Chapter 804: Lanchi's Red Legend (Part 2)
Chapter 804: Lanchi's Red Legend (Part 2)
"
Talia hugged Lanchi tightly, then let go and grasped his shoulders, praising him.
After wandering for a century, it was worth joining Lanchi in the Shadow World, even if just this once.
If only she had met him sooner; perhaps they could have restored their nation.
"..."
Lanchi wore a bewildered expression.
He had never imagined that Talia would embrace him.
"Let's celebrate, just a celebration. Don't get the wrong idea," Talia said, noticing Lanchi's expression and realizing she had gotten too excited. She quickly withdrew her hands and stammered an explanation.
Cat Boss, on the other hand, was still processing its breakthrough, floating in a dazed state.
"Cat Boss, how do you feel?" Lanchi asked the motionless little black cat.
It seemed to be caught in a whirlwind of thoughts.
Although Cat Boss was a grasshopper, lacking the combat strength of a normal creature, it was now a miraculous ninth-tier being and possibly the strongest ninth-tier mascot in history.
Firstly, it needed to reach a high enough tier to enter the high-tier Shadow World. Secondly, not only did it have to be brought along for the journey, but it also needed to collect faith power, something it would never naturally acquire, making it nearly impossible to advance to the ninth tier.
"..." Lanchi, I've really reached the ninth tier! Look, look!" Cat Boss felt fulfilled in its cat life. It floated excitedly beside Lanchi, meowing with glee.
Its psychokinesis caused Lanchi and Talia to float as well, as if they had lost gravity in this liminal space resembling a starry cosmos, freely drifting about.
If one intended to engrave further, they would temporarily remain in the limit state. However, if there was no intention to engrave, they would directly break through.
Cat Boss likely felt that finding space-attribute links or mechanical materials would be challenging, and attempting to engrave with its current strength might result in failure and a significant loss of power, causing it to miss the opportunity to advance.
Thus, it seized what was probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reach the ninth tier.
It yearned for a stable and happy life!
"Indeed, I can feel that you've become much stronger." Lanchi acknowledged.
When Cat Boss was at the eighth tier, its magical power intensity was comparable to that of a fifth-tier being.
Now, at the ninth tier, it was a force to be reckoned with, even among sixth-tier beings.
Leaping three tiers was simply too remarkable.
"Meow?"
Cat Boss raised its head, seeing Lanchi deep in thought with a perplexed expression, and slowly lowered Lanchi and Talia.
Lanchi seemed to be thinking about something perplexing again!
Before Cat Boss could question Lanchi, Talia crouched down and curiously patted Cat Boss.
"Now that you're at the ninth tier, Cat Boss, can't you transform into a human yet?" Talia asked.
In their old demon world, some magical beasts naturally transformed at the seventh tier without actively learning transformation techniques. Others mastered this ability at the eighth tier, but Talia had never heard of a ninth-tier beast that couldn't transform.
"Meow meow? Are you saying that all other beasts can transform once they reach the ninth tier?" Cat Boss seemed to understand that everyone could, except for it.
However, it truly didn't feel any enlightenment regarding transformation magic.
If it wanted to become bipedal, it would still need Lanchi's 【Transformation Magic: Human】.
"..."
Talia's gaze turned slightly sympathetic.
"Talia, you're being rude too, meow!" Cat Boss felt that Talia's gaze was asking, "Have you awakened your intellect yet?"
"No, not at all," Talia shook her head.
"No, it's not that I can't transform. It's just that transforming into a human is unnecessary. Talia, if you transformed into a cat, you'd understand. Being a cat is so comfortable, while the human form is full of challenges and difficult to balance!" Cat Boss explained earnestly to Talia, tilting its head back.
"Sorry, Cat Boss, I really didn't mean to laugh at you."
Talia gently patted the Cat Boss's back, soothing the little black cat.
She respected the Cat Boss far more than she did Lance. After all, they had been friends since their first meeting in Ecclesiates.
However, she didn't take the Cat Boss's words to heart.
She was accustomed to her human form and didn't see anything wrong with it.
"The consolidation in the Shadow World is almost done, so the settlement should be complete as well."
Lance read the text in the Shadow World and explained it to Talia.
At the moment, they were both feeling relaxed.
Talia stood up and waited with Lance for the final settlement rewards from their Shadow World adventure.
"It would be best if you got a seven-layered 【Chimeric Edict】. That sealing technique is so versatile."
She said to Lance.
Through the Tebiriocus Mirror, she and Lance had witnessed the magic that Rankclos once possessed.
The most likely rewards for Lance were connected to the two formidable final enemies he defeated: Profane Lord Merogias or the Third Ancestor, Duke Lashal. Of course, it could also relate to the Black Sun Lord Rankclos, whom he portrayed.
The rewards were likely drawn from these three pools.
"That's true."
Lance experienced the magic within the Tebiriocus Mirror and found it to be versatile as well.
【Chimeric Edict】 could seal a target, rendering them unable to act or reducing their power to far below one's own, and then seal them within a chimeric pillar, preventing the seal from being broken from either the inside or outside.
Sometimes, it could also be used defensively when an enemy's attack was imminent.
These were all applications that Rankclos had employed.
"Let's just forget about 【Undying Punishment】. Let's hope he doesn't get that one."
Talia felt a strong sense of rejection toward another sealing technique.
Even though it was Rankclos' signature move, the side effects were too severe.
Although using Undying Punishment and revealing the black scorpion brand that would appear on his face might scare the Vampire Ancestor, if such a situation arose, it would undoubtedly mean that Lance was in as dire a situation as Rankclos had been.
Talia did not want Lance to use this spell in any way.
If he received it, he might be tempted to use it.
The only consolation was that, at least, she could catch Lance if he fell and, at the very worst, turn him into her familiar before he became an undead, ensuring they stayed together. When her lifespan came to an end, she would also help her familiar find release.
"No way, Master. If I become your familiar, you can't make me take your blood pressure every day."
Lance heard Talia's inner thoughts.
He wasn't sure whether to thank her or ask her not to think that way.
"What should I do, then? We've been getting by like this for so long. I can't just let my only disciple perish."
Talia's train of thought was interrupted, and she subconsciously replied, "No, that's not what I meant..."
Before Talia could explain herself, a new development occurred.
【The final node of Blood Moon Calamity has been reached. Rewards for Lance, Talia, and Yama have been anchored.】
A colorful nebula began to emerge from the void.
The first nebula to appear was planet-like and moved toward the Cat Boss.
"How come this card is so bright...?"
The Cat Boss stared at the brightest pink nebula, its mouth agape.
It had seen pink holy magic cards before, but never one with such dazzling brilliance.
"This might be a ninth-order magic card, even rarer than an eighth-order one."
Talia focused her attention on the pink nebula and made a judgment.
Eighth-order magic cards were rarely seen, even in the auctions of the Southern Continent Card Maker's Association.
As for natural magic cards, they often carried magic principles related to the challenged Shadow World and didn't belong to the present era, so most of them held higher value than man-made cards of the same quality and order.
Ninth-order magic cards were even more scarce.
Usually, only a handful of beings in the same era could use such cards.
"Cat Boss, 90 Pink is a little more prestigious than 80 Orange."
Lance also turned to look at the Cat Boss, taking in the pink holy light that surrounded it.
"Meow."
The Cat Boss didn't quite understand Lance's unique terminology, but it surprisingly grasped his meaning.
As the Cat Boss gently raised its paw and touched the nebula, a semi-transparent pink stone tablet with ancient era airflow patterns appeared before it.
【Night Dew Wind Chant】
【Type: Spell Card】
【Grade: Pink Holy】
【Attribute: Wind/Healing】
【Order: 9】
【Effect: Consume all magic power and put yourself to sleep. Grant group immunity to all targets within range, gradually restoring their health and magic power. Cooldown time: 1 hour.】
【Note: When distant sunlight shines upon the depths of dreams, you shall awaken when the breeze blows again.】
The Cat Boss quickly turned back to look at Talia and Lance.
It didn't know if this card was good or not.
But only it could use a ninth-order card.
Before it could ask,
"It's pretty standard, an upgraded version of the Storm Dragon."
"It can withstand ninth-order damage and has the prestigious ability to restore magic power."
"But the Cat Boss will be disconnected after using it."
"There's no qualitative change; it's just an enhancement of its usual traits."
Lance and Talia had already started discussing the card seriously, their eyes only for each other and the magic card.
"How do you two manage to analyze cards like this so quickly?"
The Cat Boss suspected that the two of them had almost developed a photographic memory for card-making.
Whenever they saw a magic card, they immediately went into 'Talia's classroom' mode.
"So, is this card good or bad, meow?"
The Cat Boss interrupted their conversation, asking anxiously.
Compared to the previous eighth-order epic necklace, 【Dawn Storm】, which was overwhelmingly powerful at first glance, this ninth-order holy spell, 【Night Dew Wind Chant】,
It seemed a little weak.
"It's a little inferior to the Dawn Storm, but it's a spell card that's simple and crude to use."
Talia commented as she looked at the ninth-rank pink Holy card.
And it was ninth-rank.
The special effects must be very cool.
"With you here, Cat Boss, I'm equivalent to having five more lives. You're simply the best."
Lanchi added, picking up Cat Boss and speaking.
"Meow meow meow~ meow meow meow~"
Hearing the high praise from the two Platinum card makers, Cat Boss happily sang and spun in circles.
"Purr, with you around, Lanchi, I'm becoming more and more useful meow!"
Cat Boss immediately cheered up.
"Cat Boss..."
Talia thought it would be best if Cat Boss didn't get too full of himself as she stood by.
Sometimes, optimization can happen in an instant.
Just like how no one could have predicted that Lanchi's final boss, Lanfu, would suddenly be eliminated.
"What about yours?"
Cat Boss perched on Lanchi's shoulder, looking at Talia and Lanchi, in front of whom there was still no light group.
The two of them were sitting on the steps of the Starry Square in the Liminal Space.
"The Shadow World is taking longer to give out rewards this time."
Lanchi turned his head and said to Cat Boss.
It seemed that the more complex the reward, the slower the Shadow World was to distribute it.
"If Cat Boss got a pink Holy card, then the four of Pranay must have gotten Holy cards as well."
Talia thought.
A low-rank Epic card was probably fine, but even a high-rank Epic card would be difficult to obtain in a high-rank Shadow World.
Originally, the four great demon tribes might not have contributed enough to receive any magic card rewards, but with their assist, they should have no problem getting an eighth-rank Holy card.
"An eighth-rank natural magic card, a pink Holy card, is also very powerful. They are ultra-era products that are impossible to buy or make."
Lanchi guessed that only Sigui could get an eighth-rank Epic natural magic card.
Not only did she directly defeat the ultimate enemy of the Shadow World, the Desecrated Lord Melo Gas, but she also accomplished the irreplaceable merit of becoming the second-generation Pope by leading the Holy Soul Rant Religion. Her contribution must have been very high.
"Sigui? How could Sigui get a reward?"
Talia, who overheard Lanchi's thoughts, asked in doubt.
She suspected that Lanchi had just come out of the Shadow World and wasn't fully awake yet.
Although she also missed Sigui as a mother, it wasn't to the point of dreaming about meeting Sigui again in the real world.
"Yes, Jueshi."
Lanchi quickly replied, changing the subject.
Suddenly.
Talia saw that a clear light group was gradually appearing in front of her.
One of them flickered with orange light, and the other was purple.
Both belonged to her as rewards.
"I have two? And I also have an Epic..."
Talia was also unsure how much she had contributed in this Shadow World.
Although she had participated in the two final enemy battles, her role was more supportive.
Most of the time, she was just accompanying Lanchi.
"Master, you were really useful in this Shadow World."
Lanchi acknowledged.
"Hmph, now you know how great your big sister is."
Talia hummed lightly and reached out to touch the orange light group first.
The light dispersed, transforming into pure magical energy, and the card appeared semitranslucent, feeling icy to the touch. With its light hue graduating from the center to the edges, the card took on a delicate and refined tone, similar to the glittering waves of a shallow bay in the sea.
This all-too-familiar aura immediately made Talia recognize that this belonged to Kaliera.
【Veil of Fallen Heaven】
【Category: Spell Card】
【Grade: Orange Epic】
【Attribute: Illusion/Concealment】
【Tier: 1】
【Effect: After activation, block all scouting spells and hide your appearance, making others see you in the way they most want to.】
【Note: Wearing the veil will make you become her.】
"So this is the spell."
Without needing to appraise it, Talia could understand its effect.
Because she had been using almost the same passive spell throughout the Shadow World.
"Talia, you got a skin card, meow?"
Cat Boss floated over and looked at the Epic card, saying.
It had seen several skin cards made by Lanchi, especially the many skin cards for the Poet of Great Love, and even the exclusive transformations that only the Poet of Great Love could use, which were now all privatized by Talia.
But those were all purple rare transformation cards.
This Kaliera skin was an unprecedented Epic card, overly luxurious, and Cat Boss had no idea how terrifying the price would be if it were to be sold.
"Don't underestimate the effect of concealment. In the entire Shadow World, no one could really tell that she was Talia."
Lanchi poked Cat Boss's head and explained.
This was not just a simple skin, but a true illusion-concealment attribute innate ability of the Phantom Demon Clan that only a high-ranking illusion demon like Kaliera could possess.
Because of this veil, after Talia transformed into Kaliera, others could not probe her true identity.
The only possible way to distinguish her was through physical means.
"For example?"
Talia asked in confusion.
She had been wearing the veil throughout the Shadow World and didn't know how others could distinguish her, but according to Lanchi, Kaliera's concealment was not invincible.
"... "
Before Lanchi could answer, he reflexively took a light sniff.
"Die! Lanchi! Don't you dare smell me! You pervert!"
Talia suddenly became agitated, extending her hands to cover her head, trying her best to resist Lanchi from approaching her.
She knew that ever since she had become the Crazy Love Demon King, she had inherited the original grass, flowers, and fragrance of the Poet of Great Love, but Lanchi smelling her definitely had another intention.
This guy was too shameless!
"But Talia, the floral fragrance on your body is indeed very unique. Sigui would always subconsciously bury her face in your body."
Cat Boss explained for Lanchi.
It had understood.
Apart from touching Talia directly, one could also distinguish her true identity through her scent.
As a creature, Cat Boss relied more on his sense of smell than humans, and his refined palate as a chef added to this sensory advantage.
In the Shadow World, Sigrey's senses were akin to that of a dog. She was exceptionally attuned to the aura of martial artists, and her palate was equally discerning.
"Is the floral fragrance I carry any different from that of the Great Lover?"
Talia hesitated briefly before posing the question to Cat Boss.
If her scent resembled that of the Great Lover, Huberian should have detected something amiss in the Shadow World.
"They're distinct, meow. The Great Lover likely smells like strawberry yogurt, a mix of sweet and sour. But your fragrance, it changes with your mood."
Cat Boss recalled his impressions.
"What's the difference?" Talia pressed, curious.
Talia had assumed that upon becoming the Mad Love Demon King, she would also emanate the floral fragrance associated with the Great Lover, with no variations.
"Meow meow..."
Cat Boss fell into a thoughtful silence, searching for the right words to explain.
"When you're with Hubby, there's a soft, layered aroma of milk, magnolia, and distilled liquor. But when you're tending to me, it's lavender, sweet orange, and valerian—scents that soothe anxiety and uplift the spirit. Only on rare occasions, like our trip to Flower City, there's a fruity, wine-like fragrance..."
Ranch, stroking his chin, recalled and analyzed the scents.
"Don't say anymore!" Talia interrupted, her face reddening as she covered Ranch's mouth.
She hadn't realized how deeply he had internalized her unique scent. The more specific his description, the hotter her cheeks grew. It felt as though he had been intimately savoring her essence.
While Talia couldn't discern her own scent well, she now understood why Ranch enjoyed sniffing her so much.
"Right, meow, what was the other one?" Cat Boss looked up at the inconspicuous purple light group. Had he not remembered that Talia had two rewards, he would have waited for Ranch's reward to materialize.
Snapping out of her reverie, Talia released Ranch and rubbed her palm against his body, suddenly conscious of how intimately she had allowed him to experience her scent and taste again.
"A purple magic card probably isn't that rare..." Talia reached out and grabbed the purple light group. However, as soon as she laid eyes on the magic card, her voice trailed off.
【Transformation Technique: Cat】
【Category: Spell Card】
【Grade: Purple Rare】
【Attribute: Stealth】
【Class: 2】
【Effect: Allows the user to transform into a cat, masking their true attributes and characteristics. Cooldown time is 24 hours.】
【Note: A magic learned by Tamisha from the books left by Kaliyela.】
Talia looked at Ranch, her expression stiff.
"I don't need this card, ahaha." She forced a dry laugh.
Ranch often teased that she resembled a large gray cat, to which she always strongly objected, insisting she wasn't a cat.
But now, what was the meaning of this card from the Shadow World?
"...”
Ranch merely smiled silently, his eyes holding a mixture of pity and encouragement, as if he were happy for her.
"Here, take this card, Ranch," Talia said, offering the card to him generously. As master and disciple, exchanging magic cards as gifts was commonplace, and Ranch didn't need to be so reserved.
"No, it's clearly meant for you, Master," Ranch politely refused, raising his palm in a gesture of refusal.
"I truly have no use for this card. Why would I ever want to turn into a cat!" Talia exclaimed, holding the 【Transformation Technique: Cat】 card like a hot potato, her confusion turning into mild exasperation.
She turned to Cat Boss. "I don't want it, meow," he quickly replied, making it clear that he didn't want the card that would turn him into a cat any more than Talia did.
Talia reluctantly looked at the card, struggling to accept it. It seemed wasteful to discard a natural magic card from the Shadow World, as it could fetch a good price. Perhaps she could give it to Hubby instead. As long as she didn't use it herself, that would be fine.
Talia's internal conflict was interrupted by a sudden exclamation from Cat Boss. Talia's peripheral vision also caught the flash of red light. She looked up, surprised, in Ranch's direction.
Just like in the last Shadow World, there were two lights where Ranch's rewards should be—a main reward and a bonus item.
"Hey, Ranch meow, why is your reward glowing red?" Cat Boss asked, his cat eyes wide as he patted Ranch's head.
"Could it be...?" Talia trembled, finding it hard to believe her eyes.
The red was a true red, completely divorced from any orange spectrum. If it wasn't an orange epic from Ranchlos, then it had to be the red legend of his life, forged from his very being.
"A red legend?" Ranch's expression remained calm, as if the grade of the magic card no longer held any significance for him.
True strength, he knew, didn't come from "craving," but from "possession."
He touched the red light group as he usually did, and the magic card gradually materialized in his hand.
It was pitch-black, a deep black that devoured light, as if crafted from the darkness of an endless abyss. And yet, it seemed alive.
The red light transformed into a door to an unknown realm, and countless alchemical patterns writhed and spiraled on its surface, as if they might burst forth at any moment and metamorphose into terrifying monsters.
And then, the red light disappeared completely.
【Black Sun Tyrant's Eternal Punishment Edict】
【Category: Spell Card】
【Grade: Red Legend】
【Attribute: Seal】
【Class: 7】
【Effect: Upon activation, continuously consumes mana to lock the life state of a single target.】
【Note: Roll the dice and choose the number of steps to take. One wrong step, and you will plummet into the abyss of despair. Even if this road is endless, you must adapt to regret until everything turns into memories.】
(End of Chapter)
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