Holding the sword with both hands, he swung a [Moonlight Slash] forward. The brilliant moonlight momentarily illuminated the corridor, but it passed straight through the snake's head, as if the snake were truly nothing more than an illusion.
The snake gazed at Shade. Its speed was slow, but it slithered toward him with the power of whispers that grew stronger by the second.
【Because the properties of the relic are unknown, the specific reason cannot be determined. However, from the previous contact with the snake, it can be confirmed that the opponent is in a physical state.】
"Then why..."
【When your attack makes contact with the opponent's snake skin, the corresponding area transforms into a special void state. You did indeed hit the target, but you failed to damage the opponent. This should be one of the relic's properties.】
"Wherever it's attacked, that part becomes void?"
Shade understood. Against such an enemy, the best method seemed to be attacking the entire body in a single instant, though there remained the possibility that the opponent could turn its entire body void.
"Indeed a troublesome relic. No wonder they dared to execute such a mission with only the Third Ring. When I was at the Third Ring, I was..."
Thinking about what he had been doing during his Third Ring, Shade pondered further
"However, since it isn't dodging the attack but rather rendering it ineffective, it doesn't mean it truly has no weaknesses."
He thought of another method, and the pitch-black Great Sin Chains rattled out from his left sleeve. Runes of [Gluttony], [Greed], and [Sloth], written in languages of different eras, were linked and interwoven upon the chains. After using a ritual to associate [Sloth] with this oddity, the strength and length of the Great Sin Chains had become superior to before.
Combined with the coordination of the spell [Living Rope Trick] learned from the *Pink Book*, Shade could now manipulate this chain with much greater freedom.
The slender black chain climbed along the carpet toward the great snake in the darkness, while the pitch-black snake slithered toward Shade. When the chain and the snake touched, the latter paid no mind to this slender "kin." As Shade expected, the Great Sin Chains attempted to bind the snake, but they still passed through its body.
At that moment, the climbing great snake paused abruptly. Simultaneously, Shade felt the spirit within his body being rapidly consumed because the chains were restraining an extremely powerful entity
"As I thought, although it cannot be attacked, it can still be restrained!"
The great snake did not stop completely, but its writhing body became as if it had been hit by a mediocre petrification spell.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shade took a step forward and appeared directly in front of the great snake. He swung his sword down with both hands, leaving a brilliant afterglow of silver moonlight in the darkness. But at that very moment, the restrained giant black snake actually melted into the darkness, and Shade's attack missed once again
"Spatial movement relying on darkness? What kind of creature did that snake skin originally belong to?"
【To the left.】
*Clang~*
The swung greatsword swept to the left toward a triangular, aberrant snake head that was opening its mouth to bite. Even though the snake had broken free from the chains using its spatial movement ability, this strike from Shade did not pass through the snake's head; instead, it truly slammed into it, producing a heavy impact sound
"Spatial power and void power cannot be used simultaneously?"
The Moonlight Greatsword forcefully knocked the snake away. After landing, the great snake hissed at Shade, staring directly at the human before it in the darkness; it was growing increasingly powerful.
"Spatial Stability Aura!"
Shade stepped his left foot on the ground, and invisible ripples spread in all directions. The black snake seemed to sense something and actually turned to retreat.
"Great Sin Chains!"
The chains slid across the floor once more. The great snake tried to dodge nimbly, but the [Living Rope Trick] from the *Pink Book* was specifically designed to counter such flexible movements. Even the most agile lady would find it difficult to dodge a rope manipulated by the trick, let alone a snake. Thus, in the brief clash between the snake's tail and the chains, the chains pierced through its body.
The snake's head slowly turned toward Shade, opening its mouth to reveal fangs as if attempting a desperate final strike, but Shade would not give it another chance. The last thing the snake saw was an incomparably brilliant moonlight.
"Moonlight Greatsword!"
The silver greatsword fell behind the great snake, passing through its head and scattering into specks of radiance in the darkness.
*Thud~*
The snake's head landed on the carpet, and the heavy corpse collapsed with it.
Shade breathed a sigh of relief, noticing that as the giant snake's corpse burned, the gas lamps in the corridor lit up rapidly. However, he still frowned, because inside the burning snake corpse, a man's body appeared once again, and the corpse's head was severed just like the snake's
"This relic is truly sinister."
When the last flicker of pitch-black fire vanished, the giant snake's corpse was completely burned to ash, leaving only the man's body lying on the carpet. Strangely, no blood flowed out. In the mouth of the man's severed head, a small corner of snake skin was visible.
Shade bent over and pulled the piece of snake skin from the corpse's mouth, confirming that this was the body of the relic. Likely because Shade had just defeated it, its whispering elements were much weaker than before
"A Document-grade (Level 4) trophy, but this thing is truly disgusting."
Tucking the piece of snake skin into his notebook, Shade performed a quick search of the man's body but found nothing
"He went out without a wallet, without secret letters, and didn't even bring a diary? Could he be even poorer than I am?"
He complained softly, using his handkerchief to restore the canvas toy back into canvas, and then used the canvas to turn the corpse into a toy.
Looking at the corridor damaged by the brief battle, he took a deep breath, and [Breath of Time] reversed time, restoring everything to its original state.
Not lingering there, Shade continued along the corridor. After climbing the stairs, he soon arrived before the door to Miss Sylvia's lounge, but there was no response after he knocked.
"Apologies, please forgive my rudeness."
Shade said softly, turning the handle and pushing open the door.
Unfortunately, although the lights were on in the room, no one was there. The windows were tightly shut, and thick embroidered curtains blocked the moonlight from outside.
"Where did Miss Sylvia go?"
He walked quickly to the window, pulled back the curtains, and looked outside. Outside this room was the manor's garden. The garden, which should have had gas lamps, was currently pitch black, but relying on Dark Vision, Shade could see three low-ring warlocks of the Church fighting a Fifth Ring warlock who was holding a flowerpot. He could also see a Sixth Ring warlock of the Mechanical Church constructing machinery in the void, fighting a Sixth Ring warlock who was manipulating vines.
In the garden of this mansion, at least a dozen people were fighting. The opposing sides were the Church and the hired Pantanal Voodoo Society. It was clear that the Church had the upper hand, but everyone tacitly refrained from using spells or oddities with obvious light and sound effects.
Shade found no trace of Miss Sylvia in the garden. Frowning, he looked back inside the room, then suddenly closed his eyes, holding his breath and concentrating. Following a faint intuition, he opened his eyes, walked to the door, and looked at the oil painting directly opposite the entrance
"There is something wrong with this painting."
The gas lamps in the corridor were very bright; under that light, the red carpet beneath his feet almost looked crimson.
Under the gas lamps, the image in the oil painting was of a grey temple, shaped like a pyramid, nestled in a dense forest. The temple was built of square bricks, and giant trees and vines almost completely submerged it. At first glance, there was nothing special about it—just an ordinary landscape painting of ruins—but staring intently at the painting gave him a faint illusion of being sucked inside.
In the blink of an eye, the image in the oil painting momentarily became a strange, indescribable, terrifying thing composed of trees, vines, grass, flowers, and thorns, but with another blink, it returned to its original form.
Shade stepped back in surprise, but quickly returned to the wall. He reached out to take down the oil painting, feeling four elements upon contact.
He reached out to touch the image, but his hand was immediately repelled by a great force
"What's the situation?"
【A sub-space is sealed within the painting, similar to 'Words of Sublimation' and 'Maze-lock,' but it is neither of the two. Emma Sylvia is most likely inside; the power of a witch can be felt within the painting.】
"Can I go in?"
Shade frowned slightly. Although he didn't know the exact situation, as long as he found Miss Sylvia, all current problems could be resolved.
【Use your sword to pierce it. But be careful; spaces like this are easy to enter but difficult to leave.】
"I know."
His right hand once again drew the Moonlight Greatsword from the air, but this time it was the slender yellow greatsword. Holding the sword with both hands, Shade pointed the tip toward the oil painting, his expression solemn
"I want to see exactly what has happened."
The sword tip pierced the oil painting, and the bright light in the corridor abruptly extinguished. Everything around him faded, and those illusory colors rapidly reorganized.
Shade looked around vigilantly as the smell of stench and decay surged. He was now standing in a passage where sewage flowed on the ground, and the stone walls around him were covered in green plants. These plants emitted a green ghostly light, providing illumination for the area.
This looked like the interior of an ancient building long abandoned in the Great Swamp. This desolate passage exuded a sense of antiquity and vicissitude; nature and mystery seemed to merge perfectly here.
Carefully observing the stone walls covered in green plants, he looked cautiously at the shallow flowing water beneath his feet. Moving forward along the passage, the glowing things on the walls—which looked like tree roots or Boston ivy—became increasingly thick. The air gradually grew thin, and an inexplicable mental pressure made every step Shade took more difficult.
He soon reached the end of the passage, which opened into a square temple space. All six sides of the room were composed of rough grey square stones, and on the innermost wall stood a stone platform. Upon the platform was enshrined a terrifying statue pieced together from plant remains.