manynovel Page 353
Page 353
And it's not just myself...
Looking at the bewildered junior and the two Heroic Spirits beside her, Fujimaru Ritsuka's doubts grew stronger.
If they were just ordinary people, it would be fine. But why didn't even the most famous heroic spirits in history have any doubts? This is clearly a dangerous singularity where any negligence could lead to serious consequences. Yet, they were persuaded by a stranger "investigator" with just a few words and followed him to this unfamiliar place.
Ultimately, the idea that a London serial killer would appear in the New World is simply impossible—
"arrive."
"..."
Looking at the area shrouded in mist ahead, the magician stared blankly for a long time before finally consoling himself as if accepting something: "Since it's a singularity, then this kind of thing is understandable, right, Mash?"
"senior?"
The junior student, caught off guard by the question, was a little confused, but nodded in response to her true feelings: "Yes, a singularity is a collection of strange things, and anything can happen at any time."
"Speaking of which, are we just going to go in like this?"
After surveying the area covered by the mist, Robin Hood whistled, "Such a large-scale barrier... the opponent is not someone you can easily deal with, and they're hiding inside the mist..."
"The fog is poisonous."
Nezha withdrew his hand from the mist, probably sensing something using the power of a heroic spirit.
"This level of toxicity is nothing to me and Prince Nezha, but it already poses a threat to you, Master. Why don't you stay here and wait?"
"You probably don't know where that girl 'Abigail' is, do you?"
"I really don't know, but as long as we find the owner of the mist..."
"Then I'll lead the way."
He smiled at the two heroic spirits and said, "After all, I'm more familiar with this place."
You used the word "persuasion" on the characters Robin Hood and Nezha.
[Attribute determination in progress...]
[Charm (10) + Persuasion (10) + "Root Cause" bonus (999), you have successfully persuaded the other party]
P.S.: 800 blades (a metaphor for threats), I'm hesitating whether to close the bounty...
The Great Old Ones: Chapter 908 Salem the Heretic (7)
With your trusted friends by your side, you venture into the depths of the fog.
[A pungent, burning smell, like coal, assaults your nostrils. Although you've experienced it before, you still can't get used to it, and as a result, your mental state slightly declines.]
Mental (Intelligence): 98/100 (Status: Unwell)
You picked up your only weapon, a crowbar, and cautiously observed your surroundings as you moved forward.
Suddenly, you hear that laughter again...
at the same time.
"Did you hear that?"
A sound came from one side of the mist—although the distance between them was less than five meters, in this density of mist, let alone five meters, it was estimated that one would "disappear" if one were to move one meter away. Only heroic spirits with their own special abilities could identify directions and locations in this environment.
For safety reasons, Robin Hood, who is more accustomed to the methods of assassins, moves around in the vicinity rather than following three "ordinary people" like Nezha, so as to be able to counterattack the moment the "murderer" makes a move.
"What an innocent and naive laugh."
Fujimaru Ritsuka, hearing Robin Hood's exclamation, felt somewhat embarrassed: "Ahaha... Should I say 'innocent' or what should I say..."
Unlike Robin Hood, who was only encountering this Heroic Spirit for the first time, Fujimaru Ritsuka had already faced this historically famous Heroic Spirit in a previous singularity, though in a negative sense.
The killer's origins can be traced back to 19th-century London.
Between August 31, 1888, and two months later, a mysterious figure murdered at least five prostitutes. He is considered the progenitor of theatrical crime due to the signing of letters and dismembered organs he sent to newspapers. This perpetrator of such horrific crimes is one of the world's most infamous serial killers, yet on the other hand, he is shrouded in mystery, leaving no concrete evidence beyond the corpses, and even his race and gender remain undetermined.
From this "legend" evolved the Heroic Spirit: Jack the Ripper.
She is one of the Servants summoned with the Assassin class. Because her true form is the resentment of tens of thousands of abandoned children, she manifests in the form of a young girl. While retaining a childlike innocence, she is also made cruel by the influence of resentment… or rather, for every young child who has not yet developed a clear sense of good and evil, so-called “cruelty” might be at least a form of amusement. As the embodiment of children’s resentment, Jack the Ripper at least amplifies this “innocence” and “cruelty” to the extreme, ultimately becoming—
"A pure killer."
"Eh?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the "investigator" beside her in surprise, somewhat puzzled. It wasn't impossible for a Heroic Spirit to know Jack the Ripper—although this mist would erase the memories of "Jack the Ripper" of those trapped within it, thus creating convenient conditions for murder, this wasn't absolute. Those with sufficiently high magic resistance or Masters like him who had once made a pact with Jack the Ripper could retain the relevant memories.
But this "investigator"... isn't he an ordinary person?
"I only said that I am not a Heroic Spirit."
Noticing the magician's surprised gaze, Lin Yi calmly explained, "I never said I was an ordinary person. Besides, do you think a group of ordinary people could migrate thousands of miles from Asia to the center of Europe without being rejected or expelled? Humanity in this era is far less civilized than you imagine..."
Fujimaru Ritsuka was speechless.
After all, the infamous "Witch Trial" occurred in Salem in 1692. While civilization certainly existed, superstition and blind obedience, deeply ingrained by history, still played a significant role. Even the fog of "murderers" they were now entering was one manifestation of the widespread "blind obedience" prevalent in 19th-century London. If people hadn't spread rumors about "murderers," the legend wouldn't have had the power to create a legendary figure like Jack the Ripper.
Just as Fujimaru Ritsuka was lost in thought, she suddenly caught a glimpse of Mash's shoulder out of the corner of her eye—
Because of the danger of the mist, and because Mash Kyrielight had lost her Demi-Servant abilities, the two walked almost side by side, and at this distance, they could still vaguely see some things.
And now, all Fujimaru Ritsuka sees is a hand.
— Petite and fair-skinned, like the palm of an eleven or twelve-year-old child.
At that very moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly remembered one of Jack the Ripper's signature skills.
Intelligence erasure: B
At the moment the battle ends, all information, including the memories and records of witnesses and opponents, as well as her abilities, real name, and physical characteristics, will disappear.
Because of the contract they had made, Fujimaru Ritsuka could remember some of Jack the Ripper's abilities even after the battle, but this "part" was incomplete. For example, he had just forgotten one thing—Jack the Ripper, being the embodiment of the resentment of a child abandoned by her parents, had a strong desire to return to the womb. In other words, her target would prioritize "women".
"Mash—!!!"
"Eh?"
In terms of "strength" alone, Jack the Ripper, who is known for his agility, is only a C-rank, which is not considered very powerful among Heroic Spirits. However, even with only a C-rank stat, he is still no match for Mash Kyrielight, who has lost her Demi-Servant powers.
In just a moment, the girl was pulled into the depths of the mist and disappeared.
Nezha, who was guarding the area, chased after them without hesitation. Robin Hood, who was about to act, cursed under his breath but had no choice but to stay behind to protect the two.
"Mash...no, I have to go find her!"
"Do you think you can keep up in this situation?"
Lin Yi didn't feel much about losing a "friend"—in essence, everything here was just a false reconstruction. Whether he won or the "Outer God" won, everything here would disappear. Leaving before that point made no difference.
Comparatively, he was more concerned about the strange aura emanating from that "Jack the Ripper" figure he had glimpsed just moments before...
He bent down and groped around, finding a shallow footprint. As he pressed his palm on it, he heard a "narrator's" voice.
You used the "Investigate" function on the remaining clues.
[Attribute determination in progress...]
[Reason (Mental) 98+ Knowledge 8 Witch? Forest 9 3 Stroll j?i〥u] (50) + "Special Attack on the Root Side" (999), you discovered "clues left behind by the murderer"]
Like in an RPG game, a straight line of blood suddenly appeared in the previously misty view, leading into the distance. After hesitating for a moment...
"...Now, I think I know where she is."
ps1: 1240 pieces...
The Great Old Ones: Chapter 909 Salem the Heretic (8Qi Lin 〡 Dad's Dirty Private VI 〆卅Q Shrimp『Qi Qi)
Following the clues left by the killer, you arrive at an abandoned manor.
The manor looked like it hadn't been lived in for a long time; abandoned objects were scattered haphazardly, covered in a thick layer of dust. You reached out and brushed aside an obstacle in front of you, only to find a spider coiled in its web, staring at you. This sent a chill down your spine, and you decided to find your missing friend and leave this place as soon as possible.
As you push open the creaking wooden door and explore the interior of the manor, you smell a familiar scent...
[Attribute determination in progress... Verification passed]
[You remember now, when you found the unconscious girl in the underground prison not long ago, you also smelled this scent—a strong, pungent smell, like the metallic stench of blood.]
You feel uneasy, but fortunately you are not alone this time, so your unease has not had a significant impact on your mental health.
Mental (Intelligence): 95/100 (Status: Uneasy)
Listening to the "narrator's" speech, Lin Yi had a preliminary calculation of the value of these "heroic spirits".
First, they exist as spirits—of course, now they have an additional physical body, but this does not prevent them from fulfilling their role as excellent "cannon fodder" among renewable resources, just like how they attracted the attention of the killer to create the possibility and clues for their own escape or counterattack.
Secondly, as long as they accompany him, the "young investigator" in the "narration" will not be so unstable in mental state, and even if he encounters some unexpected situation, his rationality will not suddenly drop to twenty points like in the underground prison... Although we don't know what will happen if his rationality drops to zero, it is best to try to avoid it.
Finally, as "Heroic Spirits," no matter how weak they may be—
"Bam—!"
The wooden planks overhead suddenly shattered, their scorching heat pushing aside the surrounding mist. In that brief moment, Lin Yi could see the three people fighting, as well as the unconscious Mash Kyrielight beside them.
—Their power is not something ordinary people can contend with.
"He took Mashu away from Master; this guy seems to be obsessed with women—"
While hiding in the distance and using his crossbow to harass the "petite girl" draped in black, Robin Hood shouted to Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was still reeling from the explosion, before charging into their battle.
Unlike Prince Nezha and Robin Hood, who were limited by their physical bodies and unable to exert their full strength, the silver-haired, petite Jack the Ripper still possessed the combat power of a spirit, and even seemed to have been enhanced for some unknown reason. Even when facing the siege of two heroic spirits, he was not at a disadvantage at all, and gradually suppressed the two in the increasingly fierce "demolition activity".
"Mash—!"
Run to the side of the purple-haired girl who had fallen into a coma, Fujimaru Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that she was still breathing. He helped her up and was about to leave the manor when he was surprised to find that the "investigator" who was with him did not intend to escape with him.
“That—Mr. Investigator!”
At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka realized that she didn't even know the name of this "investigator," and she had to find out more later! But before that, the most important thing was to escape, as it was far too dangerous for an ordinary person to be caught up in the battle of Heroic Spirits.
Although he wasn't looking in his direction, the "investigator" seemed to have read his thoughts and spoke quickly: "In this environment, with just the two of us carrying an unconscious person, the chance of us escaping alive is less than 1%. If we don't take advantage of the fact that we still have two cannons—our combat power—to hold the line and find a way to deal with her, we'll all die."
After Lin Yi's reminder, the magician, who had been in a state of confusion due to Mashu's unconsciousness, gradually calmed down.
In a normal setting, or if one's own heroes had the upper hand, it would be perfectly acceptable to leave now, since staying here would only cause trouble for them. The problem is that they are now deep in this mist, and it would be difficult for them to escape on their own. If two heroes who are clearly at a disadvantage are defeated at this time, one can imagine what their fate will be.
"I understand."
Nodding vigorously, Fujimaru Ritsuka, realizing there was no escape, stretched out her right hand into the distance: "Lancer, in the name of the Command Spell, I command you—unleash your Noble Phantasm!"
"Order, understood!"
Nezha, caught in the entanglement, broke away from the battlefield, stepping on the Wind and Fire Wheels that appeared from "mythology," and disappeared from the sky above in less than a few breaths.
Of course, this doesn't mean she has fled the battlefield, but rather—
"Earth-Flying Spirit - Fire-Tipped Spear—!!!"
The spear that circled the fire wheel fell straight to the ground, accompanied by a terrifying roar. The crimson flames almost completely burned the entire manor to the ground, and "Jack the Ripper," who was originally inside, was instantly engulfed by the flames.
……
A few seconds later, Lin Yi got up from the ground. Most of the mist around him had been blown away by the release of the magic weapon, and the remaining mist had been almost completely burned by the high temperature, which made his vision much clearer.
Not far away, Fujimaru Ritsuka helped Mash up and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the still-burning center of the manor in the distance.
"Being hit head-on by such a military-level Noble Phantasm should mean they've already been destroyed..."
"Maybe."
"Gazing" at the "bloodline" that still faintly appeared in his line of sight leading to the center of the manor, Lin Yi bypassed several larger wrecks without entering.
The attack from the anti-military Noble Phantasm unsurprisingly burned the entire manor to the ground—understandably so, given its anti-military purpose. If it weren't for the physical limitations preventing it from unleashing its full power, its destructive force would likely be about twice as strong. Even so, the residual heat remained unbearable.
Ignoring his continuously decreasing "Constitution" stat, Lin Yi walked to the blackened ground left by the flames, and the crowbar in his hand finally came in handy. After digging for a while, he found half a tattered cloak in the still warm ruins, which was none other than the one Jack the Ripper had worn not long ago.
Of course, Lin Yi's target wasn't this thing, but rather a yellowed page inside the half of the cloak.
The power of "language proficiency" endowed Lin Yi with the ability to understand it.
—A single burst of fire can burn everything, but if things perish, what remains of the fire?
Ordinary words written on ordinary pages, yet everything is overturned the moment they are interpreted.
[Mysticism (50) + Archaeology (50) + Philology (50)]
[Test passed]
You—gazing into the abyss.