Chapter 85 Thirst for Light
Wilson was immersed in the bright clarity created by the sea of flames, unable to extricate himself.
Until an arrow with a scarlet glow passed through layers of flames and struck Wilson’s eyes, waking him from his obsession.
“Isn’t it better to just wait there and die?”
Wilson roared in fury, pulling out the arrow. The arrow hadn’t even pierced his eyeball, merely breaking through the eyelid.
Such an injury, even before, would have disappeared in a single breath.
He could no longer endure it, stomping on the flames, he ascended to the high place of the hall, looking down at the damned commoners like a god looking down at ants.
“Let’s have a taste of the ‘Slave Master’!”
Wilson laughed cruelly, spreading his arms. A massive portal emerged from the sea of flames. The portal had no superfluous decorations, only exuding a disgusting aura.
The portal opened, and countless Dwarves poured out from within. They were emaciated, with their eyes closed, bound by chains and adorned with shackles, yet they feared neither flames nor light.
“Go, tear them apart!”
As the words fell, the shackles and chains on the Dwarves transformed into fine sand and disappeared into the sea of flames. They opened their eyes, within which flashed a bloody, crazed light. They roared like beasts and charged out. Although they were unarmed, their imposing presence was comparable to any army.
The Players had already allocated their roles, each standing in their designated positions.
Takebitori stood at the forefront, holding a longsword and cutting down all the Dwarves that rushed towards them into two pieces with a single strike.
These Dwarves appeared thin and dry, with no distinguishing features except for their height. In reality, they possessed immense strength and were incredibly savage, presumably capable of easily subduing an equal number of well-equipped mortal soldiers.
If not for the powerful buffs they carried, Takebitori wouldn’t have been confident in stopping them. After all, the number of people in the team was too small now.
There were originally eight of them, but now only four remained, just Takebitori and another front-liner, along with Yuzuru and Li Lin, two back-liners.
“These Dwarves seem to have no reason; control spells seem ineffective.”
Li Lin waved his magic staff, reminding them.
“It’s fine, we’re not counting on you anyway!”
Takebitori shouted loudly. With each Dwarf she killed, her momentum grew, and her attacks quickened, almost to the point of spinning like a meat grinder.
This was the effect of the trait “Veteran” she had gained after advancing to Stage One. As long as she entered combat, her strength would temporarily increase with the duration of the battle and the number of enemies killed, with no hard upper limit.
On the other hand, seeing the tide of Dwarves surging, Xu En no longer hesitated. He destroyed the container in his hand, took out the candle within, and lit it.
The faint candlelight was inconspicuous in the hall surrounded by flames.
Xu En gazed at the candlelight, his face began to turn old, his hair instantly turned white, and conversely, the light in his eyes burned with fervent intensity.
He took a spark from the candle and threw it into the crowd of Dwarves. Blinding white flames surged up, engulfing the flames Wilson had ignited. Those Dwarves who were originally unafraid of flames instantly turned to ashes.
The intense heat seemed to be about to burn him along with them, and Xu En understood that this was because his life and spirituality were burning frantically.
The Candle of Cherishing Light was a consumable magic item of the Candle Sun Church. Once used, it would burn the holder’s life and spirituality, and grant them a powerful strength boost with almost endless Mana.
Xu En did not want to waste this power on the Dwarves. After burning a gap with the candlelight, he charged forward. His target was Wilson.
Wilson had certainly noticed the unusual candlelight; it was captivated and could not avert its gaze.
“This candlelight belongs to me!”
Wilson roared with laughter and activated his final ability, “Sculptor.”
Thus, an identical candle, but carved from stone, appeared before him. Wilson gleefully grasped the candle, but his expression immediately changed.
This candle had the same appearance, but it could not ignite the same flames.
“Damn it, what a waste!” Wilson regained some semblance of clarity, averting its gaze and no longer staring directly at the candlelight.
The abilities granted by Crimson Feast could each be used once for each identity. After use, they could not be used again.
It had used up the abilities of all the identities it had killed. Now, only the sorcery of the Blood Lust Cult and its powerful physique remained.
But Wilson felt no fear. It even charged towards Xu En, preparing to use his blood as a sacrifice.
Wilson’s speed was extreme, leaving only afterimages in Xu En’s retinas. The next moment, it was in front of him.
But Xu En no longer relied on his sight. Relying on instinct, he instantly unleashed the divine ability “Judgment Strike.”
Pale light transformed into a straight sword and pierced Wilson’s abdomen. Xu En also seized this opportunity to grab Wilson’s neck.
“Go to hell!”
Xu En shouted, throwing all the candlelight onto Wilson.
The next moment, pure light and heat erupted with terrifying force, even extinguishing the flames in the hall directly. The groups of Dwarves were swept into this explosion, and more than half of them were annihilated in an instant.
“Cough cough…”
Xu En wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were dim, a punishment for witnessing the form of light up close.
However, he was more concerned about why he hadn’t died.
After all, ordinarily, the moment the Candle of Cherishing Light extinguished was the moment its holder died.
Wilson also did not die. Although it was at the very center of the explosion, its vitality, having drunk blood six times, was unprecedentedly tenacious. It survived with only an arm and a leg lost.
For it now, an arm and a leg were things that would grow back in a moment or two.
However, Wilson soon realized something was wrong. The flames it had ignited with the “Oil Man” ability were extinguished one by one. Now, the entire hall was plunged into darkness, with only scattered remnants of fire burning on the ground or walls.
The once opulent hall was now a scene of devastation, filled with severed limbs and charcoal. If not for the powerful ritual maintaining the hall’s integrity, the entire mansion would likely have collapsed due to the explosion.
It’s too dark, too dark… Light! I want light!
Wilson’s face contorted. Deep within its pupils, a grey moth was flapping its wings.
Fear, anxiety, unease, anger, dread… all sorts of negative emotions engulfed it. It felt like a worm that had fallen into the abyss, with no salvation, only despair.
“Give it to me! Give it to me!”
Wilson tore at its own facial skin and body skin, tearing wounds into its pale, death-like skin.
It was in unbearable pain, and could only suppress this despair with greater pain.
“My light! Give it to me quickly!”
Li Wen had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
She didn’t want her Witch Form to be seen by too many people, so she had been lying low, not even using Poem of Paradise due to its range and friendly fire. It wasn’t until Thirst for Light hit Wilson that she breathed a sigh of relief, and then waited for time to gradually pass.
Now was the time.
Wilson, deluded by the light, had lost its ability to resist. It frantically mutilated itself, tearing off its skin and flesh, but its powerful life force caused the flesh and skin to regenerate.
Wilson continued this cycle of self-torture to alleviate its craving for light and its pain.
This was the first time Li Wen had seen Thirst for Light exert its true power. Before this, the demon Tilroghzakh had died too quickly, being killed before the ten minutes were up.
Looking at Wilson’s current predicament, even Li Wen clicked her tongue in admiration. If she were afflicted by Thirst for Light, would she also appear so disfigured?
Stay away from the light, and one would mutilate oneself due to endless craving and pain. Approach the light, and one would be ignited and burned to death.
