A Core Ship From The Start Chapter 732

Chapter 732: Chapter 536: The Holy City of Black_1 Chapter 732: Chapter 536: The Holy City of Black_1 For everyone, walking through such ruins wasn't a big deal. Even Mary, who was initially uneasy, gradually calmed down after a lengthy journey. It was because of this that Mary discovered some anomalies that she had not previously noticed.

“Mr. Duanmu, there seems to be… nothing here?”

“Huh?”

“No, what I mean is…”

As Mary spoke, she pointed the flashlight around. The smooth floor was only covered with some dust, nothing else, which seemed normal. But in ruins, this was rather abnormal.

“There are no remains or any kinds of decorative items… Is this normal?”

Indeed, Mary had also surveyed ruins with her teacher in the past. Generally, in large architectural ruins, there would be remains or even remnants of civilization left by people before. However, these ruins were so clean that it was as if they had been vacuumed, with nothing left behind.

“Well, this would be abnormal anywhere else, but here it's quite normal.”

Duanmu Huai quickly provided an answer.

“Huh? Why?”

“Didn't I tell you earlier? The Ancients, due to their decaying bodies, couldn't leave this planet. Then they ran into a little trouble, and eventually, they were extinct.”

“Was it disease? Or plague?”

“Heh, neither.”

Duanmu Huai shook his head.

“It was rebellion.”

“…Rebellion?”

“Yes, as you can see, such a large architectural complex was not built by the Ancients for vacation. They made use of their knowledge and created a creature known as Shoggs to serve as their servant. This thing…well, was very disgusting. You can imagine it as a bundle of moldy, rotten jelly, with countless eyes and a body that could turn into anything.”

“Uh…”

Just imaging it made Mary feel…incredibly sick.

“Anyway, the Shoggs eventually revolted. The decaying Ancients couldn't defeat them nor escape from them, and so, they ended their existence. Their corpses and other things naturally ended up inside the bodies of the Shoggs – and that was the end.”

“What about the Shoggs then?”

“Oh, they're right underneath here.”

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai tightly held onto his cane and knocked the floor. The heavy knocking noise echoed through the silent hall. His attitude was so natural that Mary didn't have time to react.

“…What???”

“Right underneath here.”

“… Are you kidding?”

Mary stopped in her tracks and looked at the solid, smooth stone slab beneath her feet. Whether it was because of the story narrated by Duanmu Huai, she felt as if there was something writhing underneath the thick stone slab. And that thing was from tens of millions of years ago, before the birth of humankind…

“Alright, this isn't important right now, let's retrieve your friend as soon as possible.”

Upon saying this, Duanmu Huai came to a halt. Mary looked up to realize that they had unknowingly crossed the corridor and arrived in front of a heavy, sealed door. Duanmu Huai reached out and placed his hand on the cold, heavy door panel, and then let out a growl.

“Open!”

“Boom…”

The stone door opened in response, seemingly attracting an entity's attention. Abruptly, a series of piercingly eerie screams came from all around them.

“What, what is that?”

“Well, it seems like they're also getting impatient…”

Duanmu Huai tightened his grip on his cane and let out a cold huff.

“Lorena, get ready to fight.”

“Of course, Sir Knight!”

Hearing Duanmu Huai's instruction, Lorena nodded and Mary saw the girl bang open the Holy Canon in her hand. A dazzling light emerged from the book, transforming the heavy protective suit that Lorena was wearing into white, gold-trimmed garments like those worn by the Clergy. Meanwhile, Lorena clenched her fists and stood at the doorway, with her back to them.

“Please, leave it to me!”

“Wait, wait, Miss Lorena, this is…”

“Alright, don't worry, this little trouble won't be a problem for Lorena. It's you staying here that will be a problem. So get in there, remember, you only have one goal, don't forget it!”

As his words faded, Mary was pushed into the room by Duanmu Huai. The next second, everything in front of her was pitch black. Along with a loud “Boom”, everything seemed to return to its original silence.

“Mr. Duanmu? Miss Lorena???”

Mary held her flashlight, looking around baffled. However, as far as she could see, all she saw was pitch black.

No, not pitch black.

Mary's right eye, with the Golden Pupil, penetrated the nature of this darkness.

Those were… stairs that wound up endlessly as if leading towards the sky above.

At the same time, Duanmu Huai's voice once again echoed in Mary's ear.

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

Yes, my only goal, whether it's in the dark streets of Fog City, or the snowy Antarctic, or even now…

“Shirley, wait for me, I am coming to find you now.”

“Tap, tap, tap, tap…”

The crisp sound of footsteps echoed on the silent staircase. Mary raced up the stairs. Though she didn't know where she was going, she knew, she was very clear about her target, the target she was searching for.

It was right at the end.

She was running, sprinting up hundreds of steps without knowing how many were behind her — surprisingly, she felt no fatigue, nor did she gasp for air. It felt as if this was not reality, but a dream. Or maybe Miss Lorena's training was kicking in?

However, it was not her steps or tiredness that surprised her, it was rather the evolving darkness that brought a different twist to her world.

The echoes and memories of the past.

The memory of her mother, a scholar, saying goodbye at the airport.

“That's enough now, be good and behave well, Mary.”

“I understand, I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle being alone, so you just work hard over there. Take care of yourself, mom.”

“Ah, you, too, Mary…”

Just like that, her mother left her, and having already lost her father, Mary suddenly found herself alone. But Mary clearly knew, her mother had merely abandoned her, choosing her work over her own daughter…

Please don't leave me, Mother.

Watching the departing airship, the only words the young girl could utter were her inner whispers.

Please don't leave me alone…!

The steps halted.

Mary opened her eyes wide in surprise. In that moment, her entire body began to shake involuntarily. The memory she swore she would never revisit suddenly turned into a nightmare, overwhelming her senses and seizing control of her body with the wails of her younger self from two years ago.

Please, mom, don't leave me, don't leave me alone. It's so scary alone, so lonely…

At that very moment…

“What are you doing?”

The man's voice resonated in her ear again.

The deep and familiar voice of that man.

“Don't forget, you only have one goal.”

“Yes.”

At these words, Mary was jolted awake. Her previously fatigue-ridden body somehow felt much lighter.

It's not over yet. I didn't come here to end it like this!

Lifting her head once more, the young girl took the next step forward.

Moving forward, continuing to move ahead.

Then she saw her.

A friend stood amidst the altar with golden hair, emerald green eyes, a gentle face, wearing a stark black dress weaved from the surrounding darkness.

“Shirley….”

Despite many premonitions of the scene unfolding before her, Mary was at a loss for words at the sight of her friend in such a state. She also noticed the left eye of her friend was the same gold color as her right — a golden pupil.

“… It's been a while, Mary. To be honest, I didn't think you'd come here.”

Even now, she spoke with the same calm, gentle tone, as if they were going to Lady Liz's restaurant to enjoy afternoon tea.

“Shirley, why are you doing this? What is it for?”

Looking at her friend, Mary finally voiced her inner doubts.

And then, she finally received Shirley's reply.

“…Because I don't want to lose you.”

“I'm scared. Maybe tomorrow will be like that.”

“So I don't need the future.”

“Just today is enough, just now is enough. I don't need the future, rather than losing you…. won't you stay here with me, Mary?”

As she spoke, Shirley raised her hand, pointing at Mary.

“My wish has come true. I have met you in Chernus, where I was supposed to be alone. So, please stay here.”

As Shirley spoke, darkness squirmed at her fingertips, twisted, solidified, and formed into a sharp blade.

“To stay in the eternal today… Isn't that the only way to protect us?”

“But…but…”

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

“No one is here, A'Xie isn't here, everyone isn't here, it's just you and me here, Shirley.”

“That's right.”

Hearing Mary's response, Shirley lowered her gaze.

“You're much kinder than me. I've given up everything other than you, but don't worry, Mary. I've known for a long time that you would say that…”

As she said these words, Shirley lifted her longsword, pointing it towards Mary.

“I will break your thorns and pierce you with mine. You will stay here with me forever. So… please stay here with me! Please, Mary!!!”

In sync with the girl's desperate screams, the black blade was suddenly thrust into Mary's chest.

Chapter end

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