Dim Light
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"I once imagined many more happy endings..."
"Living a peaceful life together with them.
"Or returning with their books.
"Or standing up again after their deaths.
"But no matter which one, they were all just imagination.
"If anything, the situation is simply at its worst.
"Just like the fairy tale book I read as a child, the little girl saw the things she wanted in the light of the match, but in the end, her hope vanished along with the light.
"The Library does not exist to convey this tragedy; it simply swallows everyone whole to satisfy that endless thirst for knowledge.
"The fairy tale book says that after people die, they turn into stars and fall to the world.
"But the Star of The City is a city that shines because of whose death?
"The result is that no one could be protected. Even everything around me has been burned away by the starlight.
"Finally, there is one thing I would like to ask of you.
"The faces of the people important to me flash before my eyes one by one.
"The voices of those I couldn't protect whisper in my ears.
"Is it really right to follow these voices?
"Is there really no other way?
"Forget it, it's already too late. I don't want to lose my final wish as well. There is no room for choice anymore.
"As long as I can still go to their side. As long as these feelings can still be conveyed to them.
"Even if it means lighting the last match. Even if it means burning myself out completely.
"Mars, Lulu, Julia, Isadora. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
"Light the match, and thus become the light that illuminates the false dream, lighting the way back for those returning at night—that is the very meaning of a streetlamp.
"It is easy to lose what has been gained.
"As long as this period of time can be transformed and sent to them.
"It is difficult to regain what has been lost.
"If it turns out like this, and I can be by their side, then that is enough."
Shan's body gradually turned pitch black. His body and arms began to transform into metal, while his head no longer had a face, eventually turning into a lamp.
His body completely turned into a lamppost, and many branches spread out from the lamppost. Like matches, they were still burning continuously, dripping sparks downward.
Subsequently, the lantern on his head emitted a dim light that pierced through everyone.
Roland watched this scene before him.
"Is this a Distortion?"
"You've got to be kidding, we actually ran into one."
After the light dissipated, the shadows at the feet of Mars and Lulu detached from their bodies and moved toward Shan, while they stood with hollow eyes, as if their souls had been extracted.
The shadows gradually condensed into entities.
Silent Lamp Shadows.
And the shadow at Walter's feet also separated.
But that shadow became incomparably huge. It detached right beside Walter and then immediately slashed at Walter with its pitch-black sword, as if possessed by madness, leaving no room for mercy, intent on killing him.
Walter was caught off guard by this sudden situation and could only try his best to defend; its strength was surprisingly great.
"Is this a Distortion? Damn it, am I really going to fall here?"
After the Silent Lamp Shadows solidified, they immediately attacked Ayou and Roland.
Roland easily blocked the attack from "Mars," but Ayou could not fend off "Lulu." The club slammed heavily into his body.
"Their strength is really great; are those their shadows?"
"It seems their shadows are indeed gone, and the two of them have also stopped moving."
Not only were those three shadows fighting, but Shan was also emitting a faint light outward.
Finn and Pierre were trying to attack the streetlamp directly, but that inconspicuous light hit Finn, making him feel a moment of trance.
Conversely, when the two of them attacked the streetlamp, their blades made trembling sounds.
But not a single scratch was left on the streetlamp.
Roland parried "Mars's" sword and then shouted to Finn and Pierre,
"Don't worry about him for now, let's take care of these shadows first."
Then the two of them followed the instruction and attacked these two Silent Lamp Shadows together.
Pierre's table knife stabbed into "Mars's" body from behind, but the moment the knife was pulled out, the pitch-black hole filled up again.
It was as if no mark had been made at all.
An Abnormality page floated before Ayou's eyes; it was the Abnormality page for Portrait of Another World, and he chose it decisively.
He selected Roland as the subject of the portrait and then placed the portrait on himself.
"Go ahead, Roland, don't worry; I'm taking the damage for you."
"Understood!!"
Afterward, Ayou hid at the back of the field and used a quill to perform ranged attacks.
"Mars" broke through Roland's defense and then slashed straight down at Roland's neck with a heavy blow.
But it caused no damage to Roland; not even a layer of skin was scratched. Instead, a huge gash appeared on Ayou's neck behind him, and blood was continuously spurting out.
After realizing his own neck had no wound, Roland looked at Ayou behind him.
Seeing the scene of blood continuously spurting out,
"Brother, you..."
"Don't... worry, it's nothing... I will... recover... in a moment..."
His mouth was filled with blood.
"Alright, I believe you."
The streetlamp's light shone on Roland's head. It didn't seem to cause any substantial damage, and Ayou behind him was not injured either.
But Roland's mind became sluggish, causing "Lulu's" fire club to strike toward Roland's waist.
Roland quickly recovered and used his weapon to intercept it, but the tremendous impact force still made him retreat repeatedly.
Walter was beaten back step by step by his own shadow, finally reaching the edge of the stage.
Walter saw this great opportunity.
In one go, he slashed at his own shadow, but the sword was also blocked by the sword.
However, Walter didn't put much force into the sword.
Immediately after, he kicked his shadow hard, sending it flying several meters away.
Seizing the opportunity, he rushed violently toward the bottom of the stage.
Just as he was about to leave the stage, a beam of light shot toward Walter.
It struck him directly, sending him flying to the wall. The huge impact caused Walter to cough up a mouthful of blood.
His chest was burned by the light, exposing the scorched skin.
Now he didn't have an ounce of strength left, and then his shadow walked up to him...
"Is this... really as far as I go?"