Proclamation: High Noon Has Arrived!

Anguissola was utterly dumbfounded. Printed on such cheap paper, the linked symbols inscribed across it nevertheless allowed Anguissola to distinctly sense the unmistakable fluctuations of spirituality. *This works too?* *You are outright cheating! What an outrageous ritualist!* What happened to the ritualist having to prepare all manner of precious materials, bathe, burn incense, and set things up painstakingly before a ritual? Was all of that merely a trick ritualists used to scam free food and drink? If Crow were here, she would surely have a mountain of rebuttals for her. Most of the herbs required to brew potions could be purchased at an ordinary market; tarot cards sold at school gates could be used for divination; even the cruciform Bible a priest used for exorcisms was nothing more than mass-produced merchandise with a clear price tag from a printing press. In the occult world, setting aside Extraordinary items that genuinely touched upon mysticism, symbolic meaning often outweighed practical significance. Yet a state of comprehension like "seeing mountains not as mountains, and seeing waters not as waters" was not something an ordinary occultist or Extraordinary could reach... —At the very least, a Rank 4 Extraordinary was far from qualified! "Calm down! Calm down first!" Anguissola lost her composure; her elegant poise could no longer be maintained. Scanning her surroundings to calculate her next move, she tried to talk Bai Zhou down: "I can sense that your life is still quite young. Why rush into mutual destruction right from the start?" Bai Zhou replied without hesitation: "Because I'm definitely no match for you, so I have no choice." He channeled his spirituality into the runes lining his cloak, coaxing them to flare with a slow crimson glow. "Though, I really do have a question I want to ask you." Saying so, Bai Zhou gripped the black cloak and slowly walked toward the female assassin. No longer showing her earlier oppressive, encroaching posture, the sultry female assassin retreated step after step. Water dripped from her body; the hurried patter of rain sounded like hammer blows pounding against her heart. "Go ahead and ask, then." Her voice forced a calm facade while her eyes darted about restlessly, clearly still scheming how to deal with Bai Zhou. "How did you find me?" Bai Zhou inquired earnestly: "I shouldn't have left any traces in that building." Then, after thinking it over, Bai Zhou added: "Don't bother trying to deceive me. I have plenty of rituals to discern the truth of your words." —This was a lie. Bai Zhou obviously hadn't had the leisure to set up such a ritual. However, as a Destined, his mental power could sense good and ill will toward him, naturally allowing him to vaguely judge whether the other party was lying. —Unless she was an Extraordinary specializing in Deception! "...Because I can smell the distinct scent of your life." "Many people have heard that Anguissola of the Fine Arts Society is best at observation and tracking." Hesitating for a moment, Anguissola spoke softly: "I saw you once, so I hazily memorized your scent." "And now that you've seen me twice?" Bai Zhou asked abruptly. He had spotted the blind spot. "..." Anguissola gave no answer. Silence was an answer in itself. Bai Zhou understood. Indeed. Similar yet distinct from Van Gogh back then, these assassins of the Fine Arts Society truly each possessed their own unique specialties. If Anguissola were allowed to return alive, then the next assassination and the Major's pursuers would no longer arrive at midnight—they would descend out of nowhere in broad daylight. Therefore... There was no other choice. "Looks like this is a fight to the death." Bai Zhou let out a faint sigh. At the same time, he slipped off the cloak and held it up in his hands. Anguissola's expression shifted: "Must it come to this?" How could she have foreseen that what was supposed to be a straightforward assassination would yield so many unexpected twists? The thunderous strike she had envisioned—striking from the shadows once Bai Zhou let his guard down—had been sniffed out in advance. And upon seeing her, this lunatic strapped with bombs immediately prepared to drag her down with him. The Major would surely be overjoyed by this, but Anguissola had no desire to lose her life here! "Fear of losing makes one afraid, but the desire to win does not." "Besides, you've definitely gotten something wrong... I never planned on dying with you." Looking over the female assassin's form-fitting red dress and her mask adorned with three crowns, Bai Zhou's eyes held only churning, icy killing intent. A fight to the death—the final outcome, naturally, must be: You die! I live! —Anything could be sacrificed, but Anguissola had to die! Yet the opponent was a top assassin standing at the peak of Rank 4 Extraordinaries, possessing mysterious and unpredictable secret arts; defeating her in a direct clash was utterly impossible. Though it pained him deeply... at a time like this, he could only use the freshly recovered [Life Theft]. A trump card was a trump card because it caught enemies off guard, not because one hoarded it forever... If certain things weren't used now, there might never be another chance. Compared to using this ability when struck down, only to be killed again upon reviving once noticed... Bai Zhou had actually always leaned toward using it in a "mutual destruction" gambit to eliminate future troubles once and for all. In fact, compared to a mere explosion, he wished he could learn some tenfold-power, ultra-flashy, overpowering Heavenly Demon Disintegration Fiery Gale Art specifically designed to drag people down with him. *Sploosh, splash...* The multicolored downpour continued. "Your secret art is very pretty, but there is no rain in this world that never stops, nor is there eternal life..." Bai Zhou said: "On my way here, I just told someone that even without an umbrella, one has to grit their teeth and brave the storm. Now is the time to test whether my skull is thick enough." "...What?" Anguissola could not comprehend his meaning. "I mean—" Before Bai Zhou's words could finish. Spirituality surged. The black cloak burst into red light amid the colorful rain, breathtakingly beautiful. "I mean, the moment the rain stops will be the moment your life reaches its end!" The instant the words fell, Bai Zhou pulled back and retreated explosively. Just like hurling a grenade, Bai Zhou flung the cloak toward the female assassin from afar. Across the multicolored deluge, what met Anguissola's eyes were the blurred words printed on that colorful cloak: "Graveyard... buy a home... value appreciation... down payment..." —What kind of nonsense was this?! "You actually dare...?!" Anguissola's eyes widened with fury, unable to comprehend the thought process of this maniac. At such a distance, given the blast radius, no matter how far Bai Zhou ran, both of them would undoubtedly end up perishing together. That was precisely why Anguissola had not dared to make a reckless move. —Yet Bai Zhou naturally had no intention of dying with her. While he had never fantasized about dying some glorious, grand death, he certainly didn't want to die alongside an affected, pretentious old woman of unknown age as some tragic pair. Therefore, in the very next moment— The moment the flames ignited. He whipped his trench coat around and transformed. [Life-Stealing Spirit Cat], transform! *Ding-a-ling...* The instant the bell chimed, the phantom silhouette of nine tails bearing a bell swayed behind the black cat, fluttering with the wind. [Life Theft], activate! With the sound of shattering glass, a black cat leaped out the window. The surging wave of fire chased closely behind, pursuing the black cat's silhouette and swallowing it in the blink of an eye. *BOOM—!!* The alchemy ritual activated inside the room, predictably blowing up the cauldron once more. The earth trembled. A massive explosion tore through the abandoned villa, flames shooting straight into the street and shaking the entire neighborhood. But... "Cough! Cough, cough!" A woman's coughing voice came faintly from the blazing flames. The multicolored downpour had ceased, but the paint on the ground began to churn. Before being baked dry by the flames, these vibrant paints converged, slowly coalescing into a crowned silhouette. A colorful figure with a twisted silhouette, accompanied by a low, feeble chant, gradually stepped out from the depths of the flames. "Life is a fleeting beam of light, captured and frozen by my painting." "A true portrait lies not in depicting outward appearance, but in revealing the soul." "Color records my portrait; a name symbolizes my soul..." "—Return, [Sofonisba Anguissola]!" The chanting grew from soft to loud, reverberating powerfully through the quiet street. ...Ultimately, the twisted silhouette walked out of the fire. As the colors faded, Anguissola, clad in her scarlet dress, appeared on the devastated street with her back to the flames. Though she was abnormally pale from head to toe, tottering on her feet, and the mask on her face was nearly shattered... She still curved her dry, cracked lips into a slow smile: "It seems the winner who survived in the end is me." The Fine Arts Society possessed the unique [Painter] pathway. This was the fundamental reason they needed to role-play different painters. As a senior Extraordinary of this pathway, Anguissola's Rank 3 secret art [Rain of Mannerism], paired with her Rank 2 secret art [Three Sets of Crowns], could combine into the secret art she relied on to advance to Rank 4: —[Death Portrait]! As was widely known, the Renaissance-era Sofonisba Anguissola was an exceptionally prominent portrait painter. Thus, as her occult imitator, the assassin Sofonisba Anguissola could remember Bai Zhou's "scent of life" and track him. —Yet in truth, Sofonisba Anguissola was even better at self-portraits! [Rain of Mannerism] could materialize the colors within the female painter's heart; as long as she stood upon the colors dyed by the rain, her power would be enhanced. Meanwhile, [Three Sets of Crowns] touched upon soul, name, and portrait respectively. When combined, at critical moments and so long as she paid the requisite price, her soul, name, and portrait could be repainted and reconstituted from these colors of life, thereby returning to the world. The Renaissance-era Sofonisba Anguissola was renowned for her delicacy... And this female assassin had brought down that vibrant rain from the very start, leaving behind a delicate foreshadowing for her return. *Crackle...* Anguissola turned to look at the towering inferno that engulfed the entire villa and nearly half the street. Assuming Bai Zhou's remains had been completely consumed by the flames, she slowly let out a long breath. "A ritualist skilled in explosions dying by an explosion." "What a magnificent canvas of life." Though she had paid a considerable price, leaving her so weak she could barely stand... That lunatic was finally dead. Only, it was a bit of a pity... Anguissola abruptly sighed with some regret. "I'll have to demand double the compensation from the Major—no, triple!" "Too bad the Major's ledger was reduced to ashes as well." "Otherwise, I could have extorted a fortune out of him..." Just then, Anguissola suddenly recalled the final sight before being consumed by the explosion: a tiny black shadow flashing across midair. Had she heard the chime of a bell back then? What was that again...? Just as she was pondering this. A bone-chilling sensation suddenly crept up from behind. Then, a familiar, sharp shout rang beside her ear: "Didn't expect you to still be alive—" "Slash!" Whipping around immediately, Anguissola indeed saw Bai Zhou, who was supposed to be dead, materialize out of nowhere, charging toward her murderously with the purple-gold saber raised high. Anguissola's expression shifted drastically. She sprang backward, dodging the saber's edge by a hair's breadth. With a squelch, the asphalt pavement was sliced open, exposing the soil beneath. "You're not dead?!" Anguissola cried out in disbelief, the expression beneath her mask flooded with shock. "I was going to say the same thing." Coughing twice, Bai Zhou held the saber, his entire body charred black from the fire, staggering almost as unsteadily as Anguissola. "Good thing I remembered to come back and finish the job, or I really would've missed it." Thanks to an ant in a patch of weeds, Bai Zhou had successfully executed [Life Theft]. Had the situation not been so dire, he would have insisted on setting up a grave for his generous Brother Ant. Yet right now... Tightening his grip on the saber, Bai Zhou's expression was dark as still water. Truth be told, in his current state, wielding the saber was already quite strenuous. Never mind unleashing [Moon Cinder Holy Oath Slash]—even meeting the saber's demand for spirituality was difficult. He needed a weapon better suited to the current situation... —Yet once again, Anguissola had to die, or the future troubles would be endless! In the next instant, Bai Zhou moved. Still striking first to seize the initiative. *Hum—!!* Channeling the meager spirituality he had left, Bai Zhou sent the saber whirling through the air like a full moon, unstoppable. The current Anguissola truly could not block it, so she dragged her battered body aside in a desperate leap. *Crash!* The spinning blade cleaved off a piece of her bright red dress. The saber lodged into the ground right by Anguissola's feet. This filled Anguissola with sudden ecstasy. A feverish gleam appeared in her eyes, and she reached out to yank the saber from the ground. "Discarding your own weapon is no different from throwing away your life." "Your attainments in rituals may be peerless, but in combat, you are utterly foolish!" "—Just how did your teacher train you?" Unable to hold back, she sneered. As long as she had this Extraordinary weapon... Yet the instant she pulled the saber free, her expression froze solid. *Buzz, buzz, buzz!* The saber was heavier than she had imagined, and the moment she gripped it, it vibrated violently, resisting her. Had she not clamped down with both hands, the weapon would have flown right out of her grasp in the next second! And if it were just resisting, that would be one thing, but it was even voraciously draining the meager spirituality remaining in Anguissola's body! "Did you really think my weapon would be that easy to take?" —This, of course, was also within Bai Zhou's calculations. He charged again, letting out a thunderous shout: "Open your eyes and watch closely... Take my spear!" The roar in her ears made Anguissola flinch. She looked up hurriedly, only to see Bai Zhou thrusting forward with a spear made of what looked like scrap metal, pulled from who knew where. *Where did that come from...?!* Yet thanks to the warning of Bai Zhou's shout, Anguissola managed to gain an extremely brief moment to brace herself. *Take your spear?* That almost made her sneer aloud. Shouting out technique names before attacking—using the tricks of hot-blooded youths against a veteran assassin like her was the height of stupidity. Many Extraordinaries loved doing this, but it was precisely the behavior assassins despised most. What "Rainbow Pony Meteor Fist," what "First Love Strawberry Shockwave"... Were they afraid the opponent wouldn't understand how they died, or worried that King Yama would record the wrong name for their secret art? This ridiculous display was practically using a megaphone to tell the enemy, *I'm throwing a punch now, hurry up and dodge.* Stop embarrassing yourself! With a whoosh, Anguissola swung the heavy, rebellious Extraordinary saber with all her might. The angle of her strike was exceedingly sharp; she slashed diagonally downward, the blade crossing with the spear tip. *Clang!* Sparks flew in all directions! The spear tip was parried away. Yet the spear tip, which she had expected to be cleaved apart, remained as solid as before, shocking Anguissola once again. Another... Extraordinary weapon? Where did this kid get so many Extraordinary weapons! Yet in that split second, right in the window where the deflected spear tip should have had no room to alter its move— A military-grade high-intensity flashlight mounted on the spear tip suddenly snapped on, blasting blinding light directly into Anguissola's wide, focused eyes. "Not good!" Anguissola cried out in alarm. The blinding white light gave her a firsthand experience of what it meant for "a glint of cold light to arrive first, followed by the spear surging like a dragon." Even blinded, an assassin's instincts still allowed her body to twist and flip in an astonishing display. *Whoosh!* Her vivid red dress fluttered as two near-impossible low backflips widened the distance between her and Bai Zhou. Yet the instant she executed the backflips, she heard a crisp click, like some mechanism triggering. *There's more?!* Her hazily recovering vision allowed her to vaguely see that at the tip of the mechanical spear... The muzzle of a revolver had suddenly poked out. *?!* Anguissola's eyes widened, but the more anxious she grew, the blurrier her vision became. She could only see the spear tip wavering as if there were three or four of them, impossible to tell which was real. The revolver was exceptionally ornate, clearly extraordinary at a glance. —An Extraordinary weapon! [Light-Shadow Harmony]! "I told you—" "I meant take a bullet!" Bai Zhou proclaimed. *Ding-dong!* As the piano key was depressed, a crisp, melodious chime resonated outward. The instant the trigger was pulled, it was as if a tolling bell proclaimed that high noon had arrived!