Chapter 111: A Heart with Buddhist Nature |
For Shadowman, tonight was undeniably a bizarre nightmare filled with unexpected horrors.
As an experienced Esper who had been in hiding for nearly twenty years, Shadowman hadn't received official training, but he had a deep understanding of Esper classifications and assessments.
He needed this knowledge to evade the Special Security Group's investigations.
But no battle had ever been as incomprehensible and unpredictable as this one.
Shadowman couldn't understand Guan Shan's abilities, just as he couldn't understand why Guan Shan had no detectable energy level.
When Guan Shan drew his blade and fired in the ward, Shadowman thought he was dealing with a physical-type or enhancement-type Esper, or maybe even an Immortal.
Shadowman, though not underestimating his opponent, felt somewhat confident.
"Despite the rumors, physical-types have their limitations. Once I turn into a shadow, I can attach to others and interfere with their actions, specifically targeting physical-types. I have a great chance of winning!"
When Guan Shan summoned countless ghostly arms from a piece of paper, Shadowman thought he might also be a special-type psychic.
"This guy indeed has some tricks up his sleeve. No wonder he could kill those two top-tier C-level Espers from 'Death Hive.' It must be due to these two combined abilities. Strong, but with the help of those experiments, I can still take him down!"
When Guan Shan pulled out a mask, Shadowman suspected he might be a spatial-type Esper.
"Heh... so he's a rare triple Esper. Physical, psychic, and true ability awakening. Truly exceptional, but it looks like the storage type, not combat-oriented. So what if he's a triple Esper? He'll die here today!"
When Guan Shan flew into the air, Shadowman...
"To hell with it!"
Seeing Guan Shan zipping through the air, Shadowman abandoned trying to figure out what kind of Esper Guan Shan was.
"Who cares what Esper he is, once he's dead, there's only one title for him: a dead man!"
Shadowman transformed into a shadow, engulfing the entire hall.
From outside, the cylindrical hall appeared as if filled with thick black ink, with shadows swirling and surging, creating a highly oppressive atmosphere.
In darkness, he could exert more power, as he no longer needed to transform into a shadow himself but could blend into existing shadows.
Shadowman's attacks were swift as lightning, showering Guan Shan like a storm. He could clearly feel that Guan Shan's "flight" ability had a time limit, forcing him to rest periodically.
Shadowman timed it right, concentrating his attacks and cornering Guan Shan against the wall.
"Die!!!"
He laughed maniacally, ready to kill Guan Shan, but then saw Guan Shan take out an ancient wooden Ksitigarbha Statue, placing it in front of him, eyes downcast.
A pale golden Ksitigarbha shadow enveloped him, its halo expanding to form a shield, blocking all attacks.
Shadowman recognized the item instantly, his eyes widening: "Ksitigarbha Statue? A Buddhist Panspirit Object?!"
He had seen this item at an underground auction, knowing there were seven, each with different effects and usage restrictions.
Having interacted with monks during his wandering life, he knew more about it.
"Damn it, aren't these items supposed to require mastery of Buddhist teachings and a heart with Buddhist nature to use?!"
"Why don't they see what having a heart with Buddhist nature really means?!"
Shadowman was confused.
He wanted to ask on behalf of the hallway's massacred caretakers, was there really a good person who could kill so ruthlessly?! Where was this Buddhist nature? Did it mean first picking up the butcher's knife?
Before Shadowman could sort out his thoughts, he saw Guan Shan, holding the statue in one hand and the Demon Blade in the other, charging forward, tearing through his encirclement.
Shadowman couldn't just watch his advantage slip away and turned to pursue.
But then, the real nightmare began.
Guan Shan retrieved the Ksitigarbha Statue and pulled out a Mirror Shard, slicing a slit with its sharp edge, then stood still.
Shadowman couldn't believe it: "Another one?! How many Panspirit Objects does he have?"
Panspirit Objects were rare and invaluable, yet Guan Shan seemed to have an endless supply.
But regardless of how Guan Shan obtained so many Panspirit Objects, he now appeared immobilized, as if a side effect of using the item.
Shadowman saw it as a perfect opportunity and charged forward.
But soon, he realized something was wrong.
"Am I really moving forward?"
Shadowman questioned himself.
His doubt quickly turned to certainty.
No matter how fast he moved, he never reached Guan Shan, like a perpetual shortfall.
It was as if he was isolated from the world, in a parallel universe.
Realizing he was trapped, Shadowman remained calm: "A spatial Panspirit Object?"
It wasn't surprising, given Guan Shan's demonstrated spatial abilities.
Shadowman tried moving in all directions but remained in place.
Using every trick, he couldn't break free, so he waited.
"Panspirit Objects have time limits. I've hidden in darkness for half a year; who fears this?"
Shadowman thought coldly.
But he underestimated how torturous it was to be trapped without a sense of time.
It was a near-eternal loneliness and despair...
When the Mirror Shard's effect wore off, Shadowman was already insane!
Laughing madly, he burst into the real world, but now driven by pure instinct, devoid of reason.
Xiang Wen, arriving with the experiments, saw Shadowman's ferocious attacks and rejoiced, aiming his gun at Guan Shan!
But Guan Shan pulled out a bronze bell.
"Jingle... jingle..."
The eerie bell rang, Xiang Wen felt his brain hit by a hammer, blacking out momentarily, as twisted, rotten spirits emerged from the flesh lumps, which shrank to walnut size.
Guan Shan shook the bell, whistling, the eerie tune making the spirits kneel in fiery agony, while he mercilessly sliced the flesh lumps into minced meat.
No words but "devil" could describe it.
Xiang Wen gulped, fear creeping in, realizing Shadowman had likely gone mad, yet he continued to fire at Guan Shan.
Shadowman, laughing maniacally, trapped Guan Shan, filling Xiang Wen with hope.
He had blown off half of Guan Shan's head! The battle was over!
"Victory is mine..."
Xiang Wen smiled, but then saw Guan Shan's grim face as he sliced the last flesh lump.
Guan Shan's destroyed right eye socket regrew, red and white tissues knitting into a new eye, muscles and skin reforming, even his clothes renewed!
To Xiang Wen, it seemed Guan Shan had absorbed the experiment's vitality!
Guan Shan smiled genuinely, whispering "I fooled you," and swiftly beheaded Shadowman, then walked towards Xiang Wen...
That was Xiang Wen's last sight.
A battlefield of flesh and blood, the once powerful Esper now dead.
Darkness receded, and in the moonlight through the stained glass of the Madonna, the demon who summoned hellish wraiths and devoured lives walked towards him, smiling with the joy of harvest.
The blade, as cold as the moonlight, followed.