conclude, the owner of the hand began to emerge from the ground.
The cascade of raven-black hair, veins bulging on the cheeks, malevolent white eyes, and the oppressive aura surrounding her — everything screamed her true nature.
She was a ghost.
As she bared her teeth in a ferocious roar, Angel swiftly raised his gun, taking direct aim at the center of her forehead.
As she transformed into a wisp of white smoke, charging straight at Angel, the gun trembled slightly. Accompanied by a humming sound, ripples emanated from the muzzle.
This female ghost was ultimately unable to escape her impending dispersal.
However, just then, Angel heard an urgent warning beside his ear, “Watch your back!”
As the shout faded, Angel felt chilling gusts nearing the back of his neck, as if someone was gently breathing onto his skin.
There was someone behind him!
And they were dangerously close!
When this realization dawned upon him, Angel felt a tingling sensation crawl up his scalp. Despite his heightened senses, how had he failed to detect anyone approaching?
Just as Angel contemplated turning around to assess the situation, a familiar sensation coursed through his mind.
It was a message from Sanders, transmitted through their mental link.
“Don’t turn around. Two Infant Spirits are behind you. Though they won’t cause you significant harm, it would be troublesome if they saw your face…” Sanders urgently conveyed.
Though Sanders didn’t elaborate on the nature of the trouble, given the warning’s source, Angel dared not disregard it.
“While you shouldn’t turn around, you can still observe them using your mental energy,” Sanders advised.
Even before Angel could question the feasibility of using his mental energy for observation, Sanders had preemptively addressed his query.
With the extension of his mental tendrils, Angel could clearly see two infants clinging to each of his shoulders. But these infants were far from adorable; they were cloaked in inky blackness, with only their eyes shining a malevolent crimson.
They stood motionless, yet their piercing crimson gaze traveled steadily over Angel’s shoulder. Whenever Angel turned his head in any direction, they would instantly fixate on him.
“From whence have these Infant Spirits come? Why did I not sense their presence earlier?” It was only when they clung to Angel’s shoulders that he felt an eerie coldness.
“While your attention was focused on their mother, they appeared. It was only after you ended her life that they clung to you.”
Sanders’ response momentarily stunned Angel.
Was the ethereal woman he had just dispatched, with fingers as graceful as a pianist’s, the mother of these Infant Spirits?
But Angel distinctly recalled the blood ritual of Black Castle; weren’t the women pursued always pure virgins? Why then the presence of Infant Spirits? Could there be men in Black Castle as well?
Seeing Angel’s prolonged silence and hesitation to advance further, Sanders gleaned his thoughts from his complex expression.
“Don’t overthink it. Over the millennia, Black Castle has become a nexus for ghostly energies, attracting spirits from other places is but a common occurrence.”
It’s not just female ghosts; male ghosts might also reside there.
As for the connection between these Infant Spirits and that ghostly woman, it doesn’t necessarily mean she perished during the blood ritual. Perhaps they were inherently talents of Black Castle. In a place like Black Castle, it’s plausible for talents to perish unexpectedly and become ghosts.
The eerie winds from behind made Angel uneasy. Conjuring a Phantasmal Limb, he reached out and took hold of the Prelude of Reincarnation. The Phantasmal Limb swayed with the weapon aimed squarely at the two Infant Spirits.
He was determined to deal with these two spirits first.
“Wait.” Several voices simultaneously reached Angel’s ears.
Besides Kimberly, Angel has no recollection of the several witches who simultaneously cast a whispering spell on Angel.
Their shared sentiment was, “If you don’t need these two Infant Spirits, why not entrust them to me?”
Just as Angel was pondering, Sanders’ voice traveled through their mental connection, “While an Infant Spirit isn’t as unique as a Sparrow Blossom’s soul, it’s still quite special and versatile. However, its value would be higher if it remained untainted. A simple ghost can only be made into an evil puppet or used for certain mysterious rituals.”
As Sanders elucidated, a gentle laughter suddenly intruded their mental link.
“I hadn’t expected that there were still Infant Spirits around Black Castle.” Angel identified the speaker as Isabella, “Sanders is right. The value of an Infant Spirit is immense. Natural Infant Spirits are rare, making them even more treasured. If you don’t plan to use them, you can hand them over to me, and I’ll compensate you accordingly…”
Angel could discern that Isabelle was quite keen on acquiring the Infant Spirits. But since others had already expressed their interest, she probably felt it would be impolite to press further.
However, Isabelle realized that she and Sanders were connected through the mental link and seized the opportunity to communicate with Angel.
The mental link Sanders constructed would’ve been impenetrable for Isabelle unless he willingly opened it. Angel suspected they might have been in cahoots!
While Angel had no particular intentions for the Infant Spirits, she remarked, “I can give them to Lady Isabella, but I can’t possibly carry them with me forever, can I?” with a touch of exasperation.
“Just wait a moment; I’ll help you remove them.”
As her words faded, Angel felt a gust of wind from behind, accompanied by a faint, cold fragrance.
While the chilling aroma still lingered, Isabelle’s voice emanated from behind, “It’s done.”
Angel turned around, only to find that the Infant Spirits that had been lingering on his back had vanished. Behind him, Isabelle stood with a mischievous grin. “The price has been paid. Once everything here is settled, we’ll discuss further.”
With that, Isabelle soared into the sky once again to keep watch.
After the Infant Spirits were taken by Isabelle, the other wizards, including Kimberly, had no choice but to stand down.
“You indeed have good fortune,” Sanders remarked, “Using their treasures to barter in their own stronghold of Black Castle. I bet they’re livid.”
No one would have expected the appearance of such treasured Infant Spirits here, and two of them no less.
“This trade will be in your favor,” Sanders continued, “And this is just the beginning.”
Angel, puzzled, responded, “Beginning? What do you mean?”
“Isabelle’s current situation is unique,” Sanders explained, “She may have seemed calm earlier, but she’s set her sights on those two Infant Spirits.”
Angel cleared his throat, “Mentor, aren’t you afraid Isabelle will hear you?”
“She’s out of the range of our mental communication,” Sanders clarified, and then added, “And those two Infant Spirits have transformed into ghosts. They still have value, but not as much to her. How can a ghost be converted back into a spirit? What do you think her next move will be?”
The only known method to revert a ghost back to its spirit form involves the Prelude of Reincarnation!
Angel’s creation of the Prelude of Reincarnation, due to Isabelle’s interference, is now a secret. She would naturally feel awkward about seizing it, and with Sanders nearby, the chances of a successful grab are slim.
Therefore, she might have to negotiate with Angel to acquire the white light bullet of the Prelude of Reincarnation.
This is what Sanders meant by, “This trade is just the beginning.”
From his tone, it seemed he was planning on giving Isabelle a run for her money!
Chapter 1400 Hiding <TOC> Chapter 1402 Series of Unsettling Events