Chapter 1203 Harves
In the ancient palace above the fog.
Dark red starlight shot up, forming several figures.
Leonard did a casual glance, and his gaze suddenly froze on the silver-black jewelry box placed on the long mottled table.
If he recalled correctly, this was likely a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, the Box of the Great Old Ones that The World Klein Moretti had specially emphasized during the prior private gathering.
The Saint of Secrets was really in control of this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact? And he even used it? Yet, Ma'am Hermit and Miss Justice succeeded? Leonard's pupils dilated slightly as he nearly couldn't believe his eyes.
As an official Beyonder, a Red Glove captain of the Church of Evernight, he knew Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts very well. He knew that these items could easily destroy a city, causing people to suddenly die without putting up any resistance. When facing them, not only was contact with them impossible, but even understanding them was something that should be reduced if possible.
Leonard originally believed that Ma'am Hermit and Miss Justice would leave the battlefield according to the plan after encountering a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. They would then think of a way to rescue Miss Magician. To his surprise, they had succeeded, and had even retrieved the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact!
Ma'am Hermit's Mystical Re-enactment has reached such a high level? Did the "Feast of Betrayal" she mentioned really make the Sealed Artifact rebel? Or could it be that Mr. Fool had provided some help? Leonard muttered silently as he glanced at The World Klein Moretti who was seated at the bottom end of the long bronze table. He discovered that his former colleague was rather calm.
Klein surveyed the area and said, "Congratulations, everyone. The hunt this time was very successful.
"All the spoils of war are here."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand, condensing various bits of mysterious knowledge into a pale white luster. He also included a small number of legends that came from the East, such as Peach Blossom Spring, and Lanke's Go Match. He wanted Ma'am Hermit to test if they were mystical or not, and whether there was any real source.
"Ma'am, this is your reward." The World Klein made the pale white light fly towards The Hermit Cattleya. Then, he pointed at the Box of the Great Old Ones, the Secrets Sorcerer's Beyonder characteristic, the Traveler's Luggage, Botis's eyeballs, nine Worms of Star, large amounts of gems and materials on the table. "In addition, you have the right to choose first."
After the battle at the demigod level with the Saint of Secrets, Cattleya finally found the bearing and confidence of a saint. She first received the pale white glow and closed her eyes to digest the mysterious knowledge contained within.
In the Second Epoch, the ancient gods believed that the original Creator, The Oldest One, left some objects behind. Perhaps it was a "kingdom" formed from a portion of "His" body or something that "He" created…
There are nine of these that contain the various sefirot. They are the Chaos Sea, Sefirah Castle, River of Eternal Darkness, Knowledge Moor, Tenebrous World, Brood Hive, Nation of Disorder, City of Calamity, and the Key of Light…
The ancient sun god came from a place known as Chernobyl…
The Marauder pathway's Sequence 0 is called Error…
Emperor Roselle's fairytales might have originated from something that happened before…
…
As the mysticism knowledge resonated in her, Cattleya couldn't help but open her eyes and look at The World Gehrman Sparrow.
There were too many things inside that shocked her, making her realize that she had opened the door to a whole new world!
I never thought of Mr. Fool's origins in the past. Now, I can vaguely grasp it… A thought flashed through Cattleya's mind as she had a guess.
She immediately controlled herself. She didn't want to think too much, nor did she dare to think too deeply about it.
She was afraid that she would come up with an answer that was enough to make her lose control.
This is one of the nine sefirot. Mr. Fool's goal is to gather all the sefirot and attempt to recover…
Raising her right hand, she nudged her heavy glasses on her nose bridge. Cattleya forced herself to focus her attention on the small "tales" and decided to return to the real world to completely digest the potion before she attempted to create magic with them, allowing her to draw on their power using Mystical Re-enactment.
Of course, she also believed that not every one of them would succeed. She believed that a portion of those stories were purely fabricated. After all, this was a gift from Mr. World. There was no guarantee that they would be effective. After all, out of the many fairytales and ancient legends that Emperor Roselle recounted to Queen Mystic back then, only a few of them truly produced magic.
She took a few seconds to compose herself and cast her gaze to the middle of the long mottled table, preparing to choose her spoil of war.
Without a doubt, the most eye-catching item was the Box of the Great Old Ones labeled "0-61." The silver-black jewelry box embedded with many gems completely overshadowed all the other items.
Cattleya wasn't too unfamiliar with Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, because Queen Mystic had more than one. It was also because of this reason that the Queen's Element Dawn was able to compete with the ancient organization, Moses Ascetic Order, that had been born in the early Fourth Epoch.
The gap between an angel and a saint was not something the magic of a powerful fairy tale could make up for.
To become a truly powerful figure, one had to advance to Sequence 2 or possess a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. It wasn't that Cattleya didn't have any desire for the Box of the Great Old Ones, but when she thought of the hint that The World Gehrman Sparrow had received from Mr. Fool, the terrifying negative effects, the third level's extreme danger, and most of the Beyonder powers that she couldn't control, she felt a sense of horror.
Although she had "Brief Luck," she still lacked the ability to seal the Box of the Great Old Ones so far.
After a series of intense struggles, The Hermit Cattleya pointed at the dreamy crystal and said, "I want the Secrets Sorcerer's Beyonder characteristic."
If they could find a suitable High-Sequence Artisan, it could be transformed into a rather good Sealed Artifact, one that had barely acceptable negative effects. Queen Mystic Bernadette happened to have the resources to do so, but the commission might not necessarily succeed.
In the end, even if there's only "Teleportation," that will be enough. However, it's obvious that a Secrets Sorcerer wouldn't only be able to grasp Teleportation… Even if the negative effects are excessive, I can get Queen Mystic to shatter and try again, or I could sell it to Miss Magician… Yes, she said that her teacher would prepare the ingredients for her… Following that, Cattleya nodded at The World Gehrman Sparrow to confirm her choice.
Choosing the Secrets Sorcerer's Beyonder characteristic? Upon hearing Ma'am Hermit's reply, a scene appeared in Klein's mind.
Wearing a purple-patterned black robe, the lady wearing a dark-colored hood relied on "Blink" to leave behind many doppelgangers. Then, they would all ignite a match at the same time.
…The Little Match Girl will turn into countless witches selling matchsticks… This is a horrifying fairytale… The World Klein couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth as he tersely acknowledged.
"Alright, it's your right."
He then cast his gaze at Miss Magician.
"It's your turn to choose."
"I-I didn't do anything…" Fors said guiltily.
Klein scoffed and said, "You successfully acted as bait."
"…" Fors didn't know what expression she should use to respond, but she heard Mr. Star seemingly laugh.
She slowly took a deep breath and cast her gaze at the spoils of war on the long bronze table.
Frankly speaking, she wanted to choose the Box of the Great Old Ones because it was an item that her teacher's family had snatched away.
She didn't want to use it herself; she wanted to return it to her teacher directly.
However, considering that she was only bait, Fors felt that she was not qualified to take an item of this level.
Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts were extremely rare, precious, and dangerous. She had already gained a deep impression of them with Mr. Star's introduction. She knew that the value of the Box of the Great Old Ones was definitely not something a saint's Beyonder characteristic could compare with.
With this in mind, she chose under The World Gehrman Sparrow's watch. Fors finally gave up the impulse and pointed at the pair of eyeballs.
"I'll take them."
She wanted to bring the pair of eyes to her teacher and tell him that Botis was dead. It was an end to all the hatred.
In addition to such a value of the item, Botis's eye could be made into a powerful hex item or be used as a medium for a curse. It was considered a pretty good item.
Klein nodded slightly and did not persuade her. He only pointed at the gems, materials, and the Worms of Star and said calmly, "You also paid the price of a Moon Paper Figurine, you can choose something to make up for it."
"Alright." Fors reflexively agreed.
As the Apprentice pathway needed gems for several charms and rituals and could still be appreciated normally, Fors took a portion of the gems and waited for the bestowment ceremony to obtain them.
With that, Klein shifted his gaze and said to Miss Judgment, "It's your turn."
Xio also knew that she had not contributed much, and she knew that she had no ability to withstand the negative effects of the Box of the Great Old Ones, so she didn't even take a look at 0-61 and pointed to the black pocket.
"I'll choose Traveler's Bag."
This way, she could carry heavy weapons with her and might even be able to pull out a cannon at a critical moment.
As for the problem of strengthening the hidden space after a period of time, she had also considered it. After all, she could still use it for about a year for the time being. In the future, she could rent a Sealed Artifact from Ma'am Hermit to maintain it. Furthermore, at that time, Fors might have already become a Secrets Sorcerer.
The World Klein nodded and looked at The Star Leonard.
"It's your turn."
Leonard did not stand on ceremony. He scanned the area and tapped a few times.
"Three Worms of Star, twenty gems, and those ingredients."
This feels like I'm paying "protection fees" to the official organizations… After lampooning his dear poet, Klein turned to Miss Justice and said, "The mission was very successful and I'm very satisfied. Although you have already received your payment, you can still choose a little more."
Audrey could decipher the sincerity of Mr. World's words. Without any excuses, she chose a Worm of Star and a third of the spiritual materials.
At this point, as the mission's commissioner, The World Gehrman Sparrow had obtained five Worms of Star, a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, a third of the spiritual materials, and nearly thirty high-quality gems.
He smiled and looked at Fors.
"Remember to tell your teacher about this. Just say that this is a gesture of my goodwill. And I want to make a deal with him."
Chapter 1204 Putting Life and Death Aside
Fors wasn't surprised by Mr. World's request. She nervously replied, "Al-alright.
"What kind of deal is it exactly?"
During this period of time, she had communicated with her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham, several times. Under Miss Justice's guidance, she had laid quite a lot of foundation for the impending request.
The World Klein laughed hoarsely.
"You don't have to tell him what I want for now. Just lay out my chips for him and see if he's interested."
"Your bargaining chip is still the promise to break the Abraham family's curse?" Fors cautiously sought confirmation.
Klein nodded and pointed at 0-61 on the long mottled table.
"It can also be this Box of the Great Old Ones."
An item used to exchange for a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact can't be simple… Be it Justice Audrey or The Hermit Cattleya, both of them suddenly had such a realization.
However, Fors paid more attention to the promise of breaking the curse. This was because she had experienced it herself and knew how tragic her teacher's family was.
She replied solemnly without hesitation, "Alright."
…
Backlund, West Borough, in the basement of a house.
Saint Tenebrous, who was hidden in the shadows, suddenly grew out of the darkness.
He turned his head as if he was listening to something. The muscles on his cheeks began to twitch. It wasn't just one chunk of flesh, but bits. Not only were they not connected to each other, but they were also interfering with each other. It looked extremely odd.
In seconds, Kisma wore an extremely painful expression as his skin tore apart, as flesh and blood beneath squirmed, mixed with a deep black.
With a thud, he fell to the ground and prostrated himself before the altar, vomiting out large amounts of organs and shimmering light.
Saint Tenebrous's head was pressed tightly against the ground as he muttered crazily, "Botis actually died…
"A Secrets Sorcerer who wields a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact died just like that…
"There's a tarot card, The Hermit…
"The two enemies that attacked were saints. One was a Mysticologist, while the other was a Manipulator…
"The organization that believes in The Fool and uses tarot cards as their codenames…
"Gehrman Sparrow… Azik Eggers…
"…"
After an uncontrollable murmur, Saint Tenebrous Kisma cried, feeling both vexed and pained.
"I repent, I repent, I repent…"
…
A few days later, in an apartment's room in Pritz Harbor.
The disguised Dorian Gray Abraham had received a letter from Fors through many hands.
He examined it carefully and confirmed that there were no issues. After confirming that there were no abnormal signs, he took out the letter with the help of a letter knife.
The beginning of the letter was the usual greeting. Following that, Fors directly wrote:
"…We have already killed Saint of Secrets Botis, and obtained the items on his person…"
"…" Dorian had originally planned on scanning through the letter quickly, but he ended up stuck on this sentence. He read it a few times and forgot to continue reading.
Dorian knew how strong and powerful Botis was. He also knew very well how terrifying a Secrets Sorcerer was.
But now, the new student he had been teaching for over a year had told him in a very calm tone that Botis had already been taken care of.
In an instant, the only things that echoed in Dorian's mind were thoughts of: "impossible," "a lie," and "a conspiracy." He suspected that Fors had already been controlled by the Aurora Order.
In any major faction, Sequence 4 Beyonders were the absolute upper echelons and extremely important members. How could they be so easily killed!
Dorian's throat bobbed up and down as he forcefully focused and continued reading the contents of the letter.
"…We have obtained the Box of the Great Old Ones. I believe you aren't unfamiliar with it…"
After reading another line, Dorian's eyelids twitched a few times. He felt that the letter in his hand was as heavy as a boulder.
Of course, he wasn't unfamiliar with the Box of the Great Old Ones. This was a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact of the Abraham family, proof that they had once been glorious.
…The one that was killed was Botis who possessed the Box of the Great Old Ones… Dorian's shock kept rising. He felt that things had gone beyond his imagination. On the other hand, he felt that there was a possibility that it wasn't impossible. Perhaps the one who really killed Botis was actually the Box of the Great Old Ones.
He knew very well how dangerous that Grade 0 Sealed Artifact was!
At the same time, he finally noticed a word: "We."
This was the first time Fors had indicated that she had companions and partners.
Of course, Dorian had already guessed it, but he hadn't called her out.
Indeed… Dorian sighed and eagerly read the rest.
"…I have a friend who wants to show you his goodwill by pushing for this operation against Botis. He said that he wants to make a deal with you, and is willing to use the Box of the Great Old Ones or a promise to remove the Abraham family's curse in exchange. He wonders if you are interested. He doesn't know where you are, and I won't tell him. You can totally refuse…"
A promise to remove the curse? Dorian skipped over the Box of the Great Old Ones and ruminated on the extremely important part of the sentence.
After the first few letters, he had fully understood the true nature of the family's curse. It was both a sorrowful and helpless matter—a glimmer of hope that was brewed out of the pain.
Before this, who would have thought that the person who caused the descendants of the Abraham family to lose control would be their ancestor's cry for help?
This was like a cruel joke from fate.
Dorian didn't know if Mr. Door knew the consequences of "His" actions, nor did he know how to describe his complicated feelings. However, he couldn't help but start searching for a way to make Mr. Door return and completely remove the family curse.
This was a path with very slim hope, but for the Abraham family, it was enough, because a light had finally appeared in the darkness.
After an unknown period of time, Dorian folded the letter and smiled bitterly to himself.
"Goodwill… Such goodwill is frightening…"
After he muttered to himself, he fell into silence again. His expression was gloomy and his heart seemed to be struggling.
Gong!
The sound of the wall clock rang punctually, snapping Dorian out of his daze.
His expression gradually became solemn, and he finally made a decision.
After making up his mind, Dorian felt much more relaxed. He even smiled.
He first burned Fors's letter before packing his bag and heading out to the steam locomotive station in Pritz Harbor.
He was going to Southville, but not to hide, but to make some preparations.
He planned on handing all his family's items and potion formulas to one of the family members who was staying there before returning to Pritz Harbor. With his identity as Dorian Gray, he would head to Backlund to meet his student, Fors, and the powerhouse who had shown his goodwill.
When the time came, he would consume a type of medicine in advance to allow himself to suffer a powerful curse that rooted itself in his Spirit Body. He would have to regularly consume another type of medicine to maintain his life. This way, even if he was controlled and unable to commit suicide, he would quickly die because he had no chance to take the medicine. With his Spirit Body dissipating, he wouldn't leak any key information.
For this "journey," Dorian had put life and death aside.
He was willing to sacrifice his life for that slim hope.
…
North Borough in Backlund, beneath Saint Samuel Cathedral.
Leonard, who had just had a discussion with the members of the Mandated Punishers, the Machinery Hivemind, and MI9, returned to his office and sat down.
At that moment, the slightly-aged voice of Pallez Zoroast resounded in his mind:
"They've finally found the exact location of the Jacob family's treasure trove and are about to enter."
"Ah?" Leonard was momentarily stunned, unable to react.
Previously, at the gathering of the Hermits of Fate, he had sold the news of the Jacob family's treasure trove. As no one knew what was inside, no one was willing to offer a high price. And Leonard's main goal was not to trade, so he had only exchanged it for some rare spirits.
He immediately lowered his voice and said, "Old Man, how do you know that?"
"Heh, it's a given that I sent out my avatar to monitor the area," Pallez Zoroast replied unhappily. "Are you underestimating an angel from the Marauder pathway?"
Leonard laughed dryly.
"Old Man, you've recovered quite well. You even have excess characteristics for an avatar."
"I'm already at the level of a Sequence 2." Pallez Zoroast scoffed. "Next, don't go out. Just stay inside the cathedral to prevent any accidents from happening."
"Are you worried that a trap lies within the treasure?" Leonard asked thoughtfully.
"How can a treasure left behind by a Marauder angel not have a trap?" Pallez Zoroast said with a scoff. "I can't predict what will happen, but staying underground in the cathedral is definitely safe."
Leonard nodded and suppressed his voice.
"Let's hope everything goes smoothly. Old Man, you promised me that if you can successfully obtain a Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristic, you will steal a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact from the items they obtained for me."
It wasn't that he was concerned about whether he reaped anything out of it, but rather, it was to ease his sudden anxiety.
"Weren't you against 'stealing'?" After a mocking remark, Pallez fell silent, as if "He" was focused on monitoring the situation at the Jacob family's treasure trove.
About an hour later, "He" heaved a sigh of relief in Leonard's mind.
"Although there were many traps and accidents, they eventually reached the predetermined target. Heh heh, I only took that characteristic and a Sealed Artifact. The rest will be their payment.
"Don't be in a hurry to leave this place. Wait until I absorb that characteristic before leaving. When that happens, there won't be any problems."
Leonard immediately relaxed and leaned back, crossing his legs as he read the newspaper leisurely.
In the evening, Pallez Zoroast finally spoke again.
"It's done."
"His" voice contained plenty of emotions, but because it was too complicated, Leonard was unable to tell.
Seeing that nothing had happened and that Old Man might still need to digest, Leonard stood up and rubbed his temples. He left Saint Samuel Cathedral and returned to 7 Pinster Street.
As he passed through the porch, he suddenly saw a person sitting on the sofa.
The man was wearing a classic black robe and a pointed hat. He placed his right leg over his left and was leisurely reading a newspaper.
As if sensing Leonard's arrival, that person raised his head and adjusted the monocle on his right eye, revealing a teasing smile.
Chapter 1205 A Thousand-Year-Old Trap
Amon!
Blasphemer Amon!
Leonard was no stranger to the person in front of him. Not only had he faced his avatar, but he had also heard of "His" various deeds and nasty character from Old Man Pallez Zoroast.
At that moment, Leonard's thoughts nearly froze as his mind went blank. Only a small number of thoughts could spin.
Amon's lips suddenly quivered as "He" muttered a raving that was completely at the level of a deity.
One voice after another echoed in Leonard's mind as though it came from the countless number of Amons:
"Are you pleasantly surprised? Are you shocked?"
"After realizing that I won't be able to get Sefirah Castle any time soon, I shifted my focus to Backlund…"
"If it wasn't to fool all of you, why would I have played such a simple cat-and-mouse game with him?"
"I think you two should be in contact…"
"He must've told you that I'm still tracking him and sabotaging his operations, that I even set a trap for him at his destinations…"
"That's just an avatar that's close to Sequence 1…"
"Ah, right. Pallez, I forgot to tell you that in the later years of the Fourth Epoch, I pretended to be the ancestor of the Jacob family. I had long swallowed 'Him' in secret. Then, I watched 'His' descendants panic. Then, I thought of a way to add another secret treasure trove to the place where Tudor became Blood Emperor…"
"I didn't finish off these fellows, because I had a premonition that this treasure trove would be very useful. I had an avatar that had been sleeping there for more than a thousand years, patiently waiting for someone to open the treasure trove. As for the other avatars, I didn't synchronize this information to 'Them.' That way, I might be able to create a ruse at some point in time…"
"Yes, this kind of 'synchronization' is something I invented. Pallez, you're quite behind the times…"
"In order to confirm your whereabouts, I watched that bunch of fellows destroy the traps and take the items away. I watched your avatar steal the characteristic and Sealed Artifact from their hands. I watched 'Him' carefully devour and digest it. Now, my patience has finally paid off…"
"I guess you must be thinking of how to stall for time and wait for a deity's descent…"
These voices overlapped each other, tearing through Leonard's thoughts and hurting his soul. It made his head swell and contract, causing a bunch of short black hair to grow on his face. It made his ribs and waist bulge as though it was about to form a new body.
With just the ravings alone, Leonard was close to losing control. He was in extreme pain and had no means of resisting.
This was the son of the Creator, a King of Angels.
At the same time, 7 Pinster Street changed. At some point in time, pitch-black stone pillars were erected around them, propping up a majestic cathedral.
Each column of the cathedral was embedded with the bones of different races. They were densely packed as they used different eye sockets to stare at the puny Leonard who stood in the middle as though they were conducting a trial.
Amon stood in front of the cross that was more than a hundred meters tall in the depths of the church, smiling as "He" looked at Leonard's grimacing face.
"This corpse cathedral is pretty good, isn't it?
"I just 'stole' it not long ago.
"This way, if 'They' wish to discover any abnormalities here and do a deity's descent, it can stall for at least thirty seconds. That's enough."
As "He" spoke, Amon raised "His" hand to pinch the crystal monocle that had a beaming face underneath it.
Leonard suddenly heard a "gong." It was ethereal, as though it came from an infinite distance away.
This caused the ear-piercing ravings that tainted Leonard's Spirit Body to come to an abrupt stop as everything around him turned silent.
In Leonard's eyes, beams of light shot out from his body, condensing into a pure and pure figure that was like a wingless angel.
The figure was also a hundred meters tall, and its body constantly coruscated with a faint glow, as though it was announcing the passage of time.
With that, Leonard's body was pushed by an invisible force as he flew towards the door of the corpse cathedral.
On the door, transparent and distorted faces appeared. They sealed the inside from the outside, isolating it from the spirit world and the astral world.
Gong!
Another bell rang. The transparent faces filled with pain froze.
Leonard's figure was no longer obstructed. In this short span of time, he passed through the main door of the "corpse cathedral" without feeling anything.
Everything he saw instantly returned to normal. There was still a bit of light high up in the sky. The gas lamps by the side of the streets were already emitting light, illuminating 7 Pinster Street.
From the outside, the building was silent, quiet, and dark. There was nobody around.
Old Man… It was only at this moment that Leonard finally found his train of thought. His heart tightened as he strode forward and returned to the house.
However, the door to 7 Pinster Street was so heavy that he couldn't open it any time soon.
With this obstruction, Leonard finally regained some of his senses. He hurriedly retreated as he quickly thought of what he could do to save Old Man.
After a few steps, he stopped and lowered his head with a solemn expression. He quickly chanted in Jotun, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"
Leonard already knew that the one inside was Amon's true body. And to deal with Amon's true body, he could only seek help from a god!
…
Walking through the darkness with the lantern in hand, Klein entered the historical fog immediately. Then, he took four steps counterclockwise and went above the gray fog.
After listening to Leonard's prayer, the puzzled and nonchalant-looking Klein instantly sobered up. It was as if he had just woken up from hibernation and had just climbed out of bed when he was splashed with a basin of cold water.
Amon's true body has gone to Backlund… Amon's true body has found Leonard and Pallez… Amon stole the corpse cathedral from "His" brother and used it to delay a divine descent… So it turns out that when "He" suggested that we play the game of "who will be the first to find Black Demonic Wolf Kotar," "He" had never thought of deciding on a winner. "He" didn't care what the stakes were either. "His" goal was to draw my attention and believe that "He" is still pursuing me and trying to steal Sefirah Castle from me… The trap hidden in the Jacob family's treasure trove was planted by Amon for one to two thousand years. It has finally come into play… Many thoughts flashed through Klein's mind as he raised his right hand and summoned an item from the junk pile.
0-61, Box of the Great Old Ones!
This was a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, and it was also from the Apprentice pathway. It could better utilize the power of Sefirah Castle and produce better results!
In the face of Amon's true body, this might bring Pallez some hope.
At the same time, through the prayer light, Klein confirmed that Leonard hadn't been possessed by Amon. He immediately instructed in the tone of Mr. Fool, "Leave the scene and go to an Evernight cathedral.
"Also, pray to Evernight."
A pinnacle Sequence battle beneath deities was definitely not something that a Beyonder at Leonard's level could participate in. Even though Klein had gained some initial control of Sefirah Castle and held 0-61, he didn't have much confidence. He only hoped that he could stall for time until a deity's descent happened.
Outside 7 Pinster Street, Leonard heard Mr. Fool's words echoing in his ears.
He was stunned for a moment before he looked up at the tightly shut door. Then, he turned around and used his right knuckle to ruthlessly knock on a certain tooth.
A series of illusory mud surged out and sprayed onto the top of Leonard's head, enveloping him from top to bottom.
Suddenly, Leonard seemed to transform into a mud doll as he kept sinking to the ground and fusing into the earth.
This was a rare natural spirit he had exchanged from the Hermit of Fate. It didn't contain any Beyonder characteristics, and its powers mainly came from the spirit world.
It allowed Leonard to quickly traverse the soil at a speed far faster than the steam metro.
As Leonard left the battlefield, Klein had picked up the gem-embedded Box of the Great Old Ones. He stirred the power of Sefirah Castle and cast his gaze at the pitch-black church that overlapped with the embedded bones.
The cathedral isolated his "true vision," preventing him from seeing the situation inside. He could only determine that the battle had yet to end through the flashes of light that the stained glass let through.
Use 0-61's first level's powers to swap its interior space with the corpse cathedral? No, isn't this equivalent to letting Amon enter Sefirah Castle? Just the first level of the Box of the Great Old Ones cannot imprison "Him"…
Activate the second level and move the entire 7 Pinster Street somewhere else? No, it won't work either. Once we leave Backlund, there won't be a timely divine descent. It will be even more dangerous for Pallez Zoroast…
Third level? Opening it might lead to a switch in owners of Sefirah Castle…
"…"
As his thoughts flashed through his mind, Klein came up with an idea. He wanted to narrow the target area to a tiny point and exert pressure on it to crack it!
He wanted to exchange the corpse cathedral's door and the space in the first level of the Box of the Great Old Ones using Sefirah Castle, so that the seal that isolated the spirit world and the astral world would be ineffective.
If that was the case, the deities would realize the situation and accelerate the speed of a deity's descent!
At the end of the long, mottled table, Klein sat in his high-back chair and aimed at the crimson star representing Leonard as he opened the first level of the Box of the Great Old Ones.
The surging power in Sefirah Castle suddenly calmed down, returning to its usual concealment as it silently pierced through the crimson star.
In the real world at 7 Pinster Street, the door of the corpse cathedral that overlapped with ordinary buildings lost its luster. Following that, it became a light pool with gravel and cobblestone.
The situation inside and outside suddenly cleared up, and it was reflected in Klein's eyes.
In front of the cross that was a hundred meters tall, the black-robed, pointed hat, and a monocled Amon, slowly turned around to the "opened" door.
"He" held a crystal pillar formed from light and shadows in "His" hands. There were many twelve-ringed Worms of Time swimming rapidly inside. Everything around them seemed to stop.
Amon raised "His" head and looked up into the sky as the corners of "His" mouth curled up.
1206 Sly Old Foxes, Everyone of Them
Too late? After Klein's heart sank, he suddenly felt the Box of the Great Old Ones in his hand shake violently.
He hurriedly looked down and saw that the surface of the corpse cathedral's door, which had shrunken into a toy, emitted rays of light. Every twisted face on the white skull seemed to come alive.
Adam's corpse cathedral has such a high level? It can withstand the first level of 0-61 with just one door? Without any hesitation, Klein used the crimson star representing Leonard and locked onto a gas lamp on 7 Pinster Street.
Suddenly, the door with white bones protruding out with a distorted face returned to the real world. And on the first level of the Box of the Great Old Ones, there was an additional toy street lamp.
Right on the heels of that, Klein aimed at the Amon inside the corpse cathedral as he swiped his right hand, opening the second level of 0-61.
At that moment, Pallez Zoroast was no longer present on the battlefield. Without any qualms, Klein could move Amon elsewhere.
He had designated the destination to be the astral world, hoping that the seven deities would show "Him" "Their" love, but it was unknown if there would be a random anomaly.
At this moment, the door returned to the corpse cathedral. Then, the majestic building that overlapped with 7 Pinster Street quickly disintegrated.
The process of the collapse was very organized. First, it began from the dome, followed by the arches and the walls. It finally ended with the pitch-black stone pillars.
The item that fell didn't hit the ground and instead disappeared in midair.
Standing in front of the cross, Amon also began to dissipate along with the collapse of the entire corpse cathedral. It was as though "He" had also been "envisioned," an entity that could be removed at any time.
Of course, Klein knew very well that this was only Amon exploiting a loophole to use the expiration of the "imagined" corpse cathedral, so as to also become a figment of imagination to leave Backlund.
Boom!
At some point in time, a thick dark cloud appeared in midair. A ball of lightning the size of a house dragged a silvery-white stream of light as it ruthlessly smashed onto the corpse cathedral and Amon's body that had not completely disintegrated.
A fine crack appeared on Amon's crystal monocle as the pointed hat on "His" head collapsed.
However, this Angel of Time didn't panic. When "His" face twitched uncontrollably, "He" maintained "His" smile and held the crystal pillar formed from light and shadows. Like an illusion, "He" completely disintegrated as the sea of light that filled the corpse cathedral vanished.
In the next second, the pitch-black and bone-embedded towering cathedral returned to the realm of fantasy.
The house on 7 Pinster Street remained, but there were exaggerated marks on the living room's floor.
The mark was like a person lying there, having turned to ashes.
This was left behind by the countless avatars of Amon after they were smitten apart. However, Klein knew that Amon's true body had successfully escaped and had achieved "His" desired goal.
When "He" recovered, this King of Angels was just short of a ritual to reach the divine throne and become the embodiment of all that was erroneous in the world.
After I swapped the main door of the corpse cathedral, the first one to notice and react with "His" powers was the Lord of Storms… The Goddess really has no way of performing a divine descent. "She" can only use various mediums to interfere with reality, making it difficult for "Her" to affect "Him" when "He" is prepared…
…I was still feeling happy for myself that I managed to escape from Amon. I was satisfied that I had repeatedly avoided "Him" and didn't fall into "His" traps, but in the end, "He" ended up pulling off such a huge stunt without any prior warning…
…When did "He" transfer "His" focus to Backlund? Hmm, it should be after I deceived the laws to resurrect elsewhere. "He" caught a hint of Pallez Zoroast, as well as the fact that there's a connection between him and me. He began to target the last Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic so as to become a true god…
…Back then, Leonard didn't explain in detail when he was praying. He only mentioned that there was a problem with the treasure trove of the Jacob family… For a Sequence 1 angel who's so familiar with Amon to not notice anything amiss and fall into the trap, Amon must have done something incredible again…
Phew, although I've rapidly grown in my battle of wits with Amon and completed a transformation, I'm still far from being a top swindler like "Him." I'm still too tender…
Once Amon becomes a Sequence 0 Error and can even traverse the land, it will be tough for me…
No, I have to figure out the Marauder pathway's ritual to become a god. I need to think of a way to do some damage. I can't let Amon easily ascend to the divine throne…
But can this be what Amon wants? "He" will deliberately hold a ritual and wait for me to knock on "His" doorstep? As his thoughts raced, Klein let out a long sigh.
Then, he sent a message to Leonard in the tone of The Fool.
"There's no need to pray."
…
In Saint Samuel Cathedral, Leonard had just emerged from the soil in the garden. He was trying to rush into the prayer hall when he heard Mr. Fool's words.
There's no need to pray… Leonard slowed down as he repeated the sentence in a daze.
He slowed down and finally stopped beside a stone pillar. He lowered his head and raised his hands to cover his face.
At this moment, a slightly-aged voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
"What are you sad about? I haven't died yet!"
"Ah?" Leonard released his hands and said in a daze and pleasant surprise, "Old Man, you haven't died yet?"
His eyes were already slightly red.
"Look at you, what are you saying!" Pallez Zoroast's voice was clearly weak. "Ahem, to put it simply, I've died once, but not entirely yet."
Leonard finally heaved a sigh of relief and looked around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he lowered his voice and said, "Did you successfully deceive Amon?"
"I can't really call it deceiving." Pallez Zoroast sighed and said, "All these years, the thing I've thought about the most is what I should do if Amon's true body finds me. After repeated experiments, I've also 'created' a technique. After my true body dies, I can revive in my avatar. However, I will lose the Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic and passively lower my level. Heh, I haven't been left behind by the times either."
"In other words, Amon killed you once and obtained your Sequence 1 characteristic while you resurrected at the Sequence 2 level?" Leonard had a rough idea of what was going on as he asked in confirmation.
Pallez Zoroast sighed and replied, "Something like that. Actually, it's not like Amon didn't notice it. 'He' didn't do anything to stop it when I pushed you out of the corpse cathedral. 'He' just wanted to leave some hope for me, and make me lose my will to fight to the death in the upcoming battle. Sigh, if not for that, I wouldn't have been finished by 'Him' so quickly. After all, I'd basically recovered after absorbing the treasure trove's Beyonder characteristic…
Leonard blurted out in surprise, "Old Man, you pushed me out of the corpse cathedral because I have your avatar in me?"
Pallez immediately scoffed.
"What do you think? Do you really think I'm treating you like a grandson?"
"…Don't you have other avatars?" Leonard muttered.
Pallez grunted and sighed.
"Amon actually lied to 'His' avatar. I must admit that 'He' pulled a fast one on me."
If it wasn't for the fact that "He" learned that the Angel of Time didn't know the exact situation of the Jacob family's treasure trove back when "He" absorbed Amon's avatars, "He" definitely would've taken more caution on the matter, and would've made more adequate preparations for Amon's appearance.
This was the most important reason. As for the other matters regarding the Jacob family's ancestor or Klein Moretti playing hide-and-seek with Amon's true body in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, none of them were key in "Him" making up "His" mind.
Leonard thought for a moment and consoled, "Old Man, you would've fallen for this most fatal of traps in the treasure trove regardless, so it isn't bad for you to have survived it."
"That's not it," Pallez immediately refuted. "If I had a premonition that something dangerous would happen, I would've directly taken up the faith of a true god and become 'Their' Grounded Angel. With 'Their' protection, I would head to Jacob family's treasure trove. Sigh, after I absorbed the characteristic and regained the strength of a Sequence 1, I was considering this problem. Should I join the Church of Evernight, or work with The Fool of yours, or remove the Parasitizing and hide from Amon like before."
Upon saying this, "His" emotions became very complicated again.
…Old Man really has quite a plan… Why are you so familiar with seeking refuge from a deity… Leonard sighed inwardly as he focused his attention on the most important matter.
"Old man, after Amon obtained your Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, will 'He' be preparing the apotheosis ritual?"
"Yes." Pallez replied in a deep voice, "This means that, for a very long period of time, your former colleague and ourselves would, at most, be harassed by Amon's lower-level avatars, or nothing at all."
"What is the requirement of 'His' apotheosis ritual?" Leonard pressed.
Pallez fell silent for a second before saying, "To replace someone during 'Their' apotheosis ritual."
At this point, Pallez laughed self-deprecatingly.
"Amon's next focus will definitely be the apotheosis ritual. This will be our last moments of peace and quiet.
"Once 'He' becomes a god, 'He' will definitely come to you to deal with The Fool through you.
"Although I can abandon you and run ahead of time, I have to worry that 'He' has the intention of retrieving all the characteristics at the angel level.
"Gain control of those rare spirits as soon as possible, digest the potion, and become a demigod. Wield a Holy Artifact, and obtain the favor of Evernight."
Leonard's expression turned serious as he slowly nodded.
He immediately found a quiet spot and informed Mr. Fool through a prayer of the key information.
…
Someone else's apotheosis ritual? The only one who seems to be able to become a god anytime soon is Adam… It's good if the two brothers end up fighting… The final period of peace… I hope that the avatars that Amon leaves behind to interfere with me won't be too strong. I hope that I can find traces of the Dark Demonic Wolf as soon as possible. I hope that Dorian will agree to the deal… Klein sighed and returned to the real world. He continued walking in the dark with his lantern raised.
Chapter 1207 Dorian"s Decision
Backlund, Cherwood Borough. 22 Hope Street, Hat Trick Inn.
With broad shoulders and thick arms, Dorian Gray Abraham unknowingly paced back and forth in the room, waiting for his student, Fors, to visit.
No matter how composed and mentally prepared he was, he couldn't help but feel nervous and uneasy when he eventually needed to face the answer.
After an unknown period of time, there was a series of knocks on the door.
Dorian listened to the rhythm for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. He walked to the door, twisted the handle, and pulled it back.
Outside the door was the brown-haired, curly-haired Fors, who was wearing a dark-colored long dress and a pair of tinted glasses.
Dorian habitually looked behind Fors, and after confirming that no one was looking in their direction, he made way for his student to pass.
At the same time, he glanced at Fors's hands and realized that his student wasn't carrying any luggage.
Dorian retracted his gaze and walked to the middle of the room. He found a seat and sat down before pointing to the sofa opposite him.
"Have a seat."
Fors cautiously lifted the ends of her skirt slightly, sat down, and greeted, "Good morning, Teacher."
Dorian didn't go straight to the point. After some thought, he said, "Did the lot of you really kill Botis?"
"Yes." Fors took out an exquisite, long cigar case from her pocket and opened it to show Dorian its interior.
It was a pair of dark-black eyes that were frozen with indescribable horror, as though they had seen something extremely terrifying before they died.
Dorian had originally been mentally prepared. It was just like receiving the terrifying head that would cause nightmares the previous time, one that was put together one bloody fragment at a time. He never expected his student to not carry any luggage and to only take out a ladies' cigar case.
This made him believe that it was a relic that could prove Botis's identity, but the truth was beyond his expectations once again.
This was still Botis's corpse, but there was even less than what Lewis Wien left behind!Read more new novels on Listnovel.com
Only a pair of eyes are left… The spiritual intuition of an Astrologer convinced Dorian that the eyeball belonged to Botis.
Seeing that the teacher had fallen silent, Fors subconsciously explained, "His body has completely collapsed and dissipated. Only this pair of eyeballs is still intact."
She paused for a moment before saying, "These eyeballs contain the remnants of the terror and contamination of the Box of the Great Old Ones before Botis's passing. It's a very strong cursed item, so I didn't send it directly to you. It would cause terrible things to happen to the postman, and he might even die unknowingly."
The corruption of the Box of the Great Old Ones… Dorian nodded in enlightenment and sighed with a smile.
"Did he eventually die under the hands of the Box of the Great Old Ones?
"This is really fate…"
The first item that Botis had stolen after his betrayal from leading the Aurora Order over was the Box of the Great Old Ones.
Fors had heard Ma'am Hermit's and Miss Justice's description of the general situation at the private gathering where they distributed the spoils of war. She learned how gorgeous and dangerous the battle she had missed was. She thought for a moment and said, "You could say that…
"However, before he was contaminated by the Box of the Great Old Ones, he had already begun losing control."
Dorian wasn't surprised as he said to his student, "Keep it. This is a spoil of war you deserve."
After Fors closed the cigar case and placed it back into her pocket, Dorian leaned forward, clasped his hands, and touched his nose.
"Botis was one of the most talented Apprentices I have ever seen. Who knew that he would end up like this…"
Having said that, Dorian let out a long sigh as though he was recalling and confessing something.
Fors didn't know much about the details of what had happened back then, so she didn't dare to speak recklessly. She could only remain silent and wait for her teacher to recover from his mixed emotions.
Ten seconds later, Dorian straightened his body and asked, "How did you digest the Scribe potion?"
This wasn't only to show concern for his student, but also to accumulate experience to provide some guidance to the other members of the family.
Fors's expression immediately turned complicated as though she was recalling something she didn't wish to recall.
"It's mainly because someone had provided me with help. On the one hand, I 'Recorded' a lot of unique or high-level abilities. On the other hand, I was brought to many places in the past few months where I 'Recorded' different cultures and beautiful scenery…"
Dorian fell silent for a moment before nodding.
"This isn't easy to imitate…"
He then asked, "Gehrman Sparrow?"
"Yes." Fors gave an affirmative response.
Dorian fell silent again. A few seconds later, he said, "What kind of deal does he want to make?
"Or rather, what does he want?"
Fors focused her attention and answered in an embarrassed manner, "He wants the potion formula of a Planeswalker, and he plans on using the Box of the Great Old Ones to exchange for one of the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts in your family's hands."
This price was definitely a generous offer. Fors had originally thought that Mr. World was going to use a promise to exchange for the Planeswalker potion formula and a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, but she never expected him to throw in the Box of the Great Old Ones.
Of course, it was definitely of value to allow the Abraham family to be free of the curse. However, a promise was forever a promise that might not be fulfilled.
Dorian wasn't surprised by Gehrman Sparrow's request for a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. He had long been mentally prepared, and instead, he felt that the conditions were beyond his imagination. After all, the Abraham family didn't have many things that a demigod could covet at this point in time.
He frowned slightly and said, "Why does he want the potion formula of a Planeswalker?"
"I don't know," Fors answered frankly.
Dorian stood up and started pacing.
Suddenly, he stopped and looked at Fors.
"I need to meet him and have a chat before I can make a decision."
"Alright." Fors agreed without any hesitation.
Dorian heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to send his student away before quickly taking out the medicine for his consumption.
He had arranged to meet at this time because he had taken into consideration that his curse would happen at any moment. If anything were to happen, the enemy wouldn't be able to channel his spirit in time.
However, after Fors got up, she didn't walk to the door. She stood on the spot and grabbed at the void.
Her arm suddenly sank, and she quickly pulled out a figure wearing a black trench coat and silk top hat.
This figure had black hair and brown eyes. His facial features were cut and cold. It was none other than Gehrman Sparrow.
Gehrman Sparrow's eyes moved slightly as he quickly recovered from his sluggish look and became no different from a real person.
"Teacher, he's here." Fors introduced seriously, "He's Gehrman Sparrow."
This action left Dorian Gray Abraham slightly agape. He forgot to close his mouth and didn't respond for a moment.
Although he came from an ancient family clan and knew many secrets, there were many things he couldn't imagine even if he read the description due to him being only a Sequence 7.
After moving his consciousness over, Klein reached into his clothes and took out a golden pocket watch.
Pa! He opened his pocket watch and took a look. Without any emotions, he said to Dorian, "You have three minutes."
…It's exactly as the rumors say. He's cold, arrogant, and crazy… Dorian didn't dare to waste any time and directly said, "Give me a reason to believe in your promise."
As he closed his pocket watch, Klein placed it back into his inner pocket and said, "In truth, I'm already aware of the ritual that allows Mr. Door to return."
Dorian's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to ask, he heard Gehrman Sparrow calmly add, "But I don't plan to do that."
"Why?" Dorian and Fors were puzzled, but one dared to ask while the other didn't.
Klein looked out the window and said, "Do you know about the corruption from the cosmos?"
When it came to understanding the cosmos, the Abraham family was definitely ranked first outside the true deities and angels. Klein believed that they must've left behind some hints and hidden records.
Dorian nodded solemnly and said, "Yes."
"I suspect that Mr. Door has been corrupted by the cosmos," Klein explained simply. "As for my promise, it can be fulfilled right away. However, you might not be willing to do so. Furthermore, it doesn't completely resolve the curse."
"What's the solution?" Dorian asked as he controlled his surging emotions.
Klein's expression immediately turned serious.
"You and your family members will change their faith to my Lord. That way, when the full moon or Blood Moon happens, you will be blessed and no longer suffer from the curse."
After completely digesting the Scholar of Yore potion, there was no need for him to pull a person above the gray fog to avoid Mr. Door's ravings. He could directly use "Angel's Embrace" to resolve the problem. The only thing he needed to worry about now was that there might be too many members of the Abraham family. It might overwhelm him, or he might not have enough spirituality.
"…Who is your Lord?" Dorian asked after a moment of silence.
Klein suppressed his shame and said solemnly, "The great Mr. Fool."
"The Fool… Are you from the Antigonus family?" Dorian suddenly made some connections.
Klein shook his head and rejected his guess.
Dorian fell silent again, but considering that there were only three minutes left, he hurriedly asked, "If we believe in that entity, we can avoid the troubles brought about by the curse?"
As an ancient family member, he knew very well how dangerous it was to believe in an unknown existence. He was afraid that he would resolve Mr. Door's ravings, but bring about another curse.
Klein answered frankly, "This is just a temporary solution. I will find a better solution for you."
Dorian nodded and quickly said, "I will try to believe in your Lord and give you the potion formula of Planeswalker. If the curse can really be resolved temporarily, we will complete the transaction of the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact."
He planned on using himself as an experiment to see if the method worked. Furthermore, he didn't plan on telling the other family members. He wanted to get them to wait for Gehrman Sparrow's supposedly better solution until they couldn't wait any longer.
"Alright." Klein took out a pen and paper from his pocket and scribbled the honorific name of The Fool.
As for Dorian, he also began to use a crystal ball to aid in his memories, recording down the potion formula of Planeswalker.
After the exchange, Klein cast his gaze towards the supplementary ingredients and ritual.
"Supplementary ingredients: One Worm of Star, one Worm of Time, one Worm of Spirit.
"Advancement ritual: Leave legends in nine places outside this planet."
Chapter 1208 The Long-Awaited Serenity
Leave legends in nine places other than this planet… Isn't this the cosmos? Looking at the potion formula in his hand, Klein nearly frowned.
He felt that this was more dangerous than the advancement ritual of a Miracle Invoker.
Although the Box of the Great Old Ones and the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts of the Abraham family, as well as a number of Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts, had the ability to send people into the cosmos, making the ritual appear simple, he clearly remembered that the Church of Evernight's ascetic leader, Arianna, had once warned him that the cosmos contained extremely terrifying corruption. It was dangerous to even understand it before becoming an angel.
One will be corrupted by the cosmos if they aren't a Planeswalker, and to become a Planeswalker, one has to travel the cosmos… This has become an impasse. There's no way to resolve it… Perhaps, the Abraham family has records of relatively safe locations in the cosmos. I can't be too pessimistic… Also, I have to use divination to verify the authenticity of this formula when I'm back… Dorian not lying to me doesn't mean that he wouldn't be lied to… Klein retracted his gaze and looked at Dorian Gray Abraham opposite him.
"Where are all the Planeswalker Beyonder characteristics?"
Having memorized The Fool's honorific name, Dorian thought for two seconds before saying, "Two of them are in the form of Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts in our family. One is in the form of the Box of the Great Old Ones. One is said to be in the hands of the Demoness Sect, while another is with the Church of the God of Combat. There is one more, but no one has found it since the Second Epoch."
If I could use the Box of the Great Old Ones to exchange for one of the two relatively normal Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts of the Abraham family, I wouldn't have to worry about obtaining the Planeswalker Beyonder characteristic. However, that advancement ritual is truly a problem… Besides, the essence of this ritual is clearly to leave a mark in the cosmos. No matter how many changes are made, I won't be able to bypass the cosmos… Klein controlled his expression and nodded at Dorian.
"I hope you can find the answer when the crimson moon becomes full."
With that said, his figure rapidly turned faint, having reached Fors's limit.
Upon seeing Gehrman Sparrow "leave" like that, Dorian subconsciously looked down at the piece of paper with the honorific name of The Fool in his hand. He realized that it had also turned illusory and disappeared.
"…" Dorian was unable to find the correct answer from the various Beyonder powers recorded by his family. He turned to look at Fors, opened his mouth, intending to ask her.
At that moment, he felt a sudden pain in his heart as his pupils rapidly dilated.
Oh no! The curse is about to act up! Dorian hurriedly reached into his pocket to retrieve a small metal bottle. He opened the lid and gulped it down.
Clang!
His actions were so hurried that the lid of the metal bottle fell to the ground.
Fors watched as her teacher's face turned pale. She watched as he clutched his chest, unable to react to what had happened.
As a former surgeon, she quickly came to a conclusion and hurriedly said, "Teacher, are you having a heart attack?
"Do you have any special medicine?"
After asking the last question, Fors realized that she had been overly anxious and concerned, making her appear a little silly.
The bottle that the teacher drank was definitely the special medicine!
"Do you need any help? I have the 'Recorded' a Doctor's powers," Fors asked when she saw that her teacher had recovered based on his expression.
Dorian shook his head, indicating that he was fine.
At the same time, he sighed inwardly.
It's because you didn't do as I planned and had directly summoned Gehrman Sparrow into this room, causing me to not have time to drink the medicine.
…
Sonia Sea, the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago, the City of Generosity, Bayam.
The Blue Avenger docked at the port in the evening.
During that period of time, the damage brought to the sea traffic around Sonia Island by the Church of the Lord of Storms had finally attracted the actions of the Feysac Empire's demigods. Many "captains" had died in the line of duty, and their fleet had suffered a severe blow.
Alger Wilson and his crew avoided this attack while hiding in the primitive forest of the island while waiting for an opportunity to attack the port. After the Church of the Lord of Storms and the Loen naval army declared their goal for this battle had been achieved, they returned to Pasu Island to rest since it was over.
After that, Alger deliberately engaged in battle. He appeared pious, passionate, and fervent. He was praised by the cardinals as a result.
This was because he was familiar with the area around the Rorsted Archipelago. Without a doubt, he had been sent here to strengthen the naval forces of the important colony.
Of course, in order to avoid conflict with his past identity, he also made preparations for other matters in the future. Alger and his crew arrived in Bayam in the name of recruiting pirates.
In this war, many pirates were recruited, effectively making up for the losses of the navies of the various countries, just like the recruitment of mercenaries during the early- and mid-stages of the Fourth Epoch.
Taking advantage of the fact that there was still some light in the sky, Alger got off the boat and headed straight for Sea King Jahn Kottman's Cathedral of Waves.
As a Sequence 5 Ocean Songster, he had the right to directly meet the Church of the Lord of Storms's cardinal, a high-ranking deacon of the Mandated Punishers.
As he walked, Alger suddenly saw a familiar face.
It was a middle-aged man wearing a formal suit, a bow tie, and glasses. He looked rather refined, but Alger knew very well that he was a believer of Sea God Kalvetua. He had once been a pirate, and now he was a merchant that did business with both the authorities and the underworld.
"Long time no see, Ralph." Alger greeted the illegitimate child that had Loen, Feysac, and Rorsted mixed blood.
Ralph was stunned for a moment, as if he couldn't recognize the captain of the Blue Avenger.
"Alger? Our captain of the ghost ship?" After a few seconds, he asked in surprise.
Alger smiled and said, "Did I change a lot?"
Ralph frowned and replied, "Your temperament has changed a lot. It's even more like the ocean and dark clouds before a storm."
Quite a keen eye… However, this is an act I'm deliberately showing… After consuming the Ocean Songster potion, if there wasn't such a change, I wouldn't seem like someone from the Church of the Lord of Storms… Alger sighed and said, "Because there are too many things to worry about.
"Now, it's all good; I've already been hired by the Church of the Lord of Storms."
Ralph narrowed his eyes as a sense of vigilance rose in his heart. He laughed and said, "This is indeed a good thing—if there was no war."
Alger glanced at the spot where Ralph had just come out and asked, "When did a new… school appear here?"
He could see at a glance that there were four-story buildings, a cement field, a garden lawn, and many children happily playing.
The children had dark skin, but some of them didn't have bronze skin like the locals. Their hair was only slightly curled, and it wasn't too obvious.
Without a doubt, this group consisted of mixed-blood children.
Ralph looked back and sighed with a smile.
"Didn't you donate money to my charity foundation?
"Under God's guidance, I established a few schools in several large cities on the island, specially providing education, three meals, and accommodation for these discriminated children.
"Our childhood was gloomy, and I don't want them to be the same."
At the same time Ralph responded, Alger kept staring at the school. When Ralph was done speaking, Alger looked away and said, "I thought you would've taken at least half of it."
Ralph broke out into laughter.
"Seems like I left a terrible impression on you.
"How is it? What opinions do you have about this school?"
Alger sized him up and said, "Do you think I've been to school before?"
He paused for a moment before saying, "Which street is your charity foundation on? I might come to you for something in the future."
Thinking that the other party had been hired by the Church of the Lord of Storms, Ralph didn't dare to expose his connection to the Resistance. He chuckled and said, "It's fine to donate, but you don't have to come for anything else."
After giving the location of the charity foundation, Ralph returned home. He went up to the second floor and knocked on the door of a room.
"Lord Danitz, I have something to report."
In the room, a deep and dignified voice replied, "Come in."
…
Backlund, Cherwood Borough.
Dorian, who lived in a rented apartment, walked to the window. As the sun set, the sky gradually darkened.
The crimson moon would be full tonight, and the curse of the Abraham family would descend once again.
It had been a while since he had shaved his beard. Around his mouth, on both sides of his cheeks and lower jaw, there was a white mustache growing. It appeared out-of-place with his middle-aged man's appearance.
After looking for a while, Dorian bowed his head and recited in Jotun, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"
After ending his prayer, he returned to his room and found a sofa to sit down. He waited for the crimson moon to rise and for the period when the spirituality was the strongest to arrive.
At that moment, in the ancient palace above the gray fog, Klein had already taken his seat that belonged to The Fool. He beckoned for a paper figurine.
The paper figurine was surrounded by the power of Sefirah Castle as it passed through Dorian's prayer light and landed on him.
During this process, Klein deliberately didn't show any effects, allowing the "angel" to silently embrace Dorian.
He felt that if Mr. Fool were to appear too bombastic, it would scare this ancient family's member, so he chose to keep a low profile.
The waiting process was always torturous. From time to time, Dorian would take out his pocket watch, click it open, and take a look. He wanted to know how long more before the full moon possessed its highest spirituality—this was something that could be inferred through the mysticism knowledge.
Finally, when it was almost dawn, Dorian instinctively bent down to reduce the pain brought by the curse.
However, as time passed, all he heard was complete silence. There were no buzzing ravings.
The crimson moonlight passed through the window and shone on Dorian. He looked up in a daze and felt that the surroundings were serene, calm, and indifferent. Nothing abnormal happened.
Dorian looked out of the window and saw the crimson moon. It was pure, dignified, gentle, and dreamy, as though it was hanging on his heart.
After a moment of silence, Dorian lowered his head and took out his pocket watch.
"…" He raised his right hand and rubbed his eyes. He covered his face and didn't loosen his grip for a long time.
The white mustache on his face gradually became messy, stained with tears and snot.
Chapter 1209 Two Choices
Inside the room, the crimson glow was like water that soaked every corner.
Dorian slowly lifted his head and looked at the full moon outside the oriel window. He didn't look away for a long time, as if he was admiring a beautiful scenery for the first time.
Phew… He let out a breath, stood up, and entered the bathroom. He turned on the tap, held up a mouthful of biting-cold water, and splashed it hard on his face.
After washing up, Dorian wiped his face with a towel and returned to the living room to sit on the sofa. He lowered his head and muttered piously, "Praise be to Mr. Fool!"
After completing his prayer, he walked into the study, took out a pen and paper, and wrote to Fors:
"…
"Please tell Mr. Gehrman Sparrow that I have confirmed his promise. I hope he can find a better way to resolve the curse…
"I will gather the other members of my family to discuss if I should use one of the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts in exchange for the Box of the Great Old Ones…
"Here, let me introduce the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts so that Mr. Gehrman Sparrow will have sufficient time to consider which one he wants.
"One of them is called 'Scroll of God.' It looks like an ordinary oil painting in a brass frame, but the content on it will change at random.
"When it shows different locations, the wielder can change the surroundings of the target, allowing the corresponding scene to descend.
"When it shows different figures, the wielder can allow those people to attack their targets with one target per figure.
"When it presents an abstract image that cannot be understood, different real effects will happen, and the only thing we know about the corresponding relationship is a very small portion;
"When it depicts doors, opening different 'doors' will move one to different places. There's no way to predict where the destination will be. It can be used to exile its target;
"When it shows the dark underground or deep cosmos, it will be extremely dangerous. It has to be sealed!
"If no one looks at it or takes in the marvel of the oil painting, then the person inside will come to life. They will reach out their hands from the oil painting, and slowly enter the real world. One must pay attention to this when sealing it!
"Once upon a time, when one of my family's branches were in charge of the Scroll of God, there was a mistake. No one appreciated it for a full minute. And at that moment, it presented an image of an angel revolving around a deity. Then, the deity came alive and walked out of the oil painting.
"That branch of my family was destroyed just like that. There were only a few members remaining who had lost their minds, while that deity had gone somewhere unknown, but the painting was left behind.
"We had been worried for quite some time, afraid that the deity would destroy the world. Fortunately, 'He' never appeared again. Perhaps 'He' had already been noticed by the seven deities and was dealt with.
"Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that this is a story made up by those who have lost their minds. However, for most of the members to have died overnight, with a small number going mad, that in itself implies enough.
"The other Grade 0 Sealed Artifact is called 'Staff of the Stars.' Its appearance is a black cane with embedded gems.
"While holding onto it, using corresponding scenes in your mind, one that truly exists and is still in existence, the staff will transport you directly to the destination, but you must be careful. The scene depicted must be absolutely correct. Every detail must be accurate. There cannot be any differences with the original. Otherwise, you will never know where your destination is;
"Similarly, while holding onto the Staff of the Stars, if some Beyonder powers or figures appear in your mind, this cane will reenact the corresponding powers and person. The latter will be a single attack. To achieve such an effect, one has to have sufficient understanding of the powers and figures. Otherwise, you have no idea what kind of anomaly will happen. Once, someone used the Staff of the Stars to release 'Lightning Storm,' but he ended up turning himself into a frog. Recovery was only possible once the method to remove the curse was found;
"The Staff of the Stars is sufficiently hard and can be used to attack. A person struck by it will randomly mutate or suffer strange effects. Previously, I used the Staff of the Stars to hit a Beyonder from the Aurora Order. The left side of his body was moved outside a door, and his right side remained where it was. His organs splattered out as a result;
"The Staff of the Stars will randomly move about. If it isn't properly sealed, it might disappear at some point in time and escape your control.
"When holding it, one's head has to be empty most of the time. This is because once an image appears, it can trigger the effects I described in the beginning;
"If there's no one holding onto it, all sorts of abnormalities will happen around the Staff of the Stars. It's hard to predict what will happen. It has to be sealed…
"Burn upon reading…"
After writing the letter, Dorian read it several times to make sure that there was no mistake before stuffing it into an envelope and pasting a stamp on it.
At that moment, in the ancient palace above the gray fog.
Through the prayer point of light, Klein had watched Dorian's entire process of writing the letter.
I seem to have forgotten to tell him that he can pass the corresponding information to Gehrman Sparrow through Mr. Fool… That's good too. I'll just treat this as a benefit of being a formal member of the Tarot Club. If every believer were to do this, I wouldn't be able to cope if I didn't leave any Worms of Spirit in Sefirah Castle… Yes, this can also effectively maintain Mr. Fool's prestige. It will ensure that the Abrahams won't dare to belittle Mr. Fool… Klein mumbled before turning his attention onto the two Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts.
He once again confirmed that Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts had severe negative effects and couldn't be used as common items.
Of course, their powers had extremely terrifying and potent effects. They were worthy of the grade "0."
In comparison, the Staff of the Stars is more suitable for me…
I can get Miss Justice to hypnotize me in advance so that my subconscious thoughts won't appear in the form of an image or scene. Only by consciously willing it in my mind will I be able to form the outline of a scene…
I wonder if the residents of the City of Silver will be able to leave the Forsaken Land of the Gods with the Staff of the Stars in their hands by just outlining the scene of Backlund's streets in their minds…
But there's no way to hypnotize them before this. They haven't really seen Backlund. Even if they restore the corresponding scene, it's difficult for them to accurately outline the details…
Anyway, it's very troublesome, but I can give it a try and choose a volunteer who isn't afraid of death…
If I can exchange for the Staff of the Stars, there's no need to rush to shatter it and turn it back into a characteristic. Who knows when it might come in handy. After all, the advancement ritual might not be completed…
With the Staff of the Stars, I can deal with the Dark Demonic Wolf and escape the Forsaken Land of the Gods right under the Dark Angel's nose. This will give me a little more confidence… Klein sighed as he made his decision.
At this moment, he discovered another truth.
That was if some of the members of the Abraham family followed Dorian and switched faiths to Mr. Fool, then even if he returned the Box of the Great Old Ones to them, it wouldn't be difficult to borrow it in the future.
In other words, out of the three Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, the Staff of the Stars, the Scroll of God, and the Box of the Great Old Ones, he would gain the right to use two of them and have ownership over one.
It's still very useful to develop believers… When the time comes, wouldn't the Abraham family become a subordinate faction of the Tarot Club? However, Dorian definitely won't spread the faith of The Fool so quickly unless some members are already on the brink of losing control, without the ability to resist the curse of the next full moon. For some reason, he felt that the power of the Tarot Club was expanding.
He thought about it seriously and felt sad that he would have to respond to his believers twenty-four hours a day in the future.
Only by becoming an angel and truly gaining ownership of Sefirah Castle did he dare leave a few Worms of Spirit behind so as to resolve this problem.
If that really doesn't work, I'll get Arrodes to be my artificial intelligence customer service… Klein rubbed his temples and left the gray fog before returning to the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
…
Late at night, in the waters of the Rorsted Archipelago.
A huge sea monster quickly swam to its destination.
This was the "helper" that Alger had requested from Sea God Kalvetua. At the level of an Ocean Songster, he was still unable to control a creature of such size.
In truth, he could totally swim from Bayam, but that would be too tiring, and he wouldn't be able to resist any accidents.
A few seconds later, the sea monster opened its mouth. Alger swam out and approached a beautiful coral thicket.
After circling a few obstacles, a dark blue glow suddenly appeared in Alger's eyes.
Through this "dark blueness," he saw a beautiful coral palace.
It was so real, but no one could see it unless there was a specific medium.
Alger stared at it for a while before swimming forward. He came to the front of the palace and pushed open the door.
The churning water came to a halt as Alger passed through the barrier and landed on the ground thanks to the wind.
He looked around and saw that there were murals on both sides.
The contents of these murals weren't surprising. The people with elven faces mainly focused on resisting the storm.
However, Alger noticed that the ships weren't out at sea, but in the midst of a thick, nearly indestructible "blackness."
This made Alger think of a phrase: Abyss.
This is somewhat similar to the Abyss as spoken in legends, but it's just a little similar, and there aren't any Devils either… They seem to be coming from underground… These murals record the history of the elves? But they don't match the corresponding myths… The World said that each elvish word corresponds to a first-generation elf… As Alger pondered, he walked towards the nine steps ahead.
As he drew closer, he saw two thrones and a dark blue crystalline coral.
On the coral branches, silver bolts of lightning flashed, illuminating the surroundings.
Alger held his breath as he slowed down his pace and went up the stairs to the throne.
He extended his right hand solemnly and picked up the coral.
With a splashing sound, the seawater outside the palace suddenly churned. As for the coral, under the cover of a "dark blueness," it gradually turned illusory and merged into Alger's body.
Lightning bolts bloomed one after another like flower petals.
Chapter 1210 Moon City
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, at night when the frequency of lightning was very low.
A few humanoid creatures cautiously approached a meatball with six legs and more than ten eyes.
They were wrapped in animal skins or clothes with materials that couldn't be identified. With the help of a few lanterns, they passed through the endless darkness with heavy expressions.
On their faces, there were about ten to twenty tumors. Some of their eyes were nearly squeezed together, while others didn't have a nose, with only a black hole in that place.
After a series of intense battles, they managed to successfully finish off the monster and split into two groups. One group guarded the surroundings. and another group reaped the spoils of war.
During this process, the man with many meat tumors on his face dissected the monster's corpse. When he was searching for edible parts, he suddenly stopped.
"A'dal, what's the matter?" the woman without a nose asked curiously.
The man named A'dal slowly retracted his right hand and revealed an item he had found from the monster.
It was a stone-carved amulet covered with marks of corrosion.
"This is…" The man, whose eyes were nearly squeezed together, seemed to understand the reason and hesitated to finish his sentence.
A'dal surveyed the area and said, "Xin, Rus, this was given to my father when I was young.
"On the day I became an adult, he felt that he could no longer control himself. He chose to leave the city and enter the depths of the darkness…"
When Xin and Rus heard that, they fell silent for a moment. They could understand A'dal's feelings.
This was a common occurrence in Moon City.
As there was no safe edible food, they could only pick the mutated plant fruits and collect the flesh of monsters to maintain their survival.
This resulted in the accumulation of toxins and madness in the body. After a decline in their physical conditions, they would either die quickly or gradually lose control.
In order to not cause any damage to the surroundings and city, those who were part of the latter would often arrange everything after sensing that their conditions weren't right. With a torch and a small amount of food, they would leave the defensive perimeter and wander into the eternal darkness alone, never to return.
The residents of Moon City could imagine what would happen to them. They would either be killed by monsters or become monsters. There was no other possibility.
After seven to eight seconds of silence, the woman without a nose hesitantly said, "Perhaps, this is the monster that killed your father."
"It has a belt made of animal skin wrapped around it…" A'dal's voice gradually lowered. He picked up the dagger made of bone and forcefully inserted it, cutting out a relatively normal piece of flesh.
Amidst the silence, the members of the hunting team completed their harvest skillfully until Rus, whose eyes were nearly squeezed together, suddenly said in a deep voice, "There are more and more deformities amongst the newborn…"
The price of accumulating toxins and madness for generations wasn't as simple as reducing their average life expectancy. The people who still had normal physical conditions were gradually experiencing some mutations, just like A'dal who had many tumors on his face.
Similarly, the toxins and madness could also be passed down to their descendants, causing mutations to appear. Rus and Xin from the hunting team were examples.
Their lives would be even shorter, making it easier for them to lose control and mutate.
The more abnormalities there were, the more obvious the implications were. The hunting teams present knew very well that it might not take more than two to three generations before the residents of Moon City would lose control before they fully grew up or have children.
When that happened, even if there was no external attack, Moon City would quickly be destroyed, leaving behind only stone buildings and murals to prove their existence.
"I hope the High Priest and the others can find a new direction…" A'dal stood up with a lantern in hand as he answered weakly.
In the past two to three thousand years, it wasn't as if Moon City hadn't found a way to escape their current predicament. They had sent out teams of exploration teams that headed deep into the darkness. Some returned after suffering serious setbacks, with nothing to show for their efforts. Some disappeared into the boundless darkness, and nothing was heard from them ever again.
In addition, at a distance away, to the east of Moon City, was a grayish-white fog that blotted out the sky and land.
They were like invisible barriers that not only blocked one's vision, but also prevented any living beings from passing through.
The residents of Moon City once believed that this was a place of hope. They believed that the area covered by the grayish-white fog was a normal country. They believed that the other side of the gray fog was a land that wasn't cursed.
They attempted to enter the grayish-white fog again and again, but all their attempts failed.
They had dug a long passageway, hoping to pass through the invisible barrier by going underground. However, the region deep underground was also covered in grayish-white fog.
They tried ways to obtain the ability of flight before attempting to cross the barrier at high altitudes, but they didn't manage to see the top of the grayish-white fog before they were struck by lightning.
They mobilized the powers of all the demigods and Sealed Artifacts, attacking the target again and again. Over the past two to three thousand years, the cumulative attacks they performed failed to disperse the invisible barrier at all…
Upon hearing Captain A'dal's words, the members of the hunting team felt hopeless and sad. It was as though they were sliding down the edge of the abyss, but were unable to save themselves.
The deformed ones were people who found it difficult to control their emotions. At that moment, they more or less felt like they were suppressing something in their hearts, eager to unleash it.
In Moon City, a deformed person wasn't allowed to become a Beyonder or join the hunting teams two to three hundred years ago. They could only do harvesting work. However, as their manpower dwindled, the High Priest and the rest of the higher-ups relaxed the restrictions.
"Let's go. This bit of food isn't enough." A'dal looked around, carrying lanterns as he walked deeper into the darkness.
They didn't take the risk of extinguishing the fire, causing monsters to surge out in the darkness, as they might not be able to deal with them.
In such a quiet and suffocating environment, the members of the Moon City's hunting team couldn't help but have the feeling that they were enveloped in an endless darkness.
It was as though it was impossible to find hope regarding the present situation of Moon City, and the amount of time the lanterns in their hands could burn was decreasing.
When the last trace of light dissipated, they would be silently devoured by the darkness.
As they walked, a faint yellow light suddenly appeared in A'dal's eyes.
It was a glow that didn't belong to the hunting team!
This bit of light immediately shone into the eyes of all the members of the hunting team, filling their pupils.
A'dal, Xin, Rus, and company couldn't help but widen their eyes as they felt a deep sense of shock.
During their lifetime, there had never been any fires that came from external sources in the history of Moon City after the Cataclysm!
Indeed, many monsters possessed the powers of fire or the Sun domain, but before attacking, they were all hidden in the darkness without revealing any hint of light.
And now, a fiery glow appeared deep in the darkness!
A'dal, Xin, and Rus trembled slightly as they thought for a long time but couldn't think of an answer.
They quickly recalled the hunting arrangements and confirmed that it was impossible for residents of Moon City to be nearby.
Since the fiery glow didn't belong to Moon City, where did it come from?
The entire hunting team slowed down. They were shocked, surprised, curious, fearful, worried, and terrified.
They had also discovered some destroyed cities and knew that any abnormalities in the darkness could be fatal.
"…Be alert!" A'dal finally snapped out of his daze and gave the order.
The hunting team immediately took up a battle formation, waiting for the faint yellow light to approach.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Every second was slow. Finally, after the fiery glow grew bigger, a figure appeared.
A figure… There's only one person… The members of the Moon City hunting team held their breaths.
It seemed like, maybe, perhaps, they might have a chance of seeing an outsider!
Two to three thousand years had passed, and finally, someone else had stepped foot on this land.
They were not the only ones left in this abandoned world.
As for who could travel through endless darkness and reach this place, A'dal and company lacked experience, so they had no way of guessing.
As the fiery glow became bigger and more obvious, the hunting team members gradually saw the figure.
It was a slim young man. He had black hair and brown eyes, and his expression was cold. He was neither a deformed person nor had he any abnormal changes.
He wore a strange hat and strange clothes. He held a lantern made of special materials as he walked over from the darkness.
The light of his lantern was even brighter than the combined light of the hunting team. It made the surrounding darkness fade rapidly.
It didn't take long before the light shone on the bodies of the likes of A'dal, Xin, and Rus.
The figure stopped and looked at the Moon City hunting team. He asked in a low voice, "Where are you from?"
He spoke Jotun… His eyes are clear, and he can communicate… A'dal opened his mouth, stopping his subconscious urge to reply.
He asked in return, "Who are you?"
The figure with the glass lantern replied calmly, "Gehrman Sparrow."
After half a year of traveling and overcoming one difficult obstacle after another, Klein's spiritual intuition finally told him that he was finally reaching his destination.
And he had also encountered the first batch of living people in his trip across the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
"Where did you come from?" A'dal kept his guard up and pressed.
Klein swept his gaze across their faces and said without a change in tone, "I came from the City of Silver.
"And also from a land beyond the cursed lands."
Upon hearing this answer, all the members of the hunting team were in a daze. They suspected whether they were expecting too much, causing them to hallucinate.
…
In the autumn of 1351, Backlund, in the midst of the war.
Ever since Feynapotter declared war on Loen, the war that had been going on for some time had finally lost its balance. Loen and its allies—Lenburg, Masin, and Segar—had lost a large amount of territory, leaving only the last few lines of defense that they defended with great difficulty. They were on the brink of being overrun.
When she saw the long line of people at the food distribution center through the carriage window, Audrey slowly retracted her gaze and said to her personal maidservant, Annie, "Turn towards Saint Samuel Cathedral…"