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Chapter 289: Conjecture and Investigation

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Audrey, who thought she knew the truth, couldn't help but imagine the scene described by Viscount Glaint.

Lanevus lying in the mud in the darkness, covered with rows and rows of tarot cards. There's The Fool, Justice, The Hanged Man, The Sun, The World, and the other Major Arcana cards and numerous numbered cards. They would either be overturned or facing right up, and there would be some left unturned, exposing only their backs, as if they were all part of a large-scale, eerie tarot divination.

This kind of scene must be very shocking!

I wonder where the card for Justice landed…

How would the Beyonders of MI9 and the Church view this matter? Would they believe that a new secret organization has appeared?

By possessing the godhood of the True Creator, the ploy between Lanevus and the Aurora Order must definitely be significant. It definitely would've brought a terrible disaster to Backlund and the kingdom. Yet, this ploy was so easily foiled because of a simple mission Mr. Fool had issued!

This is a tussle at the level of deities?

Mr. Fool and the True Creator are considered archenemies?

It's no wonder He calls the other party the Fallen Creator…

Many thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind as her body trembled faintly and imperceptibly.

"What are you thinking about?" Viscount Glaint, who was sitting opposite, finally couldn't hold it in any further as he asked in puzzlement.

Audrey abruptly snapped out of her reverie. Slightly cocking her head, she smiled and said, "Didn't you tell me to imagine the scene of the corpse being covered with tarot cards?"

"Haha." Glaint awkwardly smiled and sighed. "I wonder which secret organization's member killed Lanevus. It really matches how I imagined such things to be like. It's so—so cool!"

It's our Tarot Club! Audrey answered silently as she smiled. "Perhaps there's no organization, but the independent act of a powerful Beyonder?"

"Regardless, I like this style! Urge Xio and Fors and ask them when they can find my Apothecary formula," Glaint said in excitement.

Audrey widened her eyes slightly. Looking around her, she lowered her voice and said, "Hush, keep it down.

"How can you talk about potions here?"

Glaint gave an indifferent smile. "Don't worry. it's nothing. I had already confirmed that other than you and me, there's only a dog."

The huge golden retriever, Susie, unconsciously shifted her position.

…

North Borough in Backlund. Inside a room beneath the Saint Samuel Cathedral.

Daly, who was wearing a black hooded robe and make-up with blue eyeshadow and red blush, gave off a charming yet cold feeling. She randomly found a seat and picked up the document on the table.

She swept through it before her gaze suddenly froze. Her brows immediately furrowed, and she suppressed something as she asked, "Lanevus?

"Why wasn't I informed of this matter?

"Why didn't you inform me about the operation last night?"

Sitting at the seat of honor, Crestet Cesimir, who had hidden his chin and lips back into his propped up collar, said deeply, "I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to control your emotions. That would've brought unnecessary danger to the operation, so I didn't get anyone to inform you.

"I can understand how you feel. A Nighthawk from the Tingen squad is currently undergoing guidance and training at the Holy Cathedral. He plans on joining the Red Gloves, and his performance is about equal to yours. But as the person in charge of the operation, and as a high-ranking deacon of the Nighthawks, I had to eliminate all unstable elements."

Daly looked at the other Nighthawk Squad Captains and deacons, and she sneered.

"Why do you think I won't be able to control my own emotions? I'm very calm and I won't act rashly!

"My anger will only erupt after Lanevus is caught! This is the professional bearing of a veteran Nighthawk and a deacon!

"If I had caught Lanevus, I would let him know that men can be weak too! I would make sure that a cold, rotten, yet stiff corpse would be situated behind his buttocks. I would make sure that a pungent white bone filled with thorns would be situated in front of him. I'd make it so that those cold little fellows enter and leave his body wherever they can!

"Damn it! You actually managed to let him die just like that!"

Crestet Cesimir looked at Daly calmly and sighed after silently listening to her until she was done.

"How long have you been putting up with it?"

Daly froze, then muttered in frustration, like a deflated ball, "For a very long time…"

Cesimir retracted his gaze and cast them towards the other deacons and captains.

"Got anything?"

"From our preliminary investigations, the person who killed Lanevus is a member of the Secret Order, a Sequence 8 of the potion name, Clown. He's adept at using paper cards as flying knives." A deacon reported based on the findings. "However, we are unable to confirm this guess. The tarot cards scattered across the corpse don't seem like they were concealing something. After all, the Beyonder didn't deal with the cards on the wall and in Lanevus's head. We all believe the final scene was more of a ritual or a symbolism. Therefore, we suspect that the Beyonder might belong to an organization we don't understand. Of course, the scene might also just be a personal preference of his."

Cesimir nodded slightly and said, "We can start from that point and proceed with a follow-up investigation.

"Aiur, any updates on the person who tipped us off?"

The charming middle-aged man, Aiur Harson, flipped the papers in his hand and said, "We investigated the person and discovered that his actions were directed by a bounty hunter.

"In the process of looking for the wanted criminal, Lanevus, the balam's companion was killed by a member of the Aurora Order. In order to exact revenge, she secretly carried out an investigation and eventually locked onto the target at the Workers Alliance Tavern in East Balam Dock. Based on the target's actions and lifestyle, she discovered Lanevus.

"Her actions have basically been verified by witnesses. There isn't anything strange about it. We also used Beyonder means to confirm that she has no connection with the person who killed Lanevus.

"She's in hiding now, and it's very hard to find her."

Cesimir added while seemingly in thought, "This fits very well with Lanevus's description, that the radical and insane members of the Aurora Order were helping him out.

"Is there any problem with the reporter who did the interview at the union that afternoon?"

Another captain of the Nighthawks reported, "He was a fake reporter, and according to news from the police department, he's actually a private detective who had previously helped Mike Joseph of the Daily Observer. Joseph was investigating the murder of Siber. We suspect that he got some kind of lead, found the Dock Union and disguised himself to get in touch with everyone who was suspected of being the killer.

"This guess has already been confirmed by Isengard Stanton."

Cesimir acknowledged it before switching to ask about other people who had recently come into contact with Lanevus, but similarly got answers that there was nothing wrong with them.

Towards the end, he said after some deliberation, "I'm very confused by the lack of motive for the murder of Lanevus. That mysterious murderer deserves our attention. You should continue to follow up on this matter.

"In addition, according to common sense, the Aurora Order definitely wouldn't only have Beyonders at the Rose Bishop and Shadow Ascetic level in a big city like Backlund. There should at least be an Oracle, or perhaps even a Saint.

"Their ploy of receiving the True Creator's descent has failed. With their crazy and irrational traits, I'm worried that they'll launch a series of retaliatory acts. All of you are to be on high alert in the near future. I'll also be staying in Backlund."

"Yes, Your Grace," the deacons and captains replied solemnly.

Crestet Cesimir paused for a few seconds before adding, "The events of the Megose incident in Tingen and last night's incident with Lanevus have revealed a problem. The industrial area, the dock area, and East Borough have become hotbeds for the descent and nurturing of evil gods. You are to send people to investigate and gather the truth about the situation.

"If it truly is as Lanevus had described, I'll raise this matter at the Council of Cardinals, formally exerting pressure on the kingdom and the government to bring about the corresponding changes as soon as possible."

…

Klein slept in and didn't wake up until it was late. However, it still wasn't bright enough outside. The area was still shrouded in fog, making it dark and cold.

This doesn't fit with my splendid mood… He grumbled. After changing his clothes and taking his key, he returned to Minsk Street unnoticed.

After changing from his worker's uniform to casual home attire—a shirt and sweater—and after confirming that no one came investigating his identity as a private detective, he was completely at ease. He leisurely went out to the butcher and grocery store to buy food in preparation for a sumptuous lunch for himself.

There was some afternoon sun in Backlund, and Klein lazily basked in its worth, momentarily having no desire to do anything.

He waited until fifteen minutes to three, then he took out his golden pocket watch for a glance before returning to the bedroom and going above the gray fog.

After conjuring the fake World and familiarizing himself with its controls, he sat down on the high back chair at one end of the table and gave a message to The Sun that he was to prepare for his participation in the gathering.

At precisely three, according to Backlund time, streaks of crimson light soared out of the vast and ancient palace, outlining blurry figures which were equally indistinct.

Audrey directly looked towards the seat of honor and said cheerfully, "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool.

"The 'simple' mission you entrusted has been completed."

She had deliberately emphasized the word "simple" in order to ascertain from Mr. Fool whether Lanevus had really been eliminated by his adorer. She wanted to know if the tarot card-covered death scene was a symbol of the Tarot Club.

Klein deliberately acted composed as he said with a smile, "I'm already aware."

After saying that, he sighed.

"In such an age, in such a place like Backlund, in such a place in the East Borough, the dock area, and the factory district, they're the hotbeds for an evil god's descent."

What? Alger was stunned for a moment, wondering if there was something wrong with his ears.

Why would a simple mission involve hotbeds for an evil god's descent?

Chapter 290: Effecting Change Indirectly

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I remember that the simple mission given by Mr. Fool was for the sole purpose of examining two people for their candidacy of joining the gathering. The general idea was to find the person in the portrait, and that person was confirmed to be in Backlund… Alger Wilson tried to remember what had happened the last gathering, and he couldn't understand what it had to do with the hotbed of an evil god's descent.

Wasn't it just the search for someone?

Furthermore, it was the kind of task which didn't pose much of a threat…

Was there a deeper purpose behind Mr. Fool's simple mission? Was this a silent contest between deities?

Many thoughts went through The Hanged Man's mind instantly, and he almost couldn't stop himself from asking Justice, tempted to pay in order to understand what exactly was going on.

However, as a veteran official Beyonder, a Seafarer who steered an ancient ghost ship, he was experienced and shrewd. He forcefully suppressed his impulse and planned to go through the internal channels of the Church of the Lord of Storms to find out about the recent events in Backlund.

As for Audrey, she instantly understood what Mr. Fool's sigh meant. She immediately understood the entire situation regarding Lanevus.

So it turns out that the bit of godhood that Lanevus possessed was the basic foundation for the descent of the True Creator into the real world… The harsh situation in East Borough, the dock area, and the factory area, however, was a hotbed that provided "Him" rapid nurturing and strengthening… With a simple mission, Mr. Fool stopped the True Creator's great conspiracy and saved the whole of Backlund! Audrey looked towards the end of the long bronze table, her eyes sparkling brightly. Unconsciously, she brimmed with admiration.

At this moment, the gloomy and reserved World let out a chuckled and said, "Yes, every time I see and hear about a large number of child laborers dying in their teens, and how most workers rarely live past thirty due to extreme exhaustion and the terrible environment, or how after barely surviving the previous tests and as a result of their old age and the loss of their jobs, they can only wander the streets and die of hunger and cold, I have no doubt about the existence of an evil god. These gods are on the ground, in East Borough, the dock area, and the factory area.

"Well, there's even been a report that some factory workers have a hard time surviving five years.

"In the East Borough of Backlund, there's a saying that among the people who live there, without exception, any person who's a grandfather must be from the countryside.

"The meaning of this sentence is that people living there won't have a third generation as they can't have grandchildren.

"Poverty and hunger make their children very thin. Work that's difficult to adapt to causes them to quickly wither away in Backlund, much less getting married and conceiving the next generation."

This was the first time Audrey heard Mr. World speak so much. She was suddenly plunged into deep shock and confusion.

Why don't I know anything about this… The newspapers and magazines I read only mention that the residents of East Borough are having a hard time… This is far worse than being laborious… Audrey's eyes lost their focus for a moment. She felt as if her understanding of the kingdom and the world had been completely overturned.

Suddenly, she understood why Mr. Fool had uttered such a sigh, and why in such an age, such a Backlund, in such an East Borough, the dock area, and the factory district were the hotbeds of an evil god's descent.

We can't go on like this! Otherwise, Backlund will one day be destroyed because of this! Audrey felt a strong urge to go back and learn more, to remind her father, Count Hall. She wanted to use the powers of a Spectator and a Telepathist to secretly guide the governmental policies that would improve the lives of the pitiful people in East Borough, the docks area, and the factory district.

At the end of the long bronze table, Klein quietly observed Miss Justice's reaction.

He had purposely lamented a while ago and used his smurf, The World, to give a detailed explanation. He wanted this noble, one who still had a semblance of purity to realize the seriousness of the problem and use her to push for change in the kingdom.

Before I become Faceless, I must clearly remember that I cannot be personally involved in such matters… He silently set such a boundary for himself.

"Thank you, Mr. Fool. Thank you for saving Backlund. Your sigh has made me understand the problem at its roots. Thank you, Mr. World. You have made me understand a great deal of the situation I didn't know in the past." Audrey held back her emotions and sincerely thanked the two gentlemen at the two ends of the table.

"Saved Backlund?" Alger was no stranger to the conditions of East Borough, the factory district, and the dock area. He was more surprised by the description Miss Justice had used.

Just how huge was this matter? he thought with an extremely puzzled frown.

The Sun, on the other hand, listened quite attentively, and although he couldn't understand all of it, he still listened attentively, hoping to learn more about the regions where Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Justice, and Mr. World were located.

Klein only smiled in response to Miss Justice's gratitude and didn't do anything further. He then turned to look at The Hanged Man.

Alger immediately understood what he meant, and he quickly conjured the last page of the promised Roselle's diary.

Klein received it out of thin air and took a casual glance at it.

"14th January. I discovered a problem. If unconscious High-Sequence Beyonder objects are not sealed, they would unconsciously attract nearby Low-Sequence Beyonders from the same pathway, causing them to come into contact with each other. The higher the original Sequence, the more likely that this will happen.

"However, this situation doesn't seem to be a constant. It seems to be intermittent."

This diary entry immediately jolted Klein to attention because he had made similar guesses before.

After he came to Backlund, he soon found himself intertwined with the Secret Order, with a Beyonder of the Seer pathway, and thus, found himself in an extremely passive and extremely dangerous situation. However, he had also obtained the corresponding Sequences 7, 6, and 5 potion formulas as a result.

At the time, he had suspected that his transmigration involved secrets that gave him the power to resurrect, and that he would occasionally attract people and objects related to the Seer pathway, such as the Antigonus family's notebook or members of the Secret Order.

After seeing this diary entry of Emperor Roselle, Klein suddenly had a new idea.

He used the corner of his eyes to scan the thick gray fog and the illusory dark red stars below him. He muttered to himself in silence.

Could it be that the one who created that attractive force wasn't me, but this gray fog, the mysterious space above the gray fog?

This could also be considered as a secret behind my transmigration…

Without any further clues or information, Klein quickly gathered his thoughts and read the second diary entry.

"16th January, the taste of a Demoness still isn't bad."

… The corners of Klein's mouth twitched, unsure of what expression he should show.

Emperor, I have underestimated you… There's really nothing stopping you… Don't you care about the other person's previous gender? Don't you care about her experience during the "Pleasure" phase?

Suppressing the urge to exhale, Klein looked at the last entry in the diary in his hands.

"20th January. I finished making the second Card of Blasphemy.

"Let me think, let me think, where should I hide it?

"Yes, I plan to disguise it as a bookmark and insert it into a very valuable book. If the person who obtains it isn't someone fated, it would be hard to imagine that the most valuable thing in the book is actually that seemingly ordinary bookmark!

"Not bad, that's a good idea!"

… Emperor, why can't you explain more clearly? Which book did the "bookmark" go into? Before I read this, I was so happy thinking that I can follow the clues and obtain a Card of Blasphemy containing the profound secrets of the deities… Klein was disappointed and let his gaze linger on the last paragraph.

I hope that there will be more specific information in the future entries of the Emperor's diary… He comforted himself with this sentence, leaned back, and said with a smile. "You can start your discussion freely now."

At that moment, The Sun Derrick raised his hand, having learned it from Miss Justice, and said, "Mr. World, the Beyonder weapon you gave me far exceeds my expectations. I've already accumulated enough contribution points to trade for the ingredients to advance to Sequence 8. I'll use the remaining contribution points to hire helpers to obtain a chance to obtain the true root and juice of the Mist Treant. I'll be able to complete the deal soon."

He explained in great detail, worried that his reputation of keeping his word would be suspected and destroyed.

Of course, he was telling the truth. Although the axe didn't match some of his expectations for a Beyonder weapon, its power shocked him.

That axe can create a powerful lightning bolt in just two or three strikes, and with the temporary boost from my Bard's powers, I can easily fight in close quarters with a Sequence 7 monster. If I were to encounter a monster that's afraid of lightning, I could even easily finish it… I'm now a Light Suppliant with a certain level of magical spells. My strength has been raised qualitatively, and I can fight against even more powerful monsters… Derrick Berg felt that he had fallen in love with that Beyonder weapon.

In the City of Silver, its potency was one of the reasons to like it! The surrounding darkness and monsters in the depths of the darkness forced them to obey this rule for generations.

"Alright." The gloomy World nodded under Klein's control.

He then looked around and asked again, "Lady, Sirs, do you have any clues regarding the Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid or Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals?"

Audrey shook her head without hesitation. After musing for a few seconds, Alger suddenly said, "There will be a grand event held on the Sonia Sea soon. Ships from the four Pirate Kings and the six Pirate Admirals will be participating. Heh, I should call them the seven Pirate Admirals. Another person has joined the ranks.

"There'll definitely be transactions of Beyonder ingredients at such an event. It's very likely that the not-very-rare Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid or Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals will appear.

"I have the opportunity to participate in this event, but what can you offer in exchange?

"I'm sure you don't have the potion formula for Wind-blessed and that it'll be very difficult for you to find it in the future too."

Chapter 291: Seller and Notary In One

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

High probability of appearing… Klein controlled The World and made him laugh deeply.

"Yes, I really don't have the potion formula for Wind-blessed, nor will I have the means to obtain it anytime soon.

"However, I have an incomplete formula for a Sequence 4 potion.

"Even though it's incomplete, I think you should know its value very well. It can be exchanged for at least 10,000 gold pounds, and most of the time, you can't even buy it with money worth several times that. This is a crucial step that will lead to a human's qualitative change.

"So, are you interested? The spinal fluid of a Dark Patterned Black Panther is worth between 500 and 700 pounds and the Spring of the Elves marrow crystals is between 300 and 400 pounds. I believe you'll still need to prepare an additional 9,000 pounds in cash or an item of equal value."

Klein had long since speculated that the sequence of the Sun Sequence pathway, Unshadowed, could be swapped with the same Sequence of the Sailor and Reader pathways, and this conjecture had been indirectly confirmed by Mr. A's request and in the information provided in Roselle's diary. It was even suspected to extend to the Secrets Suppliant and Spectator Sequence pathways.

Therefore, he believed that the incomplete formula of Unshadowed was an irresistible temptation for The Hanged Man who was from the Sailor pathway.

It doesn't matter if you don't have something worth 9,000 pounds for the time being, you can pay it in installments with Mr. Fool bearing witness… Klein silently added.

Currently, he was lacking the spinal fluid of a Dark Patterned Black Panther, so he didn't mind letting The Hanged Man remain on credit. In any case, he didn't need to worry about the possibility of him running away.

Well, there are also latent risks. I would be at a huge disadvantage if Mr. Hanged Man suddenly dies… With such an expensive deal at hand, Klein couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

The incomplete formula of a Sequence 4 potion? An incomplete formula that leads to the path of a demigod? This is something that you can't even buy with money!Audrey's eyes lit up. She couldn't help hiding her curiosity as she asked before The Hanged Man could speak, "Mr. World, can I ask which Sequence 4 pathway the formula pertains to? If it's not convenient to tell me, pretend I never asked."

Mr. World actually has a Sequence 4 potion formula. Even if it's incomplete, it's still very shocking… No wonder Mr. Fool pulled him into the Tarot Club! He isn't a simple Beyonder… Well, Xio's and Fors's test mission has come to an end. Mr. Fool didn't mention if he's letting them join. Well… He must have other considerations, and maybe he needs more time to observe them. I shouldn't take the initiative to ask since it will appear impolite… Many thoughts ran through Audrey's mind at that moment.

Miss Justice's question was just what Klein wanted. He made The World reply in a husky voice, "I was planning to say it anyway.

"It's the potion formula to Sequence 4 of the Sun pathway, Unshadowed."

The Sun pathway? Derrick instantly looked towards Mr. World, who sat at other end of the long bronze table, his eyes filled with sudden eagerness and longing.

However, he maintained his silence because he knew that he was still far from the threshold of a demigod. He had to spend his limited resources to strengthen himself first.

Only caring about the near future was the way the City of Silver operated. This was because, to its residents, there might not be any future at any moment.

"Unshadowed…" Audrey nodded gracefully, then happily said, "Thank you for your answer, Mr. World!"

She felt like she had learned something important again.

"Unshadowed…" Alger muttered slowly before calmly replying, "I'm sorry. I have no need for it."

No need for it? Klein was taken aback.

This was completely different from the script he had imagined!

In his shock, he indirectly caused The World to pause, looking incredulous. It took quite a few seconds before he said, "You can first owe a portion. With Mr. Fool as witness, I believe you'll definitely make up for the rest."

"No, I really have no need for it." Alger shook his head.

No need for it… He really has no need for it… He's confident that he would gain the favor of the Church of the Lord of Storms and be bestowed with the corresponding potion directly? Or does he actually have the Sequence 4 potion formula to the Sailor pathway? The name was Cataclysmic Interrer? Klein quickly thought of two possibilities.

What should I do? Don't tell me that I should trade the Witch or Demoness of Pleasure formulas with him? Klein silently mocked himself, deliberately making The World silent for a few seconds before saying, "Other potion formulas, or some secrets I know?

"Such as… secrets of the peak-level Sequences."

Alger changed his seating posture a little as he deliberated before answering, "I personally know some secrets of peak-level Sequences. How will you guarantee that there's no overlap? How will you guarantee that the secrets you will tell me is equal in value to the Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid and Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals?"

"We'll each give the peak-level Sequence secret to Mr. Fool and let 'Him' decide if there's any overlap and determine their values. Mr. Fool, is that alright?" Klein manipulated The World and asked himself this question.

Then, he said with a supercilious attitude, "Sure."

Alger slowly nodded. "I have no problems with that. Let's begin."

I really want to know the secret of the peak-level Sequences… But I haven't had any extra money lately to buy it… Audrey looked enviously at The World and The Hanged Man as they each conjured a piece of goatskin parchment.

Having never worried about money since she was young, she finally experienced the taste of "poverty."

Very soon, Klein received the content written by the two members.

Without a doubt, he first looked at the goatskin parchment from The Hanged Man and discovered that the content was simple. There was only one sentence.

"The peak-level Sequence conceals the path to divinity."

Phew… Great. Otherwise, there would be a need to use other information for the exchange… Klein carefully examined The World's goatskin parchment before chuckling softly.

"It doesn't overlap.

"To most Beyonders, the secrets Mr. World is providing is of no value, but in the eyes of others, it's extremely important. This cannot be measured with money."

Hearing this conclusion, Alger immediately fell into a dilemma.

To him, getting two Beyonder ingredients at the same time wasn't a small burden. He had to sell many valuable items in order to trade for them.

To pay such a price to hear a secret that might not be very useful to him? Alger considered it for nearly twenty seconds before saying, "Mr. Fool, can you provide more hints? I can't make a decision yet."

Can't make a decision? The corner of Klein's mouth moved slightly. He knew that the words he had said to maintain his image had the opposite effect and had been ineffective. He hesitated for a moment and then smiled.

"The content he describes is a detailed supplement to the secret you know."

Detailed supplement? A detailed supplement to the path to divinity? Alger didn't hesitate any longer. He turned his head to look at The World and said in a terse and firm voice, "Deal."

Then, he immediately added, "I'll help you exchange for the spinal fluid of a Dark Patterned Black Panther and the Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals within the week.

"Of course, the premise is that they'll appear at the pirate's meet. Although the probability is very high, we still have to believe that anything could happen. If that happens, I might have to postpone it to next week, the following week, or even the next month. But don't worry, I will keep my promise."

"No problem. With Mr. Fool as witness, there's no need for me to worry," The World answered hoarsely.

After they had confirmed the transaction, Klein conjured a goatskin parchment in front of The Hanged Man.

Alger lowered his head eagerly, reading through each word voraciously.

"There is a Sequence 0 above Sequence 1!

"And Sequence 0 is the Sequence of a True God!

"They can similarly be reached through the corresponding potions and rituals."

Sequence 0? The Sequence of the True God! Alger was astonished and shocked at first, but soon he felt relieved, and then he murmured to himself in delight, I see…

I understand, I understand what it means!

He inhaled silently and leaned back in his chair as if nothing had happened.

That secret must be astonishing… Mr. Hanged Man even lost his composure…Audrey looked away with a longing expression and said to The Sun who was diagonally opposite her, "Mr. Sun, I remember you mentioning that the City of Silver has the Dragon pathway's Sequence 9, 8, and 7 potion formulas?"

"Yes." Derrick nodded honestly. "Sequence 7's potion formula is Psyche Analyst."

"If I wish to get it, what is the price I need to pay?" Audrey asked in a reserved manner.

"The Sequence 7 potion formula of the Sun pathway," Derrick replied without any hesitation.

Audrey nodded gently and said, "I'll do my best to obtain it."

Hmm… Xio and Fors mentioned before that there's a Beyonder of the Sun pathway at Mr. A's gathering. He's at least Sequence 7 and is adept at purification and exorcism. Once all the recent events settle down, I can attempt to get it from him… In addition, I should join more of the gatherings at the abandoned education building in that hospital. I should try to come into contact with members of the Psychology Alchemists… One of the two paths will definitely lead to something… Thoughts flashed through Audrey's mind, but she suddenly realized that she was unable to obtain it even if she discovered clues to the formula.

This was because she would be experiencing a financial crisis for the next few months and was barely holding on.

The price of a Sequence 7 formula is around 800 pounds, so if I scrimp, I should be able to produce that. Hmm… It's already October, it's almost new year's. I'll be an adult then, and I'll have the freedom to handle a lot more of my money… Or should I use the knowledge I was taught by Mr. Fool to trade? I wonder what attitude "He" has towards this kind of behavior… Audrey's thoughts gradually dispersed.

She decided to wait until there was hope for the formula before she asked Mr. Fool.

The transaction segment came to an end. Klein originally wanted to use the knowledge he knew to exchange for a mystical item without many negative effects, but after sensing how tight The Hanged Man was, he knew that the other party would pay a large price for those two Beyonder ingredients. It was unlikely that he had any extra assets, so he could only give up in regret.

As soon as the free exchange segment began, Alger took the initiative to mention, "Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos's ship and crew was subdued, giving rise to a new pirate admiral."

Chapter 292: Exchanging News

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Audrey was interested in the pirate admiral and asked, "What's his name? What was his current title? There hasn't been any related news in Backlund."

Alger nodded slowly.

"She's a lady and was a famous pirate in the past. You should've heard of Ailment Girl Tracy, right?"

"No, I don't know much about such things." Audrey shook her head in honesty.

Me too… Sitting at the end of the table, Klein added inwardly.

Alger fell silent for two seconds, and without wasting any time explaining, he said, "In short, she subdued the crew of Qilangos's crew last month. She proved herself with actual action that she had the strength of a pirate admiral. She changed the name of Qilangos's ship to Black Death and calls herself Rear Admiral Ailment.

"In the past, she acted independently and was someone who specialized in curses, black flames, and ice. Her enemies would always suffer from sudden ailments of various kinds. At present, no one knows which pathway she belongs to, but they're certain that she's at Sequence 5."

Audrey listened with relish. She blinked her eyes and requested curiously, "Mr. Hanged Man, can you introduce the four pirate kings and the other six pirate admirals in detail? I've only heard of their names and titles, but I don't know what Beyonder powers they are equipped with."

Alger looked around and saw that both The Sun and The World were showing signs of attentiveness. He nodded slightly and said, "That wouldn't be an issue."

"The strongest pirate king is the King of the Five Seas, Nast. He claims to be a descendant of the Fourth Epoch's Solomon Empire. Not only is he a High-Sequence Beyonder, but he possesses the terrifying ghost ship 'Dark Emperor,' a relic of the empire. He's adept at using 'order.' He can pull his enemy into combat, in a domain that he's best at, and create fascinating effects…

"He's also the oldest pirate in the world. Rumor has it that he's over a hundred years old, and he has been active in the Five Seas since the Roselle era. No one knows exactly how old he is.

"Of course, compared to the other pirate kings, there's a lot of information about him. As for the owner of Dawn, all we know is that she's a beautiful woman. She was once a Warlock and is now a demigod. She calls herself 'Queen Mystery.'"

…

After introducing the "four kings," Alger changed the topic to the six remaining pirate admirals.

"The owner of the Black Tulip, Ludwell, was once a subordinate of the King of the Five Seas. Later, he became independent and calls himself 'Admiral Hell.' Rumor has it that he's established certain connections with the Numinous Episcopate. He's a powerful medium and can control all sorts of creatures in the spirit world. He's terrifying and odd. Rumor has it that he possesses a ring left behind from the ancient era's 'Death.'

"Admiral of Stars Cattleya was once a follower of Queen Mystery, but they've long become estranged. The reason for that, according to rumors, is because she joined a particular secret organization, angering Queen Mystery. And according to the information I know, this secret organization is the Moses Ascetic Order."

The Moses Ascetic Order… The Mystery Pryer pathway… The Hidden Sage… Klein suddenly thought of old Neil's loss of control and the evil god who would whisper temptations into the ears of Low-Sequence Beyonders of the same Sequence.

This was the first time he learned news regarding the Moses Ascetic Order through reality instead of books!

Then, Alger introduced Admiral of Blood Senor, who was suspected to be nonhuman; Rear Admiral Deep Sea Howl Constantine, who possessed a bloodline that was partially from sea monsters; Rear Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards, and Rear Admiral Dusk Bulatov Ioan.

"Thank you so much for sharing. I'm beginning to yearn for the sea," Audrey said, filled with longing. "I don't know when I'll be able to truly travel."

"No, Miss Justice, it's absolutely not as nice as you imagine. From my point of view, it's an amalgamation of blood, chaos, murder, desire, and horror," Alger calmly doused her enthusiasm.

Audrey nodded and switched topics.

"There have been 11 serial murders in Backlund recently, but one of them has been proven to be a copycat crime. The serial killings are against women who were street girls but are now working normal professions. The murderer cuts open their stomachs and removes all of their internal organs."

"This sounds like something to do with devil worship. Was it done by someone from the Blood Sanctify Sect?" Alger instantly made a guess.

"I don't know. The murderer hasn't been found yet." Audrey yearned to become a detective, bringing Susie along and capturing that cursed murderer.

At this moment, Derrick blurted out in a daze, "I know about such rituals."

He knows? That's right. Before the cataclysm, especially during the Second Epoch, devils were active in the real world where they lived on the ground. They were the object of hatred for both giants and dragons. It's normal for the City of Silver to have relevant records… Their history hasn't been tampered with, nor has there been any blanks over the generations… Klein looked thoughtfully at The Sun, waiting for him to say more.

"You know about this?" Audrey asked in joy.

Derrick nodded.

"It's mentioned in our Devil Studies. It's rather ancient. The Devils use it as a ritual to supplement their advancement, typically used when advancing from Sequence 6 to Sequence 5."

"It's not a ceremony to please the devil, but a ceremony for the devil to assist them in advancing?" Audrey asked in surprise.

Derrick replied very seriously, "That's right. The Abyss pathway's Sequence 6 is called Devil. This is also the origin of that race's name."

The Abyss pathway? Before the cataclysm, the Devil pathway was called the Abyss pathway, and Devil is only the name of Sequence 6… Could… Sequence 0 be Abyss?Again, Klein discovered the value of The Sun.

A lot of knowledge and mysteries were lost across the river of history, but the City of Silver still possessed them!

"Is that so…" Audrey nodded indiscernibly. "Mr. Sun, are you aware of the actual details of the ritual?"

Derrick nodded and said, "The minimum requirement is 13 and the highest is 49. The more complete the ritual, the higher the chance of advancement.

"Between two murders, there must be a minimum of three days. Otherwise, it would be easy to lose control, but the interval will also not exceed nine days. That will cause the ritual to be reset.

"Every time a murder occurs and after every partial ritual, the Devil will eat the victim's organs. From this point on, he'll be in a violent and bloodthirsty state, wishing to harm others until that desire is satisfied once again."

"That's really scary…" Audrey sighed from the bottom of her heart, feeling that she couldn't even bear to imagine it.

Klein sat in the thick gray fog, quietly listening and remembering.

After discussing the case of the serial killer, Audrey looked at Alger and organized her words.

"Mr. Hanged Man, there's something that I've been wondering about.

"I've attended several Beyonder gatherings and find that very few people sell potion formulas. Even if there is one, it would be very difficult for the transaction to close. Why is this?"

Alger chuckled and said, "That's because a potion formula is easy to fake, and Beyonder gatherings are relatively hidden and not too binding. Therefore, no one dares to risk their lives. Are you going to prepare two sets of Beyonder ingredients and conduct an experiment with animals first? That price is too high."

"…" Audrey suddenly felt a little guilty.

"Moreover, that's not the only extra cost. Animals can lose control more easily than humans after taking potions. You have to hire a few Beyonders to protect you to prevent you from dying during your experiments. So, for most Beyonders, even if a formula appears, they wouldn't dare buy it," Alger added.

"…" Audrey felt even guiltier.

Alger didn't notice her reaction and continued, "Because of this, unless the host or a member of the gathering has the ability to appraise the authenticity of the potion formula and has already won the trust of most members, it's difficult for a formula trade to close."

Well, the Old Mister Eye of Wisdom can… Mr. A is a Shepherd, so he should be able to… Klein leaned back in his chair and muttered something to himself in silence.

A thought flashed through Audrey's mind as she asked, "Can't it be done by making an oath?"

"Honorable Lady, this is an underground gathering. Do you think it's suitable to make an oath in the name of one of the seven orthodox gods? This isn't something that can be resolved with an oath. A corresponding ritual is needed." Alger chuckled. "As for other evil gods or devils and mysterious existences like the Hidden Sage and the True Creator, unless you're 'Their' believers, who would dare to swear an oath in 'Their' name? Wouldn't they be wishing death upon themselves?"

At this point, he sighed.

"In addition, without them knowing the acting method, potions easily lead to a loss of control, easily turning people into monsters. Furthermore, the corresponding ingredients are hard to obtain and rather expensive. Therefore, as long as the seven Churches don't allow such trades to be officially recognized, there's no need for them to deliberately control the spread of potion formulas on a wide scale, much less talk about advancement."

"So that's how it is…" Audrey murmured to herself, clearing a huge question in her mind.

No wonder… Klein suddenly came to a realization.

Seven orthodox gods? Derrick really wanted to ask which seven they were, but he ultimately held himself back.

He thought for a moment and said, "The City of Silver has recently organized an expedition to explore deep into the darkness and found a semi-destroyed temple. The statue that's worshipped inside was a naked man nailed upside down on a cross. There were also a lot of bloodstains on its surface.

"Do you know which god that is?"

This is… the True Creator! The Forsaken Land of the Gods actually has a temple of the True Creator! Judging from what The Sun said, the True Creator shouldn't exist before the cataclysm; otherwise, it would be impossible for the City of Silver to not recognize it! Klein used his Clown ability to control his expression to prevent the shock from showing on his face.

Justice, The Hanged Man, and The World exchanged looks, shook their heads, and said in unison, "We don't know."

Just as they finished speaking, they heard Mr. Fool in the gray fog say in a deep voice, "That's the Fallen Creator."

Chapter 293: Derrick's Worry

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Fallen Creator? Derrick frowned immediately.

The residents of the City of Silver had always believed in the "omnipotent and omniscient God, the Lord that created everything"; therefore, when he heard a similar name with the word "fallen" tagged to it, he couldn't help but instinctively reject and feel uncomfortable about the notion.

Fallen Creator… That's the way Mr. Fool addresses the True Creator… So that's the image of this evil god… But why would his statue and temple appear within the City of Silver's exploration confines? That place is suspected to be the Forsaken Land of the Gods! Or perhaps, before it was abandoned by the gods, there was already the faith of the True Creator… Could the holy residence that the Aurora Order always talks about be the Forsaken Land of the Gods? Many thoughts came to Alger, but he couldn't make an accurate judgment because the history before the Cataclysm had long evolved into myths and legends. It couldn't simply be described as information shrouded in fog.

He thought for two seconds and deliberately said, "We have another name for the Fallen Creator. It's the True Creator.

"The faction that believes in 'Him' is in control of the Beyonder pathways such as the Secrets Suppliant, Listener, and Shadow Ascetic. The subsequent Sequence includes the Shepherd you mentioned before."

Shepherd? The silent Derrick sat up straight, his eyes filled with horror.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the Beyonder pathways which The Hanged Man had referred to, other than some of the Sequences being described with similar words in the City of Silver. For instance, The Whispered and Listener.

So that strange and evil statue represents the Secrets Suppliant pathway… Elder Lovia is already a Shepherd… She's been acting more and more strangely… Derrick suddenly started to worry about the six-member council's newly advanced elder and the safety of the City of Silver.

In the past, when they explored the surrounding areas, the City of Silver had found a few cities that were completely destroyed. In those places, only a few pieces of rubble had been carved with words that proved the existence of such a civilization.

These words were all variations of Dragonese, Jotun, and Elvish and most of them repetitively described one kind of existence.

That existence was called: "Evil god!"

The residents of the City of Silver who was involved in the expedition were guessing that those cities were destroyed by evil gods. So, after finding out that Elder Lovia's pathway was probably controlled by an evil god, how could Derrick not be shocked, worried, and terrified?

He returned to his taciturn state, disappointing Audrey who had been waiting to hear more stories about the City of Silver.

After so many gatherings, after her purchase of the dragon race's intelligence, her interest towards the City of Silver had grown even more.

His reaction is a little different from what I expected… Alger observed calmly for a while, but he failed to gain anything from it.

For a moment, he couldn't find a point of entry into the conversation. And if he asked directly, he suspected that The Sun would request payment which wasn't an easy task for him since he was burdened with the debt of two Beyonder ingredients.

It was at this moment that they simultaneously heard the sound of the table being tapped gently.

Klein concealed his fatigue with the thick gray fog and said with a chuckle, "Let's end today's gathering here."

"Your will is our will." Audrey immediately stood up and curtsied with her illusory skirt. The Hanged Man, The Sun, and The World successively replied with similar words.

Klein waved his hand and severed the connection, quietly watching the blurry shadows of Miss Justice and the others disappear into thin air.

Then, he made his smurf, The World, disappear. Then, he picked up the small badge which he had obtained from Lanevus and studied it.

"You can join if you have this item." Klein read the sentence on the back of the badge but realized that it didn't undergo any changes.

He thought for a moment and carefully injected spirituality into it.

A layer of faint light bloomed and quickly condensed into a light beam, shooting out of the gray fog.

However, it was repelled by the endless gray fog.

The beam of light suddenly dispersed, transforming into a palm-sized piece of illusory goatskin parchment. On it was written in ancient Feysac: "January 4, 1350, 8 p.m. in Babur Valley."

A simple communication device in the field of mysticism? It sends out messages, requests synchronization, and gets the latest rendezvous time and venue? Klein recalled the scene he had just seen and made a preliminary judgment on the use of the badge.

1350, that's next year… The Babur Valley lies in the area before the Tussock River enters Backlund… The time is precise, but the venue is vague. It's a valley that's almost a hundred kilometers long… Perhaps, this badge can be used as a location tool when one gets there… Klein turned the badge over and over, with interest, trying to figure out the corresponding symbols, incantations, and characteristics, to see if he could copy one himself.

Unfortunately, since he was no longer part of the Nighthawks, his knowledge in mysticism was still at the same level as before. He had no opportunities of improving it further.

Therefore, after studying it for a few minutes, he could only helplessly give up.

As for the phrase "you can join if you have this item," Klein's plan was to not consider it for the time being.

If I can become a Faceless by the end of this year, then I can head there in disguise. Otherwise, forget it… Klein silently said to himself, then he turned his attention to the matter of advancing to Magician.

The true root and juice of the Mist Treant is likely "in the bag" with The Sun… If my luck isn't too bad, I should be able to get the spinal fluid of a Dark Patterned Black Panther this week. Sequence 7, a Mid-Sequence. I can already see and touch it… Hmm… How should a Magician act? As he thought about it, Klein began to consider specific issues.

Due to his experiences before and after his death and resurrection, he instantly comprehended the true essence of Clown. Therefore, in this month or so, he only needed constant acting in his daily life to gradually digest it. He didn't need to make further summaries and adjust it according to the feedback. After killing Lanevus and attaining his initial revenge, the Clown potion was completely digested the moment he was laughing amid tears.

This wasn't the same as the process in which Klein first digested the Seer potion. It was considered a special case, and now he had to return to such a situation with the Magician's acting.

The true essence of Magician, to pass off the illusory with the genuine? Hmm, according to what Zaratul said in the Emperor's diary, although the main focus of this pathway isn't fate, a portion of it still belongs to it. So, there must be something corresponding to it? For example, it might seem that fate can be changed to a certain extent, but in the end, it turns out to all be an illusion. It's just a magic trick that fools you? Klein rubbed his temples, then wrapped his remnant spirituality around himself and descended into the gray fog.

…

St. George's Borough, in a two-bedroom apartment.

"Fortunately, I prepared another place like this. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know where to hide." Fors stared into the mirror and removed her dropping hair.

"That's right…" Xio replied weakly, lying in bed.

"I just read in the newspaper that Lanevus is dead, but this matter involves godhood, so it won't end so soon. We have to hide for a while. Uh, no, it's you who's going to hide, not me. I'm an upright clinical doctor, the author of a bestseller!" Fors looked at herself in the mirror and began putting on simple make-up.

Xio couldn't provide a rebuttal as she slowly sat up and said, "Thankfully I was sufficiently clever and possess rich experience. When I got someone to make the report, I didn't directly say that it involved the godhood of the True Creator. I only described it as seemingly very dangerous and that the target had experienced huge changes like he was praying to evil gods. If not, I wouldn't even dare to stay in Backlund. To be embroiled in high-level battles sure is troublesome and dangerous. I don't want to take on any more of Miss Audrey's missions again!"

"Really?" Fors asked without looking back.

"Uh…" Xio fell silent for a few seconds and said, "Actually, there was no need for us to mention the godhood. Since Miss Audrey was able to discover this on her side, the Church of the Goddess would definitely be capable of doing so… They've most likely killed 'Giant,' right?"

"I can't be sure," Fors replied without mincing her words.

Xio froze, then let out a long, slow sigh.

Fors stopped what she was doing, turned her head to look at her, and said, "This mission was basically completed by you, so I won't be sharing the payment with you. There's a total of 200 pounds, so with the 70 pounds you've saved up, even if you deduct the expenses, you should be close to obtaining the first Beyonder ingredient for the Sheriff potion!"

"But I wouldn't be able to receive the 100 pounds from the police so quickly." Xio pursed her lips.

This wasn't to say that the police wasn't willing to give the bounty money, but that she couldn't take it directly. She had to go through the friend who had helped her deliver the clues—that was the official bounty recipient.

Since she believed that this matter would definitely cause a huge ruckus, she didn't have the guts to find her friend any time soon.

As for whether that friend would usurp the bounty, she was quite confident. The other party had helped too many shady bounty hunters before. It was fine to take a commission, but if he dared to directly usurp all of the bounty money, he would've already died in some unknown dark alley.

"But it will ultimately belong to you." Fors paused for two seconds and seriously asked, "When you've collected enough money, will you contact the masked guy and work for him so that you can purchase the corresponding ingredients from him?"

"No, unless I can't get it anywhere else and that there's no hope." Xio gave her answer.

…

In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Count Hall.

Audrey was still reminiscing over today's gathering when she suddenly saw her personal maid, Annie, coming over with a piece of paper.

"Miss, here's your telegram." Annie smiled and said, "It's from the east coast of Balam."

Alfred's? Audrey happily received it and read it carefully.

"Dear sister, the Rainbow Salamander that you asked for has arrived at Pritz Harbor last night. My orders are to deliver it to your manor in the suburbs."

Arrived last night? Then it'll be delivered to my manor as early as today and by the latest, tomorrow… Audrey tilted her head to the side and looked at Susie, who was fighting with her snacks. With a shallow smile, she said, "Susie, the gift I prepared for you is almost here."

"Woof?" Susie looked at her mistress in confusion.

Chapter 294: Admiral of Stars

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ring! Ring!

Klein circled the lawn behind Leppard's house a few times on the bicycle the inventor had just completed.

"It's not bad, it's just as I expected, but there's no need to make a lone-standing bell. The cyclist won't be able to free a hand when they encounter a situation. You can combine the bell to the handle. This will make it simpler and more adequate for situational developments." Klein's right hand clasped the brake tight, slowing the bike down to a stop.

Meanwhile, he placed the bell in his left hand back to its original spot.

Leppard thought for a moment.

"Yes, that's right. I was simply imitating the ringing bells of the carriages and forgot that this is a brand new mode of transportation."

At this point, he looked at Klein, who was getting off the bike with great familiarity, as he placed it on a rack.

"You give me the feeling that you've ridden a similar type of transportation tool before, and you rode it very well… I'm sure all the other bikes on the market are very flawed and very different from my bike."

Sir, do you have time to learn more about bicycle-sharing systems… As a Clown, I should actually be able to ride a unicycle… Klein silently lampooned before smiling.

"This has nothing to do with experience, the key is outstanding balance and exercise."

He quickly changed the subject. "But based on your introduction just now, the production cost is quite high, and it's quite at odds with our product's market segment. You have to come up with a plan as soon as possible to reduce the cost, and you have to understand that nobles, magnates, and other people of the high-classes of society will definitely not choose to ride their own bicycles. It would be disgraceful, and the same goes for the middle class with an annual income of 300 pounds or higher.

"Our target audience are clerks, postmen, so-called working-class aristocrats, and people who earn between seventy to three hundred pounds a year."

"This is just a prototype, yea—a term invented by Emperor Roselle. It's normal to have a high cost. If the subsequent industrialization is successful, I believe it wouldn't be a problem to lower it to 6 pounds. If we can find a cheap replacement material for natural rubber, it'll be even better. That's the most expensive component," Leppard had long considered this problem as he replied.

Unfortunately, no crude oil has been found in this world yet… I wonder if it actually exists or not… Can refined coal tar be a replacement in this aspect? I don't know about this at all, I'm neither a student of this profession nor a Savant… Klein thought for a moment and said, "If the cost can be kept below four pounds, we'll be rich. As for the cheap material used to replace natural rubber, you can go through Roselle's manuscript. Maybe he has some ideas."

"Yea," Leppard said before he suddenly added, "speaking of which, I just remembered that there will be an Emperor Roselle Memorial Exhibition at the Royal Museum next week! It's organized by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. Rumor has it that there will be the original blueprints of Emperor Roselle's inventions and all kinds of relics. "

The original invention blueprints and all kinds of relics? Klein's heart skipped a beat and pressed, "When is it exactly? I'm very interested."

"From next Tuesday to next Friday, every day from nine in the morning to six in the afternoon. Although Emperor Roselle was once the enemy of the kingdom, the allure of his legendary life hasn't declined because of this."

"I'll take some time out of my schedule to visit the exhibition." Klein fished out his bulging wallet and took out two ten-pound and two five-pound notes. "Here's the second payment. Use it to study how to cut costs and make the most perfect application at the Patent Office. If you don't have a lawyer you know, I can introduce one, and the last twenty pounds will be given to you next week to find new investors and complete the industrialization of the product. Of course, I'll also help you get in touch with people who are interested."

He had never thought of monopolizing the profits of a bicycle. First, he lacked the money for mass production, and second, he believed that he lacked the social connections needed for industrialization, promotion, and sales. He could barely do it himself or hire people to do it. It was hard work with no guarantee of success. It was even possible that he might make a loss. In that case, it would be better to bring in new investors with relevant resources and channels and let the professionals handle the professional work.

More importantly, he would then have the opportunity to cash out a certain amount of shares in advance, accumulating the resources and cash that he needed to advance to Faceless. He wanted to avoid running into a situation where he encountered the ingredients but lacked the money to buy them.

Besides, I have no intention to be a bicycle tycoon. My identity is sensitive. I should stay away from things that might draw society's attention towards me before I become a Faceless. I'm acting as a Magician, not a businessman or a factory owner…Klein sighed in his heart.

"I know several lawyers," Leppard muttered and received the second round of investment funds. "Why don't you go to the bank and apply for a loan? When we get the patent, I'm sure that a bank will loan us money, like the Backlund Bank or Varvat Bank."

"We're not just bringing in investors, but resourceful channels, connections, and skills; do you understand?" Klein explained with a smile. He then put on his hat and said, "When you've applied for a patent, send me a letter. You know my address."

…

On the Sonia Sea stood an island with an extinct volcano.

One by one, ships with masts and sails approached the shore, crowding up the reasonably sizable wharf.

The sound of the pirates singing, shouting, laughing, cursing, and cheering filled the air, turning the place into a sea of revelry.

The Hanged Man, Alger Wilson, stepped off the Blue Avenger and climbed a cliff not far away and watched all of this in silence.

With the exception of the Four Kings and the Seven Pirate Admirals, the rest of the pirates only received the news of the event a week ago. Most of them won't be able to arrive in time as this will prevent the navies of the different countries and the powerful Beyonders from the various Churches to launch an assault. Alger watched the pirates carrying out buckets of ale without his attention on them.

He knew that the Loen Kingdom already had a new generation of ironclad warships, but he wasn't worried about meeting one here. This was because only four months had passed, and the advertised invincible fleet still needed more ironclad warships, and different types of ships for support, as well as the time to train military officers, sailors, and gunners. There was no way they could create a combat force without a year's time.

Even as Alger's thoughts drifted away, the pirates on the ships and wharf suddenly cried out in alarm. Some ran deep into the islands, some hurriedly steered their ships away from the wharf, as if they were running from devils and the plague.

In just a few minutes, the bustling scene from before was reduced to a desolate mess and silence.

Alger turned his head to look at the sea and saw a ship painted black with a huge white flag with a skull hanging from its mast.

The skull was pitch black, and its eye sockets burned with a ghostly blue flame.

Black Death… Alger whispered.

He understood why the pirates had scurried off.

Wherever Rear Admiral Ailment Tracy passed, she would leave a wake of people who got sick for no reason!

Black Death approached the shore slowly as a figure wearing a white linen shirt and dark red coat appeared at the ship's bow.

The figure was quite a beautiful lady, and she also exuded a heroic vibe.

Her beautiful black hair was coiled up high, and she had a white scarf wrapped around her head. She wore beige pants and had a tall and slender figure, and it had no lack of elegance.

What attracted the most attention was the woman's long, straight eyebrows and the sharp, bright blue eyes.

As she looked around, her eyes would occasionally lose focus, making her look adrift and exceptionally alluring.

A wandering poet who had mixed himself with the pirates had arrived at the edge of the cliff at some point. He began reciting.

"She will always be a girl.

"She indeed brings ailments. Oh, I'm sick. My mind is full of her."

A number of pirates who left, gathered once again as they looked at Ailment Maiden Tracy, mesmerized.

Alger held back his feelings of contempt as he glanced at the pirates and scoffed inwardly.

Truly a bunch of fellows with no future or will. All they knew was hide moments ago, but now, they've become seduced by her beauty.

Although Ailment Maiden is indeed very beautiful, it's not to the extent that it will cause them to act this way. Oh… A Beyonder power related to allurement?

As his mind was whirling, Rear Admiral Ailment Tracy left Black Death and began walking to the black palace deep within the island.

At that moment, a huge sailboat appeared on the sea. Its flag depicted an eyelash-less eye with ten stars surrounding it.

Admiral of Stars Cattleya… Alger nodded gently and muttered silently.

Since the Black Death and the other ships were already docked at the wharf, the huge ship didn't approach the shore. Instead, it went around to the sheltered cliff and anchored.

Soon after, the gloomy sky suddenly lit up, and bits of stellar radiance sprinkled down, condensing in the air to form a transparent long bridge. It led from the giant sailboat to the palace.

A woman stepped onto the long bridge and began strolling through the air.

She wore a black, classical robe with numerous symbols and magic characteristics inscribed on it. The most obvious one was a mysterious eye with no eyelashes.

Hanging on this woman's waist, there was a celestial globe and a short scepter. She resembled powerful warlocks who were active in the Fourth Epoch according to folklore.

Alger looked up and frowned slightly as he muttered in puzzlement, That celestial globe looks familiar…

It's like, it's like… the strange glass bottle I previously obtained, the one I had no idea how to use. It eventually shattered after Mr. Fool pulled me into the Gathering…

…

On the outskirts of Empress Borough, Audrey led her maids and the huge golden retriever, Susie, into her own manor.

"Miss, the delivery from Enmat Harbor is just ahead," the butler in charge of the manor said in a respectful tone.

"Alright." Audrey nodded lightly and said half-jokingly to the large golden retriever beside her, "Susie, this is your present."

As they spoke, they turned a corner and saw the so-called gift.

It was a giant lizard whose skin changed color depending on how the light hit it. It was three meters long, and its height reached Audrey's knees even with it laying on the ground.

They were two colossal creatures, enormous enough to frighten a child!

"Woof?" She turned her head to look at her mistress and saw that her expression was exactly the same as hers. Apparently, she hadn't expected the gift to be so exaggerated.

Chapter 295: All Ingredients Gathered

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Audrey had always had a subconscious understanding that a Rainbow Salamander = the Rainbow Salamander's pituitary gland = the size of one's palm. To her, it would be something soft with grooves, a Beyonder ingredient which constantly changed in color.

So, what did that have to do with the three-meter-long colossus in front of her?

For a moment she was confused, but when she heard Susie's yelp, she snapped to her senses. She pretended to be satisfied with the result and said to the butler, "This is exactly the animal specimen I need.

"Um… It's just a little bigger than I thought, just a little.

"Take the servants and move them to the warehouse. I'll study it when I'm free."

"Yes, Miss!" Then, the butler immediately instructed the nearby male servants who were furtively looking at their mistress.

Audrey looked around and, without another word, led Susie into the manor's study. Using the excuse that she had to focus on writing a return letter to her brother, she made all the maids she had brought stay outside.

After the dissection is done, there will be two sets of Rainbow Salamander pituitary glands… A portion can be used to exchange for a Farsman Rabbit, just enough to concoct a bottle of the Telepathist potion… Audrey gradually recovered from her astonishment and confusion as she began to think about Susie's advancement.

At that moment, she thought of a serious problem.

She had no idea if Susie had digested the potion or not!

If it hasn't been completely digested, consuming the Telepathist potion would easily lead to a loss of control… She isn't like a human who can endure through it. Wait, how did she endure it the first time!? Besides, her current intelligence is about that of a ten-year-old child's. S-she's already learning words in the Loen language, and she said she wishes to read newspapers and magazines, as well as books… Audrey fell silent for a few seconds. She glanced at the confused, large golden retriever that sat beside her.

"Susie, have you completely digested the potion?"

"Digest?" Susie returned with clear articulation, expressing her puzzlement.

Audrey had already told her that what she had taken was a potion, and she had warned her not to tell anyone, and not to tell any intelligent animals that could bark or meow.

Audrey nodded her head slowly and heavily.

"It's a very strange and unique feeling. It feels like something illusory inside your body breaks down and fuses with your mind. You will vaguely see illusory stars one after another, and you will be one of them. These stars will attract each other, in a bid to fuse as one."

Susie quietly listened to everything, then replied with a light and brisk voice, "Then I should have completely digested it. I've had a similar feeling before."

Ah? Susie has completely digested the Spectator potion? B-but no one taught her the acting method! At most, I would occasionally remind her to observe more and remain calm… Audrey asked in astonishment, "When did you digest it?"

"Last month, the month before last, or perhaps even earlier…" Susie tried her best to recall when. Seeing that her mistress's expression was getting odder and odder, she hurriedly wagged her tail and timidly added, "I don't remember… I'm just a dog. I won't purposely remember such things. Woof."

Just a dog… But you were only a little slower at digesting than me… Don't tell me that when I interact with other Beyonders, I'll say that when it comes to digesting potions, I'm a little better than a dog… Pui! Audrey, what are you thinking! Audrey maintained her elegant smile and politely praised, "Very good, I mean, on this matter regarding the digestion of the potion, you did very well."

…

Returning from Leppard's place, Klein took a leisurely afternoon nap.

But it wasn't long before he was awakened by illusory, disconcerting cries.

Male? Is it Mr. Hanged Man or Little Sun? Is one of the final main ingredients for my potion ready? Klein carefully tried distinguishing who for a few seconds and soon, forgot about his anger from being awakened. He quickly got up, took four steps counterclockwise, and went above the gray fog.

He noticed that the crimson star that symbolized The Hanged Man was contracting and expanding. Hence, he stretched out his hand, spreading his spirituality before touching it.

After the usual honorary names of The Fool, The Hanged Man prayed, "… I've already gathered the Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid and the Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals. Please permit me to hold a sacrificial ritual and seek your help in handing it to Mr. World."

That's pretty fast… The Hanged Man had said that there would be a grand event among the pirates soon. It seems like it's not soon, but now… He always holds back when speaking, never fully speaking the truth… Klein nodded indiscernibly and said, "Sure."

After a simple sacrificial ritual, Alger resisted his urge to ask Mr. Fool if the celestial globe on Admiral of Stars Cattleya had anything to do with "Him."

At this moment, Klein had already forgotten about him and was admiring the two Beyonder ingredients on the surface of the long bronze table.

The Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid was a seemingly translucent liquid, but if one looked carefully, they would discover that its clarity was also divided into different levels. The lower one went, the more transparent they were at distinct levels. It fully satisfied someone with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals was similar to a faded egg. Its shell was very thin, and it looked like it could easily shatter at a touch. Even without shaking, one could still hear the sound of swishing water inside.

I should be able to get 300 pounds and a formula clue… My Magician is only short of the true root and juice of the Mist Treant. I wonder when Little Sun will complete the mission… Klein waited in anticipation.

As for the other supplementary ingredients, he had already bought them at various stores. For example, the Droplet Gem he needed to buy was purchased from a jewelry store and he had ground it into powder. 5 grams was about 2.5 pounds.

The Sun, Derrick, didn't keep Klein waiting long, and on Wednesday evening, he whispered a prayer to The Fool that he had prepared the true root and juice of the Mist Treant and asked him to pass them on to The World.

The Mist Treant's true root was heart-shaped, brown, palm-sized, and wrinkled. It looked like an old man's skin, but its back was as smooth and exquisite as a gem. It was slightly expanding and contracting, as though it had a certain amount of vitality.

Its juice was light green and sparkling, making it look very delicious.

Klein just looked at them, feeling a little smug.

In the present day and age, Sequence 7 was the threshold of a Mid-Sequence Beyonder.

This meant that a Beyonder would finally be able to bid farewell to the state of being only slightly stronger than ordinary people in certain aspects. They would be able to wield a relative abundance of Beyonder powers!

Phew… Klein slowly exhaled, returned to his bedroom, and summoned himself to bring the Beyonder ingredients into the real world.

He didn't prepare any additional vessels. He washed an iron pot in the kitchen a few times and began to concoct the potion according to the steps of handling the supplementary ingredients before handling the main ingredients.

With the Clown's ability at controlling his body, he quickly finished the first stage, and one by one, he put in the Dark Patterned Black Panther's spinal fluid and the Mist Treant's true root.

Sizzle!

With a jarring sound, a pale white fog suddenly rose and was forcefully pulled back into the pot by an invisible force.

When everything calmed down, Klein quickly poured every drop of liquid into a transparent bottle that he had prepared.

That liquid was rather special. It was as if fireworks were constantly being released from within it. Red, orange, yellow, green, and other colors constantly scattered, disappeared, and then reappeared again.

This was the Magician potion!

Klein stuck a coin worth 1 pound between his thumb and index finger of his left hand, flicked it up, and opened his palm to catch it.

He was using divination to confirm if the potion he concocted had succeeded!

Pa!

The gold coin fell, its portrait faced up, indicating a positive response!

Without any hesitation, Klein put away the gold coin, picked up the potion, and walked out of the kitchen.

At that moment, the sky was already dark. The gas lamps in the room hadn't been lit up yet, causing the surroundings to be in complete darkness. Only the light near the oriel window created a gloomy scene.

Klein sat down on the sofa and began Cogitation to calm his stirring heart and dispel all of his emotions temporarily from his body.

After doing all of this, he raised the glass bottle, tipped his head, and drank the Magician potion.

Gulp! Gulp!

The ice-cold potion went down his throat, and at every moment, it felt like countless bubbles were bursting.

Klein's entire body was experiencing this stimulation, and massive amounts of information flooded his mind, blooming into fireworks.

The veins on his forehead bulged, and his head felt like it was about to burst!

However, this wasn't a very difficult situation for Klein to endure. The terrifying ravings before entering the gray fog and the evil roars of the True Creator were much more terrifying.

"Hornacis… Flegrea… Hornacis… Flegrea… Hornacis… Flegrea…"

The ethereal temptation echoed again. Klein's head expanded and contracted repeatedly before he gradually recovered his thoughts. He began to consciously restrain his thoughts, outline the spherical light, and slowly enter a state of Cogitation.

After an unknown period of time, his vision recovered. At the same time, he felt an itch all over his body, with his arms feeling the worst.

Klein rolled up his sleeves and was surprised to see that one of his arms was deeply wrinkled, like a centenarian. The other arm had lost its color and had become translucent. He could directly see his blood vessels, muscles, and veins.

This… Could it be that I had nearly lost control? No, it shouldn't be. This should be the remnant influences… Klein sat on the sofa in the dark, leaning forward as he watched the anomaly in his arms warily, as if it were a breeding ground for monsters.

And all of this had nothing to do with Klein. He sat quietly on the sofa in the darkness, watching his creased skin and the translucent state of his arms slowly recover. Five to six minutes later, Klein silently sighed as everything finally returned to normal.

It's a good thing that no one came knocking on the door or ringing on the bell… I only chose to advance after completely digesting the Sequence 8 potion. With such severe effects, it would be hard for those Beyonders who depended on time to grind through the potion. It really is difficult to pass this stage.

No wonder Captain took nine years…

No wonder Swain, the former Captain of a Mandated Punisher Squad and owner of the Evil Dragon Bar, didn't dare to consume the Sequence 7 potion, Seafarer…

After sitting silently for more than ten seconds, Klein slowly stood up.

At that moment, he was already a Mid-Sequence Beyonder.

At that moment, he was already a Magician.

Chapter 296: Magician

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

He took two steps forward and passed the coffee table. Klein stretched his body and shook his wrist, but he found nothing unusual.

He looked at the gas lamps outside the oriel window which illuminated the darkness and gloominess and said to himself thoughtfully, My hands are more agile and I'm more nimble. Even if I don't have Beyonder powers, as long as I work hard enough, I can become a top magician.

This was his first impression of his own transformation.

And just like what was recorded in the Nighthawk records, if a potion provided a specific magical power, then the Beyonder would become aware of it after ingesting it. They would grasp the specific details as though the corresponding knowledge would be injected and imprinted into the mind through a mysterious method.

Just now, my head nearly exploded… Klein smiled and shook his head, carefully recalling what he had felt and the corresponding magical spells.

It had to be said that Magician was indeed considered a powerful Sequence 7 with it possessing many miraculous abilities that could all be cast very quickly.

Among them, there were three which Klein valued and liked the most.

The most important one was, Damage Transfer!

As long as he didn't die instantly, as long as his hands could still move, he could transfer the vital wounds to unimportant areas like his arms, turning fatal wounds into minor injuries. This was a very useful Beyonder ability for life-preservation in actual combat.

The only problem is that at Sequence 7, wounds can only be transferred around my body, and there's only one opportunity. Perhaps as my Sequence is raised, the wounds can be transferred to other items or people… It really does feel like magic…Klein imagined the future.

The second spell was Flaming Jump. Within a range of 30 meters, he could phase between a fire spark that he had left behind and the original flame. It was similar to teleportation which seemed to have a uniqueness of gaining help from the spirit world.

Well, it can be used to its fullest when performing magic… Klein mocked himself inwardly with great satisfaction.

More importantly, as he digested the potion and raised his Sequence, the range of Flaming Jump would increase significantly.

The third type of Beyonder spell was the Air Bullets which Klein had seen the suited Clown from the Secret Order use.

The Magician could produce air projectiles with power and speed comparable to that of the bullets fired from a custom revolver just by snapping his fingers or mimicking sounds. Furthermore, the effect would improve along with the digestion of the potion and the raising of his Sequence. Klein suspected that at Sequence 4 or 5. he could create his own cannonball.

This way, I don't need to buy more revolvers and bullets anymore — No, I still need to buy one. There are many matters that don't need me to expose my Beyonder powers. Any problem that can be solved with guns isn't a problem. Klein nodded indiscernibly and began to examine the other spells and spell-like abilities.

The fourth type was Paper Figurine Substitutes. At a critical moment, the magician could temporarily change the paper figurine into him while he swapped places. It was a relatively simple substitute spell that could not only block a fatal blow but also weaken the damage from hexes.

So this is the use of all the paper figurines that Nimblewright Master Rosago had brought with him… He must feel regret because he was contaminated by the True Creator and didn't have the chance to use a substitute at all… The biggest problem with this spell is the need to prepare the materials beforehand, which means that the paper figurines have to be cut in advance. In the early days of the Fifth Epoch, Beyonders who brought similar items would undoubtedly be regarded as a dark warlock. If it's discovered now, I'll most likely be suspected… Klein mulled over the uses and limitations of Paper Figurine Substitutes.

The fifth kind of spell-like ability was called Flame Controlling. As the name implied, one could manipulate flames within a range of 30 meters with a simple action. It could also be used to ignite certain items within this range. Once the potion has been completely digested, or when I advance in Sequence, one could summon a swirling flame out of thin air.

The sixth was Illusion Creation. By influencing the surrounding environment, one could create illusions with colors, sounds, and smells that were close to reality, allowing one to pass off the fake as the truth and deceive the enemy.

This is a specialty of a Magician… Klein chuckled and walked over to the oriel window as he took in the night scene of the streets with great satisfaction.

The seventh was a fake form of Underwater Breathing. The principle behind it was to create a thin, invisible air pipe which would allow the Magician to breathe freely and seemingly turn into so-called Murlocs.

The problem was that the air pipe had a limited length. At his present stage, Klein could only maintain it at around five meters, which meant that if the water depth exceeded five meters, he could drown.

Of course, the potion's digestion and Sequence advancement would result in the growth of the air pipe.

The eighth was a spell-like ability, Bone Softening. This helped a Magician break free from handcuffs, ropes, and chests.

It's also a specialty! Klein thought in a good mood.

The ninth was the evolution of the Clown's ability to turn paper into throwing knives, called Drawing Paper As Weapons. Not only could it turn paper into sharp objects, but it could also temporarily turn into weapons such as bats or bricks, etc.

These were the nine main spells or spell-like abilities of a Magician. Although they weren't particularly strong in both the offensive and defensive aspect, nor were they particularly bizarre, they stood out for their variety. They allowed Klein's strength to instantly rise by more than one level, and his life-preservation and means of escape became even better.

Moreover, Magicians had the ability to cast spells at high speeds. This was a sequence of Beyonders who didn't need to chant or inject spirituality. With just a simple action, they could cast a corresponding spell or spell-like ability.

In addition, the potion made Klein attain some tiny tricks, but they weren't very practical.

I can barely be considered quite a good Beyonder… Klein sighed silently.

Just as he was about to go out for a stroll and get another revolver and replenish his bullets at the Bravehearts Bar, the gas lamps outside the oriel window which tainted the crimson moon's moonlight suddenly turned darker and deeper!

Klein looked up in surprise and saw that the dark clouds and mist had dispersed, clearly revealing the red moon which was a little more than a semicircle.

Its outline rapidly turned into a full circle, and in just a few seconds, it had turned into a full moon that was as red as blood!

It had only been two weeks since the last full moon!

According to the normal calendar, according to astronomy, there were still about ten days left until the next full moon!

This is the Blood Moon? Klein's lips moved slightly as he muttered to himself in relief.

In this world, the changes to the room were both regular and irregular.

Ordinarily, it was exactly the same experience Klein had in his previous life; however, there were always a few times every year when it would suddenly become round and dark red, just like blood. Such a situation that had no logic to it. At times, it happened only once a year, and sometimes, four or five times a year.

Neither astronomers nor mystics could explain this phenomenon or come up with a pattern. Therefore, they could only ignore it for the time being as one of the puzzles. They joked that perhaps the Goddess was in a bad mood and that a change in a woman's mood was undoubtedly irregular.

Of course, not knowing the reason and not being able to understand the essence of the phenomenon didn't mean that there was no corresponding conclusion. In mysticism, people called this situation the Blood Moon, believing that it would bring about the rise and eruption of negative emotions, and that it would strengthen the power of the underworld and the spirit world. Even if the dead were summoned, they might still be able to climb out of their graves.

"This is the second time this year, right?" Klein stood by the oriel window, admiring the clear sky, and the disk-like full moon which was red and glistening. He felt he was in a relatively good shape.

…

In an apartment in Cherwood Borough.

Fors Wall, who had participated in a gathering that night, was unable to make it back home to the two-bedroom apartment in St. George Borough. She sat cross-legged on a sofa in the living room, chewing on a new type of bread which had meat and vegetables in it. She had let down her hair as she thought over the plot of her next novel.

Suddenly, she frowned and threw away the food and pen in her hand.

The moonlight outside the window grew stronger and redder, and the look on Fors's face became more and more painful.

Every full moon, she would hear those ravings that would drive her mad!

Bam!

She fell off the couch, her body writhing as she struggled.

After a while, she pulled out a clump of her hair, but the pain did nothing to ease the explosive sensation in her head or to calm the urge to end her life with a knife.

"Here it comes again…" Fors muttered in pain as her legs were stretched taut from the spasms of pain.

She chanted the name of the god she believed in with great difficulty, seeking redemption.

"Great God of Steam and Machinery…

"You are essential, the Embodiment of…

"You are an artisan, a protector…

"You are the glory of technology, glory…"

As she repeatedly chanted, Fors's suffering didn't abate, and instead it grew more intense.

Bam!

She tumbled around violently, toppling the coffee table and sweeping the books on it to the ground.

Unable to endure it any further, Fors frantically used her nails to scratch the wooden leg of the coffee table, creating one deep scratch after another along with jarring screeching sounds.

Pa!

Her fingernails broke!

Her hair was growing abnormally long!

At that moment, she felt that she would lose control that very night and become a monster. She had already chanted the honorable names of several gods, but she had failed to receive any reprieve.

"I'm going to die… I'm going to die… " As she writhed and rolled about, she suddenly saw a piece of paper with the words in ancient Hermes written on it.

It was the mysterious incantation Xio had found in the "History of the Loen Kingdom's Aristocracy!"

Her chanting of it had even attracted an existence suspected to be an evil spirit!

Even if it's an evil spirit… As long as you can help me… I'm willing to accept… Such a thought flashed through Fors's turbid mind.

She struggled to look over as she used all her strength to whisper, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog…

"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck…

"Save me, save me…"