novelraw Chapter 258: Karin——the Guardian in Purple Clothes
Chapter 258: Karin——the Guardian in Purple Clothes
"Everything? Every single thing?" The cashier, Untold and Explode, as well as a few sales clerks and spectral customers, all paused their activities to gaze upon Alexander.
The cashier, whose face had always been an epitome of placidity, looked momentarily bewildered. "When you say ’everything,’ are you referring to the items listed in the booklet?"
"No!" Alexander shook his head. Before anyone could sigh in relief, he continued, "I want every single item in this store!"
"Are you joking?" retorted one of the airship maidens, her face momentarily flushed with indignation. Although they seemed emotionless, it was clear that they were not completely devoid of emotional responses.
Those who could irk them were indeed few and far between. Onlookers couldn’t help but revel in the unfolding drama.
Untold and Explode instinctively took two steps back. The inventory of the store wasn’t just limited to the tens of thousands of items in the booklet; it extended to millions, even tens of millions of items.
Who could possibly possess the means to buy out an entire shop catering to a world awash in eerie wonders? They didn’t believe it and had no desire to be implicated in the madness.
"Sir, allow me to assist you," broke in a gentle female voice, defusing the tension that had started to build.
The moment that voice resonated, the faces of everyone present shifted. The cashier behind the counter rose abruptly, her face full of reverence, as she and everyone else turned their attention to the entrance.
A black leather boot stepped onto the wooden floor, followed by a figure clad in black jeans and a purple-striped casual shirt, topped off with a white baseball cap. Her short hair framed a face that was both strong and enigmatic.
Twin blades were sheathed on her back, their hilts protruding from leather scabbards. Though hidden, they emanated an aura tinged with blood, dizzying to those who dared glance more than once.
"Karin!"
"Good day, Ms. Karin!"
...
In the wake of the dual-bladed beauty, whether it was the shop attendants who wielded forbidden powers or those participants with Emperor-level capabilities, all wore expressions of reverence.
Even Kassadin seemed anxious, whispering hastily into Alexander’s ear, "This is Karin. Remember, do not offend her."
"Karin? Who is she? She looks pretty formidable," Alexander asked in a hushed tone.
The fact that Kassadin, an old Imperial who had lived for who-knows-how-many years, was this uneasy was unprecedented for Alexander.
Kassadin had always been unperturbed, even when facing Explode and Untold, the two legacy Ghost Emperors. Yet, his current jitters suggested the approaching woman was someone extraordinary.
As the double-bladed damsel drew closer, Kassadin offered no further explanation. He lowered his voice and uttered some simple words into Alexander’s ear.
Yet those words instantly altered the complexion of not only Alexander but also Edward who stood behind him.
Alexander stood there, frozen, as though an internal tempest had erupted within him. Why? Because those four words revealed staggering information about the woman before them.
"Master in Purple Clothes, Karin."
The issue wasn’t with the name Karin, which on the surface appeared innocuous. It was the words that preceded it—Purple Clothes.
In the entire thrilling world, only one person dared to claim this title: The Guardian of the Purple Clothes!
After his last visit to the City Lord’s Mansion, Alexander became curious about the history of the Horror World, particularly information regarding the Guardians. He took the time to research it.
Some 3,700 years ago, a lone Ghost Honor named Maddy ventured into the Mist Zone. Three years later, he emerged with a Purple Clothes Guardian named Karin.
Initially, Maddy was severely wounded while protecting Karin. Though he managed to escape back to the Horror World, he was ambushed by those with ulterior motives.
The entire Eighth Ghost Realm was a trap set to besiege Maddy, all to acquire the Ring of Wall-Breaking he possessed and the method to grant forbidden powers.
Maddy had stolen the ring initially to counter the Mist Zone and had unconditionally granted forbidden powers to tens of millions. However, those who gained these powers turned into the vanguard that attacked him.
Forbidden powers were not invincible; they could be restrained by others with similar abilities. This revealed just how immense and terrifying the trap was, especially considering this was the Eighth Ghost Realm from 3,000 years ago, a realm yet untouched by the engulfing mists.
And then... Karin, clad in Purple Clothes, stepped in.
Wielding twin blades, she made the people of the Thrilling World realize the true terror of a Guardian. Carrying the wounded Maddy on her back, Karin, blades in hand, violently cut a swath through the entire Eighth Ghost Realm.
From beginning to end, regardless of their level of power—whether Ghost Honors or Ghost Emperors—she killed each ghost with a single slash. Unstoppable!
The Eighth Ghost Realm, home to over a dozen Ghost Honors, hundreds of Ghost Saints, and countless Ghost Emperors, was entirely laid waste by Karin and her twin blades. Had it not been for this battle, the Eighth Ghost Realm might not have been the first to be entirely consumed by the white fog.
The Karin standing before them now was none other than the Purple Clothes Guardian who had originally been brought out of the Ghost Realm by Ghost Honor Maddy.
A Guardian from 3,700 years ago! A terrifying being who, with twin blades, had annihilated an entire Ghost Realm! Now she appears on this airship, right before Alexander very eyes.
Karin approached Alexander. Her eyes settled on the back of his hand as if she could see through the ghost energy values masked there. She began, "The Item Supermarket has a total of 8675309 items, with a total price tag of 75 trillion. Are you sure you want to buy everything?"
"Absolutely! If you have a Perfect Identity Card here, I’m willing to offer 100 trillion to buy all these items!" Alexander spoke and swiped his finger across the back of his hand. A string of numbers popped up, stupefying everyone except for Kassadin and Edward.
"Tens, hundreds, thousands... ten trillion, a hundred trillion... Jesus, 132.57 trillion!" Untold and Explode were utterly dumbfounded.
How could someone possess 100 trillion ghost energy? It’s as implausible as someone in the real world owning 100 trillion dollars.
Untold and Explode felt their worldviews collapsing; something felt off, a bad omen they couldn’t quite place.
"We don’t have one in the store. However..." Karin shook her head, her gaze slightly dreamy as she looked at Alexander’s wrist, finally speaking, "I can give you one."
With that, Karin extended her palm. In the center of it, a grayish-white mist quickly emerged, swirling rapidly. The mist coalesced into a solid form in her hand and eventually materialized into a card. Its familiar colors and patterns indicated that it was indeed a Perfect Identity Card.
As Karin gently waved her hand, the card soared through the air and landed in Alexander’s hands.
"Thank you, Karin!"
Alexander received the card and hastily expressed his gratitude. Inside, however, he was staggered beyond belief.
So this is the Purple Clothes? This is a Guardian?
No wonder she could cut through an entire Ghost Realm with twin blades, even while carrying someone on her back.
What Karin had just done was not merely pulling out a Perfect Identity Card; she had created one!
She could conjure items from thin air using that gray-white energy. Perhaps this is the true purpose and terrifying potential of Forbidden Power.
"You’ve spent over a hundred trillion of your massive ghost energy on my airship. A small favor like this is only natural," Karin shook her head, took two steps forward, and lightly traced her finger over the back of Alexander’s hand.
Instantly, the horrifying ghost energy value on Alexander’s arm dropped by a digit, dwindling from over a hundred trillion to thirty-two trillion. As her fingertip touched Alexander’s skin, Karin’s expression subtly changed.
She looked at him intently and asked, "Do you know of Blood Clothes, Trickster Clothes? No, wait, you also have the aura of Black Clothes and White Clothes!"
At Karin’s words, not only the others in the room but even Alexander himself was taken aback.
What’s this about Blood Clothes, Trickster Clothes, Black Clothes, and White Clothes? They all sound like they belong to the same series!
Clearly, the people Karin referred to should all be Guardians. But when had he come to know so many Guardians?
The most likely would be the Blood Queen, who, like the Purple Clothes, was brought out of the Misty Area by a former landlord.
Alexander had long suspected that the Blood Queen was a Guardian, even speculating that her title could either be Blood Clothes or Red Clothes.
But what about Trickster Clothes, Black Clothes, and White Clothes? When had he come into contact with so many Guardians without even realizing it?
Could it be Sofia and Isabella?
Louis?
But he’s Alice’s adopted son, raised in the Lord’s Mansion from a young age. Unlike other ghosts, his age and appearance are proportional.
Even if Louis is a Guardian, what about the other two he’s unknowingly encountered? What could these Guardians possibly want?
Just as Alexander was lost in thought, Karin spoke, "It seems the person they spoke of is you! Five years ago, someone briefly stayed here and left something for you."
Karin opened her palm, revealing a white glass bead. Within it, clouds seemed to be churning and boiling. "This item has been with me for five years. It’s time to return it to you."
Something from five years ago? Wasn’t that when he had just crossed into this world? Who could have left something for him on an airship at that time? Who would Karin keep it for—and for five whole years?
"Who left this for me?" Alexander didn’t take it; he asked instead.
Karin hesitated, seemingly unsure whether she could disclose the identity of the person.
"Alexander, take it," said an unexpected voice. From behind him, Selena took a step forward and looked at Alexander with earnest eyes.
"You are...?" Karin’s eyes suddenly narrowed, glaring intently at Selena. After a moment, she sighed, a wistful smile crossing her face as she tossed the white bead toward Alexander.
"The item is yours. I’ve fulfilled my friend’s request. To take it or not is up to you."
This time, Alexander didn’t hesitate and caught it.
As he had suspected, Selena wasn’t as simple as she appeared. While he had some guesses about her identity, now wasn’t the time to ponder on that.
The moment the white bead touched Alexander’s palm, it shattered explosively. A white mist surged from the fragments into Alexander’s body through his fingertips.
Instantly, his internal ghost energy went berserk; black wisps permeated his entire being. Yet, white mist gradually integrated into the blackness, lending faint, almost ethereal, white strands to it.
While the level of his ghost energy remained the same, its quality underwent a fundamental transformation. A compelling aura emanated from Alexander, arresting the attention of all around him.
"Forbidden Empowerment! This is freaking Taboo Empowerment!" Untold, Explode, Kassadin, and Edward—along with the other spectators—were all instantaneously red-eyed.
Forbidden Empowerment! Once upon a time, Maddy had stolen the Ring of Wall-Breaking and used it to develop a way to endow common ghosts with forbidden powers.
For the first time, the denizens of the Horrific World had gained real strength to oppose the Mystified Instances. Even though they eventually lost, it kindled a flame of hope among countless ghosts.
That hope was in the form of Forbidden Empowerment, a revolutionary technique researched by Maddy. However, with Maddy’s critical injuries and subsequent demise, Forbidden Empowerment had faded from the Horrific World, leaving behind only a few rare instances of objects with such powers.
Forbidden Empowerment had since become the dream—or rather, the obsession—of countless individuals in the Horrific World.
Even Untold took an involuntary step forward, his intentions unclear—was it avarice, or something else?
But he halted the next moment, murmuring, "No, this isn’t Forbidden Empowerment. This is merely the forced fusion of forbidden white mist into one’s system, creating a pseudo-forbidden with minuscule power but no practical application. This is... Ghost Pill!"
At Untold’s revelation, a sigh of relief emanated from the other onlookers.
Infusing a small amount of forbidden power into one’s ghost energy was akin to an ordinary human possessing a tiny bit of ghost energy—useful for harming ghosts, perhaps, but far from the real deal.
Still, even this diluted form of empowerment was enough to incite envy and desire.
"If we had this ability," they thought, "our survival rate in the Mist Instances would soar. At least we wouldn’t have to worry about being mobbed to death by soldier-grade natives wielding forbidden powers."
"Who would have thought the Ghost Pill we initially conceptualized would actually work," Explode mumbled, failing to find an adequate descriptor.
"It’s not perfect; it won’t give someone full control of forbidden powers. But for an ordinary Chosen One to even possess forbidden powers—that’s quite something." His clenched fists and reddening pupils betrayed his inner turmoil.
What they didn’t know was that something more than white mist had entered Alexander’s body: a flood of images inundated him.
He found himself in the 18th floor of the Ghost Apartment, now expanded manifold and littered with bodies. A massive bronze pill furnace stood at the room’s center.
A young figure sat before the furnace, palms pressed against it, emitting waves of chilly, purplish-black flames.
Alexander recognized him immediately: it was James, the former owner of the Ghost Apartment, the young man from the video in Ghost Restaurant.
This was James, crafting the Ghost Pill!
What shocked Alexander was not James himself, but the two individuals standing beside him.
One was the Blood Queen, as expected.
The other was, astoundingly, Su Rong!