Mission⑩ · The Holy Grail

Foreword:

Because the world is inherently unhappy, we should strive to create happiness.

Because justice is lacking, we should strive for justice.

Because the world is absurd, it should offer some kind of meaning.

--Camus, "The Human Crisis"

[Part 1: Ode to Joy]

Let's go back to where the story began.

Let's return to the lesson on knightly combat techniques.

--Regarding the <Music> in the Six Arts, the gunsmith teacher never had a chance to teach it in this lesson.

Jiang Xueming was always taciturn; he was very capable with his hands, but rarely spoke.

Language is an extension of emotion; music is the frequency of the soul.

He always maintained an aggressive mimicry, never letting strangers discover his true thoughts. This was a survival skill. Only in front of his loved ones and close friends would Xue Ming laugh heartily or cry bitterly.

This silence led Kang Que Johnny to make a wrong judgment.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the gunsmith never used his Soul Power's superpowers, nor did he reveal the special characteristics of his spirit to anyone, which led the president of the Mercy Society to believe the information passed down by his colleague.

Judging from the Nameless Ones' movements and casualty ratio, Kang Que Connor genuinely believes that the Gunsmith possesses the superpower of [time reversal]. If this isn't the answer, he can't understand how all of this happened; he simply can't comprehend it.

Why were these soldiers able to fight against a hundred men single-handedly?

Why did these students unleash such astonishing fighting power?

Why did these normally well-functioning intelligence agencies and armed personnel all fail at a critical moment?

Why couldn't the mythical units summoned by these rituals kill any of the nameless heroes?

Ten thousand questions have all become facts that Kang Que firmly believes in.

He was certain that the gunsmith's Soul Power superpower could turn back time and do it all over again; otherwise, he would never have been able to do these things and would never have achieved such an incredible feat.

At this moment, the gunsmith agreed to the duel without hesitation, which further convinced Kang Que that the other's confidence stemmed from this special ability that defied common sense.

However, Kang Que Cornelius was not afraid of the [Time Reversal] psychic power. He was confident that he could kill the gunsmith in an instant. The Homo sapiens body was too fragile. With his powerful spirit striking the gunsmith's flesh and blood, the outcome could be decided in just a moment.

On the other hand--

--Kang Que Johnny has no way out.

He cannot be a deserter; he has no right to escape Eureka. Even if he escapes from Ming De, his investors and sponsors will try every means to sever ties with him and do everything they can to kill him.

Rather than saying that Kang Que Connor is still alive, it would be more accurate to say that he was already a walking corpse, remaining in this immortal body to fulfill his mission.

He couldn't afford the cost of escaping. In the worst-case scenario, he might be captured by other members of the Madness Butterfly Sect, used as a human flesh elixir, and imprisoned as a blood-feeding calamity beast, forever tormented by a fate worse than death.

He couldn't even imagine what kind of hellish, excruciating torture it would be.

Perhaps his former colleagues will transform his body into a petri dish, or simply use his highly malleable holy blood to convert him into a woman, so that he can lay eggs and bear children for other cults.

When Mr. Kang Que becomes Miss Kang Que, he won't be thinking about how difficult the [Nameless One] is to deal with. He will only hope that the Nameless One will come to his side soon, bring him a good relationship, and end this long and meaningless life.

If he could risk his life to kill the gunsmith in front of everyone, even if it meant mutual destruction, he could live on in another way.

Kang Que Connor had once been a member of the assault team, and he knew that "fortune favors the brave," and if he were to cower and run away at this moment, he would truly have nothing left.

The Lord of Cinder flew from one side of the ocean near Pompeii toward the distant mountains. The sunlight gradually dimmed, but there was no sign of dusk. It would circle the ocean once according to a fixed route and finally return to its starting point. Its flight path was like the halo of an angel. On the other side of the ocean, the natives of Shambhala would see this sun, which would rise in the east and set in the west, illuminating the changing seasons, forever unchanged.

The assault team began its attack on the canyon pass, starting with artillery bombardment followed by armored advance—a standard procedure.

The radar vehicle began normal operation the moment the King of Cinder strolled away. Ming De, on the other hand, went to the front line in person, changed into a respectable formal suit, and put on a burgundy suit like a waiter, looking like a rich young master. Hearing the soldiers and weapons roar at the same time, he squinted and put a record of "Ode to Joy" on the record player - its golden age had arrived.

The radar station communications officer, who was being deployed on-site, heard the music and suddenly popped his head out of the base station, asking, "BOSS!"

"I'm trying to boost morale, what's wrong?" Ming De said dismissively.

The communications officer chuckled, "It's nothing! I'm just a little worried about the gunsmith!"

BOSS: "You think the gunsmith will lose? Lose to that white-haired, rotten-ass sissy?"

The communications officer said, "No. I've boxed and practiced shooting with the gunsmith at the club. I know how good he is. Don't blame me for being a nagging coward. I've just lived too many days of fear. A few years ago, sitting in the cell tower, I mostly heard bad news."

The boss interrupted, saying, "Respectfully, this is my testimony."

This duel will not last long; the outcome may be decided in an instant.

When her feet touched solid ground again, Xue Ming did not remove her mask; the Flash Butterfly Armor Robe reeked of blood.

He remained motionless, constantly focusing on his inner self, observing the texture and breathing rate of his opponent, listening to every noise in the environment, and sensing the pressure waves emanating from the spirit.

This is something he has done countless times, day after day, year after year. This is the skill he relies on to make a living. This mission was given to Xue Ming by the BOSS, and it is the path he must take.

Kang Que Connor is much more talkative.

--When he saw the figure standing still, he sensed the intense aura emanating from the other person. Even through the V-shaped helmet, he could still feel the bone-chilling killing intent.

"Ming De will definitely give you its bones." Kang Que's face was full of sullen resentment, and his words were full of sarcasm and mockery. "You brat, you must be smug and overjoyed, wishing you could immediately exchange my head for your future, right?"

Xue Ming remained silent, continuing to observe his opponent.

Aside from carrying a bag, the Mercy Society had no diabolical stones, but he did have a military knife that served as a club.

Its ornamentation is both ornate and practical, featuring a top ring, side rings, and an upward-pointing sword guard.

It features a handguard and a counterweighted rounded tip, and is an unsharpened Ricaso used for frontal assaults.

The back of the saber also has a groove similar in shape to that of a broken-blade sword.

Its design language is very flamboyant; only bold and meticulous warriors can use this combat weapon.

"What are you looking at?" Kang Que Connor drew his sword. "This? It's a gift from Ming De —what? You're in a hurry? Want to hang it on JoeStar's wall as an exhibit? Ha!"

Xue Ming didn't answer. He was a straightforward person, and if Kang Que was willing to keep arguing like this, he was willing to wait until the other party was exhausted before starting the fight.

"Are you a stone? And my opponent in this duel is a statue?" Kang Que Johnny was still prepared to fight verbally, trying to provoke his opponent and try to disturb his mind.

But for some reason, the gunsmith's reaction put increasing psychological pressure on Kang Que Connor.

"I know! I understand! You are the sun that rises at eight or nine in the morning."

President Johnny shrugged indifferently and began pacing back and forth.

"Ming De said the same thing to me before. He had high hopes for me and hoped that I could achieve great things—anyone can make empty promises, right?"

He drew his sidearm and idly began fiddling with it, the two sawed-off M1887 repeating shotguns spinning nimbly in his hands.

"I also felt like I was chosen by heaven, and I almost believed it. Kid—speaking of which, I'm actually your senior. There's no one else here, so you don't need to put on airs."

Upon seeing the gun, Xue Ming finally made a slight movement, merely placing his right hand on Jingguang's quickdraw holster.

Seeing this, Kang Que Connor finally breathed a sigh of relief—he wasn't fighting a stone statue. "With your powerful spirit, you really don't need to take someone like me seriously, hehe. Hahahaha."

In the end, Kang Que began to fake a smile; he was like a venomous snake, his eyes fixed on the gunsmith's clothes and equipment.

He thought to himself, "What an expensive set of individual combat gear that is!"

--Just how biased is Ming De? The rapid reaction force is still scavenging antiques in the secondhand warehouse of the trade transit station. The armor and weapons on this gunsmith are all custom-made.

"Sooner or later."

"Kang Que Johnny said viciously."

"Sooner or later, Lady Luck will abandon you, Gunsmith. You'll end up like me! You'll understand!"

In an instant, his expression changed, becoming fierce Dior Homme.

"You'll grow old, you'll become weak, and you won't be able to do anything anymore! You'll watch helplessly as a little kid stronger than you takes away your power and destroys your life!"

I hate your arrogant attitude!

"I cursed through gritted teeth," Kang Que Johnny said.

"You bastard! You shameless thief! Those clothes should have been mine! Everything you have should be mine!"

At that very moment--

--Xue Ming removed his helmet, his eyes blazing with fury.

In most competitive sports, seasoned athletes can determine the outcome in the instant their eyes meet.

To put it more bluntly, it boils down to just two sentences.

"I've seen it in their eyes, this is someone I can't beat."

As well as--

"I've seen the look in his eyes; he's someone I can beat up."

When Kang Que and Jiang Xueming locked eyes, he experienced a mesmerizing, intensely unreal feeling.

The information obtained from previous photographs was not clear enough, but when he and the gunsmith came to an equal plane and looked at each other in an environment no more than ten steps apart, he felt that the image of the gunsmith in his mind was completely different from the real gunsmith.

Kang Que Connor was deeply shaken.

--This guy's expression looks so ordinary, so natural.

What is he thinking?

He seemed angry, but hadn't lost his temper.

Oh no, this is the worst-case scenario!

He.

"Kang Que Johnny." Jiang Xueming spoke the first sentence, his tone as if every word was the last, like an ultimatum, a threat, a warning, not allowing anyone to insult Ming De.

They said nothing, yet they said everything.

President Johnny stood frozen in astonishment.

After a few seconds, the sea breeze stopped for a moment.

--The arrival of the Still Wind Point also brought the bell to signal the start of the first round of the knights' duel.

[Part ② - Settling the Situation]

Gunshots rang out--

The two in the arena drew closer and closer.

Behold the vanguard weapons in Xue Ming's hands: Jing Guang and Hunting Goddess are weapons of the 21st century. With 9x39 bullets, they fired over 140 rounds in succession. The firepower of these two weapons has reached its limit, and there is no more ammunition.

The God of Love's physical body only had three more bloodshot eyes, all on his forehead, but he showed no sign of backing down. The M1887 was a firearm from the last century, which was of great significance to Johnny. His physical body and soul power held the weapon and spat out ten shotgun shells, exhausting all his firepower.

A barrage of bullets clashed violently between the two, each displaying its own divine power to try and stop the steel and sonic boom that were separated by a hundred years.

Flash Butterfly Armor erupted in a burst of intense flames, and the Fragrant Dream emanated from its body, Johnny screamed.

"We both have a hard shell! Bullets can't kill us. Once you've embarked on this path, there's no turning back. Come before me! Let's settle this once and for all, Gunsmith!"

A champagne-colored Cupid floated beside him as Johnny walked forward step by step. His head wound was gradually healing, his once white hair had turned gray, and his body had reached the age of over fifty.

The metallic armor of the Fragrant Dream burst forth with intense turbulence, and chaotic fist shadows intertwined, erupting in dense ripples between the two, carrying intense flames.

Warm water vapor condenses into dewdrops in the huge cavity, and during the clash between Cupid and the steel cat, supersonic kicks and punches produce a sonic-luminescent reaction.

Small-scale high-energy oscillations generate shock waves. The instant that liquid in the air cavitates forms cavitation bubbles and plasma, which then collapse under pressure. Under the compression of the magnetic storm gas masses of the two spiritual bodies, a high-pressure and high-temperature shock wave appears in the cavity.

These shockwaves, equivalent to thousands of atmospheres of pressure, were concentrated in an area no larger than the palm of a hand.

In just a few seconds of spiritual combat, both of their eardrums ruptured simultaneously, and they coughed up blood—their internal organs and fascia had been shaken.

As the spirit dissipated, the gunsmith drew the Iron Knight's light sword and strode forward to strike angrily.

Cupid had to leave Mr. Johnny temporarily, but he remained arrogant and raised his saber to strike him angrily.

The two players need to use their height to seize the center line and push aside the enemy's weapons to gain a strength advantage.

With a loud "bang!"

The light sword gained the upper hand, its slender blade striking the guard of the military knife. Xue Ming switched to a two-handed grip on the sword and advanced forward.

Kang Que, having lost some ground, suddenly became timid and surprised.

This is not the ability of Mingde's remains.

The light sword failed to cut through the military knife in his hand, sliding along its blunt edge all the way to Ricaso. He instinctively followed suit, using both hands in a contest of strength, hesitated for a moment—

--I only hesitated for a few milliseconds.

He wondered if he could use the enemy's strength to concede a point, giving up the center line and right-hand position, and causing the enemy to stumble and lose their balance.

In those few milliseconds, Kang Que didn't use all his strength. He saw the edge of the light sword rise higher and press forward, slicing down his neck!

Blood gushed from his torso instantly, his entire body tilted as the gunsmith's decisive cutting motion caused him to stagger. As he leaned to the side, his eyes cleared in pain!

Death God had already placed its scythe against Johnny's neck when Cupid appeared once more, his pale golden spirit lunging at the gunsmith.

The golden and lead arrows transformed into Cupid's fists, once again entangled and fought with the steel beast.

The shockwave generated by the second round of sonic luminescence caused excruciating pain to the internal organs and fascia of both individuals, causing blood to flow from their ears and noses—it was a collision of spiritual entities with core strength exceeding three tons and an attack speed exceeding the speed of sound.

In an instant, dozens of plasma bursts bombarded the air, turning the dust and water vapor into heavy fists that struck the heads and abdomens of the two people. The damage to their spiritual bodies would also directly affect their bioelectric systems.

Johnny the kid has become Johnny the old man.

He had reached the age of nearing his death; his hair had turned a dirty gray, blood was flowing from the corners of his eyes, and his mouth and nose were stained with freshly congealed blood.

He was breathing heavily, and the wounds on his torso were gradually healing, urging him to continue his journey. The Blessed Holy Blood within him had gone out of control, and he was beginning to show symptoms of bestiality.

His eyes were about to turn into golden, beastly pupils like those of Eagle Falcon, and obvious deformities appeared from his arms. Thick, grayish-white bird feathers began to grow on his neck, making him look like an aging eagle.

Now let's look at the gunsmith's side--

--Xue Ming was also bleeding from all seven orifices. During the terrifying moment when the spirits attacked each other and the sound and light effects were released, the Flash Butterfly Armor became useless.

"Heh heh heh heh." Johnny laughed, raising his sword. "You can't win! You brat! You can't beat me! Even if I can't kill you now, a bomb will kill you, and you'll be smashed to pieces falling from this height of 1,700 meters into the sea!"

Xue Ming: "."

"Why won't you speak!" Kang Que Johnny roared. "Why won't you speak? You're going to die! You're doomed! You'll regret it! You should regret it!"

"Your Ming De's, have ruined you!"

"Trying to trade my head for your future? Not so easy! You're still too green!"

"Kang Que Johnny." Xue Ming his light sword, regaining his composure. "What nonsense are you spouting? I don't understand a word you're saying."

Johnny's eyes widened, and his smile froze on his face.

The gunsmith had returned to his original form; he was like an iron sculpture.

"I'm here to take your dog's life, it has nothing to do with how much you're worth."

Johnny: "It's okay. It's alright?"

Gunsmith: "You're really strong. Your blood-bound body secretes pheromones from monstrous beasts, and they fill me with fear."

Johnny: "Fear. Fear?"

Gunsmith: "When our spirits collide and tear each other apart, we exchange a portion of our spiritual information—I think you should understand my heart."

The wind blew erratically for a moment, and the distant sun illuminated Johnny's eyes.

He saw that the gunsmith was backlit, his features shrouded in darkness, with only his pair of dark eyes staring intently at his opponent.

"Kang Que, I sensed a profound emptiness within your spirit."

"This world has nothing to do with you and me—it's as if everything we do is in vain. We all live in a solid cage, and perhaps that's what you think too."

"Then my spirit must have also conveyed my thoughts to you through each strike of my soul power."

"I don't like to complicate simple things, Kang Que Connor."

"I hope that on this land, every newborn child has parents, and every parent can raise their own flesh and blood to adulthood."

"People can work hard and reap the rewards they deserve."

"Children are full of curiosity, and young people are full of enthusiasm for life."

"Middle-aged, learned and benevolent, loyal to family, and kind to relatives and friends."

"When the elderly enjoy good health and longevity, they can discuss matters of life and death with distant and close relatives and neighbors, viewing these events as natural and joyful farewells."

No one worries that their children will suddenly turn into thieves or prostitutes.

"No one worries that their parents might suddenly be scammed, causing their life savings and the family they've worked so hard to build to fall back into poverty."

"In ancient times, when humans were struck by lightning in the night, they spontaneously gathered around flames. It wasn't because of any philosophy, ideology, or doctrine that they did this, but because humans themselves yearned for light."

"I don't think these things have much to do with money, nor with my future."

Kang Que, his eyes red with rage, stood up and yelled, "Bullshit!"

"Furthermore, I have some personal grudges against you," Jiang Xueming said. "The moment you pulled out the C4 bomb, I was truly terrified—because my loved ones and friends were facing your death threat."

"Kang Que Johnny, I'm only challenging you to a duel to get you away from them."

Before the words had even finished --

--The final round has begun.

The two spirits once again burst forth with power, and the point-to-point combat, just like last time, would be accomplished with furious strikes!

Raising their light swords and sabers high above their heads, they simultaneously rushed to seize the center line!

All that could be heard was the sharp, piercing sound of metal fracturing due to fatigue.

Johnny's eyes widened in surprise as he saw his weapon shatter into three pieces, broken by the light sword!

His face felt cold as a gash appeared on the right side of his skull, along with the bridge of his nose and the cartilage of his left cheek.

Fragrant Dream grabbed Cupid by the neck and smashed the head of the exquisite gold statue with a single punch!

Johnny instinctively tried to escape. His body staggered and went limp, his fighting spirit finally collapsing and being destroyed. Under the influence of [Heaven and Earth Turning], his light body floated backward, trying to break free from the gunsmith's control.

In the instant he lost his balance, he saw the Iron Knight's warhammer hook his ankle, followed by the Gunsmith's large hand pressing down on the Mercy Society, who was as light as a feather.

--It's time for the execution!

"No! No no no! No no no no no!"

Johnny dropped his broken saber and frantically clawed at the rubble on the cave ceiling, but the gunsmith dragged him back.

He pleaded desperately.

"Don't kill me, woof!"

The scream he had just let out was cut through his throat by a light sword, slicing from the back of his neck to his Adam's apple, along with his trachea!

He could only cough and vomit, watching as blood and lymph fluid gushed out of his body.

The Iron Knight's warhammer shattered his spine and knees, and a maggot was seen writhing on the ground.

Fragrant Dream stomped and trampled the ground fiercely again and again. The supersonic bombardment almost turned this cannibalistic demon into mincemeat from bottom to top.

Kang Que Connor tried to press the switch on the C4 explosives, but before he could even extend his fingers, the gunsmith snapped them off one by one! There wasn't a single good piece of flesh left on his body, not a single intact bone.

Gravity began to collapse--

--Kang Que Johnny couldn't remember when he last dispelled his psychic powers. It seemed like he had walked a very, very long way, and finally he could rest.

The distant demon palace began to collapse, and the demons within Zero Platform were about to be smashed to pieces.

Johnny's eyes remained fixed on Jiang Xueming even as he lay dying.

He hoped the child would learn a lesson, after all, Jiang Xueming would also fall from a height of 1,700 meters and become a pile of minced meat.

But all he saw was the pair of hands gripping the cracks in the rock face, and the gunsmith hanging on the cliff, his body and spirit unshaken, like an iron sculpture.

He finally gave up, finally admitted defeat, and finally turned into a handful of dust.

The train headed towards Balason--

--The students who stayed on campus during the holiday have finally returned to safety.

Shao Jinghao sat by the window, watching the school getting closer and closer, and asked Professor Wood, who worked in security, a question.

"In Egypt mythology, Bastet is the moon goddess, hence the name 'Moon God Cup.' Does this mean that everyone who participates in this competition will become incredibly powerful?"

Wood: "Cats were initially warriors, but later became family gods."

Shao Jinghao: "Oh! Only the winner of the competition is qualified to start a family and build a career?"

Wood Plark leaned against the windowsill, gazing into the distance, before finally bringing his gaze and soul back to the child before him.

"We are fighting for our families, fighting to protect so many families."