https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-786-The-Black-Sun-Tyrant-s-Moment-of-Blessing-Part-2-/12585515/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-788-Lanchi-Listens-to-the-Blood-Clan-s-Mournful-Cry-Part-1-/12585517/
Chapter 787: Lanchi's Second Playthrough
Chapter 787: Lanchi's Second Playthrough
The pain of death permeated Lanchi's entire body, his consciousness on the brink of shattering.
Even though it was just a simulation in the spiritual world, he felt as if he had endured a fierce battle, experiencing not only the defeat that left no bones intact but also the bone-chilling emotions that came with it.
As he stepped out of the Mirror of Tiberius, he stumbled slightly, almost unable to keep his balance.
White light filled the room, and Talia appeared instantly, catching Lanchi and preventing him from falling.
They were in the depths of the Avernus Corridor Academy, in the central energy chamber.
"Lanchi, are you alright?"
Talia now regretted not stopping Lanchi from entering the Mirror of Tiberius.
Legendary artifacts were probably never good news.
She had witnessed the entire process of Pope Saint Soul Ranter's defeat, including the shattering of his indestructible body, the desperate siege, being cut in half, and finally, his remains being displayed.
Now, they were back in the Shadow World.
Talia immediately checked the Shadow World's information.
【Mission Objective 1: Read the letter from an old friend, Caliera; Go to the Infernal City of Pasqual in the Demon World & Protect the little spark that Caliera left behind; Understand the Mirror of Tiberius. (Completed)】
【Mission Objective 2: Understand the state of mind of Black Sun Lanclos: 19.53%. (Completed)】
【Mission Objective 3: All challengers must survive until the 21-day time limit ends, Remaining time: 5 days, 11 hours, 09 minutes.】
Seeing Lanchi's increased understanding of the Black Sun, Talia's heart raced.
Just one experience in the Mirror of Tiberius had brought Lanchi closer to the Black Sun, and even then, it was only at twenty percent?
Talia looked at the cubic magic mirror behind Lanchi, her heart filled with apprehension.
"I'm fine."
Lanchi's eyes still held the haze of one who had just woken up.
Instead of putting on a brave front, he leaned on Talia, sitting on the steps in front of the Mirror of Tiberius.
"Lanchi, do you want to continue looking into the Mirror of Tiberius?"
Talia asked, her concern overriding her knowledge that she probably couldn't stop Lanchi.
It wasn't just an illusion; it was a projection of the future that Lanchi had almost physically experienced.
She sat down next to Lanchi.
"Is 'stopping' even an option for the two of us?"
Lanchi turned his head to look at Talia.
"Indeed..."
Talia understood that whenever she hesitated, Lanchi would be resolute, and when Lanchi hesitated, she would be the decisive one.
So, since the very beginning, when they first participated in the game at Golden Bee Amusement Park, they had been like rivals, always pushing each other to see things through to the end, no matter what.
"Then let's see it through to the end, but please don't ignore me if you're feeling down, okay?"
Talia placed her hand on Lanchi's, trying to warm his icy hand.
Earlier, in the final moments within the Mirror of Tiberius, she had seen Lanchi's state, and it had worried her.
"Master, is that something you would say?"
Lanchi stared at Talia in surprise, questioning her.
When did Master start acting like a little girl?
Talia seemed to realize that touching Lanchi was inappropriate, and she quickly withdrew her hand as if she had been shocked.
After a while,
"Hehe, the more you want me to scold you, the more I won't. Let me show you my gentle side."
Talia met Lanchi's gaze directly and smiled brightly at him.
She didn't seem to be hiding anything.
Efatia had once said that only a sense of contrast would make a man unforgettable.
"..."
Lanchi felt that after returning to the mortal world, he would have to have a serious talk with Efatia.
She had taught her sister some strange things.
At this moment, Lanchi didn't dare to tell Huberian that he had found Miss Efatia, for he feared that Efatia might call him "big brother" when they met, making it awkward for the mother and daughter to get along in the future.
"Don't you think that your idea of wanting to talk to Efatia is very much like the attitude of an older brother to a younger sister?"
Talia, sitting beside him, suddenly asked.
She could hear Lanchi's thoughts as clear as day.
"?"
Lanchi's expression was full of question marks as he listened to Talia's rare attempt at sarcasm.
"Actually, it would be nice if she were your younger sister. Why don't you just accept it?"
Talia's tone was flat, as if she were musing to herself, without any hint of encouragement.
"No, the next time I see Miss Efatia, I must make it clear who's the older and who's the younger."
Lanchi said seriously.
"Efatia, do you think this cup of water will magically float into my hand?"
Talia imitated Lanchi's tone, providing a voiceover.
She felt that this was how Lanchi would sound when bringing up the topic of age and respect.
"Who talks to their classmate's mother like that?"
Lanchi covered his face, finding Talia's words amusing yet exasperating.
He wanted to raise Efatia's status, not lower it.
After a brief chat, Lanchi's spirits lifted considerably.
Several days had passed quickly within the Mirror of Tiberius, while only about two hours had elapsed outside.
On one side of the energy core chamber of the Avernus Corridor Academy, a small figure noticed the change in the cubic mirror. She walked around it and saw Lanchi and Fake Caliera sitting on the steps.
"You're back."
Tamisha looked at Lanchi from a distance and offered a word of welcome.
Even though she might have been welcoming him, it sounded like a statement because she had no intonation in her voice.
Originally, she hadn't planned on speaking, but seeing the state of this illusion demon after he emerged from the six-sided cubic magic mirror, looking as if he had died once, made her a little worried.
She didn't want this illusion demon, whom she had worked so hard to revive, to die again.
Lanchi signaled to Talia with his eyes, indicating that he wanted to go and explain things to Tamisha, and Talia disappeared into the pure white light, understanding his intention.
He stood up from the steps and walked over to Tamisha.
"Tamisha, sorry to have kept you waiting."
Lanchi squatted down and looked at Tamisha at eye level.
"Would you like something to eat?
Tamisha pointed to the four-layer lunch box that was placed to the side. She had only eaten one box herself, and the other two were packed lunches for the illusion demon.
"No need. You already fed me well back in the Corridor. Thanks to your care, I'm alive and well now." Lanchi smiled at Tamisha.
"..." Tamisha was slightly taken aback, as she rarely received such words of gratitude and didn't know how to respond. "Then if you get hungry later, let me know, and we can eat together. You have to eat properly, or else you might collapse again," she said.
"In that case, promise me that you'll also take care of yourself and eat properly at noon. Otherwise, your teachings won't be very convincing, and I won't feel like eating either," Lanchi replied, pointing to the lunch box, implying that Tamisha might need to finish another box to fill her stomach.
"Okay." Tamisha nodded.
After their brief exchange, Lanchi turned around and walked towards the deep purple mirror-like magic conductor behind him, its surface resembling an abyss.
"You've gotten pretty close with her, to the point where she's willing to face you in her true form," Talia said in Lanchi's mind.
Lanchi's attitude was admirable. Despite the intense experience he had just gone through, he was now speaking gently to a child. He was completely unlike those adults who would take out their bad moods on children.
Indeed, he would make a great teacher and, one day, a wonderful father.
"Tamisha is indeed a good child. She has her father's resilience and her mother's gentleness," Lanchi said with a hint of sadness.
Every time he saw Tamisha, he was reminded of the seemingly aloof but actually sincere Fog Lord and the diligent and talented Demon Clan genius, Zhenye Qing.
"I also think Tamisha is adorable," Talia agreed.
Tamisha was just like a little Talia.
"Pfft," Lanchi almost laughed out loud.
Unless Talia could turn into a little gray cat, he might agree with her statement.
"In your dreams! Even if it means starving to death outside Boss Cat's restaurant, I will never turn into a little gray cat for you to pet!" Talia declared to Lanchi.
This wasn't the first time Lanchi had thought about it, but Talia would never let him pet her like that!
After a brief moment, Lanchi returned to the steps in front of the Tiberius Mirror.
The air at the edge of the mirror rippled slightly due to the faint ripples of the void force, and magic began to dance gently on the calm mirror surface.
Lanchi raised his hand and placed it on the mirror, leaning forward so that his figure merged with the mirror and was enveloped by the void surrounded by deep purple light.
Then, once again, Lanchi felt himself rapidly falling from the sea of stars, with light and color intertwining from time to time.
As the falling speed slowed down, gravity pressed heavily on his body, and dazzling white light burst forth from the exit, rushing towards him.
All of this transformed into comprehensible textual information that flooded into his mind.
[Downhanging Future Illusion]
[Activation Successful]
[Remaining Uses: 1]
[Name: Lanclos St. Anastasius]
[Current State: Ninth Tier]
[Attributes: Seal/Light]
[Spells: Undead Eternal Punishment, Amalgamated Edict, Radiant Corona, Eternal Radiant Destruction, Indestructible Glass Body... Last Place of Gentleness.]
[Accessories: Honing Empire Test Site Dog Tag, Loser's Broken Blade, Nameless Ring, Farwalker's Pocket Watch, Warmth of the Witch's Companion, Grait Stone Crest... Saint Soul Lanche Silver Mask.]
[Character attributes have been recorded]
[Divination Result: Death is imminent]
[Departure Location: Demon World, Infernal City Pasqual, Suburbs, Avernus Corridor Academy]
[Lifespan Remaining: 5 days, 11 hours, 06 minutes]
After this text had flooded into Lanchi's mind, he felt less dizzy than the previous time.
He closed his eyes, calmly sensing his surroundings.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself sitting in the principal's office of the Avernus Corridor Academy.
The bitter cold wind outside still carried scattered snowflakes, swirling relentlessly in the sky of Infernal City Pasqual, and the pale sunlight, mixed with golden hues, shone into the office.
It seemed to be noon in Infernal City.
Not far away, on the window glass, there was still a reflection of that face wearing the silver-white mask, as if it were branded onto his face. The clear and cold emerald green eyes were visible through the mask.
Just like the previous time, after entering the [Tiberius Mirror], he had returned to the principal's office.
The next second, semi-transparent Demon Clan text began to appear in his vision—
[Saint Soul Lanche Teaching Country, 614th year, December 25th.]
[...]
[You felt the approaching of fate in the Avernus Corridor Academy and woke up.]
[It's probably just these last few days, and your life will come to an end.]
[Through your precognitive dream, you discovered that the current peace is just an illusion. The Blood Clan has not repented at all. They are plotting an even greater conspiracy in the Honing Empire, waiting for your death to begin their counterattack. And it seems they have also divined this, knowing roughly when you will die and when you will start to weaken.]
[You finally understand the emotions with which Caliera faced her death.]
[Before you, she had already seen everything through her precognitive dreams.]
[But you still don't understand why, even after seeing everything, she didn't directly tell you but instead let you choose whether to uncover the truth.]
[Is there something you still haven't seen?]
[You can't help but wonder, but you have already made up your mind. In this dream, you will unravel all the mysteries.]
As Lanchi read this, he noticed that the information stopped, and four options appeared.
[Your next choice will be:]
[A. Undead Eternal Punishment]
[B. Go to the Demon King's City]
[C. Return to the Teaching Country]
[D. Intervene personally]
Lanchi placed his hands on the desk, fingers interlaced, as he contemplated the similarities and differences from the previous time.
Having undergone the simulation once already, Lanchi now approached this new trial with a different set of intelligence.
Two hours had passed since the previous simulation, and the initial time point had shifted to noon.
This indicated that the starting node of the Tiberius Mirror simulation was based on the actual time when the mirror was activated.
As reality had become noon, so too had the simulated starting time within the Tiberius Mirror.
These two elapsed hours had also caused Lanchi's power to drop slightly from his peak Ninth Tier state.
"The only change in options is that the original first option, 'continue to stay,' has been excluded because Lanchi, knowing about the unrest in the Southern Honing Empire, could no longer afford to remain here."
Lanchi murmured to himself.
The key difference was the replacement of the 'continue to stay' option with the new choice, 'Undead Eternal Punishment.'
Among the spells mastered by Black Sun Lanclos was an epic spell called Undead Eternal Punishment, which was central to his power.
Its effect was to sacrifice a portion of the caster's life and magic power to lock the target's life state, preventing it from being actively dispelled. The seal would weaken if the sealed target suffered excessive attacks, and the cost of life and magic could be reduced by using wolf blood or demon blood as a medium.
"This spell doesn't mention that it can't be used on oneself... So, does the first option mean to immediately use Undead Eternal Punishment on oneself, locking one's own life state to prevent further weakening?"
Talia understood the significance of this option.
By using Undead Eternal Punishment on himself, Lanchi could prevent his power from dropping to the Eighth Tier upon arriving at Blood Moon City, thus maintaining his near-peak state. At least until his fate ran out, he would remain at the Ninth Tier!
"Then the answer is obvious."
Lanchi, now more familiar with the Tiberius Mirror, needed little contemplation. He was about to make his choice when Talia stopped him.
"Wait, Lanchi!"
"What is it?"
Lanchi showed no signs of changing his mind and merely asked Talia.
"Have you considered that Lanclos must also be aware that he could use this method to lock his state before his death? Yet, in the previous simulation, without knowledge of the Blood Clan's plot, he didn't even think about using Undead Eternal Punishment. Don't you feel that once you use it on yourself, there may be a terrifying cost, a cost that you currently don't know?"
Talia believed Lanclos wasn't foolish.
If Undead Eternal Punishment were truly that beneficial, Lanclos would have used it before departing, even without knowing about any impending crisis.
And this was the Tiberius Mirror, a legendary masterpiece of the Demon Tribe that defied common sense.
Even the cost of using it might be realistically simulated.
Perhaps, there would be consequences far worse than death to face.
"No matter the cost, I believe that at this point, even if Lanclos knew what would happen, he wouldn't hesitate."
Lanchi sighed and smiled bitterly at Talia.
There was no hint of fear in his eyes.
But that wasn't bravery.
It was persistence.
"Alright, then no matter the cost, I'll face it with you."
Talia hesitated for a moment before making up her mind.
No matter what, she would accompany Lanchi and face any consequences together.
"Thank you, Master."
Lanchi appreciated that Talia, who could have stayed outside, chose to join him in the Tiberius Mirror without hesitation.
He was grateful to her.
Soon after, he confirmed Undead Eternal Punishment as his choice.
In an instant, the office was filled with surging black mist magic.
The normally stable barrier magic in the office began to fluctuate, as if being pulled by mysterious rules.
The lights dimmed, and the air trembled as immense magic gathered in the air, emitting vibrations similar to Black Sun but even more awe-inspiring, akin to the supreme power of the Demon World.
The black mist magic wove and twisted, and finally, it coiled around Lanchi's body, forming a black serpent that wrapped around him. The mist then contracted sharply and surged into his face.
Throughout this process, he was protected by an invisible force, and the space around him formed a secluded domain.
When the black mist finished inscribing the spell on Lanchi's left cheek, the magical fluctuations gradually subsided, the light faded, and everything returned to normal.
[You do not yet know the consequences of using Undead Eternal Punishment on yourself.]
[But you resolutely chose to do so.]
[Because you know that only by maintaining your state can you defeat the several Blood Moon City ancestors.]
Once again, the Demon Clan text of the Tiberius Mirror appeared.
[Your next destination is:]
[A. Necallis]
[B. Saint Trick]
[C. Hansa Baker]
[D. Personal Intervention]
[Life remaining: 5 days, 11 hours, 02 minutes]
New choices emerged.
"Lanchi, are you alright?"
Talia quickly asked, concerned about Lanchi's condition.
At this moment, she couldn't check his body to assess his well-being.
"I feel no changes except for a stinging sensation on my left cheek, like a brand."
Lanchi briefly lifted his mask to reveal his face, now more akin to that of a Demon, and replied to Talia.
Additionally, he no longer saw any indication of his power weakening.
He replaced his mask, concealing the violent spell text that was etched like a black scorpion on his cheek. At this moment, he felt the enduring power of his forbidden technique.
The true invincible mode had begun.
(End of Chapter)
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