Chapter 31: Instinct

As the prayer ended, the hilt suddenly grew fangs and stabbed into her palm.

In the severe pain, Mel saw her blood vessels glowing under her skin, and countless tiny cuneiform characters flowed along her bloodstream toward her heart.

When the first character touched her heart valve, the air in the entire prayer hall let out a crisp sound of shattering glass.

The next moment, seventeen illusory figures appeared around Mel.

A high priestess draped in a starry veil held her wrist, a phantom assassin corrected the angle of her grip on the knife, and a dancer's perfume lingered around her neck.

As the last illusory figure dissipated, the atmosphere in the prayer hall gradually calmed down.

Mel uncontrollably swung the knife.

Where the blade's light passed, all the candlelight solidified into blood-colored ice crystals.

“Buzz—”

The New Moon made a slight tremor in her hand, as if responding to the user's heartbeat.

The vein-like patterns gradually faded, disappearing under the moonlight along with the short knife.

But Mel could feel that it had already bound itself to her soul—the faintly visible New Moon mark on the back of her hand was the best proof.

With just a thought, she would be able to summon it again.

“How does it feel?”

Oliver's voice returned to normal.

“I feel”

Mel slowly stood up, the blood-like moonlight still enveloping her body.

“Very wondrous....”

The girl said softly.

“It's like suddenly having the memories of seventeen people, but it's not entirely memories,” Mel carefully chose her words, “more like an instinct, a kind of... intuition?”

She lowered her head, looked at the moon disc mark on the back of her right hand, and then a thought stirred.

The next moment, crimson moonlight condensed into a blade in her palm, and a New Moon rose in her hand.

Mel raised her hand.

The blade cut a beautiful arc in the air, her movements as fluid as flowing water.

As if she had practiced thousands of times.

“That is your body adapting to these techniques.”

Oliver explained, “But remember, these are just the basics. In a real fight, you need to apply them according to the actual situation.”

With that, Oliver suddenly walked to the wall and took down a ceremonial sword.

His movements seemed casual, but Mel felt a sharp aura from them.

“Oh right, how about we practice?”

Oliver said with a smile.

“Don't mind that I'm a bishop. I used to be a soldier—don't be nervous, I'll control my strength.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Oliver's figure suddenly blurred.

The sword cut through the air, heading straight for Mel's throat.

“As for the blood shed in battle, just consider it as gratitude to the Red Moon.”

“Clang!”

Mel almost instinctively raised the New Moon to block in front of her, parrying the fatal blow.

Metal collided, making a crisp sound that echoed in the quiet church.

“Very good. Your body has already begun to react on its own.”

Oliver nodded in approval, then changed his move.

The sword's edge came down in a flurry like raindrops.

Looking at the sudden storm of sword strikes, Mel's body seemed to be taken over by some force.

Her movements were fluid and graceful.

The New Moon cut silver marks under the moonlight, precisely parrying every attack.

“Clang clang clang—!”

The ear-piercing sound of metal clashing was incessant.

The two figures intertwined in the candlelight and moonlight.

During the fight, Mel was surprised to find that she could actually see through Oliver's attack trajectory, as if those attacks had become slow and clear.

(Is this the combat instinct left by the previous users....)

Suddenly, Oliver's sword style changed.

The sword in his hand bypassed Mel's defense in a strange manner, like a poisonous snake.

Just as the sword tip was about to touch her ribs, in a crucial moment, a hint of blood color suddenly spread in Mel's amber pupils.

The next moment, her body made an unexpected reaction.

She did not retreat.

Instead, she took a step forward.

The New Moon pressed down, and its sharp tip pierced the blade of the sword like a hook, pinning it firmly to the ground.

At the same time, Mel's left hand grabbed the candlestick on the table and swung it forward.

The burning candle wick stopped less than two centimeters from Oliver's throat.

The scarlet flame licked Oliver's neck, seemingly wanting to drink the flowing blood through that thin layer of skin.

Silence spread through the church.

The candlelight flickered between the two of them, casting shadows on the wall, like a silent pantomime.

Oliver was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and clapped in praise.

“Magnificent.”

He slowly withdrew his stance, bent down, and picked up the sword.

The mark on it where it had been pierced by the New Moon was clearly visible under the moonlight.

The sharp blade had even left an irregular crack on the hard sword body.

Mel put away the New Moon, feeling the warmth coming from the mark on the back of her hand.

The moonlight shone on her through the stained-glass window, coating her in a faint red blush.

“In that instant just now, I saw the shadows of several people on you.”

Oliver said with a profound meaning, “Your body almost instinctively integrated everything it learned. This kind of talent, I have never seen in any Shepherd. It's as if different streams have converged into one river.”

He said, then re-hung the sword on the wall and took a piece of silk to gently wipe the crack on the sword body.

“And this river, might just turn into an ocean. Congratulations, Miss Mel—you have gained its approval.”

“Then... when do I need to return it?”

Mel asked.

“Each generation of users has not actually returned the New Moon to the Church.”

Oliver laughed.

“It will always accompany the user until they die and dedicate their life and soul to the Red Moon. Then, the Red Moon will send it back, waiting for the next qualified person.”

Hearing this, Mel lowered her head again and looked at the mark on her hand, seeming to understand something.

“I understand, Bishop.”

“It's good that you understand.”

Oliver nodded slightly, “Go back. It's getting late—and give this to your sister on your way.”

He said, taking a pendant from his wide divine robe.

“This is a talisman blessed by the Red Moon. Wearing it will help you fight against the contamination of (Knowledge).”

Hearing this, Mel's eyes lit up.

She reached out and took the pendant, looking at Oliver gratefully.

“Thank you, Bishop!”

Oliver smiled softly, then drew a moon disc on his chest.

Mel also drew a moon disc on her chest, then said goodbye to Oliver.

“Then I'll be leaving now, Mr. Oliver—good night.”

“I wish you pleasant dreams, Miss Mel.”

Mel nodded, turned, and left the prayer hall.

Moonlight spilled through the stained-glass window, staining her back with a layer of blood.

The moment that figure disappeared behind the door, all the candles in the prayer hall extinguished at the same time.

Only blood colored moonlight remained, quietly watching everything.

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