Fool's Library

But in Rust's eyes, the gravedigger's lip movements were clearly visible, and he could even guess what the other person was saying from the lip movements.

"Distance 4730 meters, wind speed 1.3 meters per second, direction southeast of east, fluctuating within 0.2... temperature 8 degrees, humidity 44%, ballistic deviation expected 0.7."

A female voice, mixed with static, came through the headset that Last was wearing.

This is Ingrid's voice. She is serving as an observer for Rust. As a former member of the military, she is naturally familiar with the procedures of sniping operations.

Based on the marksmanship that Rust honed during his hundreds of years in the purgatory of the Iron Cross in Deep Blue Harbor, he would normally not need any observers to assist him in a regular sniping operation.

But what is happening now is not a conventional sniping operation... There are almost no successful precedents for sniping at a distance of five kilometers, so no amount of caution is too much.

"Distance 4730 meters, wind speed 1.4 meters per second, direction southeast by east, humidity 45%."

“Last…do you really want to do this?”

After a long silence, Ingrid finally couldn't help but speak.

She knew that the person she had sworn allegiance to was not a reckless man, and that whatever Rust decided to do had been carefully considered and would not be swayed by the opinions of others.

But Ingrid knew even better that the target was a true quasi-angel... who had already stepped into the realm of legend, and with just one more step, he would be a true angel.

This was a risky move with no precedent and no precedent to follow.

If he makes even the slightest mistake, he will face an abyss of no return.

"I can't hide behind a woman and protect myself by sacrificing her."

Last continued to gaze at the world reflected in his sniper scope, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Besides," he said, "it's not just the Gravekeepers who hate me, this despicable thief who stole the 'Library of Fools.'"

"There are quite a few things I need to settle with the tomb keeper."

"The leaders of Cissell, the Shadow Servants, the townspeople of Frozenwater, and countless fellow shoreguards who died in the Battle of the Broken Shore... there are too many to count."

"So, it's not a question of whether or not to do it—"

"It is something that absolutely must be done."

"Last said softly."

"Once upon a time, in those ruins that were engulfed in flames."

“There was a heartbroken woman who entrusted everything she had to me… her status as an angel of destiny, and her future, she bet that I would win.”

"So, this time, I'm betting on myself to win."

His voice was calm, yet possessed the majesty of a king.

To Ingrid, it carried an unquestionable authority.

"I understand now. I overstepped my bounds and forgot my status as a subordinate."

"As per your request, all preparations have been completed."

Ingrid's respectful voice rang out.

She stopped asking questions and continued to perform her duties as an observer, reporting the information needed for the sniping at very consistent intervals.

"Distance 4732 meters, wind speed 1.4 meters per second, direction southeast by east, humidity 45%."

"Distance 4730 meters, wind speed 1.5 meters per second, direction southeast by east, humidity 43%, there is a window obstructing the target and the sniper's line of fire, but it can be penetrated by armor-piercing rounds."

"Distance 4731 meters, wind speed 1.4 meters per second, direction southeast by east, humidity 44%, the target appears to have ended the conversation and is expected to leave the room in ten seconds."

……

The information needed for the sniping came in steadily, and was then received by Rust, who analyzed it into a clear and distinct picture in his mind.

He slowly adjusted his breathing rhythm, and the exhaled air turned into white mist and dissipated in the cold early spring night.

Last opened the magazine, made a loading motion, and then closed the magazine again.

During this time, no physical ammunition was loaded into the sniper rifle's magazine, but a crisp sound was clearly heard in the seven-point field of view—the sound of a bullet being chambered.

As the sound of a gun being chambered rang out, Rust fell completely silent.

In proportion to his rising body temperature, the light in his eyes vanished, and the world around him seemed to freeze instantly.

The ripples of thought subsided, and not only sound but also emotion was sealed off... Within mere seconds, Last's spirit was completely in harmony with the surrounding environment, merging and ultimately becoming one with it.

He entered a state of flow, in which his mind was empty and merged with the world around him, becoming one with it.

Every high-level superhuman possesses extremely keen intuition, which helps them perceive the murderous intent emanating from the outside world.

In the case of a normal sniper shot, there is no need for an actual hit. The gravedigger quasi-angel can keenly detect the momentary killing intent as the bullet is loaded and the trigger is pulled, and then quickly evade.

But Rast was different. At this moment, he transformed himself into a soulless, empty shell... The machine itself has no spirit or mind, it simply follows predetermined instructions and therefore cannot possibly harbor any murderous intent.

Therefore, even with the intuition of a quasi-angel, the powerful tomb guardian could not discern the location of Rast. It's like how one can sense killing intent from another wielder, but how could a falling meteorite possibly possess killing intent, even if the latter poses a far greater threat than the former?

As dusk fades and the world falls silent, time seems to slow down.

Just as Hiltina was a pure swordswoman, wielding a rapier was tantamount to dominating the battlefield...

The moment the bullet was chambered, the "temperature" of the Rast took over the sniper rifle, the surrounding terrain, and the entire world seen through the scope.

Deep within my heart, golden words are burning brightly.

Your connection with Hiltina Ingrid has deepened, and the "Library of Fools" has gained new power.

[Chariot - Hiltina's current bond level increased from 6 to 7]

You have unlocked a new original text.

Nightblade "Infinite Blade: Fantasy Collapse" is now unlocked.

[Infinite Blade: Fantasy Collapse (Unlocked): A higher-level ability than True Name Release, it doesn't break the seal, but rather destroys the weapon at its source, unleashing ultimate destructive power in the process.]

[WARNING: After activating "Fantasy Collapse," the weapon used will be completely destroyed at the structural level, beyond repair and restoration.]

Perhaps spurred by the forced marriage by their parents, the bond between Rust and Hiltina, which had been stagnant for a long time, finally broke through its shackles and reached an unprecedented level of seven.

Therefore, the Fool's Library finally unlocked the higher-level abilities of "Infinite Blade," abilities that surpassed "True Name Release."

Fantasy Collapse – as the name suggests, is the complete abandonment of the entire weapon, unleashing a power far surpassing True Name Release at the cost of destruction.

However, the cost is self-evident: it is a complete destruction at the structural level, unlike True Name Liberation, which has the possibility of being repaired after use.

At this moment, what Rast is using is "Fantasy Collapse".

There is no bullet in this world that can kill a quasi-angel—whether it's an armor-piercing bullet made of high-strength alloy or a high-explosive bullet.

Just as in the echoes of history, a single thought from the Angel of Judgment could trigger a mechanical catastrophe that swept across the entire western continent... human technology still appears far too weak in the face of true mythical creatures.

Therefore, in order to kill a quasi-angel, one must be prepared from the very beginning to destroy all weapons along with it.

Under the influence of "All Things Are Martial Arts", the "Seven Domains" themselves are transformed into a bullet and fired.

The trigger was pulled, the bullet left the chamber, and the gunfire rang out.

boom--

In Rust's hands, the sniper rifle that had accompanied him through so many years suddenly shattered, turning into countless metal fragments that scattered in mid-air, beyond any possibility of repair.

Meanwhile, in the capital city, countless extraordinary individuals involuntarily looked up.

Then, I saw a blood-red starlight rainbow piercing through the twilight at the edge of the sky.

Chapter 238 Next, the real killing move begins.

"meteor?"

In the palace gardens, Hiltina stopped drawing her sword.

She subconsciously looked up at the sky shrouded in twilight.

A crimson meteor streaked across the silent night, its blood-red brilliance illuminating Hiltina's eyes.

In the ancient legends of the Western Continent, the blood-red meteor is also known as the "disaster star," and its appearance is an ominous sign.

Today, with the improvement of science and technology and the public's level of understanding, people are no longer superstitious... but "disaster stars" are still an extremely rare astronomical phenomenon, appearing only once every many years.

But Hiltina quickly noticed something amiss: the trajectory of the crimson meteor did not originate from the end of the sky, but from the earth.

Within that crimson radiance lay an indescribable sense of destruction and death, as if it had already burned its own body and soul before even hitting its target, thus unleashing its most dazzling splendor.

It looked so familiar to her.

In a fraction of a second, Hiltina realized the source of this inexplicable sense of familiarity—

That was a superior skill that her own Nightblade "Infinite Sword" had recently mastered, even more powerful than "True Name Liberation"—"Fantasy Collapse".

That feeling of destruction, deathly silence, and annihilation... can only be released when the most basic structure that constitutes a fantasy weapon is completely destroyed and disintegrated—it is an ultimate explosion that is relentless, yet also a final swan song before destruction.

But that was clearly a Nightblade skill that only he possessed.

Because the cost of using it was too high, to the point of being almost unbearable, even Hiltina herself only simulated and deduced it in her mind, and never actually used "Fantasy Collapse" in actual combat.

But at this moment, that shooting star that pierced the night sky was undoubtedly a "fantasy collapse".

In Hiltina's mind, there was only one person who could replicate the Nightblade wielded by another and make it their own—

Rast.

In that instant, the "hyperintuition" of the chariot sequence erupted in Hiltina's heart with an extremely sharp alarm, like a mournful cry.

Only now did Hiltina suddenly realize the truth she had unconsciously ignored for over a month—

Whether it was herself, the quasi-angelic tomb keeper, or the empire's ruler Aaron... they all subconsciously overlooked the existence of Rust himself in this game between the tomb keeper and the royal family.

For Hiltina, Rast was someone she subconsciously wanted to protect. He was as vulnerable as a kitten in front of the quasi-angel of the gravedigger, making her want to protect him. But if Hiltina didn't choose to obey her father's will, complete the wedding, draw the holy sword, and inherit the throne... then she wouldn't have the power to protect him.

For Aaron, Rast was a qualified and satisfactory son-in-law... and also a bargaining chip for him to force Hiltina to step down and inherit the throne.

For the tomb keeper, Rast is merely a prize placed on the gambling table. Whoever wins the game against the royal family can take away this prize called "The Guardian".

Everyone assumed that Rust would definitely attend the wedding.

Just like in the game of eagle catching chicks... the vulnerable, defenseless chicks will obediently follow their mother hen, huddling behind her outstretched wings to avoid the eagle's clutches.

But Rusty is not a helpless chick that can only rely on its mother hen for protection; nor is it a cute cat or dog that only hides behind its owner and acts cute.

She's not like those hero-versus-dragon games where she obediently gets kidnapped by the dragon, her only purpose being to become the hero's spoils of war after the hero defeats the dragon, a decorative princess who's just there to complete a cutscene.

Hiltina already knew this back in Deep Blue Harbor—

Beneath the handsome and beautiful appearance of the young man lies... a demon who has returned from hell, a demon whose presence even the abyss trembles at.

And a demon who has wandered in hell for hundreds of years, after finally returning to the human world and discovering the object of his long-standing revenge... how could the thoughts that arise in his heart be fear and escape, but rather ecstasy?

Just as a champion of justice needs a "dragon" that must be defeated to realize its own self-worth...

It wasn't just the Gravekeeper who saw Rast and the "Library of Fools" on him as prey. From the very beginning, the moment the Gravekeeper quasi-angel appeared, Rast also saw him as his prey.

Even if he chooses to hunt this prey, it's the price of pursuing his ideals—

It means "shattered to pieces".

boom--

He could no longer care about the holy sword still stuck in the rock, nor could he care about the various dignitaries and bishops who had been invited to the grand hall in the distance, waiting for the wedding of Hiltina and Rast to begin...

Hiltina stomped her foot on the ground and rose into the air.

Her figure transformed into a streak of red and white light, hurtling straight toward the end of the meteor's trajectory in the sky.

……

The sound disappeared.

Next to disappear is the color.

The world became silent, with only the gushing hot starlight remaining.

There was no gap in the passage, nor was there any opportunity to dodge.

Even a quasi-angel with such powerful intuition that it defies logic, and who can even "predict the future" to some extent, could never sense the murderous intent suddenly emanating from a stone.

Just as the tomb keeper, who was delivering the intelligence, noticed something amiss, the crimson bullet formed from the illusionary collapse of the "Seven Domains" struck his heart.

Then, it collapsed.

The chain reaction of collapse began to spread endlessly, not just from that bullet formed from fantasy, but by forcibly imposing that hysterical command of destruction and decay upon everything it touched—

Whether it was the tomb keeper's flesh and blood, the walls of the entire house, or the surrounding earth...

Everything was connected and swallowed up, heading towards the distant other side of the night sky.