After tidying up his equipment, Ebner stretched his body, loosened his wrists, and practiced a set of knightly training exercises that Xio had taught him. Then, he began to assess the changes in his physical capabilities.
"Strength, agility, and flexibility have all improved significantly, surpassing ordinary human limits. Physically, I've finally reached the level of a true Beyonder. My memory, observational acuity, focus, and analytical abilities have also grown stronger…"
These were his initial impressions of the transformation.
"Beyond that, as a 'Knowledge Keeper,' I've finally gained the core skill of the White Tower Pathway—Analysis! By drawing on existing knowledge and observations, I can trace back and fully comprehend various phenomena and objects. My Pure White Eye's central ability is analysis, and this should serve as the foundation for higher Sequence abilities and powers in this pathway."
"Additionally, the potion has imparted combat and weapon-handling knowledge…though I'd already mastered that through the Pure White Eye, so it's mostly just a refresher that's reinforced my basics."
To test his newfound capabilities, Ebner analyzed the materials on the table. He found that his Sequence 7-level analysis was not remotely comparable to that of the Pure White Eye—analyzing even a familiar object like the desk took him nearly three seconds, while the Eye had previously allowed him to break down Sequence 9 potion ingredients in under three seconds.
This didn't bother Ebner, as he'd known his Pure White Eye was of an angelic rank, possibly even close to source-level, and thus far beyond the power of Sequence 7. The Eye's core function might very well be maintaining a shield against corruption from outer gods and divine-level scrutiny.
Moving on, Ebner recalled that his teacher had once told him that if a potion granted spell-like abilities, the Beyonder would be able to sense them and grasp specific powers after imbibing it.
"It seems 'Knowledge Keeper' offers three spell-like abilities, of which I've only experienced 'Scene Reversion' through the Pure White Eye," he thought as he reviewed the sensations and abilities tied to the potion.
The first of these was "Essence Extraction."
This ability allowed him to extract lingering traces of Beyonder essence and store them temporarily. By analyzing the essence, he could gain limited insights into the original owner of the trace. This ability would be invaluable in detective work, as his teacher had once used it to locate the metro station where the 'Instigator' who cursed Xio had left their tainted essence.
The limitation was that at Sequence 7, he could only extract traces from low-ranking Beyonders, as traces from higher beings or those specially masked were nearly impossible to capture.
The second spell-like ability was "Mechanical Mind." Once activated, this ability granted him a period of absolute calm, dampening emotions, resisting allurements, and allowing him to avoid manipulative influence. It was exceptionally useful in both combat and academic research.
With this, I don't have to worry about seductions from witches or emotional manipulation from demons… Ebner thought with amusement, recalling how his teacher's Mechanical Mind helped him stay calm when dealing with temptations and avoid the wiles of a Sequence 5 Demon.
As Ebner advanced in the pathway, this immunity would strengthen, and one day it could potentially grant complete resistance to all such influences.
The third ability was, of course, the "Scene Reversion" he had already used with the Pure White Eye.
"Scene Reversion" enabled him to reconstruct past events within a given area based on residual traces and clues, combined with relevant information and knowledge.
This was the signature skill of a "Knowledge Keeper" or "Detective."
Out of curiosity, Ebner tried "Scene Reversion" without the Pure White Eye, but the results were dismal: the reconstructed scenes were limited in scope and detail, far from what he'd grown accustomed to.
Recognizing the immense difference in his Eye-enabled results, Ebner resolved to always use the Pure White Eye with Scene Reversion when possible.
"The basis for this spell lies in my own knowledge and analytical ability, but the Eye's analysis far surpasses my own. With such a disparity, it's no wonder the outcomes vary," he realized, deciding he'd always opt for his "VIP version" over the "trial version."
After familiarizing himself with his new Sequence 7 abilities, Ebner donned his glasses and activated the Pure White Eye, curious to see how it had evolved.
A few minutes later, he took off his glasses, feeling slightly drained, yet his gaze sparkled with excitement.
"I can now sustain the Pure White Eye for over five minutes, long enough for a complete battle! With its unparalleled analysis aiding me, I finally have some self-defense at the mid-Sequences."
"From my tests, it's clear that aside from its high-level analysis and lofty rank, the Pure White Eye's main function is to allow me early access to some abilities of the next Sequence."
"For example, as a normal person, activating the Eye granted me enhanced memory and observational powers; at Sequence 9, I gained logical reasoning and analytical skills. By Sequence 8, I'd learned combat techniques, weapon usage, and Scene Reversion. Now, Sequence 7 is letting me tap into some abilities of Sequence 6, the 'Polymath'!"
"At the Eye's current level, I can analyze and replicate the Beyonder abilities others have used. The more thoroughly I analyze, the closer my replication will match the original!"
"The powers I've previously observed with the Eye are now saved and stored within it."
Excited by this discovery, Ebner tested the Eye's "Mimicry" feature, finding that learning and replicating abilities of Sequence 7 and below was straightforward; higher-level powers, like the ones embedded in the Sea Breeze Hat, were much more complex, requiring close to a month to master even one.
"For now, my combat strength still depends on the Sea Breeze Hat and the Dawn Sword… The hat is borrowed, though, so I'll have to return it to my teacher in Backlund, and it's much less potent on land… Seems I'll be taking on the 'Dawn Paladin' role for the foreseeable future."
Inwardly amused by the thought, Ebner suddenly sensed someone touching his spiritual wall. It was Xio, back from her excursion. He quickly dismissed the barrier and let her in.
When Xio stepped inside, she immediately noticed the remnants of potion-induced energy swirling around Ebner, which would only fade after extended meditation.
"You've advanced to Sequence 7 already?" she exclaimed. While she knew he had the materials, she hadn't expected him to progress this quickly. "It's only been a month, hasn't it?"
A month earlier, in the police station's underground shooting range, Ebner had revealed his new combat skills, mentioning he'd just reached Sequence 8.
"Once the potion was digested, I advanced right away," he explained, not wanting to linger on the topic. "But you seem cheerful. Did your visit with the captain yield any results?"
"Absolutely!" Xio's baby-round face lit up with a smile as she replied, "Captain Elland was organizing a small auction for the adventurers on board, and one of the items was a 'Silver-White Bear's Right Paw.' I traded my Sailor characteristic for it."
"Good deal. The values match up well. Elland likely wants to nurture a few Sailors in his crew; otherwise, he'd have charged much more," Ebner said with a grin. "Now that you've got all your materials, it won't be long until you become a 'Sheriff.'"
Xio nodded. She'd practically been role-playing as a "Sheriff" since her time as an "Arbiter," and her adventures with Ebner had only slowed the potion's digestion.
The two chatted for a while until Ebner, exhausted from using his Eye, retired early to rest, while Xio kept watch from the servants' quarters to prevent any disturbances.
---
Ebner woke six hours later and, after a quick meal, sat down at the desk in his cabin.
In the Dream Labyrinth Tower, he'd come across an outline for a ritual in Ailnos's Notes on Mysticism that involved borrowing power from a higher-ranked item. He'd been unable to try it before due to a lack of spiritual energy, but now it seemed feasible.
"The only question is, what kind of prayer could accurately connect to the Pure White Eye?"