Chapter 660 - 549: There Was Once a Shadow That Reigned Over Brilliance

Chapter 660: Chapter 549: There Was Once a Shadow That Reigned Over Brilliance

’Night Blade? A hidden Profession?’

Roland couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy as he watched the words, which emanated a profound aura, slowly materialize before him.

He then unconsciously raised his hand and rubbed the cool, smooth shadow-mane of Black Wind beside him.

He never expected that reuniting with this partner—who had returned after traversing Space-Time and undergoing a dramatic transformation—would not only solve his long-standing problem of lacking a reliable mount, but also bring with it an exclusive synergistic Trait like [Shadowy Shadow Jump] and a brand-new, unheard-of Extraordinary Profession path.

It was truly an unexpectedly generous gift.

Although Black Wind didn’t know exactly what had happened, it could clearly sense the genuine yet restrained joy in Roland’s heart through their stable Natural Covenant.

It gave a cheerful snort, spraying out a wisp of shadow-breath like Star Shards, its spectral-fire eyes narrowing in pleasure as it gently nuzzled its head against Roland’s arm, as if sharing in his happiness.

Roland’s focus, however, had already shifted to assessing the new Profession.

The hidden Profession [Pirate] had granted him the [Plundering] Trait, which could almost be considered a bug in the Rules, while the [Spiritual Master] Profession provided the [Soul Stealing] Trait. Although its general utility was limited, the twenty-point Spiritual Attribute Bonus it directly granted was of immeasurable value.

Compared to most conventional High Tier Professions, which required one to follow a set path of long-term accumulation or specific trials to qualify, the requirements for these hidden Professions were often unique and even difficult. But once met, the rewards were typically extraordinary.

"[Night Blade]..."

Roland mulled over the name.

Judging by its name and its strong connection to Shadow and his partner, it was likely in the same family as Professions like Wanderer and Assassin—those who walk in the shadows. Perhaps it was a rarer, higher-tier, more specialized advancement, or one that fused other qualities.

’I just wonder what the specific requirements to unlock it will be?’

’Will I have to complete some sort of special Shadow ritual with Black Wind?’

’Or achieve certain special feats related to Shadow, assassination, and stealth, or kill specific targets?’

Just as his mind was racing with speculation, the line of golden text in his vision announcing that the [Night Blade] Profession was available did not fade away as it usually did.

Instead, it began to undergo a subtle transformation.

The pure, warm, golden glow, which symbolized some kind of transcendent Rule, was rapidly tainted and transformed, as if a drop of thick ink had been added to it.

The gold faded, replaced by a deeper, more reserved, and profound color that seemed to absorb light.

It was not pure black, but a shade of Shadow like the deepest night sky, mixed with faint starlight.

The font’s form changed as well. No longer the standard, universal Runes, it became sharper and more fluid, with slightly ethereal, blurred edges.

It was as if sketched from Shadow and cold light, each stroke seemingly imbued with silent killing intent and a secret rhythm.

[This is no easy path, but a blade in the Shadow, a vow in the silence]

[To bear the name "Night Blade," you must make a forbidden pact and undertake an ancient, unfinished work]

[With a mortal body, you must perform the act of a Godslayer]

[In true history or a silhouette of the river of fate, you must successfully participate in and lead the complete assassination, permanent banishment, or irreversible slumber of a ’divine being’]

[The target must be a ’True God’ who has ignited the Divine Fire, condensed a Divine Format, and enjoys the faith of believers, or an avatar, Saint, or divine abomination of equivalent status and essence]

[This act must stain your hands with Divine Blood, shake the Divine Throne, make the stars tremble, and cause the Laws to remember that a Shadow once rose above the light]

[This is the only path, and the ultimate trial]

[Accept this pact, and your name will shine with the dark night; your steps will be watched by all Gods]

[Whether in hatred, or in fear]

[The Shadow whispers, and fate awaits]

"This is..."

Roland’s brow slowly furrowed as he stared at the words that had fully materialized before him, glowing with a profound, shadowy luster.

He was all too familiar with this manner of presentation.

It was just like when he had triggered the qualification prompts for Extraordinary Professions like [Knight] and [Barbarian].

There were no precise, distinct, formatted sentences like those from a cold machine. Instead, it was a narrative filled with an ancient, epic, and symbolic feel, like prophetic fragments taken directly from a distant legend.

This undoubtedly meant...

’The hidden Profession [Night Blade] also falls into the category of Extraordinary Professions?’

’Or rather, its power level is at least equivalent to an Extraordinary Profession, and considering its "hidden" attribute...’

’It’s very likely that its potential power and uniqueness are even greater than that of an ordinary Extraordinary Profession!’

However...

"Correspondingly, the requirements are also far... stricter than for an ordinary Extraordinary Profession."

Gazing at the shocking lines of text, Roland let out a long breath, trying to get his slightly sluggish thoughts flowing again.

So far, the only Extraordinary Professions he had triggered and could qualify for were [Knight], [Warlock], [Mechanical Artisan], and [Barbarian].

Among them, besides the [Knight] Profession he had already successfully acquired and the [Warlock] Profession, whose guiding information was too vague and still needed exploration, there were the remaining two: [Mechanical Artisan] and [Barbarian].

At first glance, their qualification requirements seemed unique and even difficult, such as needing to master the lost knowledge of mechanical assembly or undergoing a trial of extreme environments and bloodlines.

But upon closer inspection, these conditions were still within the realm of being "understandable, plannable, and with relatively controllable risks." They were things a mortal might have a sliver of hope of achieving through effort, opportunity, and adventure.

But this [Night Blade] before him...

"Slay a True God..."

Roland silently repeated the core requirement, each syllable seeming to carry an immense weight.

Admittedly, he was not without experience in fighting "Deities."

He had once faced the fury of the Pseudo-God Corellon and fought a life-or-death battle against the Artificial God Yemiga in the labyrinth of Silver Radiance City, ultimately emerging victorious.

But Corellon and Yemiga clearly did not fall into the category of those who "needed to be slain."

What [Night Blade] required was a so-called "True God."

One of those supreme beings who had already ignited the Eternal Divine Fire, condensed a complete Divine Format, received the devout worship of billions of followers over eons, and whose very existence was intimately connected to certain fundamental Laws of the universe.

Beings like Shire, the Lady of the Night; Suren, the Lady of the Silver Moon; and Lodestar, the Lord of Dawn, whom he had glimpsed fleetingly on a conscious level not long ago...

...who sat enthroned high above the destinies of all living beings.

True Deities whose power, at this point in the "past" where faith had not yet withered, was at its absolute peak.

And with his current strength...

Roland gently shook his head.

He wasn’t being self-deprecating.

He could clearly perceive the chasm between himself and those beings.

It was not a simple difference in Power, but a fundamental disparity in the essence of life, authority over the Rules, and even their very dimension of existence.

If he were to face a genuine True God head-on, here and now, he had no doubt he would be suppressed on all fronts, with almost no ability to fight back.

Even if he went all out, betting all his trump cards in a forced confrontation, the most optimistic estimate would probably be a bitter end of mutual destruction, or even just his own annihilation.

And that was just for a confrontation. It was a world away from the ultimate goal of "complete assassination, permanent banishment, or causing an irreversible slumber."

"Forget it..."

Thinking of this, Roland shook his head again, temporarily dispelling the profound and dangerous text from his mind.

’It’s safer to stay grounded and take things one step at a time.’

Right now, he was only one step away from qualifying for the High Tier Profession [Ranger]—a tangible, attainable improvement.

Besides, the Secret Imprisonment Dice held a vast collection of books and notes related to various Professions.

Once this perilous journey through the Broken Star Sea was over, he could find a safe and secluded place to study them intently.

Even if he couldn’t trigger any more Extraordinary Professions, just qualifying for a few suitable Low Tier Professions and relying on the Traits and Extra Benefits granted by the Professional Panel would be enough to raise his overall strength to a new level.

That was far better than being lured by a seemingly tempting but practically suicidal "Godslaying" mission, blindly setting foot on a path of no return.

Just as he reined in his thoughts and turned his attention back to reality, he heard the sound of footsteps on gravel and scrambling from behind him.

Looking toward the sound, he saw Holland and Ellis carefully climbing down a relatively gentle path along the cliff face, arriving on the beach in front of him.

Holland strode closer, grinning as he dusted off the dirt and dried blood caked on his Leather Armor.

"Boss! That was brilliant back there! Your teamwork with Black Wind was incredible! SWOOSH, SWOOSH, SWOOSH! You cut through those things like they were nothing!"

Holland pounded his sturdy chest, his face a mask of excitement and admiration, his brown eyes gleaming in the dimming twilight.

"Those fish-faced bastards really ran out of luck, running into a brick wall like us! What’s next? The smell of blood here is too strong; it’s probably not a good idea to stick around."

Ellis followed behind Holland. Although his face was still a little pale, he had regained some of his composure.

He carefully sidestepped the few Fishman corpses at his feet, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged battlefield before finally resting on Roland, awaiting his decision.

Hearing Holland’s question, Roland pondered for a moment as a specific location came to mind.

It was a key piece of information he had previously stolen from the Heartstealer network through his Spiritual Energy link, and it was also the location where the Shell Ship from the Dark Moon Gathering had first been discovered.

"We’re going to ’Drowned Man’s Reef.’"

he said, his voice steady.

"It’s in the northeastern region on the outskirts of the Broken Star Sea, a treacherous reef cluster surrounded by thick fog and dark currents. There’s something there we need to confirm."

He didn’t specify what that "something" was, but both Holland and Ellis understood that it must be related to the mysterious Shell Ship and the deeper purpose of their journey.

Holland looked up at the sky. The last glimmer of twilight was rapidly vanishing at the edge of the horizon, and a deep dusk, along with a mist rolling in from the sea, began to spread.

"It’s about to get pitch black. This damned place is even more dangerous at night. Boss, why don’t we find a nook or cranny nearby that’s sheltered from the wind, dry, and easy to defend, and just crash for the night? We can set off at first light tomorrow."

"Besides, ’Drowned Man’s Reef’ doesn’t sound like the kind of place you can travel to in the dark."

Ellis nodded silently, clearly agreeing with the pragmatic suggestion. The continuous fighting, fleeing, and Casting had taken a heavy toll on both his physical and mental stamina, and he desperately needed to rest.

"Oh, right..."

Seeing that the two were about to turn and scout for a suitable campsite, Roland stopped them.

He walked over to Ellis, patted the young Mage on his still somewhat slender shoulders, and then handed something to him.

It was a Magic Staff.