Previous page password is bold portion: cR2pH_Pr@pHu
Translator: SumTLMan
“How intriguing.”
The man in the black cloak gazed intently at Angel. He had not paid much attention to this apprentice before, but now upon closer inspection, he discerned some interesting details.
Angel’s physique was exceptionally powerful, exuding a restrained yet immensely powerful vitality. Even compared to the established wizards around, he was no less formidable, perhaps even surpassing them.
To possess such a robust body during apprenticeship without falling apart was truly a rare feat.
Even in the Source World, he would be considered a wizard prodigy of great potential.
It’s likely that only those elite wizard organizations, as well as institutions like Newk Academy and the Trudy Bloodline Research Institute that specialize in bloodline research, could harbor such talents.
The man in the black cloak hadn’t expected to encounter such a prodigious wizard during his visit to the Southern Region.
Furthermore, he spotted many peculiarities on Angel; for instance, his concealed right hand and the concealed yet fascinating fluctuations of his soul…
However, these nuances were inconsequential to the man in the black cloak.
He wasn’t the type of wizard who relished uncovering others’ secrets. Moreover, Angel was just an undeveloped apprentice, making it even less warranted to delve deeper.
His final focus settled on the peculiarly designed handgun in Angel’s palm.
“Hmm? It emits a Mysterious Aura.” The man in the black cloak curiously eyed the handgun, a hint of luminescence fleeting through his gaze. After a moment, he remarked with a touch of regret, “It’s only Half-Step Mysterious, another failed attempt to harness the full power of the Mysterious. Such a pity.”
The cloaked figure unveiled the secrets behind the “Prelude of Reincarnation,” but his tone was heavy with regret, making Isabelle on the other side a bit uneasy.
“Honorable sir, are you an alchemist too?” Angel inquired with genuine curiosity.
“An alchemist, you say? By your words, it seems you are one?” The cloaked figure paused for a moment, then shook his head, “Sadly, I’m not an alchemist, but I have studied alchemy, especially regarding Mysterious Objects.”
Upon finishing, the cloaked man gestured towards the still-transforming Princess Guman, “Is her condition the result of this Half-Step Mysterious creation?”
Angel was unsure whether he should respond.
After some contemplation, Angel decided to provide an answer.
Perhaps the effects of the “Prelude of Reincarnation” were a medium-sized secret. But now, the core hierarchy of Black Castle already knew this secret.
If one person knows, it remains a secret. But when many are aware, it’s more or less out in the open.
“Yes, her state is indeed caused by the Prelude of Reincarnation,” Angel admitted with a nod.
“Prelude of Reincarnation, reincarnation… Hm, this name somehow makes me uncomfortable.” The cloaked figure murmured softly, then once more looked at Princess Guman, “The chaotic energy within her is rapidly changing, yet astonishingly, even with such flux, it maintains a relatively stable state. Such a precarious balance could easily collapse with the slightest error. So, is it the effect of the Prelude of Reincarnation? Could it be that it can turn a ghost back into a soul?”
The words of the cloaked figure took everyone present by surprise. Merely from observing Princess Guman’s current state, he discerned the true nature of the Prelude of Reincarnation? His perceptiveness was astounding!
Since the cloaked figure had already deduced the effect of the Prelude of Reincarnation, Angel didn’t feel the need to hide anything, “Indeed, the purpose of the Prelude of Reincarnation is to turn a ghost back into a soul.”
“Is her situation such that external forces can’t transform her back into a soul because this Prelude of Reincarnation is imperfect?” The man in the black cloak showed a peculiar interest in the Mysterious Object. Even though it’s only Half-Step Mysterious, it’s still related to the Mysterious.
“The cylinder of the Prelude of Reincarnation contains six chambers for bullets. All six bullets must hit the same ghost for her to undergo a true transformation,” Angel pointed at Princess Guman, “But she has only been struck by two.”
“I see,” the man in the black cloak said with a realization, then asked, “Since you’ve already fired two bullets, do you plan to turn her into a soul?”
Angel nodded in affirmation.
“Would you mind if I observed the process? I’m quite curious about this transformation,” the man in the black cloak inquired politely.
Faced with this request, Angel was uncertain about how to respond. After all, it wasn’t his place to decide; the decision rests with the inhabitants of Black Castle. If he agreed directly, it would be overstepping.
Angel replied, “I am not one of Black Castle’s inhabitants, so I cannot give you an answer. My apologies.”
The man in the black cloak raised an eyebrow, said nothing, but turned to the soul magic witch who initially spoke to him, “What do you think?”
Isabelle regarded him with discerning eyes.
As the man in the black cloak and Angel conversed, Isabelle had been trying to deduce the man’s identity and capabilities but remained clueless. Allowing an unknown individual within the domain of Black Castle made Isabelle uneasy. However, this man undeniably possessed power. Would offending him invite disaster for Black Castle?
Isabelle weighed her options. Even though the man in the black cloak appeared gentle and courteous, one’s outward behavior doesn’t necessarily reflect their inner thoughts.
Many wizards are indeed elegant and polite, but as they engage you in refined small talk, even discussing poetic scenery, deep down they might be contemplating how they’d dismember your corpse.
“If you wish to temporarily reside within Black Castle’s domain, that’s acceptable,” Isabelle deliberated over her words, “However, according to the rules of Black Castle, you must declare your identity and refrain from attacking anyone in Black Castle, including its guests.”
The two stipulations Isabelle mentioned are essentially standard among all wizard organizations, and she even simplified some of the finer details.
The figure in the black cloak listened intently and gave a noncommittal nod, “Of course, as I mentioned earlier, I have no intention of becoming your adversary. My purpose here was to confirm certain matters. Now that they’ve been addressed, I intended to leave. But the effects of the ‘Prelude of Reincarnation’ intrigue me.”
After finishing his statement, the cloaked figure slowly removed his hood, revealing… to be more precise, a mask.
Beneath a cascade of unkempt silvery-white hair lay an antique bronze full-face mask, which covered even the eyes. The mask was rather distinctive, adorned with interlinked gears that stretched from the left forehead down to the right cheek.
As the cloaked man spoke, these gears animated in tandem.
“Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Frost. As for my background? You could say I’m a nomad wizard.”
Nomad wizards refer to individual wizards who aren’t affiliated with any wizard organization.
Isabelle furrowed her brow. Regardless of the veracity of his name, she had her reservations about the identity of a nomad wizard.
Seeing Isabelle’s expression, Frost deduced her thoughts, “In the past, I was a disciple, following a great alchemist. However, due to various reasons, I reverted to being an independent entity. So, you could say I’m a nomad wizard.”
Isabelle wasn’t sure if Frost’s explanation was genuine, but his willingness to elaborate was a sign of goodwill.
With a penetrating gaze, Isabelle looked deeply into Frost’s eyes, “I hope you will honor your word.”
“Nature has it that I don’t delight in slaughter,” Frost said with a chuckle.
Isabelle’s intentions were clear. She had agreed to let Frost temporarily reside in Black Castle. Consequently, Frost turned his gaze toward Angel.
Naturally, Angel wouldn’t object, especially when Isabelle had given her consent. Angel didn’t mind letting Frost witness the process of turning someone into a ghost.
Frost positioned himself to the side, leaving a space next to Princess Guman, signaling Angel to commence.
Others were still wary of Frost at this time, but due to matters concerning Princess Guman, they hesitated to continue their inquiries.
Angel took a moment to distance himself from Frost’s influence, refocusing his attention on Princess Guman.
The bullet from before had, after a few minutes, caused most of the dark aura surrounding Princess Guman to dissipate. She reverted to a half-ghost form. However, her gaze was now distant and perplexed, occasionally filled with rage, bewilderment, resentment, and at times, calmness.
By her appearance, she seemed quite perplexed about her own transformation.
Angel observed Princess Guman’s current condition closely. When she was first hit by a bullet, she managed to maintain her half-ghost form for many years. What about now? Could the second bullet also help balance the energy within her?
Unable to resist, Angel entered a supercomputing state, reminiscent of when he was dragged into a bizarre dimension by the Heavenly Eye, a state devoid of emotion, just pure flow of thought.
In Angel’s eyes, Princess Guman was now a beacon of constantly changing data, exuding an uncanny allure.
Angel’s peculiar demeanor caught the attention of others. However, at this moment, their focus was more on Princess Guman and Frost, paying little heed to Angel’s condition.
Yet it was Frost who observed Angel with a gaze full of curiosity.
This calm demeanor, an obsessed and focused state, along with the occasional gleam in his eyes, strikingly resembled the alchemist Frost once revered.
As Frost watched, a deep sigh formed in his heart.
Especially upon seeing the Prelude of Reincarnation, Frost became even more melancholic. The alchemist he once followed had also vanished due to a failed attempt to create a Mysterious Object, leaving behind a nearly divine artifact in his possession.
Lost in these memories, Angel noticed an uptick in the chaotic energy emanating from Princess Guman. Simultaneously, the previously stable energy curve within her began to plummet, like a diver’s freefall.
Could this mean her soul body is on the verge of collapse?!
A realization flashed in Angel’s eyes. It seemed that a single white light bullet was the limit for Princess Guman, allowing her to maintain a half-ghost state for an extended period. However, adding another bullet would exceed this threshold.
Yet, the underlying principle and reason as to why a single bullet could allow Princess Guman to sustain a half-ghost state remained elusive to Angel.
All he could do was wait for Princess Guman to revert from a ghost to an ordinary soul, hoping to then extract the answers from her.
With this thought, Angel raised the Prelude of Reincarnation and took a second shot at Princess Guman.