I stood atop the crumbling roof of a derelict building overlooking the Cathedral's grand plaza, watching the pathetic theatrical display below. The [Ascended] Knight stood with his usual stoney rigidity, but this time, his aura was turbulent, surrounded by a choir of priests and priestesses bidding farewell to the "Holy Vessel."
"Look at them... seeing her off as if she's going on a luxury vacation, while she's actually about to become fuel for their disgusting artificial sun," I sneered in my mind, adjusting my hood. "Well, I can't complain. The only reason I have a chance to kill this Knight is because of this very moment."
The Knight was preoccupied with staring into the horizon, bidding the Head Priestess farewell with a heart full of blind loyalty and other bothersome emotions. I realized this was my only chance; I had to exploit the "emotional malfunction" of this beast before he returned to his lethal patrols, which would make sneaking in impossible.
"I'll make sure there's more than enough time to turn your sacred hall into a slaughterhouse, you overgrown statue."
I slipped through the back entrance of the Cathedral, utilizing my silent boots. No one sensed a thing, as the entire place was preoccupied with the external farewell rituals. As soon as I stepped into the main hall, I inhaled the scent of incense mingled with the stench of approaching death. My predatory instincts began to boil; to me, this hall was not a place of worship or architectural art—it was my [Hunting Ground].
I pulled out my first tool, the spool of [Unseen Thread]. This [Memory] was not just a mere rope; it consisted of thin strands made of a mysterious material, so translucent they vanished completely under the dim glow of the chandeliers. I felt its sharp edge, which rivaled a razor's blade; it was strong enough to slice through flesh if someone rushed into it. I began working like a spider weaving a web of death in absolute silence, stringing the threads between the massive marble pillars at carefully calculated heights to trip the Knight or restrict his sudden movements. I could see the "Lines of Power" in the hall, identifying the blind spots where he wouldn't be able to swing his greatsword due to the cramped space.
Next, I moved to the upper balconies where time had taken its toll on the structure. I used my enhanced physical strength to loosen several cracked marble blocks and rigged them with a release mechanism tied to a single hidden thread. If the Knight stepped into the "Kill Zone," his beloved church's ceiling would drop to grant him a final blessing weighing several tons.
Then came the environmental manipulation. I moved to the central aisle and poured a transparent oil that turned the polished marble floor into something akin to soap-slicked glass. This oil was my pride as a hunter and a predator who lays traps—it wasn't a [Memory], but a creation of my own. In heavy armor like his, balance is your only friend, and when the ground itself betrays you, the steadfast mountain will turn into a turtle flipped onto its back.
I unsheathed the most important [Memory] in my arsenal: [Piercing Fang]. The dagger was a terrifying piece of art—a curved blade crafted from the tooth of a great beast, its ivory color marbled with a faint red hue. The hilt was wrapped in coarse leather, providing a grip that wouldn't slip, no matter how much blood stained it. What set this dagger apart wasn't just its sharpness, but its innate ability to "ignore thin armor." The blade vibrated at an inaudible frequency when it neared metal, as if it were starving to carve through steel and reach the warm flesh beneath. I traced the edge of the dagger with my thumb, feeling its cold sting promising a swift death.
Beside it, I kept the [Dread Spike]. It was a short black spear with a wide, leaf-shaped blade designed for deep stabbing and tearing. The spear was surprisingly heavy, providing immense momentum when thrown, and its blade possessed the [Piercing Will] attribute, where force concentrated at the point of contact, making it the perfect weapon to breach the [Ascended] Knight's armor once it had been mangled by the falling debris.
I looked around the hall after nearly an hour and a half of non-stop labor. The traps were invisible, the weapons were ready, and the Cathedral appeared serene and eternal. But to me, it was a masterpiece of inevitable doom. I had mapped out the battle before it even began, closing off every exit for survival.
I gripped [Piercing Fang] tightly, feeling my heart rate accelerate in anticipation of what would soon happen in this place. "I've built the cage for you, Sir Knight. Now, all you have to do is walk in... and try to die with some dignity... if I leave you any."
I retreated into the deepest, darkest corner and activated the [Hybrid Blood] attribute to lower my heart rate to its minimum,
blending into the shadows and the marble chill of the wall behind me.
My body heat vanished,
my scent faded,
and I became an inseparable part of the Cathedral's architecture.
The Knight was about to return soon; the echo of heavy armored boots would resonate through the hall. Soon, the "Guardian" would return to find that the place he swore to protect had become his meticulously carved tomb. I smiled in the darkness, a smile devoid of any mercy; this wasn't a fair fight—it was a harvest. And I was the only one holding the scythe.
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"Hey guys, how are you all doing? We're almost at the end of the First Nightmare—probably about 9 chapters left. Fortunately, I managed to find some time recently to write the next 5 chapters, so we shouldn't have any issues with the publishing schedule, even given my current situation.
To put it briefly, my city has been hit by heavy rains and several areas have flooded, including my home. The water rose about 30 cm, and things are a bit chaotic right now. Please keep me in your thoughts; I'm just hoping for everything to settle down safely. Honestly, I'm already getting a headache just thinking about the massive cleanup waiting for me once the water recedes!"