As a player, can you be normal?

Chapter 758 What Can't Be Hidden
In the central area of ​​the Dreamland stands the city's most famous cathedral, a Gothic building representing the worship of the moon goddess. Under the moonlight, it stands like a knight's lance in the middle of the city.

There is a clock on the bell tower at the very top of the church.

In reality, the clock is broken, so it doesn't move.

In the land of dreams, the clock represents time and remains still, therefore it is still.

With a click, the clock struck one.

The dappled sunlight outside the church reflected on a man's face as he stood on the top floor of the cathedral, listening to the ticking sound outside the window.

"The Fool of Time has finally taken his first steps, Lord Costil. Food that will satisfy you has entered your dreams."

Moonlight streamed in, illuminating the depths of the church.

The guy who's talking has a goat's head.

Strictly speaking, he was a black goat, covered in black hair, standing upright like a human, and dressed in aristocratic clothing.

The meager moonlight illuminated the paintings hanging throughout the church. The frames stretched densely along the walls, like arrows pointing towards a huge painting at the far end.

This unusual painting features only a single red blood moon.

The black goat is named "Micheleil" and claims to be a servant of the moon goddess.

The main storyline of the original Bloodborne game is the conspiracy of the "Blood Princess of the Moon," and the blood moon in the painting is a symbol of the moon goddess.

That moon goddess was once defeated by Marger.

The blood moon in the painting does not represent the Blood Moon Princess, but rather her remaining "consciousness".

The black goat stepped over the paintings scattered on the ground. With each step, bloody eyeballs would pop out from the ground. By the time it reached the huge painting, its path was covered with countless eyeballs. They covered all the paintings in the room, like a gloomy haze shrouding the interior of the church. If someone with trypophobia came here, they would be driven crazy by disgust.

"Listen, the clock has struck, foolish time has finally begun to move, that powerful force is entering the dream, and it will resurrect you..."

"The black goat said devoutly."

In return, a gap appeared in the blood moon in the painting, like a closed eyelid.

“We just need to catch that person. He can’t get in here directly. The crazy whispers will turn him into a monster. No one can get close to you safely, hehehe... except for a servant like me who lives for you.”

The black goat murmured.

If the light here were bright, you could see a dozen or so eyeless human heads hanging from the dome; those were the "empty" players.

Only three players survived, but were mutated after being affected by the Ancient God. They are now stationed in the lower level, guarding the painting of the buried Moon Goddess.

The entire dreamland has been transformed into a giant miniature garden maze.

Because of the curse of the whispered ancient gods, there is no way to directly break into this place. You can only slowly adapt from the lower level, hunt wild beasts, and then climb up little by little. But the more you kill, the closer you get to madness. When you reach this place, you have lost all your thinking ability and become a madman with a negative "insight value".

A mindless madman can be controlled with just a few spells.

If it were the Middle Ages, the Dreamland would be an absolutely unassailable fortress. The reason it hasn't expanded now is entirely because we live in an era of advanced technology.

The Black Goat awaits the appearance of a powerful monster; anyone who comes here will be of value to be controlled.

For example, a being that can suppress the curse in one's mind and possesses great combat power could, with a little modification, become the new agent of the Moon Goddess. Then, on the day that arrives, the hunters of "Bayer-Kinworth" can go to their deaths.

And with the ticking of the clock, it was clear that the person was getting closer.

Where is he...?

The black goat turned its head back.

"That person should be arriving soon, but why aren't the guys down there reacting..."

Where is he...?

he is……

An Emil mask was perched on the window.

Black Goat: "...?"

next second.

The black goat was sucked into the mask, which took him into an endless dark world. The mask had the function of torture instruments. The black goat saw a group of butchers slaughtering sheep. He was forcibly sent to a machine tool, his proud black appearance was shaved off, and then he was thrown into boiling water.

"I'm not mutton soup!"

I don't know why this guy shouted that.

It saw itself being fished out of the soup, and those people took the soup away and threw it away.

The black goat still retained his thinking ability. He realized that someone had invaded the Dreamland. The one who could invade the Dreamland was most likely another god or organization that possessed the power of the Dreamland.

Then I heard a loudspeaker, and a red banner at the entrance read "Rural Market".

The black goat's consciousness was filled with confusion and fear.

What dreamlike place is the rural market?
His vision went black again, this time emerging from the mask. He saw the moon in the sky again and was put into a large pot. Blue flames rushed down from above, biting him and burning the hair on the black goat's body. Just like the story of the hallucination, he was thrown into the pot, bald.

What's most egregious this time is that the pot had a lid, which covered him up.

Before he could speak, he heard voices outside.

"Li Nuo, aren't you going to add any seasoning?"

"The mutton soup should have its most original flavor."

"I'll increase the firepower."

"Don't be silly, let it simmer on low heat for a bit, that will make the meat taste better."

Only then did the black goat realize that two ancestors had arrived and wanted to eat him.

He had served the ancient god for over a hundred years. This was the first time he had encountered someone who wanted to eat him. He panicked and tried to go out with his ram horns on the pot lid, but the lid held him firmly in place.

"Li Nuo, but what about his swimming?"

"Oh no, I forgot..."

"It's so dirty, I'm not drinking this mutton soup."

"Wait a minute, I'll change it to lamb skewers. Go to the city and get me some charcoal. If you can't find any, you can burn some wild animals into charcoal, that will do."

"I want it grilled in an electric oven."

"Then tell Cha Bai to get ready to flirt later."

“But Li Nuo, Sister Cha’s electricity all comes from B.”

"That's why it's awesome."

"I don't eat spicy food!"

"Okay, I'll grill them separately. Ask Cha Bai if he wants lamb kidneys."

The black goat couldn't take it anymore. He slammed the pot lid off and yelled, "Do you really have to eat me?!"

Then the pot lid was pushed back down.

Bump it out.

They were pushed back down.

Bump it out.

They were pushed back down.

After repeating this process ten or more times, the black goat had become mentally numb.

The ancient god's servant, who had been manipulating minds, has now suffered a mental breakdown.

"who are you!?"

Those outside the pot have been waiting for this sentence for a long time.

"Warrior of Light".

……

January 2, 1888, courtroom.

"Don't you dare insult the light!"

It was Piek who interrupted Li Nuo.

This cowardly man has always admired justice and believes that light can dispel darkness, but Li Nuo's actions so far have nothing to do with light.

"Black light is also light."

Li Nuo's words made Piek slam his head on the table.

"Excuse me, please continue... Was that black goat tasty...?"

Everyone was led astray by Li Nuo.

This place, which should have been a place of justice, fairness, and seriousness, has now been turned into a live broadcast studio for cartoonists.

Xiao Wu was the only one who was distracted. What she had experienced was far more terrifying than what Li Nuo had gone through, and Xiao Wu was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Please don't interrupt."

Li Nuo continued her story.

Consciousness returns to the past.

……

On the roof of the tallest building in the Land of Dreams, November 18, 1887.

Li Nuo fished the black goat out of the pot.

The black goat now has the chance to see what kind of lunatic is going to eat him.

A priest wearing a felt hat, holding a thermos and a cane, sitting on a black coffin... Judging from his attire, he looked very much like a member of the "Healing Church" from the old days.

There's also a blue flame floating in the air, with a cute face and eyes that seem to want to devour meat—it gives off a bit of an uncanny valley vibe. [Black Goat Micheleil]

[Level: lv90]

【Strength: 115】

[Reaction: 299]

[Spiritual power: 422]

[Physique: 200]

[Insight: -1]

[Medical: 233]

[Fragment of memory: He used to be human, but was transformed into a monster through the blood healing of the "Healing Church." Later, he was modified into a conscious being. He believed that the Moon Goddess was the one who transformed him because he no longer trusted humans. The Moon Goddess bewitched him, making him a new apostle of the ancient gods, creating the Dreamland here, and then hiding away.]

Both he and the Moon Goddess are waiting for a powerful being to enter the dream realm, just like the hunter who defeated the Moon Blood Princess in the past. The new life that slaughters its way through this place will be bewitched into a new apostle, becoming the Moon Goddess's executioner, slaughtering the high-ranking people of the mortal world, completely obliterating the technology and the seal, so that the dream realm can return to the world.

[For a hundred years, the wait has been too long. The concealment of the Dreamland has gradually weakened, and the hunters of "Bayer-Kinworth" have set their sights on them. The Moon Goddess still needs some nourishment before she can return to her peak. In order for the Moon Goddess to survive in a safe environment, the Black Goat stole the "World in the Painting" and put the Moon Goddess's flesh and blood into it.]

[On a side note, black goat meat is delicious.]

He's no longer human, so you don't need to feel guilty eating him. Remember not to add any seasonings; he has a natural aroma of spices. If you add too much salt, it will mask his original flavor. It's best to serve the mutton soup separately, and eat the mutton with chive blossoms for a unique taste.

It was because of that final digression that Li Nuo decided to eat the black goat.

The reason we no longer eat black goat is because I suddenly have a new idea that requires the help of black goat.

"So the moon goddess is now hidden in the 'world in the painting'."

Li Nuo grabbed the black goat's horns, his silver, demonic eyes staring into the goat's devilish pupils, making the goat feel uneasy.

But the black goat was, after all, a loyal believer, and he smiled defiantly at the threat of violence.

"Hehehe...Want to find it? If you want to find it, then identify it yourself from here..."

Li Nuo slapped him.

"Hey……"

He was slapped again, and the black goat was dumbfounded. Then he faced an endless stream of slaps, until the black goat was completely bewildered.

"It's in the largest painting inside, but it's sealed away, so you can't find the Moon Goddess..."

Theoretically, one needs to enter the world depicted in the painting.

The way to enter is in a secret room on the lower level. As mentioned before, this place is a large miniature maze. Li Nuo jumped to the final BOSS area through a portal. The price of speedrunning is that you will miss the items along the way.

But no problem.

He has plenty of ways to make the ancient gods come out on their own.

At this moment, the black goat, in a daze, asked a question: "So... who exactly are you...? Has your 'Healing Church' developed a device that can block whispers...?"

Li Nuo, dressed in the robes of the "Healing Church," was mistaken for a priest there.

Something new has been added to the Black Goat's "memory fragments".

The Black Goat hates the Healing Church because those madmen's obsession with blood healing is the real cause of the world's suffering. The Healing Church is now even more fanatical; they don't even fear the Old Gods and are willing to pay any price to obtain their blood, even if it means turning the world into nothingness.

Li Nuo did not answer.

The whispers of the ancient gods had no effect on him whatsoever.

The two "blood gems" provided 130% resistance to ancient god attacks, and their inherent resistance to curses was already ridiculously high.

Furthermore, the [Mouth Substitute] effect includes a function that allows the user to talk to staff at any time.

The staff of "Redemption" were Cairo aliens, and Li Nuo could hear their voices constantly echoing in his ears.

The whispers of creatures in the funny world won't drive you crazy, but they'll annoy you to death.

Another reason why Li Nuo cannot be controlled by the whispers is that if souls could be analyzed like data, it would be found that Li Nuo has two souls: he is the master and Teresa is the assistant. A dual-soul possessor cannot be interfered with by mental control.

He picked up the box and took back Cuihua.

"Um, I have another question for you."

The black goat immediately perked up.

"If I destroy the ancient gods here, can you maintain this dreamlike realm?"

One of the Black Goat's memory fragments proves that he maintained the existence of the dream together with the ancient god. He should also be a BOSS, a nightmare that needs to be killed.

He kindly gave the black goat a heads-up before it spoke.

"Give me an answer I'd like to hear, otherwise you're useless."

"can……"

"Alright, I'll need the Dreamland from now on. You stay here and behave yourself. If you encounter any danger, run away immediately, the farther the better."

At this moment, the black goat was unaware of what was about to happen, but he sensed a fervent desire to hunt in Li Nuo's eyes.

Li Nuo flipped off the roof, shattering the glass of the church's top floor, and landed steadily inside the cathedral. He stomped on a bunch of eyeballs, the juices sticking to the sole of his shoe.

He walked in, each step feeling like he was stepping on a seashell, causing the ground to burst with liquid. The number of eyeballs in the church increased, but these things that could inflict a mental shock on him had no effect whatsoever.

If we consider eyeballs as leaves, then there is no reason for trypophobia.

With this thought in mind, he stood before the painting that concealed the ancient god.

The painting is four meters tall, and the blood moon shines brightly within it.

"Why hasn't the side quest been triggered yet...?"

The triggering of side quests is related to the staff. So far, not a single quest has been triggered, which indicates that the staff has been negligent.

At that moment, the eyeballs in the church crackled, and the figures in the hundreds of paintings hanging on the walls came to life. Their hands and bodies extended out of the paintings, merging with the eyeballs outside the paintings to form creatures with fur and bizarre faces.

Normally, this final boss would be a bizarre creature combining summoning and mental magic, an incredibly powerful entity for anyone. However, in the dream world, abilities such as "magic" and "field control" are disabled, making it, strictly speaking, a "nightmare" dungeon for players.

Cuihua sprang from Li Nuo's shoulder, surged into the ground, and rose into a great blue fire. The blue flames, like tongues of fire, enveloped the towering tower. At the critical moment, the black goat ran away from the roof. He stood on the roof of a small building not far away, his pupils obscured by the blue light.

This nightmare church, which once housed countless beasts and an ancient god, has been transformed into a giant pyre, with the howls of wild beasts echoing in the flames.

At this moment, Black Goat realized that the fervor in Li Nuo's eyes just now was a professional hunter's eagerness to kill.

They wanted to lure a powerful person over, but instead they attracted a real monster.

Inside the charred church.

Inside the church, filled with withered, black eyeballs.

Standing before the image of the Moon Goddess amidst a multitude of charred beast corpses, Li Nuo stood.

This enormous painting is known as "The World in the Painting".

The master of dreams is hidden within.

He wanted to pull the other person out.

Suddenly, the ground behind them cracked open, and three figures sprang out from beneath the ground. The three players from the "Sky Corridor," who had been transformed into beasts, howled and charged toward Li Nuo, who was about to attack the Ancient God.

The cane moved slightly.

The Wind-Slicing Blade cuts through the air.

In the blink of an eye, blood fell on Li Nuo from above, and the severed limbs of the three players lay at his feet. Azure flames expanded from his feet, burning the corpses.

[Three players killed]

Experience points gained: 150000

Killing a player grants an equal amount of experience points and a "random card".

A random card appeared in front of Li Nuo, who grabbed it and slowly stuffed it into his pocket.

Then he raised his cane and pointed it at the blood moon in the painting.

The blood moon opened its eyes, releasing a scarlet light. The enormous red light slammed into Li Nuo's chest, sending him flying like a crumpled piece of paper, his body crashing into a pile of charred beast carcasses.

Li Nuo crawled out from the corpse.

He could certainly dodge it; he didn't dodge because he was testing the cane's performance.

[Sinner's Cane MAX]

[Effect 8: Boosted by the "Low Health" trait, the lower the health, the higher the staff's attack power, with the maximum amount based on the user's attack power.]

"This is bad... I'm too resistant to you..."

Li Nuo staggered out of the pile of corpses.

"My vitality has been weakened, but the reason is actually that I crashed into a hunting knife when I flew out."

"Next time you make a move, don't use magic attacks, try using physical attacks. I need to get beaten up a few times."

"please."

The eye in the painting used the same trick again, as if it were programmed. It ducked down in advance to avoid the wind pressure created by the light, but it was the only one that escaped its notice. This is the highest level of insight.

Li Nuo caught the hat and put it back on his head.

"I already told you not to use magic attacks. Never mind... you should come out first."

He raised his cane and flicked it down at the painting.

The seemingly ordinary "A" is actually a phenomenon of "multi-dimensional twists and turns".

The cane that pierced through space transformed into a whip blade, entered the painting, enveloped the blood moon, and forcibly pulled the moon out of the painting.

(End of this chapter)