Chapter 1160: Chapter 129: The End
Claire stepped up the stairs, disturbing the silent beauty, and opened her hand from the black robe, taking out a quarter piece of the ancient stone seal, handing it back to Lu Li.
"We can leave now."
The contestants in the hall quietly gazed at them, watching as they stepped out of the hall, leaving the castle, and departing from the manor.
In the cold, silent, and desolate city, Lu Li and Claire proceeded along the long street, his footsteps echoing.
After passing the intersection, many figures began to appear on both sides of the road. The ones he had seen before, those whose names he could call out, still retained distinct and vivid outlines.
"It’s a rare honor to follow by your side." Verilete Marvin patted his blood-stained chest armor.
"In the original story, we should have turned from enemies to friends..." Alexis Monsk said with a bitter smile.
"After that duel, I became friends with Keanu Aite, in the true story." Gienegarde cracked an unpleasant smile.
Lu Li lost the power to communicate with them; he could only keep moving forward, like flipping through a book, reading the words the characters spoke to "me."
"Do you find eight legs more attractive than two?" Ida asked curiously.
"I am indeed a believer in the Equilibrium Church, but not as bad as that." Professor Hagrid spoke calmly from the crowd without any special attention.
"I was supposed to make an appearance! Then die in your arms!" Fudote threw her tantrum like a spoiled lady.
"It was supposed to be my death that awakened you... but Sterling beat me to it." The Old Professor said helplessly.
"Exorcist, remember, science is no less powerful than the mysterious forces; otherwise, why would they try to stop us from learning?" The scientist Sterling solemnly stated.
"I didn’t expect to meet again under such circumstances..." Professor Caesar said, feeling disappointed.
"You destroyed the Earth Dwellers’ stronghold!... But since this isn’t real, I’m not an Earth Dweller anyway." The "Earth Dweller" no longer made a ridiculous sound, speaking normally like a human.
"This time, it’s a real death." Margaret watched her indifferently.
"My story... all erased..." The dog-meat looked down sadly like an abandoned puppy.
The symbolic gates of Midnight City, without walls, stood like shadows in the distance.
"I’m sorry, Your Excellency Lulian, we deceived you." Pasha Rivas apologized, pressing on his armor.
"Thank you for allowing me to taste the beauty of humanity at the last moment." Blitz Tailor saluted Lu Li.
"I hope you can find the old guy in the future and say hello for me." Holding "Old Guy" Silver Cross·Sloan
said.
"Bang bang—" Tote banged his shield.
"Lute...thank you...Exorcist..." Lute’s human speech became clumsy again.
"I targeted you just as a duty, though I truly dislike you." The Gaunt Doorman spoke coldly.
"It’s an honor to work with you, Heinz Ellis." Heinz Ellis placed his hand on his chest, performing a noble salute.
"Thank you for burying my mother... that’s enough." The melancholic Orey Lorenzo showed a trace of a smile.
"I didn’t teach you anything, but Claire, who I once taught, did." Wild Lion Lei grinned.
"The story is over... not perfect, but still beautiful enough." Claire, standing among the crowd, reflected with a smile.
Somehow, Claire beside him disappeared. Only Lu Li’s footsteps echoed from start to finish.
"Do you need a book list from the Junk House? Let me think about where to find it..." Mildred Hampri was still pondering Lu Li’s Cursed Title.
"Uh...I don’t know what to say..." The reserved Tovani wasted the opportunity.
"I come from Blackbox Town. If it still exists, could I trouble you to send a letter to my wife?" The sorrowful Nunes whispered sadly.
"I saw your future! There are blooming flowers everywhere, birds singing, trees growing, people laughing..." The nameless lady rubbed her crystal ball.
"Being your teammate is like a dream... even if it’s not real." Naxi said gratefully.
"I really have the [Edge Walker] title! But unfortunately, after the first sip, the second followed..." Bentler regretted.
"Fortunately, I was with my teammates at that time..." Yege smiled calmly.
"I will remember the master’s redemption." Cain bowed gratefully.
Lu Li arrived at the round plaza before the city gate.
Two long streets extended from here, one leading to the Alchemical Tower from beneath Lu Li’s feet, the other stretching towards the World Tree at Midnight City’s center.
The surrounding outlines turned into unfamiliar figures, shrouded in mist.
"This is our small gift to you." A silhouette in clerical robes.
"At this time, you don’t know me." A tall, thin silhouette.
"..." A silent, taciturn outline.
"You redeemed us... now, it’s our turn." An unknown outline.
"This is what you deserve, you should have your own life." An upside-down silhouette.
"And not just act correctly like a puppet..." A supplementary outline.
"hs...luh...yud..." An incomprehensible silhouette.
Nearing the plaza stands the black Spire, Lu Li saw a recess for embedding the quarter piece.
Saw many people standing beside him.
Verilete Marvin, Alexis Monsk, Gienegarde, Ida, Professor Hagrid, Old Professor, Sterling, Professor Caesar, "Earth Dweller," Margaret, Dog Meat, Pasha Rivas, Blitz Tailor, Silver Cross·Sloan, Tote, Lute, Gaunt Doorman, Heinz Ellis, Orey Lorenzo, Wild Lion Lei, Claire, Mildred Hampri, Tovani, Nunes, Nameless Lady, Naxi, Bentler, Yege, Cain, the silhouettes, Chris.
"There are too many gods, so I prefer people a bit more." With tender light cascading, Chris held onto Lu Li’s hand, grasping that quarter ancient stone seal, gently brushing Lu Li’s shoulder to turn him towards the city gate.
"Keep moving forward, don’t look back."
Lu Li’s figure gradually receded, the towering black city gate grew clearer.
"Exorcist..."
Will Ken’s voice sounded then, warmth emanating from the parchment at his chest, restoring Lu Li’s body.
"Place that stone seal into the Spire, restore the Alchemical Tower... trust Will."
Pausing momentarily, Lu Li continued onward.
"They have been dead for a long time, using you..."
"Their actions are no different from the Rope of Descent they once were."
"Their shells have long been occupied by anomalies..."
"Where are you going?"
"You told me."
Lu Li said calmly, stepping into the shadow beneath the city gate.
"’Maintain an investigator’s caution, objectively scrutinize everything around, including me’... This is my thought-out choice."
The dimness returned to Lu Li as he stepped out of the city gate.
Will Ken’s futile roar faded away, the Alchemical Tower in the depths collapsed silently, like a breeze sweeping over, and the silhouettes in the plaza behind scattered with Midnight City in the wind.