Memory fragments

In the sky, three lines streaked across the heavens, the light from the tips of the guns in their hands growing ever brighter. Soon they reached the entrance to an underground facility. Stepping inside, they found a coffin before them, but it had already been opened.

"It's been a while now, so it seems it was moved beforehand?" Ciel looked at the empty coffin in front of him, then turned his attention elsewhere. It seemed the trail of the spearhead had been discovered; this place was simply worthless.

The light from the spear tip seemed to change again, pointing in another direction.

"No, right here. That guy Roa pulled a little trick." Arcueid said in a deep voice, then reached out and sliced through the rune-covered wall as easily as cutting tofu. Light surged forth, and the surrounding environment seemed to fall into a void, rapidly shrinking.

The tracking is correct; this is merely a facade. Only by peeling it away can we see the true interior.

However, Bai Mo suddenly sensed something was wrong. Everything around him seemed to have changed—not the environment, but the actual space itself. Everything flashed past him like a film reel being accelerated.

What's going on?! Bai Mo immediately wanted to check on the two of them, but there was no one around.

The surrounding scenery changed abruptly. Bai Mo opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by familiar ruins. As far as the eye could see, two deep ravines were imprinted on the Daichi like wounds. The tall buildings in the distance looked like baguettes that had been cut open, and the smell of blood mingled with the evening breeze.

Is this... Mifune City? Bai Mo frowned slightly. Not far away, he saw a familiar scene—the aftermath of his battle with the Giant Shark. He had fought with everything he had, and with Shiki Ryougi's help, he had repelled the terrifying giant, and then...

A stream of Black Mud emerged beneath my feet...

Bai Mo, like a spectator, slowly walked past this scene.

"Alright, at least we know that this world has lost more than just the Source of Power," Bai Mo said slowly, then looked up at the sky and asked with a hint of accusation, "So, what do you want me to see all this for?"

No one answered. Bai Mo clasped his hands together and slowly said, "Although this move can be said to be flawless in terms of world transformation, unfortunately, I also have some experience in affecting the environment. If you expect something like this to stop me, you are sorely mistaken!"

Then, Bai Mo quietly activated the Ryougi Lataib. The precision of this Magecraft was unparalleled in the world, but even the most precise instruments could not achieve perfect unity. Those gaps that were imperceptible to the naked eye actually existed.

The Ryougi Lataib began to affect everything around it, and gradually, some minor flaws began to appear in this world. Those flaws that required magnification tens of thousands of times to be barely noticeable were now fully exposed.

"Sigh, you really have no patience at all. I even had the Night of Wallachia stage this. Or are you worried about that Executor? It can't be Arcueid, can it?"

A familiar voice reached his ears. Bai Mo turned around and saw the black-clad princess standing not far away, her hands behind her back, smiling sweetly.

Bai Mo remained silent, only continuing to circulate the Ryougi Lataib. In an instant, this world was like a painting that had been set on fire, about to be reduced to ashes.

"Alright, alright, have a little patience. After all, Ciel's situation is different from yours; she's deeply immersed in this dream of the past. If you forcibly disrupt it, I can't guarantee her soul will remain unharmed."

Upon hearing Altrouge Brunestud's words, Bai Mo withdrew his hand, frowned, and asked, "So, what exactly do you want? Is this all the memory you obtained?"

As expected, this should be part of the system's records. It's neither those scattered Primordial Spirit components nor any Source of Power; it's just a bunch of useless memories.

Upon hearing this, Altrouge Brunestud gracefully curtsied and smiled, saying, "Now, we can finally have a proper conversation. Mr. Bai Mo, as you can see, all I have are these memories. Perhaps they are insignificant to you, but they are completely different to me."

Then, Altrouge Brunestud clapped her hands, and the surrounding scenery changed once again, bringing her to a European-style castle. On a high seat in the castle, Bai Mo saw a somewhat familiar figure.

She was an existence that did not exist in this world, like a flawless moon. Her long golden hair flowed to the ground, and her eyes shone with iridescent light. This peerless beauty exuded an awe-inspiring majesty.

"That is the cause of everything, our prototype, the King of the Moon — Crimson Moon Brunestud." Altrouge Brunestud appeared beside Bai Mo at some point, looking at the high and mighty being with a complicated expression.

"Even in a dream, I could feel her power, but she has vanished, otherwise I wouldn't have failed to sense her presence." Bai Mo looked at Crimson Moon's face, and for some reason, he felt as if the princess on the throne had cast a glance at him for a moment.

"She's dead, but not completely dead. Her consciousness lingers somewhere, quietly awaiting rebirth. As for me, I'm just a failed vessel she created." Altrouge Brunestud lightly stroked her chest, looking at Bai Mo with a playful gaze.

Altrouge Brunestud is a failed vessel, then what Arcueid means to her is self-evident. Altrouge Brunestud tried to see some emotional fluctuation in Bai Mo's eyes to confirm something, but his gaze remained unchanged.

This made her somewhat happy, and her tone became lighter.

"They're very similar, aren't they?"

"What?"

"We..." Altrouge Brunestud looked into Bai Mo's eyes with admiration, and slowly said, "After I gained memories of you, it was like watching a play. And you know, what's most important in an art form like a play?"

It's empathy.

"I was abandoned because I was not good enough to be a vessel, and you were discarded because we had different paths. Aren't we alike?" Altrouge Brunestud seemed to be taking a walk, circling around Bai Mo step by step. Her voice came from all directions, as if she were communicating with a soulmate she had never met.

"I was so excited when I found out you were actually a real person. I didn't even tell my servants, I came straight to you." Then, Altrouge Brunestud's tone changed abruptly, and she said with obvious dissatisfaction:

"Then I saw you and Arcueid acting all close. What's with that? You two just met, right? It made me not want to talk to you at all after that."

"I need Arcueid's help. While I understand your situation to some extent, judging from your state, the outcome of this failed container has at least given you enough power, and it doesn't require you to pay anything in return."

Compared to Bai Mo, Altrouge Brunestud's situation is much better. Bearing the name of Brunestud, she has never lacked anything in terms of power or status. If it weren't for fate and the help left by her former best friend from thousands of years ago, Bai Mo would probably have died.

There was little empathy in his tone; he was still searching for the area of the dream where Ciel was, and he would leave as soon as he found Ciel.