Bai Shi emerged from the side of the Church of Pilgrimage, where there was a graveyard inhabited by Those Who Live in Death.
Bai Shi was very familiar with the area because he used to farm for equipment here. Now, he was heading there to pick up a couple of backup weapons.
The Bandit's Curved Sword was a decent weapon. Although it certainly wouldn't be as powerful here as it was in the game, it was still a good idea to diversify his arsenal.
In the game, he had often used dual curved swords with a Blood affinity or the Cragblade skill to obliterate bosses.
Bai Shi suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Ah, I forgot."
"What is it? What did you forget?"
"I forgot to pick up those weapons earlier. Oh well, I'll grab them on the way back."
——
After confirming the evergaol's location with his telescope, Bai Shi mounted Torrent and charged toward it.
Along the way, he passed the Tombsward Ruins and decided to loot the place. Outside, he found five Trina's Lilies—a valuable find.
He cleared out the enemies and opened a chest in the cellar that was guarded by two servants.
Inside the chest was a great scythe shaped like a white wing. Despite being a weapon designed to take lives, it possessed an air of sanctity.
The Winged Scythe—that was its name.
Bai Shi hadn't used this weapon much before, but as he swung it, he found it easy to handle. It seemed his attributes met the requirements.
Bai Shi tried to use its weapon skill, but as he did, a blurry image of a young girl with white wings suddenly appeared before him.
The indistinct image blocked the flow of magic into the weapon.
As a result, the skill had no special effect; it was just a simple leaping attack.
Recalling the strange sensation, Bai Shi tried again, but the skill failed once more due to the blurry image.
Unable to figure it out, Bai Shi decided to ask Melina.
"Melina, whenever I try to use the weapon skill, a blurry winged figure appears and prevents me from channeling magic into the weapon. Do you know what's going on?"
In the spirit world, Melina pondered for a moment before moving closer to examine the great scythe in Bai Shi's hand.
"This appears to be a heretic's weapon. Perhaps only a devout believer can wield it properly."
Bai Shi was a little disappointed. It seemed the weapon required Faith to use.
His Faith was likely insufficient, which was why he couldn't see the image of the winged girl clearly, preventing him from using the skill.
Scythes were cool, but without its skill, the weapon was crippled. It was little more than a toy.
"I suggest you keep this weapon,"
Melina's voice sounded again.
Bai Shi was a little surprised. Was there something special about this weapon? He didn't expect Melina to suggest he keep it.
"Why? Is there something special about it?"
"I'm not certain, but it seems this weapon can reduce the healing effect of the flasks. It might prove surprisingly effective against other Tarnished."
Bai Shi nodded. He knew that in the game, some items, like the Albinauric Pot, could reduce the healing from Flasks. He just didn't expect this weapon could as well.
"As expected of a heretic's weapon."
Bai Shi put the great scythe away. Combined with the Albinauric Pot in the future, other Tarnished were in for a world of hurt.
Soon, Bai Shi arrived before the evergaol. Next to it stood a stone pedestal with a statue of two fanged imps, one on top of the other.
The lower one knelt while the one on top was perched above it, its mouth glowing with an orange light. A Stonesword Key was inserted into the forehead of the bottom imp. Bai Shi looked at the top one and, just as he expected, saw an empty hole in its forehead.
Bai Shi took out a Stonesword Key and inserted it into the forehead of the top imp statue.
With a *click*, the light in the top imp's mouth extinguished. A moment later, a ghostly purple light began to glow on the ground inside the evergaol.
Bai Shi quickly checked his gear, and once he confirmed everything was in order, he touched the seal and entered the evergaol.
His vision blurred for a moment, and he instantly found himself in a dim, enclosed space. The sensation was just like when Melina teleported him.
Looking around, he saw that the area was shrouded in a thin veil, obscuring any view of the outside world. Bai Shi knew he had been transported to a separate dimension.
Bai Shi drew the Banished Knight's Greatsword and the greatsword equipped with Lion's Claw, holding one in each hand.
Since he was here to practice, he planned to go all out on offense. Besides, he had a particular move that required him to dual-wield greatswords.
He could already see the Ancient Hero of Zamor in the distance. She had long, pale, withered hair and a tall, slender frame. Standing before her, Bai Shi would likely only come up to her waist.
The Ancient Hero of Zamor had one hand pressed against the sheer curtain wall, gazing at the scenery beyond her prison.
The outside world seemed to be just a thin veil away, close enough to touch, yet it was a cage from which she could never break free.
For a long-lived being like the Ancient Hero of Zamor, this was a form of eternal torment.
Bai Shi's sudden appearance startled the gaol's prisoner.
The Ancient Hero of Zamor turned from the wall and picked up her uniquely shaped Zamor Curved Sword from the ground.
She knew that the opening of the evergaol did not signal her freedom, but the arrival of her executioner.
However, she had no intention of simply waiting to be killed. She would make her opponent feel the wrath of Zamor.
The Ancient Hero of Zamor brandished her large curved sword and glided toward him from a distance, seeming to float just above the ground before slashing upward at Bai Shi.
Bai Shi blocked the strike with his crossed swords and immediately swept out with both blades.
But the Ancient Hero of Zamor was more agile than Bai Shi had imagined. With a light kick off the ground, she shot back several meters.
It was the first time Bai Shi had faced such an agile opponent, and from their brief exchange, he could already tell her martial prowess was exquisite.
Her earlier lunging attack was very similar to the techniques of the Bloodhound Knights, yet far more nimble—it was as if she had truly floated across the ground.
Chronologically, it was likely that the Bloodhound Knights had imitated the Ancient Heroes of Zamor.
Bai Shi focused his full attention on his opponent. This was a worthy adversary; he had made the right choice in coming here.
Bai Shi advanced, intending to pressure the Ancient Hero of Zamor and close the distance.
The Ancient Hero of Zamor didn't evade. She swung her great curved sword down at Bai Shi, who raised his own blade to parry.
But the parry didn't affect her movements in the slightest.
Her slender waist and butterfly-like footwork allowed her to spin with incredible speed.
The moment her last strike glanced off Bai Shi's blade, the next one was already upon him.
After parrying a few blows, Bai Shi felt the force behind them increasing, so he leaped backward to evade the stormy sword dance.
The Ancient Hero of Zamor steadied herself but didn't press the attack. Instead, she held her left hand open before her mask and gracefully lowered herself into a crouch.
Then, a bone-chilling frost billowed toward Bai Shi.