Chapter Forty-Three: Naraku’s Second Ability, Lost and Scattered Memories p1
These spider legs, imbued with Naraku’s power, were elegantly grotesque, yet utterly lifeless, carrying a sense of abandonment.
In Scientist’s final moments, Naraku had abandoned her, leaving behind only a faint trace of its power within this Sacred Relic, so insignificant that even the Company didn’t know what to do with it.
Luo Ling had indeed picked up a bargain, one that only she could utilize.
Even placed among the low-tier treasures in the vault, no one would likely redeem it for decades, unless some unlucky employee drew it randomly—such useless items were considered contaminants in the prize pool.
In a way, the Company should be thanking Luo Ling.
After removing the spider legs from the treasure chest, Luo Ling noticed that they were rapidly decaying, exposed to the air.
If left unchecked, within a few days, they would become nothing but a puddle of blood, the faint trace of Naraku’s power dissipating completely.
And the treasure chest’s preservation effect wasn’t long-lasting either, only about a month. Beyond that, its effectiveness would diminish significantly, and maintaining long-term preservation was costly.
No wonder the Company considered it troublesome, even a Taboo Sacred Relic reduced to the level of Dangerous Grotesquery treasures, for fear of it becoming a liability.
However, these weren’t problems for Luo Ling. She could “Devour” it immediately, with no need for preservation.
Silver-white hair cascaded down, gently wrapping around the grotesque spider legs, spores taking root in their flesh, fungal threads extending and growing.
The fungus began decomposing the slightly decaying flesh, extracting its nutrients to nourish the spreading fungal threads.
Although inferior to Naraku’s power, this flesh, capable of containing a Taboo’s power, was something Scientist had painstakingly created.
Waste not, want not.
Luo Ling was always frugal, even now.
As the sickly pale fungal threads enveloped the spider legs, their flesh withered, and the white threads gradually turned a vibrant crimson.
Finally, the spider legs were completely consumed, not a drop of blood wasted. The engorged fungus retracted its threads, a blood-red, lingzhi-like growth blooming at its center.
This blood lingzhi contained the purest essence of the spider legs, without any impurities, easier to “Devour.” This method was far more elegant than Luo Ling’s previous crude consumption.
Now, as the High-Risk Grotesquery White Witch, she was no longer as naive as before. As a high-order Grotesquery, she had to maintain a certain level of decorum, even in her eating habits.
Luo Ling plucked the blood lingzhi, her silver-white hair turning pitch black as she reverted to her original form.
She calmly placed the blood lingzhi in her mouth, feeling the “Devour” Authority instantly consuming it, converting it into her own power.
Luo Ling looked at herself in the full-length mirror, noticing the grotesque changes in her reflection.
Terrifying dark gold burned in her eyes, like an eternal flame.
“As expected…”
“Devour” was indeed an ability of her Grotesquery form. Using it, even indirectly, intensified her transformation.
Her initial awakening was likely caused by accidentally consuming some Grotesquery.
As for the specifics… Luo Ling didn’t want to dwell on the past.
However, the mysteries surrounding this Authority hadn’t been fully revealed. She still didn’t know the true name of her Grotesquery form.
And…
Was the demon in the mirror truly her?
Luo Ling slowly closed her eyes, extinguishing the eternal flames within.
She collapsed, her consciousness fading.
“Oh!”
Elsa, who had been admiring the treasure chest, rushed over and caught Luo Ling, checking her anxiously before sighing in relief.
Miss Luo Ling had simply fallen asleep.
Wait… Miss Luo Ling was asleep?
Elsa’s fingers trembled, her expression conflicted, her gaze shifting nervously.
Should she… act on her earlier mischievous thoughts?
No, no, she couldn’t disturb Miss Luo Ling. She must be doing something important.
Elsa suppressed her inappropriate desires, carefully carrying the sleeping Luo Ling.
“Miss Luo Ling is so light…”
Despite having carried her several times, Elsa always felt a pang of tenderness.
What did Miss Luo Ling usually eat? She was 1.6 meters tall, yet only slightly heavier than her.
Even…
Elsa’s gaze drifted downwards, her eyes filled with pity.
Even flatter than her, almost no curves at all.
Poor Miss Luo Ling…
After placing Luo Ling in bed, Elsa went to the door and locked it.
But after a few steps, she felt that wasn’t enough, returning to place several “Proverbs” on the door.
Anyone touching the door would have their soul affected by the Proverbs.
Of course, it wouldn’t cause any harm. The only ones who would open the door were her teammates… these Proverbs would only physically discourage them, in other words, knock them unconscious.
“Now it’s foolproof! No one will disturb us!”
Elsa nodded in satisfaction, looking at her handiwork.
She changed into her pajamas and climbed into Luo Ling’s bed, snuggling close.
Her head rested near Luo Ling’s face, inhaling the faint, sweet fragrance of grass and lilies after the rain.
“Hehe, Miss Luo Ling…”
Gently wrapping her arms around the soft figure, Elsa gradually drifted off to sleep, a dreamy expression on her face.
……
Just like every previous advancement, when Luo Ling opened her eyes, she was back in the familiar corridor.
The familiar candle flames flickered on both sides, the depths of the dark corridor beckoning her towards eternal oblivion.
“My estimation was correct.”
The portion of the Boundary she had devoured earlier had indeed contained enough power, bringing her close to advancement. Today’s spider leg Sacred Relic had pushed her over the edge, into the second stage of her Naraku form.
Luo Ling wasn’t worried about the outside world. Elsa was there.
She trusted Elsa to protect her and handle most matters, and Elsa would never harm her.
This was Luo Ling’s trust in the girl who had been with her since she entered the Awakened world, allowing her to focus on her advancement without worry.
The first room, belonging to the White Witch, its final scene now set.
A crystal coffin containing the silver-haired girl lay in the desolate ruins of Jiangcheng County, gently caressed by elegant fungal growths, amidst the devastated land.
The second room, belonging to Amethyst, within the twilight “Kingdom” of Victoria, the alluring violet-haired woman nailed to a cross, entwined with purple-black vines, a few enchanting flower buds blooming, seemingly both binding and protecting her.
A captivating smile played on her lips, a slight upturn of the corners, yet even Luo Ling felt a tremor in her heart, witnessing it.
As if the violet-haired woman, upon opening her eyes, could ensnare her soul completely.
So terrifying…
Luo Ling took a deep breath, composing herself.
Wait, that was her, wasn’t it?
So, was this… narcissism?
Although it was her Naraku form, its appearance was still based on her own, like the White Witch, with a few distinguishing features.
These differences, like a cognitive barrier, made it difficult to connect the two forms, even when comparing their photos.
However, given Luo Ling’s current situation, even after growing up, she would likely be quite different from Amethyst… in certain aspects.
Fortunately, at least when transforming into Amethyst, she could experience a different physical sensation.
“During previous advancements, the corresponding scene would appear. This time… will it be in the apartment?” Luo Ling wondered, reaching out to touch Amethyst, the relevant information appearing in her mind.
[Naraku of Chaos]
[Innate Ability: “Weave” – Unfold the web domain, acquire all predictable information within the domain]
[Points woven into lines, lines woven into a net, within the web… “Naraku” knows all, sees all.]
[First Ability: “Ensnare” – Within the web domain, rewrite a single aspect of reality]
[This is the decree of “Omniscience,” it is reality, and cannot be defied.]
[Second Ability: “Submerge” – Within the web domain, reveal a single truth]
[Under Naraku’s gaze, all past and future converge into a single, predetermined truth.]
The new ability was “Submerge,” its effect… predicting the future, or perceiving the past?
As Luo Ling pondered, the surrounding environment began to change. The twilight “Kingdom” of Victoria dimmed, engulfed by grey, then fading into black nothingness.
A new scene slowly emerged, but contrary to Luo Ling’s expectations, it wasn’t the apartment, nor even Victoria, but a place etched deeply in her memory.
—The antique train traversing the Realm of Nothingness, the Sacred Tool “Spirit Walker.”
Although the interior of the train had appeared during the first stage of her Naraku form, it was different now. Back then, it had been a frozen image.
But now…
A faint, chilling breeze blew past, the clatter of metal echoing, the entire train trembling and swaying, the faint whistle of the engine in the distance, the warmth of the burning fireplace nearby.
All these indicated that this was the Spirit Walker in motion.
…Luo Ling clearly wasn’t on the train, so what was going on?
A hoarse voice, filled with suppressed emotion, trembling slightly, echoed in her ears, answering her question.
“Sister, close your eyes… don’t look.”
It was her own voice.
Luo Ling turned to see a blue-black demon standing nearby, its burning dark golden eyes filled with rage and ferocity, only a hint of resolve in their depths retaining a semblance of “humanity.”
But what truly shocked Luo Ling was what happened next.
“…Okay.”
Just a soft murmur.
Just a faint hum.
Just…
…Her.
Luo Ling suppressed her emotions, looking up at the figure behind the blue-black demon.
A gentle and elegant woman stood there, her simple clothes unable to conceal her beauty, her grey-white eyes wide open.
She hadn’t listened to her sister. She hadn’t closed her eyes.
She was watching her sister.
Always.
She was… her sister.
The Puppet Ballad.
The battle on the train began.
The blue-black demon and the one-eyed woman clashed, their goal to end each other’s life. Throughout the fight, the woman’s gaze never left her sister.
Her eyes held struggle, pity, greed, hesitation, ferocity, confusion, a mix of emotions. She simply stood there, watching, until her sister’s heart was pierced by a spider leg, collapsing to the ground.
In that moment, all her struggles and confusion vanished.
Only a drowning tenderness and love remained.
Because only her sister was worth it.
Only…
“Me.”
Luo Ling watched silently.
She walked towards her fallen sister, step by step.
She picked up the spider leg her sister had torn off with her last ounce of strength, gently patting her sister’s back, her eyes filled with a mixture of longing, pain, and finally, a gentle tenderness.
“Eat.”
It was she who had willingly let her sister become Naraku.
These memories weren’t present in her sister’s final memories. She hadn’t wanted her sister to bear the Puppet Ballad’s pain, leaving behind only the warmth and happiness of their past.
Bearing the agonizing pain alone.
Suddenly, she seemed to sense a gaze, pausing and looking towards Luo Ling.
That familiar face, how she missed it.
She smiled and whispered,
“Xiao Ling.”
“…”
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