Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 111 On the Eve of the Battle
As Lu Ze recited the sacred text of human skin, maddening ravings echoed in his ears, and all sorts of strange images appeared before his eyes.

He saw that in the originally dark and obscure world, a dazzling light suddenly shone down from the sky, illuminating the entire chaotic earth;
He saw that wherever the light touched, noble elves screamed and turned to charcoal, and mysterious giant birds engulfed in pale flames rapidly rotted into skeletons. Dragons with torn wings roared as they plummeted, and scorching rain of blood poured down, burning and melting the illusory and magnificent city.
He saw ascetics, draped in simple robes, trekking barefoot through the mountains, following the procession of pilgrims into the depths of the dark earth, with the silver angel at the head of the procession being the only light.

He also saw a handsome young knight riding a headless red horse, driving his chariot across the battlefield, setting everything in his path ablaze with flames, the fire as red as blood.
Behind these strange and sacred visions were Ms. M's golden eyes.

She gazed at Lu Ze for a long time, her eyes filled with an indescribable longing.

Stop staring at me like that, aren't your eyes dry?
Despite the pain and hallucinations, Luze gritted his teeth and recited the sacred texts. Because Ms. M's slender, white fingers kept moving involuntarily, as if if Luze dared to stop, she would dare to harm Cecilia.

"Okay."

After an unknown amount of time, just as his spirit was about to collapse, Ms. M finally spoke.

Luze immediately stopped reciting and closed the Holy Scripture of Human Skin. His body trembled, and two streams of blood oozed from his ears.

"Your body is truly resilient. An ordinary 'Listener' would have their brains spilling out of their ears after hearing something like this," Ms. M said admiringly. "How is it? Can you feel the potion digesting within you?"

"Most of it has been digested."

Lu Ze glared at her hatefully.

Ms. M is becoming increasingly agitated, and he probably already guessed the reason. Her body is gradually breaking down; he's seen her suddenly lose an arm or wrist several times recently, just like before.

—Ms. M is trying to save herself, and the key to her self-rescue seems to be Lu Ze.

That's why she forced Luze to digest the potion.

"I have to go to the company tomorrow, otherwise the captain will start to suspect me."

Lu Ze said.

"Sure, but remember to come back early."

Do you want me to come back soon so I can continue to be tormented by you?
Lu Ze sneered inwardly.

For the past few days, Ms. M has been preparing for several things. She has temporarily suspended Cecilia's studies and is now running around collecting materials for her. These include mysterious materials purchased from the Extraordinary Market, as well as strange items such as "extreme emotions" to be collected in the Lower Street and the Port District.

She even paid for it herself, and had her sister buy a detached house in the East District to store materials and draw magic circles.

"Come back sooner, digest the potion and advance your level sooner, then you'll have a chance to help me complete the ritual."

Ms. M said.

According to her, the magic circle drawn in the detached house was for a ritual. It was a healing ritual that could cure Ms. M's serious injuries. Originally, this ritual required the officiant to reach the rank of Rose Bishop. However, due to Luze's special status, and Ms. M's ability to assist, he could attempt it once he advanced to Rank 7 Hermit.

Clearly, Ms. M has lied again.

Because Luze understood that ritual. It was an evil ritual that would dissolve all of Luze's flesh and blood, turning it into nourishment for Ms. M.

Ordinary shamans only possess a limited amount of ritual magic, making it extremely difficult for them to access such clandestine and evil rituals. Only those who receive a reward from the higher echelons of the order can acquire a few of these, such as the "Sanctuary Descent" once used by Hainas.

But Lu Ze was very different. After becoming a Mystic, the vast amount of ritual knowledge nearly overwhelmed his mind, as if the true creator at the top was eager to establish a connection with him. So, when his sister brought back the pattern of the magic circle to show him, he recognized the ritual at a glance.

If Luze completes the ritual according to Ms. M's wishes, the result will be far more than just healing; his flesh and blood will completely become a part of Ms. M. This fusion is far more severe than the Rose Bishop's "devouring"; one could even say that his body and spirit will be possessed by Ms. M!

Her goal was indeed my body.

Given the extent of Ms. M's deteriorating health, Lu Ze knew that within a day or two, he would be forced to face Ms. M in a decisive battle!

How many cards does he have up his sleeve?

First, there are extraordinary items; he has three. The Servant Bell, which he's hardly ever used; the White Bone Flute, which has lost its safety and power due to the loss of Azik's blood; and the Clockwork Jester, which can only last for a maximum of three minutes.

Hmm... it feels rather subtle.

Then there's Luze's own abilities. His abilities in the Mystic stage mainly lie in his understanding of rituals, while his abilities in the Listener stage grant him the skill of "Filthy Words," which can inflict strong mental damage on the target, but consumes a lot of spiritual energy.

Besides him, there's Cecilia, who has become an assassin and might become a surprise weapon at crucial moments.

Lu Ze's final trump card was the powerful spell he obtained from the Hidden Sage, "Sage's Enlightenment." He had already buried it under the back of his hand, ready to use at any time. It would allow Ms. M to receive the Hidden Sage's knowledge, which was tantamount to a powerful form of mental pollution.

However, this talisman must be used with caution; if it fails to hit Ms. M, he is basically doomed.

That's his situation, but what about Ms. M on the other side?
Just a shepherd of Sequence 5.

Lu Ze looked at the gentle and beautiful yet cold and crazy woman, and his lips twitched involuntarily.

At the port of Enmat, he had already witnessed her use of various abilities such as substitution, disease, mind control, and fire. Combined with the Rose Bishop's flesh magic and the Hermit's shadow movement, she was powerful enough to defeat a small team with a level 1 sealed artifact.

However, she currently faces two major risks: her physical injuries and her need for Lu Ze.

The first hidden danger weakened her strength, while the second prevented her from going all out against Lu Ze.

Although she still controls Cecilia, with flesh and blood embedded within her, Luze has already obtained the witch's heart. Given the opportunity, he can create a life form in a bottle for his sister, allowing her to bear the curse in her place.

Once her sister's curse is lifted, she will be able to move freely. Lu Ze even considered having his sister report to Dunn, so that the Holy See could send high-ranking deacons to arrest Ms. M. But regardless of success or failure, that would not end well for him, so he had to give up on the idea.

In short, when Lu Ze left home that day, he was ready for a decisive battle at any moment.

(End of this chapter)