Chapter 1267 Welcome
Beyond the open grayish-blue door, a flight of stone stairs led to a sea that glowed with golden light. This, along with boundless light, once again entered the eyes of the residents of the City of Silver such as Liaval and Candice.
As members of the former expedition team, this wasn't the first time they had seen such a scene. Even so, their souls remained deeply shocked as they subconsciously held their breaths.
With the Thunder God's Roar hammer in hand, Derrick stood at the front with his two-meter-tall, wide-shouldered build. He was silent.
Nearly a minute later, Liaval probed, "Elder Berg, when are we leaving?"
He was a Sequence 5 Guardian who stood at nearly 2.5 meters tall. This made his limbs' physical proportions slightly abnormal.
Derrick stared at the sea that was rippling with golden spots for a few seconds before saying, "Wait a while longer."
At this moment, several days had passed since he opened the door. He had led the expedition team back to the City of Silver with the ashes of the Chief and Elder Lovia, as well as their characteristics and Sealed Artifacts. He had also used the secret to obtain the trust of the current Chief of the six-member council, Waite Chirmont.
This time, Derrick led the twenty City of Silver Beyonders to do reconnaissance so as to find a safe passage to confirm the situation of the outside world.
On this matter, he had rejected Mr. World's suggestion of using the Staff of the Stars to directly transfer the entire City of Silver from the Forsaken Land of the Gods. He wanted to use his feet to take in the path of hope. He wanted to remember what the "light" that the City of Silver had finally found after experiencing two thousand years of persistence and sacrifice was like.
Upon hearing Elder Derrick's answer, the members of the expedition team, such as Liaval and Candice, didn't say much. They all took a step back and continued enjoying the scenery.
They still didn't trust Derrick Berg much. After all, he had a close relationship with outsiders. And the Chief and Elder Lovia had both died during the previous expedition. Only this Unshadowed and that outsider had survived. If not for the six-member council choosing to believe him, they would definitely be hostile and wary.
After an unknown period of time, the shimmering sea was suddenly enveloped by darkness.
Deep in the darkness, they could barely make out a thin fog. In the fog, there was a black pointed cathedral with all sorts of buildings. It gave people the feeling that it was both real and illusory.
Derrick and company were no stranger to darkness. He instinctively glowed, while those who needed to light up candles did so. They did it hurriedly without any signs of turmoil.
After the twenty-one-strong team was protected by light, they looked with curiosity at the town and fleeting pedestrians in the fog, unable to understand what was going on.
This wasn't the darkness they were familiar with.
At this moment, the naturally glowing Derrick raised his left hand and said in a low voice, "Let's set off."
Without waiting for his team members to respond, he took the first step through the door and followed the stone steps outside, taking one step after another into the darkness.
Everyone exchanged looks, then gritted their teeth. Without falling behind, they followed the newly-appointed six-member council Elder, Derrick Berg, out of the Giant King's residence.
In the rich darkness, as they walked down the stairs, their eyes suddenly lit up. They saw an orange glow and a row of black cloister-like buildings.
"Is this the outside world?" Candice looked around warily and curiously. She realized that all of them had unknowingly walked to the opposite side of the Giant King's Court and were separated by a sea of orange-red from where they were.
"No." Derrick compared the current environment to Mr. World's and Ma'am Hermit's description. He nodded slightly and said, "We still need to wait here for a while. Feel free to find a spot to rest."
This Unshadowed, who no longer had any hint of adolescence, calmly arranged everything.
Liaval looked at the tightly shut black cloister and asked in puzzlement, "Is there no need to explore this place in search of an exit?"
"There's no need." Derrick shook his head.
The members of the reconnaissance team didn't ask further, nor did they rest. They remained standing in their spots and waited patiently.
As time passed, blinding sunlight suddenly shone into this world, turning everything bright and white. It then dimmed and vanished.
Everyone subconsciously looked around and saw the golden sea once again. They felt a terrifying aura that daunted them from looking straight at.
However, unlike before, they were already on an island. Behind them were huge patches of golden strange plants with smiling faces. They didn't seem to have any signs of degeneration or abnormalities, making every member of the City of Silver's reconnaissance team experience the joy of life.
We're really outside… It really is a different world… Liaval, Candice, and company found it impossible to contain the amazement in their hearts.
They immediately confirmed a fact:
Elder Derrick didn't betray the City of Silver. His cooperation with the outsider really had the goal of leading everyone out of the cursed land.
"Elder Berg…" Candice stammered. "Thank you."
Derrick nodded slightly, his back straight.
Instead of expressing the apologetic feelings in his heart like Candice, Liaval looked around and asked, "Elder Berg, how should we leave this place? Build a boat?"
The term "building a boat" was only limited to the words in their history books, so it sounded rather odd.
"There doesn't seem to be any materials here that we can use to build a boat…" Candice and company immediately inspected the small island, but they couldn't find any trees or plants.
Derrick shook his head again.
"There's no need. Wait a little longer…"
Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a black shadow loom across the horizon.
The shadow grew bigger as it quickly followed the safe sea route between the golden spots of light.
Not long after, the shadow revealed its outline. It was a hybrid ship with smoke spewing out from it. With all its sails up, the ship hung a blue sea serpent flag.
"A boat?"
"That's a boat?"
…
As Liaval, Candice, and company kept their vigilance up, they posed questions.
Derrick had received some general education at the Tarot Club. He was an experienced person who had seen pictures of various ships. Upon hearing this, he nodded slightly and said, "That's right."
As they spoke, the ship approached, making the figure standing at the ship's bow gradually become clearer.
It was a black-cloaked man with yellow eyebrows and dark blue eyes. He jumped onto the masthead and spread his arms slightly to the people of the City of Silver.
Upon seeing this scene, Derrick, who had been maintaining his stern attitude, secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He knew that everything was as he had expected. No accidents had happened.
Danitz originally wanted to jump off the ship and walk in front of the believers of Mr. Fool to announce that they had been saved, but after glancing at the height of the people from the City of Silver, he silently held himself back.
Standing on the masthead, he completely widened his arms and said to Derrick and company with a reserved smile, "Welcome to the world of light promised by God!"
…
In the ancient palace above the fog.
Klein sat on the high-back chair belonging to The Fool. Through the crimson star that symbolized The Sun, he watched the entire process of the City of Silver's expedition team's progress. He was constantly prepared to deal with any accidents.
When the "history," which had been sealed for thousands of years, had combined with the "present," with them boarding the ship that originated from the new government of the Rorsted Archipelago, and leaving the most dangerous, core region of the ruins of the battle of gods was over, he heaved a sigh of relief. He put down the Staff of the Stars and beckoned for two items.
They were the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic that had seeped out of the "curtain," and the Worm of Star from Saint of Secrets Botis.
After some thought, Klein reached out his left hand and grabbed a large blob of a dark red liquid from the Historical Void.
This was Dark Demonic Wolf Kotar's blood. There was exactly 300mls of it, and it was the core supplementary ingredient of the Miracle Invoker potion.
Of course, as a supplementary material, it only had one purpose—to reduce the negative effects of the Beyonder characteristic and reduce the corresponding mysticism influence. Therefore, it didn't matter if it was a historical projection. After all, as long as it could play its role during the potion's concoction and consumption, Klein would have either succeeded or failed in his advancement by the time the historical projection expired. If he failed, he would've broken down into a monster. If he succeeded, he would've become a Miracle Invoker and gained initial control of the Beyonder characteristic. There was no need for the supplementary ingredient's effects.
Following that, Klein took out something from the fog of history.
It was a ringed Worm of Time.
As he had a strong psychological trauma towards Amon, Klein had chosen to summon a Worm of Time that Pallez Zoroast had once given to him, lest anything unexpected happened.
After preparing the materials, he conjured a metal pot and threw the 300mls of blood from Dark Demonic Wolf into it. Then, he placed the Worm of Time and sparkling Worm of Star inside, one after another.
The black and red liquid in the cauldron turned dark, its surface becoming translucent and clean. Deep in the cauldron was a dark vortex.
Without any hesitation, Klein picked up the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic.
It resembled a heart, transparent like a crystal, but there were tiny bubbles emerging from time to time. Every bubble seemed to contain an illusion.
When the Beyonder characteristic came into contact with the liquid in the metallic pot, it immediately merged into it, causing the darkness to instantly deepen, making it seem as though countless eyes were opened at the same time.
After staring at it for a few seconds, he poured the concocted Miracle Invoker potion into a glass bottle, and he used the bestowment ritual to bring it to the real world.
On an uninhabited island in the Sonia Sea, Klein, who had "Teleported" over, looked at the potion in his hand. He suddenly felt a little hesitant. This was because once he became an angel, his body would inevitably be affected by the Beyonder characteristic. He would become colder and crueler, becoming more and more indifferent towards life. He needed sufficient anchors to maintain his humanity.
This wasn't something that could be avoided by completely digesting the potion using the "acting method" he grasped. Back then, Emperor Roselle went through the early stages smoothly, but when he became a Sequence 2 angel, he nearly mutated, almost losing control.
As for the angels that he knew, they looked normal on the surface, but he had no idea what they were like when they were hiding behind the scenes.
If one could obtain a long life at Sequence 4 and Sequence 3, allowing them to live for more than a thousand years, a saint really didn't have much motivation to become an angel.
Combined with the saying that the higher one's Sequence was, the closer one was to the Primordial One, he suddenly understood why Demoness of White Katarina only rose from Sequence 4 to Sequence 3 in a thousand years.
But I have no way out… After a brief moment of silence, Klein sighed silently.
Nearby threats like Amon and Zaratul, and the approaching days of the apocalypse, as well as the fact that he was previously unable to interfere with the war, these all pushed him towards becoming an angel. He didn't want to simply contribute his strength through donations.
His eyes flickered for a few seconds before they returned to their calm state. He picked up the potion bottle and poured the liquid inside into his mouth.
Chapter 1268 Miracle Invoker Lord of the Mysteries
The moment the Miracle Invoker potion entered Klein's stomach, it immediately turned into countless cold "worms" and swam towards every corner of his body.
Suddenly, Klein's mind tore apart, turning into countless small pieces that combined with different Worms of Spirit. There was no longer any discernible difference between the main body and the auxiliary ones, nor was there any piece that remained dominant.
At some point in time, he had entered the grayish-white fog. His half top hat and long black trench coat quickly disintegrated, and numerous translucent and twisted maggots crawled out.
These maggots quickly flew into the depths of the fog of history, each occupying different "light fragments," overlapping with the projections of themselves in the Historical Void.
In just two or three seconds, the spot where Klein stood only had his windbreaker, shirt, top hat, socks, leather shoes, and personal items remaining. They had lost the support of a body and were held, suspended there.
"I…"
"Who am I…"
"Who's me…"
"I'm the main body…"
…
The various Worms of Spirit had different but similar thoughts. None of them were willing to return to their "body" on their own accord. Instead, they felt a strong sense of animosity towards their own kind. It was only because they still had Klein's remnant psyche influence that they hadn't done anything extreme for the time being.
At this moment, yet another invisible ripple appeared within the grayish-white fog.
This ripple didn't appear by coincidence. It had long existed in the fog, but compared to his collective whole, it appeared indiscernible. However, to a Worm of Spirit, it was obvious enough.
It came from a portion of history that appeared in the present era. It symbolized the fragments of light from the end of the Second Epoch and portions of the Third Epoch. They symbolized the two thousand years that the City of Silver had persisted in the darkness.
This forgotten history had a certain clash with the present era. As it formed a corresponding Historical Void, ripples spread out in an indescribable manner.
Such ripples seemed to exert a strong attraction on the Worms of Spirit, making them peek their heads out from the historical scenes.
After a short period of time, one of the Worms of Spirit crawled out of the light spot from which it occupied, having failed to resist it any further, and also succumbing to the effects of Klein's remnant consciousness. It flew towards the center of the ripples.
Right on the heels of that, Worms of Spirit returned from different spots in the fog of history, and they arrived at the fragments of light formed by the City of Silver's history in the present era.
When they reached a certain distance from each other, a strong force of convergence finally appeared, pulling together countless Worms of Spirit into one.
This wasn't an effect that could be produced by two or three Worms of Spirit. It needed to have a sufficient number for this phenomenon to happen.
And when that portion of the Worms of Spirit was once again whole, Klein's incomplete consciousness completed the piecing together of his identity. Things finally turned simple.
The Worms of Spirit formed a transparent and gigantic vortex, emitting a strong convergence force that sucked over the remaining, hesitant, nearby Worms of Spirit that were unwilling to return.
After more than two-thirds the Worms of Spirit returned, a series of transparent tentacles grew out of the vortex.
They extended towards the Second Epoch, the First Epoch, and even the prehistoric city of an earlier time. They grabbed the last batch of Worms of Spirit, one after another, and stuffed them back into the vortex.
In less than twenty seconds, the vortex began to extend, turning into a terrifying figure formed from transparent, twisted maggots. An invisible tentacle naturally extended from the figure's body.
The tentacles pulled over the windbreaker, top hat, socks, and leather shoes that floated in the fog of history, dressing up the terrifying figure.
The figure formed from countless Worms of Spirit pressed down on the top of his head, causing the translucent feeling on his body to quickly fade, forming a layer of flesh-colored skin. Short black hair and brown eyes grew out.
This was the appearance of Klein Moretti, but his height had reached 1.8 meters.
With great difficulty, he finally regained consciousness. Before Klein, who had made his Soul Body whole again, could analyze his present state, he felt two abnormalities:
One was from the Beyonder characteristic that fused with his body. It was a strong, terrifying, high, and mighty will that made it impossible to resist. It seemed to awaken a little as it transmitted one image after another. These images were filled with the mysterious knowledge of a Miracle Invoker. Some of them were dust that burned into suns, magnificent scenes generated by various celestial bodies. They were filled with a sense of desolateness, coldness, cruelty, madness, superciliousness, and void of any emotional imprints. They quickly assimilated into Klein's spirit, changing his state in an irresistible manner.
Another thing that surfaced before Klein's eyes were the crimson stars and the numerous points of resplendent light. The prayers from the members of the Tarot Club emitted from those stars, including Justice, The Hanged Man, and The Moon. Most of the light points echoed with the prayers from the residents of Moon City. Together, they created an image that enveloped the grayish-white fog that looked at the world with pity. It was the image of an extremely high-level and secret existence.
The two abnormalities reflected on Klein's body, causing his left body to be covered in a grayish-white fog. A slight smile showed on his face that had deep-set eyes. His right body fractured once again, turning into a cluster of translucent squirming maggots and a bloodshot eye that was filled with madness.
At that moment, the right side was constantly corroded to the left, and the grayish-white fog was gradually compressed to the extreme.
Without any hesitation, he raised his left hand with some difficulty, and he summoned the white bone scepter with blue gems embedded at the top from the fog of history.
Circling the Sea God Scepter were prayer points of light. With the help of this medium, they were transferred onto Klein's body.
Lightning bolts leaped out from the right side of his body as invisible winds and illusory waves swirled around him. This helped the grayish-white fog withstand the contamination from the left, allowing his entire body to come to a delicate balance.
At this point, Klein recovered bits and pieces of his humanity and memories, making an initial recovery back to the state before he consumed the potion.
He had finally advanced to the level of Sequence 2. He now had the level and status of an angel—a true Miracle Invoker.
Originally, Sefirah Castle was about to be stirred by his change, but with a thought from him, all the abnormalities returned to normal.
This proved that he had truly gained control of Sefirah Castle and had become the owner of the sefirah. As for how much power he could unleash in the real world, he was still unable to estimate it.
Phew… Thankfully, I made the history represented by the City of Silver return to reality, and it's powerful enough. If the ritual's effects were a little weaker, I would've lost control and collapsed here today… Klein rubbed his temples and slowly exhaled. He had a better understanding of anchors.
The anchor wasn't a tool to help him maintain his humanity. Its main purpose was to form a corresponding understanding, positioning, and image, one that would resist the mental imprint within the Beyonder characteristic so as to maintain an intricate balance.
Under this balance, Klein could then barely maintain his humanity and not be severely affected by any other influences.
In other words, the deities that the believers knew were different from the actual deities. Without the mental imprint within the Beyonder characteristic to resist this influence, the image of the deities in their hearts would gradually envelop the true appearance of the deities.
This was also a type of corruption.
Only at this moment did Klein realize why the orthodox deities went from having humanoid statues to simply having Sacred Emblems. This prevented the believers from having a unified impression of "Them." This improved the effects they had as anchors to resist the remnant mental effects of the Primordial One, whilst also not subtly changing their bodies.
As for why the orthodox deities took one or two epochs to figure this out, Klein quickly thought of two reasons:
Firstly, he had the past images of the orthodox deities for comparison. He had Emperor Roselle's diary as reference, and the corresponding mysticism knowledge to provide inspiration. Secondly, the Mythical Creature form of a Seer was all about being split and separated. It made him very sensitive to such influences.
This sort of balance isn't too stable, and it often tilts to a certain extent. This will cause problems with my condition's stability. From time to time, I will end up scaring the people around me. Fortunately, this can be predicted ahead of time, so it can effectively be avoided… Also, when I'm in a delicate balance, I should try my best to show my humanity to strengthen my self-awareness… This is commonly chosen by many angels. The Rose School of Thought's indulgence can be considered to be doing the same…
But Amon's believers are all "Himself." How does "He" maintain the balance?
Could it be that the Mythical Creature that's born with the Uniqueness itself has the will of the Primordial One fused with "Him"? Amon is long accustomed to being half-crazy. No, that's not "His" normal state… It's the image that arose from the referendum of every Amon…
That's a line of thought. I can form a marionette group and make every marionette a believer of The Fool. In addition, with my truest appearance as a deity, this can effectively provide the best anchor… It's no wonder that Zaratul and the Dark Demonic Wolf don't have any believers… Uh, once the residents of the City of Silver switch faiths to The Fool, I can consider separating the embodiment of Sea God from myself, making it no longer one of my anchors. This greatly contradicts the beliefs and understanding of my other believers. They can't truly be united… Klein instantly thought of a lot of matters, and after his thoughts finished racing, he returned above the gray fog.
When he became a Miracle Invoker and became a "Him," as well as becoming the owner of Sefirah Castle, he no longer needed to take four steps counterclockwise, recite the incantations, or get all the members of the Tarot Club to pray. He could now easily return.
However, he seemed incapable of expressing the full powers of Sefirah Castle. He could only enter with his Spirit Body, unable to bring his physical body along.
After sitting in the seat belonging to The Fool, Klein wasn't in a rush to check on the changes in Sefirah Castle. He first confirmed his advancement and digested the mysticism knowledge he had just obtained.
Yes… The Beyonder powers of a Miracle Invoker come from two different aspects. One is the greater utilization of the fog of history, and the other is the newly enhanced core power of "Wishes."
The improved utilization of the fog of history includes several abilities:
One, using the help of past Worms of Spirit to revive myself, but it will be ineffective after four times. I've already used it three times, so I can only revive one more time as a Miracle Invoker. Once I advance to an Attendant of Mysteries, there should be a corresponding increase in this number. Two, I am able to exert some influence on the future, causing the probability of certain things to increase or shrink to a certain extent. It's equivalent to interfering with the fate of the target. Heh heh, I'm finally wielding good luck. However, this aspect is still different from the Die of Probability. Three, summoning from the Historical Void is no longer limited to just items. It can be extended to certain scenes I'm familiar with.
Yes, the total number of items and scenes I can summon now is nine, but only three of them can be at the angel level…
"Wishes" already make it a standard deity's ability, but it's a little strange. Only by fulfilling someone's wish can I fulfill my own wish. A small wish has to be granted before a bigger wish can be gradually granted…
Chapter 1269 The Power of Wishes
Klein originally believed that the "Wishes" ability could be used freely as long as it didn't exceed a limit. To his surprise, the effects didn't solely come from the Beyonder characteristic.
To put it simply, a Miracle Invoker needed to seek out and satisfy all kinds of wishes before they could make wishes and personally grant them during battles, turning the corresponding situation into a reality. Furthermore, at the very beginning, the wishes that Klein could fulfill were small and trivial. He had to accumulate them one step at a time before he could create a true miracle. He couldn't do as he wished.
Yes, if I want to use Dark Demonic Wolf Kotar's wishing method to teleport, I would have to first satisfy many similar wishes. It comes from others, from simple to the more difficult wishes… I do have a solution in this aspect. I can use Creeping Hunger and the Staff of the Stars to fulfill the corresponding wishes. There's no need to start from the simplest…
Speaking of which, the "Wishes" ability resembled using an anchor. It's a type of "collective" ability. Since the faithful's understanding of deities can effectively affect the deities and become a certain "definition" for "Them," helping "Them" resist the Primordial One's mental imprint in the Beyonder characteristics, in the same way, similar wishes of different creatures with spirituality can indeed help me create a miracle…
This might be related to the sea of collective subconscious. It's not scientific enough, but it's fairly mystical… After figuring out the situation of the "Wishes" ability, Klein had a preliminary idea of how to act as a Miracle Invoker.
That was to walk the real world, and as the most powerful "magician," he would allow different people to witness a miracle and satisfy their wishes.
It's no wonder the Dark Demonic Wolf's original title was the God of Wishes… When such a belief spreads, many people would use the method of praying to voice out their wishes, allowing the Miracle Invoker to respond from afar. This makes acting a lot simpler. It can save a lot of time, but the problem is that the potion's name is Miracle Invoker and not the God of Wishes. The role one needs to act as is that of a deity, so there are still some differences between the two…
I can roam the various countries and let different people witness miracles while using The Fool's name to satisfy some of the believers' wishes. I'll then see which would be more effective…
However, this isn't the only way to act as a Miracle Invoker… I still need to take the initiative to create a miracle in real life, leaving behind the corresponding legend? Klein tapped the edge of the long mottled table with his finger as he silently muttered to himself.
During his scrutiny of his own body moments ago, he realized that he had digested more than half of the potion. After all, he had created miracles several times. He had even been "revived" three times.
Of course, Klein believed that it was very coincidental because he could create a "miracle" and act in advance, mainly because of Sefirah Castle.
It's as though someone set me up… Klein sighed inwardly as he didn't feel relaxed. Instead, he became more serious and wary.
As for who arranged it, he had a suspect.
The "Mysteries" that the ancient sun god mentioned, the existence suspected to be "The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
And what made Klein even more puzzled was that when he advanced to Sequence 2 and became an angel, The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings didn't appear, neither did "He" awaken in his body after he experienced the qualitative changes.
This was completely different from what he had expected.
There weren't any traces of it at all. Apart from the initial mental corruption from the Primordial One—something that will definitely arrive—it should be the spiritual imprint left behind in the Beyonder characteristic… Could it be that The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings has completely perished despite making all the arrangements? "He" doesn't have the ability to influence me and revive from my body? If that's the case, then I have to thank "Him"! Klein teased himself and stood up with caution and puzzlement.
With this thought, he appeared on the grayish-white cloud and arrived in front of the strange door of light.
Glancing at the transparent "cocoons" hanging above his head, Klein slowly extended his right hand and touched the door of light.
When he truly became the owner of this mysterious space, he had clearly realized a fact when he returned. It was that the strange door of light was core to this place. It was Sefirah Castle in the truest sense of the word, and this boundless void belonged to the divine kingdom that Sefirah Castle came with.
As for the ancient palace, the twenty-two high-back chairs, the long bronze table, and the items that the members of the Tarot Club usually conjured, Klein believed that they were a manifestation of the "Wishes" power.
In other words, back when he wanted a palace and a gathering place, Sefirah Castle had satisfied his wish.
And because he didn't have a specific description of his wish, Sefirah Castle had extracted scenes from similar wishes in the past. Klein suspected that the ancient Greek palace and the twenty-two high-back chairs were conjured by the existence that was suspected to be the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings.
As he moved inch by inch, Klein pressed his right hand against the edge of the door of light.
This time, his palm didn't directly pierce through it as he touched something corporeal.
Suddenly, the door of light began to tremble slightly, along with the hanging "cocoons" which contained human figures.
Above the grayish-white fog, there was only an ancient palace in the endless void. Numerous skyscrapers rose rapidly. Cars appeared one after another as pedestrians suddenly appeared.
In one of the residential districts, in an ordinary rental apartment, there was a window illuminated by an energy-saving bulb that wasn't bright enough.
This was what the old metropolis from before the First Epoch looked like before the disaster. This was the place Klein had once lived.
Looking around, Klein sighed, letting everything disappear before his eyes.
Indeed, I can preliminarily use Sefirah Castle's powers… By relying on this point, I would already be close to the level of a King of Angels when I'm above the gray fog. Furthermore, the authority I show isn't only that of Miracles, but also a portion of a Planeswalker and a Trojan Horse of Destiny…
If I were to return to the real world, apart from being able to further utilize Sefirah Castle's aura, I would be able to directly obtain a portion of its powers… This should allow me to form a nascent divine kingdom and reach Sequence 1 in here… Unfortunately, in reality, I can't use the high-level Beyonder powers of Marauder and Apprentice… As Klein evaluated the situation, he cast his gaze at the transparent cocoons hanging above the door of light.
He ultimately didn't release the people inside, because they would definitely be used by Amon.
After confirming everything, Klein returned to the ancient palace and sat on the high-back chair of The Fool.
He remembered that some of his memories were sealed, so he summoned the piece of paper from the junk pile.
Upon opening it, Klein's eyes narrowed and his lips quivered as he muttered to himself, "Great Old Ones, Outer Deities, Cosmos, Creator, Above the Sequences… So that's how it is…"
At that moment, he completely understood the rationale behind the battle of gods that had just ended. He understood the possible origins of the apocalypse and understood why the seven deities had given tacit consent to the birth of a Black Emperor, and their indifference towards the Red Angel evil spirit's return to the real world.
From the information provided by Leonard and Miss Justice, Loen ultimately clinched victory. It's very likely that the God of Combat has already perished… In other words, the Goddess has succeeded, but I don't know what other conditions "She" is lacking to become a Great Old One that's Above the Sequences… I'll summon Arrodes later to inquire about the details of the situation and grasp the present situation… With this in mind, Klein recalled the various details of the past and connected many matters together.
Earth Mother, whose identity had been unknown, had succeeded in acting as the Giant Queen Omebella for thousands of years without being exposed. It's impossible without the help of Concealment… Man, the Goddess has been plotting something like this from the Third Epoch or even the end of the Second Epoch?
W-why does this feel more terrifying than Amon…
Yes, Concealment can only hide traces of various aspects. It can mislead the corresponding prying and divination attempts, making it impossible for a person to don a disguise. For the Earth Mother to be able to pretend to be Omebella, without being suspected by the God of Combat, there may be other factors involved… For example, a particular existence helped "Her" steal the fate of the Giant Queen? At that time, there was only one person who had the authority to participate in this matter—the ancient sun god, the second Creator, Amon and Adam's father…
If that's the case, the Goddess and the ancient sun god should've cooperated from a long time ago. Until the new Creator awakened the Primordial One in "Him"… This can also explain why the first existence that Dark Angel Sasrir sought out was the Goddess. Of course, Concealment is also an important factor…
Ever since I obtained the Uniqueness of the Death pathway, the Goddess has been setting up the trap. On the one hand, "She" wants me to take over the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction in Backlund to pretend that everything is normal. On the other hand, "She" didn't deal with the people or objects that might've discovered something was amiss, resulting in the leak of information. This way, in the eyes of the God of Combat, the situation became the Goddess trying "Her" best to conceal the secret, but due to "Her" lack of control while digesting the Uniqueness, "She" was unable to do so…
After that, be it tacitly acquiescing George III becoming the Black Emperor, or the aid provided to me in destroying "His" ritual, the Goddess doesn't care about the final outcome of the matter. "Her" main goal was to show that "She" didn't have the ability to directly interfere with the real world, further deepening the impression that "She" was attempting to accommodate the Uniqueness of the Death pathway…
There are a lot of similar details…
To the God of Combat, as "He" had a deeper understanding of the Goddess, "He" definitely wasn't fully convinced in regards to this matter. Therefore, "He" chose to take it safe by first shaking the Goddess's anchors, allowing "Her" psyche to be corrupted. To "Him," this definitely made "Her" divert a large portion of "Her" efforts to resist the corruption before "He" chose to attack the Goddess together with Earth Mother…
This… And it's because of this that "He" fell into the Goddess's trap…
In other words, the true goal of the Goddess's various actions wasn't to lay a trap with the Uniqueness of the Death pathway, but to let the other deities place their focus on this matter, and ignore the possibility that there was something wrong with Earth Mother…
How terrifying…
Klein sighed from the bottom of his heart. He felt that Adam and Amon were probably inferior to the Goddess when it came to horror.
He shook his head, conjured a pen and paper, and wrote his warning:
"Always remember you are a he, not a 'He.'"
Chapter 1270 "Visiting"
On the ship, Sea God, the members of the City of Silver, like Liaval, Candice, and other City of Silver scouts, were seated on chairs that didn't suit their size. They watched the "dwarfs" around them warily.
Of course, they knew that these were normal humans. After all, they all knew that their exaggerated heights were brought about by potions, but they still felt that the people on the ship were too short, including Lord Danitz, who called himself an oracle. After all, in the City of Silver, other than children, the residents who had yet to reach Sequence 6 had an average height exceeding 1.8 meters. Among them, there were no lack of Sequence 9 Beyonders who were more than two meters tall.
The slight sway of the boat made the "half-giants" feel somewhat uncomfortable, but their strong physique helped them quickly overcome this influence. And the contrast between the sea and the lone boat beyond the window made them unable to contain their unease, fear, and anxiety. It was like the first time they participated in an expedition. The surroundings seemed to have monsters lurking in the darkness that could attack them at any moment.
At that moment, Danitz entered the room that had been transformed into a dining mess. He smiled at the tall, wary, cautious, strangely-dressed people who sat stiffly and said, "Your food is ready. Next, you can enjoy your food as you please.
"By the way, don't forget what I told you just now. These waters are very dangerous.
"There's no need to get up. You can stay in your seats."
When Danitz saw that the young Elder who introduced himself as Derrick, and the other "half-giants" wished to get up and speak to him in the most polite manner, he hurriedly lowered his hands and stopped their uncivilized behavior.
If I was as tall as them, I would've already begun mocking the people around me… Danitz muttered as he clapped his hands, signaling the crew to send the food in.
A strong fragrance immediately drilled into the noses of Derrick and the other residents of the City of Silver. It was the scent that they were familiar with when roasting meat-type mushrooms, but there was an additional indescribable smell. It was rather strange and slightly stimulating.
The smell was so alluring that Liaval, Candice, and the rest began to have saliva secrete from their mouths as their stomachs churned to attention.
"Desi-style roasted meat," Danitz said as he pointed at a crew member who walked in.
He held a large steel plate that had a piece of roasted golden-brown piece of meat that glistened with oil. Evenly spread across its surface were fennel, basil, and other spices.
"Steak, pan-fried fish, white bread, seafood soup, and light beer…" Danitz introduced each and every dish, smiling when he was done. "Don't worry about anything. Feel free to indulge. We have plenty of food reserves."
With that said, he glanced at the "half-giants" who seemed eager to stand up. Then, he left the room chuckling.
The short-haired Candice retracted her gaze from the food with great difficulty and swallowed her saliva.
"Elder Derrick, what do we do now?"
Although Derrick believed that Mr. Fool's Oracle wouldn't harm them, he habitually gave a very cautious opinion.
"Split into two groups. One group is to wait for their turn to eat. One team is to eat now."
"Alright, Elder Derrick." Candice suddenly stood up. "I apply to join the food-tasting team!"
A group of ten people quickly formed. At the same time, Liaval and Candice walked to the long table near the wall, and they took a portion of what they found the most tempting, the so-called Desi roasted meat.
After taking a bite, the rich juices, the fragrance and pure meat mixed in the texture formed a complex and unique experience in their mouths. They could only chew twice before swallowing the food ravenously into their stomachs so as to take a second bite.
This was many times more delicious than the meat-type mushrooms they had eaten previously.
Unknowingly, the ten residents of the City of Silver were already eating with tears in their eyes, their vision blurred.
On the deck, Danitz looked at the safe sea route in the ruins of the battle of gods. He considered how to settle the problems of Mr. Fool's flock.
Suddenly, a sailor ran over and panted.
"Lord Oracle, they've already finished eating. They want seconds!"
…Where did these guys come from? Danitz was taken aback.
"Prepare another set for them."
Seeing that the sailor was about to turn around, Danitz quickly added, "From tomorrow onwards, the crew is to begin fishing!"
…
In the Sonia Sea, on an uninhabited island.
Klein had gotten used to his current state, and he restrained his spirituality. He planned on "Teleporting" back to Backlund and summoning the magic mirror, Arrodes, to ask some questions.
He wasn't in a hurry to extract the residents of Moon City to the outside world. He planned on waiting for Danitz to settle down the City of Silver's vanguard unit. With sufficient experience, he could turn his attention to this matter. After all, the path to leaving the Forsaken Land of the Gods had been opened. He could use the method of responding to prayers, and rely on the power of the Staff of the Stars to move all of Moon City out.
Of course, if the door closed once again, Klein also had a solution. He would first transfer the residents of Moon City to the Giant King's residence and let them open the door themselves. Without the first Blasphemy Slate and the Dark Angel evil spirit, ordinary Beyonders would be able to open the door.
As for whether the True Creator would interfere or stop him, Klein didn't consider it. This was because the Sequence 0 true god was capable of doing so now. He wasn't able to stop "Him" even if he was disagreeable to it.
In addition, Klein believed that the focus of the True Creator wasn't placed on this matter. "His" most pressing concern was to capture Amon and retrieve the first Blasphemy Slate.
Strictly speaking, this is a family drama… Klein lampooned inwardly. He grabbed Creeping Hunger from the air, and he wore the Sealed Artifact that had accompanied him for a long time on his left palm.
His body quickly turned transparent and disappeared.
In the saturated and stacked spirit world, Klein rapidly moved through the indescribable figures as he approached the coordinates that represented Backlund.
Suddenly, he came to a stop and stood in the chaotic void, looking at the seven pure lights that occupied the highest spot in the spirit world.
Previously, due to my low Sequence, I didn't dare wander the spirit world. Nor did I attempt to visit the Seven Lights that had shown their kindness towards me. Now, it seems it's time we meet… They're the embodiments of all kinds of knowledge, and they've lived in the spirit world for countless years. They might know quite a bit of secrets… Just as Klein finished his thoughts, a light suddenly appeared in front of him. An elder in an orange robe appeared.
This old man was plump and had a short white beard. He looked very amiable.
He looked at Klein and nodded with a smile.
"Your Excellency, please allow me to introduce myself. You should remember me. I am Orange Light Hilarion."
The last time I saw you, you were very thin… As Klein lampooned, he asked with a smile, "You seem to have predicted that I would visit you?"
Hilarion didn't hide anything as he smiled frankly.
"The spirit world itself is interwoven with all sorts of information. Some come from the past, some come from the present, and some indicate a certain future. Whether it's divination or prophecy, most of the methods are actually using the spirit world, followed by the prying into the secrets of fate."
What Orange Light meant was that since Klein was in the spirit world and had the intention of visiting, and was prepared to take action to do so, there would definitely be a corresponding exchange of information. This allowed the Seven Lights who controlled the spirit world to a certain extent to sense it and make a prophecy.
Klein wasn't surprised at all. He nodded slightly and said, "Other than you, who else wants to meet me?"
He had originally planned on using honorifics, but considering the Seven Light's attitude and the way Orange Light addressed him, he gave up on this plan, so as to maintain the status of the proxy to Sefirah Castle.
Orange Light Hilarion immediately smiled and said, "All of them. Your Excellency, you don't mind, do you?"
Klein shook his head and replied politely, "Of course. It will be my honor."
As soon as he finished speaking, different colors of light rose up around Hilarion, transforming into different old men.
"Your Excellency, please allow me to do the introductions." When Orange Light saw Klein nod, he pointed at an elder in a red robe and said, "He is Red Light Aiur Moria."
The one who previously answered my question… Klein immediately smiled and showed his gratitude and friendliness.
In turn, Hilarion introduced Yellow Light Venithan, Blue Light Kuthumi, Green Light Serapis, Indigo Light Iesus, and Violet Light Saint Germain.
Yellow Light Venithan… Is this the one who made an apocalyptic prophecy regarding the Abrahams' ancestor? Klein looked at the thin, long-bearded elder in a lemon-yellow robe and said with a smile, "Let's sit down and have a chat."
As he spoke, he raised his right hand.
Dark red flames lit up in the surrounding area. It came from a fireplace burning high-quality charcoal.
These flames immediately lit up a reclining chair, a grayish-yellow carpet, cupboards, sofas, coffee tables, cast sculptures, white porcelain teacups, and other items, forming a classic Backlund-styled activity room.
"Please take a seat." Klein faced the Seven Lights as he smiled and pointed at the sofa and high-back chairs.
After the Seven Lights settled down, Klein sat on the reclining chair, picked up a teacup, and said in a natural tone, "To be honest, I've always wanted to pay a visit to all seven of you, but I couldn't find a chance. Now, I've finally fulfilled this wish."
"This has also been our wish." Orange Light seemed to be the brightest and most outgoing person among the Seven Lights. He immediately responded on behalf of all his companions.
Eh, I have the feeling that I've fulfilled someone's wish… Klein was delighted as he probed, "Might I ask what do you know about the cosmos, or should I say, the Great Old Ones and Outer Deities?"
Indigo Light Iesus, who wore a linen robe and looked relatively young, answered seriously, "Your Excellency, the Great Old Ones eyeing our world are Mother Goddess of Depravity, Mother Tree of Desire, Son of Chaos, Primordial Hunger, Ring of Comeuppance, Supernova Dominator, Inextinguishable Ravings, Monarch of Decay, and High-Dimensional Overseer…"
…Isn't that a little too many? Klein was a little stunned when he heard that.
Chapter 1271 Seven Lights
Upon hearing Indigo Light Iesus's reply, Klein's mind tensed up as he recalled the crimson moon, the Brown Planet, the Scarlet Planet, the Blue Planet, and Gold Planet. He felt like they were looking down at him from above with their eyes.
Silently, a connection was established. The impending fatal corruption made all of Klein's Worms of Spirit feel uneasy.
As an angel in control of Sefirah Castle, Klein had many ways to sever this connection. Firstly, he could use the status and strength of a complete Mythical Creature. Secondly, he could suppress his anchors, using the mental imprint the Primordial One left in him to offset it. Thirdly, he could use the aura of Sefirah Castle that he could now utilize one step further.
Without any hesitation, he chose the simplest and most convenient method to not leave behind any hidden dangers.
A grayish-white fog appeared around him as all the celestial body projections in his mind vanished.
After being stunned for a second, Klein organized his words and said, "There are that many Outer Deities?"
Indigo Light Iesus symbolized the domain of prayers. "He" touched the ruby ring on "His" right hand and nodded.
"Ever since the Oldest One awakened and split apart, the most powerful Outer Deities in the entire Universe gathered around this tiny solar system. Some of 'Them' wish to retrieve 'Their' sefirot and characteristics that had been ripped from 'Them,' and were attracted here. Some of 'Them' have the hope of getting neighboring sefirot and high-level characteristics which 'They' can accommodate."
Oldest One… The Seven Lights address the original Creator as the Oldest One, and not the Primordial One… In terms of the name's meaning, there isn't much difference… Klein deliberated and asked, "Sefirot and characteristics that were ripped and attracted over?"
He could understand the rest of the words Indigo Light had mentioned, and he had even made some speculation towards such matters. There was just one point that caught him by surprise.
Blue Light Kuthumi, who was a symbol of the domain of Cogitation and used love and wisdom as a characteristic of "His" body, explained kindly, "Your Excellency, you shouldn't be unfamiliar with the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics."
Seeing Klein nod, the thick-bearded elder with a "sapphire" tied around his forehead continued, "This isn't just a law for the Sequence pathways. It's also suitable for describing the sefirot and the characteristics related to the Outer Deities, especially the ones that were directly nurtured and created from the Oldest One. For example, the Mother Goddess of Depravity, Son of Chaos, and the Mother Tree of Desire. As for the other Outer Deities, we aren't too sure. In short, the three Great Old Ones who lost a portion of their sefirot and characteristics are most concerned and proactive when it comes to invading the real world. 'They' have been trying to influence the spirit world and corrupt us."
Klein nodded slightly and asked in a confirmation-seeking tone, "In other words, a portion of the current twenty-two pathways and nine sefirot belong to the Outer Deities?"
"Yes." The amethyst-wielding Saint Germain, who symbolized the domain of ritualistic magic, took the opportunity to answer. "When the total number of 22 pathways and the nine sefirot was reached, everything finally reached a balance. This might be the mysticism connection that originated from the Oldest One."
Klein thought for a moment before saying, "What are they exactly?"
Saint Germain. whose face was suffused with a faint purple glow, making "Him" look rather mysterious, said, "For example, the Moon and the Earth pathway both belong to the Mother Goddess of Depravity. 'She' is an existence that stands atop all the Outer Deities. Even after a portion of 'Her' sefirah—that is, the Brood Hive—was ripped from 'Her,' that remains the case. 'She' is the sovereign of all the feminine forces in the entire Universe."
Just as Saint Germain said that, Green Light Serapis suddenly laughed.
"In fact, after carefully analyzing the twenty-two pathways, you'll discover that the Moon and Earth pathways are the two most contradictory ones. Heh heh, the Demoness pathway represents the Oldest One's feminine side. The Red Priest pathway represents the masculine side. This happens to form a deformed aspect of balance, but the Moon and Earth can also make Beyonders of the corresponding pathways turn into feminine creatures at high Sequences. There are no pathways that balance it."
Seeing Klein wince his eyebrows, Green Light, who had the long hair of an artist, added with a smile, "The Earth pathway's Sequence 2 is 'Desolate Matriarch,' and the Moon pathway's Sequence 1 is called 'Beauty Goddess.' Therefore, the Sanguine only have queens and no male princes."
Then was the ancient goddess, Lilith, originally a male and a female? Klein mumbled inwardly and asked thoughtfully, "The Primordial Moon is the Mother Goddess of Depravity?"
"Yes." Red Light Aiur Moria, who was wearing a diamond crown, nodded in a dignified manner. "'She' occupies the moon, and through 'Her' own level and influence on the Brood Hive and the Uniqueness of two pathways, 'She' has gradually infiltrated into reality. The Primordial Moon is 'Her' manifestation in this world."
After saying that, Aiur Moria paused and said, "'Her' full title is 'Mother Goddess of Depravity,' 'Origin of Evil,' The Indestructible,' and the 'Brood Hive of Filth.'"
Klein recalled the exaggerated reaction of the moon when he first learned of the secret of the cosmos. He suddenly felt a chill as he hurriedly asked, "The Devil and Prisoner pathway come from the Mother Tree of Desire?"
Yellow Light Venithan, who was wearing a lemon-yellow robe, sighed.
"Yes, 'Her' full name is the 'Mother Tree of Desire,' 'Father to Devils,' 'Perpetual Blatherer,' and the 'Heartless God.' Therefore, 'She' had seized the opportunity when something happened to the Chained God, easily achieving 'Her' goal of corruption."
Mother… Father… Is that fellow a man or a woman… Yes, to an existence at this level, it's normal for there to be no distinction between genders. Different incarnations have different images… Heh, 'She' even wanted to bear a child for me. From the present state of the Chained God, if I had been caught, I'd probably be the one bearing the child. Then, the child will inherit Sefirah Castle, allowing the Mother Tree of Desire to indirectly corrupt and control this sefirah…
From this angle, perhaps the Prisoner pathway's desire of indulgence is the proper way of acting. However, this "correct" path leads to the Outer Deity, so temperance is still the better one… Klein frowned slightly as he raised a question he had guessed before, hoping to get an answer.
"Since there are so many Outer Deities, why haven't 'They' entered our world yet?"
From what Klein had learned to date, he could guess that, even if it were only the Mother Goddess of Depravity and the Mother Tree of Desire, the Outer Deities could easily resolve existences like the former seven deities, the True Creator, and the Primordial Demoness.
The plump Orange Light Hilarion smiled and said, "All our suffering comes from the Oldest One. All our luck comes from the Oldest One as well.
"Not only did 'He' leave behind 'His' spirit, will, branding, and corruption, but 'He' also left behind the sefirot, characteristics, and power.
"The remnants of 'His' power formed an invisible barrier outside the planet, preventing the Outer Deities from directly invading it. However, with the passage of time, 'His' consciousness and powers haven't truly been revived, and 'His' will and powers are fading. At the end of the Fourth Epoch, this reached a very serious state. The invisible barrier produced cracks, and the seven deities had no choice but to move 'Their' divine kingdoms into the astral world to mend the cracks.
It's no wonder that the true deities from the Fourth Epoch could walk the land, but "They" rarely descended in the Fifth Epoch… Klein immediately came to a realization and asked, "When the Oldest One's will and powers decline further, the invisible barrier will vanish and usher in the apocalypse?"
Orange Light Hilarion, who had been smiling all this while, glanced at Yellow Light Venithan. His expression immediately turned serious.
"Yes."
When the time comes, the Mother Goddess of Depravity, the Mother Tree of Desire, and the Son of Chaos and all the other Outer Deities would invade this planet. Even if the Goddess becomes a Great Old One, "She" wouldn't be able to withstand so many of "Them"… The other Sequence 0 deities would be able to tie down one or two Outer Deities together, and that would be considered a miracle… It would take nine to fight one, or even more… Klein's scalp tingled as he once again experienced the meaning of despair.
No wonder it was called the apocalypse!
With his upheaval in emotions, he immediately felt the Primordial One's mental imprint strengthen, and more of it had eroded what the anchors had fixed in place.
Klein quickly calmed himself down and allowed the fragile balance to reappear again.
This is the reason why the corruption from underground will naturally dissipate as long as one doesn't approach it or resist? Klein recalled some of the mysticism knowledge he had previously grasped.
"Your Excellency, you're completely right." Orange Light Hilarion gave an affirmative answer.
Klein immediately made other connections.
"Does that mean that the closer one is to the apocalypse, the easier it is for one to advance? This is because the Primordial One's will is fading. 'His' awakening will become difficult, to the point of not waking up again?"
Red Light, Aiur Moria thought for a moment and said, "This is the reason why the seven deities have only waited until recently to set 'Their' sights on Above the Sequences before taking concrete action.
"However, the Oldest One's will can dissipate, but 'His' spirit will remain forever. It won't be erased unless the entire Universe returns to the singularity. Therefore, the corresponding high-level existences still have the possibility of having the Oldest One awaken in 'Them.' The higher the level, the greater the possibility. The corresponding influence and corruption will become more serious."
The extraordinary power and the curse that can never be broken are always two sides of the same coin… Klein sighed. Forcefully suppressing a problem that wasn't at his level, he asked, "Do you know the potion formula for Attendant of Mysteries?"
The amethyst-wielding Saint Germain replied, "There's a corresponding mystery attached to such knowledge. It's not in the spirit world, but according to our observations, the Attendant of Mysteries ritual should be closely related to the spirit world."
Orange Light Hilarion immediately smiled at Klein.
"Your Excellency, if you require anything, we'll provide our full support."
This fervor makes me a little afraid, just like facing Arrodes… Klein nodded slightly and prepared to change the topic.
After some consideration, he asked solemnly, "Do you know of 'The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings'?"
He translated the title using Elvish.
The Seven Lights immediately fell silent. "They" looked at each other and didn't reply for a while.
After a few seconds, Orange Light Hilarion sighed.
"We still can't be sure if you're 'Him.'
"'He' was a Great Old One who had been active during the end of the previous civilization up to the mid-stages of the First Epoch. 'He' is 'the great ruler above the spirit world' that we speak of.
"The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings is 'His' title in the Western Continent. The other title is 'King of Space-Time,' 'Beacon of Destiny,' 'Embodiment of Sefirah Castle,' 'Dominator of the Spirit World,' and…"
At this point, Orange Light paused and said, "Lord of the Mysteries."
Chapter 1272 "Spring
The King of Space-Time, Beacon of Destiny, Embodiment of Sefirah Castle, Dominator of the Spirit World, Lord of the Mysteries… So the "Mysteries" mentioned by the ancient sun god refers to the Lord of the Mysteries… Klein silently repeated the titles as he felt the trauma in his heart increase.
He immediately thought of a question and hesitated before saying, "Based on what I know, a long time before the last civilization ended, The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings had already appeared."
After the Seven Lights exchanged looks, the thin Yellow Light Venithan, who was translucent like other spirit world creatures, sighed and said, "We weren't aware of that. When the previous civilization came to an end, the Seven Lights from before had been wiped out when the Oldest One awoke. We were the pure lights that were born from the spirit world during the First Epoch.
"However, we have some guesses about 'the great ruler above the spirit world.' Perhaps this can answer your questions."
Klein perked up and wore an attentive look.
Yellow Light Venithan continued, "We suspect that some of the Great Old Ones that were active in the First Epoch were Outer Deities who had been directly attracted to this planet. Some of them came alive as sefirots. In other words, some Great Old Ones were equivalent to the Oldest One—embodiments of the different personalities 'He' split into.
"Whatever separates will definitely converge, and whatever converges will definitely separate. This description isn't limited to Beyonder characteristics, but also refers to the Oldest One 'Himself.' As most of the sefirot and characteristics are from this supreme existence, there are natural inclinations of convergence. And the Oldest One is the amalgamation of all the contradictions in the Universe. Once the sefirot and characteristics are gathered, it will almost certainly separate."
Is this the crux and origins of the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics? The Genie is an unlucky Outer Deity who got attracted to this world, only to encounter the Lord of the Mysteries? Klein nodded slightly and didn't interrupt. He patiently waited for Yellow Light to share "Their" guesses.
Dressed in a lemon-yellow robe, Venithan glanced at Klein and said, "Perhaps the Oldest One had already had an inclination towards separating while asleep. Therefore, 'His' mind was split into different parts. 'He' used different titles to secretly interfere with the real world and prepare for the separation that was bound to happen once 'His' body woke up. For example, God Almighty or the Celestial Worthy…"
A reasonable guess; it can explain many of my doubts… Klein immediately felt enlightened.
He deliberated and said, "In other words, you believe that 'the great ruler above the spirit world' was a part of the Oldest One. To a certain extent, 'He' is equivalent to the Oldest One?"
"That's right." Orange Light Hilarion gave an affirmative response before comforting Klein. "Based on the present situation, the great ruler is also the same as the rest of the Oldest One. 'His' will and powers have faded over time. Your Excellency, regardless of you being 'Him' or not, it doesn't hinder you from putting up a certain level of resistance. Keep what's left of your humanity, and reach a particular balance with 'Him.' Heh heh, separation is inevitable."
What kind of consolation is that? Klein couldn't help but lampoon.
Then he realized a problem:
Since the Oldest One dissociated into different parts, the mental imprint in the body of a High-Sequence Beyonder of the corresponding pathway should also belong to the different Great Old Ones.
If the Primordial One which awoke in the ancient sun god's body is the God Almighty as described by the Seven Lights, then who would it be when the Primordial One's mental imprint begins eating at me?
The answer to this question was very obvious. Without needing to think, Klein could answer it:
The Lord of the Mysteries, the Dominator of the Spirit World, the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings!
In other words, it wasn't that the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings hadn't left any traces as he had previously believed. "He" had already awoken in Klein's body!
F*ck… Klein's entire body turned cold. He inexplicably experienced what the ancient sun god previously felt.
At that moment, he was very worried that, one day, he would unknowingly become another person, becoming the resurrected Lord of the Mysteries, the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings.
However, an awakening of this level is similar to what other angels have encountered. It's not as strong and irresistible as I had imagined it to be… This is because I'm different from the ancient sun god. I wasn't born with the status of an angel, or even in control of a Uniqueness. I advanced step by step, and I was able to complete the digestion in different stages? If that's the case, I have to thank the grayish-white fog that sent the "curtain" into the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Perhaps, this involved the help of a particular, or several existences… Yes, that's still not right. I've already become the owner of Sefirah Castle. There's no reason for the corruption and contamination I suffer to be the same as other Sequence 2 angels… Klein secretly shook his head. He didn't raise the corresponding question to the Seven Lights.
To him, this was one of his core secrets. He definitely couldn't let other existences know what his current state was like.
He raised his right hand and placed it to his mouth. He coughed lightly.
"I roughly understand."
After chatting with the Seven Lights, Klein stood up and bowed.
"Thank you for your answers."
"It was our pleasure. May Your Excellency return to the throne of the great ruler above the spirit world as quickly as possible." The Seven Lights stood up at the same time, giving him a warm response.
Are "They" trying to curse me? Klein teased himself as he politely sent away the seven pure lights.
Following that, he activated "Teleport" once again, and returned to a secluded alley in Backlund.
Pressing his top hat on his head, Klein strolled down the street.
The first thing that caught his eye was the crowd of all kinds of people and the hustle and bustle that formed a heatwave.
Some people were wearing linen clothes, sawing down abnormally tall trees in groups of about four people. Some of them formed a team, busy repairing the streets and houses that didn't suffer too much damage. Some held Desi pies and sweet ice tea in their hands, rushing past him, as though they were rushing to their workplace. Some of them rode cargo carriages, carrying food, meat, and vegetables, all heading in different directions…
Although most of these people wore simple clothes with plenty of visible stitches, and there were still signs of numbness and pain on their faces, the vitality their bodies exuded seemed to interweave into a light of hope before Klein's eyes. They were tenaciously brimming with life.
They were like grass that tried their best to tear through stones after a cold winter.
Klein slowed down his steps and gazed deeply at the bustling scene.
Although he hadn't seen the tragedy in the later stages of the war, he had learned plenty from Miss Justice and Leonard. Furthermore, he had previously been traveling in the even darker and more repressed Forsaken Land of the Gods. It was inevitable that he felt some uncontrollable emotions.
Spring had arrived.
Klein's expression gradually relaxed as the corners of his mouth curled up.
He walked through the streets and alleys that were rebuilt after the war, and he walked all the way to Saint Samuel Cathedral in North Borough.
The square was filled with potholes. The workers were doing the first round of cleaning. A small flock of pigeons had returned and landed in this once-familiar area.
Klein looked around but didn't find any hawkers. All he could do was use historical projections as food and scatter it across the floor.
As the pigeons flew over, he crossed the square and entered the cathedral where the bell tower was being repaired. He sat in the front pew of the prayer hall.
Looking at the Sacred Emblem that was the crimson moon surrounded by stars, Klein took off his hat and clasped his hands. He closed his eyes in this tranquil environment.
He gradually calmed down, feeling as if he was really praying.
At this moment, Leonard, with much longer black hair and darker green eyes, walked down the aisle in a black trench coat and red gloves. He came near him and sat on the pew two spots from him and began praying.
In the absolute silence, Klein opened his eyes, stood up, put on his hat, and walked past Leonard.
When he reached the door, Leonard slowly got up and followed behind.
One after the other, they arrived at a corner of the square not long after.
Leonard looked at the few pigeons on the ground and seemingly mumbled to himself, "I'm already a high-ranking deacon of the Nighthawks. In another two days, I'll return to the Holy Cathedral for some studies, as well as obtain a corresponding Holy Artifact."
In the final stages of the war, he advanced at the frontlines to Sequence 4 Nightwatcher.
"You don't seem to be too happy." Klein, who was standing beside Leonard, didn't turn his head as he looked at the pigeons.
Leonard laughed self-deprecatingly.
"I have no right to be unhappy.
"I was just thinking that the battle of gods ended so quickly, and the result was unexpected. Does it mean that the previous defeat and the difficulties that everyone suffered were nothing but bait?"
"Before today, I shared your views. I was also puzzled and frustrated, but now, I'm a little lost. This might have been… a necessity." Klein didn't hide his feelings.
Leonard fell silent for two seconds before looking down at the pigeon that was prancing around him.
"That's what Old Man said too…"
Without waiting for Klein to say another word, he turned his head and glanced at his former colleague.
"You've become an angel?"
Pallez Zoroast had told him that what Klein had done previously was perhaps to prepare for his advancement to an angel.
"Yes." Klein nodded slightly. "But there isn't any glory or power in this. Only pain, curses, and responsibility."
"Why?" Leonard subconsciously asked.
Klein didn't reply immediately. He looked down at the shadow by his feet and turned to walk out the square.
After a few steps, he turned his back to Leonard and muttered to himself, "You should still remember that sentence.
"We are guardians, but also a bunch of miserable wretches that are constantly fighting against threats and madness."
Leonard was taken aback. After a few seconds, he turned to look at Klein, but all he could see was Klein's back which was just about to disappear around the corner of the street. He was wearing a half top hat and a black trench coat.
With a whoosh, the pigeons on the ground flew up into the light-blue sky.
Chapter 1273 The Poor Arrodes
Klein didn't visit Benson and Melissa, because the matters he was involved in were at too high a level. Approaching his siblings would only bring them disaster. For existences who didn't know Klein's original identity, such acts would help them understand the relationship between Benson, Melissa, and Klein. To know of Klein's past experiences, this would make "Them" confirm one thing—Klein still maintained his humanity and was still very concerned about his family.
Therefore, staying away from Benson and Melissa was the best form of protection he could give them.
Of course, Klein had already grasped the situation of his siblings through Miss Justice.
During the war, Benson had displayed his experience and ability at the Ministry of Finance. He received many promotions and had become the deputy director of the Fifth Department, and his annual salary reached 300 pounds.
Melissa won the favor of her mentor, Portland Moment, and was given a chance to become a Beyonder. The chancellor of the Backlund University of Technology was a believer of the God of Steam and Machinery, so he had long become a Beyonder. He was currently a Sequence 7 Appraiser. He wished for Melissa to become a Sequence 9 Savant so that she could better absorb the knowledge and improve her memory. This established a good foundation for her in her subsequent development in the mechanical domain.
This was Melissa's secret, but she wasn't able to hide from a Spectator at the demigod level. Besides, Audrey definitely informed Klein that Melissa was more inclined to agree, and would be making a decision in the next few days.
Klein's attitude towards this matter was a tacit acquiesce. On the one hand, the spiritual perception enhancement one gained from the Savant pathway's advancement was rather limited. Melissa wouldn't really hear or see what she shouldn't. On the other hand, with the impending apocalypse, the madness caused by the Low-Sequence potions would further decrease. Furthermore, there was also him, a Miracle Invoker, to help lower the risk of her losing control.
For an avid fan of machinery, a Sequence 9 Savant is enough… Moment shares the same attitude. He doesn't wish for a believer of the Evernight to obtain too many potions from the Church of Steam…
Yes, the apocalypse is approaching, and the invisible barrier is weakening. The intrusion of this world by the Outer Deities will become more and more obvious. The chances of ordinary people encountering Beyonder incidents will definitely gradually increase. From this point of view, it's also a good thing for Melissa to become a Beyonder. If she can successfully advance to Sequence 6 Artisan, or a Machinery Specialist, then she can fulfill her dreams and protect herself and Benson…
I'll get Miss Justice to find an opportunity to disclose the "acting method" to Melissa in a discreet manner. The extent of her future growth will depend on her. At most, I can give her some good luck—uh, formulas and ingredients… I'm really like an older brother who can't rest easily. Heh, I've been like this since the beginning. Does this count as granting a "wish" in a certain sense?
Wait, Melissa definitely wishes for Klein to come back to life. If I were to walk right in front of her, would I receive enough feedback?
…Forget it. This will bring her and Benson a devastating disaster… Klein shook his head and stopped himself from making excuses.
He then pressed down on his top hat and turned towards a hotel by the streets. He took out a gold pound and got a room.
The gold pound was real. It was an item that Klein had brought back to the real world some time ago.
In the previous war, Klein had donated 14,800 pounds in cash, 14,200 pounds worth of gold bars, and nearly 20 high-quality gems through Miss Justice. Apart from all the strange items left on the junk pile, he only had 39 Loen gold coins and ten high-quality gems left.
Glancing at the hotel owner's returning change in soli and pennies, Klein put them away and entered the room before walking to the full-length mirror.
Right on the heels of that, he took out a pen and paper and drew the incantation that summoned Arrodes.
Seconds and minutes passed, but nothing abnormal happened.
The full-body mirror remained silent.
A few seconds later, Klein chuckled and raised his eyebrows. He took out a gold coin from his pocket.
…
Chug! Chug! Chug!
A steam locomotive that was spewing thick smoke tore across the rail, heading west of the continent.
The disheveled Ikanser and a Machinery Hivemind member stood in a particular carriage as they focused on the metal cage in front of them.
The metal spikes above the cage extended outwards in all kinds of menacing ways, coruscating with a dim light.
The Machinery Hivemind member, who had the looks of a typical Loenese citizen, looked out the window at the plains rapidly sweeping past them. He couldn't help but ask, "Deacon, are you planning on returning to Loen after reaching Intis?"
After the war ended, the Church of Steam, who had taken the wrong side, had no choice but to bear the consequences of its actions. It had to transfer all Beyonders above that of demigods, and Sealed Artifacts above Grade 2 out of Loen within a time period set by the two Churches of Evernight and Storm.
In other words, they had lost their original status. In the future, they could only maintain a small number of cathedrals, just like the Church of Earth Mother in Loen.
If it weren't for the fact that there were too many people who believed in the God of Steam and Machinery, and some of them being key figures in the reconstruction efforts after the war, the Church of Steam might not have been able to retain such treatment.
Similarly, a smaller number of cathedrals only required a small number of Machinery Hivemind members. Most of the Beyonders in Loen had to migrate to Intis.
Ikanser fell silent for a few seconds before smiling bitterly.
"I have to heed the archbishops' arrangements, but I will take the initiative to request a return to Loen. That's where my childhood, teenage, and young adult life was. There are too many memories that I can't forget…"
As he spoke, his gaze grew distant, and he seemed to see the Capital of Capitals.
At this moment, the metal cage that was overgrown with spikes suddenly trembled.
Silver bolts of lightning appeared out of nowhere and landed one after another. They were all absorbed by the metal cage, and through a few wires wrapped in rubber, the current flowed to the ground outside the steam locomotive, dragging out a line of sparks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The metal cage seemed to be hit by an invisible hand, but it was unable to break the barrier.
"The Magic Mirror's reaction is very intense… It's always been very quiet in the past," the Machinery Hivemind member who had been asking was rather puzzled.
Amidst the banging, Ikanser subconsciously touched his hair.
"That's not the case. It will sometimes show its crazy side. If it wasn't for what had happened, we would've still treated it as a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact."
"Is that so? Heh heh, I haven't come into contact with it before, so it might just be me, but it feels to me that the Magic Mirror doesn't want to leave Backlund," the Machinery Hivemind member teased with a smile.
Pa!
Lightning struck and was absorbed by the metal cage.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The slamming sounds dragged on slowly, as though it was making its last, helpless cry.
Ikanser took out an old and exquisite pocket watch and opened it.
"It only lasted two minutes. It's much better than in the morning."
Just as the member of the Machinery Hivemind, who had just been transferred over, was about to ask, he suddenly heard the slamming sounds stop abruptly. It was as though it had been affected by some factor that it couldn't put up resistance to.
"This is the style of the Magic Mirror?" he asked.
Ikanser frowned slightly and said, "No.
"Normally speaking, it wouldn't have the strength to last twenty to thirty seconds.
"Something's wrong…"
"Deacon, don't worry. There is a powerful figure on board the train, one who outranks the archbishops." The Machinery Hivemind member beside him consoled him indifferently.
There were too many dangerous Sealed Artifacts on the steam locomotive. Without a powerful figure watching them, there would definitely be problems.
Ikanser nodded, indicating that he wasn't worried.
Klein was sitting in a conjured carriage in a hamlet's path more than ten kilometers away from the steam locomotive. In front of him was a mirror.
Just as he finished outlining the symbol that was a mixture of concealment and mystery prying, a wave of light suffused the mirror as golden Loenese text appeared:
"Exalted Great Master, you're finally here! Your puny, loyal, and poor servant, Arrodes, misses you!"
Eh… Klein couldn't accept the enthusiasm behind this line as he shrank back indiscernibly.
If Arrodes's previous attempts to curry favor still maintained a hint of dignity, it was now complete fawning over him. Klein could even detect a hint of crying.
"The frequency of Amorous news popping up in Trier is far higher than in Backlund. It should be a place that you're fond of," Klein teased Arrodes with a smile.
"That's because you don't wish to go to Trier." The golden words on the surface of the mirror faded their colors, turning a faint silver.
Klein secretly clicked his tongue.
"I have something to ask you."
"Please ask," Arrodes replied humbly.
"Do you know who Earth Mother is?" Klein went straight to the point.
The mirror instantly turned dark as the faint silver words turned palish white:
"I don't know… But during the war of gods, I heard a voice coming from deep within Tenebrous Heaven. 'He' shouted a name… That's the true name of the Sanguine Ancestor."
This magic mirror didn't dare to directly present Lilith's name.
Lilith? It's actually Lilith… Klein was surprised, but he also felt that this answered many of his questions.
Then, he thought of The Moon Emlyn.
This vampire kept going in circles, imagining all kinds of developments, only to have never changed his faith.
If Emlyn had Anderson's personality, he would definitely say to the Sanguine's Grand Duke and Marquises, "Hey, are you also coming to believe in the Mother Goddess…" As Klein imagined the funny scene, he said to Arrodes, "It's your turn to ask."
"Supreme Master, please continue asking. I'll ask it all at once towards the end." The palish-white words regained their faint-silver luster.
Klein thought for a moment before saying, "How's the situation like now? For example, the situation in Feysac."
Chapter 1274 The Stabilization of the Situation
On the surface of the mirror, silver words surfaced one by one amidst the aqueous light:
"…adopt Beyonders from the Church of the God of Combat and the Feysac military who are willing to pledge their loyalty. Only the extremely pious, faithful, and those willing to be martyrs, as well as a few mid- and upper echelon members of the Church are to be eliminated. This is both the benevolence and compassion of the Goddess, as well as the necessary measures to deal with the subsequent situation … With the apocalypse approaching, the number of Beyonder incidents will inevitably increase all across the world. To maintain the stability of the world, we have to do our best to increase our strength as quickly as possible.
"If we were to cull the Beyonders of the Church of the God of Combat and the Feysac military, obtaining their corresponding characteristics, that still doesn't aid us in nurturing a Beyonder of the same level within a few years. A Beyonder with rich experience, be it in their digesting of the potion or accumulated knowledge, requires a sufficient amount of time…"
Upon seeing this, Klein mumbled inwardly. He felt that this wasn't the usual tone of Arrodes. It was more like an official document.
It's showing documents of unknown origins that it peeped at… By using words like "digesting," it means that both the writer and the reader have mastered the acting method. And from the tone of the document, it's from the Church of Evernight… Based on these two points, it's not difficult to tell that these documents are for the eyes of archbishops and high-ranking deacons. The author should be the Apostolic See from the Cathedral of Serenity… Arrodes's secret-prying abilities are very impressive… Klein nodded indiscernibly as he waited for the contents in the mirror to "flip the page."
The silver words vanished one after another, quickly forming new sentences and paragraphs:
"There's no need to spread the fact that the Goddess has replaced the God of Combat to the ordinary nobles and citizens of Feysac. This allows them to retain their faith in the God of Combat. On the one hand, it's beneficial for us and the priests, bishops, and various major cathedrals who have surrendered to us. It will stabilize the situation in Feysac in the quickest way possible. On the other hand, it also prevents the Goddess from being disturbed by the unresolvable problem of faith before "She" completely gains control of the God of Combat's authority.
"An update will be disseminated after a new revelation is given. Now, we will only draw up the corresponding draft.
"…Try not to incite the strong resistance of Feysac and other countries. We've lost too many Beyonders and soldiers, and we have expended a large amount of resources and items. Be it the Church, the countries, or the people of different classes, we are all very weak. We need some time of peace and stability to recover… We should work with the Church of Storms, the Church of Knowledge, the Church of Earth Mother, countries like Feynapotter or Lenburg. We will force Intis and Feysac to make an unconditional surrender. We will obtain what we hope for at the negotiation table. During this process, we can use the purging of the stubborn old-fashioned faithful to exert pressure on them.
"When dealing with the domestic situation and the filling of the void left behind by the Church of Steam, the Church of Storms should be given enough respect. We can even make concessions on certain matters. This is the will of the Goddess.
"Finally, from this moment forth, the number of times the crimson moon that appears in the sermons, preaching, rituals, and Masses should be reduced. In official canon, the Goddess's title of 'Lady of Crimson' shall no longer be mentioned…"
"Lady of Crimson" shall no longer be mentioned… Klein's brows twitched as he felt a strong sense of confusion towards the last sentence.
Soon, he thought of the Sanguine Ancestor, the ancient god of the Second Epoch, and the present Earth Mother, Lilith, who was once a Sequence 0 of the Moon pathway. She was the true Lady of Crimson. In a moment of enlightenment, he vaguely understood that this might be an exchange under the table. It was a necessary price.
Yes… The Goddess's attitude is very clear. That is to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible… Before "She" truly controls the authority of Death and that of the God of Combat, and becomes a Great Old One, "She" undoubtedly doesn't wish for any more orthodox deities to perish. If that happened, the invisible barrier left behind by the Primordial One will have no one to mend it; this will allow the Outer Deities to find an opportunity to bring the apocalypse forward… Also, based on Loen's present situation, if we continue the war, the anchors will waver even more. It might lead to the awakening of the Primordial One in the Goddess…
The Goddess took a huge risk having the frontline retreat all the way to Backlund. "She" had to divert more strength to suppress the Primordial One. If Earth Mother betrayed "Her," "She" might've perished even faster than the God of Combat. Uh, could "She" have other trump cards?
The losses that the Church of the Evernight Goddess and the Church of Storms suffered seems quite significant. It's no wonder that after the Resistance announced that they would retain the corresponding cathedrals and respect the Storm religion, that bunch of irascible fellows didn't attempt to retaliate, and they silently agreed to the establishment of the new government… Klein mumbled to himself as he had a rough idea of the current situation.
He asked a third question:
"If the Evernight Goddess wants to advance further, does 'She' need to find the River of Eternal Darkness?"
This was one of the nine sefirot. Klein remembered Arrodes mentioning it once, saying that this "river" was related to the ancient Death, the Phoenix ancestor, Gregrace. The clues seemed to be hidden deep in the spirit world's Calderón City.
"Yes, Great Master." The silver words twisted and distorted, forming new text. "The Death at the end of the Fourth Epoch should've been able to use the River of Eternal Darkness. 'He' attempted to use this sefirah to forcefully accommodate the Uniqueness of neighboring pathways. Then, 'He' went mad."
So that was how Death went mad back then. I knew it; a Sequence 0 true god, one who has lived for three Epochs and has seen the Blasphemy Slate, wouldn't lack common sense and randomly drink potions. It's not like "He" is Alista Tudor, having reached a point of only having the options of madness or death… It's no wonder Death challenged the fractured seven deities with just a Primordial Demoness. Back then, "He" was equivalent to half a Great Old One… Yes, Mr. Azik had a golden phoenix accessory that came from Death… Klein strung up certain matters.
Suddenly, he inwardly let out an exclamation. He suspected that the price of so many bestowments was the River of Eternal Darkness.
Just like how the True Creator had repeatedly tolerated him so as to force him into the Giant King's residence to obtain the first Blasphemy Slate!
As the owner of Sefirah Castle, he was probably the only relatively high Sequence Beyonder who could resist the corruption of other sefirot.
Of course, the Evernight Goddess could also wait up to a decade or so. After the Primordial One's will faded further, "She" could personally retrieve it. However, this way, Klein wasn't sure if "She" could complete the ritual before the apocalypse happened.
He composed himself and raised the fourth question:
"Where can I get the potion formula for Attendant of Mysteries?"
Arrodes made the silver words reassemble into brand new content:
"Zaratul; first Blasphemy Slate; second Blasphemy Slate; The Card of Blasphemy, The Fool; The Fool Uniqueness that has become a Mythical Creature."
The first choice and second choice might be plotting against me… Zaratul is even more terrifying and cunning than the Dark Demonic Wolf. If I were to plot against "Him," there's a high chance of me falling into "His" trap. The danger is extremely high… The third choice is Amon's brother. "He" should've used this war to become a Visionary. If I were to provoke "Him," Sefirah Castle might not be able to save me… The fourth and fifth options are related to The Half-Fool of the Antigonus family. It's related to the Goddess's foggy town. Uh, the Goddess should have a way to circle around The Half-Fool and extract the Card of Blasphemy, but perhaps I'll need to use the River of Eternal Darkness to exchange for it… Klein realized that he had reached a dead end.
The path ahead was the River of Eternal Darkness, and behind him was the leader of the Secret Order, Zaratul.
Unfortunately, if I can find the Dark Demonic Wolf, I can try to negotiate with "Him." "He" should've seen the first Blasphemy Slate and grasp the potion formula of Attendant of Mysteries… Sigh, "He" will flee far away once he smells me… Klein thought for a moment and said to Arrodes, "Fifth question, what did you mean when you said you saw a pillar and support from me?"
The aqueous light in the mirror swirled slightly as the deepness became more obvious. The corresponding silver text seemed to turn a little whiter.
"Great Master, this is a feeling that I can't describe using words.
"However, I've experienced similar feelings in another existence before. Apart from 'Him,' only you possess it. That existence is the ancient sun god."
The ancient sun god… Klein nodded in thought.
"Alright, it's your turn to ask."
On the surface of the mirror, the words on the silver screen suddenly turned golden:
"Supreme Master, do you think you can take away your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes?
"Supreme Master, do you think you can take away your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes?"
…
This question appeared five times in a row, completely covering the surface of the mirror.
Having become an angel, Klein no longer feared Arrodes. After thinking for a few seconds, he smiled and said, "Let me talk to that angel. This is basic courtesy."
With a boom, illusory beams of different colors spewed out from the mirror and exploded into fireworks in the carriage.
Almost at the same time, two dark rays of light reached out from the edge of the mirror. Two arms that appeared surreal grew out.
The two "arms" originally wanted to reach out to Klein's calf, but they silently shrank back and gently swayed on the spot.
"Praise the Supreme Master!" After the fireworks fell, a golden message appeared in the mirror.
…
In the middle section of the steam locomotive, in a simple room.
A tall and handsome young man with long chestnut hair sat on a hardwood chair. Facing the triangular Sacred Emblem, he clasped his hands and closed his eyes as he sincerely prayed.
On the side of the narrow table was a mannequin made of metal components. Behind the mannequin was a faint meshed glow.
Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes and looked towards the other side.
Someone had appeared there.
And in the young man's blue eyes, the figure only looked like a person. In essence, it was an invisible vortex wearing a silk top hat and a black trench coat. Inside the vortex, there were transparent and distorted maggots squirming about in the cluster.
"Gehrman Sparrow." The young man calmly read out a name.
All the items around him floated up, but there was no wind in the room.
Klein pressed his top hat and revealed his human face.
"How may I address you?"
The young man nodded slightly and said, "Bornova Gustav."