Late at night, Field's large villa was completely dark. Because Luer used a """Shadow""" Extraordinary item, all the lights in the villa were forcibly extinguished. Coincidentally, dark clouds were drifting across the sky at this moment, even blocking the moon, causing the surrounding environment to plunge into near-total darkness.
In a corridor, the sudden onset of darkness saved Bill's life. Bill, who was being overwhelmed by Vanya's relentless sharp attacks, quickly used the darkness to distance himself from her. Because he couldn't see, he couldn't find his enemy or attack, causing Vanya's rain-like sword offensive to stop abruptly, which gave Bill a chance to catch his breath.
'Huff... huff... huff... What's going on with this Sister... It's one thing that she has """Cup""" and can use Life Devour, but this swordsmanship is just too outrageous... She's constantly attacking, and the angles are so strange and tricky. Her moves and footwork are watertight, giving no chance for a counterattack. Does the Shining Light Church have a tradition of specialized swordsmanship? I've never heard of it? Could she be a disciple of some sword master?'
Bill thought with some panic in his heart. He had also studied swordsmanship and was not a novice, which was why he carried a sword. However, it was precisely because he had studied swordsmanship that Bill could appreciate how outrageous that Sister's sword skills were.
In the short time he had fought with that Sister, he had been scratched, stabbed, and cut countless times. His body was covered in bleeding wounds. If he wasn't a """Cup""" Extraordinary, he would have collapsed long ago.
When facing that Sister with his sword, Bill could only barely manage to avoid vital injuries, and he couldn't last much longer. Without this wave of lights going out to assist him, he would have been finished.
'Huff... huff... All the lights are out. Mentor must have used the Black Candle of Light Extinguishment. Just in time, I'm saved here too, and... I can even counterattack...'
While thinking, Bill, covered in wounds and blood, pulled out a piece of rough paper from his person. It was adorned with complex patterns and text along with the symbol of """Shadow""". This was a Talisman, a """Shadow""" Talisman.
'Silence Talisman...'
Bill activated the Talisman. Then, under the protection of """Shadow""" Spirituality, all sounds he made would be suppressed to an extremely low level, so low that ordinary people's hearing would be unable to detect them. For Vanya, Bill, after using this Talisman, would be silent.
As Luer's true student, Bill would naturally follow the same beast path as Luer on the Extraordinary path, advancing to become a Beastman in the future. Therefore, he had accumulated """Shadow""" Spirituality within him, giving him the ability to activate """Shadow""" Talismans.
'Hmph... No matter how good your swordsmanship is, you can't use it if you can't see anyone, right? If you can't even hear, you won't be able to pinpoint my location either. Now you can't see me or hear me. I'd like to see what you can do... Sister...'
Thinking this, Bill gripped his sword steadily and began to move silently in the darkness. He was certain that the Sister before him could not determine his location, while he himself could find the Sister because he was a Scent-Master, capable of smelling the Sister's scent in this darkness.
Although his own eyes couldn't see either, Bill was now certain that the Sister was standing still not far in front of him, as if she was concentrating fully on guarding her surroundings, not daring to make any rash moves. Bill knew that aside from certain special subspecies ranks, ordinary Student rank """Lamp""" Extraordinaries did not yet have night vision.
Now, Bill believed that the Sister standing in the darkness had become his target. Relying on his sense of smell, he slowly and silently circled behind the Sister, and then tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.
"Your """Lamp""" will also be extinguished here, Sister of Light..."
Relying on the protection of silence, Bill murmured as he swung the sword in his hand, slashing fiercely towards the source of the Sister's scent, anticipating the pleasure of revenge in his heart.
However, to Bill's surprise, he did not feel the sensation of a blade cutting into flesh. Instead, there was a crisp sound that vibrated through the darkness.
"Clang!!"
'What! This is... blocked? How is that possible! She shouldn't be able to see or hear!'
Feeling the grip of his sword and hearing the crisp sound of weapons clashing, Bill thought in astonishment. Just then, the dark clouds in the sky drifted past, and the hazy moonlight shone faintly through the window, slightly illuminating the scene before Bill.
He saw that in front of him, the Sister with platinum-blonde hair was holding her sword and blocking his attack with a perfect stance. And her eyes, beneath the lenses, were peacefully closed at this moment. This scene left Bill stunned.
'Her eyes are... closed... This is...'
Before Bill could react further, she used both hands to forcefully deflect Bill's sword to the side, sending it plunging into a nearby wooden railing, restricting his movement. Then, seizing the opportunity, she swung her sword again, directly slashing at Bill's throat. This time Bill couldn't block it. He fell down, eyes wide open, blood gushing from his throat.
'Thank you, Lord... for lighting the lamp of my heart to illuminate the darkness...'
Habitually praying, Vanya closed her mind's eye, then opened her eyes and looked at the dead Bill in front of her. She subconsciously took two steps back. After the state of concentration was lifted, her heart began to pound wildly again. After taking two deep breaths, she finally managed to calm down her emotions, and then looked at the blood-stained sword in her hand.
'Win, I won... I won against an Extraordinary cultist? So amazing... This swordsmanship from divine enlightenment is really incredible. Even someone like me can fight against other Extraordinaries...' Vanya thought to herself. Although she had won, there was still a feeling of disbelief in her heart, as if she couldn't believe she had done it.
Sitting on the ground, Vanya let out a huge sigh of relief. She looked towards the other side of the deep darkness, and a deep sense of worry couldn't help but resurface.
'I'm finished here... I wonder how Miss Dorothy is doing now...'
...
Rewinding time slightly, on the other side of the third floor of the villa, there was a spacious room with large windows. It displayed some weapon exhibits, such as one or two sets of cavalry armor, spears and swords hanging on the wall, and a tapestry hanging on the wall, printed with the Field family's shield crest.
Beneath the tapestry, stood an old set of knight's plate armor. This plate armor was fixed in a combat stance, holding a spear and pointing forward, presenting a valiant scene as if facing a thousand troops without flinching.
This was a weapon display room, used to exhibit some weapons and armor. The Field family was a traditional noble family with a considerable history in the local area, so having a display room showcasing the martial glory of their ancestors was very normal.
At this moment, Dorothy was in this large display room, barely able to see the scene within by the faint moonlight from outside the window, her expression solemn as she pondered.
'Gone... After destroying all my Corpse Puppets with the help of the darkness, that guy disappeared... Now, except for the area near the windows, the villa is completely dark, and I can't see where he is at all...'
'I ruined his important promotion, he can't possibly spare me. He should be looking for me in the villa now.'
'In their beast form, Beastmen have a stronger sense of smell than subspecies Student rank """Cup""" Extraordinaries. They can move faster in the dark, conceal their form, reduce noise, their claws are sharper than knives, and their physique and vitality are a notch higher than Thirsters, but they still have weak points. They can instill fear in enemies within a small range with a roar...'
'Vanya is fighting Bill and can't leave. To prevent me from escaping, he should prioritize finding me. If his sense of smell in beast form is stronger than Bill's, then finding me based on the remaining scents in the villa is only a matter of time...'
Recalling the information about Beastmen she had obtained from Aldrich, Dorothy thought seriously. Now she needed to prepare for a direct confrontation with Luer.
The first thing to do was choose the battlefield. Since that beast had come looking for her, Dorothy had the right to choose the battlefield.
Using the faint moonlight, Dorothy began to look around, carefully examining the surrounding environment before slowly nodding.
'This is the place...'