Chapter 373
For him, this was naturally a worthwhile trade-off; he simply changed his Persona Mask to save the other party's life.
No one could have imagined that, more than a decade later, this Persona Mask in his hand would come back to play such a role on his deathbed.
Thousand Faces possesses all of Ai Huasi's memories, and his understanding of Tang Liuli is exactly the same as that of her biological father.
That socially anxious, timid, cowardly, escapist, and emotionally vulnerable child who only knew how to use acting to protect her exterior, prickly yet soft like a hedgehog, has grown a lot since participating in <Flashdance>.
At least, once you perfectly embody Ai Huasi's perspective, the way she uses magic to lock onto your position and descends from the sky on Holy Dragon is indeed quite different from the daughter you know.
Thousand Faces really enjoys wearing Persona Mask, immersing herself in the role like a cosplayer, and seeing the world from a different perspective, which often brings a more wonderful and unique pleasure.
The same is true now.
Liuli, my "daughter," what kind of surprise will you bring me this time?
Tang Liuli was somewhat bewildered. She lowered her eyes to look at her father's face, which was flushed red from suffocation. Her [Spiritual Might] vision opened, and the strange yet familiar colors of the souls came into view.
It was a murky, half-gray color, with granular dust rising and falling within it. The glimmer of humanity was dim and scarce, and it became even more profound as the Thousand Faces choked its throat.
Ordinary, gloomy, and half-baked.
My father has always been like this; not entirely ugly, but there's not much good about him either. Like many others, he's neither a good person nor a villain.
Tang Liuli was the same; she was also a half-baked person. She could sever ties with Ai Huasi and despise him as scum, but she still couldn't bring herself to simply watch him die.
So, what should we do?
The girl's thoughts were chaotic; her emotions were like a tsunami that surged and then froze, a dynamic glacier that occasionally cracked and roared with rapid currents, yet the whole world was deathly silent and still.
Sadness, pain, grief, anger, and...
Calm.
In a daze, memories of the first playthrough swept over me like a tide, and my childhood seemed like fragments of a movie, turning into galloping horses in my mind. The intense sense of magic overturned me, and an overwhelming loneliness began to gnaw at my heart.
At this moment, [Cocoon of the Heart] devoured the energy of the magic potion with extraordinary efficiency, and even began to stir up Heart Tide, autonomously drawing out the Magic Element from the air to form a strong wind that ruffled her hair.
A melancholy clouded the girl's eyes, and her beautiful, elegant features wore a complex expression, as if she harbored fragile expectations. She parted her lips and softly greeted them:
"Dad, it's been a long time."
Do you want me to come and save you?
Seeing this, Thousand Faces curled his lips in surprise. He casually released Ai Huasi, ignoring the man who was panting heavily, and felt an undisguised joy in his heart.
As he breathed and coughed, Ai Huasi raised his gloomy eyes to look at his daughter in the distance. Her face, filled with fear, suddenly stiffened, then hardened with urgency, forcing a smile as he urged:
"Liuli, run! No matter which side you choose, he won't let you go. This is never a choice; it's just a devil's trick to manipulate people's hearts."
"I didn't have long to live anyway, as long as you can survive, that's enough, don't hesitate any longer..."
Before he could finish speaking,
The calamity emanating from the fingertips of the Thousand Faces was like an extended blade, severing one of Ai Huasi's arms. A large amount of blood exploded like mist in the wind. He watched as the man's expression suddenly twisted and he let out a wail, a hideous sight, and clapped his hands and laughed gleefully.
Ai Huasi gritted his teeth, trembling on the ground like a maggot. He frantically clutched the severed limb, raised his weathered face stained with blood mist, his features contorted in a grotesque grimace, and squeezed out "Run!" from his throat before his head was pinned down by a foot, silencing him completely.
The light in Tang Liuli's eyes dimmed, and the expectation in her heart vanished like scattered petals. Her empathy was more powerful than any evidence.
"Expectation, resentment, blame, anger, fear, hatred..."
"Dad, you really never loved me, so did you treat Mom the same way? How much of what you wrote in your letters was self-aggrandizement, self-satisfaction, and self-deception?"
Tang Liuli ignored Ai Huasi's suddenly contorted face, took out the last potion from her storage ring, and whispered:
"Is it because time is running out that you want to realize your self-worth by being a good father and a good husband? Perhaps you're even deceiving yourself, but... love doesn't lie."
Or rather, even if she senses only the faintest hint of love, she would cling to that last straw like a drowning person, willing to be a fool and believe that the other person truly loves her.
No, not at all.
Tang Liuli wept calmly, her black hair swaying in the wind, the magical glint evaporating her tears. She closed her eyes and drank the last bottle of potion in one gulp.
Then, as if no one else was around, she sang the opening notes, her slender fingertips rising and falling in the air like a conductor's baton leading a symphony.
What's truly breathtaking is that the delicate yet perfectly synchronized sounds of the piano, guzheng, flute, bass, Great Xia drum seem to converge from all directions in response to this movement, creating a beautiful, passionate, and joyful melody.
The brilliant and dazzling fragments of light weaved through the chaotic Magic Element around them, like fireflies in the mountains, flowing into the soul. As the music played, they continuously poured into the [Cocoon of the Heart], bringing about a continuous transformation as the shell shed its skin.
Deep within their souls, 71 spiritual threads originating from the Magical Girl are conveying many heartwarming comforts:
"Liuli, don't cry."
"Waaaaah, seeing Liuli's emotions made me cry too. It breaks my heart."
"That's outrageous! A father like that is better off without!"
"My Dad has always wanted another daughter, Liuli will be my little sister."
Be strong, and I'll give you all the glory.
"Although we don't know how powerful the bishop is, by combining everyone's strength, we will definitely be able to reach [Flower Bloom] and transcend the limits."
"Cupid said that Magical Girl are capable of creating miracles. We won't lose! Go Liuli! Let's smash this wicked thing!"
This temporary group chat, which accommodated 71 Magical Girl, was quietly established by [Spiritual Might] after the Green Eyed Cat confronted the Archbishop.
The Little Idol used this opportunity to connect with Liuli's emotions, share each other's perspectives, and frantically offer advice and act as strategists. Just seconds before, they were all filled with righteous indignation and unanimously composed multiple versions of the "Farewell Letter".
The sounds that reached Tang Liuli's ears were not the chattering of the Magical Girl, but rather the sounds that naturally flowed into their hearts after their spirits merged with the music.
At this moment, the prelude to the <Farewell Letter> has not yet faded. Combining the Heart Tide of 71 Magical Girl, they have all poured in [Spiritual Might], transforming it into a force field that Reality Interference, supporting the scorching pillar of light leading to the dome battlefield.
At this moment, the 71 Magical Girl, Mental Link, made a shared wish to the [Cocoon of the Heart]. The missing magic, brilliance, and emotions surged through the Liuli- like body like a tsunami, and the incredible transformation caused their hearts to bloom in an instant.
Time stood still.
Within the soul, the sprouting flower devours the shed silk threads; it seems composed of concentric sepals, displaying a somber and melancholic emerald hue.
This is a green rose, also known as the Scottish Green Rose. It originated in Scottish fairy tales and stories and does not exist in reality. It symbolizes courage, hope, and new life.
--[I want to protect everyone.]
To express her gratitude to the Little Idol who entrusted everything to her, she made a wish, guided by the Flower Language of flowers, and immediately returned to reality.
The girl looked up ahead, her Heart Tide like stars, blocking the torrent of calamity. The farewell letter that resounded through heaven and earth was infused with the brilliance of miracles, causing the Archbishop's Hundred-Faced Dice to freeze in mid-air, trembling and stiffening, delaying the activation of his authority.
That dragon-riding knight's Magic Armor has been redesigned once again, taking inspiration from the costume she wore when she starred in <Magical Girl Daliana>, and transformed into an adorable dress with a Scottish green base, exuding Magical Girl vibe.
Thousand Faces witnessed this scene with emotion. He had long known that Magical Girl were an unreasonable and idealistic species, but he never expected that when the [Flower Bloom], the Planet Consciousness seemed to be watching over them, causing the authority of [Herdi] to temporarily malfunction.
This is by no means the norm, and it can only mean that, in addition to being [pure white], Tang Liuli is also deeply loved by the planet itself.
From Lighting Up to the Flower Bloom, the status quo remains unchanged.
Even if someone were to reach full power directly, their opponent would still need to possess multiple attributes, learn Unlimited Spell, and accumulate sufficient foundation before they would be qualified to compete with a bishop.
Even so, his failure is an undeniable fact.
Even with the card "Ai Huasi," the psychological attack wasn't successful. Even if the Magical Girl in the hourglass was tortured repeatedly, it's highly unlikely that Tang Liuli's mind would be broken.
Therefore, the game is over. It's best to focus on taking the Oath Ring and evacuating with August, otherwise it will be difficult to escape once rescue arrives.
With a flick of his wrist, he snatched away the Persona Mask. The Thousand Faces Hundred-Faced Dice in his hand, spun by his will, stabilized at a sum of 58. An equal amount of chips was thrown out, and reality began to distort. He had two goals.
First, the ring of the oath is removed.
Second, sever the Mental Link between Tang Liuli and the 71 Magical Girl.
If he does these two things, he can leave directly, and the other party will have no way to find these Magical Girl again.
Tang Liuli watched Thousand Faces's movements, the sense of time stretching infinitely far away allowing her retina to capture the image of the dice slowly flipping over, while the magic power brimming in her soul continued to boil and burn.
The assistance from the 71 [Witch] was not simply a matter of pushing her to [Flower Bloom]. The abundant surplus of magic, brilliance, prayers, and emotions collided to create a wondrous chemical reaction.
This wondrous experience, akin to fusion and evolution, allowed the newly born Soul Flower to be infinitely catalyzed by time. In addition to [Spiritual Might], which was its Destined Magic, its subordinate branches also briefly appeared.
Soul Manipulation.
--Effect 1: Gain insight into the color and weight of the soul.
--Effect 2: Can change the color of the soul (emotions, thoughts, personality, self) and its severity at the cost of magic (temporarily increase the soul's upper limit, or weaken it, or even erase it).
[Mask].
--Effect 1: Telekinesis, Mental Shock, Soul Blade.
--Effect 2: Everything seen, heard, thought, loved, and hated can be transformed into a solid shell, forged into spikes to resist reality, resisting partial interference from concepts, causality, and rules, and causing backlash.
--Effect 3: When emotions and thoughts reach a certain frequency, they can ignite the fire in the heart, summon the mask, sublimate Soul Manipulation, open the God's Forbidden Zone, cause thoughts to distort space, change local time, and tamper with part of reality with will.
If the auxiliary skill Soul Manipulation is a branch that has a chance to awaken during the [Flower Bloom] stage, then the core branch [Mask], which can be considered an ultimate move, must be a power that can only be fully used when [Full Bloom].
But right now, the blessing of the Flower Language, the wishes of the 71 Magical Girl, and her own silent, burning will all seem to have borrowed the power of the future, allowing Soul Manipulation and [Mask] to bless her.
The girl's hair broke free from the rope and flew wildly in the wind. The flame in her eyes burned, and the Heart Tide around her transformed into tangible waves.
The past decade or so, along with the fragmented memories of the first playthrough, were poured into the illusory Light Band, wrapping around and clinging to the Magic Armor, forging hideous yet pale spikes that, at the moment the Hundred-Faced Dice froze, backfired, producing a sigh that echoed through the heavens and earth.
The mask concealing the man's face collapsed repeatedly. As he caught the Hundred-Faced Dice in his palm, three Persona Mask shattered in total, used to exchange for his injuries and die. He coughed up blood while laughing with delight.
"Interesting, this is so exciting! This is what Magical Girl is? This is the miracle you can create? No wonder she's the one on whom so much hope is placed, the one who will fight against the Disaster God."
"Come on, Tang Liuli, let me see your limits."
Thousand Faces had forgotten the consequences of killing or severely injuring his opponent; he only wanted to push him to his limit and savor more pleasure.
As for death? Which bishop is afraid of death?
Not to mention, this level of backlash is far less severe than that red and black flame. The Persona Mask was only shattered, not completely destroyed, and can be completely healed with the help of resources.
Before coming here, he had already collected no less than a thousand Persona Mask in the Ideal Kingdom. How many times could Tang Liuli turn against him? He waited and saw.
The girl neither understood nor wanted to understand the joy of Thousand Faces. Her soul burned fiercely, and the verdant radiance overwhelmed her like a surging wave. The Heart Tide in her heart formed a torrential rain that shook the will of the continent and the sky, twisting the laws of the Golden Sea.
Even the Holy Dragon and the Grand Duke, perched atop the dome, couldn't help but lower their gazes, looking at this war that far exceeded their expectations, and were shocked by Aisha Fies's performance.
Tang Liuli stretched out her palm and removed the mask from the illusory ripples.
It was a shrine in the style of Dongliu, resembling both a fox and a cat, with the real names of 71 Magical Girl written on it, engraved with green rose patterns, and spreading with fine cracks, proclaiming the length of time it could last.
The girl listened to the unfinished farewell song, smiled, ignored the lament of the soul, and forcibly put on the mask, causing all 71 Magical Girl to share in this heart-wrenching pain.
In the first second, the hourglass containing his best friends fell into his hand.
In the second, she reached out her palm to the Archbishop in the distance, traversing space, ignoring resistance, crushing obstacles, altering reality, and taking away his mask.
In the third second, the faceless, Thousand Faces twitched, and the body in the suit collapsed. Only the Hundred-Faced Dice, symbolizing the authority of the Disaster God, spun wildly.
The process was devoid of any fancy special effects, so simple that it took people almost no time to process it. Only the sudden clearing of the air, the continuous extraction of large amounts of Magic Element from the atmosphere, and the blood spilling from her lips silently proclaimed the price she had paid.
In the fourth second, she caught a familiar scent of a soul from the bishop's mask, drew out the Persona Mask representing Ai Huasi, and whispered to herself:
"The Jin River flows on and on, but my love for you will never return."
"Dad, in the next life, I won't acknowledge you as my father."
"But rest assured, I will let you rest in peace, and you will no longer be subjected to his insults and manipulation."
Although the cause and effect are unknown, the appearance of the father's Persona Mask in his hands makes death the gentlest solution.
And so, the mask burned to ashes, its scattered fragments falling to the ground, becoming the final footnote to the Farewell Letter.
In the fifth second, she teleported the Thousand Faces entity in her hand, along with the Hundred-Faced Dice, to the outer edge of the Golden Sea, using the simplest and fastest method to get rid of her opponent.
In the 6th second, she anticipated that August would summon the Emperor's Armor - the One Truth, and cut open the alchemical domain in advance, interfering with the fusion before falling back onto the Holy Dragon.
In the 7th second, she hugged Aurora and launched a super long-distance random teleportation, escaping Duke Tiffany's pursuit, and the mask shattered.
At the 8th second, she shattered the hourglass, releasing 71 Little Idol and a group of innocent local civilians. The traces of Soul Manipulation and [Mask]'s magic began to flow back into the sealed state.
At the 9th second, she had no time to pretend to be a hero and, amidst the slightly noisy yet exceptionally cute chattering cheers of the Magical Girl, fell into a coma.
Aurora tilted her head blankly, looking at Little Liuli, who was surrounded by girls and being force-fed potions, and fell into deep thought.
And just as the curtain was falling here,
Meanwhile, the Saint Roland Academy was finally entering a heated phase.
Volume 1: Chapter 347. The Invincible Lucy Tiffany?
Morizuki Garden.
This elemental world, which the Elf King had transformed into, became a desolate battlefield repeatedly ravaged, with a million hectares of forest completely destroyed in the process.
The azure dome, like a decorative painting, was torn apart by the canopy of the Mirror Tree. The distorted spectrum spread across the ground with black cracks as its background, creating an incredibly terrifying scene of world destruction.
Thunder, fire, tsunamis, earthquakes, glaciers, meteorites... numerous magical phenomena caused by the fission of magical energy, with the assistance of three alchemical towers that have exhausted the resources of the Saint Roland Academy for a thousand years, unleash explosions almost endlessly.