Chapter Ninety-Six: Trying Your Best, Huh? I Understand

A simple observation reveals that at the site of the opened wound on the right arm of the [Soul], several silver needles, embedded under the skin, are arranged in a specific formation. Though Vilyric doesn’t quite comprehend the specifics, it’s easy to guess that they’re from an Oracle or someone else present who has taken measures to respond.

Their purpose is undoubtedly to slow the infiltration speed of the curse from the [Faceless One]. The urgency to summon Yuna likely stems from a desire to leverage the Saint of Bright Light’s power for healing.

After all, this is one of the priest’s core competencies. Even if she isn’t as skilled in healing as the Redeeming Saintess, Yuna, as the head Saintess, surely isn’t lacking in her healing abilities.

In fact, since Vilyric arrived, even while speaking, the Saintess’s hand has remained slightly raised, continuously pouring warm golden light over the Gray-clothed Swordsman’s wounds, suppressing their loss and spread.

Meanwhile, the silent Ferryman, who hasn’t even uttered a half-sentence, seems to be doing something similar, though he places a hand on the [Soul]’s right shoulder, emitting a faint gray glow.

However, as a more skilled healer, Vilyric sees straight through the essence of these actions.

They’re merely trying to maintain the overall water level in a teapot with a hole in the bottom by continuously pouring water in, preventing it from quickly drying up. Yet, such methods are clearly just a temporary fix, not a fundamental solution.

“Can’t you completely eradicate and heal the curse on this wound? By the way… the Grim Reaper’s Scythe is actually your disciple? How did they end up in the United Kingdom?”

Upon hearing this, the old man sighed weakly.

“Alas, it’s fate, destined to have such a calamity… I never expected it to manifest here…”

“The spirits and Lotus you summoned outside, Miss Xī must have also encountered them. In fact, these individuals are all successors I’ve cultivated from a young age to inherit the Merchant Association. My secret techniques conflict with the heavens, and to avoid backlash, I had to abandon their real names and refer to them by code names, and I too…”

“Years ago, when their abilities began to show promise, I divined the heavens and learned that the [Soul] would face a life-and-death calamity within the Holy Empire. To avoid the calamity and to allow them to gain experience, I sent them away temporarily.”

“In my divinations, that life-and-death calamity should have been avoided years ago, and with recent matters approaching in the Association, I summoned them back. Who would’ve thought the heavens would throw such a wrench… Alas, it’s my lack of skill that has harmed this child.”

As this was said, there was a rare moment where the usually taciturn Ferryman, silently standing behind the [Soul] and providing treatment to his companion, finally took the initiative to speak.

“Master need not blame himself; it is merely the fate of this kid. Moreover, while your instructions were to investigate the situation, he insisted on relentlessly pursuing an unclear enemy, attempting to resolve the issue in one go, which actually led to the swift deterioration of the situation. His experience as an adventurer gave him familiarity, but it also made him arrogant and underestimate the mysteries of the world; ultimately, it was self-inflicted.”

“Alas, that’s true…”

Listening to their conversation, Miss White Fox gradually understood the sequence of events.

Come to think of it, this old coot was always babbling about the heavens like a fortune-teller. When you ask him, he just goes, “Oh ho ho, the heavens cannot be revealed…” It’s hilariously annoying, but if that’s the case, it’s likely a similar ability to Mona’s [Revelation], a certain capability that can predict the future to some extent, right?

However, the little princess could see it naturally, while the Oracle acquired it through the training of some secret techniques, thus paying a corresponding price.

Vilyric glanced over at the Saintess, who was still maintaining basic healing.

It appeared Yuna was somewhat at a loss regarding this wound. Or maybe she has a method, but it’s not without cost. For instance… that item she seemingly never uses but wears on her head at all times, the Crown of Uncrowned.

Well, whatever.

Since I’m here and considering my current relationship with the Lingyin Merchant Association, it wouldn’t do to just watch the [Soul] die and become a Faceless One. Let’s just do the old man a favor.

“How about I take a look at this guy?”

Seeing Miss White Fox take the initiative to speak, everyone present understood her intention as the Oracle let out a soft sigh and stepped aside.

“Alas… life and death are fated, Miss Xī, just do your best. There’s no need to force yourself.”

“Mm, mm ~ I’ll try my best, I understand ~”

The girl stepped a few steps forward.

Considering the independence of the identity of Xī, Vilyric didn’t act as she normally would by immediately casting [Info Detection]. Instead, she raised her hand and summoned a dark, deep orb that seemed to exude an endless aura of magic. With a wave of her small hand, the orb floated up and hovered three inches above the Gray-clothed Swordsman’s head.

“Buzz ~!”

An almost irresistible surge of extraordinary magic instantly spread out, completely enveloping the Soul like a sealing chamber.

The overwhelming aura unleashed not only caused the [Soul], who was deep in meditation to resist the curse’s encroachment, to tremble instinctively, but even the Saint of Bright Light and the Ferryman, who were still pouring power into him, were also pushed back by that tremendous force, their illuminating powers instantly severed with a “pop”!

The powerful Yuna was somewhat affected but merely paused momentarily before regaining her composure with elegance. However, the Ferryman was directly knocked back several steps and would have crashed into the bookshelf behind him if the Oracle hadn’t reached out to steady him.

This was all while the orb wasn’t intentionally targeting anyone, but was merely isolating external forces.

“Ahem, this treasure is terrifying. What in the world is this…”

It seems that no matter how indifferent the Ferryman’s nature, when faced with an experience that nearly surpassed the limits of imagination— the power of a genuine artifact— he couldn’t help but reveal the astonishment of an ordinary person.

Yet, the Oracle silently shook his head at him, signaling him to remain quiet and not probe any further, refocusing his attention on the orb that radiated endless deep magic, as if examining something earnestly.

Ignoring the reactions of the others, or perhaps because Vilyric had already seen them, she was completely unbothered by the surprised or shocked gazes, openly manipulating the magic artifact and attempting to adjust… treat the Soul.

Magic and soul sound similar, but in reality, they are entirely different kinds of powers. According to the Holy Academy’s theory, the former, while intangible, fundamentally belongs to material energy, whereas the latter is completely void energy.

So theoretically speaking, even if the magic contained in the magic orb is vast, it cannot convert into the void energy required by the soul.

However, this is for the pre-evolved magic orb.

Although Vilyric herself doesn’t quite understand what’s happening, after unknowingly repairing the magic orb by infusing magical power and bringing it to the level of a low-level artifact, this item that once belonged to the God Olivya seems to have evolved with a brand new ability.

Just like players who reach level 100 and can use SP and ultimate skills, once any equipment is upgraded to be classified as an [Artifact], regardless of quality, it will have abilities that need SP to activate or are related to it.

It seems that the native equipment in this world is similarly affected.

The dark floating orb exuded invisible ripples, completely covering the form of the Gray-clothed Swordsman, and the White Fox Girl, connected to the magic orb through her thoughts, also immediately closed her silver-blue translucent eyes beneath her mask.

At this moment, the Soul’s spirit world was connected to a certain Priestess through the artifact as a medium.

So let’s take a look and see just what this supposedly terrifying [Faceless Curse] really has in store ~

   

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