“Clang—!”
In that fleeting moment, an unprecedentedly dazzling crimson radiance burst forth in the aria.
No.
Rather than calling it a burst, it was more like an explosion.
Just like flames ignited by pouring oil, the crimson light surged violently from Hidan, resembling the flames of rebellion or riot. The performance seemed like the startle of a wild beast suddenly awakening from slumber.
At this time, Fang Li’s dagger had already penetrated half of Hidan’s Death Line, cutting that extremely fine crack-like Death Line in two.
To cut off the remaining half, not even the blink of an eye would be required.
However, Fang Li was unable to sever the remaining half of the Death Line no matter how he tried.
With the explosion-like burst of crimson light, Hidan’s speed, as it flashed through space, abruptly increased. Before Fang Li could manage to cut through the remaining half of the Death Line, it glittered into space and shot past with extreme speed.
Thus, as a blade of light, Fang Li skimmed past Hidan, his figure flashing by.
As for Hidan, it transformed completely into a crimson laser, entering the Koyomi Kagami.
“Pū Chī—!”
This was the sound that a bullet makes when it pierces through flesh.
The metal bullet that granted an exceptionally potent superpower to a person traversed spacetime at this moment, returning to three years ago, and ruthlessly pierced through Aria’s back, who was facing away from everyone, through the Koyomi Kagami.
“Ah…”
This urgent cry of despair reached through the Koyomi Kagami from three years ago and entered the ears of everyone present.
Shortly afterward, Aria within the Koyomi Kagami slowly slumped to the ground.
The scene came to an end here.
“Buzz—!”
Accompanied by a buzzing sound, the Koyomi Kagami suddenly trembled, fading away like ripples dissipating on the surface of water until it gradually disappeared.
The whole scene fell into silence.
At this moment, Aria seemed stunned.
At this moment, Shirayuki wore an expression of incredulity.
Even Sherlock, seemingly unprepared for such a sudden turn of events, widened his eyes slightly in surprise.
“Ha… ha… Hah…”
Fang Li’s breath began to hasten. He knelt half on the ground. The white phosphorescence that had been burning like flames on his body gradually subsided, ultimately vanishing completely.
The ice-blue Mystic Eyes in Fang Li’s eyes dimmed, returning to a pair of dark-colored pupils.
And beneath those dark-colored pupils, weariness and astonishment gradually surfaced.
The weariness stemmed not just from his body losing a significant amount of moisture but also from using the Stigma.
The astonishment was directed at the phenomenon that Hidan had just triggered.
“Hidan reacted to my attack?”
This phenomenon wasn’t necessarily significant, nor was it insignificant.
To say it wasn’t significant was because Hidan was inherently a miraculous metal, and it might have a mechanism to trigger certain phenomena when subjected to attacks.
To say it wasn’t insignificant was because the phenomenon Hidan had just triggered could prove one thing.
“Could it be that… Hidan, the crimson Hihiirokane, possesses consciousness?”
This conjecture was confirmed.
“…You’re right, Fang Li-Kun,” Sherlock turned his gaze towards Fang Li’s body, and his eyes displayed a depth and enlightenment that had not been seen before, as he said, “Indeed, the crimson Hihiirokane does possess consciousness, and its intelligence might even surpass that of humans.”
Therefore, when Fang Li’s attack posed a fatal threat to Hidan, the consciousness of the crimson Hihiirokane was awakened. In order to avoid being killed by Fang Li, it proactively triggered its ability, causing Hidan’s speed to increase greatly and escape Fang Li’s attack.
“This also means that your recent attack on Hidan had an effect, and it’s truly astonishing,” Sherlock marveled, “Being able to negate superpowers and affect non-living entities, while also potentially inflicting near-fatal damage to human bodies upon contact. I never expected you to possess such an ability. The title of ‘Gun Magician’ is simply inadequate for you.”
“However, it seems your attack didn’t entirely succeed,” Sherlock sighed, directing his gaze squarely at Fang Li and saying, “But because of your attack just now, all the mysteries have finally been unraveled.”
“All… the mysteries?” Fang Li met Sherlock’s gaze.
“The mysteries of Hidan within Aria’s body, and…” Sherlock shifted his vision to another direction, gazing at the girl with profound intent, “the mysteries surrounding Hotogi Shrine.”
“Hotogi Shrine?” Fang Li’s eyebrows raised slightly, and he looked towards Shirayuki.
There, the billowing steam that had surrounded her had dissipated. Shirayuki, who seemed to have had her ability canceled by Sherlock, sat slumped on the ground. With a complex gaze, she looked at Fang Li, silent.
At this moment, Aria’s exclamation suddenly rang out.
“Great-grandfather?!”
Accompanied by Aria’s flustered voice, Fang Li and Shirayuki reacted and immediately turned towards Sherlock.
There, Sherlock’s appearance had unexpectedly changed.
From his original appearance as a handsome man in his twenties, he slowly began to age.
It was only natural.
Sherlock’s lifespan had been extended due to Hidan’s influence.
Now, since Hidan had traversed time and had been inherited by Aria from three years ago, Sherlock, who lost the means to extend his lifespan, naturally began to wane.
“My time is up, huh.”
Sherlock’s expression didn’t hold a trace of panic; instead, it carried a sense of relief, as if a burden had been lifted.
“Being able to unravel the two mysteries that have been on my mind until the very end, I can leave without regrets.”
Sherlock looked at Fang Li, and a gradually aging face broke into a cheerful smile akin to that of a big boy as he spoke those words.
“You’re an incredible person. Right from the start, you did things that were unexpected, and even at the curtain call, you surprised me once more. Until now, no one has been able to achieve this level.”
“With someone like you as Aria’s partner, it seems I can rest assured.”
“Therefore, Fang Li-Kun, I’m entrusting my great-granddaughter to your care. I hope you can stand together with Aria, face the upcoming fate, inherit my research, and someday unravel the mysteries of the crimson Hihiirokane.”
Leaving these words behind, Sherlock turned around and walked away slowly.
“Wait…!” Fang Li struggled to stand, but due to the fatigue of his body and soul, he knelt down again.
“BOOM…”
At this moment, the entire hall began to tremble.
No, it should be said that the entire submarine was trembling.
The unusual vibration told Fang Li.
This submarine was rapidly ascending from the seabed, heading towards the surface at full speed.
As for Sherlock, he ascended a staircase and disappeared from Fang Li’s sight.
……
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