From behind

Blackness erupted. The two branch bishops, wielding their staffs, were greatly enhanced by the Darkness Miracle in the night.

But the sudden attacking figure was incredibly elusive in the darkness; after the initial attack, they could barely see her movements.

"We've been discovered!" One bishop, manipulating the Darkness Miracle to protect himself, said.

"It doesn't seem like someone from Sun City… that sword just now…" the other bishop anxiously pondered.

Suddenly, the figure appeared above the two, wielding the greatsword. The white staff transformed into a bladed whip, sweeping towards them.

The Darkness Miracle could only deflect the attacks, forcing a continuous retreat.

One was knocked back by the greatsword; the other evaded the bladed whip but still suffered several wounds.

"It's the Hunter!" This time, one bishop recognized the weapon.

"Egov?!" They quickly remembered their colleague who had spent years pursuing the Hunter's legacy, only to find nothing.

Mithra remained silent, surprised to find two branch bishops together. If they fully activated their Darkness Miracles, she would need to utilize a cutting technique to effectively break through.

However, they had other plans for infiltrating; being discovered by Mithra still filled them with apprehension.

This was an opportunity to exploit their vulnerability.

Mithra's movements shifted; in the darkness, she rapidly used Hunting in conjunction with Enlightened Step, flitting and weaving to disrupt their attention.

After a while, the dark clouds gradually dispersed.

Moonlight suddenly bathed the battlefield, illuminating their position.

The two bishops quickly used this opportunity to enhance their senses, relying on the moonlight to better perceive Mithra's movements, particularly her two unique weapons. For believers, those unusual weapons were more conspicuous than Mithra herself. The Darkness Miracle swiftly targeted her.

However, despite the moonlight, they remained cloaked in shadow.

The two weapons, flying through the air, were enveloped by the Darkness Miracle, but Mithra's form was not captured!

She exploited their excessive focus on her weapons.

In the shadows, Mithra's hands suddenly conjured white lightning that struck the ground.

Darkness dissipated!

The white lightning spread rapidly; its speed and range were immense. This shadow-piercing lightning could even utilize the Darkness Miracle's shadows as pathways.

The two bishops were struck by the white lightning, screaming in pain.

The power of the Abyss corroded all physical matter, inflicting considerable damage.

Mithra drew the Night Worship Greatsword from her waist and swept it across the two.

Swish!

A slight diagonal cut grazed the two bishops' bodies. Their strength was considerable; neither was severed in two.

One of them managed a reaction, retreating half a step despite the Abyssal influence. He used this opportunity to be flung backward, escaping at the cost of his dignity.

The other, however, was too slow. A severe wound from his left armpit to his right waist caused him to tremble; he didn't fall, but was too weak to do anything more.

Mithra raised a hand, thrusting it into the other's wound, breaking ribs and tearing flesh to grasp the palpitating heart.

Rip!

Blood sprayed everywhere. Mithra withdrew the heart, casually discarding it, then turned to the other bishop.

Just as she was about to pursue, a tremendous explosion echoed from afar.

Her movements paused slightly, but she didn't hesitate. The Night Worship Greatsword rapidly split into two flying blades, striking the struggling bishop on the ground; one pinned his staff-holding hand, the other piercing his nape, instantly ending his life.

She tensed, feeling a slight discomfort from the sticky residue of congealed blood on her hand that had just removed the heart.

Should she commission Matsuri to make her some gauntlets?

Lost in thought, she finally looked towards the source of the explosion.

A massive, swirling mass of black matter, characteristic of the Darkness Miracle, billowed and spread; this bizarre sight could likely be seen from all corners of the inner city, even beyond its borders.

Mithra watched silently for a while, then retrieved the two staffs.

Her actions were relatively subtle; coupled with the more significant distraction, the mess on the ground went unnoticed.

The Night Hunter Greatsword and the Abhorrence staff, used as bait, were also retrieved by the Maw.

If they were invincible God-killing weapons, they wouldn't be easily damaged; minor attacks shouldn't matter.

As for the barking… she must have misheard.

Having finished, Mithra used the Maw's tongue to wipe away some of the blood, then strolled away from the scene.

"What happened?!" On her way, she encountered guards rushing towards the scene.

"The inner city Xyrin core node was attacked; the guarding forces couldn't stop them!"

"How is that possible!? Most of the forces have been stationed nearby recently!"

"Don't ask; Lord Kimio has gone to provide support; we need to hurry!"

Several guard units gathered in the street, communicating while rushing towards the incident.

Suddenly, Mithra saw a bat-like creature emerge from the swirling blackness.

"Eternal Night…" Mithra murmured.

The creature wasn't unfamiliar; she had seen one in the Eternal Night World.

It wasn't remarkable in itself, but its appearance here meant another two-dimensional Eternal Night rift had opened.

Suddenly, a bright point of light flickered within the thick blackness.

Dong!

Then, another tremendous boom. The spreading darkness was obliterated, leaving a void. A brilliant white light flickered within the remaining Darkness Miracle, a match for it.

Kimio wielded the Xyrin Great Maul. The previously unsightly black hammer head now shone with an intensely bright, almost blinding light; it was round and smooth, surrounded by several rings of light, exuding a divine aura.

The Xyrin Great Maul's power was fully revealed.

Within the mostly shattered darkness, a stoic, black-haired woman with short hair was visible. She wore black lipstick and black nail polish; a strangely patterned headdress gave her an air of gloom, gravity, and mystery.

However, none of this was important. Mithra's gaze was fixed on the woman's hand, which held a small, delicate circular blade.

[Abyssal Crescent: An ordinary, crudely made weapon imbued with Abyssal power. A Wandering God once challenged the Abyss, attempting to absorb its power from the depths. But even Jungo couldn't fully comprehend the Abyss. When this Wandering God reappeared, he was already under threat from the encroaching Abyssal power, but he also brought forth a potent "Nothingness" from the depths, transforming it into a unique power that has been passed down to this day. It is a God-killing weapon.]

[—The Abyss, the Nothingness… perhaps that is the origin of the world, or its end.]

Another God-killing weapon.

Though its appearance lacked the grandeur of other weapons, that didn't matter; Mithra wanted any God-killing weapon.

Especially this one; she had a good chance of obtaining it.

"Livnis, one of the Night Hunter Church's Three Grandmasters, why are you here?" Kimio asked, his expression serious.

"As a steadfast knight of the Xyrin Empire, you seem unaware of Sun City's situation," Livnis replied in a low, cryptic tone.

Kimio frowned.

Beside Livnis, a gaping, jagged rift was expanding. Large chunks of damaged machinery lay scattered amidst the rubble; eerie shadows lurked within the fissure; countless Eternal Night creatures, sensing the light of the real world, were trying to break through.

Kimio didn't bother to consider the consequences: "You don't think infiltrating the inner city and causing this much commotion will allow you to escape unscathed."

Livnis remained impassive: "Escape routes abound; darkness will guide our path. The new Xyrin will never be born; this is only the beginning."

As she spoke, Kimio swung his great maul, striking down at Livnis.

Dong!

A deep, resonant clang echoed. As Livnis heard this sound, she felt an intense light engulf her.

The small crescent blade moved swiftly, tearing a hole in the light.

Kimio's face slightly changed.

If she fought him using the power of darkness, it would be within his capacity to handle. But she directly used the bizarre God-killing weapon to nullify a portion of the Xyrin Great Maul's power!

Could it be… the Abyss!?

Other Night Hunter Church members clashed with Kimio's entourage and the Sun City guards.

When Kimio saw the surrounding chaos, he realized something.

So many Night Hunter members infiltrating and suddenly attacking the inner city without warning—clearly, there was an inside man!

Simultaneously, the representatives from various factions at the banquet didn't stand idly by; they all rushed to assist.

Livnis suddenly closed the distance to Kimio, her small crescent blade swiftly slashing, creating streaks of inky black.

Kimio calmly blocked, but discovered that each seemingly simple attack felt incredibly heavy against the Xyrin Great Maul—disproportionate to the weapon's appearance and impact!

The Xyrin Great Maul's light blazed, repelling Livnis and dispelling a layer of darkness that had clung to Kimio.

Kimio's heart sank; an Abyssal curse!

Major factions had researched Abyssal entities; their powers were largely characterized by chaos, nothingness, and corrosion.

Power drawn from the Abyss could carry any of these traits. The small crescent blade didn't need to physically strike to inflict a curse.

Fortunately, he was protected by the Xyrin Great Maul, preventing immediate harm.

Livnis flung several chunks of condensed darkness, transforming them into projectiles that scattered around Kimio.

Kimio raised his great maul; the diffused light shattered the darkness projectiles.

However, when he looked at Livnis again, she had been carried aloft by a surge of darkness.

A bizarre, inky black shadow appeared beside Livnis, somewhat resembling her but composed primarily of the dark, liquid substance of the Darkness Miracle. Darkness patterns flickered on the shadow and on Livnis herself.

The two darkness patterns merged. Livnis condensed a sphere of darkness in her hand, casually flinging it downwards.

Then, she swept her small crescent blade.

The instant the darkness was sliced, it was actively Rent.

"Dark Rend"—

The terrifying power of the Darkness Miracle instantly enveloped the entire inner city. If this attack landed directly, Sun City would be branded with a profound "mark," and the inner city would be destroyed in an instant!

Countless people looked up, witnessing the destructive darkness pressing down.

Tinina instantly replaced Daphne, but even her Night eye, fixed on the attack, broke out in cold sweat.

"Illusion… damn it, why would an Illusion Master suddenly attack?! What can I do using Daphne's body?!"

The terror above Clarity.

The Illusion separates from the body; one body becomes two minds.

Many wouldn't even approach the tip of the iceberg at the gateway to Illusion; that vague gateway to the essence of Miracles and power.

While Clarity might be relatively common in the grand scheme of things, the number of believers reaching the level of Illusion drastically dwindles.

Kimio's expression was resolute; a figure nearly identical to him appeared beside him, cloaked in white light, with light, fire, and other Miracles etched onto its form.

He wielded the Xyrin Great Maul; his movements and the figure's were synchronized, fully utilizing the Xyrin Great Maul's power. The blinding light created a radiant curtain that swiftly illuminated all of Sun City.

At that moment, the sky seemed to hold both night and day simultaneously.

Two forces clashed violently.

Then, they clashed again.

The surging Miracles unleashed a sharp, shrill shriek that lingered before finally dissipating.

After the storm, Livnis and Kimio, both maintaining their Illusion forms, faced each other, one high and one low.

Just as everyone was still reeling, a sudden change occurred.

The sky brightened.

This wasn't the gradual brightening of dawn; it was as if a light switch had been flipped in a dark room.

In Sun City, only one entity could create such a phenomenon—Xyrin!

The intense, heatless light dispelled much of the darkness; the Darkness Miracle was significantly weakened. Livnis, forced down from the sky, remained expressionless, her gaze fixed on the heavens.

Kimio felt a slight relief; his greatly depleted senses were partially replenished.

It was the Xyrin's power.

Faced with the true Xyrin, the Xyrin Great Maul's light paled in comparison.

The expanding Eternal Night rift was suppressed, but not completely sealed.

This wasn't a temporary rift; it was inherent, only now fully revealed. Having lost its crucial core node, Xyrin's influence on this area was limited.

"Go!" Livnis swiftly commanded.

All Night Hunter Church members fled towards the Eternal Night rift.

Their infiltration route was also their escape route.

Facing the Eternal Night rift and the monstrous figures beyond, these cultists looked eager, rushing towards it like pilgrims to a holy site.

"Stop them!" Kimio roared.

Livnis stood by the Eternal Night rift, glancing back without lingering at this world bathed in cold light, before turning towards the lightless Eternal Night.

Suddenly, everyone held their breath.

The events were far from over; today's chaos was far from its end.

The Gulan Sacrifice Tower members were shocked, uttering cries of astonishment. Senior Priestess Maikon immediately began chanting prayers.

Tinina's eyes widened in disbelief.

Black and white mane danced in the wind; a tall, feral figure stood behind Livnis, shrouded in darkness.

When?!

White and black clashed. Xyrin's awakening illuminated the night; darkness receded.

No one expected a Hunter to be lurking behind its prey, within this rift.

Swish!

The Night Hunter Greatsword pierced Livnis from behind, emerging from her chest, lifting her into the air.

Livnis struggled; the small crescent blade, angled slightly, was instantly caught by the beast's claw.

"Hunter…" Livnis turned her head with difficulty, gazing at the black and white beast.

The account differed slightly; its power wasn't as formidable as described, perhaps due to its recent resurrection. But its cruelty was something ancient history hadn't fully captured.

The Hunter legend was more like the "Hunter" herself; even if her power wasn't fully restored, it was more terrifying than the legends, instilling greater awe and dread.

Such precise targeting. Livnis, lacking the Xyrin's restorative power, had unleashed such a large-scale darkness, even suppressing Kimio, who wielded both a God-killing weapon and the Xyrin Great Maul.

Xyrin's awakening suppressed the darkness, further restricting Livnis.

A momentary lapse in focus during her retreat.

The beast had sensed it.

An Illusion form swiftly appeared, turning to unleash "Heavy Darkness" to break the beast. But the beast first swung the greatsword, slamming Livnis to the ground. Its clawed hand swung, briefly turning Livnis into its plaything.

Heavy Darkness finally struck, hitting the rampant beast.

The overwhelming weight smashed a gaping wound through the beast's chest, exiting through its back.

The beast stumbled back, kneeling on one knee.

Livnis, struggling to her feet, clutched her bleeding chest, her headdress askew. Her stunning beauty was marred only by shock. A fellow bishop rushed to her side, embracing her before leaping into the Eternal Night rift without looking back.

Amidst this upheaval, everyone's attention shifted to the suddenly appeared beast.

The beast growled, a slight smirk on its ferocious face, a grotesque grin.

The chest wound rapidly healed. It stood again, claws outstretched.

There, the dark purple crescent blade lay quietly.

A violet glow enveloped its body. The towering beast vanished before everyone's eyes, its form untraceable.

...

Most of the Night Hunter cultists successfully retreated into the Eternal Night World, but many were intercepted and killed by Sun City's forces.

However, this didn't bring much relief; the danger was far from over.

The Eternal Night World rift remained, constantly spewing monsters into the real world; destruction reigned.

Sun City's guard units were fully mobilized, imposing a city-wide curfew and eliminating the monsters. They also urgently established a defensive line around the rift, eliminating any emerging monsters with overwhelming force.

Due to Xyrin's radiance, everyone present momentarily lost track of time, unsure of the actual time.

Only when Xyrin's light shifted to a tangerine-hued sunset did they realize that night was approaching.

Fortunately, as night fell, the number of Eternal Night World monsters decreased significantly, and their ferocity lessened considerably.

Born of darkness, they were sluggish in the night, reacting to the light.

Around this time, the delegations from other factions began leaving the front lines, offering apologies and thanks to Sun City before departing for rest.

Meanwhile, Nie Hong was searching.

"Nie Hong, looking for Mithra?" Nino, beside him, noticed what he was doing.

Nie Hong, exhausted from the day, had minor injuries, while Nino was barely sweating. Although numerous monsters emerged from the Eternal Night World, they lacked the firepower to cause significant chaos in Sun City, with so many powerful individuals present.

But everyone ignored this; this was the legendary Eternal Night, its secrets unknown, potentially harboring even greater terrors.

"Yes, she usually takes the initiative in these situations. Not seeing her is unsettling," Nie Hong said.

"Daphne said she went to the restroom during the banquet, and shortly afterward, the core node was attacked. With everything else going on, no one really paid attention," Nino nodded.

He turned to the distant front lines, where the fight against the Eternal Night monsters continued, his expression grim.

Having learned about the Eternal Night and the Night Hunter Church from Mithra, he had reported everything thoroughly before his dismissal, hoping to gain attention, but most people had been dismissive.

This incident, despite the devastating cost of the Xyrin core node, would force the council to take notice.

Without thoroughly resolving internal issues, the new Xyrin couldn't be safely created.

Then, Nie Hong suddenly spoke, "Mithra!"

Nino looked in the direction of the voice, spotting Mithra moving spectrally through the crowd.

Called, Mithra turned.

Approaching them, Nie Hong immediately said, "Where were you? Last night was incredibly dangerous! I thought you'd disappeared into the restroom!"

"I was picking up a delivery," Mithra smoothed her slightly disheveled hair.

Nie Hong looked perplexed.

Mithra casually showed them two Eternal Night crystals.

Nie Hong and Nino's eyes widened; Nie Hong exclaimed, "You took down two branch bishops?!"

Night Hunter branch bishops weren't exceptionally powerful, but as mid-level members of the Night Hunter Church, they certainly weren't easily dealt with. Their combined use of Eternal Night crystals and the Darkness Miracle was considerable; a full-fledged confrontation could rival a Clarity believer.

Of course, the strength of branch bishops varied; they couldn't be judged collectively. But Mithra had already defeated a significant number.

Mithra pocketed the crystals, not answering, but saying, "I saw a lot of people at the main incident site. Let's go take a look; what's the situation?"

To be frank, she had merely passed by.

"We arrived late. We heard that one of the Night Hunter Church's Four Grandmasters showed up and fought Kimio, only barely suppressed thanks to Xyrin. But… a sword-wielding beast appeared and almost took down the Grandmaster," Nie Hong said.

Mithra looked at Nino, who nodded gravely.

Mithra had considered explaining things to Nino.

After all, of everyone present earlier, only Nino had witnessed her Night Hunter Greatsword at the Chrysalis incident, making it easy to deduce the beast's identity after Livnis was stabbed.

It was a little disappointing.

As for revealing her identity… Mithra increasingly didn't care. She could simply leave; it was just Sun City, after all.

She only enjoyed observing Nino's reaction to knowing some of her other sides; she didn't really care.

"How is Sun City faring?" she changed the subject.

Nino replied gravely, "Not well. Sun City wasn't entirely heedless of my previous warnings; the Xyrin core node was a weak point, heavily guarded against attacks. But… the appearance of a Night Hunter Grandmaster rendered all defenses useless; the inner city guard suffered heavy casualties."

"Such beings are truly excessive. Illusion, at that level, would be worthy of a TV special report on Planet Blue," Nie Hong added.

Though Nie Hong's description was abstract, it somewhat conveyed the status of an Illusion believer.

They were at a level comparable to awakened stand users. Even Mithra vaguely understood; they were close to becoming Wandering Gods but restrained themselves.

Their manipulation of Miracles transcended the Miracles themselves, demonstrating a unique understanding of power's essence.

For fellow believers, they were unattainable, objects of admiration.

However, Mithra felt fine.

She had witnessed many Wandering Gods, even if their appearances were incomplete or depleted; their mastery of power left a profound impression on her.

She was constantly learning from the Hunter, in her use of Hunter Miracles.

Her Ashes state allowed her to approach the essence of flame. Though her understanding and application were limited, her interaction with this aspect of power was arguably on par with, or even surpassed, that of an Illusion believer.

Mithra's aspirations regarding the Illusion level were largely fantastical; she wondered what kind of "stand-in" chairperson she would create if she reached that level.

Hopefully one filled with an invincible aura.

Her Abhorrence, however, was unaffected by physical wounds.

Nino invited Mithra and Nie Hong to his home to rest. Although retired, he still lived in the inner city; Sun City wasn't yet mad enough to evict retired officials who had contributed.

But as they were about to leave, hurried footsteps approached.

Before Mithra could turn, "Daphne" grabbed her collar.

The Night eye revealed Tinina's possession.

"You've worked hard to compensate; I suggest you not burden your family further."

Before Tinina could speak, Mithra didn't resist, simply looking down from her superior height, her calm, cold gaze fixed on her.

Nino and Nie Hong finally saw the Night eye in Tinina's right eye, and were astonished.

"The sword…"

"You wanted to see it, didn't you? Consider this a viewing," Mithra said.

Tinina gritted her teeth in anger, but reluctantly released Mithra's collar.

Mithra informed Nino and Nie Hong briefly; the three quickly left, leaving Tinina standing alone, bathed in the setting sun, surrounded by swaying shadows, utterly alone.

...

"Mithra, that wasn't Miss Daphne just now. What's going on?" Nie Hong asked with concern.

"Her enemy was killed by me; the relics are in my possession, and I have a relatively good relationship with them. She's currently suffering from severe mental distress; it's not directly related to me," Mithra explained concisely.

"It seems to be a deep-seated grudge, extending beyond her personal vendetta," Nino commented.

His judgment of character was sharp.

"Indeed," Mithra readily agreed.

Furthermore, Tinina's true motive might not be revenge. Seeking vengeance against the Hunter was a superficial goal; her true desire was clearly the Night Hunter Greatsword.

But why did she want the Night Hunter Greatsword?

A person consumed by hatred wouldn't desire the sword's power.

Perhaps it was the eyes on the blade.

Considering she only had one Night eye, the matching eye might be one of those on the Night Hunter Greatsword.

Though the Night Hunter Greatsword had thirty-four eyes, they weren't necessarily seventeen pairs; perhaps an even number were present.

However, her troubles and hatred were irrelevant to Mithra, an "unrelated party."

If she dared to attack her again, Mithra would crush her skull.

...

Nino's courtyard wasn't particularly luxurious, nor was it simple; it was just right.

Nino's family lived there: his elderly mother, and his sister, whose back Mithra had seen once; their father, a brave Sun City border guard, had passed away in his prime.

From his mother's words, the father's influence on Nino and the family's pride in him were clear.

Even after his dismissal, Nino's contributions to Sun City were recognized by his family.

After enjoying a simple meal, Mithra and Nie Hong were shown to their rooms.

The busy day finally ended.

Mithra bathed, then put her formal attire into her pouch, planning to wear her pure regenerative coat tomorrow.

After resting in bed, Mithra replenished Stabilize, slowly drawing the dark purple crescent blade from her waist.

The blade had remained quiet since Mithra had taken it; she had tucked it away during her retreat, suffering from severe beast form side effects.

The intense barking had been so loud that she hadn't noticed something moving inside her.

After waking, the blade seemed to have accepted its fate and quieted.

Mithra closed the door carefully, sat cross-legged on the rug, and took out her weapons one by one, arranging them in a circle before placing the small crescent blade in the center.

If there were animation effects, the small crescent blade would undoubtedly be sweating profusely.

Mithra announced, "Welcome to the new employee orientation! This is the Abyssal Crescent; call it the little crescent blade. Applause."

Mithra then clapped lightly by herself.

Naturally, it was silent; the weapons didn't react.

"Though the little crescent blade's arrival is sudden, and it may not be accustomed to sudden inter-company transfers, it's fine," Mithra continued to mutter. "Our Mithra Directly-Established Company offers unlimited benefits, such as the Mật Khủng four brothers here. Though their positions have been streamlined, their ranks have been promoted."

She patted the Night Worship Greatsword.

"These are some of the company's earliest and most valuable employees. The Crushing Hammer brother; his future accomplishments are limitless, with benefits readily available."

"These two will be working with you in the future—the Night Hunter Greatsword and the Abhorrence staff. Though you both have somewhat sensitive temperaments, I'm tolerant of talent. Nice to meet you."

Mithra placed the little crescent blade between the Abhorrence staff and the Night Hunter Greatsword.

Silence. The Abhorrence staff rolled away subtly, seemingly uninterested in Mithra's game, but Mithra caught it.

"In short, perform well, and the benefits will follow," Mithra said sincerely.

The Maw licked its familiar form; it was considered an off-roster employee.

This simple "welcome party" was perhaps more of a threat to the small crescent blade, hinting at its potential erasure through illusions if it misbehaved.

Mithra picked up the little crescent blade alone, quickly working on it using Phaselos's gift.

Though outwardly crude, resembling a garden tool, the weapon's sinister power was densely packed into its small form.

This was a God-killing weapon attuned to the Abyss; its original Wandering God wielder had been so thoroughly corrupted by the Abyss that no specific Miracles remained, only a potent Abyssal essence.

Primarily "Reality Distortion" and "Nothingness."

"Reality Distortion" manifested as a bizarre amplification of the attack's force.

The lightest strike could be as powerful as a heavy blow. When this effect was active, it would consume a random amount of senses.

It could also consume the maximum sense limit for a stable effect.

Inflicting heavy blows with minimal force, distorting the logic of reality—this effect could also be enhanced by added Miracles.

Livnis's "Dark Rend," for example, received a significant boost.

The "Nothingness" aspect was even more fearsome.

First, it could partially negate other Miracles' power. Mithra's Abyssal Miracles possessed a similar effect; she had never lost when using them against other Miracles.

Secondly, its unique power: inflicting a "Nothingness" curse through contact.

This contact didn't necessarily require physical touch; indirect contact through an intermediary object could work, albeit slower.

The Nothingness curse had two effects: Stasis—as the curse accumulated, the target's movements would become progressively slower; at the curse's peak, a significant rigidity would occur before the curse subsided and the accumulation began anew.

The second was Drain—as the curse accumulated, the target's senses and mental control would become difficult; casting and maintaining Miracles would become increasingly costly; at the curse's peak, senses would temporarily cease, potentially halting the target's Miracles.

Its style differed significantly from Mithra's brutal and savage Night Hunter Greatsword, and the agile and versatile Abhorrence staff.

The small crescent blade was more of a support tool, offering both herself and her opponent a unique combat experience.

However, the Stasis curse was easier to activate, while the Drain curse was more difficult to build up to its full effect.

Many believers were experienced in dealing with various Miracles and countering curse effects, as seen with Livnis's curse on Kimio being dispelled by the Xyrin Great Maul.

Theoretically, prolonged suppression of the opponent was crucial when using the little crescent blade.

Mithra quickly familiarized herself with the weapon; as her abilities improved, her adaptation period—aided by Phaselos's gift—was greatly shortened.

Having become sufficiently familiar, she wiped the little crescent blade lightly with her arm before storing it internally.

Time for sleep.

...

Within the Eternal Night World, the Night Hunter Church members found a place to regroup.

Although they had lost their sight in this lightless world, the cultists felt no unease; this was the world they yearned for.

While many monsters were emerging from the rift, these individuals, perfectly attuned to the darkness, encountered no difficulty.

Livnis closed her eyes, focusing, and cast Stabilize on herself.

Stabilize was an extremely useful Miracle; even at her level, she wouldn't readily forgo it.

"Grandmaster, your wounds are treated," a voice beside her said.

Livnis didn't need to be told; she knew her injuries were improving. Even the spinal and pulmonary damage, lacking any additional effects, wouldn't be fatal for an Illusion believer.

A little treatment would bring rapid recovery.

She opened her eyes slightly; absolute darkness reigned, but as a believer, she could easily perceive the world through other senses.

"Remu, have you compiled the casualty report?" Livnis asked.

"The casualties are significant, Grandmaster. Of the branch bishops under your command, only I and Keke remain; Vanhor and Hudders didn't participate and vanished beforehand—a very strange situation," the clear female voice replied.

"…That Hunter." Livnis mused.

"Highly likely. I used my Miracle to retrace events; a significant Eternal Night crystal reaction was detected from that Hunter," Remu echoed.

The disappearance of two branch bishops before the attack had created difficulties.

Firstly, they lacked manpower; infiltrating the heavily guarded core node in Sun City was far more challenging than anticipated. Although Sun City's masters had dwindled, its legacy remained; various Miracle artifacts and Xyrin's power were readily available.

Secondly, the lack of two Eternal Night crystals prolonged the rift's opening, giving Sun City time to respond.

Originally, Livnis wouldn't have had to face Kimio; they would have simply opened the rift and quickly escaped to the Eternal Night, leaving Sun City with the aftermath.

"That person clearly said if we were careful, nobody would notice us," Remu's voice contained resentment.

The actual casualties far exceeded expectations; two Eternal Night crystals were lost, and even the Grandmaster was ambushed.

Though they reached the Eternal Night, the outcome, while positive, was far from ideal; the problems were preventable.

"The Hunter was an unforeseen variable. It's not entirely their fault. When Burter was ambushed and forced into the Eternal Night World earlier, I should have taken it more seriously," Livnis said.

"You were still on your way here at the time; Egov's failed plan and the Hunter's subsequent recovery significantly impacted us. You had just returned from consultations with the other Grandmasters."

"Indeed. We assumed the newly resurrected Hunter would remain dormant. Unexpectedly, despite its incomplete recovery, it acted without delay."

Livnis looked at her arm.

The God-killing weapon, held for so long, had been forcibly taken.

It had felt odd at the time; while the Hunter clearly intended to kill her, its attention seemed fixated more on the small crescent blade than on her?

An illusion?

Dismissing these thoughts, Livnis slowly stood up: "I'm fine. We must continue our journey. Reaching the Eternal Night is only the beginning. The situation outside Xyrin is unfavorable; that person is likely hiding something from us."

"Grandmaster…"

"Let's go. Let's find… the great 'Darkness' pillar."

...

Mithra and Nie Hong rested for the night.

Mithra, as usual, slept poorly, waking numerous times to replenish Stabilize, then groggily falling back asleep, only to cast more Stabilize.

The little crescent blade's side effects weren't simple.

During her dreams, she repeatedly saw the Abyssal images from when she had received the Abyssal Miracle.

That wasn't a significant concern for now; she had only briefly traversed the Abyssal border.

However, future deep incursions were uncertain.

The Abyssal Crescent's Abyssal effects originated from there.

The experience of wielding the Abyssal power was quite chaotic.

Thinking about it, her connection to the Abyss might be much closer than she realized.

After considering this, Mithra changed into her regenerative gear only to find her room's food rations completely empty.

"…the Maw?" Mithra murmured.

"Hungry…" the Maw extended a long, slender tentacle-tongue, swaying.

Mithra had overslept; it had eaten her breakfast.

She gently pinched its tongue, not severely reprimanding it, as she had been the one who had been restless.

But this thieving habit wouldn't change.

Entering the courtyard, she heard the rhythmic clang of metal. A few steps later, she saw Nie Hong training.

Mithra recalled Nie Hong mentioning recently learning several advanced Ki Miracles; control over Ki was crucial for physical conditioning.

Nie Hong was sweating profusely, his body occasionally flashing with crimson light, indicative of his Ki control. He appeared to be in good shape.

Mithra didn't interrupt, observing for a while.

Only when Nino entered the courtyard did Mithra's attention shift.

Nie Hong stopped, regulating his breathing before rushing over, playfully asking, "Mithra, did I look cool?"

"Using it against an opponent always looks cool," Mithra replied casually.

Nino chuckled, "It seems Nie Hong has recovered well."

Nie Hong looked good; Mithra, on the other hand, seemed perpetually gloomy.

"You've been investigating?" Mithra asked.

"Yes," Nino nodded. "The Eternal Night rift defense is currently stable. Kimio has reported to the Empire; reinforcements will arrive within two days; they're taking this seriously."

"Then it's manageable. Let's leave today," Mithra said.

"Huh?" Nie Hong looked surprised.

"Today's Sunday on Planet Blue. I remember you have an early meeting on Monday," Mithra said impassively.

Nie Hong's energetic demeanor instantly wilted.

Nino nodded, "You have matters to attend to in Enchanting Land; it's best not to stay long."

Mithra and Nie Hong stayed until noon, sharing another meal before preparing to leave.

Nino saw them off; a nearby teleportation point allowed them to reach the outskirts.

On their way, the inner city streets were almost entirely patrolled by guards. Monsters from the Eternal Night could appear at any time; ordinary citizens avoided going out.

But shortly after, a commotion arose ahead.

Nino frowned. As the three continued, they encountered a massive procession!

Scattered guards struggled to control the enormous crowd, which was proving impossible to stop.

Believers were present in the procession; the guards' gentler Miracles were countered, and more aggressive Miracles couldn't be used against such a large crowd without jeopardizing the civilians.

"Destroy the new Xyrin!"

"Protect the Xyrin! The Xyrin endures!"

"We don't need a new Xyrin!"

"The Eternal Night monsters are divine punishment! A warning to Sun City! Stop your foolish actions!"

Various shouts, all ultimately expressing opposition to the new Xyrin.

"Wow, what's going on?" Nie Hong, seeing such a scene for the first time, was shocked.

"Interesting," Mithra commented succinctly.

Nino's expression, however, had become extremely grim.