Chapter 537 Black Holy City

  For everyone, walking among such ruins is not a big deal. Even Mary, who was a little uneasy at first, gradually calmed down after a long walk, and because of this, Mary discovered some abnormal phenomena that she hadn't noticed before.

   "Mr. Duanmu, there seems to be nothing here??"

"Um?"

   "No, I mean..."

  While talking, Mary held a flashlight and shone on the surrounding ground. There was nothing on the smooth floor except some dust. This is normal, but in a ruin, this is somewhat abnormal.

   "There are no remains, and there are no decorations... Is this normal?"

  That’s right, Mary also visited the ruins with her teacher before. Generally speaking, in the ruins of such a large building complex, there will be remains or even the remains of some civilized objects left by the predecessors. But it was as clean as if it had been cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, nothing was left behind.

   "Oh, it's not normal to put it in other places, but it's normal to put it here."

  Duanmuhuai quickly gave the answer.

   "Huh? Why?"

   "Didn't I just say that? The ancients couldn't leave this planet due to physical degradation. Then, they encountered a little trouble and then became extinct."

   "Is it a disease? Or a plague?"

   "Hehe, neither."

   Duanmuhuai shook his head.

   "It's a rebellion."

   "...rebellion??"

"That's right, you've also seen that such a large building complex, and the ancients came here for vacation, it is impossible to be stupid enough to build a house by themselves, so they used their knowledge to create a kind of building called Shoggoth. Creatures as servants, this stuff... well, it's disgusting, you can think of it as a moldy jelly with countless eyes and a body that can deform anywhere."

   "Woo..."

  Just by imagining it, Mary said... It's really disgusting.

"All in all, the Shoggoths rebelled later, and the old ones with degenerated bodies couldn't beat or run away, so they were finished. As for their corpses and other things, they were naturally swallowed by Shoggoths—— And then there's no more after that."

   "And what about the Shoggoth?"

   "Oh, right down here."

  While speaking, Duanmuhuai clenched his cane tightly and knocked on the ground, the heavy impact echoed in the dead hall. His attitude was so taken for granted that Mary didn't even react for a moment.

"………Why???"

   "Just down here."

   “…………Are you kidding me?”

Mary stopped and looked at the solid and smooth stone slab under her feet. She didn't know if it was influenced by the story Duan Muhuai told. She seemed to be able to feel something rustling under the thick stone slab. It was wriggling, and the thing itself came from tens of millions of years before human beings were born...

   "Okay, this is not important at the moment, we should bring your friend back as soon as possible."

  Speaking of this, Duanmuhuai also stopped, and Mary raised her head, only to realize that they had passed through the corridor at some point and came to a heavy, sealed door. Duanmu Huai stretched out his hand, pressed it against the cold and heavy door, and then let out a low growl.

"open!"

   "Boom, boom, boom—"

  The stone door opened in response, and at the same time, it seemed to have attracted the attention of some kind of existence, but in the blink of an eye, suddenly, a series of ear-piercing and strange screams came from all directions.

   "This, this is?"

   "Well, it seems that the other party is obviously waiting impatiently..."

  Duanmuhuai clenched his cane tightly and snorted coldly.

   "Lorena, get ready to do it."

   "Of course, Master Knight!"

Hearing Duanmuhuai's words, Lorena nodded, and then Mary saw the girl suddenly open the scripture in her hand, and the next moment a dazzling brilliance emerged from it, turning the heavy protective clothing that Lorena was wearing into a A set of white gold trim that looked like a clergyman's garment. At the same time, Lorena clenched her fists and stood at the door with her back to them.

   "Leave it to me!"

   "Wait, wait, Miss Lorena, this is..."

"Okay, don't worry, this little trouble will not be a big problem for Lorena, but you will have problems staying here, go in, remember, you have only one goal, don't forget !"

  After the voice fell, Duan Muhuai stretched out Mary's hand and pushed Mary into the gate. The next moment, her eyes were suddenly dark. With a loud "boom", everything seemed to have returned to its original silence.

   "Mr. Duanmu? Miss Lorena???"

  Mary held the flashlight in her hand and looked around blankly, but when she looked around, there was only darkness in front of her eyes.

   No, it's not pitch black.

  Mary's right eye, the golden pupil, sees through the dark essence.

  That's...the steps, hovering upwards, seeming to lead all the way to the sky.

   At the same time, Duanmu Huai's voice sounded in Mary's ears again.

  Remember, you have only one goal, don't forget it.

  …………

  That's right, I have only one goal, whether it's in the dark streets of the foggy city, or in the snow-swept Antarctica, or even now...

   "Charlie, wait for me, I'll come to you now."

   "Da da da da da da..."

  The crisp footsteps echoed on the dead stairs, and Mary strode upwards. Although she didn't know where to go, she knew and was very clear about her goal, the goal she was looking for.

   is at the end.

  Obviously I was running, and I didn't know that I ran up the steps of hundreds of meters, but unexpectedly, I didn't feel tired at all, let alone panting. It's as if this is not reality, but a dream. Or maybe Miss Lorena's exercise played a role?

  However, compared to footsteps and fatigue, the oncoming darkness brought another change to the girl's mood.

  It is the echo and memory of the past.

  My mother, the mother who is a master's degree, bids farewell to me at the airport.

   "That's all right, be a good boy with good words and deeds, Mary."

   "I know, I'm no longer a child, and I'm fine with being alone, so mother should work hard there. Take care, mother."

   "Ah, you too, Mary..."

  In this way, the mother left her, lost her father, and the mother and daughter who had been dependent on each other since childhood were also separated, but Mary knew very well that the mother just abandoned her. She chose her job over her daughter...

   Don't leave me, mother.

  Looking at the airship going away, the only thing the girl can say is a whisper in her heart.

   Don't leave me alone...!

  “…………”

   Footsteps stopped.

Mary's eyes widened in surprise. At this moment, her whole body trembled involuntarily. The memory that she no longer wanted to recall two years ago turned into a nightmare at this moment, controlling her emotions from the inside out. Body. That was the wail of my young self two years ago.

   Please, mother, don't leave me, don't leave me alone, it's scary and lonely...

  However, at this moment...

"what are you doing."

   A man's voice came again.

   Low, familiar man's voice.

   "Don't forget, you have only one purpose."

   "Exactly."

  Hearing this, Mary was taken aback, and her body, which was tired like a bad omen before, seemed to be much more relaxed.

   It’s not over yet, I’m not here to end it!

  The girl raised her head again, moved forward, and walked up the steps.

   Forward, keep going.

   Then, she saw it.

  A friend with blond hair, emerald green eyes, and a gentle face, she stood in the altar, wearing a dark dress that seemed to be woven from the surrounding darkness.

   "Charlie..."

  Even though she had foreseen this scene countless times, Mary still didn't know what to say when she saw her friend's gesture in front of her. And she also noticed that her friend's left eye, like her own right eye, had turned into a golden... golden pupil.

   "...Long time no see, Mary, to be honest, I didn't expect you to come here."

  The calm and gentle tone as always, as if they are currently preparing afternoon tea at Mrs. Leeds restaurant.

   "Charlie, why on earth are you doing this? What are you doing for?"

  Looking at her friend, Mary finally raised her inner question.

   And she finally got Xia Li's answer.

   "...Because I don't want to lose you."

  “………”

   "I'm scared that maybe tomorrow will be like that."

  “……”

   "So, I don't need a future."

  “……”

   "As long as today is fine, as long as the present is fine. I don't need the future. Instead of losing you, why don't you stay here, Mary?"

  While talking, Charlie raised her hand and pointed at Mary.

   "My wish has been fulfilled, to meet you in this Shaernos where I should be alone. So, please, stay."

  Accompanied by Xia Li's words, the darkness squirmed, twisted, and condensed on her white fingertips, turning into a sharp blade.

   "Stay in the eternal today... Only in this way can we be protected, isn't it?"

   "But...but..."

  Looking at the friend in front of her, Mary clenched her teeth.

   "No one is here, so is Axie, and so are everyone. It's just me and you here, Xia Li."

   "Exactly."

  Hearing Mary's answer, Charlie lowered her eyes.

  "You are much gentler than me. I have given up everything but you, but don't worry, Mary, I knew you would say that..."

   Having said this, Xia Li raised her long sword and pointed at Mary.

   "I will tear your thorns and pierce you with mine, and you will stay here with me for eternity. So... stay here with me! Please, Mary!!"

  Accompanied by the girl's hoarse scream, the next moment, the black blade pierced towards Mary's chest.

  (end of this chapter)