Chapter 1019 Patience
"How was it? Did you take a good look?" Just as Fors left the street where Viscount Stratford's mansion was, she saw Xio walk out with a down and vacant expression.
Xio nodded hesitantly.
"I did…"
Having said that, she seemed to come to her senses and said in shock, "I know her—no, him!"
"Him?" Fors was confused.
Xio habitually observed her surroundings before saying, "He's Sherman! The Sherman I told you about!
"H-he actually became a woman!"
Fors was stunned as she subconsciously asked, "Were you mistaken?
"Could she be Sherman's sister?"
Xio firmly shook her head.
"No, she admitted it herself and even told me not to disturb her. She wants to bid farewell to her past!
"But… how did he become a woman…"
Fors's eyes darted around as she suddenly recalled something. She said in thought, "It's not impossible either… There's a Beyonder pathway that allows a man to become a woman at a certain stage."
She recalled Miss Justice mentioning something similar during a free exchange session.
"Ah? Really?" Xio's widened as she asked in disbelief.
Yes!" Fors had already recalled the exact conditions as she gave a rather confident answer.
"This…" Xio was momentarily unable to accept it, but she couldn't find a rebuttal. All she could do was ask, "Which pathway is it?"
Fors replied, "Demoness!
"Uh, it's the Assassin pathway."
"Demoness… Sherman actually became a Demoness…" Xio repeated to herself.
Suddenly, her voice became louder.
"Could it be that she's being taken advantage of?
"No, I must warn her!"
Just as she said that, Xio turned around and ran with great strides in an attempt to catch up with the rental carriage again.
However, she couldn't find the target after attempting to pursue it for a few blocks. Sherman and the carriage seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
Xio gradually slowed down and finally stopped. She looked at the bustling streets ahead of her with a complicated expression.
Behind her, Fors passed through a few walls and finally caught up to her.
"Gone…" Xio whispered.
Fors also cast her gaze forward and thoughtfully replied, "We were discovered…"
Without waiting for Xio to speak, she turned around and sighed.
"Let's return and find another opportunity."
Xio didn't take a step forward as she continued standing there.
After a few seconds, she said under Fors's puzzled gaze, "Since they discovered a problem, will they speed up their plans ahead of time?"
"It's possible! If they don't wish for their plans to be foiled, they might attempt one final strike tonight before we're prepared!" Fors immediately agreed with Xio. "Let's return to Viscount Stratford's place and hide in a more concealed spot. We'll continue monitoring it!"
Xio immediately nodded and replied without any hesitation, "Okay."
In the dock area, inside a warehouse with plenty of goods.
Shermane was sitting on a dirty wooden crate. Her hands were crossed behind her back as her body had thin but firm spider webs coiled around her.
She appeared as though she was encased in a transparent cocoon, unable to make a single sound.
"It's not a bad thing for you." Trissy stood in front of Shermane with a pitch-black flame that resembled ink burning in her palm. "At the very least, you can determine if he really loves you or is lying to you."
Shermane was angry and afraid. She desperately used her whimpers to express her wish, but Trissy was unmoved. She turned her flame-wielding palm around and pressed it into Shermane's stomach.
The flames seemed to have intelligence as they scattered like flowing water. Following that, they penetrated her skin and flesh in an attempt to drill inside.
Trissy's smooth, black hair flared up in defiance of the laws of nature. They were being pulled by invisible hands as they extended out in every direction. It stained the surrounding air with a peculiar smell.
The strands of hair thickened as they scattered into distinct strands.
Beneath them, dark beams of light surged, bringing about curses and words. They flowed rapidly, fusing into the pitch- black flames. Upon entering Shermane's stomach, they quickly vanished.
Shermane's face twitched uncontrollably, but she didn't feel any pain. It was as though it was purely on reflex.
She soon calmed down as she saw Trissy's figure turn faint and gradually turn transparent until it vanished.
Shermane's pupils widened as she struggled again, but she was unable to break free from her restraints.
She tried again and again like a flood was rising, centimeter by centimeter, inside the silent warehouse.
After an unknown period of time, the door to the warehouse opened with a thud and slammed into the two sides of the wall.
A figure staggered in—it was the middle-aged Viscount Stratford.
He didn't wear his white wig like he always did while outside. This revealed his rather high receding hairline and rather messy black hair. The latter was stuck together as though it had been drenched by a storm and was air-dried. But in the past few hours, the clouds were thin and the crimson moon high in the sky. It hadn't rained at all.
Drops of sweat dripped down Viscount Stratford's rather cut facial contours as there were countless black threads flowing beneath his skin.
His body was slightly hunched, and his facial muscles were somewhat twisted. His eyes were filled with pain and concern.
He surveyed the area and was delighted when he found Shermane. However, he turned anxious as he charged over without much confidence.
When Shermane saw him enter the warehouse, her face lit up as though it was covered in a halo.
She then revealed a worried and fearful expression as she attempted to shake her head frantically. However, her neck was held firmly by the spider webs that prevented her movement.
She reeled in anxiety, to the point of tears flowing out of her eyes, drop after drop—crystalline and frail.
Just as Viscount Stratford was about to reach her, a loud bang suddenly rang out between the two.
It was as though there was an invisible wall that separated him from Shermane, one that was couldn't be surpassed.
"If you wish to break the curse and take her away, you have to answer my question without hiding anything." At this moment, a figure quickly appeared in a comer of the warehouse.
Her facial features were charming, forming together into an abnormally sweet look. She resembled the lover that every young lad would fantasize about in his youth. She was none other than Demoness Trissy.
Without waiting for Viscount Stratford's response, she raised her right hand and conjured a pitch-black flame.
Viscount Stratford's face, hands, neck, and exposed skin instantly turned transparent as they protruded with blood vessels.
And in every blood vessel, there was a black flame silently burning as it flowed silently.
The pain in Viscount Stratford's eyes immediately reached a peak, but it vanished the next moment.
His expression turned extremely cold as a jibing look appeared in his eyes. It was as though the one being cursed wasn't him, but Trissy who was a distance away.
Trissy, who was in the corner of the warehouse, suddenly burst into black flames. Dense, countless spider webs appeared, but they couldn't be lit up.
In the blink of an eye, Trissy was like Shermane, being sealed inside a transparent cocoon. She couldn't move or escape.
In a ventilation vent high above the warehouse, a figure appeared. It was a woman whose age wasn't obvious. She wore a simple and sacred white robe. She had black hair, blue eyes, looking sweet and beautiful, giving off an indescribable charm.
"Katarina Pelle…" Trissy seemed to expend all her strength before she shouted a name.
At this moment, Viscount Stratford grabbed at his body, pulling out an illusory doll covered in thick black flames.
He glanced at Shermane and smiled at Trissy.
"When it comes to matters related to life, I would never be careless. After that fellow, Sikes, died, I knew that it would be my turn one day.
"Heh heh, since you're hunting me, it means there are obviously others who wish to hunt you. We're very patient, afraid of scaring you away. We did nothing and waited until today.
"Also, your gift was pretty good."
Upon hearing Viscount Stratford's words, Shermane, who was still struggling out of habit, instantly stopped moving. Her expression turned blank.
Her eyes widened, but there wasn't any focus. The look in her eyes seemed to sink deeper and deeper. "Love…" Trissy suddenly laughed, seemingly mocking herself.
She wasn't nervous at all.
Maygur Manor. Night had fallen.
After settling more than twenty guests and preparing the hunting trip the next day, Klein woke up not long after he fell asleep.
His intuition had been triggered as a scene formed in his mind.
Brigadier General Qonas Kilgor, who was wearing a shirt and pants, had flown out of the guest room's window in secret. He landed outside in complete defiance of the laws of nature.
This… I haven't even taken action… He came here for his own goals… With a thought, Klein controlled a cockroach outside and turned it into his marionette. He then used its "eyes" to observe the surroundings.
Almost at the same time, Qonas Kilgor appeared.
After this demigod left Maygur Manor, he immediately distorted the "distance" and quickly arrived by the bank of the Tussock River. He prepared himself to cross it.
The cockroach watched quietly without any reaction.
He's heading for the south bank of the Tussock River… What does he want to do… Does he have the preference of hunting in the suburbs so that he can attempt to conceal such actions? He also introduced Maygur Manor to me for this reason? Klein lay in bed and seriously analyzed Qonas's actions.
After the MI9 demigod stepped onto the south bank of the Tussock River, Klein suddenly recalled a matter:
Back when he escaped the underground ruins where Ince Zangwill and company were, he appeared somewhere in the northwest of Backlund. This was the south bank of the Tussock River, making it rather close to where Maygur Manor was.
Chapter 1020 Means of a Demoness
As his thoughts raced, Klein suddenly switched positions with his valet, Enuni, who was in the opposite room.
And under a grapevine 150 meters from the manor's main building, a slowly crawling centipede suddenly stiffened before it relaxed.
Almost at the same time, its body vanished from its location. Dwayne Dante in his blue and white checkered pajamas had appeared.
Klein had swapped places with his marionette again!
He decided to use this method to secretly tail Qonas Kilgor and figure out where he was going or what he was planning on doing.
Although he could only "move" 150 meters a time, and it took two to three seconds in between "moves" due to the process of turning the target into a marionette, this was more concealed compared to Flaming Jump or Teleport. It made it difficult for Qonas Kilgor to detect him.
After all, he was dealing with a demigod. Even in domains where one's spiritual intuition wasn't the best, a demigod wasn't to be underestimated!
By the same logic, Klein didn't rely on Creeping Hunger to hide in the shadows. This was because it was relatively slow even though it concealed him rather well. It was impossible for him to catch up to the demigod.
Under the dark night sky, from Maygur Manor to the south bank of the Tussock River, the rats, snakes, spiders, fish that were active in that stretch of land stiffened up and turned sluggish.
They were converted into marionettes one after another. With their help, Klein constantly "moved" without causing a stir. Soon, he arrived at the south bank of the Tussock River, and after catching up to Qonas Kilgor, he maintained a distance of one kilometer.
To a Bizarro Sorcerer, even if a marionette were to go beyond his range of control, it wouldn't immediately escape from its controlled state or die immediately. Without a Bizarro Sorcerer's consciousness as a catalyst, this process was rather slow and needed nearly ten minutes. Therefore, Klein wasn't worried that he would lose Enuni, who was lying in bed, while he did his tailing. As long as he returned within ten minutes, he could continue controlling his marionette.
Silently, Klein followed Qonas Kilgor as they went upstream. Passing through the dense forest, they climbed up a mountain beside the bank.
At this moment, Qonas Kilgor, who wasn't wearing a vest or coat, suddenly stopped. He checked his surroundings and widened the range of his search as though he was trying to claim his territory.
Upon seeing this, Klein didn't dare stay any longer. He immediately switched places with his marionettes and retreated repeatedly, pulling away to a distance of nearly three kilometers from the deputy director of MI9.
At this moment, he gave up control of the marionettes ahead of him. The death of a few bugs wouldn't incur any suspicion.
This was all too common in the outskirts and in the forests!
King of the Five Seas Nast can create a fighting environment that's favorable for him. Will Qonas Kilgor, who's also a Black Emperor pathway demigod, have the ability to demarcate such a region. He can change, boost, and use certain rules and make whoever tails him expose themselves without being able to hide? It's very possible! Klein warily took out a gold coin he placed in his pajama pocket. He ran it through his fingers and flipped it.
This time, he deliberately controlled his strength and didn't produce a flicking sound. The gold coin flew up in silence and landed in his palm.
Without needing to look down, the gold coin's face was naturally reflected in his mind.
It was heads!
This meant that the anomaly ahead contained extreme danger!
As expected of a demigod. Such abilities sure are enviable… However, do you think you can avoid my "tailing"? Klein scoffed inwardly and found an abnormally secluded spot and made himself turn into Gehrman Sparrow.
Following that, he clasped his hands and pressed it to his mouth, whispering:
"Blessed of the sea and spirit world, guardian of the Rorsted Archipelago, ruler of the undersea creatures, master of tsunamis and storms, the great Kalvetua…"
After praying, Klein immediately took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the gray fog. He sat at The Fool's seat and beckoned for the bone scepter with blue gems embedded at its tip.
Then, with the help of his prayer, he utilized the Sea God Scepter's responding to believers and saw the area around Gehrman Sparrow.
He then raised his field of view and took in the surrounding area. Using this as the origin, he expanded his vision to five nautical miles. This was the limit of what the Sea God Scepter could observe with the help of its believers.
And this way, the area where Qonas Klein had designated—one that no object could escape his notice-appeared in Klein's vision.
In the dock area, inside a warehouse with plenty of goods.
"Love…" After Trissy chuckled, her figure grew faint as though she was bathed in the luster of a lake at night.
In the blink of an eye, Trissy, who had been bound tightly with layers of silk by Demoness of Unaging Katarina Pelle, turned into an illusory mirror.
It was a full-body mirror taller than a person. Aqueous light shimmered within as a ghostly halo grew out of it as though it was a door leading to another world.
At that moment, it didn't reflect the scene in front of it. Instead, it outlined a room.
The room was dimly lit. The bed and furniture had been diced up into countless small pieces which were scattered everywhere. Only the central region was spick and span.
Trissy stood there, wearing a dark black dress. Her hair cascaded down smoothly as it fluttered in the wind, accentuating her face's abnormal fairness. She looked like a female ghost as spoken in folk tales.
She wasn't actually present and was using the illusory mirror to project her figure and strength remotely. It was as though everything was real.
Therefore, she wasn't flustered at all when she was being controlled and hunted.
Upon seeing this scene, Katarina Pelle, who wore simple and holy white robes, didn't hesitate to let out a shriek.
Invisible waves quickly spread out as her hair flared up, each strand clear and distinct. They were thick and dyed with a grayish-white color.
The illusory full-body mirror suddenly vibrated and shook as though it was on the brink of breaking apart.
And in the messy room it reflected, the fragments of the bed, desk, and chairs turned grayish-white, losing their luster as though they were rocks.
The brownish-yellow floor in front of Trissy turned into grayish-white rocks as it quickly extended towards the only human in the room like a surging tidal wave.
Trissy didn't attempt to resist as she turned around and waved her hand back while leaping towards the open window.
In midair, invisible spider webs that belonged to her phased into existence. They turned dark as they spread towards the grayish-white colors.
At the same time, the dark and profound full-body mirror produced one crack after another. Amidst illusory shattering sounds, it broke apart and vanished.
However, before the full-body mirror completely vanished, the grayish-white colors receded in a strange manner inside the petrified room, materializing into a figure.
The figure wore a simple, holy white robe and had luscious raven-black hair. She looked both mature and innocent, as though she had a pair of profound and childlike blue eyes. She was Demoness of Unaging Katarina who had just been inside the warehouse a moment ago.
Viscount Stratford could no longer see the situation inside the "opposite" room once the ghostly glow dissipated.
He retracted his gaze and cast it onto Shermane. He wore a mixed look in his eyes before he recovered.
"Trissy really was patient. To deal with me, she actually spent months to nurture a new Demoness." Viscount Stratford shook his head with a chuckle. "What did she want you to gain from me?"
At that moment, with Trissy's connection being severed, the spider webs around Shermane had loosened. They were unable to bind her and restrict her freedom.
This beautiful girl wore a blank expression as she replied with a vacant look in her eyes, "She wanted me to know who you are truly loyal to."
Without waiting for Viscount Stratford to say a word, she asked hesitantly, her eyes making it obvious that she had difficulty finding the words:
"How many of those promises that you made to me were real?"
Viscount Stratford was taken aback before he chuckled.
"You're probably the most silly and most naive Demoness I've ever met…"
Shermane's expression froze on her face as the glimmer in her eyes that she found so hard to regain faded bit by bit.
Outside the warehouse, Xio and Fors were hiding in the shadows, observing the silent target area.
They had followed Viscount Stratford here!
Their patience had paid off, as they discovered this captain of the royal guards secretly leaving his mansion in the dead of the night, rushing to the dock area near the Backlund Bridge.
Using Xio's power as a Sheriff, they followed him all the way here by keeping a huge distance between them. They had also confirmed that he had entered the warehouse in front of them.
In addition, they also sensed that Viscount Stratford's condition had worsened as though he had been injured.
"Actually, we had the opportunity to take action while on our way here…" Fors looked at the warehouse's entrance and murmured.
Xio replied without looking at her, "But you said it yourself that you have a nagging feeling that things aren't that simple and wanted to wait."
"This might be the intuition of an Astrologer. It might also be an act of procrastination…" Fors replied in a self- deprecating manner.
They didn't say anything more as silence ruled once more. They continued waiting patiently.
At this moment, a pitch-black flame was ignited on the rammed earth in front of them.
The strange flames rapidly dispersed and kept close to the ground as it swept away. It then outlined a row of Loenese text:
"This is the chance you've been longing for."
Xio's and Fors's pupils dilated at the same time. Then, they looked at each other, at a loss for words. After a few seconds, Fors finally couldn't help but ask, "What do we do?"
Chapter 1021 Cross
Xio hesitated when she heard Fors's question.
"We were discovered…"
They had said something similar before, but they were repeating it again now. However, it didn't have the same meaning. Previously, it was referring to being discovered by the guardian or monitor when she recognized Sherman. Now, the crux of the matter was that their choice and corresponding actions were expected and arranged by the person behind the scenes. They had no secrets to speak of.
This meant that the chance that Xio had been longing for might've really appeared, but what lay behind this matter was inconceivable.
"If we follow the intention behind this 'message.' The final outcome will depend on whether she has good intentions, but that's not something under our control," Xio added from a rational angle.
The reason why she had used "she" to represent the person behind the scenes was because she had recalled the fragrance she smelled when she lost Sherman the other time.
Fors listened quietly and nodded in agreement.
Yes, we're too passive in this matter. The best option is to leave this place…"
As soon as she finished speaking, she looked at the warehouse. She opened her mouth but didn't say anything further.
She was reminded of the possible situation Sherman was in, and she suspected that "he" was in grave danger. However, she deliberately ignored it in the end and didn't mention it.
To her, Sherman was a person who existed in Xio's descriptions. He was no different from a character in a novel. If she had the strength and opportunity to save him in passing, she was willing to do so, but to bear the risk because of that and allow her friend to be rash, putting her life in danger was definitely not something within her considerations.
Xio nodded and said, "Alright, we'll leave now.
"However, the person who left that 'comment' definitely wouldn't be happy to see us do so. She will definitely hinder us.
"Uh, let's do it this way. We'll escape in different directions and make that person choose one person. Whoever successfully leaves this area will immediately cause a commotion and attract the official Beyonders."
"Why don't we directly cause a commotion here?" Fors subconsciously raised a question.
"It will definitely be stopped or foiled!" Xio gave her excuse.
Fors nodded thoughtfully.
"Makes sense.
"Alright, let's not delay it any further. Let's begin."
Xio didn't say another word as she took out her transparent, nearly invisible triangular blade. With her back bent, she leaped out of her hiding spot and ran out of the harbor amidst the shadows.
The triangular blade was a mystical item she had spent 500 pounds through Ma'am Hermit to get the Artisan to forge with the ancient wraith's powder and remnant spirituality. It was called Wintry Blade.
Anyone hit by this weapon—even if it were a gentle touch—would be frozen stiff. They would even lose control of their thoughts as though they were possessed by a wraith. At the same time, once the battle continued, Wintry Blade's enemies would gradually have their thoughts turn sluggish and their actions become rigid and dull, even if they didn't touch the triangular blade.
And Wintry Blade's negative effects wasn't that terrifying. Furthermore, there was only one—the wielder would slowly lose their body temperature and transform into an undead. Once a certain time limit was exceeded, this process would become irreversible.
Therefore, Xio had recently enjoyed jogging more or riding a bicycle at lightning speeds to generate heat to resist the loss of temperature.
But even so, she had only managed to extend the time it took before she kept Wintry Blade away from her body from three hours to four hours.
After running a certain distance, Xio turned back and realized that Fors had already passed through a wall and departed. She had vanished from where they were hiding.
After staring for two seconds, Xio bit her lip and suddenly turned around and changed direction.
She headed straight for the warehouse!
Soon, she arrived beside her destination, but she wasn't in a rush to enter. She looked up and observed the area above her, seemingly trying to find another passageway, one that was less noticeable to the people inside.
At that moment, her keen senses made her turn her head and see a figure appear around the corner of the wall.
The figure wore a black dress with a head of brown, curly hair. She had a pair of light blue eyes. It was none other than Fors Wall.
Didn't you leave?" Despite being surprised, Xio didn't forget to lower her voice.
Fors curled her lips and said, "Weren't you fleeing too?"
Xio was momentarily at a loss for words. After a few seconds, she asked, "How did you notice it?"
You didn't even mention Sherman. That's completely unlike you! I've already prepared a reason to persuade you!" Fors quickly replied.
Xio was taken aback as she said with a complicated expression, "You didn't have to come back."
Fors ignored her and pressed on the wall of the warehouse and said, "If we keep talking, perhaps we will no longer need to be stumped because it would already be over.
"Man, I actually didn't think of such a good idea just now. I should've immediately insisted on going with you to save her. You definitely would've persuaded me otherwise and would think of doing it yourself. If we repeated the conversation a few times, everything would've ended on its own."
Xio gave her friend a look and, without any hesitation, stood by her side with Wintry Blade in hand.
Fors immediately flipped Leymano's Travels and augmented her friend with Beyonder powers. Then, she put away the spellbook and grabbed Xio's shoulder with one hand, pressing the other on the wall again.
While Xio was waiting for Door Opening, she realized that Fors hadn't immediately used her powers.
This best-selling author took a deep breath and quickly said, "After entering, we'll hide and observe. After confirming that there's a chance to do something, we'll take action.
"If there's really no chance, or if we can't seize an opportunity for sure, we'll leave as soon as possible. That way, we can at least avenge Sherman and not be buried alive with him!
"Only by being alive will all kinds of possibilities open up for us…"
Xio immediately nodded and replied in a stern manner, "Okay."
Fors wanted to say a few more words, but considering how she had wasted some time and couldn't afford to waste any more time, she "opened" the illusory door and passed through the wall with Xio, coming behind a row of wooden crates.
With her no longer being a greenhorn in such operations, she instinctively crouched down and pulled out Leymano's Travels and flipped to a particular page.
Xio similarly didn't dash in. She bent down and moved her eyes to a gap between the crates and observed the empty region.
The female-looking Sherman was sitting on a wooden crate without any signs of anger. Her brown hair was gently fluttering in the wind.
And standing in front of her was Viscount Stratford. This captain of the royal guards tightened his collar and was surveying the area, a mystery as to what he was looking for.
"Unfortunately, you're only a Demoness."
"Don't worry. I will let you die without any pain. You will be completely purified."
As he spoke, he took out an item from his inner pocket.
Xio used her enhanced vision from the Interrogator potion, and she clearly identified the item.
It was a cross accessory covered in bronze. There were a few sharp, jagged protrusions, looking as though it had once impaled someone.
Its style and characteristics were things that the various nations in the Fifth Epoch's Northern Continent didn't possess. It exuded ancient vibes.
Very good. You know that resistance is futile," Viscount Stratford said as he pressed one of the fingers he used to hold the bronze cross onto the spike.
His bright red blood immediately flowed out and was absorbed by the spike, seeping into the object.
The mottled bronze on the cross's surface disintegrated, revealing a corporeal form beneath that was a blob of light.
In just a second or two, the item Viscount Stratford held had turned into a resplendent cross!
It emitted a pure and flawless glow, illuminating the surroundings in an abnormally bright manner.
The wooden crate's shadows quickly receded as the dark splotches on the wall evaporated like water.
Beside Shermane, the countless spider webs that originally belonged to Trissy floated up and struggled in the fire, melting in just mere seconds.
The light grew brighter, but they weren't blinding. Black flames burst out of Shermane's body along with crystalline ice. They turned dim, transparent, and eventually vanished under the illumination.
Within the range of the resplendent cross, there weren't any traces of evil or abnormalities present. Not one inch of darkness remained!
Seeing Sherman's expression slowly distort, Xio couldn't help but shoot Fors a glance.
She could clearly sense the terror of the resplendent cross, and she was beginning to waver about saving her.
Fors also noticed what was happening and pointed to Leymano's Travels. She raised her left index finger and whispered into Xio's ear, "There's only one chance.
"I will work hard to create it for you. If it's not successful, or if you can't be certain of it, we will give up."
Xio didn't hesitate as she nodded solemnly.
Fors immediately straightened her body and flipped Leymano's Travels to the charred-yellow page.
This page was filled with complicated, twisted, indescribable symbols and labels. It gave one the feeling of a strong gust of wind.
Sailor pathway's demigod power—Hurricane!
After observing her surroundings once again and confirming that there weren't any other enemies, Fors's gaze penetrated through the gap in between the wooden crates and locked onto Viscount Stratford. She then slid her finger gently across the charred-yellow page.
With an exploding whoosh, a visible hurricane soared up beneath Viscount Stratford's feet and rushed upwards.
The captain of the royal guards wasn't able to maintain his balance from this sudden attack. He was lifted up by the hurricane and was slammed into the warehouse's ceiling.
Boom!
The warehouse's ceiling was torn apart by the hurricane as portions of it collapsed. Some of the fragments spun around amidst the wind as they flew higher and higher.
Viscount Stratford nearly fainted from being slammed, and he failed to hold onto the resplendent cross, allowing it to fly out of his palm.
When the spike with a sliver of his blood left his finger, the mottled bronze covered the cross's surface once more.
The flawless light vanished in turn.
Upon seeing this, Xio didn't hesitate to rush out of her hiding spot. Her eyes first reflected Viscount Stratford's figure before two blinding bolts of lightning lit up.
Psychic Piercing!
1022 Answer
Amidst the violent hurricane, Viscount Stratford was like a helpless leaf that was pitifully thrown about as though he could be torn to pieces at any moment.
In this state, he couldn't react at all, much less speak. All he could do was rely on a Disciplinary Paladin's powerful body to barely hold on, hoping that he wouldn't lose a limb or head inside this terrifying hurricane.
He originally believed that the hunt had succeeded and that Trissy's capture was at hand. Furthermore, he was extremely certain that his target didn't have helpers; hence, all his attention was focused on Shermane. To his surprise, he suddenly became the prey and fell into a trap without any prior warning.
Upon realizing that the hurricane was beginning to weaken and that he had only suffered some damage from the impact and didn't receive any fatal wounds, Viscount Stratford hurriedly tried to regain control of his body in preparation for the upcoming battle.
At that moment, he felt a stabbing pain in his head which felt as though a sharp dagger had been impaled into it before being twisted a few times.
This feeling was something that Viscount Stratford felt was both familiar and unfamiliar. This was because, although he had never experienced it directly before, he had "attempted" it on several targets to observe their reactions.
This was one of the Beyonder powers he was most proficient with!
Psychic Piercing!
Bang!
Upon being attacked, Viscount Stratford, who had failed to adjust his physical state, slammed into the ground hard as the bronze cross loudly fell several meters away.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Xio held Wintry Blade and took a huge stride, dashing straight for Viscount Stratford who was struggling to get up.
As for Fors, she had already flipped through Leymano's Travels and flipped it open to a page that resembled a goatskin parchment.
As her fingers slid across the page, Viscount Stratford's shadows, which had surfaced once again, came to life, condensing into black chains that wrapped around its target, binding him tightly.
Viscount Stratford, who had just managed to catch his breath and become alert, still hadn't had the opportunity to choose the target for his "punishment" and apply certain restrictions when he once again lost his freedom. Even his mouth was bound by a shadow chain.
Abyss Chains!
It was Abyss Chains from the Sanguine or Moon pathway's Mid-Sequence Beyonders!
Fors had used it once and was rather fond of this Beyonder power. She found it very useful, so she had spent gold pounds to get Mr. Moon, who had become a Viscount, to record it.
Bang!
At this moment, Viscount Stratford suddenly unleashed power that surpassed his previous strength, tearing the shadow chains apart.
He had chosen the "bindings" restricting him to be the target of punishment!
But at that moment, Xio had already rushed in front of him like a high-speed train, thrusting that transparent triangular blade.
Amidst a splotching sound, the Wintry Blade stabbed into the target's abdomen.
Viscount Stratford's body stiffened once again as his eyes glazed over as though he had turned into an ice sculpture.
Xio released her hand and allowed Wintry Blade to remain stabbed into the stomach of the captain of the royal guards, seemingly hoping that the wraith which might've existed on the weapon would continue "Possessing" her target and forcibly bring him under control.
Right on the heels of that, she swung her arm and slammed a punch right below Viscount Stratford's ear.
After two heavy blows, Viscount Stratford fainted without even letting out a grunt. His stiff body collapsed once again.
After completing this strike, Xio left her back to Fors and immediately moved past the staggering Viscount Stratford, who had Wintry Blade in his stomach, and dashed to Sherman who remained sitting on a wooden crate.
Fors flipped through Leymano's Travels once again, using other Beyonder powers to add another layer of restrictions onto Viscount Stratford's body. Then, she walked out of the row of wooden crates she had been hiding behind and first approached that bronze ancient cross.
The scene she saw made her suspect that it was an item at the demigod level. In the parlance of official Beyonders, it was a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact.
And with Viscount Stratford carrying and using it, she believed that the negative effects of the cross weren't that direct. She could attempt to pick it up.
Of course, as a former Astrologer, Fors took out the pure crystal ball as she walked, quickly doing a divination. "There are no problems…" Fors glanced at the outcome and quickened her pace.
At this moment, Xio had already rushed in front of Sherman. Looking at this friend who had turned rather beautiful, she was momentarily at a loss for words.
To her, Sherman's condition was in a terrible state.
This Demoness's hair was floating up with each strand turning thick as if they were tiny snakes.
On the ends of the "tiny snakes," some had eyes or mouths. They appeared extremely bizarre and terrifying.
On Sherman's face, a black paint-like mysterious pattern suffused out of her skin and was rapidly spreading across her body.
Her slightly vacant eyes quickly reflected Xio as she gradually recovered her spirit and, along with that, also came a little confusion and pain.
She opened her mouth and stuttered, "Xio… I'm in so much pain…"
Xio's vision instantly blurred.
Although she was still lacking in many of the details regarding the mysterious world's general knowledge—since the Tarot Club's discussion was just way over her head, and the information she got from MI9 was mostly about secret organizations—she still knew quite a bit about losing control. Among unaffiliated Beyonders, it was something that couldn't be avoided.
Therefore, Xio knew that Sherman was beginning to lose control. It was irreversible, and the situation would only worsen.
Sherman seemed to sense her state as she gasped for breath, revealing a weak smile. She said with difficulty, "Kill me… I've done… too many unspeakable sins… I've also obtained… what I've wanted…"
Xio's tears dripped down. Without hesitation, she flipped her hand, drawing her backup weapon—an ordinary revolver. She then placed the revolver at Sherman's forehead.
Sherman smiled as a mesmerizing charm appeared in her eyes once again.
"Call me… Call me Shermane…"
"Shermane." Xio couldn't help but frown as tears brimmed in her eyes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She repeatedly pulled the trigger and fired the bullets inside.
Fresh flowers bloomed at once, red and beautiful.
Fors pursed her lips unknowingly when she saw this.
After two seconds, she let out a long sigh. She bent down and reached out for the bronze cross.
Just as her fingers touched the item, it felt like she had touched fire. It was hot and scalding, hot enough to burn the soul.
Fors instinctively retracted her hand, feeling alarmed and puzzled.
She remembered that Viscount Stratford had never acted in such a manner before.
As her thoughts raced, Fors glanced at Viscount Stratford and kicked the bronze cross towards the nearby Xio.
"Give it a try.
"Also, we have to leave immediately. The commotion from earlier will definitely attract the official Beyonders! Also, who knows what the person who left the 'message' will do!"
Xio, with her reddened-eyes, didn't say a word. She bent down and picked up the bronze cross. She didn't feel any sense of discomfort the entire time.
Uh… Fors didn't ask why as she walked to the stiff Viscount Stratford's body and warily looked around.
After Xio put away the bronze cross, she picked up Shermane's corpse and returned to Viscount Stratford's side.
"That item is very precious. His status is also very important. We'll definitely be the targets of the royal family's pursuit efforts. We need to do some interference…" Fors looked down at Viscount Stratford as she muttered to herself in thought.
She quickly made a decision. She raised her hands, lowered her head, and began piously chanting Mr. Fool's honorific name.
She didn't believe that them giving up the bronze cross would stop the royal family from pursuing them due to being perceived to have lower priority. Therefore, without any hesitation, she prayed to Mr. Fool for help.
To her, sacrificing the item to Mr. Fool was better than staying there.
Almost at the same time, she saw a holy angel with twelve pairs of fiery wings.
A phantom projected out of the angel as it descended from the sky, wrapping her and Xio in layers of flaming wings.
Once this was over, Fors was just about to say something when she felt her body quiver. She felt a particular sense of horror and evil permeate from the void.
Her eyes focused as she didn't hesitate to crouch down, reaching out her hands and grabbing Xio and Viscount Stratford's calf.
At the same time, the final dark green stone with burn marks on her bracelet emitted a blue and illusory light.
In the blink of an eye, the bodies of Fors, Xio, Viscount Stratford, and Shermane turned transparent as they vanished from the spot.
In seconds, they left the docks area and appeared on the outskirts of St. George Borough.
During this process, Fors had even used her Beyonder power as a Scribe to "RecordM"Traveling.M
After observing her surroundings and confirming that there was no one around since they were in the forests, Fors released Xio and Viscount Stratford and straightened her body.
With the blessings of Mr. Fool's angel, there shouldn't be much danger. The person who "left the message" won't be able to lock onto us. Fors heaved a sigh of relief before saying with a lingering sense of fear, "The person who descended upon us towards the end was definitely a saint. Thankfully, we quickly escaped…"
Xio gently lowered Shermane's corpse and said in thought, "If the person who 'left the message' was monitoring Shermane, then she might've already found out where we live. We can't return there."
"Yes, we need to change our residence," Fors said with great experience. Then, she cast her gaze at the unconscious Viscount Stratford. "You can interrogate him now. Make every second count."
As she spoke, she handed Leymano's Travels to Xio and exhorted, "There's Telepathy on it and it's used with candlelight. Also, start with the simple and unimportant questions to lower his resistance."
Xio received the spellbook with a solemn expression. However, her wrist trembled, unable to hold Leymano's Travels. Pa!
The bronze notebook dropped onto the ground as Xio said with a frown, "It's like fire…"
Fors had the same experience earlier, so after some thought, she said, Throw that cross away and try again."
Xio followed her suggestion and successfully picked up Leymano's Travels.
"It cannot be held with other mystical items…" Fors said with a nod when she saw this.
Xio didn't harp on this problem as she quickly prepared a lit candle.
Then, she drew Wintry Blade and relieved Viscount Stratford from his stiff and dazed state.
After the captain of the royal guards gradually awakened, she triggered the corresponding page in the notebook. Viscount Stratford instantly fell into confusion, and only the faint candlelight remained in his eyes.
"Why did Shermane try to approach you?" Xio asked the question she had just thought of.
Viscount Stratford replied blankly, "She was investigating who I'm loyal to."
Xio was taken aback as she instinctively asked, "Who are you really loyal to?"
Viscount Stratford slowly said, "His Majesty, of course.'
Chapter 1023 Mason Dere's Death
His Majesty… Xio was a little confused and filled with confusion when she heard Viscount Stratford's reply.
She found it inexplicable that Shermane would deliberately approach this captain of the royal guards just to investigate where his loyalties lay. This didn't seem to be something of great importance or value.
As for Viscount Stratford's answer, it was very normal and without any faults.
Shermane paid with her life for such an answer? Xio originally wished to press for the reason behind Shermane's investigation of such a trivial matter, but she immediately realized that it might involve key intel too soon. It might cause Viscount Stratford, who hadn't entered the necessary "state," to put up resistance. So she gradually held back her instinctive urge.
She thought for a moment and asked, "Do you know Mason Dere?"
"Yes," Viscount Stratford answered blankly.
Xio Derecha continued asking rather simple and unimportant questions.
"Who is he?"
"He's the former captain of the royal guards," Viscount Stratford answered simply without elaborating.
At this moment, Fors didn't listen to the Telepathy at such a superficial layer. She took out the pure crystal ball and placed it in Xio's pocket.
After transferring her items, she bent down once again and carefully attempted to pick up the bronze cross.
This time, amidst her trembling fingers, the soul-burning feeling didn't assault her. It allowed her to easily pick up the spiky item.
As expected, this cross cannot coexist with other mystical items… Uh, I still have Moon Paper Figurine and the remnant spirituality of the ancient wraiths, but it didn't react… This means that it can coexist with items that don't contain Beyonder characteristics, but won't resist spirituality and strength? If that's the case, will it also reject the Beyonder characteristic within my body? But it doesn't seem obvious… This is its other negative side effect, and it requires some time before it shows signs? Fors had a general idea about this ancient bronze cross. She then warily stored it away in a bag that contained all kinds of ritual materials.
After doing this, Fors looked down at the silver bracelet on her wrist. She confirmed that it was completely empty and was without any accessories hanging from it.
She had used up all five stones that allowed her to use Teleport.
However, Fors no longer felt as anxious as before. Although she believed that the "full moon ravings" would become clearer and more terrifying with the usage of each stone, she also knew that with Mr. Fool's help, this wasn't a problem. Over the past year, if not for her need to spend some time above the gray fog during every full moon or Blood Moon, she would've almost forgotten that she was suffering the torment from the "full moon ravings."
I hope that the curse will be lifted one day… After retracting her gaze from the dull silver bracelet, Fors couldn't help but sigh.
She then sincerely thanked Mr. Fool in her heart.
…No matter what "His" real goal is, "He" has rescued me time and time again. It hasn't only been from the "full moon ravings"…
This cross's level doesn't seem low. I wonder if Mr. Fool will be interested and is willing to accept my sacrifice… I didn't have any good items or news to repay "Him" for his benevolence. I finally see an opportunity…
Uh… This is a common spoil of war. I only own half of it. I wonder if Mr. Fool is willing to accept a sacrifice that I only have half the rights to… No, Xio has also been rescued by Mr. Fool before…
Hehe, perhaps it might please Mr. Fool… If "He" is satisfied, he might produce a few Beyonder powers and allow me to record them in Leymano's Travels. No, Leymano's Travels might not be able to record a deity's powers. It won't be able to withstand Mr. Fool's powers… Hmm, the powers of the angels under "Him" will do too. No, no, no—I can't be too greedy. I'll be satisfied if Mr. World can demonstrate some of his powers for me to record…
Fors's thoughts wandered as she had expectations akin to a dream.
This was the instinct of a best-selling author.
As for why she didn't expect anything else other than the recording of Beyonder powers, it was because she realized today how important and terrifying Beyonder powers at the demigod level were.
If Leymano's Travels didn't have Hurricane recorded, she and Xio might not have been able to capture Viscount Stratford. They might not even succeed in escaping.
Even if she didn't include the bronze cross, Viscount Stratford himself was a rather powerful Beyonder. If he hadn't been injured by Hurricane in the beginning and left dizzy from the fall, their sneak attacks might not have reached this level of success. There was a high chance that they might suffer a counterattack.
Of course, separating the resplendent cross from Viscount Stratford was key to the victory of this brief battle tonight. And again, this was all thanks to Hurricane.
On careful thought, if we switched to a less pressing situation, and if the bronze cross and the demigod powers in the notebook were excluded, Xio and I might have a chance of defeating Viscount Stratford together. We might even have quite good odds…
The Beyonder powers recorded in the notebook are varied, and when put together, they're truly powerful. Together with Xio's Psychic Piercing and the effects of Wintry Blade, in a head-on battle, it's reasonable for Viscount Stratford to be defeated if he doesn't have any special mystical items.
A living Scribe with rich experience is actually this powerful… The more Fors thought, the stranger she felt.
She realized that she had become rather formidable!
Back when they were dealing with the ancient wraith, she had already come to a similar conclusion.
And this time, their enemy, Viscount Stratford, was the captain of the royal guards of the Loen royal family. He was at least Sequence 6 and was probably Sequence 5. Furthermore, he wielded an item at the demigod level. The level of his strength was clear, so this immediately allowed Fors to benchmark her "level" in the world of Beyonders. Although their victory mainly stemmed from a sneak attack, a successful one was also a manifestation of one's strength.
I'm already a Scribe. With a good combination of powers, together with Leymano's Travels, I'm already a rather strong Sequence 5… The only problem is that I lack experience… As Fors reflected poignantly, she cast her gaze at Xio and Viscount Stratford, continuing to listen to their questions and answers.
At this moment, Xio's question had already reached a rather key topic that could easily result in resistance.
"How did Mason Dere die?"
After asking this question, Xio's expression suddenly turned complicated and expectant. She was also in a dilemma, feeling pangs of excitement and fear.
This was a question she wished to ask eight years ago. In these nearly 3,000 days, she had been constantly searching for an answer, but she was also afraid that the answer wasn't something she expected. She was afraid that her father was really involved in a mutiny and thus was executed, marring his reputation.
Viscount Stratford didn't immediately answer Xio's question. He seemed to struggle before saying, "He discovered His Majesty's secret and tried informing the three Churches but failed. He was executed on the spot."
Xio fell into a daze for a few seconds before finally confirming the answer she received.
Although this answer shocked her, it made the heart in her mouth sink back to its original position as she calmed down.
"Secret… His Majesty's secret…" she muttered softly to herself and asked in a pressing tone, "What secret?"
Fors, who was beside her, was also shocked to the point of being dumbfounded. She never expected things to develop to this stage.
At that moment, Viscount Stratford's facial muscles visibly contorted. It took him a great deal of effort to say a few words :"That secret is…"
Suddenly, his body jerked violently. His confused eyes regained their luster.
Right on the heels of that, his body collapsed from the most minute part, instantly transforming into a ball of "fireworks."
The blood-red "fireworks" soared into the sky and exploded, illuminating the night sky as they were reflected in Fors's and Xio's eyes.
This… Having experienced this previously, Fors didn't waste any time after her eyes momentarily blanked out. She immediately crouched down and grabbed Shermane's corpse and Xio's calf.
Their figures swiftly turned transparent as they vanished from the spot, Teleporting to the southern area of the bridge.
Above the gray fog, Klein, who was holding the Sea God Scepter, saw the "fireworks" that stained the sky red.
Back when Fors prayed to him, he had happened to be inside the magnificent palace observing Qonas Kilgor's actions. He conveniently took in the Red Priest card and used the paper figurine he cut, stirred the powers of the mysterious space, and gave a response.
During this process, he discovered that the person lying next to Miss Magician and Miss Judgment was Viscount Stratford.
This was one of the targets he had placed great importance on. Although he hadn't investigated him personally, he knew that there was something wrong with him. He knew that Demoness Trissy was targeting him, so he had remembered his appearance and characteristics at a ball.
Klein didn't know what the two Tarot Club members were up to, but since it involved Viscount Stratford, he definitely didn't write off its importance. He directly observed what subsequently happened to Miss Magician and Miss Judgment through the crimson stars.
After advancing to a demigod and obtaining even more authorities, he didn't need the Tarot Club members to pray to directly observe their vicinity via the crimson star. This was similar to specially marking out believers, but Klein had always held great restraint towards that and had never attempted it.
This made him hear Xio's and Viscount Stratford's conversation.
And since he knew the underlying truth, he knew very well what the true meaning and importance of "who he was loyal to" was.
Combined with the discovery of the king's secret by the former captain of the royal guards, Mason Dere, and how his attempt to inform the three Churches failed, Klein already had a guess.
He suspected that the greatest culprit behind the Great Smog of Backlund was the Loen Kingdom's king, George III!
Chapter 1024: Traditional Skills
Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Inside the palace above the gray fog, Klein, who was holding the Sea God Scepter, looked at the Black Emperor card and the Tyrant card on the table in front of him with a heavy look.
Although Viscount Stratford's answer could only prove that King George III hid a great secret, had played a crucial role in the Great Smog of Backlund, and was highly likely to be a mass murderer, it couldn't be said that he had spearheaded everything and was the true mastermind. After all, he might only be a puppet. But to Klein, this was already enough. The target was clear, and he had clues to investigate what they were planning.
Seeing that Miss Magician and Miss Judgment had left the area where the abnormality had happened and were practically safe, Klein retracted his gaze and continued to observe the actions of MI9 deputy director, Qonas Kilgor, via prayer vision.
After a while, after "securing" the territory and confirming that no one was tailing him, Qonas Kilgor walked to a mountain wall and took out an object.
His entire body was tainted with a ghostly-blue glow as he gradually became hazy and blurry.
Then, he disappeared into thin air, his whereabouts unknown.
A rather special form of Traveling via a corporeal ritual or item that allows him to teleport from point to point within a very short distance… Back when I came out from the underground ruins where Ince Zangwill was, I also passed through a similar "door"… Yes, this place isn't too far from the mountain where Mr. A pursued me…
This setup needs a very suitable and secretive region. Without having any permission from the interior, just holding onto an activation item might not have any effect. And once something happens, destroying the corresponding ritual can prevent enemies from entering and stop them from finding the exact location… Klein nodded in enlightenment.
Combining the information which Viscount Stratford had just revealed, he had come to the initial conclusion that the king's secret and the ploy by the three factions were all hidden deep within the underground ruins. As long as one entered, the truth would be obtained through a careful investigation.
However, the difficulty in performing the investigations became apparent the more he thought about it—he had to first obtain the corresponding item and, using his disguise as a Faceless to fool the guards, he would "Teleport" in. None of these steps were easy.
According to Arrodes, Qonas Kilgor wasn't just a demigod of the Black Emperor pathway, he also possessed a rather powerful Sealed Artifact.
Even if Klein had made preparations, his odds of defeating the brigadier general of MI9 wasn't too high if he didn't seek the help of angels, much less finish him off in a stealthy manner without anyone realizing it. Furthermore, there were many difficulties in getting the help of an angel, as all of "Them" had their own extenuating circumstances that prevented "Them" from agreeing.
Even if I take down Qonas Kilgor without drawing the attention of anyone, I have to consider the danger that stems from entering… Based on what previously happened, it's impossible for them to not be on guard against a Faceless… A cooperation effort between the king, the Psychology Alchemists, and the Demoness Sect guarantees that their ploy is significant. It's extremely possible that there's an angel within the underground ruins… Klein frowned as he was at a loss for a reliable angle for investigation.
He tapped the edge of the long mottled table and decided to break out of the confines of his original thoughts and consider it from a different angle.
A few seconds later, a flash of inspiration came to him.
Why do I want to complete all these steps by myself?
The king's secret and plans are likely detrimental to the three Churches of Storm, Evernight, and Steam; otherwise, the former captain of the royal guards, Mason Dere, wouldn't have attempted to inform the three Churches. As a Blessed of the Evernight Goddess—at least for now—isn't it obvious what I should be doing?
This can also count towards my contributions to exchange for the Scholar of Yore potion formula!
In an instant, Klein's thoughts became extremely clear. He left the area above the gray fog without any hesitation and returned to the real world.
Dressed in blue and white checkered pajamas, Gehrman Sparrow raised his hands once more and made a prayer gesture, he chanted in ancient Hermes, "The Evernight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity. You are also the Lady of Crimson, the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror, Mistress of Repose and Silence…"
This time, Klein didn't hold a ritual because he wasn't praying for a bestowment or response. All he wanted was to simply describe what Viscount Stratford had said, as well as his observations regarding Qonas Kilgor. Therefore, a direct prayer was sufficient.
After praying, Klein exhaled and stood in a remote area of the woods, patiently awaiting the possible developments.
In less than a minute, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him, like a quickly sketched portrait.
The newcomer was dressed in a simple robe. By the figure's waist was a belt made of tree bark. Long hair cascaded down as the figure was barefoot. She had a pair of dark and serene eyes, and she was none other than the highest-ranking archbishop and leader of the ascetics, Servant of Concealment, Arianna.
"Good evening, Ma'am Arianna," Klein bowed without any hint of surprise.
Arianna glanced at him and returned the greeting.
"Good evening."
"She" didn't make any small talk as "She" directly asked, "Qonas Kilgor is nearby?"
"Yes, less than ten kilometers away." Klein pointed in the direction. "He has already used an item to vanish from his place. What should we do next?"
Arianna nodded slightly and said, "Wait for him to come out and find an opportunity to capture him."
I-isn't that too direct? You look quiet and plain, a cultured person—no, angel. Why are you so aggressive? If Qonas Kilgor didn't head for the underground ruins and had gone to some other secret base, or if he wasn't too deeply involved in the king's ploys, to have the Church's archbishop taking action on MI9's top brass would definitely be breaking news. The kingdom's fracturing would only worsen! Klein was momentarily unsure how he should respond to Arianna.
Although he would definitely attack Qonas Kilgor if he handled the matter himself, since the latter's involvement in the slave trade and the silencing of others was enough reason, the problem was that a demigod of a secret organization attacking a military top brass and an orthodox Church's archbishop attacking a military top brass was two completely different matters.
As though sensing Klein's thoughts, Arianna calmly explained, "You will be the one taking action, not me."
"…" Klein was a little unused to "Her" style.
Arianna continued, "I will create a concealed world for you and provide you the necessary assistance."
Battle in a concealed state? Fight with the help of an angel? Klein nodded with a thought.
"Then where shall the ambush be?"
Arianna answered succinctly, "In your Maygur Manor."
…I share the same thoughts… But I didn't want to say it myself… Klein took a deep breath and exhaled.
The choice for the ambush location stemmed from very simple logic—it was to do it when Qonas Kilgor was in his most relaxed and defenseless state.
Without a doubt, once Qonas finishes his secret mission and returns to Maygur Manor, he would believe that the most risky matters of the night were over. He wouldn't have his guard up!
For the same reason, if the king's secret and ploy was of utmost importance, it was possible for an angel to be "watching" over him while he returned from the underground ruins. Once he suffered an attack, the angel would be able to immediately respond. And only when Qonas returned to his normal daily routine would the monitoring be retracted. After all, there were only a limited number of angels, so it was impossible for "Them" to be so free.
Thankfully, I used the most covert method of tailing him, and the distance was far enough… From the looks of it, Ma'am Arianna didn't place the responsibility of the battle onto me to avoid the risk and reduce the negative effects, but because maintaining a concealed state and preventing the existence inside the underground ruins from noticing the battle will drain a great deal of "Her" energy… Amidst his racing thoughts, Klein had a better idea of how he should proceed.
At this moment, Arianna added, "The concealed world's battle won't damage the real world."
That's pretty good… Klein muttered silently and said after some thought, "Then I need to immediately make some preparations."
"Alright," Arianna calmly replied.
"She" didn't even ask me what preparations I need. I was even prepared to say that I need a change of clothes… As Klein lampooned himself, he looked down at his blue and white checkered pajamas.
His left palm quickly turned transparent as he vanished from the spot.
Inside Maygur Manor, Klein's figure blinked into existence. Maintaining his appearance as Gehrman Sparrow, he quickly changed his clothes and wore a top hat.
Following that, he took out a piece of paper and used his finger to write.
The tip of his finger spewed out a scarlet flame, leaving charred marks without burning the piece of paper.
The charred marks quickly formed a complicated symbol that was a mixture of concealment and mystery prying.
With the formation of this symbol, the full-body mirror in the room turned dark as aqueous light rippled.
A silver outline appeared, forming one word after another:
"Exalted Great Master, your loyal and resilient servant, Arrodes, is here to answer your summoning!
"Do you have something you would like to ask me?"
"Yes." Klein nodded and looked out the window. "What demigod powers and powerful Sealed Artifacts does Qonas Kilgor have?"
This was something he vaguely knew before. After confirming that Qonas Kilgor was a target, he gathered more information and now wished to know more so as to prepare a strategy meant to target Qonas.
The full-body mirror's silver words warped and squirmed, quickly forming new words:
"Great Master, Qonas Kilgor is an Earl of The Fallen. To hide his strength, he wields a Sealed Artifact that also belongs to the Lawyer pathway. However, it also has some of the Arbiter pathway's characteristics mixed into it. It's called 'Concerto of Light and Shadow.'"
Chapter 1025 Random Anomalies
The full-body mirror's silver words seemed to have a life of their own as they vanished and reformed:
"The Concerto of Light and Shadow is a pocket watch. It can restrict certain actions in a particular area, and it can also strip certain Beyonder powers from the target. When the two are put together, the limitations that are created far exceed the two types.
The Concerto of Light and Shadow is also able to 'gift' certain negative side effects to the target, making him sluggish; eager; avaricious; or lose their fighting spirit, only capable of focusing his attention on money.
"Apart from these effects, the Sealed Artifact's wielder would have the ability to distort the target's speech, actions, intentions, and attacks. It can reduce a lethal blow into a serious injury, or it could repel an attack, turning progression into retrogression, escaping into leading a charge.
"The negative effects of Concerto of Light and Shadow are rather serious. Amongst them, the main negative effect to take note of is that once it's brought into combat, all the Beyonder effects produced in a certain region would intermittently experience random anomalies. It wouldn't distinguish between friend or foe, making it hard to control and unpredictable. That also means that Lightning Strike might still create a bolt of lightning, but it might splash the target with a blast of cold water or summon unknown spirit world creatures.
"Due to this reason, Qonas Kilgor has deliberately sought out a mystical item that can make him sufficiently lucky at critical moments, hoping that the random intermittent effects will benefit himself. It's definitely useful to a certain extent, but it's not that great.
"Qonas Kilgor also has a strange revolver. It originated from an anomaly during an evil god's sacrifice. It's called 'Rever's Shout of Despair'… It can shoot without bullets, and each shot possesses immense strength… It can shoot at a rapid pace like a miniature machine gun… Targets who are hit by it will suffer Rever's shout of despair before he died. They will suffer different levels of pain, dizziness, and confusion…
"The biggest problem with the revolver is that the wielder will also hear the shout of despair. It just won't be too frequent.
"As an Earl of The Fallen, Qonas Kilgor no doubt has a qualitative change when it comes to 'Distortion' and the unreasonable 'Bestowment.' In addition, he can also 'Exploit' laws and 'Magnify' effects, and use 'Disorder' to disrupt order.
"Exploit can extend certain states for longer periods of time or end it ahead of time. It will make the rules more beneficial to himself. For example, after jumping into midair, the state of being away from the ground can be extended, achieving the effect of floating.
"Magnify can boost the effects or influence of his actions. It can make an ordinary attack become an execution. It can turn a hug from a distance away into a restriction.
"Disorder will influence the structure of objects, the standards of measurement, and the accuracy of attacks. It will make a seemingly massive building collapse, causing what seems like a huge distance to be shortened to that of a few paces, as well as allowing attacks that are aimed at him to miss their mark.
"Through Magnify, Exploit, and Distortion, Beyonders of the Lawyer pathway can achieve certain things that only Beyonders of the Arbiter pathway can accomplish.
"Of course, Low- and Mid-Sequence Beyonder powers of the Lawyer pathway like Bribe are equally possessed by an Earl of The Fallen and are even stronger.
"Great Master, I've finished answering your question. Is that okay?"
Your answer is like a guidebook. You must've been gathering information from the spirit world while delivering it… Also, must you seek praise even for matters such as this? Klein lampooned and nodded slightly.
"That's right."
After answering Arrodes's question, he quickly got into the zone as he analyzed the powers and traits of the powerful Sealed Artifact which the demigod, Qonas Kilgor, had.
An Earl of The Fallen is indeed a Sequence 4 demigod existence. There are qualitative changes in various aspects. Be it "Bestowment,""Distortion,""Exploit," and "Magnify," none of them are easy to deal with. I might suffer if I'm careless…
Rather, Disorder isn't terrifying. It's basically an enhanced version of the Sequence 5 Mentor of Confusion's power…
The Concerto of Light and Shadow does have traits of the Arbiter domain. And the most frustrating aspect about it is the negative side effects… To a Beyonder of the Seer pathway, my combat style is definitely closer to one of preparation, precision, and control. Once the battle begins, the moves will chain one after another. During this process, if a random deviation were to happen, the entire plan can easily be messed up and not be accomplished… It's very dangerous…
As he thought, Klein discovered that the main problem stemmed from the Sealed Artifact named Concerto of Light and Shadow.
As a Beyonder who liked setting up traps for his enemy, Klein didn't wish that after throwing himself into a perilous situation through his painstaking planning and hard work, he would realize that the item would summon a rabbit just as he was using the Fate Siphon charm to switch fates with his target to turn the tables and finish off his opponent. Or perhaps it would turn into fireworks to celebrate the death of the user.
Qonas Kilgor can reduce the effects by raising his luck, but I can't do it. Fortune or Misfortune that's not at the angel level won't be effective on me… However, I have the marionette, Winner Enuni… Klein thought as he gave Arrodes the second question:
"How can the intermittent random anomalies of that Sealed Artifact be avoided?"
Silver words appeared out of the ripples of the deep mirror, forming a new sentence:
"There's no need to avoid it!
"Qonas Kilgor just needs to become unlucky, and for this, the demigods of the Evernight pathway are experts."
Makes sense… According to the theory of relativity, as long as Qonas Kilgor is more unlucky than me, I'll be the lucky one. Ma'am Arianna said that "She" can provide me with assistance… To "Her," secretly slipping some misfortune onto Qonas Kilgor before creating the concealed state should be very simple and easy… Klein immediately nodded cheerfully.
"Very good. That's it for today. I'll summon you again if there's anything else."
"Yes, Master! No problem, Master! Goodbye, Master-" On the full-body mirror's surface was a simple drawing followed by silver words.
Seeing the mirror instantly return to normal, Klein retracted his gaze and quickly simulated the battle that would happen in his mind.
Gradually, he came up with an idea, and grabbing onto that flash of inspiration, he proceeded forward in refining it.
After having a few tentative plans, Klein walked to the balcony and looked at the garden in the night sky, whispering, "Can you inflict misfortune onto Qonas Kilgor before the battle?"
After a brief silence, a calm and ordinary female voice rang in his ears:
Yes."
"Then it's fine on my side," Klein immediately replied.
Tranquility quickly returned to his surroundings.
A rather cold breeze blew by, and Klein expressionlessly stared at the manor for a few seconds. Then, he pressed down on his silk hat, pulled the human-skinned glove on his left hand, and drew Death Knell from his underarm holster.
Right on the heels of that, he flicked his thumb and made the iron-black revolver's cylinder spin.
The night grew darker as the crimson moon occasionally tore through the clouds. Maygur Manor was completely in a state of deep sleep.
At this moment, a figure stealthily came from the Tussock River's south bank, taking two to three steps to return to his room.
He was none other than the deputy director of MI9, Qonas Kilgor, who wore a white shirt and black trousers.
This demigod with a stout look surveyed the area and didn't notice any abnormalities. He gradually revealed a smile and walked to the bar counter in the guest room. Getting a cup, he picked up a bottle of Maygur red wine. He prepared to pour some for himself to celebrate the wonderful night.
At this moment, his spiritual perception was triggered as he looked up abruptly.
He saw the buildings with a few grayish-white chimneys suddenly become covered in shadows as if they were dyed with ink.
To the side of the chimneys, on one of the steeple landmarks of Maygur Manor's main building, it was equally dark. The bright red moon was silently hanging behind the chimney.
The clouds and stars high in the sky had vanished. Apart from the gigantic crimson moon, there was pitch-black darkness.
Under the night sky, the flowers and trees were clearly in front of him, but they lacked any signs of life. They were dim, as though they were a great distance away.
Black and red, shadows and buildings, and the silence and plants presented themselves in front of Qonas Kilgor in such a strange state.
This… The demigod's pupils dilated as he didn't hesitate to respond.
He reached his left hand into his clothes and extended his right hand under his armpit, taking out two items.
Amongst them, he held a strange revolver in his right palm. It was entirely gray in color, bigger than an ordinary revolver. It looked like it was half the size of a sledgehammer that was used in classical battles.
Another unusual trait of the revolver was that it had six barrels, each rather thick. The mouth was dark, and its cylinder was embedded with more than ten ugly rivets, making it have a rather crude beauty.
Qonas Kilgor's left hand held an iron-skinned pocket watch. On the watch's face, half of it was filled with neatly arranged symbols that followed the order of time, while the other half was a chaotic mess. It even intruded into the neighboring region. On both sides, it seemed impossible to see the machinery behind them as they formed into a structure that looked even more complex and headache-inducing.
Almost at the same time, a figure emerged out of the gigantic crimson moon. It glided over at an extremely fast speed.
He grew bigger and clearer. He was a young man with black hair, brown eyes, and cut features.
The young man was wearing a silk top hat and a black trench coat. He held a unique revolver in one hand, and a transparent human-skinned glove covering the other. Under the bright illumination of the surroundings, he seemed to be burdened with the weight of the gigantic crimson moon.
Gehrman Sparrow.
Meowhead
An only slightly assisted fight against a sequence four, where planning might go awry. I am looking forward to seeing how he will pull this off.
Chapter 1026 Two Restrictions
Upon seeing the young man in the black trench coat appear with a black revolver in hand, Qonas Kilgor, who was no stranger to all the important figures in the world, immediately responded.
The thumb on his left hand that held the iron-skinned pocket watch was rapidly moving, reaching for one of the metal buttons on the messy inlays of the pocket watch. He suddenly raised his right arm, aiming at Gehrman Sparrow with the six gray gun barrels that formed a circle.
This process was like a fleeting spark that quickly came to an end. As for Qonas Kilgor's left thumb, it had pressed down.
He overcame his instinct and didn't directly use Restriction from the Concerto of Light and Shadow.
This was because he didn't know Gehrman Sparrow well enough, unsure as to what he was best at. Furthermore, the person with Gehrman Sparrow's appearance might not be Gehrman Sparrow. Blindly using Restriction would only be a waste of an opportunity.
He intended to observe and wait for a while longer before he came up with a more specific order to distort the laws. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The strange revolver let out a roar of despair and spewed out a storm of black and icy bullets, instantly enveloping the enemy beneath the crimson moon.
At this moment, Gehrman Sparrow's figure turned transparent and incorporeal.
At the same time, the bullets tore through the target in the black trench coat, tearing apart the afterimage he left behind.
And behind Qonas Kilgor, Gehrman Sparrow, with a cold expression, quickly appeared. His body was half-crouched, and he was leaning forward. The black top hat on his head appeared blood red under the crimson moon's illumination.
He suddenly raised the black-barreled revolver in his hand, opening his mouth slightly while aiming and squeezing the trigger.
Bang!
The floorboard to the right of Qonas Kilgor exploded into countless fragments.
Gehrman Sparrow's shot had been ridiculously far off the mark. Furthermore, its destructive power was clearly lacking.
This was the Distortion power of an Earl of The Fallen. It caused the bullet's trajectory to deviate and have its power weakened.
Seizing this opportunity, Qonas Kilgor used "Disorder" to influence measurement standards, arriving above the balcony of the bedroom with one step.
Then, he half-turned his body, and with a smack, he pressed one of the metal buttons on his iron-skinned pocket watch. He then solemnly said, "Teleportation is prohibited here!"
Silently, Maygur Manor, which was being illuminated by the gigantic crimson moon, experienced an unknown change. Gehrman Sparrow, whose body had rapidly turned faint after firing, appeared out of the void again.
He had failed to successfully change positions.
Concerto of Light and Shadow—Restriction!
To Qonas Kilgor, no matter what Gehrman Sparrow was good at, he had to immediately "Restrict" his obvious ability to teleport. An enemy who could do close-quarters Teleportation at a high frequency wasn't only irritating, but also dangerous!
Realizing that his Teleportation had failed, Gehrman Sparrow's expression remained unperturbed. His body quickly warped as the colors faded from his body, leaving a deep darkness.
This "deep darkness" suddenly collapsed across the ground, fusing with the shadows in the region where the moonlight couldn't reach, making him indistinguishable.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bullet holes riddled the spot where Gehrman Sparrow was previously standing, tearing the ground open.
Boom!
The area collapsed immediately, revealing the room before. However, no dust was thrown up.
And despite such a stir, Maygur Manor remained blanketed in deep shadows. No one was awakened or gave a response.
Qonas Kilgor suppressed the urge to "Restrict" the action of hiding in the shadows. Holding onto Rever's Shout of Despair and Concerto of Light and Shadow, he calmly observed his surroundings and waited for Gehrman Sparrow to appear once again before launching his attack.
However, inside the collapsed room, the shadows were silent, and there wasn't any movement. And outside the window, the steeple and chimneys remained immersed in an icy-cold darkness. The gigantic crimson moon seemed to be hanging over the roof.
The plants in the garden, the grapevines far away, and all the various classical windows seemed to degenerate into the background on this night. Despite being visible to the naked eye, they were imperturbable.
All of Maygur Manor was cold, dark, and silent, just like a forgotten corner that didn't garner the attention or incur discovery from others. There were no signs of life at all.
As a demigod, as an important figure in the intelligence community, Qonas Kilgor quickly had a theory. He suspected that the person was related to the authority of Concealment.
This gave him many ideas, but Gehrman Sparrow remained nowhere to be seen.
He actually didn't sneak attack and even gave up the chance to deliver a barrage of attacks, leaving me so many openings… Doesn't he know that a High-Sequence Lawyer or Arbiter is very difficult to deal with once they're prepared prior to the battle? A sense of puzzlement flashed across Qonas Kilgor's mind.
Using his observations of his surroundings and the relatively non-urgent situation, he quickly understood his current predicament. He knew that defeating Gehrman Sparrow wasn't key, but escaping the concealed world was.
If he couldn't leave this place, there might be more dangers awaiting him!
As long as I can leave this dark-styled Maygur Manor, even if angels were to descend, I don't have to worry since I'm in Backlund… Such artificial concealed worlds must have an opening. This is a law that cannot be avoided in the mysterious world… The usage and distortion of laws was what Lawyer pathway demigods were best at! Qonas Kilgor had many ideas come to him as he quickly made a decision.
He suddenly turned around and jumped from the balcony, flying off like he was a spring that was released.
This demigod of the military instantly reached a high altitude, but he didn't slow down or show any signs of falling.
He maintained this speed as he went higher and higher in altitude; thus, achieving flight.
Earl of The Fallen—Exploit!
This was the exploitation of laws. By extending the jumping process, he could maintain a much longer duration.
If Qonas Kilgor became a Sequence 2 angel, he could even jump onto the crimson moon with this Beyonder power.
While jumping in midair, Qonas Kilgor swung his right arm and released his "Disorder" Beyonder power.
He wanted to create a certain level of "Disorder" in Maygur Manor in this strange world. The true exit would then be exposed through the generated ripples.
Instantly, the flowers and grapevines in the background of Maygur Manor wavered. The black steeple, chimneys, and classical windows were covered in a faint shadow.
In the entire world, only the gigantic crimson moon which appeared to be right before them didn't change. It continued hanging silently in the sky.
That's the exit! Qonas Kilgor grasped the patterns from the disorder, and using some actual feedback, he determined where the exit was.
Without any hesitation, he exerted strength in his waist and used "Magnify" to forcefully change his direction, allowing him to rush towards the bright red moon.
At that moment, a figure appeared in front of Maygur Manor. It was none other than the cold-looking Gehrman Sparrow who wore a black trench coat and half top hat.
Whoosh!
A strong gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, sweeping Gehrman Sparrow upwards as he chased after Qonas Kilgor. Amidst the wind, he raised the iron-black revolver in his right hand and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
A bullet flew out, exploding into countless fragments.
They then turned into a storm that swept towards Qonas Kilgor.
Death Knell—Slaughter! It was a barrage of attacks!
Almost at the same time, Qonas Kilgor changed direction without any warning, plummeting instead of rushing towards the moon.
As a result, he dodged the bullet storm's assault as though he was prepared for it.
No, it wasn't the case—he was prepared! Although his main goal was to escape the changed Maygur Manor, he was still worried that Gehrman Sparrow would seize the opportunity to attack him. Therefore, he came up with a simple trap, planning to use his escape as bait to fish out the hiding Gehrman Sparrow. He could then take the initiative to heavily injure his opponent.
Halfway down, Qonas Kilgor's figure suddenly bounced back, having "Distorted" the direction he was heading in.
This time, his destination was the next "point" where Gehrman Sparrow was flying towards!
Right on the heels of that, he yanked his pocket watch-wielding left hand back and grabbed Gehrman Sparrow through thin air, pulling him from a distance of nearly a hundred meters away to just inches before him.
Earl of The Fallen—Magnify!
Whoosh!
Amidst the howling winds, Qonas Kilgor grabbed Gehrman Sparrow's clothes and pressed his strange revolver in his right hand forward.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rever's Shout of Despair released countless bullets like a machine gun, instantly tearing Gehrman Sparrow's body into fluttering pieces of paper.
Qonas Kilgor's gaze froze slightly as he immediately moved his left finger and pressed one of the metal buttons on his pocket watch.
With a click, this Earl of The Fallen didn't hesitate to say in a domineering fashion, "Stand-ins are prohibited here!"
Just as he said that, the howling wind came to a stop. Maygur Manor returned to silence once again as it was blanketed by dark shadows.
Qonas Kilgor changed direction and began spiraling in midair in search of Gehrman Sparrow. However, there weren't any anomalies in the dark night sky.
This Earl of The Fallen hesitated for a moment before preparing to continue rushing towards the gigantic crimson moon.
At this moment, figures appeared in the garden, vineyard, and manor's main building. They either grew or became taller, rapidly taking form.
They all had black hair and brown eyes with sharp facial features. They wore silk top hats and black trench coats. They were all Gehrman Sparrows!
The only difference was that some of them were of normal build, some with their backs sunk inwards. The rest were bloated while others just a thin layer.
Upon seeing this scene, Qonas Kilgor immediately recalled a dangerous enemy he had once encountered.
One of the leaders of Intis's intelligence department—a Bizarro Sorcerer!
Chapter 1027 Decei
After Qonas Kilgor realized which Beyonder pathway his enemy belonged to, all the Gehrman Sparrows in the garden, vineyard, and main building, raised their left hand. They curled their middle finger, ring finger, and pinky, extending their index finger and thumb, making them take on the simple shape of a gun.
The index fingers that represented barrels and muzzles aimed at Qonas Kilgor in the air before their respective arms jerked up seemingly due to the recoil.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Amidst deafening noises, illusory doves appeared to the side of the Earl of The Fallen who was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. They flew at him from every direction in a spectacular sight of utmost beauty.
This was the random anomaly that came about from the iron-skinned pocket watch and Concerto of Light and Shadow. It made the Air Cannons which could blast through houses turn into doves of peace that didn't pose any threat!
Having used "Disorder" to disrupt the enemy's collective volley, Qonas Kilgor wasn't surprised to see the doves fly up and disperse into the air.
He was already mentally prepared.
He had already endured the negative effects that the Sealed Artifact had brought for years!
Taking advantage of this opportunity, he didn't hesitate to raise his hands which held the iron-skinned pocket watch and revolver, doing so in a bid to make them collide.
This was "Distortion," one that targeted all the Gehrman Sparrows beneath him.
To Qonas Kilgor, what frustrated him the most when fighting a Bizarro Sorcerer was that he was unable to tell if the enemy he faced was a marionette or the actual person unless the marionette was of a very crude level.
As such, he had many Beyonder powers he didn't dare use because they were ineffective against marionettes.
A large-scale "Prohibition" effect was still alright, but a single-target "Deprivation" was meaningless in actual combat. No matter how many Beyonder powers of a marionette were deprived, it didn't affect the actual body. When that happened, his opponent just needed to switch marionettes to resolve the problem.
Due to similar reasons, using "Magnify" on the mystical items on the marionettes was temporarily written off by Qonas Kilgor for strategic purposes.
Similarly, an Earl of The Fallen's "Bestowment" was of no use. It was even inferior to "Deprivation," as it could cause a Bizarro Sorcerer's marionette to lose its corresponding Beyonder powers. However, the negative effects "Bestowed" to a marionette was unable to interfere with it at all. Be it turning them sluggish, losing the will to fight, making them turn anxious, or only focus on money, it was meaningless to a marionette who was, in essence, dead, without any ability to think or inclinations to take action.
Therefore, Qonas Kilgor decided to first resolve the problem of identifying marionettes and the actual body.
In this aspect, others might not have a solution, but a High-Sequence Beyonder of the Lawyer pathway definitely didn't have such worries.
There were rules to everything, and everything followed certain rules. As a Lawyer demigod, they were good at finding whatever loopholes there were to exploit them for themselves.
Together with his combat experience fighting other Bizarro Sorcerers, and how he had seriously considered solutions for dealing with them during the aftermath, Qonas Kilgor was quite certain that "Distortion" could suppress his enemy.
He knew that Bizarro Sorcerers could seamlessly switch between their actual body and marionettes. He planned on "Distorting" this, making the Bizarro Sorcerer only be able to switch to two to three marionettes!
This way, the difficulty of identifying the actual body and the marionette would be minimized.
Of course, if it wasn't for the fact that Distortion couldn't exceed certain limits, and area-oriented "Prohibition" effects had reached its limit, Qonas Kilgor definitely would've used a simpler method to deal with his opponent, such as forcing the Bizarro Sorcerer to only be able to swap with one marionette, or he would "Prohibit" swapping with marionettes.
Pa!
Qonas Kilgor smashed the Rever's Shout of Despair and Concerto of Light and Shadow together as though he was compressing a large area to a small area.
Earl of The Fallen—Distortion!
Silently, he produced a red glow with a deep shadow in his hand. It appeared as though he was offering it to the Gehrman Sparrows in the garden, vineyard, and main building. As for the thick and thin, normal, or terrifying crazy adventurers, none of them experienced any abnormalities.
Qonas Kilgor also suffered a random anomaly, one brought about by Concerto of Light and Shadow!
It had changed the Distortion effects to summoning a flower from the garden below.
And at that moment, the Air Cannons that had turned into illusory doves continued!
At that moment, the battle between two demigods turned ludicrous, comical, and funny.
Of course, be it Gehrman Sparrow or Qonas Kilgor, none of them thought that was the case—especially the latter. He once again felt a familiar sense of helplessness.
He didn't hesitate as he slammed his palms together again, completing the "Distortion." He wanted to rely on quantity to resist the random anomaly effect.
However, Gehrman Sparrow wasn't a dead person who would abide by the etiquette of turn-based combat. The large swath of crazy adventurers either raised their hands in firing stances or used a Death Knell with questionable authenticity, aiming at the Earl of The Fallen in midair.
Meanwhile, Qonas Kilgor's heart stirred. He turned his head slightly to look up and saw that a figure had appeared once again inside the gigantic crimson moon that hung above the black steeple.
The figure was wearing a silk top hat, a black trench coat, a human-skinned glove, and an iron-black revolver. He had a cold expression and a deep outline. He was another Gehrman Sparrow!
The crimson moon seemed to weigh down on his shoulders as he glided down, his body expanding and turning clearer in the process. As for the iron-black long-barreled revolver in his hand, he had already lifted it and aimed it at Qonas Kilgor.
Bang! Bang!
A bullet that had transparent and translucent sections to it shot out from the muzzle, heading straight for Qonas Kilgor.
This was a Deprivation Bullet, one which was created using a Worm of Time that Amon's avatar had left behind!
It was different from an Arbiter pathway's "Deprivation." In essence, it was theft. It could steal the last three Beyonder powers the target had used and become empowered with the ability to use them.
However, as long as the Arbiter pathway's "Deprivation" selected a target, then they could directly deprive them of their ability. Although this bullet's "Deprivation" effect didn't require contact in order to be effective, the target needed to be within a certain range and unable to leave the area. In short, one was unavoidable and could only be resisted or weakened through one's level or Sequence's characteristics, while the other could effectively be dodged if the shot was detected ahead of time.
Klein had given up on a sneak attack and had stalled for time because, on the one hand, he wanted Qonas Kilgor to use up all his "Prohibition" and "Deprivation" powers on Beyonder powers that appeared important to him. On the other hand, he was also waiting for the first random anomaly to happen. Then, he would seize the gap in between the two anomalies to steal Qonas Kilgor's three most powerful powers with the Deprivation Bullet.
For these two goals, he even handed Death Knell and Creeping Hunger to Winner Enuni and made him appear like the real Gehrman Sparrow instead of a marionette.
From the current developments, Qonas Kilgor was about to lose "Distortion,""Disorder," and "Magnify."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Gehrman Sparrows underneath collectively fired shots.
Suddenly, the Air Cannons and the Deprivation Bullet exploded, turning into red, purple, yellow, or green fireworks. However, they were unable to illuminate the deep dark sky.
Concerto of Light and Shadow had once again created a random anomaly!
It had produced its effects several times in a row without any pauses or delays.
Qonas Kilgor immediately smiled and slammed his hands together again.
All of a sudden, the young men wearing silk top hats and black trench coats under the gigantic crimson moon's illumination turned gloomy. Only two maintained their previous states.
The Earl of The Fallen's "Distortion" had taken effect!
This meant that Gehrman Sparrow could only switch places with those two normal marionettes!
Right on the heels of that, Qonas Kilgor didn't hesitate at all. He swung his arm and threw out the flower that was held together with the pocket watch out.
The flower sped up and seemed to gain weight of unknown origins. Like an arrow, it shot towards one of the normal marionettes.
This attack had been "Magnified" and also came with the effects of Bribe—Weaken!
Boom!
The flower was like a cannon that crashed heavily into the ground, causing a violent quake.
The surging waves it stirred up threw up the ordinary and unordinary humans in the vicinity, tearing or severely injuring them. The two marionettes which Gehrman Sparrow could swap with had been reduced to pieces of meat.
Qonas Kilgor maintained his calm. As he "Distorted" his trajectory in midair and circled the area while in flight, he raised Rever's Shout of Despair and aimed it at the Gehrman Sparrow that had descended from the crimson moon.
At the same time, he silently prepared a "Bestowment."
He wanted to give his target the negative state of "lacking the will to fight"!
But at that moment, Qonas Kilgor's mind suddenly turned adrift as his thoughts turned sluggish.
This… Turning into a marionette… Qonas Kilgor's mental state stiffened as he understood his current situation.
He then saw that Gehrman Sparrow, who had descended from the crimson moon, wasn't as far away from him as before. The distance between them was only about a hundred meters.
He had unknowingly entered the range where Spirit Body Threads could be controlled. He had stayed there for at least three seconds without realizing it!
Deceit!
A Deceit Bullet made from Amon's avatar!
When Klein, who was actually Winner Enuni, had pulled the trigger, he hadn't only fired a Deprivation Bullet, but had actually fired twice!
This was to prevent any random anomalies from happening.
With an anomaly having happened once, even if another anomaly were to happen, only one of the two bullets that had been fired in intervals that were slightly spaced apart would be affected. After all, it was an intermittent random anomaly. It was possible to have it happen two to three times consecutively, but four or five consecutive occurrences were rare. Therefore, by attacking numerous times, there would be at least one or more instances that wouldn't suffer an anomaly!
Just now, the firing of the second Deceit Bullet had been concealed by the collective volley from the marionettes.
This was also why Klein made Winner Enuni use Death Knell—it was to rely on his luck!
Finally, he successfully deceived Qonas Kilgor and allowed Winner Enuni to secretly enter a safe distance of 150 meters from him and begin controlling his Spirit Body Threads and obtained initial control.
The moment this began, it meant that the Beyonder power was taking effect. Since there weren't any anomalies, it meant that there wouldn't be anymore!