The Aurora Order's Saint of Secrets, Botis... Mr. World wants to hunt him? Fors's first reaction was that she had heard wrongly. After all, Gehrman Sparrow had no connection to the Saint of Secrets.
However, she quickly had a rough idea from the Worm of Star that had just been mentioned.
This made her suddenly excited and thrilled. This was because she also wanted to hunt the Saint of Secrets, Botis, to avenge her teacher's family. However, due to her lacking strength and the inability to pay for it, she had kept this thought to herself.
Although it sounds like Mr. World doesn't plan on personally taking action, Ma'am Hermit is also a Sequence 4 demigod, and she has the support of that Queen Mystic behind her... I can provide the utmost support within my abilities! As her thoughts raced, Fors cast her gaze at The Hermit beside her, waiting for her reply.
After some thought, Cattleya said, "Botis is very likely a saint of the Apprentice pathway. It's very difficult to hunt him. Besides, he has the Rose Redemption backing him and the True Creator's protection. With my current level, it's almost impossible for me to complete this mission solely on my own."
"You can seek the help of Queen Mystic. I will also arrange for other partners for you." Klein made The World Gehrman Sparrow reply in a low and hoarse voice, "The reward is the right to choose the spoils of war first, and mysticism knowledge that will allow you to digest the potion within this year."
It's December... Cattleya's heart palpitated when she heard that. She deliberated and said, "When the time comes, I will try, but I cannot guarantee success."
No matter how difficult the mission of hunting the Saint of Secrets was, it couldn't be as dangerous as accepting the knowledge injection process from the Hidden Sage. And as for the mysticism knowledge provided by the latter, they didn't necessarily aid in digestion. There was a high probability that it included mathematics, machinery, and literature.
"No problem. As long as you do it seriously, I'll still compensate you with the mysticism knowledge even if you fail in the end." The World nodded and confirmed the deal.
At this moment, Fors finally couldn't help but speak out:
"Mr. World, Ma'am Hermit, can I join this mission? I might be able to provide some help."
Even if you didn't, I would've gotten you to... The Fool Klein secretly laughed and made The World nod gently.
"There's a spot reserved for you in this mission."
Fors wasn't surprised at all. She asked curiously, "What can I do? What do you need me to do?"
Gehrman Sparrow replied in an extremely calm tone, "Bait."
"..." Fors opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. She had a feeling that she knew that this would happen.
The World Gehrman Sparrow continued, "Similarly, you also have the right to choose the spoils of war. You'll be just after Ma'am Hermit.
"Also, during this period of time, I can help you record Beyonder powers like 'Traveling.'"
Fors had never expected a reward, as it was her greatest reward to be able to exact revenge successfully. In the future, she might even receive additional rewards from her teacher. Without any hesitation, she nodded and said, "Okay."
The World immediately cast his gaze towards Miss Justice.
"How's the digestion of your Dreamwalker potion?"
Thanks to the expedition into Groselle's Travels and the persistence she had put into her acting, the speed at which she digested the potion was very fast. Her eyes darted around as she thought for a moment.
"I've already concluded the acting principles. In another two to three months, I should be able to completely digest it."
It's a little slow... Klein mumbled inwardly as he made The World say, "Create more opportunities to act.
"If you can digest the potion before Ma'am Hermit attacks the Saint of Secrets, I can give you Hvin Rambis's Beyonder characteristic ahead of time as payment so that you can join in on the operation."
Klein believed that he would have to stay in the Forsaken Land of the Gods for a very long time. Most of the matters in the outside world could only be interfered with through the members of the Tarot Club. It was also beneficial for him to increase their strength as soon as possible.
Furthermore, he wasn't directly giving it to her. The difficulty of hunting the Saint of Secrets Botis was just as Cattleya had said. It was rather difficult.
"Alright!" Audrey was just fretting over how she could accumulate more credit with Mr. World. Therefore, she naturally agreed without any hesitation when she heard his offer.
In her heart, the members of the Aurora Order were lunatics and destructive maniacs. There was no need to find a reason to deal with them!
In addition, Audrey had previously been troubled by her lack of experience as a Beyonder. This gave her a chance. Although it was rather dangerous, it was still an opportunity.
Gehrman Sparrow sure is generous... To provide the knowledge that can help a Mysticologist digest the potion and a Sequence 4 demigod characteristic... This shouldn't only be for the Worm of Star. It sounds like a supplementary material... He's helping the members of the Tarot Club improve as quickly as possible according to Mr. Fool's will, so as to be effective in the future? Alger listened to The World's conversation with the other members and vaguely grasped a certain truth.
This made him rather vexed. He suspected that if he hadn't lacked faith and had other thoughts, to the point of foolishly testing Mr. Fool, he might've already been "assigned" a mission that could aid him in pushing open the door of godhood.
At that moment, Justice, who had agreed to the request, glanced at The Magician and said with a faint smile, "I'm looking forward to the Abraham family not having any Worm of Star."
"Me too." Fors nodded seriously, indicating that she had the same thoughts.
Seeing that The World was done speaking, Cattleya thought for a moment and said to Judgment, "Do you want to join this mission? Do some intelligence gathering on the periphery. Your ability in this area left a deep impression on me."
Even without Ma'am Hermit's invitation, Xio wouldn't refuse in helping her friend. She nodded gently and said, "I don't have a problem if the operation is in Backlund. If it's somewhere else, my role would be greatly discounted."
A Sheriff and their own area of jurisdiction were always connected. The more familiar they were with the place, the better they could showcase their abilities. Once they exceeded that range, they could only rely on their Beyonder powers.
"Your reward is being third to choose the spoils of war." Cattleya looked at The Star once again. "If there's a need, I hope you can allow the official factions to appear at the right moment."
Leonard chuckled.
"I hope you don't have to go that far.
"My reward shall also be a spoil of war."
...If my dear poet friend here wasn't invited in the end, then the mission of hunting the Saint of Secrets would've nearly become a sorority for the female members of the Tarot Club... The Fool Klein muttered inwardly as he made The World Gehrman Sparrow finalize the matter. All that was left was to wait for the Abraham family's feedback.
Following that, Alger and Derrick reached a rental arrangement for the Unshadowed Crucifix.
Just as they entered the free exchange segment, Emlyn couldn't help but look towards the end of the long bronze table.
"Honorable Mr. Fool, can you give me a hint? How should I escape protective custody?"
The Fool, who was shrouded in the gray fog, nodded slightly and said simply, "This week."
His answer was said with great confidence, but it wasn't a prophecy, but a judgment of the situation.
The current situation had Feysac and Intis attacking Loen, while Feynapotter was attacking Loen"s allies—Lenburg, Masin, Masin, etc. The three Churches definitely didn't wish to suffer any damage the Sanguine could bring while already having existing enemies. Therefore, Emlyn would be released very soon, but it was hard to say for Father Utravsky.
Similarly, the Sanguine's focus would definitely be shifted to the global situation. It was unlikely for them to have the motivation to continue probing Emlyn and his other "partners."
In addition, in the past two days, the one whose reason for praying was the most forced—apart from Xio—was Emlyn White. Klein suspected that he had been locked in the basement of Saint Samuel Cathedral all this time because it was convenient for the Goddess to exert "Her" influence on him. Now that the matter had ended, he was no longer of any use.
Combined with the three factors, it wasn't difficult to conclude that Emlyn would be free in no time.
The only exception was that if this fellow had really been forgotten. Be it the Church of Evernight or the Sanguine, they had forgotten that there was such a fellow locked behind Chanis Gate. If that was the case, Klein would get The Star Leonard to provide him with some assistance.
Emlyn heaved a sigh of relief and sincerely thanked Mr. Fool.
At the end of the free exchange, The World Gehrman Sparrow suddenly looked at The Hanged Man.
"You said that you've already arrived on Sonia Island and are inside the primitive forest?"
"Yes," Alger replied in puzzlement.
Gehrman Sparrow pondered for a moment.
"You can try to seek out an elven ruin. Perhaps you might chance upon some sort of opportunity."
Alger suddenly thought of the Book of Calamity and the scenes he had seen in his dream. He nodded thoughtfully and said, "Alright."
After another round of exchanges, the Tarot Gathering came to an end. Audrey and company stood up and bowed before leaving the world above the gray fog.
...
After returning to his body, Leonard immediately lowered his voice and described Klein's predicament. Finally, he said, "Old man, do you have any good suggestions?"
"My suggestion? I think it's better to ask The Fool for help," Pallez Zoroast replied without any hesitation.
"..." Leonard coughed lightly and said, "Aren't you going to use this opportunity to make things difficult for Amon?"
-x-X-x-
"Making things difficult for Amon?" Pallez Zoroast chuckled. "What benefits can there be? Otherwise, forget it."
Leonard was momentarily at a loss for words. After a few seconds, he said, "At least it can make you feel good."
Pallez chuckled.
"I will feel better if you don't bring this topic up."
Without waiting for Leonard to respond, this Sequence 1 angel from the Marauder pathway sighed with "His" slightly-aged voice.
"Doesn't your former colleague have a Deceit Charm? Perhaps he can use this to come up with a solution."
After getting rid of the Amon avatars in Backlund, Pallez had given the godhood symbols and magic labels needed to make four charms—Deceit, Parasite, Deprivation, and Aging—to Leonard. Leonard had passed on this knowledge to Klein, and the latter had used the knowledge and the Worms of Time to create one Deceit, Parasite, and Deprivation bullet each. Later on, he had used them to deal with Qonas Kilgor, but Leonard wasn't aware of this.
Leonard whispered thoughtfully, "Old Man, are you saying that by using the Deceit charm, you can mislead Amon and cause him to misidentify the location, preventing him from influencing Klein's escape?"
In his mind, Pallez Zoroast snapped back, "Do you think it's possible to use a Deceit charm in front of a Marauder pathway's King of Angels?"
It's impossible... Leonard laughed dryly and pressed in a thick-skinned manner, "What do you mean then?"
Pallez Zoroast's voice suddenly sounded more spirited:
"Deceive the rule that one can only return to where one's body is!"
"Deceive the rule? That works too?" Leonard asked in shock.
Pallez gave a self-deprecating laugh and sighed.
"Compared to deceiving Amon, deceiving a rule is much easier. After all, underneath this world is madness and chaos."
This sentence made Leonard speechless for a moment. On the one hand, he wasn't experienced enough. He didn't know that orders and laws could be deceived, and on the other hand, he never expected that, in Old Man's heart, Amon was even more terrifying than the laws of nature and the order of the world.
After nearly ten seconds, he spoke again, "With this method, how high is the possibility of success?"
"It's very, very low," Pallez said with a sneer. "However, the probability of deceiving the order of the world like this with a Deceit charm made from a Worm of Time from Amon's avatar is very, very low. Therefore, my suggestion is still to get him to make a request to The Fool for help. Don't waste any more time. When fighting Amon, the longer the delay, the more dangerous it will be."
Leonard pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
"I understand. I'll also advise him to do so."
Of course, he wouldn't forget mentioning the highly improbable method that Old Man had suggested.
"It's good that you understand. Seriously, disturbing an old man's reading..." As Pallez mumbled, "His" voice gradually lowered and disappeared from Leonard's mind.
In 7 Pinster Street, the newspaper that was placed on the coffee table suddenly flew up and automatically spread open over the sofa.
...
Using a Deceit Charm to deceive the requirement that I can only resurrect where my original body is? Above the gray fog, in the ancient palace, Klein reconstructed Pallez Zoroast's "suggestion" in his own words.
As soon as he finished speaking, he recalled the animal hide lantern that kept burning: Amon had deceived the laws of nature, allowing the candle to remain in a magical state and continue burning for a week without needing any fuel.
His eyes lit up as he whispered, "This line of thought is something only an angel from the Marauder pathway can think of immediately...
"It might not be impossible!"
Like Pallez, he did feel that, compared to dealing with Amon, it was much easier to deal with the laws of nature.
After seeing hope, he immediately analyzed the possible outcome:
Although I've already used the Deceit Bullet, I can summon it from the Historical Void. After all, before the effects end, I'll definitely reform my body and successfully resurrect...
The laws of nature are truly pitiful. Not only will they be deceived, even the item used to deceive it is fake...
The only problem is that the bullet might not be able to deceive the mysticism law. It was already a little difficult to deal with Qonas Kilgor back then...
Amidst his thoughts, he slowly surveyed the area and gradually gained inspiration.
That was to use Sefirah Castle!
After gaining initial control of Sefirah Castle, he could already mobilize the power of a Sequence 2 angel here.
And many of the things he had come into contact with previously had explained that the authority of Sefirah Castle had a high probability of spanning over the three pathways of Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder. It could generate a convergence effect on the corresponding Beyonders, and it had clearly attracted the attention of Amon.
That was to say, Klein suspected that Sefirah Castle had the power of these three pathways at the same time. However, as a Seer, most of the power he could stir was concentrated in this domain.
With the help of the medium known as the Deceit Bullet, I might be able to stir the other powers of Sefirah Castle... Since I'm already capable of using some miracles in the Seer domain, having power from the Marauder pathway at the angel level is a highly reasonable deduction. The only problem is that there must be a medium of a sufficient level... This way, I don't have to worry about not being able to deceive that rule... As his thoughts brightened up, he seriously began to formulate a plan.
He used the mysticism laws as his target and attempted to formulate a "scam."
In order to reduce the difficulty, it's best to have additional preparations. I can't deceive something out of nothing, at least unless I'm Amon's true body...
Yes. I'll bestow a tube of my blood to Little Sun. I'll create a fake respawn point that exceeds the range.
And then, using the Deceit Bullet as a trigger, stir the corresponding angel-level powers contained within Sefirah Castle, "misdirecting" that rule and making it view the fake respawn point as the real one, while the real one becomes the fake one...
He outlined the details bit by bit, and when his thoughts finally took form, Klein immediately used the mysticism connection between himself and the spot he died, to observe the actual situation with his "true vision."
He saw that the grayish-yellow fog had thinned a lot, and the deep ravine that hid Chernobyl was no different from before.
It was unknown where Amon, who was wearing a pointed hat and a monocle, had stolen a rock from and had placed it on the spot where Klein had passed away. "He" sat on it and patiently played with a human-skinned glove.
"He" occasionally bent the human-skinned glove's finger and stretched it at other times, as if "He" could pass a hundred years doing that.
About a kilometer away, in a certain spot in the grayish-yellow fog, three Amons in black classical mage robes crouched around a rock as "They" seriously played poker cards that "They" had stolen from somewhere. From time to time, "They" would nudge their monocle.
Elsewhere in this extensive moor, Amon would be either alone or in groups, strolling leisurely, writing in thought, or discussing all sorts of questions with one another.
In the dark and dangerous Forsaken Land of the Gods, it was such a harmonious scene. It would've been better if the young men weren't all the same—wearing classic black robes, pointed hats and monocles, with similar black hair, black eyes, broad foreheads, and thin faces.
Just as Klein was about to make a further observation, the Amon sitting on the rock suddenly raised "His" head. "He" nudged his crystal-carved monocle and looked at him.
Across the moor, all of the Amons looked up at the highest point of the fog of history.
Klein immediately retracted his gaze and cut off the connection.
...
In the City of Silver, Derrick Berg arrived at the top of the spire and met Chief Colin Iliad.
"Your Excellency, I've already received the promise of blessings," Derrick said frankly and directly.
With white hair and an old scar on his face, Colin Iliad was visibly relieved. He slowly nodded and said, "That's good. That's good."
He had repeated the sentence in a rare instance.
As an excellent Demon Hunter and the City of Silver's Chief, he had always been patient, never taking unnecessary risks. Therefore, with the sudden lack of a response from The Fool, he didn't immediately turn to the True Creator, and he decided to wait patiently for another month.
For the City of Silver, which had been waiting in the Dark Ages for more than two thousand years, a month was something that could be accepted.
Without waiting for Derrick to reply, Demon Hunter Colin left the window and calmly said, "Head back first. I'm going to start preparing for the advancement ritual."
Derrick glanced at the Chief and said sincerely, "You'll definitely succeed!"
He didn't stay any longer. He immediately left the spire and returned home.
After setting up the ritual again and placing the six powerful corpses that he had hunted to the correct position, Colin Iliad began to concoct the potion.
After all of this was done, the City of Silver Chief closed his eyes and lowered his head, chanting in Jotun, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era, the mysterious ruler above the gray fog; the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck..."
Above the gray fog, Klein saw ripples of light emanate as he heard a slightly illusory prayer.
He immediately summoned a paper figurine and combined the power of Sefirah Castle with it. He threw it into the prayer circle and conveniently marked the City of Silver's Chief.
At the same time, with the help of this prayer circle, he observed the situation of the entire spire and the City of Silver. He confirmed that there was no sign of Amon's parasitic existence near the Chief or Little Sun.
I have to seize this opportunity! Klein immediately conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow and made him pose as he prayed.
At this moment, Colin Iliad saw the light.
In the holy light, a holy angel with twelve pairs of illusory wings suddenly descended. As clean, white feathers fluttered down, the Demon Hunter was embraced by these wings of light.
This was a blessing from Mr. Fool.
-x-X-x-
In the face of the angel's embrace, Colin Iliad wasn't astonished. He accepted everything with a calm expression, as though he was already prepared.
The ritual began. He took a step forward, picked up the Silver Knight potion, and poured it into his mouth.
Without a sound, this Demon Hunter's body swelled up, turning into a grayish-blue giant with bluish-black veins covering him. He stood several meters tall, with black cracks on his forehead.
Every inch of this giant contained the indescribable power of mystery and terror. Apart from his head which still retained the appearance of a human, the rest of his body was akin to a Mythical Creature that exerted a strange mental influence.
In the next second, the skull underlying Colin Iliad's head seemed to soften as it sank inwards. With the black crack as its core, his head slowly squirmed, as though it was forming a nebulous vortex.
Such pain made the City of Silver's Chief, who had killed many powerful creatures, unable to restrain himself. He let out a series of howling cries that could make the minds of ordinary creatures split apart.
If it wasn't for the fact that Colin Iliad had already evacuated the members of the spire in advance, leaving behind only the demigod-level Waite Chirmont to watch over him and prevent any accidents from happening, many Beyonders would've definitely lost control.
The remains of the six powerful living creatures that were situated in different spots floated up under the invisible power of the ritual, circling the mutated Colin Iliad, using some sort of mysterious connection to awaken some of the memories of this peerless Demon Hunter.
It was the experience of hunting "demons." It was him painfully ending the former Chief's attack with his own hands. It was his life of defeating powerful monsters again and again.
These manifestations appeared like painting on an altar. Sometimes, they would be integrated into Colin Iliad, and sometimes they would be extracted from him, helping him define himself. He maintained a certain level of clarity during the extreme pain and changes.
Only at this moment did Colin Iliad finally understand the essence of the ritual.
As a Sequence 4 Demon Hunter, the hunting of every powerful creature was a battle of intense mental catharsis. It left a deep impression in his life.
With these powerful mental imprints, he was able to locate himself after consuming the potion, and not be lost in pain and madness.
This made Colin Iliad recall a term recorded in some of the books in the City of Silver: "Anchor"!
At Sequence 3, he was considered a deity in a certain sense. He could respond to prayers within a certain range, so an anchor was required.
As this wasn't the level of an angel, an anchor didn't necessarily need to be a believer. It could be replaced by other things, such as the clear marks in one's life that had meaning in mysticism.
In the memories that had been awakened, Colin Iliad slowly regained his self-awareness. He felt his body again and grasped its changes.
Right on the heels of that, a layer of wings formed from illusory light extended out from behind him. They fused with the surrounding "paintings" as they constantly shrank inwards. The surface of Colin Iliad's body collapsed into a silver armor that was firm and beautiful, but it didn't possess any weight to it.
After the Demon Hunter advanced to a Silver Knight, due to the difference in the deity's blessing, there would be minute differences between Silver Knights. Previously, the leader of the King Court's Chasers, Light Culler Murskogan, had received blessings from the Giant King. Therefore, the various aspects of the Silver Knight domain were much stronger.
On the other hand, Colin Iliad could occasionally make his body condense a Silver Rapier that could teleport. While in combat, it would appear at random during an attack, with beneficial tendencies, bringing about unpredictable changes.
In addition, he could also obtain a certain uniqueness when using Mercury Liquefaction.
As the silver armor finally took form, Colin Iliad had completed his advancement. Apart from not having a single vertical eye on his head, he was equivalent to a Mythical Creature.
At this moment, he raised his right hand and waved it to the side.
At a small hill outside the City of Silver, a silver beam erupted out of thin air. It tore apart everything around it, splitting the small hill into two halves.
...
During Colin Iliad's advancement to Silver Knight, Derrick Berg completed the bestowment ritual and obtained a small metal tube.
Seizing the opportunity of the City of Silver's Chief creating abnormalities and drawing away most of the attention, Klein suddenly reached out while in the ancient palace above the gray fog. He had summoned a bullet and Death Knell from the Historical Void.
Right on the heels of that, he did a divination in advance, confirming that there weren't any signs of Amon's parasites around Little Sun. Without any hesitation, he opened the revolver's cylinder and stuffed the Deceit bullet into it.
Pa!
With a shake of his right hand, he closed the cylinder and used the mysticism connection to aim at the spot where he had died.
Bang!
He calmly pulled the trigger and fired the only bullet.
At the same time, taking advantage of this Beyonder effect, he willed Sefirah Castle's powers into mobilizing.
The gray fog boiled once again, including the space around them. A majestic but slightly dark energy surged out like a tidal wave, wrapping around the bullet, passing through the gap and shooting towards the real world.
The light in Sefirah Castle suddenly dimmed. Suppressing his fear and horror, Klein used Death Knell's historical projection to simulate the feeling of a sudden descent. He "leaped" towards the crimson star representing The Sun and leaped towards the tiny tube of his blood.
On the barren moors of Chernobyl, all of the Amons wearing pointed hats raised "Their" heads and looked at the lightning that streaked across the sky. "They" looked at a deep and quiet swath that even the lightning couldn't illuminate.
The Amons nudged "Their" monocles, and after a moment of silence, "They" laughed.
"He doesn't seem like someone who can come up with such a solution...
"Pallez?
"'He' joined this organization codenamed the Tarot Club?"
...
In the Berg household in the City of Silver.
The darkness in front of Derrick suddenly turned dark, as if the candles in the room had been burned to ashes.
To the residents of the City of Silver, this wasn't a good thing. Derrick's eyes immediately lit up with the light of the sun.
At that moment, bits of light burst out from the deep darkness like transparent squirming worms.
The metal tube that Derrick had received shattered automatically as fresh red blood floated out from it and suspended itself in midair. It didn't spread apart but instead merged with the fragments of light.
In just two or three seconds, these "light fragments" condensed into one, forming a huge ball of light.
The spherical light ball stretched out and changed, quickly forming a figure.
The figure had a deep outline and a cold expression. He wore a silk half top hat and a black coat while holding a black iron-black revolver. It was none other than Gehrman Sparrow.
Having successfully deceived the laws of mysticism, Klein used the help of his old blood to complete his resurrection!
Without needing any introduction, Derrick had already recognized the visitor through his special temperament. After being stunned for a moment, he instinctively revealed an uncontrollable smile.
"Mr. World?"
Klein raised his head slightly and looked at Little Sun, who seemed to have grown taller. He subconsciously reached out and pressed down on his top hat.
He then nodded gently and said, "I will be in the Forsaken Land of the Gods during this period of time.
"However, I have to leave now. I can't lure Amon into the City of Silver.
"If there's a chance in the future, I will cooperate with you."
Having understood what Mr. World meant, Derrick nodded heavily and said, "Alright!"
Just as Klein raised his right hand and was about to snap his fingers to leave with Flaming Jump, Derrick looked at him and suddenly pointed to the storage cabinet in the room.
"Mr. World, do you need to bring some food with you? There are mushrooms that can produce milk!"
"..." Klein controlled himself, not letting the corners of his mouth twitch. He maintained his cold attitude and said, "I don't drink milk."
As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers, causing a scarlet flame to fly out of his pocket, wrapping around him like water.
The fire quickly dissipated like falling stars, and Klein's figure disappeared from Derrick Berg's room.
Outside the City of Silver, in a deformed forest, flames flashed continuously, extending all the way to the moors leading to the north.
After he truly left the City of Silver did Klein slow down his "footsteps" and summon a lantern from the Historical Void.
He had long expected that the revival process would go so smoothly. After all, once he found the correct solution, there was no way that Amon could stop him.
In the City of Silver, Amon only had a few avatars at the Sequence 4 or 3 level, so Klein could use his "true vision" to locate them and eliminate them ahead of time.
And if they could form an avatar at the Sequence 2 level, Klein, who had gained initial control of Sefirah Castle, could stir powers at the power of an angel, allowing him to easily fight such an avatar while being above the gray fog, and would stay undefeatable since he couldn't be attacked. He had the confidence to defeat his opponent.
If Amon moved "His" true body to the City of Silver, then Klein could choose to revive at his original spot.
Of course, Amon could create an avatar that was almost at Sequence 1 and send "Him" to the City of Silver. However, under the premise of the conservation of Beyonder characteristics, how many avatars could "He" create?
Not more than two!
As for Klein, he could split his remaining blood into multiple portions. He could use the bestowment ritual to send them to Mr. Hanged Man, to Ma'am Hermit, and to The Star Leonard. There were too many spots where he could revive, so there was no way that Amon could guard all of them.
This was an "above board" plan based on his own level, Beyonder powers, and the special ability of Sefirah Castle. Before he attempted to revive himself, Klein was already quite certain of the outcome. The only thing he was worried about was that "Deceit" would be detected by Amon ahead of time, allowing "Him" to interfere in a timely manner, causing his respawn location to change.
Fortunately, his divination had confirmed that the level of danger wasn't high. This was one of the reasons why he dared to try.
Phew, I've really escaped from Amon... As he advanced amidst the dim yellow light, Klein felt the presence of his body, and he heaved a sigh of relief.
Of course, he knew very well that he was going to encounter the relentless pursuit of Amon's main body and various avatars!
-x-X-x-
On the desolate moors filled with deep ravines, Amon stood in different spots. "They" opened "Their" mouths and chanted in Jotun, "The Blessed of the spirit world and Sefirah Castle..."
"The Mystery stemming from ancient times;
"The witness of an extended history;
"Protector of Backlund magic and drama performers;
"The great Gehrman Sparrow..."
These voices were layered as they bored into the void, as though they extended to an infinite distance.
Ten seconds later, all of "Them" adjusted "Their" crystal monocles in different manners and chuckled softly.
"He changed it really quickly."
If Gehrman Sparrow was still automatically responding to this honorific name, "They" could then use this opportunity to determine the other party's location and create an "error" to appear directly beside "Their" target.
...
In the darkness that was illuminated by lightning from time to time, the hatted and coated Klein proceeded north at a moderate pace while holding a lantern.
There's a prayer... Amon is using Gehrman Sparrow's honorific name... This means that a number of Amons aren't too far from me... But the City of Silver doesn't have 'His' parasites... They're in the surrounding patrol teams, or in some unexpected creatures? As he walked, Klein suddenly turned his head and listened carefully for a few seconds.
Regarding this matter, he was rather glad that he was cautious enough. He had changed the honorific name that allowed default acknowledgement while above the gray fog. It went from the "Protector of Backlund magic and drama performers" to "Protector of all poor children in Backlund." This came from the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation he had set up.
Yes... Amon is a Cryptologist. It's very likely that he can "interpret" this honorific name from all the information regarding Dwayne Dantès... No, I don't even need an automatic response... As Klein looked at the faint yellow light emitted by the lantern, he quickly made a decision.
He made every Worm of Spirit only capable of listening to prayers, without having the ability to autonomously respond unless they had been given permission from the main body.
This way, frequent prayers would severely affect his daily life, but it wasn't a big problem. This was because, other than Amon's vile harassment, no one else would pray to Gehrman Sparrow since he hadn't spread the word about his honorific name.
After settling this matter, Klein thought of all of Amon's terrifying aspects. He suddenly had some doubts about what to do next.
His original plan was to stay far away from the City of Silver and head to the Nois ruins in the north to investigate the situation there. He wanted to see if he could obtain the main ingredients needed for the Miracle Invoker potion. However, after connecting that ancient city ruins with Amon, a problem was revealed:
Klein could already confirm that the upper levels of neighboring pathways also followed the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence. Since Amon had been wandering around the Forsaken Land of the Gods for more than a thousand years and had come near the City of Silver, how could "He" not be attracted to the Nois ruins in the north?
For the Chief of the City of Silver to not dare to enter, it means the power in Nois City has definitely reached the level of an angel. Amon wouldn't ignore it... "He" probably doesn't dare to directly eat such a high-level Beyonder characteristic of a neighboring pathway, but that doesn't prevent "Him" from setting up a trap... Even if "He" hadn't done so in the past, "He" would definitely be rushing over there now... Of course, I can't exclude the possibility that Amon has yet to discover it because, during the City of Silver Chief's first visit, the Nois ruins weren't as dangerous. Perhaps that power at the angel level came to the Nois ruins later... "He" has been constantly migrating "His" believers to avoid Amon? Amidst his thoughts, Klein felt a little afraid about heading northwest for the ancient city.
He decided to first see if there were any other ways to obtain the main ingredient of the Miracle Invoker potion before considering if he should head to the periphery of the Nois ruins to observe and gather some intel.
With this in mind, he walked towards the wreckage of a tall tower in his black coat and half top hat, guided by the occasional lightning.
Along the way, in the dangerous darkness outside the dim yellow light, monsters lined up and silently followed him.
They were already his marionettes.
Compared to them, the saints of the Seer pathway were even more bizarre and terrifying.
As they walked, one of the monsters that looked like a fish with limbs suddenly chanted in Jotun, "The Sun that is Eternal;
"You are an Inextinguishable Light;
"You are the Embodiment of Order..."
The moment it finished reciting the three-lined honorific name, the monster collapsed to the ground and lost its life.
The honorific name of deities often wasn't limited to three lines, but when chanting, one could choose any three. For example, the Eternal Blazing Sun's complete honorific name was "Eternal Blazing Sun, Inextinguishable Light, Embodiment of Order, God of Contracts, Guardian of Businesses." And just now, Klein had used the first three.
With this method, he prayed to the Lord of Storms, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, and the Evernight Goddess, hoping to receive a certain response.
However, there was no change in his surroundings fifteen minutes later.
It's useless to pray to a Sequence 0 true deity in the Forsaken Land of the Gods? Unless the target is the True Creator, or is an existence that wields things like Sefirah Castle or the Chaos Sea?
That's not right. In Afternoon Town, that clergyman had the Goddess's true name concealed when saying it. When he mentioned the fourth King of Angels, he suffered "immolation" due to the involvement of deities... Perhaps it's because there's still all kinds of divine power in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, not only concealment and degeneration. And the true names of the different deities each have special meaning in mysticism, allowing it to stir the corresponding powers?
This way, it would explain why the City of Silver has been teaching the two true names of Badheil and Herabergen, but they didn't end up establishing any connection with the God of Combat or the God of Knowledge and Wisdom... The prayers in the Forsaken Land of the Gods are not heard by the true deities, or even if "They" can hear them, "They" are unable to respond... This also means that there are no remnant powers of the God of Combat or the God of Knowledge; otherwise, there would have been certain anomalies...
Yes, it's also possible that it's not because there are no anomalies, but that the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, uh—god-level Sealed Artifacts—in the City of Silver have eliminated them...
In that case, if I were to directly chant the true name of the Goddess, would I cause the surrounding darkness and concealment to stir? If this kind of power can be controlled, I'll have an additional effective trump card when being tracked by Amon... The probability isn't very high. Directly chanting the true name of a deity is an act of blasphemy, and it will result in the corresponding backlash, just like Afternoon Town's clergyman... Based on his logic and the phenomenon he had seen, Klein came up with a theory on the present situation. He was eager to try reading out all the true names of the deities he knew, one by one, and checking their effects.
Finally, he restrained himself and didn't blindly make the attempts.
I'd better go above the gray fog to do a divination first. Otherwise, who knows if there will be an unbearable accident... Hmm, divination involving deities might not give a clear revelation... After muttering inwardly for a while, Klein scoffed at his impulsiveness. My previous plan was akin to: I haven't been courting death for two days. I shall do it seriously today!
At that moment, he had already arrived at a collapsed tower. He sat beside a wall that had only been cut down by half. He reached out to take out a paper crane from the Historical Void, and he ignited it.
He wanted to see if he could contact the Snake of Fate Will Auceptin Ceres if there was a medium. He wanted to know where he could obtain the main ingredients of the Miracle Invoker potion.
Under the illumination of his third summoning of the lantern, Klein fell into a deep sleep, but he didn't dream of anything.
Indeed, it doesn't work... After he woke up, Klein shook his head and let his body enter a Historical Void.
Following that, he took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the gray fog.
Sitting at the seat belonging to The Fool, he beckoned for a small paper box from the junk pile. Inside was a stack of paper cranes.
These were personally folded by a certain baby.
At the same time, The World Gehrman Sparrow was conjured. He prayed to Mr. Fool in a grayish-white region and requested "Him" to forward his request to Miss Justice, saying that this act could allow her to make contributions to her exchange for the Manipulator potion formula.
Of course, Klein had already revealed that the potion needed to be consumed while amidst a huge emotional resonance.
...
Backlund, Empress Borough, Inside the Hall family's luxurious mansion.
Audrey returned to her bedroom once again and set up a bestowment ritual to obtain the paper crane.
She picked up a thin pencil and wrote on the paper crane's surface:
"Dwayne Dantès has requested you to meet with me."
After finishing her preparations, Audrey followed Mr. World's instructions and placed the paper crane under her pillow before lying down to sleep.
Soon, she saw a pitch-black desolate plain. As a Dreamwalker who had given herself hints in advance, she maintained her consciousness and walked towards the black steeple in the middle of the plains with strong curiosity.
As soon as she arrived at her destination, Audrey's spiritual perception was triggered. She raised her head and looked at the top of the steeple.
At some point in time, there was a giant silver snake coiled there.
This gigantic snake didn't have any scales. Its body was covered with symbols and patterns that formed wheels that were connected to each other, with different labels.
At that moment, the gigantic snake was staring at Audrey with its bright red and cold eyes. It said in a low voice, "What does Dwayne Dantès want?"
This is the angel of the Fate pathway that gave Ma'am Hermit a drop of blood? Audrey controlled her thoughts and calmly looked at the gigantic snake. She said in honesty, "He wanted me to ask you where he can obtain the main ingredient of the Miracle Invoker potion?"
The gigantic silver snake suddenly fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "The number of Sequence 2s in different pathways differ in numbers. Under the situation of the quota of Attendant of Mysteries being filled, there can only be a total of six Miracle Invokers."
A Miracle Invoker is the name of a Sequence 2 potion... Mr. World is going to become an angel? Or is he making preparations for his partner? No, if it's a companion, he can get them to ask "Him" themself... Audrey was first alarmed before she began to look forward to the mysterious serpent's answer.
-x-X-x-
The gigantic silver snake looked down at Audrey and opened its blood-red mouth.
"The Sequence 1 potion that Zaratul, the leader of the Secret Order, consumed came from an Attendant of Mysteries. In other words, 'He' possesses an extra Miracle Invoker characteristic.
"Similarly, it was the same for the ancestor of the Antigonus family back then. Of course, if they were interested in something, or if they had a candidate who had won the favor of the family to the point of them being willing to nurture them, then an angel with sufficiently high status can separate the extra Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic to the other party.
The third Miracle Invoker's Beyonder characteristic had combined with a characteristic of mysterious origins. It has become Sealed Artifact 0-05, also known as the Magic Wishing Lamp... A true deity once attempted to destroy this item, to separate the characteristics and allow them to converge automatically, but eventually failed.
"The fourth and fifth Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristics are in the form of a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact that exists in the Churches of the Eternal Blazing Sun and Lord of Storms. One of them is named 0-13. It comes from the Third Epoch's Creator, designated as 'The Last Banquet.' The other is codenamed 0-32, a product of the War of the Four Emperors, designated as 'Theater With Curtains That Never Draw.'
"The sixth Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic might be in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. During the Third Epoch, there was a remnant Dark Demonic Wolf who occasionally appeared. After the Cataclysm, 'He' vanished without a trace."
Audrey listened attentively and thought carefully for a moment before saying, "You're saying that, under the situation where the Attendant of Mysteries spots are filled, there are only six Miracle Invokers. And now, you only mentioned the Secret Order's leader, Zaratul, and the ancestor of the Antigonus family, but the spots don't seem to be filled.
"In such a situation, there might be an extra Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic."
This wasn't information that The World Gehrman Sparrow had informed her of in advance. Instead, it was a question that Audrey had come up with on her own accord from the details of the answer and her knowledge of mysticism.
The eyes of the giant silver snake moved slightly.
"Indeed. There should be three Attendants of Mysteries.
"But in the Second Epoch, in the era when the ancient god, Flegrea, still lived, the third set of the Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic seemed to have disappeared without a trace. No one knows where it is. Likewise for the corresponding Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic. Perhaps it has already combined together and has found a sufficiently concealed method to hide itself."
Audrey nodded gently and said, "I understand. I'll pass on the information to Mr. Dwayne Dantès.
"Oh... He even asked me to ask you if there's anything you need his help with?"
The giant silver snake slithered up and a third of its body stood up.
"No.
"A small matter.
"Yes, I have a Blessed who is an outstanding gourmet. He has a desire to taste ice-cream from the various noble families, so as to determine the most delicious one."
...This request... Mr. Snake, uh—maybe it's Ma'am Snake—is really nice to her Blessed... "His" tone is as if he can't wait... Hmm... This is too simple. I can agree to help on Mr. World's behalf and complete it on my own. I'll just treat it as accumulating the sufficient contributions needed to exchange the potion formula... Audrey said thoughtfully, "No problem.
"But how do I send him the ice cream?"
The giant silver snake slowly coiled and said, "Sacrifice it to him. He's already a Sequence 3 saint and can accept sacrifices in the same city.
"His honorific name is 'The Embodiment of Luck; The Clairvoyant Monster, The Calamity that Spreads Misfortune, The Witnesses of all Fates in Backlund, the Keeper of Chaos and Madness."
There's a difference between this honorific name and a normal Sequence 3's. There's no name at the end... Audrey's eyes darted around slightly, but she didn't say anything further and nodded in agreement.
...
Keeper of Chaos and Madness... Will's last honorific name is quite interesting... This shouldn't be the honorific name of the Snake of Fate, but something that "He" used when "He" was at Sequence 3. Some tweaks were made later on... The Monster pathway's watches over chaos and madness? Or could it be said that in this world, even for Fate, those at the lower Sequences are in chaos and madness? Monsters are working hard to resist all of this, making everything seem normal? After Klein heard Miss Justice's answer, he didn't find it odd for Will Auceptin to request for ice-cream. Instead, he found the honorific name of the Life School of Thought president rather interesting.
Heh, having a Blessed... That's like saying "I know someone"... Did Will learn this from me? No, I have a real Blessed, Danitz! Later on, I'll have this fellow sacrifice something for me to eat. I can't really eat those mutated monsters or summon projections from the Historical Void, right? Yes, if I have a chance, I'll invite Little Sun to try them together. I can't let him be obsessed with Frank's mushrooms... Uh, the number of Blessed serving Will definitely won't be less than mine. There might even be more. "He" has the huge Life School of Thought... Klein conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow and made him reply to Miss Justice, indicating that the ice-cream contributed plenty.
After completing all of this, he rapped the edge of the long mottled table and seriously considered the problem with the main ingredient of the Miracle Invoker.
There's no need to think about the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic with Zaratul. It's impossible for "Him" to separate it to give it to me. "He" only wants to turn me into "His" marionette...
It's not like there's zero hope with Antigonus's two portions, but if that's the case, I'll have to request it from the Goddess again. I can't offer something equivalent... I'm afraid... Besides, the Goddess might not be able to provide it. The reason why "She" wants to seal The Half-Fool, who has lost control, is probably because "She" is unable to kill "Him." Once "He" is killed, "He" will be able to escape his current predicament and revive elsewhere—just like how I escaped from Amon. Under such a situation, the Goddess has no way of getting Antigonus to separate a Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic...
Even a true deity can't shatter 0-05, so there's no point targeting it. It's useless even if I have it... This Sealed Artifact's origins are truly mysterious. There's something very fishy about it...
The Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun's 0-13 is called "The Last Banquet." It comes from the City of Silver's Creator... Why does this person always like to use the names that have dangerous implications... The Church of the Lord of Storms's 0-32 is "Theater With Curtains That Never Draw"... Just the sound of it allows me to imagine what it's like... The chances of obtaining these two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts are very low, but it's not impossible. It just depends on whether the Eternal Blazing Sun and Lord of Storms are willing to support my growth so as to contain Amon...
Yes. Up to now, "They" have yet to show any kindness. I can't find a suitable way to interact with the right person. I can't possibly use divination to spy on the Eternal Blazing Sun again and communicate with "Him" through space, right? If that happens, wouldn't it be better if "He" directly invades Sefirah Castle and takes control of this place?
If I were to nurture Mr. Hanged Man and wait till he has the qualifications to come into contact with a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, I'll most likely have become Amon...
The True Creator knows a clue to the third characteristic of the Attendant of Mysteries... "His" divine kingdom and holy residence are in the Forsaken Land of the Gods... These two might be related somehow...
The two sets of Miracle Invoker characteristics and an Attendant of Mysteries characteristics are highly likely to be in the Forsaken Land of the Gods... I wonder which one is in the Nois ruins?
Yes, the True Creator should only know a clue, and not its exact location. Otherwise, "He" would've obtained that Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic before the War of the Four Emperors and effectively increased "His" subordinates' strength...
In other words, the Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic is something even a true deity can't obtain quickly, and it's necessary to search for it. It might not be so easy for Amon to come across it, allowing "Him" to set up a trap... If the danger within the ruins were only recently found—having just been transplanted—it would match this trait...
From the looks of it, I still have to make a trip. However, I have to be careful enough. The danger comes from Amon and also from the ruins. Hmm, I'll do a divination first, then I'll observe and gather intelligence from a distance. I won't enter blindly and will be patient enough.
Klein conjured a pen and paper and was about to write the corresponding divination statement when he suddenly thought of something and decided to make another confirmation.
He drew a complicated symbol that was a mixture of concealment and mystery prying. He threw it into the crimson star representing The Magician. With Gehrman Sparrow's image and tone, he asked her to question Arrodes.
...
Backlund, East Borough. Fors, who was about to move houses, drew the curtains and lit a candle. She set up a mirror and found Xio to act as a bystander.
She then drew the symbol that Mr. World had given her.
In the room, the environment gradually turned dark as cold winds stirred, causing the two to tremble.
The surface of the mirror suddenly rippled, forming ancient dark red Feysac text:
"You have summoned the great Arrodes. You have to abide by the corresponding rules:
"You have to answer a question for every question asked. If you lie or refuse to answer, you will be punished."
"Alright," Fors, who had been warned, calmly replied.
Following that, she asked curiously, "Where can one obtain the main ingredient of the Miracle Invoker potion?"
On the surface of the mirror, dark red words appeared one after another as other lines vanished. They answered the question in detail:
It's basically the same as Will's answer... Above the gray fog, through the crimson star representing Miss Magician, Klein watched the specific process and nodded in disappointment.
After Fors memorized the answer, she said nervously, "It's your turn to ask."
The dark red words changed and formed a new sentence:
"Have you had an erotic dream in the past year?"
Phew... Thankfully, it's still okay... Fors heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Yes."
This was human nature. She didn't feel that there was anything to be ashamed of.
Following that, she raised the second question:
"Do you have any suggestions on the matter regarding obtaining the main ingredient of the Miracle Invoker?"
Arrodes dispersed the dark red text and used silver colors to form new words:
"The Abraham family still holds the Apprentice pathway's Sequence 2 Planeswalker potion formula, as well as the corresponding powerful Sealed Artifacts. A total of two of them.
"The Aurora Order also has one."
This... Klein's eyes lit up as he thought of a new possibility.
"Is that so..." Fors frowned slightly and said, "It's your turn to ask a question."
The silver color on the surface of the mirror faded away as dark red colors formed a sentence:
"Other than you, who else was the star of your erotic dream?"
Fors gaped as her face flushed red.
-x-X-x-
At that moment, Fors felt her cheeks burning as she stiffened. She didn't even dare to turn her head to look at her friend.
She realized that she had severely underestimated the bottom line of the magic mirror!
After stuttering for a moment, Fors recalled Mr. World's reminder and closed her eyes.
"I choose to accept the punishment."
A silvery-white bolt of lightning fell from the air in the room, but the moment it appeared, the lightning vanished without a trace like it was a hallucination.
The dark red words on the surface of the mirror were dyed silver as they were quickly replaced with new content:
"The question and answer game will end here today. Goodbye!"
Without waiting for Fors to open her eyes and before Xio could react, the rippling light in the mirror instantly calmed down. The gloom and darkness in the room shattered as they were swallowed by the light of the candle.
Wasn't there supposed to be a punishment? Fors waited for a few seconds before opening her eyes slightly. She looked at the mirror that had returned to normal and then at Xio, who was watching by the sidelines.
Xio pointed at the top of her head and said, "There was lightning that smote at you, but it disappeared halfway. Also, the magic mirror had already left."
"...The magic mirror was only joking? That's not right. The warning I received was that the questions would be rather embarrassing, and the punishments would be rather heavy... Could it be that Mr. Fool protected me?" Fors rubbed her right cheek as she made a guess.
"Perhaps." Xio nodded in agreement with her friend.
Just as Fors heaved a sigh of relief and rejoiced, she suddenly realized that Xio was looking at her earnestly.
"W-what's the matter?" Fors's heart skipped a beat.
Xio asked thoughtfully, "In that erotic dream of yours, who was the main lead?"
"...Haha, who would remember such a dream from so long ago? Besides, aren't dreams blurry and unclear?" Fors forced a smile.
Xio tersely acknowledged.
"If that's the case, why didn't you answer with that just now?"
"...I was nervous. I was too nervous." Fors glanced at the luggage that she had finished packing and said, "It's time for us to move. I miss having a fireplace!"
As she spoke, she walked towards her luggage.
It was only at this moment that she realized that, at times, the outcome was similar whether she answered the magic mirror's question or not.
Is this the "social death" that was mentioned by Gehrman Sparrow? I really want to bury my head into the ground! Fors continuously took deep breaths in an attempt to calm her burning face and embarrassed heart.
...
In the ancient palace above the fog.
Klein threw the Sea God Scepter back into the junk pile and scoffed at Arrodes's act.
Despite knowing that I was the one who sent someone to summon it, it actually dared to raise such a question. Only when I stopped the punishment did it hurriedly change its attitude and leave in a panic... It sure had fun...
However, its answer has given me a new train of thought. I really don't need to restrict myself to the path of a Miracle Invoker...
The second Blasphemy Slate is most likely from the City of Silver's Creator, and is now in the hands of Adam... Although Amon and "His" brother are mutually staying away from each other's affairs and aren't on especially good terms, "They" have worked together before. I don't believe that "He" has never seen that Blasphemy Slate... If that's the case, "He" is definitely aware of the Miracle Invoker's ritual and can guess that I'll be bringing the City of Silver out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods. When that happens, "He" wouldn't even need to put much effort into tracking me. "He" just needs to wait at the Giant King's Court...
Yes, I can't go according to the enemy's expectations, especially since this is a God of Deceit and the God of Mischief. Countless accidents will happen... If it's because of my participation that the City of Silver's thousands of years of hope ends up being destroyed, then it'll be completely contradictory to my original intentions...
The problem with a Planeswalker is that I might hear Mr. Door's ravings, and will suffer the scrutiny and corruption from the cosmos that's worse than Sequence 2 angels from other pathways. Of course, this isn't completely unacceptable...
Also, will I need to pay back the two resurrection chances that Sefirah Castle gave me? That's still fine since I'll definitely transfer back to being an Attendant of Mysteries at Sequence 1 because Mr. Door has already blocked off the advancement path of the Apprentice pathway. "He" is at least in control of the Uniqueness and two sets of Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics—perhaps even all three...
It's not necessary for me to switch to Planeswalker, but I have to make the necessary preparations. When my options increase, even if Amon tries to stop me, the difficulty of burying a trap in advance will increase significantly. Only then can I become an angel while under the pressure of a King of Angels!
Yes. I'll stay on the fence for now. I'll prepare for the Miracle Invoker advancement while preparing for the Planeswalker advancement. I'll determine which pathway to take based on the actual situation when the time comes.
Having come to a decision, Klein felt refreshed. His mind was abnormally active, and he quickly came up with a preliminary plan.
I'm not in a hurry to ask Miss Magician's teacher about the Planeswalker potion formula and the corresponding Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. This will scare the Abraham family, making them suspect that Miss Magician worships some evil god and has joined some terrible organization...
With their current situation, there's a high chance that they won't reply. They will change their identities, move, and sever all ties...
Yes, the head of the Saint of Secrets, Botis, will make a fine gift. Regardless of whether the Abraham family gives the Worm of Cosmos, this matter will have to be placed on the agenda... I hope Miss Justice can digest the Dreamwalker potion as soon as possible. I hope that Ma'am Hermit will be prepared. I also hope that the two ladies, Miss Magician and Miss Judgment, will be able to improve before the operation...
Right, according to what Miss Magician said, Saint of Secrets Botis is a defector of the Abraham family, and the Aurora Order holds a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact of the Apprentice pathway. That's interesting... Perhaps I don't need to contact the Abraham family. I might be able to get what I want from the Saint of Secrets. Uh, I have to remind Ma'am Hermit that Botis might be carrying a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, so confirmation has to be made before the operation...
If that Grade 0 Sealed Artifact isn't in the hands of the Saint of Secrets, then I'll probably have to face the Angel of Fate Ouroboros to get it... No, Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts are terrifying to begin with. It's one of the sources of danger...
Phew, I'll first wait for Miss Magician's teacher to reply and see if the Abraham family is averse to any mention of the Worm of Cosmos...
As he thought of this, Klein suddenly felt a hint of self-deprecation. He felt that he and the Aurora Order appeared to be destined enemies. They often had all kinds of interactions.
When the operation begins, the Aurora Order will definitely shout in their hearts:
"Why is it you again? Why is it us again?"
After letting out a breath, he gathered his thoughts and conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow. He replied to Miss Magician who had reported the answer.
Following that, The World prayed once again, requesting Mr. Fool to forward his request to Danitz.
...
On a certain island in the Fog Sea, Danitz, who was waiting for the Golden Dream, turned his head to look at Anderson and chuckled.
"I'm going to summon Gehrman Sparrow's messenger."
Anderson pricked up his brows and scoffed.
"You're qualified to consume the Conspirer potion."
"You were the one who made it too obvious. Even I could sense that you were afraid of that messenger." Danitz felt even more pleased with himself as he said humbly.
Anderson suddenly guffawed.
"Why do you not suspect that I'm pretending to be afraid? I'm just trying to find a reasonable excuse to avoid hearing things I shouldn't be hearing."
"...Dogsh*t, do you think I'll believe the lies you came up with in a hurry?" Danitz was almost convinced.
Anderson spread his hands and walked to the door.
"You've gathered all the materials of the Conspirer potion. Remember to remind Gehrman to not forget my Iron-blooded Knight potion formula."
Danitz waved his hand impatiently, indicating that he hadn't forgotten.
After Anderson walked out of the room and closed the door, Danitz immediately set up a ritual and summoned the messenger holding four blonde, red-eyed heads.
Seeing the eight eyes look over at the same time, Danitz's chest immediately retracted.
He forced a smile and handed out a gold coin.
"Ma'am, Gehrman Sparrow wants me to tell you that he's fine. He's now in the Forsaken Land of the Gods."
...Wait, what did I say? The Forsaken Land of the Gods? As a crew member of Vice Admiral Iceberg, Danitz's knowledge of mysticism was still adequate. After a momentary pause, his pupils clearly dilated.
"Alright..." Reinette Tinekerr bit down on the gold coin and answered immediately.
Then, "She" entered the void and vanished from the room.
After reporting this to Gehrman Sparrow, Danitz received the Iron-blooded Knight's potion formula and new orders.
Prepare some local delicacies and sacrifice them to Sea God Kalvetua... Isn't this mission a little odd? Danitz muttered to himself, but he didn't dare to raise any questions.
He quickly tidied up the altar, found a parchment, and wrote down the supplementary ingredients and corresponding ritual in the Iron-blooded Knight potion formula.
Following that, he opened the door and handed the parchment to Anderson.
"Form a team of at least thirty people... The stronger the team's strength and chemistry, the better the ritual's effects..." Anderson unfolded the parchment in front of Danitz and read it. As he read, his brows gradually furrowed. "If the team's chemistry is to build upon the idea of killing me—the captain—the ritual is rather simple..."
Without waiting for Danitz to mock him, a burning white flame appeared from his fingertip and burned the parchment.
Anderson chuckled.
"I need to go back to my homeland to find an opportunity. That place is currently being invaded by Feynapotter, and war is always the best place for building up and training a team."
With a pause, he looked at Danitz and said with a smile, "I've prepared some questions for you. They're in my room. Once you become a Conspirer, you can try doing it and see if your intelligence has improved."
"...Dogsh*t! Are you trying to trick me into reading all the books in your room?" Danitz was almost moved, but he immediately understood that something was wrong.
No matter how high his intelligence was, he wouldn't be able to solve the questions if he hadn't read the textbooks!
"Not bad. It only took you three seconds this time to grasp the crux of the matter. If it were in the past, heh heh, you would've really believed me." Anderson praised with a smile as he turned around and left the inn.
-x-X-x-
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, at night when the frequency of lightning had dropped to a very low frequency.
Two slices of white bread and a piece of barbecued meat is pretty good after all... The sweet and sour desserts from the Fog Sea are better than I had expected... After swallowing the last mouthful of food, Klein sighed in amazement from the bottom of his heart. He then threw the remaining packaging into the darkness—after all, there was no concept of environmental protection here, nor was there a rubbish bin.
Of course, he had removed his connection with those items ahead of time, just like how he would head over to Sefirah Castle to perform "sterilization" every time he abandoned a marionette. This was to prevent Amon's avatars from locking onto him with them.
Hmm, lifeless objects won't be transferred into a concealed state by the darkness here... Klein raised the lantern that Danitz had sacrificed, and he illuminated the abandoned items.
It was only after he filled his stomach that he was in the mood to try out the dangerous things he had previously divined.
Amidst the flickering dim yellow light, Klein reached his right hand out into the air and dragged out another projection of himself.
It was another version of him from the Historical Void, one who was also holding onto a lantern.
Klein entered the grayish-white fog one second later, allowing his projection's consciousness to awaken.
The projection was surrounded by a group of monsters. Amidst the endless darkness, it opened its mouth, planning to recite the name, "Amanises."
"..."
He didn't manage to make a single sound, as though the words he wanted to say had been concealed.
"Indeed, it's as I expected." Wearing a silk half top hat and a black trench coat, Klein slowly took a deep breath.
Looking at the lantern that emitted faint yellow light, he suddenly chanted in Jotun, "Leodero!"
Before he could finish his sentence, more than a hundred lightning bolts warped as if they were responding to being summoned. They instantly blanketed the area.
There was no time for him to dodge. Even if he had switched places with a marionette, he would still be within the attack range.
Amidst the brightening of silvery-white light, he collapsed to the ground. His body was charred as he convulsed violently, as though he had become a gigantic piece of coal.
Then, his figure rapidly dissipated as the illusion vanished.
Wearing a real top hat, clothed in an Intis-styled windbreaker and carrying a simple lantern, Klein immediately "returned" to reality and continued proceeding forward as if nothing had happened.
After walking for a while, his figure suddenly turned blurry and clear.
Following that, Klein opened his mouth again and read out a name in Jotun:
"Au..."
Just as he produced the first syllable, a transparent flame burst out from his body, instantly reducing him to ashes, not giving him a chance to switch places with his marionette.
Klein's figure appeared once again. He pressed his hat and walked calmly on the hill filled with strange plants.
"Herabergen."
...
"Badheil."
...
"Omebella."
...
There's nothing out of the ordinary. There are no traces of the corresponding divine powers left in the vicinity of the City of Silver...
Medici, Ouroboros, Sasrir... These are of no use, neither one of "Them" are deities... I thought that the situation at Afternoon Town and the Giant King's Court was due to special circumstances. Using Sasrir's true name outside can activate the powers of degeneration from the Forsaken Land of the Gods... As a King of Angels with the Uniqueness, Red Angel is also considered half a true god. Yet, there aren't any traces left of "Him." How shameful for a person—no, shameful for a King of Angels! As Klein walked down the hill, he followed his spiritual intuition and headed northwest where the city ruins of Nois were.
He would occasionally take a detour, occasionally using Flaming Jump, and he didn't follow the route that the City of Silver had used to explore to reach their destination.
...
Backlund, late at night.
Feeling that she had digested the potion a little more, Audrey very eagerly used Dream Traversal to leave her mansion and to enter the various dreams of the surrounding area.
Knowing what the current situation was like, she had a strong desire to become a demigod.
Just like that, she suddenly saw someone familiar.
This was a noble lady who had a good relationship with her. She was 29 years old and had married a viscount two years ago.
At this moment, the lady's room was filled with rose petals. The bed was white, and there was a heart-shaped ring placed on it. And she could hear knocking sounds from the outside.
With flushed cheeks, the lady quickly walked over and opened the window.
A man wearing a black iron mask and a dark cloak leaped in. He hugged the lady and whispered, "I'll take you away from your suffering."
Then, the two of them started to wrap their bodies around one another as they rolled into bed.
As a Dreamwalker who was working hard to digest the potion, Audrey had long seen similar scenes. She had experienced the phase of feeling embarrassed, and she sighed at how everyone's dreams were full of imagination. At that moment, she didn't lose her composure at all. She maintained the etiquette of a Spectator, as though she was witnessing an overly intense play.
After a brief examination, she discovered a problem:
The man wearing the black iron mask wasn't the wife's spouse, but more like a particular playboy in the aristocratic circles.
Is this a reflection of what's hidden in her heart? Audrey muttered to herself in an academic manner while analyzing the dream.
Following that, she "traversed" into the dream beside her out of curiosity.
This dream corresponded to the noble wife's husband, the viscount.
In the dream, this viscount was busy attending a discussion at the House of Lords. Later, he was chased by an earl with a revolver. The latter claimed that he had tricked his daughter.
After escaping to a safe zone, the viscount found his female secretary to vent his fear.
Audrey couldn't help but leave the dream, wanting to see the state the viscount and his wife were in.
In the bedroom under the illumination of the crimson moonlight, the viscount was hugging his wife on the huge white bed. His wife was hugging him and sleeping in a very intimate manner.
Yes, I have to realize that everyone has a dark side to them. It's just a dream that they've had. If "conviction" for a mere instantaneous thought was carried out, then everyone would descend into hell, and no one will be spared, including myself... I can control my dark side, preventing it from ever being realized in the real world. To most people, that's already considered excellent... Audrey increasingly felt that acting as a Dreamwalker was a way to question and hone one's mind and body.
She entered the dreamscape again and "traversed" to another area.
Not long after, she arrived at a warm "room."
There was a dining table placed over a thick carpet. At the seat of honor was a white-haired old lady.
To her sides were a middle-aged couple and three children who were not of age. They were all enjoying the delicious food, chatting and laughing.
It was dark outside the room. The strong winds made the glass groan and thump as they seemed to brew a horrifying sensation before the disaster struck.
What is the owner of this dream bothered about? Audrey retreated from the dream and tried to find an answer from the real world to verify her hypothesis.
She then saw a small bed and the white-haired old lady.
There were photo frames on the bedside table of the old lady. They were either wrapped in black cloth or white flowers—consisting of a middle-aged couple and three underage children.
Audrey silently turned her head to look out the window, only to see that there were ruins nearby, ones left behind by an explosion.
The young noble lady pursed her lips and suddenly returned to the old lady's dreams.
She didn't stop the disaster that might happen. She only conjured a chair and sat on it. She looked at the happy and warm family in a solemn manner.
Amidst the howling wind and glass, the room was brightly lit. There was the fragrance of food and laughter everywhere.
Audrey had already concluded one of the acting principles of Dreamwalker:
"A traveler of a dream enters, takes in the sights, and records—never interfering. That was a Spectator."
...
In Saint Samuel Cathedral, having been summoned by Bishop Anthony Steven, Leonard slowly walked up the spiral staircase under the sunlight that shone in through the stained glass.
Suddenly, he said with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, that secret gathering is about to begin again. Are you really planning to attempt to enter the treasures left behind by the Jacob family at the end of the month?"
"I'm not sure yet, but this is an opportunity. At the very least, Amon's main body is being tied down by the matter regarding Sefirah Castle. "He" won't suddenly appear." In Leonard's mind, Pallez Zoroast replied with a slightly hoarse voice, "However, I'm more inclined to reveal the news of the treasure trove. I want the people at the gathering to adventure and explore it. We'll stay in the vicinity and observe the situation, taking what I need from their hands."
Leonard was taken aback as he whispered, "Old Man, isn't that too sinister?"
This was using the members of the Hermits of Fate as tools to step into a trap.
"Heh, naive, childish. You can tell them all the details and let them decide whether they want to go on their own." Pallez scoffed.
Leonard didn't mention it again. Instead, he asked, "Old Man, when can I become a demigod?"
Pallez chuckled.
"If you can obtain a spirit at the level of your former colleague's messenger, you'll be able to digest the potion by the beginning of next year. However, heh heh, it's better to act according to my instructions. Engage in a deeper level of acting. Wait till the second half of next year, you'll have the qualifications to try for Sequence 4. Of course, I'm not sure if the Church of Evernight will give you the potion and hold a ritual for you. That high-ranking deacon named Cesimir Crestet, had to wait several years before he truly became a demigod when war truly broke out, didn't he?"
Leonard nodded and asked thoughtfully, "Old Man, can you act as a spirit to help me digest the potion?
"Your level should be higher than Klein's messenger..."
Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a few seconds before he chortled.
"What a great idea.
"How about I help you digest the potion?"
"How?" Leonard knew that Old Man was mocking him, but he couldn't help but ask.
"I'll deeply parasitize you, gaining full control over your body," Pallez snapped back.
As he spoke, Leonard came to the door of the Backlund diocese's archbishop.
He immediately shut his mouth and raised his right hand to knock on the door.
"Come in." Anthony Steven glanced at Leonard who had opened the door. "You can release that vampire behind Chanis Gate."
-x-X-x-
Upon hearing the bishop's instructions, Leonard was first taken aback before he inwardly sighed.
Mr. Fool's prophecy was really accurate...
No, it's not a prophecy. "He" was already aware of everything.
Leonard quickly reined in his thoughts and followed the procedures to get Bishop Saint Anthony to give him an official document. Then, he returned underground and brought two members into Chanis Gate.
After waiting for the Keepers to check the documents, he came to Emlyn White's room which was illuminated with shining silver candles that were covered with engraved patterns. He opened the heavy stone door with a brass key.
Ghostly blue light entered the cell, "stabbing" Emlyn White's eyes to the point of him instinctively closing his eyes.
His face was much paler than before, and his body was much thinner. He exuded a feeling that a gust of wind would lift him up at any moment.
Thinking of Mr. Fool's answer, Emlyn suddenly felt confident in his current situation. Without opening his eyes, he slowly stood up and chuckled.
"I knew you would take the initiative to send me out."
Would you be disappointed if I said that it was just a routine investigation? Leonard lampooned inwardly and replied without any expression, "I'll give you thirty seconds. If you don't leave Chanis Gate within this period, I'll take it as you voluntarily choosing to stay behind."
As a slightly more senior Nighthawk and a captain of a Red Gloves team for several months, Leonard had rich experience in dealing with prisoners.
Emlyn's expression froze. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he ultimately maintained his silence. He walked past Leonard and his two teammates and walked out of Chanis Gate.
Outside, he suddenly shuddered, as if he wanted to purge the chill in his body.
"Once you return, getting some sunlight would fix you up. Oh, the sun is a rare commodity in Backlund's winter, and you vampires don't enjoy sunbathing... Aren't you an Apothecary? You can concoct some medicine from the Sun domain yourself." Seeing this, Leonard casually reminded him.
Emlyn's condition wasn't the best. On the one hand, he hadn't drunk any spirituality-containing human blood for days. He could only rely on the blood of animals as a substitute. On the other hand, it was because he had stayed behind Chanis Gate for too long. The power of Evernight that supported the seal had eaten into him a little, making him require the effects of medicine from the Sun domain to remove the residual effects.
As a Potions Professor, Emlyn was aware of his physical and mental condition. He didn't retort or nod. He only emphasized the word "Sanguine" before asking, "Where's Father Utravsky?"
"He still needs to stay a little while longer. I hope this bloody war will end soon. Don't worry, we'll let him come out twice a week to get some sunlight. As for which days they'll be, it'll depend on the weather in Backlund." Leonard gave a simple response before sending Emlyn White to the ground and onto the streets.
Emlyn hesitated for a moment before asking again, "Where's the nearest hospital?"
"What do you want to do?" Leonard asked in a professional manner.
"Get a blood transfusion." Emlyn raised his chin slightly, trying his best not to change his expression.
Blood transfusion... more like drinking blood... Leonard didn't call him out. He pointed in one direction and gave him the address.
After watching the Sanguine Viscount leave, he returned underground and began to discuss a recent case with his team members.
...
After several days of traveling, Klein finally arrived near the Nois City ruins in the north.
This was equally a desolate plain. The dried riverbed left traces of itself on the ground.
Looking at the dark, shadowy city that was filled with a thin fog, he was in no hurry to get close. Instead, he found a hidden spot and muttered the honorific name of Mr. Fool.
Following that, he took four steps counterclockwise and recited the incantation before entering the world above the gray fog. To return to Sefirah Castle with just a thought, he needed the prayers of the Tarot Club members to stack together, forming a strong and firm anchor. That way, it would provide The Fool with the sufficient summoning power.
With the help of the prayer light, Klein used his "true vision" to check the situation of the Nois ruins from afar. He discovered that the thin fog was slowly dissipating, but it couldn't completely dissipate. On the surface of the city, there wasn't a single Spirit Body Thread. The people who were dressed in linen robes or animal hides were lying in different spots on the streets. They weren't as lively and busy as the time the City of Silver's expedition team visited.
After the angel or Sealed Artifact that occupied this city discovered that "Their" whereabouts were exposed, they chose to migrate? As Klein made a guess based on the situation in front of him, he retracted his gaze and looked at the grayish-white fog that held up Sefirah Castle.
He was trying to prevent the Miracle Invoker, or Attendant of Mysteries, or the corresponding Sealed Artifact from hiding in the Historical Void and ambushing the Beyonders of the ancient Nois City. He didn't wish to directly encounter a cluster of translucent maggots that twisted into a huge vortex when he leaped into the fog of history, nor did he wish to be pursued by those terrifying tentacles.
The ambush that Zaratul had laid for him still left Klein feeling a lingering sense of fear. From time to time, he would have nightmares, hoping to seek Miss Justice for another round of treatment for psychological trauma.
This stimulus was worse than seeing his marionette, Enuni, wear a monocle in front of him while his body remained completely immobile. This was because he had implicated the Hounds of Fulgrim.
After confirming that the Historical Void was safe, Klein returned to the real world. He stretched out his hand, grabbed, and pulled out his former self. This former self was also wearing a silk half top hat, a black trench coat, and holding a simple glass lantern.
In the next second, he "jumped" into the grayish-white fog and followed the illuminated spots in the Historical Void, running all the way to a period before the First Epoch, in that city of a long-dead civilization.
To him, this was a very ingenious "safe house." This was because, aside from him, no Scholar of Yore could trace back to this lost piece of history.
Of course, to him, coming all the way here had required him to expend a lot of his spirituality. He could only stay there for another fifteen minutes at most, and that was only if he didn't make any burdening attempts at summoning Historical Void projections.
After hiding his true body, Klein's projection in the real world moved forward, quickly arriving outside the Nois ruins.
He didn't blindly approach or enter. After circling to a small mound opposite the dried riverbed, he raised his right hand and summoned his original marionette—the cold Earl of The Fallen Qonas Kilgor with dark blue eyes.
Qonas's body squirmed and instantly transformed into Gehrman Sparrow. Then, he reached out and took out a lantern from the Historical Void.
The historical projection who summoned a historical projection had "Disordered" the distance under the dim yellow light of the lantern. In a few steps, he arrived outside Nois City, alone.
With the lantern in hand, he passed through the rotting buildings and passed through the thin fog before entering the ruins.
Compared to using his "true vision" above the gray fog, actual contact made him discover more details.
The humans and monsters lying in different spots had signs of decay, as though they had been abandoned for some time.
Some of them sat on chairs under the eaves of the house, others slumped beside stoves. Some held moldy bread while others held hands. There were some leaning against the walls and sitting on the ground, their lips pressed against a bone flute...
This allowed Klein to imagine the situation in the city back when they were "living."
Some of them were slacking off and resting. Some were baking food, and others were shopping along the streets. Others were focused on music as some came and went, laughing nonstop. There were also others fighting monsters in an arena...
This was such a lively and bustling scene, but in reality, everyone had already died and were no longer in possession of their souls. They were only repeating predetermined actions.
And one day, this strange scene froze with time, and everyone collapsed without any warning.
A city formed by marionettes, the most realistic theater... Back then, the foggy town was in a similar situation... Although I'm also a Seer, I still have to say that, in terms of horror, terror, and bizarreness, our pathway is definitely ranked amongst the top three... Could it be that I'll be acting in the same manner in the future? Attendant of Mysteries? With the lantern in hand, Klein walked through the streets that were littered with corpses. He followed his spiritual intuition and headed for the ancient Nois City's center.
The situation here made him believe that the person who had once ruled the Nois ruins definitely had enough intelligence. After the City of Silver's expedition team broke the peace and serenity here, the entity didn't choose to kill or destroy any clues. Instead, this place was abandoned without hesitation before the entity migrated elsewhere.
The reason why the City of Silver wasn't silenced probably had to do with an Amon parasite following behind. Yes, it could also be because of the True Creator... As he casually let his thoughts wander, Klein quickly arrived at a relatively intact cathedral.
Inside the cathedral stood a statue of a demonic wolf with eight legs. It was covered with short and dark hair.
There was a tuft of grayish-white fur at the top of the statue head. Its pitch-black pupils covered at least three-quarters of its eyes.
It's not Flegrea... The Dark Demonic Wolf that occasionally appeared in the Third Epoch, the God of Wishes? "He" has been in the Forsaken Land of the Gods for thousands of years and has finally found that Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic? Just as this thought flashed through his mind, Klein suddenly heard footsteps coming, resounding one after another.
Standing sideways, he immediately cast his gaze outside the cathedral. He saw a figure slowly walking through the thin fog before its outline quickly formed.
He was nearly 2.3 meters tall, with a slight hunch to his back. With grizzled hair, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and a scar at the corners of his mouth, he looked like an old priest or bishop while donning a long black clergyman's robe.
His dark brown eyes were calm, unlike the monsters deep in the darkness who were bloodthirsty and zero intelligence.
However, in the long, quiet night of low-frequency lightning, this clergyman didn't carry any animal hide lanterns or have any fire lit. He just quietly walked through the thin fog.