Chapter 141

In layman's terms, this skill can severely weaken the target's various stats; the higher the rank, the greater the reduction. Lower rank characters, while experiencing a smaller reduction, still possess a certain amount of instant-death curse effect...

In other words, within the sphere of Mozart's achievements, the ascended beings under the twilight will be no different from ordinary people.

Even at dusk, after being affected by Mozart's achievements, the stats will actually drop by one rank, and it will honestly suffer this fatal curse.

Of course, for those who possess merit, even if they cannot be exempted from the curse, it doesn't matter.

But for those who lack achievements or special marks, simply being struck by this curse is enough to make them pray for good fortune.

Mozart's achievements laid the foundation for many genres under the Ysmus school. In fact, Nero's Requiem and Crucifixus were derived from the deterioration of Mozart's achievements.

It is no exaggeration to say that Remus laid the foundation for musicians' careers, while Mozart's tireless efforts brought it to its current prosperity.

He generously shared his achievements, enabling all accomplished musicians to use the Requiem recorded within the Grand Symphony. From then on, as long as the musicians of Ys were prepared, even those at the Day rank could unleash the destructive power of Twilight.

Under Mozart's guidance, the paths of musicians and philosophers were able to avoid keeping their schools of thought secret and clinging to their own.

The good news is that Hebe used ocean currents to send the Fool's Ship to places that the Grand Symphony could not reach.

The bad news is that even if Mozart were a blank slate with his achievements temporarily suspended, he would still be considered a twilight figure.

Mozart praised Hebe's exquisite use of vermilion music, saying that compared to Elizabeth, Hebe was ten Nero in a league of her own.

In Hebe's eyes, Mozart's Requiem was no less powerful than Nero's by the magnitude of ten Elizabeth.

Right now, within Mozart's gaunt body, his heartbeat was louder than thunder.

This is the "Day of Divine Wrath" movement from the Requiem, which is based on the element of "Last Judgment"!

A powerful melody bursts forth from Mozart's staff, about to reverberate between the sky and the sea, stirring up a raging torrent powerful enough to engulf islands and reefs... Hmm?

What about the melody?

Why is it so quiet except for the sea breeze?

The Fool's Ship floated silently on the golden ocean current, its surface already covered with deep blue Nethersea Brand.

Mozart's pale face, flushed with an unhealthy pallor, defiantly reached out again, but nothing happened.

The melody, powerful enough to evoke a terrifying resonance, did indeed emanate from his body, but once detached, it became a harmless breeze.

For example, if Mozart's Requiem is a high-decibel loudspeaker, then the invisible force surrounding the sea at this moment will turn the noise of the loudspeaker into a whisper, like breathing.

This is outrageous! This is outrageous!

Mozart realized in an instant that this would be the nemesis of a musician's path.

His face was grim, and he subconsciously tried to activate the three great marks, but he felt extremely sluggish... as if he were being held firmly in place by something.

"It's Joan of Arc— "

As night fell, the situation reversed.

The flames on the banner that Joan of Arc held high were no longer violent and scorching, but burning gently and quietly.

[The First Imprint: At the End of a Pure and Cold Prayer]

As its name suggests, the power of this mark was closely related to the strength of Joan of Arc's heart and was extremely intertwined with her life.

Through this mark, she was able to walk on water, heal the sick by touching them with her hands, and make linen with healing properties... In other words, it was one of the many miracles that a saint could perform.

The reason why saints are able to be canonized is simply because of their experience of martyrdom.

In other words, the closer she was to death, the more powerful the miracles she could perform.

Now, the bright flames shot straight into the sky, illuminating Mozart's night sky completely, and even the twinkling eyes of the stars had to painfully close their eyes.

Mozart was caught in a dilemma.

Just then, crisp footsteps echoed from the deck covered in Nethersea Brand.

Hebe bowed slightly to the Grand Harmonizer in the sky. "Mozart, I am the one who is about to kill you—Antonio Salieri."

When the name reached Mozart's ears, the latter showed a slight look of surprise.

The twilight dimension carries immense symbolic significance. And coincidentally, the name "Salieri" possesses a special affinity with "Mozart."

Even Mozart himself didn't know where this symbolism of antagonism came from!

On a northern island, Nietzsche, along with a group of philosophers, was observing a fierce battle taking place on the sea.

"Undoubtedly, our Grand Harmonizer has built his own domain by using the concealed Homeric Epics. This is because the Prophetess Sibyl once taught him the secret history—the secret history of the civilization on this high sea before King Remus founded Atlantis."

"The Ancients who lived on this high sea did not rely on harsh laws, but acted on noble morals. They lived a prosperous life under the guidance of the gods... The Homeric Epics are the secret history of that era."

"However, the intentions of the gods are unfathomable, and the seemingly prosperous eternity is like a sandcastle built on the coast. People began to seek an eternity unaffected by the gods, and thus the calamity of war came. After forty years of long war, the high seas were desolate and civilization declined."

"After that comes the generation of Philosopher King."

Nietzsche said to the philosophers, "The problem now is that the Pure Water Spirit, which are its enemies, also possess a secret history that is unknown to others."

In that hidden history, Antonio Salieri "killed" Mozart.

Or rather, Salieri possessed the potential to "murder" Mozart.

This is a symbol!

Just as Sun Bin was destined to kill Pang Juan, the state of Yue was destined to annex the state of Wu, and the people of Chu were destined to destroy the state of Qin.

Or, to use a more Cathay term—the Mandate of Heaven.

Salieri is destined to kill Mozart!

Even though Salieri didn't actually kill Mozart in Hebe's previous life... in the world's legends, he has become the murderer who killed this genius out of jealousy.

Indeed, the slander from the world has become a high hat that he can never remove from his head.

This is an innocent monster.

The monster is about to be hunted.

216 Open Conspiracy

The sky was overcast and gray, with a light drizzle falling.

As the tides surged and receded, Mozart felt his body being swept along by the current.

What happened...?

He instinctively didn't want to think about it. An extremely intense pain surged deep within his body, as if something had cruelly ripped him open, leaving him feeling utterly empty inside.

It hurts, it hurts so much...!

Mozart let out a painful groan, tilting his head back with difficulty, waiting for his body to make contact with the land.

After what felt like an eternity, his body finally touched the solid reef.

Mozart is like a seashell whose pearl has been taken away, or an exhausted otter leaning against a rock.

Memories he instinctively didn't want to recall flooded his mind like a tidal wave. Mozart trembled as he reached out and groped inside the cavity of his abdomen, finally forced to accept the truth.

Marie, the Pure Water Spirit who had lived alongside him for so many years, no longer exists.

Under the misty, drizzling sky, a sudden wail rang out.

The clouds in the sky changed shape rapidly, with rays of light falling from them, then becoming erratic, like a crumpled musical staff.

The sea level has risen slightly compared to before.

"A hundred meters of rain falls from the sky, and the sea rises three feet."

Having witnessed the entire twilight battle, Nietzsche offered his conclusions about those philosophers who dared not look directly at the battlefield.

"Without a doubt, our Grand Harmonizer has been defeated in this battle," Nietzsche lamented. "His vision was obscured by the enemy's thick fog, and his warships, which could have swayed the course of the battle, were swept away from the battlefield by ocean currents. This is his first defeat."

"The opponent has mastered a symbol that can target him and suppresses him in terms of status; this is the second defeat."

"Mozart boasted of his thorough understanding of the Pure Water Spirit, but his opponent was equally adept at understanding the musicians. Mozart's strengths were not utilized, while his opponent was able to fully showcase his own strengths... This was the third defeat."

Nietzsche chuckled and clapped his hands in front of him, making a crisp "smack" sound.

Therefore, in the confrontation between imagery, symbolism, and personhood, the Grand Harmonizer has no chance of winning.

"I sense that 'we' seem to have doubts, and doubts are a good thing," Nietzsche replied. "No, Ismara's victory was not easy, and one could even say there were no winners. That's why we cannot enter the battlefield... Oh, that's another good question."

Nietzsche said, "Since Eris is already her mortal enemy, why not take her down in one fell swoop...? Heh, could the 'Ismara' appearing before us be her true form?"

A hint of mockery appeared on the philosopher's face.

Of course not.

Her true identity is still unknown, perhaps hidden in some era.

The King of Ibis, Imhotep, the Heavenly Fox, Tamamo- Tamamo-no-Mae, Ismara... all these names point to the same person.

Therefore, Eris killing him directly would be pointless—because the other party could easily cross to another river and overturn his painstakingly planned scheme without any cost.

In the Eastern Lostbelt, wasn't Ashiya Dōman and killed precisely because of this?

Having learned from Ashiya Dōman's mistake, Nietzsche would not directly target Hebe at every turn, because he only had one chance.

He was never arrogant or self-deprecating. He knew very well that, in terms of his own status, he was far from being comparable to Hebe. Moreover, in Atlantis, there was someone more suitable than him— the Prophetess Sibyl.

But the existence of the Prophetess Sibyl was no secret, and Hebe was very intelligent... more intelligent than anyone Nietzsche had ever met.

She must have guessed the identity of the Prophetess Sibyl.

During her previous descents, she had also come into contact with Sybil.

Conversely, Nietzsche was different. Hebe never actually met Nietzsche.

Therefore, for Hebe, Nietzsche was like a blind man in the dark.

The philosopher squinted and smiled slightly, his hands clasped together like empty bowls.

Clay is molded into vessels; it is because of its emptiness that it becomes a useful vessel.

Bowls are made of clay because they are empty inside, so they can be used to hold things and serve as vessels.

Having no desires and no gains, one is without fault.

For Nietzsche today, being without fault is a virtue.

"That's normal," Nietzsche said with a slight smile. "To keep thinking, gentlemen, we should note one point— Ismara's attitude toward Joan of Arc was never the same as that toward anyone else."

The philosopher remained silent for a moment, seemingly listening to the opinions of the crowd.

"Yes and no."

"Joan of Arc was indeed Eris's achievement. In fact, we almost succeeded."

Just as Hebe was qualified to compile secret histories, so too was Eris. However, Hebe relied on "Closed Loop," while Eris focused on "confusion."

Before Hebe entered Atlantis, He had already successfully confused this Lostbelt and submitted his own conclusion.

Joan of Arc —or rather, the Burning Witch —is the product of Eris's historical construction.

But Joan of Arc is not Eris; she wouldn't even be aware of Eris's existence.

Her very existence is proof of Eris's Atlantis.

That's how it should be.

Until the Atlantic Ocean, when the Morgan, the Bewitching Consort fought the Burning Witch, the Celestial Flint descended with absolute punishment, and the Burning Witch was directly reduced to ashes.

In other words, Joan of Arc was a fabricated thesis by Eris, which successfully passed its graduation defense. However, a few years later, during a random inspection by the Celestial Flint, it was discovered that the thesis was suspected of plagiarism.

Celestial Flint rejected Eris's thesis and revoked his diploma!

This is, of course, an open and undisguised targeting.

Atlantis was clearly a secret history that Eris had long ago claimed, yet now Hebe was to be forced to "compete on equal footing" with Him, and to "re-debate" it...

This kind of favoritism made Nietzsche almost laugh.

If Eris hadn't had her influence, how could Joan of Arc have commanded an army as if she were one? Even after being Skyflint's Excommunication, she was still able to benefit from it.

"Yes, Eris cannot reach the Knower, Eris cannot find the Knower, but Eris will always have what the Knower desire..."