Eldritch Horror Theatre

This...

Thanks to their earlier exposure, Amira and her group had built up some resistance to the weapon's dreamlike appearance and terrifying chill.

However, the Authority of Creation from Nothing the Dark Moon had just displayed shocked them to their core.

The gun was completely empty, yet it had unleashed such a strike. For a moment, everyone but Simon stopped in their tracks, their eyes trailing the howling Frost Spear.

The spear didn't fly far. After just a few meters, it seemed to strike an invisible target—a distance that perfectly matched the weapon's effective range.

With a crisp shatter, the spear snapped inch by inch, sending white frost billowing through the air.

At the exact same time, two more holes appeared in Fu Qian's body.

Their opponent apparently still had the strength to fight back.

Even so, the fog had only grown denser after mixing with the white frost, and not a single suspicious silhouette could be seen within it.

Simon had finally arrived and struck without hesitation.

But faster than him was another flash of cold light. Launched later yet arriving first, it sent white frost splashing through the air once more.

By the time the Broadsword finally swept through that patch of void, the heavy, powerful strike met no resistance at all. It merely slashed empty air.

...

Hoo—

Only then did Fu Qian lower the muzzle and blow lightly across it.

He wasn't trying to steal Simon's kill. Like the sidearms carried by Rafadi's men, this short gun featured a bizarre design: twin side-by-side barrels.

To demonstrate the rigor of the Dark Moon's boon, he had smoothly pulled the second trigger right after the first.

The result was two consecutive Frost Spears. Essentially, two Air Bullets empowered by Burning Frost had launched one after the other, directly obliterating the target.

Hoo—

Rigor had to be maintained from start to finish, of course, so Fu Qian shifted his angle and blew across the second barrel as well.

...

"Shall we continue?"

Those two breaths had completely killed the mood, but Fu Qian hadn't forgotten his promise. He glanced around the group to ask.

Having slashed at empty air, Simon silently retracted his weapon, and the Lead Flame on it died down with the motion.

Amira and Reginald exchanged a look. While they voiced no objections, their eyes simultaneously drifted to the holes riddling Fu Qian's body.

In just the span of a breath, those wounds were already rapidly sealing shut.

By the time Fu Qian deactivated the Commandment Residue, the radiating chill had receded, and the holes on his body were practically invisible.

"Let's continue."

Simon finally gave a slight nod, and Amira and Reginald followed in silence.

Although he hadn't used the opportunity to preach about the Dark Moon's protection, his performance along the way—like a veritable God of War—was genuinely shattering their grasp of reality.

"I'm glad to see you all attempting to let go of your prejudices."

As a lost shepherd, Fu Qian offered timely validation and encouragement.

He extended a hand. Amid a fine rustling sound, countless tiny fragments sloughed off the old gun that had just successfully killed the enemy.

Just like the ornate Rapier from before, once it fulfilled its purpose, it seemed unable to withstand that freezing gift and ultimately crumbled.

In just a few short steps, the entire gun had disintegrated into fragments scattered across the path.

The gun wasn't actually that fragile, of course. It was merely a visual effect Fu Qian had orchestrated.

From the start of the journey until now, he had been unreservedly spreading the Dark Moon Gospel.

As for whether it was too flashy and might arouse suspicion?

Sorry, but a great faith was just this dazzling.

How could he show his uniqueness if he hid away like Harriet?

...

Perhaps his two astonishing displays had somehow spread the Dark Moon's majesty even into the Outcast Realm.

In comparison, the rest of the journey was incredibly peaceful.

Aside from the worsening road conditions, no more imperceptible attacks occurred.

The group spent most of their energy just trying to discern where the path actually was.

"It's just ahead."

Amira's description was entirely accurate; as they followed the route, they hadn't encountered a single fork in the road.

After identifying a sizable stretch of ruined walls by the roadside, Amira finally perked up and broke the silence.

It seemed the trials of this journey were finally coming to an end.

"Let's hurry up, then. None of you have had breakfast yet."

Fu Qian nodded slightly, acting incredibly agreeable.

This guy still hadn't forgotten about that!

Amira was quite satisfied that he clearly had no intention of running away, but his reasoning was just bizarre.

Especially since he kept calling himself a shepherd the whole way... For a brief moment, Amira had the eerie feeling of being herded out to graze.

"In a few more minutes, we should officially enter the Small Town. Although the road here has been fairly peaceful, we had better stay alert."

Really not wanting to respond to Fu Qian, Amira took a deep breath and moved to the front to scout, clearly pessimistic about this whole breakfast thing.

"Wait, this is..."

Yet just a few breaths after her warning, after taking another step through the dense fog, Amira froze at the front of the group.

...

The view suddenly opened up. The dense fog vanished in an instant.

Beneath their feet was a narrow but flat road, blocked at the far end by a massive black gate.

Beyond the gate, rows of mostly wooden buildings were bathed in the gentle morning light.

Though not pristine, they were still intact.

"How could this be..."

Beside her, even Reginald had the same reaction, completely taken off guard by the sight.

Realizing something, both of them immediately looked over their shoulders. Sure enough, just like when they had first entered the Mist, the boundary was clearly demarcated.

This modestly sized Small Town seemed just like Laerdin—spared from the Mist's encroachment.

She instinctively glanced at Simon, but unfortunately, he showed no reaction whatsoever.

Hunters were just like this... Amira and Reginald exchanged a look, unanimously suppressing their doubts as they continued forward.

"Mr. Anker, it looks like things aren't so bad after all. We might really get to eat breakfast."

Amira even cracked a joke, gesturing for Fu Qian to follow.

"Indeed. It gives a sense of Dislocation, like waking up from a Nightmare and returning to reality."

Facing the scene before him, Fu Qian sounded quite moved.

"Of course, according to the wisdom of the Sanctuary, it should be reality entering a Nightmare."

He was, of course, referring to the Sanctuary's judgment that 'everything in the Mist is also real.' Grasping his implication, Amira and Reginald were temporarily at a loss for words.

Fortunately, Fu Qian didn't need a response. As he spoke, he took the lead, striding right up to the black iron gate and patting it with his hand.

As for why he didn't need one, the reason was simple. Fu Qian knew very well that his physical body was actually still standing at the boundary of the Mist.

Reality entering a Nightmare—what he had just said was no joke.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!