Chapter 626: The Battle of Intertwined Fates (Part 1)

Is this… a dream?

Roland blinked and walked step by step to the fence, overlooking the entire school bathed in the setting sun.

The empty playground was deserted, with the lonely goalposts casting long shadows in the orange afterglow. In the distance were the familiar library and dormitory buildings, rows of bright windows tinged with gold by the setting sun sinking into the horizon.

He had studied and lived here for nearly seven years, familiar with every tree and blade of grass. The place he was currently in was undoubtedly the rooftop of the teaching building—also his favorite place to go in his spare time.

Roland had too many memories here.

Such as the iron gate behind him that constantly opened and closed with the warm breeze.

This iron gate was a unique sight on the top of the teaching building, its appearance so ancient that it looked like an artifact dug up by archaeologists. When he came to this school, the iron gate was already dilapidated. It would emit intermittent screams whenever pushed, as if it couldn't breathe. Therefore, the time after opening and closing the iron gate always seemed particularly quiet. Roland always thought it would completely collapse soon, but until the day he graduated, the iron gate still stood quietly on the rooftop.

However, if this is a dream, why am I still like this?

He looked down at his slender hands and touched the gray hair on his shoulders. Obviously, this height and figure were completely incompatible with his self when he was addicted to studying.

Think… what happened before?

Roland frowned and pondered for a moment before remembering the last scene: Nightingale pushing him away, followed by a flash of faint light, and then her panicked and desperate face.

"Who exactly are you?"

A melodious and ethereal female voice suddenly sounded beside him.

Roland was startled and turned his head abruptly, only to see a white-haired woman walking out from behind the stairwell. She had a pair of ruby-like eyes, and her red and white robes reached the ground, with delicate golden patterns embroidered on the hem, clearly not belonging to this era. The golden crown on her head had already revealed her identity.

"You are from the Church… a Purified?"

"Also the fifteenth Pope of Hermes Holy City," she paused, "My name is Jie Luo, and you definitely aren't called Roland Wimbledon."

As expected, Roland frowned. "So you created this place?"

Everything made sense. The faint light should be this guy's ability, which was why Nightingale ran away with him. The scene before him should be an illusion or a virtual space effect. The moment he opened his eyes, he thought he had traveled back again.

Although he knew that the predecessor of the Church was likely the Association, he didn't expect the Pope to be a Purified—as witches, these people actually watched their own kind turn into inhuman monsters, which was simply incomprehensible.

"No, you created it," Jie Luo walked over step by step, her tone full of interest. "It is the place with the most profound impact on your memory, and most of the time it will appear in your daily life… but I am very curious, where exactly is this? The Fourth Prince of Graycastle could never have lived in such a place."

"Why should I tell you?" Roland cautiously moved towards the railing, keeping his distance from her.

What should he do now to escape the illusion? His mind raced. Jump off the roof? According to his experience with nightmares, as long as he found a high place to jump from, he could immediately wake up from the dream.

"It doesn't matter if you don't tell me," she smiled, her voice very pleasant. "As long as I take the time, I will eventually figure it out, including who you are, where you come from, and why you became the Fourth Prince of Graycastle."

Will know sooner or later? "Are you talking about taking my memories?" Roland sneered, "Don't stuff yourself to death."

"Do you know?" Jie Luo suddenly stopped. "For everyone affected by my ability, I will explain the function, rules, and consequences of this ability to them, but you are an exception—"

"What?"

As soon as Roland asked, he found that the Purified opposite him had already leaped to his side. The sudden pain made him suddenly unable to hear any sound.

Trembling, he lowered his head and saw a long knife stuck in his chest. Roland wanted to shout, but couldn't make a sound. His lungs had been completely destroyed, and the opening and closing of his chest cavity couldn't force a bit of air into his throat.

Intense pain ran through his body like an electric current. He would rather die immediately than endure another second.

"Because I don't like anything that is unfathomable."

At the other end of the hilt was Jie Luo's nonchalant face. The gushing blood had already soaked half of her body. Due to hypoxia and the brain's self-protective fainting, Roland's consciousness quickly blurred.

The next second, he was still standing by the railing, completely unharmed. The Purified was also standing a few meters away from him, as if she had never left.

What's going on? Roland gasped for breath, a hallucination? He covered his violently heaving chest, the place where he was pierced was still faintly aching. He lowered his head, and there was a large pool of blood scattered in a spray at his feet.

Damn it, what happened just now was real!

He stared at the long knife in Jie Luo's hand, extremely surprised. Her hands were empty before!

Creating something out of thin air?

In this moment, Jie Luo rushed over again, her speed so fast that it was difficult to capture with the naked eye.

Roland turned around and ran, but felt a numbness in his abdomen after taking just one step.

Then he experienced death again. Jie Luo slashed horizontally with her long knife, cutting him in half. This time the pain was more lasting than the last time. Roland fell into his own blood and scattered internal organs, the continuous pain making him let out a heart-wrenching scream, the intensity of which even frightened him.

The second time he was resurrected, Roland had realized something.

This was definitely not a nightmare that would end with a jump or intense pain, but more like a constantly repeating arena.

Damn it, so what is the condition for breaking free? Defeat the initiator of the ability, which is the white-haired witch in front of him?

Since she can create weapons out of thin air, then what about me? Roland gritted his teeth and concentrated his mind—if he had a shield, he wouldn't be completely defenseless!

A flash of light passed.

Jie Luo's attack was blocked. A transparent explosion-proof shield appeared in his hand, leaving a deep gash on it. Roland was also thrown away by the huge impact force.

Damn it, so that's how it is!

He cursed inwardly. In the moment of rolling, he dropped the shield and replaced it with an automatic rifle.

Just as Roland raised his gun to shoot, Jie Luo had disappeared in place.

What's going on?

"I'm here."

The voice came from his ear.

Then he only felt a flash of white light, and his hands, along with the rifle, fell to the ground.