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墨書 Inktalez
The dog died just like that, all of his blood drained away by the Arcane Crystal, taking with it his very essence.
Rather than blood, it was more like pure life force. In just a moment, the dog's muscles began to wither, and deep wrinkles formed on his skin. His fragile skeleton could no longer bear the weight of the armor and collapsed with a thud.
His once handsome face aged in an instant, speckled with brown spots, and his hollow eyes stared blankly at the sky, devoid of any emotion.
He could feel his life slipping away rapidly, yet he felt no pain or sorrow. This was all voluntary; when he confirmed his fate within the structure of the crystal's power, he sealed his own end. At this moment, he simply wanted to quietly savor these last fleeting moments…
A familiar voice broke through the silence.
“Why…” Deer had somehow approached Dog, his expression a complex mix of emotions.
Dog did not respond; the life force remaining within him was too weak to turn his head. Yet he knew it was Deer who had come. In their encounter at the Sterling Line, Deer had been the most expendable among them. Yes, he hadn’t died, and at that time, Dog’s true self had already left that place, so no one knew… After everyone had departed, Deer crawled out from the stone wall.
“How interesting,” Dog's voice was soft and delicate. “I thought I hated this world to the core, but it turns out I have always loved it deeply.”
People often take farewells lightly; at that moment, it is hard to taste the bitter part of it. Because at every impending farewell, no one is truly prepared.
If only one could gently ask: Are you really ready? We who once spent every day together, we who were so familiar with each other—will we truly never meet again?
Perhaps that ending would hold more possibilities.
So it is with lovers, so it is with companions, and so it is with life and death.
It was clear that Dog compared death to a farewell to the world.
Seeing his former close friend in such a state stirred an inexplicable ache in Deer’s heart. The dagger he had resolved to use to slit Dog’s throat now felt heavy in his hand.
"I have a wish..." Inu said with a faint voice, "I hope the world can become a better place."
"I know..." Shika nodded, biting his lip. This wish was one they had made together at the Holy Academy many years ago. Shika never expected Inu to still remember it, nor did he realize that Shishi was already gone and that Inu had little time left.
"I have another regret... because my wish cannot come true." At this point, Inu's calm gaze inexplicably turned sad.
People often reflect on all the luck they have experienced in their lives, grateful for all the beautiful souls they have encountered along the way. Without any one of them, you would not be who you are today. This is why one cherishes the present even more and hopes that those people, that luck—this world—can become better.
But if one day you learn that this is impossible, then the immense hope you once held will only bring about an equally immense sorrow.
"This is my choice."
"Correspondingly, you have your own decision... Our choices are different, and at this moment, I no longer have the strength to sway you. Well, since you've chosen to move forward, then..."
"...you must live well."
Shika was taken aback by Inu's words, momentarily stunned. When he looked over, he saw Inu straining to turn his head, his calm eyes gazing directly at him.
Yet those eyes had lost all their luster.
Around the valley, clusters of black Mandrake Flowers bloomed simultaneously.
...
In a certain sense, both the Mandrake Flower and the Mountain Spirit are legendary existences.
In the early days of the New Era, it is said that a wandering explorer traveled through various ruins, only to discover black flowers blooming in the collapsed remnants of significant structures from the Old Era. This was particularly eerie, as these ruins were scattered across the globe—deep beneath the sea, in abyssal depths, or on sheer cliffs—but they all bore the same type of flower.
Even more strangely, these black flowers exhibited a tenacious vitality, taking root on palace walls, famous lake surfaces, and even atop some corpses. What the explorer witnessed was not ancient architecture in the style of the Old Era but rather a vast expanse of black flowers, which seemed to engulf all remnants of information left behind by that bygone age like flames.
These were mysterious flowers that had never been seen on the continent before. The explorer named them "Mandrake," referencing an ancient language of the Celestial Race that meant "death," hence they were also known as the Death Flower.
No one ever questioned the existence of the Mandrake, for the explorer in question was none other than Agu Anan the Great of the New Era. However, the Death Flower existed only in legend, as no one had laid eyes on it for centuries. Even Agu Anan himself had become a mere myth.
"In short, the Mandrake Flower is defined as a harbinger of destruction," Poppy recounted the information he had gathered over the past two years. "If the data is correct, the Mandrake Flower should be something left behind by Unique during that blank period."
Garen dodged around blooming Mandrake Flowers and frowned. "Could it be related to Arcane Crystal?"
Despite the bizarre nature of these flowers and their lore, Garen couldn't shake off his thoughts about Tastandin's maniacal laughter earlier; he felt there might be a connection to Eternity.
"It could be," Poppy nodded. "But we need to see it to confirm."
Suddenly, a white shadow darted past!
Clang! Poppy blocked a wolf's claw from Angry Beasts with his Heavy Hammer. Just as he was about to counterattack, he saw Wolf Emperor retreat violently, and then a strange scene unfolded…
The Mandrake Flowers twisted their petals and actively parted to create a path! In an instant, Angry Beasts was engulfed by the sea of flowers!
Garen squinted; it was evident that these Mandrake Flowers were somehow connected to Tastandin and his group.
At that moment, a roar echoed from within the flower sea.
“Old Bat, are you ready yet?!” Angry Beasts roared furiously. If the ambush had been even a moment slower, Poppy could have been taken down with a single blow.
Rebia ignored Angry Beasts and focused on Tastandin. “I must remind you again, if I find out you’re lying, I will kill you myself.”
Tastandin licked his lips and smiled. “Don’t worry, I can control them.”
The fields of Mandrake Flowers were multiplying rapidly, soon covering the wilderness in a blanket of black. From a distance, it looked like an endless ocean, vast and boundless…
At that moment, Garen suddenly lifted his head, as if he saw a large amount of blood being spilled on a small hill not far away.
The blood fell onto the Mandrake Flowers, and the black petals ignited in flames!
In the firelight, all the Mandrake Flowers tainted with blood began to grow, decompose, and coalesce at a visible speed, ultimately transforming into pitch-black Cavalry!
The black armor and warhorses seemed to merge with the darkness, with only their pairs of eyes glowing like burning embers. In an instant, the warhorses neighed loudly, their cries echoing like thunder!
Watching the overwhelming tide of Cavalry surge forth, even Garen felt a sense of urgency.
At that moment, Poppy ’s calm eyes suddenly filled with surprise.
“This is…”
“Death Knight!”
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