Night World Players

Chapter 271 Free Imagination: The Ideal Hiltina (6k)

Just a moment ago, the twilight sky was filled with fiery red glow.

But the next moment, the thick darkness of night enveloped the entire sky.

It was a darkness deeper than the abyss.

At this moment, like the night sky, it gently enveloped this broken little world, along with the tomb guardians at the far end of the sky, and then swallowed them all up.

Behind Tucker, the place where the three guardian angels once stood was now completely swallowed by the night, leaving only twisted, empty vortexes of eternal night.

boom--

boom--

From the dark vortex that swallowed the light, earth-shattering roars could be heard from time to time. It was the gravedigger angels unleashing their power, trying to break free from that eternal night vortex.

However, it is ineffective.

All the impacts and collisions were swallowed up by that eternal night vortex and then vanished into nothingness.

"Hiltina... what did you do?"

Tucker's horrified voice echoed throughout the silent palace complex.

Just seconds before, he was full of confidence, believing that Hiltina had completely fallen into the trap he and the Gravekeeper had carefully woven, and that once the plan was over, he would join the Gravekeeper and achieve true immortality.

But just a few dozen seconds later, the tide of battle had turned.

The strong support he relied on from the tomb guardians was still trapped in the vortex of eternal night.

He was left all alone to face the blood-soaked female swordsman by himself.

"You've lost the Holy Sword, and you've lost your status as Empress, the one who was blessed by the imperial lineage... You haven't even reached the level of an angel."

"Right now, you're just an ordinary, unremarkable legend..."

"Such a legend should not be uncommon in the seven eras of human history."

He looked back at the darkest vortex that had swallowed the tomb guardian and also devoured the light.

"But how is this possible?"

Even though Hiltina transcended the rules of the Night World and forcibly used her Nightblade—"Infinity Blade"—in this secondary dimension that was completely isolated from the outside world and unable to sense any connection with the Night World, she still managed to do so.

But how could Hiltina, who is only a legendary figure at the moment, possibly control the three powerful tomb guardians with just one move?
"Nothing is impossible."

He was covered in blood, even his pure white knight's uniform was stained crimson, leaving only pure red...

But at this moment, Hiltina's light brown eyes shone even brighter, like clear and dazzling stars.

"What I strive to imagine, what I want to pursue..."

"She wasn't originally a so-called 'angel' because of the Holy Sword, the prestige of the imperial lineage, or her status as empress."

"Perhaps in your eyes, Professor Tucker, the title of 'angel' is the supreme thing you've craved your entire life, and the key to 'eternity'."

"As long as it can make one an angel, then no matter how much trickery is used or what scale of external force is borrowed... it is all worthwhile."

"But--"

Hiltina paused slightly.

"That kind of thing is worthless to me."

"What I want to become is... an existence that can overcome all obstacles and dangers."

"When faced with the trolley problem, one should not choose either of the two options, but rather have the power to stand on the tracks and overturn the entire trolley together."

"If even a few ancient relics that have just awakened from a ten-thousand-year slumber and have not yet recovered to their full strength cannot be defeated..."

"Then how can I even talk about becoming someone who doesn't have to give up anything—whether it's 'ideals,' 'love,' or 'duty'—"

"A person who truly transcends all rules."

She gently stroked the slender sword in her hand, which was as deep and black as night and had a deep blue hilt.

At this moment, the slender sword was already broken into pieces, barely maintaining its last remaining form.

"My initial Crest of the Morning Star... after the release of my True Name, it unleashed a dazzling aurora that incinerated everything."

"Just like the name of that sword, before the brilliance of the morning star, everything in the shadows has nowhere to hide, only to be annihilated by that beam of destructive light."

"However, the 'Sword of the Night Sky' that Fran left me after the 'Shining Morning Star' shattered was different."

"Francine said that I was too stubborn and inflexible in the past, and never knew how to rest or compromise."

"It's like a sword that has been through countless battles, with countless broken pieces, its metal fatigue has long reached its limit, yet it never knows how to take care of itself... If this continues, then I will eventually shatter."

"Therefore, the attribute of the 'Sword of the Night Sky' that Fran left me is not 'destruction' like 'Twinkling Morning Star,' but rather 'protection.'"

"To gently envelop this sad and broken world, like the night sky."

Hiltina gazed at the distant horizon, at the vortex that seemed to be formed from the darkness of night:
"Similarly, all those enemies who pose a threat to my life... will also be trapped in the depths of this boundless night sky, thus forming a protective barrier for me."

"However, judging from your personality, teacher, I'm afraid you've never even heard of my heraldic ceremonial attire."

Hiltina looked at the broken Night Sky Sword in her hand and couldn't help but smile.

"Although it's a memento left to me by Fran..."

"But in your eyes, this is just an ordinary emblem costume that even low-level superhumans can possess."

Tucker remained silent.

As Hiltina said, in preparation for the hunt against her, the Gravekeeper and Tucker gathered a lot of information about her... but the most important information about her weapons was about the Holy Sword.

Both the tomb keeper and Tuck, a member of the imperial family, were well aware of the power of the Star Sword. They knew that Hiltina, who held the fully unsealed sword, was capable of contending with angels even if she was only a legendary figure.

Therefore, they meticulously planned this hunt, using the divine relics of the tomb guardians in conjunction with their plan. They seized the opportunity when Hiltina did not carry the Holy Sword with her, sealing her in a sub-dimensional space... isolating her from the Holy Sword and preventing her from using its power in this small sub-dimensional world.

However, they never studied the sword at Hiltina's waist.

Even though Hiltina and this sword were inseparable, always wearing it at her waist... it was ultimately just an ordinary heraldic ceremonial weapon, a gift left to Hiltina by a low-level transcendent being of only the third or fourth rank.

In battles at the Legendary and Angel levels, it has no value for study.

But at this very moment, it was precisely this weapon, which the tomb keeper deemed to have no research value, that sealed off the three formidable enemies, all angels, in the deepest part of the night sky.

"But even so, what's the point?"

Tucker took a deep breath and regained his composure.

Although it was surprising that Hiltina was still able to activate Nightblade despite having severed ties with the Night World and lost its blessings.

Ultimately, all that sword in the night sky can do is "protect" and "isolate," not "kill."

"Even if you use this sword to keep the tomb guardian angels away in the deepest part of the night sky."

"But how long can this power of true name liberation be sustained?"

"Three minutes, or five minutes?"

"In any case, once this 'guardian' power dissipates, the tomb guardians will break free from the seal of night... At that time, your situation will not be any different from before."

Tucker's gaze returned to the cold:
"It's nothing more than an ugly, feeble struggle to survive... just a delaying tactic."

"But, teacher..."

The answer to Tucker came from Hiltina, who was covered in blood, and whose voice remained clear.

"All I need is just these three minutes."

Tucker was startled.

Only now did he suddenly realize—

Despite being covered in blood and riddled with wounds of all sizes that could not be healed due to the loss of the sword sheath's protection, the sword continued to rob Hiltina of her life force.

Her vital energy was clearly waning, a reflection of how life was draining from Hiltina after she had been hunted by the angels.

But at this moment, despite being severely injured and on the verge of death, Hiltina showed no fear whatsoever in her light brown eyes.

On the contrary, there was an intense excitement and anticipation that was almost impossible to conceal.

“Father… my personality is indeed not suited to be an empress, but rather to be a swordsman fighting on the front lines.”

Hiltina reached out and gently brushed her cheek, then lightly licked her fingers, which were stained with her own blood.

Stimulated by the strong smell of blood, Hiltina's originally dignified face now showed a distinct hint of madness against the backdrop of blood.

Over the past two years, after regaining her status as a princess and being chosen as the heir to the throne, Hiltina has actually been restraining and suppressing her true nature.

No longer fighting on the front lines of conquering the night world as a night traveler, she appears as a princess at magnificent banquets and meetings of high-ranking nobles... She engages in perfunctory dealings with various lords and envoys from other countries, and deals with mountains of political and military documents every day.

This is the path Hiltina chose herself, and the heavy responsibility and mission she chose to shoulder.

Therefore, she will never regret it. No matter how much it goes against her own personality, Hiltina will definitely fulfill her duty to complete the path to becoming queen.

However, Hiltina herself knew that by going against her nature, she could never become the "angel" she envisioned.

Her own legendary path was clear from the beginning—it was like a chariot, cutting down and crushing everything in her way.

To perfectly ascend to the angelic realm, one must never go against one's own conscience.

For Rust and for Hiltina's father, Aaron... if they wanted to advance to the angelic realm, they could have done so quietly—after all, Rust and Aaron weren't the berserker type; they were used to hiding behind the scenes, planning their moves carefully.

But Hiltina is different.

From the moment she became a superhuman, she has been experiencing bloodshed and fire, and life and death hanging by a thread.

Just like the sequence number "Chariot" that Hiltina possesses, this is her true origin, not from the Holy Sword, from imperial power, from the blessings of the Night World... but rather the root unique to Hiltina, this human being. Therefore, this is the choice that Hiltina made willingly.

What she longed for was precisely such a desperate situation where she had a slim chance of survival.

Then, in such dire straits—completely transcend oneself and truly ascend to the angelic realm.

"three minutes."

Hiltina sheathed the tattered Night Sky Sword.

Then, completely ignoring Tucker, who was watching her with a solemn expression in the distance, she gently closed her eyes.

three minutes.

This is the most conservative estimate of the time it will take for the tomb guardian angels to break through the Night Sky Sword's blockade.

This was also the deadline that Hiltina set for herself.

In those three minutes, he, covered in wounds and severely injured, yet having truly felt that boundary while on the brink of death... broke through and ascended to the angelic realm.

This is a true case of being put in a do-or-die situation and then surviving.

For ordinary legends to break through to the level of angels, they often need hundreds of years of accumulation, and they need to try, fail, summarize, and try again day after day and year after year.

If the line between legends and angels could be crossed so easily, then there wouldn't be so few angels among the tomb guardians... That's an organization that has been passed down from the age of gods, and everyone there is at least a legend.

Let alone failing to advance once, even failing repeatedly, several or dozens of times, is commonplace for legendary powerhouses.

However, Hiltina left herself no way out.

She only had this one and only chance for promotion, in the final three minutes.

If Hiltina fails to ascend to angelhood, then the only outcome for her will be to be hunted again by the tomb guardians who have broken free of their seal, and to die in battle.

However, this was the path she herself chose.

If one cannot crush everything head-on, but instead uses various tricks to avoid risks, then the "chariot" is no longer a "chariot".

"so--"

Empty your body and mind.

"Forget the throne, forget the holy sword, forget the tomb guardians who are about to break free..."

"Then, imagine freely—"

The bleeding continues.

However, Hiltina's life force, which had been flickering like a candle in the wind and could have been extinguished at any moment, suddenly contracted.

Then, it burst into flames again.

"The future version of yourself that has surpassed the limits."

"She is neither a 'once-in-a-millennium Star Sword Wielder' nor an 'Empress of the Granville Empire'..."

"But rather, it was 'Last's wife,' who fulfilled her wish to 'become a Ranger'—"

"Hiltina as I envision her."

Swah——

Even though Hiltina wasn't holding a sword.

But at this moment, a sword light as white as snow was unleashed.

The soul fire, which was already nearing its limit and somewhat scattered, was now being compressed even further.

The solid sword light, like a continuous chain, severed the distant palace complex, leading straight to the void beyond.

"Hiltina...is she really about to break through?"

"In a perilous situation where death seemed almost certain, in the most perfect form, to achieve that transcendent... angel of the 'Chariot' sequence?"

In the distance, Tucker's pupils suddenly contracted.

He never imagined that between legend and angel, there was that insurmountable chasm he had spent his entire life trying to break through hundreds of times, yet never succeeded...

At this moment, it seemed that Hiltina was truly about to surpass him, within just three minutes.

Such a Hiltina, once she becomes an angel...

Even if the three guardians of the tomb break free of the seal later, will they still be a match for her?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Tucker instinctively wanted to act on it.

At this moment, the guardian angels are isolated from the night created by the sword of night sky, while Hiltina is racing against time to ascend to the angelic realm.

Of everyone present, he was the only one who could move freely.

Although he was forced to seek help from the gravedigger because he could never become an angel... Tucker was still a legendary powerhouse with hundreds of years of experience.

In terms of accumulated experience at the legendary stage, he should far surpass Hiltina, who has not yet truly broken through to the Angel level.

Besides——

At this moment, Hiltina is not only seriously injured, but also at a critical juncture in her ascension to angelhood. Even if she maintains her ability to observe the outside world, it will inevitably be weakened by her distraction during the breakthrough.

In contrast to Hiltina, who had lost her holy sword and its scabbard, Tucker was quite well prepared. Not only was he unharmed and in perfect condition during the previous exchange, but he also had prepared tools specifically for attacking and even carried several relics of the Gravekeeper in case of emergency.

From every perspective, this is undoubtedly the best opportunity for Tucker to launch a surprise attack on Hiltina while she is trying to break through.

Even if we can't kill Hiltina, as long as we interrupt her advancement process and delay until the gravekeepers return... everything will be settled.

However, Tucker just stood there, frozen in place.

A bead of cold sweat slowly rolled down his forehead.

will die.

will die.

will die.

This was Tucker's legendary intuition, an incredibly clear and strong warning sign.

If he were to attack that seemingly unsuspecting female swordsman on the ground... he would die, he would definitely die.

If it were Hiltina, even if her intuition gave her such a warning, she would still act without hesitation.

But Tucker couldn't do it.

He betrayed his past as a guardian of the empire and colluded with the tomb keepers because he feared death, desired immortality, and wanted to prolong his life.

Today, he has long forgotten his original aspirations when he fought bloody battles in his youth... That thirst for immortality has become a curse, an obsession that has lasted for five hundred years.

"The so-called Nightblade is essentially a manifestation of the 'mental landscape' of the night traveler; it is a power originating from the mind."

"It's not that I became powerful because I possessed the Nightblade, but rather that I first had a powerful heart, which enabled me to possess the Nightblade."

Tucker suddenly remembered those words.

These were the words that Tucker had taught young Hiltina twenty years ago, and now, twenty years later, they were being returned to him by his own student.

and so.

Having once been a traveler of the night, yet unable to wield the Night Blade again... has he already lost the heart of a strong person?
No wonder the protective night sky created by that sword of the night sky isolated the three angels of the tomb guardian, but not himself.

So, from beginning to end, in Hiltina's heart, he wasn't even considered an "enemy"?

In that instant, Tucker lost the courage to personally attack Hiltina.

Even though she was completely unprepared, even though she was covered in wounds.

However, this does not mean that Tucker should sit idly by and watch Hiltina ascend to legend.

"Fortunately, I had another trump card prepared from the very beginning."

"The trump card besides the gravedigger."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Tucker was incredibly grateful that he had kept a backup plan, which might have been a game-changer.

In his hand, a sculpture, seemingly cast from black iron and exuding an eerie aura, quietly appeared.

"That illusion collapse just now must have shattered your Night Sky Sword completely, right?"

"Now you have no more tricks up your sleeve. Just one more angel-level fighter would be enough to defeat you."

Tucker looked down at Hiltina from his vantage point:

"Although the angels who guard the tombs have been isolated."

"But what if it's not the Tomb Keeper... but the Twilight Lord who created the Iron Cross Plague in the Sixth Epoch?"

"A demigod descending with the full power of an evil god is not much less powerful than an angel."

As he spoke, Tucker began to chant.

That was a blessing bestowed by the gods.

"Supreme, great Lord of Twilight, Serpent of Dawn and Dusk..."

………………

P.S.: I've been quite busy these past few days since university started, so updates have been slower. Sorry.

(End of this chapter)