Academic gathering with a lich

Being entangled by a tentacle creature is not a pleasant experience, which is something Lyle had frequently concluded from his daily encounters. You feel the dampness on your body, and the discomfort of tendrils sliding over your limbs. It’s a feeling of torture, both physically and mentally. Worse than this, however, is being entangled by a horde of tentacle creatures, especially when they shriek in your ear like spoilt children, rummaging through your skin like famished ghosts reincarnated.

Yet, this wasn’t the worst of it. The most dreadful aspect was that these ravenous shadow Nias had begun to scavenge in situ. Except for the few that had cheese, Nias not far away were gnawing on the floor and stone tiles, having licked moss and mud clean. Closer still, they bit into their own tentacles, lapping up the mucus. And the shadow Nia close to Lyle stared at him with blood-red eyes. Although he had repeatedly emphasized to Nia his inedibility, Lyle wasn’t sure whether a famished Nia would forget the rules and consider him emergency rations.

Over by Mr. Raymond, a small perimeter of vigilance had been formed; even those little lunatics knew there were things one should not provoke. Lyle clambered through the throng of tentacles to Mr. Raymond’s domain, with the Nia screeching outside the invisible boundary, eyeing Lyle’s pockets and his face.

"Not enough food to satisfy the children’s appetites?"

Lyle stripped off his coat, now soaked with slime, which piled upon the floor like egg whites. "I could have sated a single Nia, but this... there are too many..."

"If you don’t stop this in time, there will be even more, a swarm of Nias wanting to gnaw at the world..."

Ordinary sustenance was no longer sufficient for the current situation, so Lyle pondered over what alternatives might exist—a ceaseless resource that could allow Nia to feed.

Not long ago, Nia was consuming shadows; she seemed to relish that energy...

There were no wielders of shadow here; even the shadow Nias themselves were a form of shadow. So, was there something that could replace the shadow?

Lyle, watching a serene Raymond as shadow Nias tumbled outside, had an idea.

Holy Light can neutralize shadow...

In past encounters, Nia had not been harmed by the Holy Light...

Raymond, the mightiest Paladin, was right in front of him...

"Mr. Raymond, can you feed Nia the Holy Light?"

Hearing Lyle’s request, Raymond’s first impression was that it was preposterous. The Holy Light was the most pure and domineering force in this world, unable to blend with any other power, existent apart from all else.

"Do you realize what you’re asking? Lyle, the Holy Light could harm your talents."

"No, Mr. Raymond, Nia won’t be scorched by the Holy Light. She used to harass Liches with a crucifix back at the academy."

Raymond was half-convinced. He could have used a forceful method to directly destroy that lump of flesh, which would have harmed Lyle’s talents. But now, he decided to try Lyle’s peculiar method first. At least this way, Lyle would have no choice but to accept the subsequent purification reluctantly.

Under the gaze of many blood-red eyes, Raymond rolled the Holy Light in his hands, its gleaming brightness attracting the shadow Nias’ attention, as they watched the armored man glow with heat.

At last, what appeared in Raymond’s hands was...

Glowing cuisine! Holy Light Cheese!

The sparkling food completely captivated Nia, her large eyes shining with glittering specks, as she held up the cheese made purely of Holy Light, which Raymond had handed over.

Nia consumed it and radiance burst forth within her shadowy form.

"Glowing food is super delicious!!!!" The satisfied shadow Nia turned into specks of light and disappeared.

The group of Nias was shocked by the image of the shadow Nia devouring the Holy Light Cheese, gazing at Raymond, they couldn’t help but swallow their saliva, though the mucus had long since flowed out.

Raymond too was shocked. Why wasn’t this creature harmed by the Holy Light? Could it be that the Purifier’s talents were also pure? Had I been deceived by her non-human exterior? I thought I had found one Purifier, but there were two? Considering the revelation the Holy Light had given him and looking at the Nias with their boundless potential, Raymond even felt a thrill of ecstasy in his heart.

Then came the frenzy of glowing cuisine.

Holy Light Cheese, Holy Light Bread, Holy Light Cookies, Holy Light Steak; they were all purely the Holy Light, but Raymond was more than willing to satisfy these children’s desires.

"Eat up, my dears! The future of Holy Light depends on you, my Purifiers! No, no, no! You have surpassed Purifiers, the children of Holy Light who can accommodate all powers, oh my Holy Light! Nia! Believe in the Holy Light!"

Shadow Nia responded passionately to Mr. Raymond. "Delicious food!!!! Delicious Holy Light!!!!"

Under Mr. Raymond’s enthusiastic feeding, the Holy Light fell freely into the hands of each Shadow Nia, satisfying them until they dissipated into the air, and as they hugged Lyle for the last time, they would enthusiastically greet Mr. Raymond.

"Goodbye, top chef Raymond! Your Holy Light is the best!!!!"

Everyone was very satisfied.

While there was revelry in the temple, hope also lit up in the shadows.

Some Shadow Beasts wandered aimlessly in the forest, their gazes not as dull as those of the brainless ones; they still retained emotions.

In the void, the lightblade of shadows flashed and decapitated them.

Loveday embraced these headless shadows, watching them dissipate in his arms.

These Shadow Beasts, created by Bishop Kamphusser, found the bishop’s desires in their final moments, under Loveday’s intervention with Spiritual Energy.

"We want to live..." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Mentor..." Without fear of touching these shadows, Loveday bid farewell to the remnants of the bishops. "I will live well, the will of the Star Spirits will continue."

As the Shadow Beasts charged at him, Loveday unleashed the deadly flair of shimmering blades of shadow from his arms, swinging the power of shadows with reckless abandon.

"I no longer run, I no longer fear, the shadows cannot change my will, the Holy Light is guiding me."

"Justice turns into a blade, and I shall write a new Chapter."

Bending down, leaning forward, I will offer the Dance of Slaughter.

Shadows flowed along the blade, while light twinkled within his body.

"It’s been a while since I did some warm-up exercises."

Loveday arrived at a strange structure pressed by trees, exploring among the ruins of a spaceship.

At last, he found what he was looking for.

The crystal, its original pure blue luster now corrupted by shadows, but that was not important.

Loveday drew upon the Power of Holy Light within him, bestowed by Bishop Raymond. Indeed, to him, any reward without effort was charity. "This isn’t my glory, this is the redemption of Bishop Raymond." The crystal heated up again with the pure golden glow, floating in front of Loveday, illuminating his resolute face.

A beam of light shot from the crystal into the sky, carrying Loveday’s resounding voice.

"To my struggling brethren in the void, I am Dark Warrior Loveday."

"Our homeland is shattered, we have been tainted, and the void and humiliation weigh upon us."

"But we won’t submit, Star Spirits, my brothers still enduring suffering."

"I call upon you, I have found a new world."

"A world that can accommodate us, a new home worth fighting for."

"Fight for Bishop Raymond, fight for the Holy Light!"

"I need you, Dark Exiles."