Chapter 2405: Candidate Ranking

Chapter 2405: Chapter 2405: Candidate Ranking

"Speaking of which, I wonder if you’ve noticed."

Shard asked:

"Poet-Level ’Ointment Slug’ ointment, Keeper of Secrets Level ’Star Swordstone’ special alloy, Sage Level ’Nameless Swordsmith’s Apron’ swordsmith, Angel-Level ’Ancient Dragon Transformation Stone’ dragon... Assuming these are the materials for the Chosen One Ceremony, do you feel like this resembles crafting a sword?"

The purple-eyed Diviner immediately nodded:

"The ointment is sword oil, Star Swordstone’s special alloy is the main material, the swordsmith is the swordsmith, and the dragon from the Dragon Transformation Stone might be used for testing the sword, or they might need specific bones or blood from this unique dragon as auxiliary materials. Yes, it does indeed resemble sword crafting."

"But do we really just need these four items?"

Tifa asked again, and Shard shook his head:

"Perhaps a fifth item is needed. If ’Ointment Slug’ corresponds to light, ’Ancient Dragon Transformation Stone’ corresponds to dragon, and the other two correspond to sword crafting necessities, then there should be at least one more item corresponding to ’Justice.’ The most important three functions of that Ancient God are light, dragon, and justice... These are all very ancient relics, and the purpose of ’Light Chaser’ leaving this notebook is unclear. Anyway, let’s first find the apron and slug. After that, we must see what information the Dragon Scales reveal."

"The four Dragon Scales, black, green, gold, and silver, correspond to Black, Wood, Belindel, and the Silver Family. As for the remaining three scales, Bella and I will divine their positions as soon as possible; we’ve been busy with this recently."

Luviya promised, and Shard nodded, not asking much about their progress, as he trusted Luviya.

There wasn’t much to talk about in the investigation records of the ’Eternal Light’; Shard only asked the maid Misses to help summarize the key points, which he would review slowly by himself later.

At noon, everyone had lunch together at the estate, but as the witches were busy recently, they dispersed again after lunch.

Shard, of course, had things to do that afternoon, as he went out with Luviya to Spider Alley after lunch.

The meetup time with John Flynn, agreed upon last night at the Moon Bay Bridge on the edge of life and death, was two in the afternoon. Shard initially wanted Luviya to hide around the street to take a look at him and confirm his identity, but Luviya joined him in the tavern:

"I’ll sit next to you and meet him. I’ll just disguise my face."

In contrast to Shard, John Flynn came alone. He arrived promptly at one fifty-eight and walked directly over upon seeing Shard wave at the table by the wall.

He, of course, noticed the unfamiliar person sitting next to Shard this time, but since Shard was almost always accompanied by different people, he wasn’t surprised:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Watson."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Flynn. Let’s keep it brief; everyone is busy."

John Flynn sat across from Shard and Luviya, hands clasped together on the table:

"I agree."

"I’ve come this time for the matter of the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’; their behavior is very odd. The initial rumors were that they collaborated with the ’Dragon Feast Cult,’ helping the ’Dragon Feast Cult,’ which has little local influence, to gain a foothold. But in the past month, the ’Dragon Feast Cult’ has done so many things in Moon Bay, while the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’ has remained inactive."

He stared at the people across the table:

"Initially, I thought the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’ was secretly manipulating the local organization ’Eternal Light’ to do things, but later it was proven that they were merely allies, and the former’s attempt to annex the latter failed."

So, encountering the Light Chaser in the mist last night was one of their few proactive actions; the loss of control at the edge of life and death was definitely caused by it... It used a strange object. Though your team is small, your investigation progress is undeniably quick. I want to know, do you have any news on the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’ here?"

John Flynn nodded but didn’t bother with Shard’s paper and pen:

"Our four-man team is a standard adventurer team, even if it’s not in dangerous wilderness. We’re in a bustling city, yet we have our stage to play. Speaking of, Moon Bay is indeed thriving; in the past month, we’ve explored so much in taverns, underground black markets, gang hangouts, noble estates, and underground ruins, it’s almost more exciting than life in the New World."

He wasn’t trying to change topics:

"Yes, I do have some news. You saved us last Sunday; I should be thanking you, but my news is very vague. I think you should know, those madmen’s ultimate goal has always been to guide humanity to transform into light."

"Indeed."

"Their goal in Moon Bay is the same. They let the ’Dragon Feast Cult’ lead the charge, pretending to be as concerned about the Chosen One as those cultists. While this is not incorrect, the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’ indeed hasn’t given up on the Chosen One matter."

However, their real agenda is to divert the cultists’ attention, while they hide and conduct secret activities, occasionally making moves to signal their presence. Based on the information we currently have, they plan to seize the chaos during the city’s destruction, as the prophecy is fulfilled on the day of Moon Bay, to launch a grand ceremony and transform the entire city into light."

Luviya sat beside Shard without speaking, while Shard raised an eyebrow, pondering that last night’s notebook might have been ’Light Chaser’s’ attempt to distract them, providing them with something to do. But if that’s indeed the case, the ’Light Worshipper Training Association’s’ plan should be nearing completion:

"Your explanation does shed light on many things. The Light Worshipper Training Association has mastered the use of that unusual glow and is capable of doing so. However, what is your source of information?"

John Flynn shook his head slightly:

"Sorry, to protect the person who provided me with the information, please allow me to keep the source confidential."

Shard recalled the scene he saw from the memories of Mr. Benhart from a bygone era, where in the Sixth Era, with the suspected Moon Bay Bridge already completed, Mr. Benhart died in a disaster that turned the entire city into a glow.

"Do you know what method they intend to use?"

He asked again, and the young man across the table thought for a moment before shaking his head:

"Not clear for now. In fact, the church has always been wary of the Light Worshipper Training Association. Even without my reminder, the church can guess what those madmen want to do. Unable to find them, the only option now is to study how to safely defend against that peculiar glow.

Although some high-level relics have a weakening effect on that glow, it is clear that the church wants a method that can be widely used."

John Flynn spoke with Shard for a while longer, and before leaving, at Shard’s request, he still looked at the note written by Shard.

And when he finally left the Spider Inn, Luviya then looked towards Shard:

"The second candidate."

"Are you sure it’s the second candidate?"

"Of course. According to the current order, the first is unknown, the second is John Flynn. I haven’t seen that egg yet, but it should be that thing and Emilia ranked third and fourth, and finally Priest Augustus. Sword of the Wind King, Sacrificial Bone Sword, Time Flute, Angel’s Right Arm... The first rank, unless an unfamiliar face suddenly appears, should be the holder of ’Sorrow of Blood’."

Shard sighed and then looked towards the direction of the morgue not far away:

"I think I have my answer."

The girl with purple eyes raised an eyebrow:

"I can see you’re hesitating."

"Yes, actually allowing him to become the Chosen One of Light has its advantages. ’Sorrow of Blood’ is held by the Vampire Kind, so the Duke who enjoys red wine would seriously assist me. But... I still have some concerns about him. His mental state is not as stable as John Flynn whom we just met."

Shard frowned:

"This time it really is a difficult problem. Other than that egg that absolutely cannot become the Chosen One, none of the current candidates are traditionally considered bad people."

"After all, it’s light and justice, and it’s normal for most suitable candidates to be good people."

Luviya laughed as she said this, she wasn’t worried at all, nor did she press Shard to make a decision:

"After all, the final showdown hasn’t arrived yet, you still have time to think. Shard, remember? Our original goal was to witness the stories of the Chosen Ones, regardless if it’s the best choice."

After all, long-haired Luvia from bygone eras had already selected many "best choices," but clearly, those weren’t the correct answers.

"I understand, Luviya, I understand it all."

Once John Flynn’s ranking was confirmed, the identities of the candidates for the Chosen One of "Brightness" were almost fully clarified. As long as no stranger suddenly appears claiming to be a candidate, it can basically be confirmed that the seventh Chosen One will be selected from these five.

Luviya was very pleased with this result. According to her, although there were more candidates this time, the quality of the choices was rather impressive. Emilia, Priest Augustus, even John Flynn were quite ideal candidates.

Of course, she wouldn’t interfere with the final choice Shard makes.

Afterwards, Luviya left towards the south, heading to the docks to return to the Belindel Estate on the "Radiant Messenger." Shard, meanwhile, remained sitting in the tavern for a while longer before standing up and walking towards the end of Spider Alley to the morgue.

Unfortunately, that afternoon, Shard neither encountered Mr. Benhart in the morgue, nor did he meet Mr. Ptolemy Albert. The latter was out attending to his personal matters, and he wasn’t exactly as Shard imagined, always being in the morgue besides resting at home.

Of course, there were other coroners working there. Upon hearing that Shard was a friend of Mr. Albert’s, they warmly invited him to wait in a clean, odor-free office:

"Ptolemy said he’d be back before dinner. He’s a man of his word. Once, he promised to give me an unused vase from his home but forgot to bring it the next day. Later, he specifically went back home to get it. This man, he’s the most honest person I’ve met... He’ll definitely be back before five-thirty."