Chương 195: The Authority of Shadow

Although Jingjue suddenly changed his attitude and began negotiating with him, Jiying knew from the beginning that this battle— —It is still unavoidable.

He is not bound by those ridiculous oaths, nor does he need to offer his humble loyalty to some so-called great being; all of this stems from his own unique and special nature.

Ji Ying knew very well that he was incapable of helping those Void Realm Apostles do the same thing, and even if he were, he absolutely could not— I won't do that.

Therefore, the answer has been perfectly clear from the very beginning.

All he needs to do now is to mercilessly crush this ridiculous masked guy in front of him, along with his prized "mirror maze."

Furthermore, the battle must be fought quickly, leaving no room for Jingjue to breathe. If he has the opportunity to unleash the true Star String to threaten, then at this moment, he will have no effective means of countermeasure.

Just as Jiying's next attack was about to hit Jingjue, a sudden change occurred.

A girl dressed in a bright yellow, gorgeous combat suit suddenly appeared in a mirror next to Mirror Lord.

She spread her arms wide, standing resolutely in front of Jingjue with a fearless attitude, seemingly wanting to use her somewhat slender body to shield him from all of Jiying's next attacks.

Ji Ying's pupils contracted sharply, and the terrifying ethereal energy in his hand, which was about to burst forth and was powerful enough to tear through space, was forcibly suppressed at the last moment.

He immediately recognized the figure—it was Yuexi, the Crescent Moon-level magical girl who had told him all that important information half a month ago!

How did she get here?! And—why is she putting on such a show of risking her life to protect Jingjue?!

Ji Ying immediately withdrew his strength and retreated, but this brief hesitation caused by his inability to attack his companion gave Jing Jue enough opportunity.

"Sizzle—!"

A thick bolt of black lightning suddenly struck from the side and behind Silent Shadow, slamming into his back.

With a dull thud, Ji Ying's figure was pushed forward a few steps by the huge impact.

However, the jet-black heavy armor still demonstrated astonishing defensive capabilities, completely blocking the destructive energy contained in the black lightning and preventing him from suffering any substantial damage.

After creating some distance, Ji Ying steadied himself and turned his furious, dark red eyes towards Jing Jue in the distance, and "Yue Xi," who was standing quietly beside him. His voice was icy as he questioned, "Jing Jue, what did you do to her?!"

He certainly didn't believe that Yuexi would willingly protect Jingjue, and he could also guess that the woman in front of him was most likely a mirror image controlled by Jingjue.

What puzzled Ji Ying the most was that the "Moon Tide" was emanating real and pure magical energy, not the kind of illusory energy that he was used to.

If he hadn't sensed this earlier, he would have cleaved the mirror image and the Mirror Lord behind her in two without hesitation.

"What did I do?" Jingjue looked at Jiying's surprised and uncertain expression and let out a pleasant chuckle.

"You can try to guess."

He slowly stepped forward from behind "Yuexi", extended his hand wearing a white silk glove, and affectionately stroked her smooth, bright yellow hair, his tone full of boastfulness.

"I already saw it when you tried to take that inspector named Xingxian's mirror image away, Silent Shadow—" You simply can't tell the difference between the mirror images I create and their original forms, right?

"Then why don't you guess whether this crescent moon is a mirror image I created, or whether it has truly become my puppet?"

"Star String—you were deceived by your comrade's mirror image, that's why you lost, right?!" Silent Shadow immediately understood the truth behind Star String's defeat, her voice trembling slightly with anger.

"My previous assessment of you—that you only use underhanded tricks and schemes—was indeed—completely correct!"

"Hahahaha!" Jingjue burst into laughter, as if he had heard the highest praise.

"I will not be like you, bound by those ridiculous principles of kindness! Why would I not use such a useful method?"

"Look, even someone as powerful as you can be hampered by my little tricks, can't you?" He spread his hands, elegantly appreciating Ji Ying's angry expression.

"You weren't in this disheveled state just now. Where did that haughty attitude go?"

The moment he finished speaking, Jingjue snapped his fingers lightly.

"Smack."

With a crisp sound, the remaining large mirror pieces beside him rippled once more.

Under the increasingly solemn gaze of Ji Ying, three more figures dressed in combat suits of different colors slowly emerged from the crowd, hovering around Jing Jue, and without exception, they emanated pure magical energy fluctuations.

Each of them wore the same lifeless, wooden expression as Yuexi, with empty eyes, like carefully dressed dolls whose souls had been ripped out.

Xiaoxing, Ziqiu, and Feiying—these are the three remaining Crescent Moon-level magical girls who have been missing for a long time!

Jingjue spread his arms wide, like an artist introducing his most perfect work, and in a morbidly fanatical tone, extended a vicious invitation to Jiying: "Come, my dear 'kindred spirit,' let's play a fun little game."

"Guess what? Are these four beautiful magical girls before me mirror images perfectly replicated by my Mirror Authority, or—their original forms, which I have completely controlled through special means?"

"If you guess wrong even once, then you will personally kill your so-called comrade." Oh.

"Or—" his voice suddenly turned incredibly sinister, "are you planning to just give up all resistance and let the four of them—surround and beat you to death?"

"you--!"

Ji Ying clenched his fists tightly at his sides, and beneath the menacing black helmet, his dark red eyes burned with unprecedented fury.

However, before she could respond, under Mirror Lord's manipulation, the four indistinguishable magical girl mirror images launched a joint attack on her.

In an instant, the brilliant moonlight, the dazzling shooting stars, the scorching fireballs, and the howling winds—four completely different yet equally powerful magical spells—attacked from different directions simultaneously, instantly engulfing Ji Ying's figure completely.

Faced with this desperate siege, Ji Ying found himself at an unprecedented disadvantage.

Just as Jingjue said, the real magical energy emanating from these four "magical girls," as well as the unique spells they used, made it impossible for Jiying to tell whether they were his real companions or mirror images created by Jingjue.

He dared not retaliate, because if he guessed wrong, if his attack landed on his real comrades, the sin of killing them with his own hands would become a nightmare he could never escape for all eternity.

However, Jingjue was extremely vigilant and cunning, hiding far away so that Jiying could not directly attack his main body.

He could only dodge and weave, relying on the powerful defense of his heavy armor form and the unpredictable mobility of "Shadow Leap" to struggle through the impenetrable attacks.

More importantly, as time went by, Ji Ying could clearly feel that the remaining amount of ethereal energy in his body had reached an extremely dangerous level due to maintaining this heavy armor form for a long time.

If this passive delay continues, not only will we be unable to rescue Xingxian, who is imprisoned, but we ourselves may also be unable to escape due to the exhaustion of our ethereal energy.

A decision must be made immediately!

but---- Jiying was undergoing an intense internal struggle and decision. She could not, and absolutely could not, risk killing her true comrades by attacking the four "magical girls" before her.

Just as Jiying's situation was becoming increasingly difficult, Jingjue suddenly made a gesture.

The four "magical girls" abruptly stopped their attack, hovering silently in mid-air, their empty eyes indifferently watching the slightly panting Ji Ying.

Ji Ying looked at Jing Jue in the distance, his gaze slightly narrowed, not understanding the cunning fellow's intentions at this moment.

"Hehe—it seems you've reached your limit?" Jingjue looked down at Jiying with an air of superiority, adopting the composure of a victor, as if he wanted to bestow something upon Jiying, the "loser."

"How about it, want to reconsider the deal I proposed before? It's still valid."

"Tell me how you will break free from the bondage of this oath," Mirror Lord's voice was filled with undisguised longing, "In exchange, I can mercifully—let you leave here alive."

Upon hearing this, Ji Ying let out a cold sneer: "This condition seems a little different from the one before."

"The situation has changed, hasn't it?" Mirror Lord spread his hands triumphantly.

"Now, I'm in control of everything you do. If you don't make this deal with me, you'll be dragged to your death here by my lovely puppets sooner or later."

"Letting you leave alive is the greatest mercy I can offer."

He then shook his head slightly, letting out a regretful "tsk tsk": "To be honest, I really think it's a pity. The power you wield is quite formidable. If we could join forces, we could definitely accomplish something earth-shattering."

"What a pity—you're far too weak and too inflexible," Jingjue said, his tone filled with disdain.

"Even when forced into this desperate situation, you're unwilling to act decisively and secure a way out for yourself. Instead, you're still cowering here, afraid of harming my 'puppets.'"

"Working with someone like you—humph, I'll be dragged down to my death by your ridiculous kindness sooner or later!"

"This assumption is completely meaningless," Ji Ying's voice was calm and indifferent.

"I could never, and will never, become your partner."

"Of course I understand that very well," Jingjue replied.

"You will only ever be my enemy, but—I still feel a little regretful about it."

"Is breaking free from the shackles of your oath really that important to you?" Ji Ying asked in a deep voice.

"Is it so important that you'd rather let go of someone like me, who is destined to become your enemy, so easily?"

"Of course!" Mirror Lord's answer was almost spontaneous, his voice filled with an almost obsessive fervor.

"Gaining freedom" is more important than anything else, including letting you go, and also including—completing this damn bullshit mission!"

"I don't expect someone like you, bound by hypocrisy and 'justice,' to understand," he stared intently at Jiying, "You only need to make a choice: to take it or not, and use that method to exchange for your own life?!"

Ji Ying did not answer the question immediately; his self-light flickered slightly, as if he were making his final thoughts.

After a moment, he spoke thoughtfully, "You've mentioned the word 'authority' more than once since just now."

"So, the power you wield" is the ability to perfectly replicate the abilities of magical girls, right? And the reason you went to such lengths to keep Hoshizune here was so you could replicate her abilities later?"

"Oh? You saw through me?" Jingjue didn't seem surprised that Jiying could see through him. Instead, he pointed to the four "magical girls" who were standing quietly and introduced them with even more pride.

"That's right, my Mirror Authority" can perfectly replicate everything in this world! Not just their beautiful appearances and bodies, but even the laws that are deeply connected to their souls and unique to them—I can perfectly replicate them all!"

"But—" he changed the subject, his tone full of mockery, "even if you knew that, it wouldn't help your current situation at all."

"You still can't distinguish between them, and as long as you refuse to abandon that ridiculous moral bottom line and attack them, then—your defeat is already a predetermined ending, isn't it?"

Ji Ying shook his head slightly and said calmly, "I don't deny that. I would never risk even a one in ten thousand chance of killing a true comrade with my own hands."

Upon hearing this, Jingjue's smile widened, and he began to urge impatiently, "In that case, hurry up and make your choice. My patience—is very limited."

This time, Jiying fell into an even longer silence.

From a distance, Mirror Lord saw the tall, dark-skinned knight standing silently, seemingly weighing the pros and cons of the deal, contemplating whether to abandon his principles in order to survive.

He hovered leisurely in mid-air, enjoying this final, pleasurable torment, waiting for his "kind" to finally succumb to the fear of death and compromise with him.

However, he did not know.

At this moment, Ji Ying appeared to be considering the possibility of making a deal with him, but in reality—his consciousness had completely sunk into the deepest part of his soul, engaging in a profound reflection on the essence of his own power.

"authority----" Jiying silently repeated the word in his heart.

Judging from Jingjue's previous words, the power known as "authority" possessed by the Void Realm Apostles was clearly bestowed upon them by a "great being" to whom they were loyal, and they were therefore absolutely bound by oaths and commands.

However—my own situation is clearly completely different.

He is special.

His initial power came from the "virtual source" left behind after the independent mirror image created by Mirror Lord was destroyed. Since then, he has been relying on absorbing the energy cores of the virtual beasts to replenish and strengthen this power.

No so-called "great being" bestowed anything upon him.

He was also very certain that he had been following his own will in making every choice from beginning to end.

So———— Could someone like myself, like other apostles of the virtual world, wield some kind of "power"?

Or is "authority" something that was a "gift" that those apostles of the virtual world received along with the power they were given?

The system's previous prompt suddenly flashed into Ji Ying's mind— The reason you cannot undo the transformation is because this power is undergoing a deeper fusion with your soul.

Souls—fusion—so that's how it is!

Ji Ying's heart jolted suddenly, and a clear realization instantly surged into his mind.

— "Authority" may not be a simple external bestowal, but rather — an absolute control over a certain phenomenon or concept that is born from the deep fusion of virtual energy and the soul of the possessor.

The reason why those apostles of the Void Realm are bound is that the moment their power was granted, their souls were already marked with an indelible "subordination" by that so-called "great being." The "authority" they could use was not free from the moment they were born.

My power comes from "seizing" and "absorbing," and my soul is free. Therefore, the "authority" born within me must also be—entirely my own.

This realization was like a key, instantly unlocking a long-sealed door deep within Jiying's soul.

At that moment, his consciousness seemed to detach from the real world and sink into an endless and profound darkness.

There is no light, no sound, no physical entity that can be detected by the senses. This is a world more silent than the deepest dream and more empty than the purest nothingness.

However, here, Ji Ying can clearly "see" everything and feel the "noise" here.

He "saw" himself, saw himself dressed in heavy black armor, belonging to "Silent Shadow".

I also "saw" the shadow that had been my constant companion throughout my life.

It seemed to be restless for some reason, without a fixed shape, sometimes elongating, sometimes twisting, sometimes condensing into an outline exactly like "Lin Che", and sometimes showing the appearance of the petite girl "Xiao Ying".

—You belong to me.

The lonely shadow in his heart issued the most direct declaration to that shadow.

Your power will be used by me.

Your form will be defined by me.

As if in response to the will of the silent shadow, the once restless and unfathomable shadow—in that instant—completely returned to calm.