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Chapter 526. Dream of Eternity | Lord of the MysteriesThe Rorsted Archipelago was the Loen Kingdom's governing branch in the central areas of the Sonia Sea. Similarly, it was a key diocese of the Church of Storms. It had a high-ranking deacon, who was part of the Council of Cardinals, permanently stationed here.Of course, even a pirate at the level of admiral might not be able to stir such a powerful figure into action, much less when it dealt with a second mate and boatswain. As a result, it was left to Deacon Cordoba Roye who happily accepted the order and led two Mandated Punisher teams to activate Sealed Artifacts 2-37 and 2-166. They lay in ambush at a distance from 15 Amyris Avenue in order to be absolutely safe.From Cordoba Roye's perspective, a team of Mandated Punishers with two Sealed Artifacts was enough to deal with the group of pirates consisting of Steel and Blazing Danitz, but the latter's intention of keeping an eye of his pursuers' whereabouts caused him to worry. Instinctively, he felt that there was a problem, so he called for an additional team of Mandated Punishers.Actually, just having 2-37 is sufficient… While they waited, Cordoba Roye suddenly sighed.In his opinion, this Sealed Artifact would be the nightmare of Steel, Blazing, and company.He closed his eyes and the corresponding information appeared in his mind."Number: 37."Name: Dream of Eternity."Danger Grade: 2. Dangerous. It has to be used with care and moderation. It can only be applied for operations that require three or more people, a deacon, or diocese bishop."Security classification: Bishop, Team Captain, and above."Sealing Method: Place in boiling water."Description: It has the appearance of a heart. It's black in color, feels ice-cold to the touch, and is filled with holes, often making a sound like a flute."This item originates from a primitive tribe in West Balam of the Southern Continent. They have spirit warlocks as their leaders and are nocturnal."A Loen army company conquered the tribe, received the object they revered on the altar, and in the week that followed, there were cases of soldiers acting abnormally, going mad, committing suicide, and so on."Research shows that as long as one comes into contact with this item, they will enter a long dream. If not woken up by someone else, one will forever remain in that illusory world. On the surface, they would appear frustrated, fearful, and confused. One's mental and biological states will gradually change."The researchers who were awakened were still unable to tell the difference between reality and dreams for a long time, which led to a series of tragic events, including, but not limited to, expressing love to their superiors, kissing the mouth of a venomous snake, suffering from depression, undressing and running naked, and attempting to bathe in boiling water… If they weren't transferred to another city, the only possible outcomes would be madness and suicide."This item can be used, causing all creatures within the target's surroundings to fall into the same dream… The user can choose the target to a certain extent and excluded companions… The effective radius is a maximum of fifty meters. Beyond that would burden the user tremendously, dealing severe mental damage… The user will enter a state of being unable to distinguish reality from dreams after the matter, and will have to leave the city where 2-37 is located for any chance of recovery."Many examples (see Appendix) show that even without contact, this item can affect the surrounding population greatly unless it's placed in boiling water…"Appendix: 1. It is similar to the effects of a Nightmare from the Evernight pathway, but it's more prominent and uncontrollable."2. Example 1: A Keeper once forgot to add charcoal, causing the fire to go out and the temperature of the boiling water to drop. He soon had an abnormal reaction, and he was suspected to be dreaming of a beloved girl of his. He began to make a passionate confession to his glove, and tried to engage in relation beyond that of friendship with it;"Example 2…"As his thoughts churned, Cordoba Roye suddenly saw Blazing Danitz, the Golden Dream's fourth boatswain, come to this point of contact to collect information.He gestured with his hand, signaling the Mandated Punishers to open the golden box engraved with numerous symbols and magic labels before taking out Sealed Artifact 2-37 which was soaked in boiling water.The golden box contained another Sealed Artifact, 2-166.It could maintain the original temperatures of the objects inside, and to a certain extent, it could change the weather, producing Sun Holy Water rain.Of course, it also had very negative effects; otherwise, the Mandated Punishers would've long used it to seal 2-37 instead of using it as a temporary trick. The most unacceptable negative effect was that no matter what object remained in prolonged contact with it, it would become infected with the characteristics of life, and it would also piously believe in the Eternal Blazing Sun. Within the Mandated Punishers, a table had already appeared that sang praises of the Eternal Blazing Sun every day, and there was a candle that wished to light itself every second to purify everything.In response, the irascible Mandated Punishers had turned the table into a pile of firewood, and they had lit it using the aforementioned candle.Seeing figures appear one by one and dashing towards 15 Amyris Avenue, Cordoba Roye didn't hesitate to press his right hand down, ordering the team member beside him to activate Sealed Artifact 2-37.An illusory fish scale immediately appeared on the surface of that member's palm, and he directly grabbed the Sealed Artifact that resembled a pitch-black heart, out of the boiling water.The melodious sound of a flute rang out, and dense darkness enveloped the house at 15 Amyris Avenue.The scene before Adventurer John Smith remained the same. It was still the bare, unfurnished living room and the black-cloaked Blazing Danitz. He didn't appear like he was in a dream.They ran over with all their might, fired, and used their own abilities to successfully injure Blazing and capture the famous pirate who had a bounty of 3,000 pounds and was involved with the Key to Death.However, in the real world, they were sitting with their legs up, or swimming with their arms outstretched, or using their fingers as guns, with their mouths making shooting sounds."Move out!" Cordoba Roye left his hiding place and rushed to the house at 15 Amyris Avenue. The other Mandated Punisher team members were divided into two groups and began encircling the house from different positions.Before Cordoba arrived, the living room was already brightly lit, as if the sun was rising. Holy pure water dripped down like rain. It none other than Sealed Artifact 2-166 being put to use.At a distance away, the Flying Carpet floated silently in the darkness. As soon as Steel Maveti and the others saw the Mandated Punishers appear, they immediately understood that this was indeed a trap set by Blazing Danitz."This son of a b*tch, he actually defected to the Church of Storms!" Maveti growled as mania flashed in his eyes.Blood Brambles Hendry looked at Calm Squall and sincerely praised him, "Fortunately, we weren't careless.""In fact, I didn't expect a foolish donkey like Blazing Danitz to cooperate with the Church of Storms," Squall said calmly. "Perhaps, the injured him was already captured by the Mandated Punishers, and he had no choice but to cooperate with them."Just as they were about to leave, they saw something protruding from the shadows outside the house at 15 Amyris Avenue. Something was sticking to the ground and quickly moving away."Blazing!" Steel Maveti recalled the scenes of his failed ambush."Danitz!" Hendry also recognized the man who had tried to escape with his magical powers.Squall was taken aback for a moment before coming to a realization."Either Blazing Danitz wishes to use this opportunity to escape the Mandated Punisher's control, or he has other traps to use against us; however, for some reason, the Mandated Punishers were attracted, so he had no choice but to give up and flee.""Regardless, this is an opportunity!" Blood Brambles Hendry glanced at the Mandated Punishers who had stormed the house. "As long as we seize this minute, we'll be able to kill and take away Blazing under the noses of the Mandated Punishers!"Steel Maveti's hopes were momentarily raised as his eyes revealed an abnormal look of mania.After Squall nodded, he said to the other two Beyonders, "Take my zombies and puppets and guard this position. Once the Mandated Punishers are here, use them to create chaos and take the opportunity to escape!""Yes, Boss." The two Beyonder pirates jumped off the Flying Carpet at the same time with the zombies and puppets.The peacock-blue carpet made a turn and shot ahead of Blazing."Provide us support. Mainly be on guard against the surroundings. I'm worried that Danitz has other helpers," Squall seized the moment and said to the Blood Brambles Hendry.A smile appeared on Hendry's pale face."Alright!"Without saying anything else, Squall nodded at Steel Maveti.Relying on his advantage from being high in the sky, Maveti was able to distinguish the mostly normal shadows, determining the direction of the target.He suddenly jumped off the Flying Carpet and landed heavily on the ground like a giant boulder. White frost condensed under his feet as a layer of cold and transparent ice quickly spread to the side.The black shadow was immediately frozen in the corner!With a crack, Blazing Danitz struggled to break free, "growing" out of the shadows.On the Flying Carpet, Hendry showed their good teamwork by dropping what he had long held in his hand. They were green leaves, flowers, and brambles.The leaves, petals, and brambles wildly grew in size or joined together, ensnaring Blazing Danitz, making him immobile.Squall took the opportunity to jump off the Flying Carpet and thrust a sharp scalpel in his right palm towards Danitz's neck.Splat!He held onto the handle of the scalpel with his right hand and circled around to the back of the target.Danitz's head fell off and his body quickly shrank, turning into a thin, tattered paper figurine.At the same time, Steel Maveti felt an indescribable sense of hunger bearing down on him. It was like a terrifying monster hidden in the darkness, quietly watching him.No, it's not Blazing! Just as this thought flashed through his mind, an extremely compressed, incandescent fireball flew over from one of the rooftops, smashing towards his body.Steel Maveti only made one movement, and that was to raise his arm in front of his body.Boom!The flames exploded and a shockwave radiated in all directions, blocking Squall's and Hendry's line of sight. However, they weren't flustered at all, as they had the utmost confidence in Steel.Sure enough, Maveti only suffered from having his clothes torn and his skin covered in white marks. Apart from that, he hadn't suffered any injuries at all.But at that moment, he suddenly saw a figure walking out of the roiling flames in the sky. It was clearly a black cloak belonging to Blazing Danitz, but it had neatly combed black hair, dark, emotionless eyes, and a thin, cold face.The Danitz from before had always been Faceless Klein, Gehrman Sparrow, who had always been prepared for the hunt!Lord of the Mysteries149630Report
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Chapter 527. A Quick Battle | Lord of the MysteriesJust as he leaped out of the flames, the two points of light in the eyes of Klein, who wore golden gloves on his left hand, enlarged in size and changed from dark to bright, as if they were lightning that suddenly cut across the sky.After distracting Steel Maveti and company's attention with Paper Figurine Substitutes, he had activated Creeping Hunger and switched to the Interrogator's soul. He planned on using the Psychic Piercing Beyonder power."Ah!"Steel Maveti suddenly cried out miserably. It was as if someone had stabbed a knife into his head, stirring his grayish-white brain. A feeling of pain came from the depths of his soul, instantly occupying his mind.At the same time, his Beyonder powers erupted from the irritation and turned into a hurricane that spread out in all directions.Suddenly, beautiful snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Layers of translucent ice began spreading outwards, and the trees on both sides of the road were covered with white edges. They withered quickly, revealing traces of decay.The lingering resentment of the remnant spirits was successively awakened. They sobbed, wailed, and shrieked, causing the nearby area to be dyed with a gray and repressed color.Klein naturally descended from the sky, his left glove shining like the sun.He opened his arms and leaned back as if embracing something.Just as his heels touched the cold ground, a pure, blazing, thick pillar of light descended from above.This holy radiance enveloped Steel Maveti, illuminating his dark skin, firm muscles, and steel ball-like curly hair.Priest of Light, Light of Holiness!Without a sound, Maveti's expression became even more twisted, and his skin began to show signs of melting.At this moment, he was like a candle that had been thrown into a burning fireplace.Compared to the corrupted Bishop Millet, as a Zombie, he was weaker towards such attacks. The damage he took was even more serious!The snowflakes stopped falling, and the ice on the ground quickly melted. The trees that had white edges revealed their brown colors.There was no doubt that the powerful beam of light had caught the attention of Blood Brambles Hendry and Squall. The former's expression changed as he reached into his secret pocket and pulled out materials casting magic. He planned to use his terrain advantage to save Steel Maveti.At this moment, a raven made purely out of flames suddenly appeared before his eyes.One, two, three… Countless Fire Ravens filled Hendry's field of vision like crimson stars. They flew over from all directions, flapping their wings in a dense, scorching-hot formation.Hendry's heart skipped a beat as his gaze seemed to freeze. He immediately moved his hand elsewhere to grab another type of material.Whoosh!He scattered light-blue powder on his body while he chanted in ancient Hermes, "Sea Waves!"The powder suddenly expanded and turned into dark blue waves that spread out in all directions.When they met the Fire Ravens, they made sizzling sounds and created a large amount of white fog.The fire wave from the previous explosion had subsided a little. Through the remnants of the crimson light, Squall saw that Steel Maveti's skin was melting like wax and his flesh melted inch by inch. He saw the unfamiliar man in a black cloak standing next to him.He didn't panic. Like a cold-blooded viper who had lost its emotions, he calmly raised his arms and abruptly pressed both his palms down.In a split-second, he saw the thin, grim-faced young man's body sink. His movements had turned slow, as though the wings he used for flying had been snapped. As for Steel Maveti, he began to struggle and roll in order to avoid a second round of Light of Holiness.Immediately following that, Squall noticed that the man had lost his weight and thickness. Once again, he turned into a thin paper figurine, pressed to the ground by an invisible force before soaking into the mud that came as a result of the melting ice.Klein phased into existence from another position. He rubbed his right thumb and middle finger together and snapped his fingers three times as he rushed forward.Pa! Pa! Pa!The Sunbird-shaped dark golden brooch in front of him flashed continuously as it added a purifying element to his Air Bullets.Bang! Bang! Bang! The three bullets connected at an extremely fast speed and hit the slow-moving Steel Maveti in his right chest, penetrating his half-melted skin and flesh, creating an exaggerated, gruesome wound. Golden flames spread in all directions.Sou! Sou! Sou! Squall tossed out scalpels after scalpels, but they were all dodged by Klein's deft, acrobatic maneuvers.At that moment, Steel Maveti had gotten a breather. With a push of his palm, he stood up once again and charged straight at the enemy, fully displaying his advantage in close combat, as well as his abnormally strong body that could withstand powerful blows.Ice formed under his feet again, and his fists effused a rotting aura.Then, once again, he saw two bolts of lightning shoot out from Klein's dark brown eyes, shooting into his own.Steel Maveti subconsciously raised his head and clenched his teeth. His nose, mouth, and ears were all leaking blood, adding to his previously melted skin.While shooting the Air Bullets, Klein had changed the soul he used for Grazing.It was still Interrogator, and it was still Psychic Piercing!Against a Beyonder like a Zombie which had a body as tough as steel, dealing damage to the Spirit Body was far more effective!While the repeated strikes made Steel Maveti's body stiffen for short periods of time, he lost the shackles of his reasoning. Black, firm hair grew from his face, one strand at a time, while his teeth and nails also constantly grew longer. His skin squirmed in a bid to coalesce, turning from black to white. He was like a real, crazy zombie who was thirsting for blood!Klein took this opportunity to close in. He bent his body and brushed past Steel Maveti's shoulder. He then stuffed the item in his hand into the hideous wound that he had created into the man's body.It was a bottle with a few ordinary brass bullets, and inside it was a large amount of Sun Holy Water that Klein had prepared in advance!Oof!Klein, who didn't stop, caused Squall's attempt to control him to fail again.With a twist of his heel, he moved behind Steel Maveti, his back to him.Pow! He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers before Steel Maveti could pull out the glass bottle.Bang!A light explosion rang out, and fiery crimson light soared, shattering the already fragile glass bottle. Large amounts of Sun Holy Water inundated Steel Maveti's body.The infamous pirate with a bounty of 6,000 pounds froze where he stood, his throat letting out an anguished groan.He plopped to his knees, a dark green gas in his body was pouring out and disappearing into the air.At the sight of this, Squall's eyes darkened. He immediately took out an iron-black charm and muttered a word in ancient Hermes, "Shriek!"The charm suddenly cracked and vanished, completing the sacrifice.An invisible sound wave swept outwards like a tsunami, almost successively drilling into the ears of everyone around.Klein's mind buzzed, the tip of his nose cold. Blood oozed out, and Blood Brambles Hendry on the Flying Carpet was in an even more miserable state. His face was twisted, and his body convulsed as he fell down, unable to even let out a tragic scream. On the contrary, Blazing Danitz, who was far away on a rooftop, wasn't subject to any effects. He happily threw out another blob of a highly-compressed incandescent fireball.The fireball landed on Hendry's body without any resistance and exploded with a loud boom.Flesh and blood splattered outwards. Flames wrapped around his fingers, calves, and head before he fell to the ground. The Flying Carpet then lost control and slowly settled down.Squall took the opportunity to turn around and run, not hesitating in the slightest.However, he was stunned to discover that the terrifying man, who had almost finished off Steel Maveti within ten seconds, didn't seem to show the slightest signs of being impeded. He had turned around and given chase!How is that possible? This a Shriek charm created by Admiral! Squall had no time to think over the reasons. He ran as fast as he could down the other street.At that moment, his head was suddenly hit hard by someone. A tearing pain made his whole body spasm.The lightning in Klein's eyes faded as he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers once more.Bang!An Air Bullet crossed the distance of about ten meters and accurately drilled into the back of Squall's head.Squall didn't have the non-human endurance that Steel had. His vision immediately blackened, and he slowly fell to the ground.Klein caught up with him in a few steps, reached out his left hand, and let the jubilant Creeping Hunger enjoy the meal.I have heard the voice of the True Creator before, and I've experienced Mr. Door's call for help. I have great resistance in this aspect, and I can even quickly recover from the shrieking of a Wraith, let alone a mere charm… Klein muttered silently to himself as he watched Squall's body be reduced to flesh and blood and plunge into the open mouth of Creeping Hunger.After a few seconds, Creeping Hunger came to a satisfied halt, and Klein quickly returned to Steel Maveti's side.This Zombie had been miserably purged. Although his head remained intact, he was already dead.Klein took a few steps forward, picked up the peacock-blue Flying Carpet that had fallen to the ground, wrapped it around Steel's body, and lifted it.Glancing back at 15 Amyris Avenue, he listened to the commotion of rampaging zombies and puppets, and he sensed that the Mandated Punishers were approaching. Klein pulled his hood over his head, bowed slightly in that direction as a salute.Pa!Klein rubbed his fingers, and all of the paper fragments around him were set ablaze, producing crimson red columns of fire.Under the light of the fire, his body turned illusory, and he vanished from where he stood, with the items turning into a shadow.As for the Beyonder characteristics of Squall and Hendry, which were slowly coming into existence, he didn't take a look, nor did he pay any attention to them.Greed would cause him to fall into unnecessary danger; besides, the harvest he had reaped now was already sufficient!After leaving some of the Mandated Punishers to deal with the rampaging zombies and puppets, the pirates who had been damaged by his "companions" and the Beyonder adventurers who were caught, Cordoba Roye led the rest of the team and rushed over. However, all they saw were scattered corpses, scalpels, and withered trees on the streets. They could distinguish the receding aura of the sun, as well as the evil sensation that came from the depths of flesh and blood.Lord of the Mysteries88476Report
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Chapter 528. Grazing | Lord of the MysteriesIt was early in the morning, and the sky had just brightened up slightly. Most of the alleys were dark and quiet.With the aid of Danitz's cloak, Klein blended into the shadows and quickly moved about. He felt as if his surroundings were grayish-black and transparent, with reality being blurred. All sounds seemed to come from the depths of the starry sky, empty and distant.After staying as far away from Amyris Avenue as possible, he acquired his bearings and "grew" out from the shadows. He appeared in an empty alley filled with broken stones.Klein's hands shook, throwing Steel Maveti's peacock-blue Flying Carpet out in front of him. He wanted to finish the Grazing before Maveti's Spirit Body began dissipating.Throwing away the Flying Carpet, he took a step forward, stretched out his left hand, and extended his five fingers, aiming from above at the corpse that was still warm.Creeping Hunger revealed its original appearance—a thin material that looked like it was made up of human skin.Two eyes had split open in the middle of its palm. Its pupils were bright red, as though they were dyed in blood.Whoosh!A bone-chilling breeze suddenly blew through the alley. It swirled around Steel Maveti's corpse, twisting into an almost transparent human figure. One could vaguely see thick lips and curled hair that resembled steel beads.Maveti's Spirit Body wore an abnormally pained expression as he tried his best to resist the suction of the Creeping Hunger. As for the grayish-white and blackish-green dots of light, they were like a surging galaxy, quickly flying out from his body and merging into the transparent figure.No!Maveti let out a soundless scream, already being too late to beg for mercy. All he could do was desperately slip into the human-skinned glove, becoming attached to an empty finger, and revealing his Beyonder characteristic that connected with the environment to a certain extent.This connection determined what powers would be usable when Grazing Steel Maveti's soul. Perhaps it would be one, two, but no more than three powers. Klein had no choice over the number and details before they became fixed, as it was purely random.Creeping Hunger quickly blanketed its paleness and finally returned to its former disguised state: a plain black glove.Klein closed his eyes and sensed the changes for a few seconds before letting out a profound sigh.This time, his luck wasn't bad, but it wasn't too good either.He had succeeded in acquiring three Beyonder powers belonging to Steel Maveti, but he didn't receive the body as hard as steel; the tenacious vitality of being impervious to gunfire, flames, or a certain degree of explosives.The first is the power of a Zombie, which allows me to unleash a critical attack, making up for my previous flaws of only having a nimble combat style. The second is mastery over ice. Although it's impossible to condense an ice spear or create a blizzard like that of the Demoness pathway to inflict a direct attack, I can freeze the surrounding ground, lower the temperature of the air, and effectively affect the movement of my enemy. If there's any physical contact, then I can even freeze the enemy's body or stiffen his flesh and blood. It's a perfect match for my combat ability. The third is the manipulation of zombies. Heh heh, I no longer need to be afraid of not being able to have partners for a round of cards… Klein thought for a moment, then he bent down to inspect the items on Steel Maveti's person.He quickly found 26 pounds, 11 soli, and 8 pence in cash, as well as a collection of strange things that seemed normal, such as candles, clips, a thorny whip, and so on.Considering the fact that Steel Maveti was a member of the Rose School of Thought and belonged to the type of people who indulged in their desires, Klein vaguely understood what was going on. Spitting on the ground, he only took the cash.Werewolf has supernatural healing powers. Zombie has a body like steel. There's really no need for him to carry any healing related medicine or items… It's as Danitz concluded, Maveti doesn't have any mystical items… That's right, mystical items are few in number to begin with. Many have clear flaws and negative effects. Not everyone can have one even if they want one. Previously, in the group consisting of a Wraith, Zombie, and Werewolf, there were only two mystical items—Scarlet Lunar Corona and Biological Poison Bottle… Klein nodded and took out a folded piece of paper.He unfolded the yellowed piece of paper and placed it on the body of Steel Maveti, covering his face.It was a bounty notice with a portrait of Maveti and the corresponding bounty reward: "6,000 pounds!"Klein straightened up, took a step back, stepped on the peacock-blue carpet, and pulled out a paper figurine.Pa!With a swing of his arm, his wrist shook, and the paper figurine was thrown out. It burst into flames before scattering into ashes.Soon after, he phased into a shadow and disappeared into the alley along with the items.Two or three minutes later, Cordoba Roye rushed over with a portion of the Mandated Punisher team, just in time to see a cool breeze blow up the bounty notice, revealing Steel Maveti's dissolving flesh and blood dissolving, his eyes wide open.Whoosh. The bounty notice fell to the side and remained facing up.…Having lost track of their target, Cordoba and the others silently brought Steel's corpse back to the area where the battle had taken place.Glancing at the team members who were inspecting the site, the deacon, Cordoba, restrained his emotions and asked in a deep voice, "A believer of the Sun?"This was the most important question for him and his diocese.The Mandated Punisher team member responsible for finding clues via supernatural means to recreate the truth wasn't a Beyonder of the Storm pathway, but a Sequence 7 Knowledge Keeper corresponding to Reader, also known as Detective. He didn't rush to answer, but instead came over and squatted down to examine Maveti's corpse.After a while, he looked up and said, "It's not a believer of the Sun, probably a result of using the powers of a mystical item.""Reason?" Cordoba asked with a frown.The Mandated Punisher said, "There's an evil feeling within that stems from flesh and blood. One of the corpses was devoured in such a manner, leaving only a body's traits and items. If it's a Sun believer, they wouldn't do something like that even if they relied on items. To them, things in the domain of the True Creator are sacrilegious and require immediate purification or sealing. They likely wouldn't borrow its powers."After thinking for a few seconds, Cordoba agreed with this conclusion and asked, "Someone from the Aurora Order?""No, a real Rose Bishop or Shepherd wouldn't act so crudely. They'll definitely wrap the corpse within their body and deal with the scene after departing. There's no reason to dismember the body on the spot. It's a waste of time that also leaves a bunch of items that can be considered valuable. To devour him in such a rush, it resembles that of the negative effects of a mystical item," the Knowledge Keeper said calmly."A mystical item that possesses powers in both the Sun and Secrets Suppliant domains? Perhaps it's something with powers like that of a Shepherd? Berg, what's your take?" As a deacon, Cordoba had the clearance to know of a Shepherd and their special abilities. As for the Knowledge Keeper knowing, it was a result of his position in the team. The other Mandated Punishers had no idea what they were talking about.Knowledge Keeper Berg stood up."It's all possible.""Any suspects?" Cordoba asked in a low voice.Berg shook his head."There are no suspects for the time being."But one thing can be confirmed. Blood Brambles was killed by Blazing Danitz. The other person is his helper, a rather terrifying powerhouse that's not weaker than a Pirate Admiral.""A terrifying powerhouse…" Cordoba's expression turned grave as he muttered under his breath. Following that, his eyes lit up. "Could it be Edwina? She can simulate some Beyonder powers which she has seen before!"Knowledge Keeper Berg pondered for a moment and then said, "We can't rule out that possibility, but our intelligence shows that she was in the vicinity of Sonia Island a few days ago. Unless—unless she can simulate a corresponding ability and use the spirit world to travel here."Cordoba paced back and forth, looked around, and said, "Deal with the scene, and don't bring this to the attention of the nearby residents."I'll submit the mission report, and let's hope that we'll receive more effective information."This involved a powerhouse whose combat prowess was equivalent to at least a Sequence 5. He could only restrain his irascible mood and make the most rational decision.…Inside Old Quinn's house, in the basement with the heavy stone door sealed shut.Alger was sitting on the low bed, quietly looking at the candles on the table when his vision blurred. He saw the gray fog emanate, along with The Fool sitting on a high chair, overlooking everything.A blurry silhouette appeared below, hands clasped before his face as he said in a pious tone, "Honorable Mr. Fool, the matter has come to a successful conclusion."The matter has come to a successful conclusion? This involves Steel Maveti and several other Beyonders… The World sure is efficient at handling matters. His strength is stronger than I expected. As expected of an adorer of Mr. Fool… Heh heh, he might be able to sell another Beyonder characteristic at the Tarot Club, maybe even more than one… How did he get around the effects of Sealed Artifact 2-37? The uniqueness of a god's adorer? A thought flashed through Alger's mind, and he instinctively thanked Mr. Fool.Then, he took out a small metal bottle and smeared mint extract on the tip of his nose.A strong, irritating odor seeped into his head, instantly making Alger become abnormally clear-headed.At some point in time, a white gauze mask appeared in his hands, and he had poured the Full Moon Essence Oil onto it.After methodically putting on his mask, Alger stood up and walked slowly to the heavy stone door.With a staid series of movements, he retrieved a sealed metal jar from the inside of his clothes, twisted the mechanical switch, and pulled out a tube.Then, he stuffed the tube into the crevice of the stone door and extended it out.Without a sound, the gas inside the metal container started to emanate.This was the Sanguine anesthetic gas provided by The Moon, Emlyn!It can knock out strong commoners, Sequence 9 Beyonders with strong bodies, and even higher Sequences who were lacking in their constitution!Even if Old Quinn can resist the gas, he would still be significantly affected. As for his helpers and friends, heh… Alger leaned against the stone door and waited patiently.When nearly a third of the gas was dispersed from the jar, he pulled the tube back and closed the switch.He turned around and listened attentively before receiving a satisfactory answer.Alger revealed a faint smile. He rapidly converged his aura and compressed it inside him.Suddenly, the muscles on his body bulged, and he threw a punch forward.Raging Blow!Bang!The iron lock of the heavy stone door directly shattered, and the door itself opened up.Alger withdrew his fist and walked out, leaving only the sleeping figures outside.Author's Note: Creeping Hunger has two modes, Grazing and Devouring. The former targets the soul and Beyonder characteristic, while the latter targets the flesh and blood.Lord of the Mysteries98357Report
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Chapter 529. Tacitness | Lord of the Mysteries48 Acid Lemon Street, outside the Wind of Azure Inn.Dressed in a thick jacket and pantaloons, Blazing Danitz returned by taking a detour. He clung to the corner of a wall, remaining motionless for a long time. He was hesitating on whether to take the opportunity to run away and not face the terrifying madman, Gehrman Sparrow, again.Unlike the battle at Bansy Harbor, he was hiding on a rooftop far away this time. It allowed him to take in the entire battle zone. Therefore, while supporting Gehrman Sparrow and battling Blood Brambles Hendry, he finally saw the combat process of the crazy adventurer, finally grasping his Beyonder powers and traits.Paper figurine substitutes, phasing out from flames, psychic blasts, a holy beam from the Sun domain, shooting out air bullets with his finger, the ability to disguise himself into another person, as well as a glove that changes its appearance several times and devoured Squall. His powers far exceed my imagination, and there are a few that can't be compatible with each other. This isn't something that can be explained simply with the addition of one or two miraculous items to a Sequence… Also, the sense of hunger that came from the depths of his soul explains something… That glove from the Vice Admiral Hurricane, Creeping Hunger! Captain had specifically reminded us that the glove can use the souls of many Beyonders for Grazing and thus use their powers… Danitz went through the thoughts he previously had and came to a final judgment.Gehrman Sparrow is the current owner of Creeping Hunger!He didn't feel any sense of belittlement simply because Gehrman had relied on a powerful mystical item to display such terrifying strength. Instead, he felt even more reverence for him.The reason for this was just one; a large part of using a mystical item to its fullest had to do with one's abilities. Without sufficient strength and extraordinary combat experience, even with Creeping Hunger, Gehrman Sparrow wouldn't have been able to finish off Steel Maveti and Calm Squall within ten seconds.Two, his Captain, Vice Admiral Edwina Edwards, learned from secret sources that Vice Admiral Hurricane didn't die at the hands of the Church of Storms, but instead, he was quickly killed by a particular powerhouse while fleeing.Danitz had no lack of understanding regarding the power of Vice Admiral Hurricane, Qilangos, back when he was at his peak. He knew that the standing of a powerhouse which could easily finish him off was equal to that of the top pirate powers. Furthermore, it would be two of the most powerful and terrifying ones, the King of the Five Seas and Queen Mystic!Although there's the factor of surprise, it would just lower the evaluation by a little. The person wouldn't be much weaker than the King of Immortality, and they'll be stronger than Admiral Hell and Admiral of Blood… Creeping Hunger now belongs to Gehrman Sparrow; this means that he's either the one who killed Qilangos, or there's a power figure at the level of the Four Kings backing him up. No matter which possibility it is, it's all the more terrifying than I had originally expected! Danitz's body tensed up. He really didn't want to face the adventurer who had crazy blood flowing in him.Phew… He heaved a sigh of relief. He felt that he had been hesitating here for too long and that he had to make a decision as soon as possible.Gehrman Sparrow knows how to divine, and he's rather confident in his abilities in this domain. With my Shadow Cloak in his hands, escaping won't only fail, but it would also end up infuriating him… Shadow Cloak is a rare mystical item…Clenching his teeth, Danitz turned the corner and went through the door of the hotel, all the way to the luxurious suite.After a few seconds of careful waiting and observation, Danitz took out his key and opened the door.He saw that the room was dark, that the gas wall lights hadn't been lit, and that the not-very-bright light of the early morning was shining through the window and onto Gehrman Sparrow who was facing the door.The adventurer had changed back into his usual tweed black overcoat with dark trousers. He held a half top hat in his hand, and his right foot was raised over his left thigh.He leaned back a little, his face obscured since his back was to the window. Only his dark brown eyes, which were exceptionally clear, watched the door with indifference and calmness.Danitz unconsciously lowered his head, laughed dryly, and said, "In accordance with your instructions, I circled to a few news agencies and wrote the information that Blazing had killed Steel Maveti, Blood Brambles Hendry, and Squall on pieces of paper and threw them in."Of course, I mentioned having a powerful helper in this piece of news. He's a mysterious, unknown, a top adventurer, and a veteran bounty hunter."Klein nodded, revealing a polite smile."Very good."With a sigh of relief, Danitz looked around and saw the peacock-blue carpet.He was stunned for a few seconds before asking in puzzlement, "What about the heads of Steel and Hendry?"Klein replied calmly, "Wasn't taken.""You didn't take them?" Danitz exclaimed in astonishment. "Then what about our bounty?"As long as they had the heads of Steel and Blood Brambles, he would be able to get the appropriate bounty through people with connections. Although this would cost them 15 to 30 percent of the money received, he couldn't claim the bounty himself as a pirate. This was the only way, as the military's and the Church's use of bounty rewards to encourage pirates to kill each other didn't mean that they would turn a blind eye to a gift that came walking through the door.To Danitz's surprise, Gehrman Sparrow, whose eyes were crazed with the desire for money, had actually not taken the heads of Steel and Blood Brambles, which meant that he had automatically given up on the bounty.Klein didn't answer him and pointed to the Flying Carpet on the ground."You had helped in this. You have two choices."One is 3,000 pounds in cash, and the other is this Flying Carpet."You have five seconds to consider. Exceeding that time will be considered as forfeiting."3,000 pounds in cash or the Flying Carpet? This Flying Carpet seems to only have the ability of suspension and flight. Furthermore, its speed isn't too fast, and it's not too useful… No, at sea, to a Beyonder not from the Sailor pathway, such items are very precious. At the very least, there's no need to worry about the aftermath of a ship being sunk… Danitz was momentarily thrown into a dilemma.Then he heard Gehrman Sparrow's voice counting."3, 2…"Danitz's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Flying Carpet!"Klein nodded and said, "Okay."With the knowledge that Gehrman had great credibility, Danitz finally relaxed before asking with a grumbling mumble, "Why didn't you count 5 and 4?"Wasn't it supposed to be five seconds!?Klein replied without changing his expression, "Counted inwardly."Counted inwardly… Danitz took a deep breath and grimaced.Klein slowly stood up, flicked his wrist, threw the hat from his hand, and left it hanging firmly on the rack before walking to his bedroom.…Cathedral of Waves.Alger, who entered in the name of coming for morning prayers, met the diocese bishop, Chogo, and explained everything that had happened last night. The only thing that had been modified was that the Sanguine anesthesia gas had been turned into a Slumber Charm of the Church of Evernight.Chogo nodded in approval."To be able to go deep into the enemy's lair and bear the risk of death for the sake of your faith, such an act is worthy of praise. You are a true storm attendant."Last night, we captured five Beyonders and killed two of them on the spot. As a result of this, Maveti, Hendry, and Squall have also died. The heads of these three pirates will no longer appear, or they will be in our hands, so the government's bounty will be ours."The total receivable reward will exceed more than 10,000 pounds in total, and you will receive the bulk of it, which is 6,000 pounds."Do not refuse. The Lord has told us that those who fight for their faith must not be reserved.""Holy Lord of Storms!" An excited Alger pounded his left chest with his fist.Although he and The World didn't agree on how to split the spoils of war, he believed that the two of them had come to a tacit understanding. For example, they were not to interfere with each other when hunting pirates. As the bounty needed to be laundered through the Church, the two of them would split it equally.As for the bounty offered by countries and organizations such as Intis and Feysac, Alger didn't hold any expectations for them. This was because every time one exchanged for the bounty reward, one needed to hand over the corpse or head of the target. Therefore, only one entity could be chosen. Only those with a deep background and good relations with the various organizations and countries could receive all of them.3,000 pounds will belong to The World… If I were to lose 3,000 pounds at once, it will raise suspicion. Yes, I'll have to find an opportunity to buy a mystical item. Such things are rare, so they're often overpriced, even more so when in times of great need. No one will doubt that I spent 5,000 pounds on a purchase that's worth 3,000 pounds… If I sell the items obtained from Old Quinn, the ones he had received, the accounts would be squared… Alger quickly came up with a follow-up solution.…Knowing that he had 3,000 pounds waiting for him, Klein sat happily in the high-back chair of The Fool and considered a serious question.That is, after Grazing Steel Maveti, he had to release a soul from Creeping Hunger as he promised.Their Beyonder powers are quite useful. It's quite a pity to release them before finding a replacement. Yes… Besides, I've already released that Faceless. There doesn't seem to be a need to do it this time… Feelings of hesitation and reluctance to part had stirred in Klein's heart as he was thrown into a dilemma. He was unable to make a decision.After a long time, he leaned back and exhaled.I can't deceive myself. He shook his head and laughed, turning relaxed from making up his mind.He decided to keep his promise and release a soul.The Faceless from before had been released early because he wanted to receive some corresponding information. It was already an equal exchange.Which one should I release? Miss Justice bought the materials for a Psychiatrist potion and a mystical item worth 5,500. Even if she's rich, her financial situation should be tight, so it wouldn't be appropriate to sell the Psychiatrist characteristic at this time. Yes, she still owes my adorer 2,000 pounds and will repay the money in February or March… Klein rejected the idea and decided to release the Nightmare.As a former Nighthawk, he always had an inclination and felt gratitude based on his impression and feelings towards Beyonders in this domain; therefore, it wasn't difficult to make a choice in these situations without having any other factors to consider.Calming himself down, Klein picked up the human-skinned glove that he had previously brought above the gray fog. He closed his eyes and began to sense the distorted souls.Without any hesitation, he released the Nightmare.Lord of the Mysteries98500Report
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Chapter 530. Chronicles | Lord of the MysteriesThe Nightmare appeared by the side of the long bronze table.He was a man in his thirties with black hair and blue eyes, a long, thin face, and obvious nasolabial folds. He had a beard that wasn't too thick by his mouth and chin.As the pain and the distortion eased, he pressed his hand to his chest and gave a solemn bow.Compared to the Faceless from before, the Nightmare was obviously not as muddle-headed and weak after being released. It was unknown if the Evernight pathway's enhancement to one's soul was stronger than that of the Seer pathway, or if it was because the Grazing process had only happened recently.Klein sighed silently and began asking via spirit channeling, "Why did you die at the hands of Qilangos?"The corner of the Nightmare's mouth slightly curled up, revealing a bitter smile."I'm a Red Glove from the Nighthawks. I was tracking down a bunch of ancient chronicles that originated from a Balam imperial tomb. We suspected that they were related to the reason for Death's passing."I found out that a part of it might've fallen into the hands of a particular tycoon, so I led two companions of mine and boarded the ship he was on. Unfortunately, we were attacked by Qilangos's fleet just as we were about to launch an investigation.""What happened to your companions?" Klein subconsciously asked.The Nightmare said in a slightly pained tone, "We originally had the opportunity to leave and even kill Qilangos through our skillful teamwork, but our ship sank, and we had to board a lifeboat instead. Everyone, everyone died, no—they were killed in the line of duty!"May the Goddess bless you… Klein drew a crimson moon inwardly.This made him more aware of the great difference between fighting at sea and fighting on land—environmental factors were of critical importance.Beyonders not from the Sailor pathway would be at a great disadvantage!If it wasn't because of the fact that the Flying Carpet had been huge, cumbersome, and slow, making him an easy target, Klein would've opted to keep it and give Danitz cash.Fortunately, I have the bladder of a murloc. I can find an Artisan to create a mystical item that allows me to swim underwater… Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find an Artisan. Most of them are from the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, and there aren't many unaffiliated ones; otherwise, mystical items wouldn't be this rare. If push comes to shove, I'll get Mr. Hanged Man to help… Klein looked at the Nightmare who had been killed in the line of duty and said softly as he leaned back, "What's your name? What unfulfilled wishes do you have?"The figure of the Nightmare was already slowly dissipating. When he heard Klein's question, he said with a smile, "My name is Davy Raymond. I lost my parents, wife, and siblings in a black magic incident, leaving me with only one daughter, Neelu. She was born in 1330 and is a very lovely girl. And I'm sorry to say that in order to investigate the truth over the black magic incident, I joined the Nighthawks and later became a Red Glove. I didn't manage to spend time with her, making her lose her father alongside her mother."Heh heh, I believe that the Church will definitely give her my pension and secretly provide her a certain amount of help. I'm not worried about her life, but I only hope to see her enter the hall of marriage under the witness of the Goddess, to have her own family and not be lonely anymore.""It's already the year 1350. She may already have a marriage partner," Klein sighed wistfully and said."Time flies…" Davy Raymond muttered in response. "Tell her that all the culprits have been punished and that I died because of an accident. There's no need to hate anyone anymore. Tell her that Daddy loves her, and Daddy is very sorry…"His figure became more and more transparent, and he was about to disappear.Klein closed his eyes and asked, "Where does she live?"What's the name of the tycoon who collected Death's chronicles?""We live in Desi County's Conant City. It's a beautiful seaside city, with rich rubber plantations growing nearby. If she hasn't moved, then she'll be living at 67 Red Indus Street. The tycoon's name is Jimmy Necker. He should've fallen into the hands of Qilangos as well…" Before Davy Raymond finished speaking, his figure had already completely disappeared, leaving only a deep black gem-like object on the surface of his glove.Klein quietly watched this scene, and after a few seconds, he raised his right hand and tapped four times clockwise on his chest. He then said in a deep voice, "If there's a chance, I will visit your daughter and see how she's doing."In the palace which looked like a giant's residence, the fog was endless, without any undulations, and was eternally unchanging.Klein put away Davy Raymond's Beyonder characteristic, rubbed his forehead, and turned his attention back to Death's chronicles.The Death pathway and the Evernight pathway can be switched at high Sequences. There's nothing odd about the Church sending personnel to investigate the corresponding chronicles… I wonder if Jimmy Necker is dead or not. I'll need to find out… If he has already perished in a tragic case, and the thing has fallen in Qilangos's hands, that will require me to investigate from the pirate's side… Qilangos's crew now belongs to Vice Admiral Ailment, Tracy…As it involves Death, it might be able to help Mr. Azik. Klein decided to check it out in passing himself, and if he encountered any difficulties, he could write directly to the powerhouse.After clearing his mind, he quickly returned to the real world and used the ritual to summon Creeping Hunger back.After everything was done and seeing that it was already getting late, he gave up on the idea of trying to catch up on his sleep. He decided to summarize the experiences and lessons from last night's operation.The biggest lesson for Klein was that he had overestimated the patience of the Mandated Punishers.He had originally hoped that, even if there had been an accident in the beginning, the Mandated Punishers would've been able to restrain him and wait for the real target, the real protagonist, Steel Maveti, to appear.When that happened, they would've definitely used the Sealed Artifact which can pull many people into a dream, restraining all the unaffiliated Beyonders who had involved themselves in the blitz. As for me, due to my uniqueness, I would be able to detect that I'm asleep and be able to forcibly escape. Then, I could've dealt with Steel Maveti and his helpers in a composed manner, completing an achievement of an instant kill, and also bring two corpses along with me… Yet, just as the incident happened, that bunch of irascible bros stormed in. They didn't even leave any backup teams to watch out for any contingencies. At the very most, they would let the wielder of the Sealed Artifact stay beyond the periphery, with one or two guards…The more Klein thought, the more he was at a loss on whether to laugh or cry.If it wasn't because Steel Mandated Punisher's group of pirates who were more cautious and had at least two Beyonders assigned, as well as all their puppets and zombies to stop the Mandated Punishers that might've pursued them, Klein would likely have found himself in a situation of going two against five. If that had happened, he would've chosen to give up and directly engage in a strategic shift.What made Klein most satisfied was that he had done a pretty good job of making specific preparations.This was the professional habit of a Magician!Because he had long known from Miss Sharron and Maric about the traits of the first five Sequences of the Mutant pathway, Klein was well aware that Steel Maveti, who had gone through the Lunatic phase, could use irrational factors to resist any Beyonder disruption and influence on his mind. He had very strong resistance in this aspect; therefore, he gave up the thought of using Psychiatrist's Dragon Might and Frenzy, as well as Nightmare, which was clearly weaker than the Mandated Punisher's Sealed Artifact, and he instead focused on the Interrogator's Psychic Piercing and the Priest of Light's purification powers.Psychic Piercing wasn't a Beyonder power that disrupted one's thoughts and affected one's soul, but a means to directly attack the Spirit Body. In essence, the other effect acted on one's Body of Heart and Mind, and targeted the Soul Body. There was a clear difference between the two.If any part of that combo failed to chain in any way, Steel Maveti would've been able to recover, making it impossible for me to kill him quickly. And in that environment, that would spell failure. Yes… I've also used the pathway's trait of losing themselves to their desires, making it easy to grasp their emotions. I believed that once they suffered a psychic attack, there would be a high chance of them counterattacking in madness, without any consideration of anything else…In fact, the safest way of dealing with a Zombie is to set up matchsticks or have Danitz. I'll use Flaming Jump and Light of Holiness, kiting Maveti. It'll make him want to battle but be completely unable to reach his opponent. He wouldn't escape even if he wanted to. Just send a fireball, and I'll catch up to him. Unfortunately, it's a waste of time, and the situation didn't allow for it…Klein sighed, took out his pocket watch, snapped it open, and checked the time.Seeing that it was almost nine o'clock in the morning, he turned the handle of the door and walked out of the bedroom.At this moment, Danitz was lying in a reclining chair, producing snores that sounded like a steam engine was operating in the room.He was quite alert, opening his eyes and sitting up as soon as Klein came out."… Are you going out?" Danitz asked when he saw Gehrman Sparrow take off his hat from the coat rack."Yes." Klein maintained his persona and didn't explain that he was attempting to act by helping someone confess.What about me? Steel Maveti and his men are almost all dead, so I don't have to worry about that anymore… Even if the newspaper doesn't publish the news, I can spread it myself. There were idle pirates and adventurers who will use it as a material for bragging, spreading the matter to the sea and would end up informing Captain. That bunch of dogshit can't do a thing aside from drink and brag, but even so, they still have their uses… Danitz thought for a moment, then he asked while secretly feeling a sense of fear, "Mr. Sparrow, can I-I leave now?"Klein revealed a faint smile."You have always been free."That's right… I wasn't caught by him this time; I was just looking for help… I have always been free! Danitz was stunned for a moment, then he was delighted.But right at that moment, he heard Gehrman Sparrow's voice lightly fleeting towards him."But that ends now."Ah? What? Danitz looked confused.It took him no less than three seconds to understand what Gehrman Sparrow meant.He had been captured again!"Why?" Danitz asked angrily and aggrieved.Klein put on his hat and said in a low voice, "I want to meet your Captain."Danitz widened his eyes, stood up abruptly, and shouted out, "What do you want?"This fellow is a little too agitated… Klein replied calmly, "I have some things to ask her."Lord of the Mysteries148678Report