Chapter 2254: Silvermoon vs Death

Chapter 2254: Chapter 2254: Silvermoon vs Death

Facing the expressionless Old Cleric speaking, Vincent Taylor instinctively took a step back. Even as an ordinary person, he sensed the threat of death, yet he couldn’t comprehend how the old man in front of him intended to threaten him.

So the Old Cleric extended his right hand toward his side, and pitch-black mist surged from his palm, then the black mist extended vertically until it transformed into a sharp black scythe.

Arcane Technique - [Scythe of the Messenger of Death]. Shard had inquired about death-related techniques from the Old Cleric last year and heard him mention this. The effect of the technique is to summon a spiritual weapon. Although Shard already possessed the [Moonlight Greatsword] at the time, he still thought this technique was cool, but due to the expensive ritual materials, he chose not to learn it.

The Old Cleric, who had ascended to the Four Rings at Green Lake, clearly mastered this technique completely. The moment the pitch-black scythe appeared, the terrified Taylor had already fallen to the ground. That scythe triggered his deepest fear of death, and his legs, convulsing from fear, cost him the last chance to escape:

"I, you..."

He couldn’t even speak coherently, and the Old Cleric flipped the scythe, letting the sharp, slender blade face downward:

"I am sorry, young man, mortals must meet their end. May we meet again in death."

The scythe danced, leaving a pitch-black light trace in the air, and Vincent Taylor only felt a chill on his scalp. In extreme terror, with a sound of "clang," he fainted completely.

Thus, he did not see the silver greatsword and the pitch-black scythe clashing above his head nor silver particles and black light exploding in all directions.

The surface of the silver greatsword was adorned with a complex rune chain, the ancient-looking sword body intermingling with moonlight. The Moonlight Greatsword blocked the scythe of death, and the Old Cleric looked questioningly at Shard, who intercepted his fatal blow:

"Detective, what do you mean by this?"

He stared at Shard’s serious face:

"Didn’t we agree before? If this person’s prejudice is irreparable, we eliminate him."

The Cleric spoke while not withdrawing his scythe, and Shard naturally still held his greatsword:

"Cleric, don’t you... feel anything’s amiss?"

"What’s amiss?"

The Cleric was puzzled, the wind blowing past their clothes, but neither cared about that.

"Cleric, when I first met you last summer, although you always seemed to view matters from Physician’s perspective and often leaned towards pessimism, you still showed compassion for humanity overall. The you I met last year wouldn’t set a trap to kill an ordinary person after merely exchanging a few words."

Shard lowered his gaze, looking at Mr. Taylor, fainted on the ground:

"What does his life or death have to do with me? I don’t care if he lives or dies, for I know him not. What I care about is your situation, Cleric, do you truly feel there’s no problem in acting so decisively now?"

The ancient rune string on the Moonlight Greatsword’s blade emitted a visible glow even during the day. Wind rustled through the woodland, and among the rustling of leaves and branches, the Old Cleric assured Shard:

"Detective, people change. I understand your concern, you still suspect the bones influenced me. But look, my internal elements have rebalanced, and my spirit’s cycle is calm. I resolved any issues long ago."

"If one assumes a person’s mental state is fine just because their elements and spirit are in harmony, then doctors would have long gone hungry."

Shard illustrated with Dr. Schneider’s professional insights, the Old Cleric shook his head gently:

"Detective, when did you become so softhearted? He’s already contaminated by the relic, and there’s over a ninety-nine percent chance he can’t be saved. Killing him now is the best option. We shouldn’t risk letting more people get contaminated by the relic for a mere one percent chance... Is it me who’s mistaken, or is it you?"

Shard was confident nothing was wrong with him; he genuinely didn’t mind killing, he minded acting so decisively:

"Cleric, let me say again, his life means nothing to me. I’m concerned about your issue; death’s corrosion on you remains severe. From your perspective, as you look upon this world, is it truly so bleak? Tell me, Cleric, those words you just spoke to him, about human frailty and the flaws of all living creatures—are those thoughts truly from your heart?"

Shard asked again, and the Old Cleric nodded:

"Yes, truly, do you believe that humans will eventually understand one another?"

"Of course not, the doctor explained to me recently, the almost-touching distance between minds is the furthest distance in this world. I concur that humans have defects, but Cleric, that’s no reason to kill him. His prejudice also affects us, broadening the shadows within our hearts—you’re being influenced, Cleric."

The scythe in the Old Cleric’s hand exerted force, the surrounding black mist attempting to overpower the Glimmer of Silvermoon:

"No, detective, I have no prejudice."

"Then please tell me—"

Shard pointed his empty left hand towards the Old Cleric’s chest:

"Since returning from Green Lake, do you truly hold no prejudice, from the heart of the deceased, towards the living?"

Clang!

The scythe parried the longsword, and the two clashed again in the air. Compared to before, this time the Old Cleric was rarely truly a bit angry:

"Detective, isn’t your question a bit too much?"

"Priest, I am asking you to answer my question. Tell me, do you retain any prejudice of the deceased towards the living in your heart? Do you stand in that cold place, mocking those warm creatures?"

Priest Augustus seemed to refuse to answer this question, for he closed his mouth and retreated a step holding his scythe, then disappeared in the woodland in a cloud of black mist.

Shard stood beside the frightened and fainted Vincent Taylor, the silver Moonlight Greatsword in his hand pointing to the ground. He closed his eyes, trying his best to perceive, then suddenly turned and performed a Cavalier Slash, the moonlight leaving a dreamy light trace in the air, the greatsword striking and breaking the Death Scythe in Priest Augustus’ hand.

He tilted his head to dodge the fragments of the scythe blade, his right hand forming a seal, the golden [Heaton Seal] shield erupting from his body blocked the priest’s extended finger, and forced the priest back two steps:

"Detective, I’ve always been amazed by your talent in Sun and Moon Magic, it’s truly astonishing."

Shard did not respond to this remark, he voluntarily canceled the Heaton Seal, then the pitch-black chains from his sleeve shot towards Priest Augustus’ right hand, only to be casually knocked away by him:

"The power of the Great Sin is useless against me."

Charred black feathers descended from the sky, the half-charred white wings opened behind Priest Augustus bringing the power of death, instantly turning the leaves of all trees in a small area from verdant green to withered yellow.

He seemed to be getting serious; as his wings flapped and his feet left the ground, the originally flat surface rippled, then the daylight dimmed, and the trees disappeared one after another. The uneven ground turned into a dark water surface with the spread of the ripples, the temperature on the summer morning suddenly dropped, until breaths emitted white mist.

Sound and light sources completely disappeared in the darkness and silence, the appearance of the angel spreading wings above the calm black water not only presented Lat August, but one-third of the phantom skeleton overlapped the old cleric’s body, yet it lasted only an instant.

This is not Maze Lock but something similar. The venue advantage endowed the airborne Priest Augustus with stronger power, leveling some of the spiritual strength difference between the four-ringed him and Shard.

He knew how formidable Shard was, even if he never intended a death duel, just a confrontation, he couldn’t relax.

The black water of the dead silence took shape, and Priest Augustus thought this battle where both sides tried to persuade each other was just beginning, but when he looked up at Shard’s position, he found Shard had not attempted to move at all.

He stood calmly on the dark water surface, with arms outstretched forward, as the half-submerged Silvermoon slowly appeared behind him.

The serene moonlight made Shard’s body outline seem to glow, and when that moonlight shone into Priest Augustus’ eyes, the old cleric was momentarily dumbfounded.

The water surface remained ripple-free, nor was there any sound. In the sky, the angel and the young man seemed to embrace each other in their gazes, a scene like an oil painting that swiftly turned eternal.

The gentle moonlight gradually melted the ice-cold heart tainted by death, and when the moonlight fully illuminated Priest Augustus’ face, his wings, and his current appearance, the angel bowed his head towards the young man before the moon, then slowly fell to the water surface.

The wings retracted, and as his feet touched the water surface, the water surface reverted to solid woodland ground. Trees appeared one by one beside him, and the wind in the forest returned at this moment, yet still couldn’t dispel the trace of chilly sensation.

The silver moon disappeared behind Shard as well; he stood there watching the priest, who slowly came before him, wanting to kneel but was supported by Shard:

"Priest, what do you mean by this?"

"The Angel of Death ultimately turned into a skeleton, perhaps there’s a reason for it... It might have gone mad after the Ancient God departed."

The Nether Moon seemed to have given Priest Augustus some revelation; he looked up at the young man before him, clearly feeling that what he saw was the rebirth of the moon:

"Yes, I think I really am still affected by the power of death. Just now I seemed to enter a dead-end of thought, seeing the Nether Moon behind you made me realize. You awakened Durut Giles, your moonlight also illuminated me.

Detective, I’m sorry you had to see me act foolishly; I’m already so old, yet still act so impulsively. I know why you stopped me from killing him, I... can’t view this world anymore from the perspective of death."