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Chapter 361: Translucent Worm
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Are you looking for me…"
The moment the voice entered his ears, Derrick froze. His skin tensed up, and his hair stood on end.
Why is he behind me?
Why is he in my room?
What happened to the seal?
What about the effects of the mystical items?
His forehead dripped with cold sweat, and he subconsciously wanted to turn around to take a look.
But his instincts stopped him from doing so.
This instinct originated from the teachings of the City of Silver's General Knowledge of Monsters lessons and the strange scene he had experienced after joining the patrolling teams.
When someone is speaking behind you, don't turn around in a hurry!
Derrick raised his hands and clenched them into fists in front of his chest, then slowly, he turned around, bit by bit.
The room was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see anything. However, there was a tint of golden light that was expanding in his two eyes, transforming into what seemed like two miniature suns.
With his Light Suppliant powers, he saw a dark figure sitting quietly on the edge of his bed.
The dark figure rapidly turned clear, revealing a head that had been split in half!
In the middle of his head, two gray brains wriggled like they were alive, trying to get close to each other but being unable to do so.
The thick, viscous liquid on the severed surface of his brain had turned into thin threads, but they were shrinking like maggots.
Each eye that was on the two separate sides were distanced apart, and the nose bridge was separated from the middle. The color of the blood was bright and evident.
The left side of his mouth was open, but the right side of his mouth was tightly shut.
This terrifying monster was naked, and there were numerous dark red wounds on its body.
The countless wounds had torn open savagely, revealing rows and rows of white teeth. They said the same sentence in quick succession, "Are you looking for me…"
It paused for a moment, the corners of its mouth and the edges of its wounds were curling up.
"Look, am I not normal…"
Derrick's pupils contracted, and without thinking, he placed his folded hands on his chest and raised them to his chin, as if in prayer.
The small room suddenly became bright, and a pure beam of light, swirling with fire, fell from the roof and onto the monster's body.
The beam was not as grand as the one used by Derrick outside the spire. This was because of the seal here and the mystical item which left him isolated from the spire's exterior.
But at that moment, Derrick was stunned to see the holy light beam that he had prayed for was suddenly thickening. It was so bright that he couldn't help but close his eyes.
A few moments later, something purer and thicker separated from the magnificent pillar of light. It was like a man made of light with no facial features and no clothes!
The "man of light" suddenly coruscated and pounced on the monster.
All the "mouths" on the monster suddenly opened, as if it was letting out a blood-curdling screech.
Yet, Derrick heard nothing.
The monster began to tremble violently and quickly disintegrated under the burning and illumination of the "man of light," disappearing as if it were melting.
Just as it was about to become transparent, a phantom wearing a black classical long robe and a pointed hat suddenly appeared!
The shadow had black hair, black eyes, a wide forehead, and a thin face. It wore a monocle carved from crystal.
As soon as he appeared, the "man of light" exploded, and Derrick's vision was filled with whiteness.
When his eyesight was restored, he found himself outside the room, in the corridor with the metal lamps set in it, in the dim light of the setting sun.
He tilted his head blankly and looked into the room. He saw a tall, muscular figure in dark trousers and a brown coat.
In front of this figure was the bed which Derrick had been sleeping in. Dawn-like rays of light condensed onto a white leg bone, turning it into a pure white, sharp sword.
Next to the straight sword lay a translucent worm.
It was only the length of a thumb, and its slimness was almost that of a child's finger. One ring after another, of completely transparent colors, divided it into many sections.
It was a fleeting scene, and without specially counting the number of rings, he had a vague feeling that there were about ten of them.
The tall figure which had its back facing him reached out his hand to pick up the strange translucent worm. As he turned around, he sighed.
"It was close…"
At that moment, Derrick finally saw the face of the tall figure.
His hair was grizzled, unkempt, and rather disheveled. He had deep wrinkles around his cheeks, but there were no wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Some old scars, that were either deep or twisted, remained on his cheeks.
He was dressed in a flaxen-colored shirt with a checkered leather belt around his waist, and his pale blue eyes were deep and weathered, like a book full of stories.
For a moment, Derrick was stunned, and then, as though he had been in danger all his life, he opened his mouth in pleasant surprise.
"Your Excellency!"
In front of him was Chief of the City of Silver's six-member council, a powerful Demon Hunter who was over a hundred years old, Colin Iliad!
Colin nodded slightly and said, "We always knew that he had a problem, but in order to find out what kind of ulterior motives the man named Amon had, we intentionally didn't eliminate him directly, and we instead locked him at the bottom of the spire, sealed under the influence of mystical items, and we often let Beyonders, who only have symptoms of losing control, live next to him and talk to him. We wanted to see if we could induce some abnormal changes in him in order to learn the information we wanted to know.
"Unfortunately, he had been very normal until today, way too normal.
"Why do you think he suddenly mutated and attempted to break through the seal? Do you have any idea what makes you different from the others?"
So it was purposely arranged for me to live next to the former exploration team captain… After a few seconds of silence, Derrick said, "Maybe it's because my Beyonder pathway is different from the others. Sequence 9 Bard, Sequence 8 Light Suppliant."
In other words, the Sun pathway… If Mr. Hanged Man is right, that the Amon family is the descendant of an ancient Sun God, then it's normal for me to cause a mutation to happen to him… Derrick felt he knew the truth to a certain extent.
Colin listened without a change in expression. He sized up Derrick for a few seconds before saying, "We were monitoring him. The members of the six-member council took turns, but we didn't expect him to suddenly mutate. There were zero warning signs, and his actions were very decisive and determined.
"What were you doing in the room just now?"
Derrick, who was considering the relationship between the Sun pathway and the ancient Sun God, didn't instantly realize what the Chief was asking about.
When he realized it, his mind was still blank as he seriously recalled what he had done.
I didn't do anything. I just knocked on the wall and tried to talk to him… Before this, before this, I was participating in the Tarot Gathering… The Tarot Gathering!Derrick was suddenly stunned. He felt that things might not be as simple as he had imagined.
He knew that he couldn't inform the Chief of his thoughts, but he didn't know what kind of expression to make, so he could only maintain his lonely, reserved silence. He said thoughtfully, "I knocked on that wall three times.
"Before that, the candle in my room had extinguished, and there was complete darkness. I had tried to practice some of my Beyonder powers."
Colin looked into Derrick's eyes quietly and said after nearly twenty seconds, "Unfortunately, what Amon left in his soul was not his original body. Moreover, this matter happened too suddenly, so we were unable to obtain the desired result…
"Before his mutation, did you sense anything amiss?"
"No." Derrick shook his head with conviction.
Colin's eyes suddenly flashed with two complex, dark green symbols, and he reflected Derrick's body in them.
After nearly ten seconds of silence, the City of Silver's Chief closed his eyes and said, "Your condition has stabilized. You don't need any more treatment, so you can go back now."
Derrick was startled.
"Alright."
He watched Demon Hunter Colin Iliad turn back into the room, pick up the sharp white sword, and turned it over and over in his hands.
He quietly took a deep breath and walked along the corridor towards the exit. On the way, he met the Keepers who had rushed over one after the other.
He slowly walked back home and closed the door. He carefully observed his surroundings for a while, then he sat down on the edge of the bed and recited in a low voice, "The Fool that doesn't belong to this era, you are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog; you are the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck.
"I've just experienced something terrifying…"
Derrick recounted what had happened and mentioned his two guesses.
After doing all of that, he felt much more at ease.
And with his tense state of mind relaxing, he felt immense exhaustion wash through him. He lied down and quickly fell asleep.
In the silent and dark room, flashes of lightning would occasionally illuminate everything. Otherwise, it would seem like the dark night.
The sleeping Derrick suddenly flicked his right index finger and leisurely tapped it on the bed.
Once, twice, thrice…
…
After the Tarot Gathering, Klein didn't divine the Werewolf's Beyonder characteristic or the Biological Poison Bottle due to his spirituality expenditure. Instead, he went straight back to the real world for a nap. After twenty minutes, he woke up and drew the curtain, allowing the light that penetrated through the mist to bring a certain degree of light into the room.
Sitting on the chair in front of the desk, Klein calmed down and began considering what he needed to do in the short term.
The main goal is to continue concluding the rules of a Magician and make adjustments according to the subtle feedback from my spirituality.
Although rules like "never performing unprepared," "the need to have a stage and a performance," and "completing a performance using means of diversion" do not seem problematic at the moment, if I were to continue acting this way and performing slight adjustments, I'll eventually digest the potion and reach the advancement state. But this sort of acting isn't sufficient. I'm still lacking some of the important rules. Currently, what I'm doing will make the digestion slow and not thorough. Perhaps, it will take a year, or perhaps even two or three years before my Sequence advancement is possible.
And Ince Zangwill won't remain there waiting for me! Only through becoming a High-Sequence Beyonder as soon as possible will I be qualified to take revenge!
Therefore, figuring out the other Magician rules is of utmost importance. I'll first determine them through experimentation whether the applause from an audience will stir my spirituality and result in better digestion of the potion.
Just as Klein was deep in thought, he heard a series of illusory, stacked pleas.
Chapter 362: The Secret Deed Ritual
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
A male voice? Is it Mr. Hanged Man or Little Sun? Klein looked out the window at the gloomy sky, got up, went into the bathroom next door. He locked the door, took four steps counterclockwise, and arrived above the gray fog.
Within that mysterious space, a towering, ancient palace quietly stood. The illusory male voice echoed in a stacked, continuous manner.
Klein glanced at it and confirmed that the prayer was from Little Sun.
He sat in The Fool's seat and stretched out his right hand, emanating his spirituality to touch the corresponding crimson star.
Suddenly, the voice became clear and layered, and Klein quickly figured out what The Sun was talking about.
The former captain of the exploration team, who had seen Amon, suddenly lost control and strangely penetrated through the seal, arriving at his room. Fortunately, the City of Silver took this matter seriously and had been constantly prepared for it; otherwise, it would have led to a tragedy.
The Sun believes that it's impossible that there was no reason for the man's loss of control. He came up with two possibilities—one was that his own Beyonder pathway met the requirements of being the ancient Sun God's descendant, and the other possibility was that the man might have sensed the Tarot Gathering and Mr. Fool's secret pull.
If it were the former, he wouldn't have waited until today and waited until the end of the Tarot Gathering before losing control… The latter reason has a greater probability… Hmm, this is the first time I've encountered someone who can sense the matters regarding the gray fog… That Amon is very scary! It's no wonder their family was known as the Blasphemers during the Fourth Epoch. Even their last names are taboo… Klein subconsciously looked at the crimson star and the corresponding supplicant. He carefully observed the blurry image of Little Sun to see if there was anything abnormal with him.
Klein believed that Amon wouldn't be so easily eliminated. Even if it was as the Chief of the City of Silver had said—that his body wasn't his main body—it didn't make it any easier to eliminate him!
The only possibility is that the powerhouses in the City of Silver have been using mystical items to monitor him, but is that even possible?
When he decided to let the former leader of the exploration team lose control and silently penetrate through the seal, he definitely had a plan in place…
In the midst of his thoughts, Klein's eyes suddenly froze as he looked at the prayer scene.
Entwined on the indistinct body of The Sun was a translucent and illusory figure!
He had hands and feet, but he was like a python, twisting around The Sun while his head rested behind The Sun's head!
In the blurred image, he was wearing a black classical robe, a pointed hat, and a crystal monocle.
The Sun didn't notice any of this!
… Klein almost drew a cold gasp, shocked at the strange means that were available to that entity.
He vaguely understood the other party's intention.
By residing in the Spirit Body of The Sun, he is waiting for the next Tarot Gathering, allowing him to sneak above the gray fog, like a virus or a Trojan horse!
When that happens, my control over this mysterious space might be snatched away… He's truly a Blasphemer! Fortunately, Little Sun is rather naive and straightforward, so he immediately reported this to me. Through the corresponding crimson stars and the power of the gray fog, I was able to discover his peculiar state… Klein drew a breath and tried to calm himself.
At that moment, he had to respond. He had to quickly think of a way to get Amon out of The Sun, or temporarily expel The Sun out of the Tarot Gathering.
Looking at himself, from his Beyonder powers of Magician, Clown, and Seer; to Azik's copper whistle; the Dark Emperor card; the All-Black Eye; the Sun Brooch; the Biological Poison Bottle; and so on, Klein couldn't find a way to deal with Amon.
Amon's Sequence is definitely above Sequence 4, and the means available to him must be sufficiently strange. To be able to escape from the City of Silver's mystical artifacts and powerful Demon Hunters, it means that he isn't something which can be easily eliminated with ordinary objects or powers!
After thinking for a moment and looking around, Klein discovered there was only one possibility of eliminating Amon—the gray fog, this mysterious space.
I have to think of a way to pry its power away… The sacrifice and bestowment ritual from before are examples… With this train of thought, Klein turned his gaze to the Book of Secrets.
This mysticism book, which originated from the ancient Shaman King Klarman, recorded many mysterious rituals that required help from the primitive moon.
Klein, who had been reading it before, vaguely remembered that a few of them were suitable for such a scenario.
Of course, it was unknown what changes he would have to make after directing it towards The Fool. He could only keep his hopes up and try his best… As Klein flipped through the book, his eyes stopped at a ritual.
"Blood Moon Sacrifice."
This ritualistic magic was clearly different from the simple ones that Klein had learned before, and it used the element of a secret deed.
The process was to use a material rich in spirituality, preferably the blood of a Beyonder, to write the honorable name of the target of the secret deed on an animal hide, and to draw the corresponding symbols and magic labels. If necessary, the specific circumstances of a given time and place also had to be taken into account.
When this was done, the ritual host would set up the altar, pick up the piece of hide, and repeat the honorable name, letting their spirituality to seep into the hide, gradually spreading it out, little by little to form a hidden bond with the corresponding great being, and obtaining the corresponding spiritual experience or help.
The final outcome of this ritual was unknown. It all depended on what the hidden or great being bestowed. Or rather, according to one's characteristics, the knowledge and power one could gain through that secret bond were also different.
This kind of rather vague and subjective ritual gave Klein enough freedom to modify and manipulate it. If he had assumed the stance of forcefully eliminating Amon from the beginning, then Amon would have certainly resisted and created a dangerous accident.
If the target of the secret deed were the True Creator or the Hidden Sage, it's normal for the ritual to end in madness… Klein mumbled as he conjured a pen and paper and began to modify the Blood Moon Sacrifice to turn it into a secret deed ritual that belonged to The Fool.
First, he replaced the honorable name with the three sentences of "King of Yellow and Black." Then, he replaced the symbolic symbol with the one behind the seat of The Fool. It was a unique symbol made up of a part of the hidden Pupil-less Eye and the Contorted Lines.
The third was to design the corresponding magic label according to the symbols and his mysticism knowledge. This was the most difficult step. Any mistakes would cause the entire ritual to produce unpredictable developments.
Lastly, he had to modify the layout of the altar to make it closer to The Fool and to the King of Yellow and Black.
After busying himself for quite a while, Klein had a new secret deed ritual, but he was unsure if it would work.
He examined it over and over again, and after confirming that there were no mistakes, he emanated his spirituality and heavily replied to Little Sun, "I'm aware.
"I have something to task you with.
"Let's see if this ritual works."
…
The Sun Derrick suddenly woke up from his dreamless slumber. Before his eyes were the boundless gray fog and the lofty Fool. His ears echoed with bits of illusory and distant words.
He knew that Mr. Fool would occasionally ask the members of the Tarot Club to make small attempts as if to verify something. He wasn't surprised by this, and he immediately sat up and began to search for a monster hide, exotic herbs, and other objects.
As for the spiritual materials described in the ceremony, Derrick didn't waste time heading to the spire or the underground market to buy them. He picked up the Axe of Hurricane and sliced a tiny wound in his arm.
Silently, he used his own blood as ink, and he wrote the name of The Fool and its corresponding symbols and magic labels on the pitted monster hide.
After a while, he put down the quill that was stained with blood. He saw many mysterious symbols on the hide, and the colors were bright red and had an indescribable hint of demonic dealings.
After dealing with the wound on his arm, the pale-faced Derrick quickly finished setting up the altar. He picked up the blood-red word and all kinds of terrifying symbols from the hide and held it tightly in his hand.
He looked at the flickering candle flame in front of him, closed his eyes, lowered his head, and repeatedly recited the honorable names of The Fool, "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."
…
Derrick's spirituality slowly flowed out and infused the hide, and the words in Jotun and the magic symbols on it quickly brightened. It was a startling crimson color.
At that moment, he, who had already entered into a Cogitation state, was only feeling his psyche gradually dissipate as it floated to an immeasurable height, coming into contact with the grayish-white fog, and the hidden great being.
…
Above the gray fog, inside the palace that looked like a giant's residence.
Noticing that The Sun had not shown any signs of delay in preparing the ritual, Klein chose to wait there above the gray fog.
Suddenly, he felt the entire mysterious space start to tremble. That motionless grayish white fog started to flow!
The crimson star corresponding to The Sun shined brightly and emitted illusory rays of light like the tide.
These countless rays of light condensed into a blurry figure of The Sun. He was in a supplicating position with his eyes closed and his head lowered, waiting for the moment when he could bond with the great being and gain a miraculous spiritual experience.
The translucent figure on his body was still tightly coiled like a python, but its head was already tilted back as it looked up. The crystal monocle it wore flashed dimly.
He's searching for the subtle, hidden connection… He should've recognized that this is just a secret deed ritual, but he didn't do anything to stop it. Is he trying to find the connection through it? Klein suddenly came to this realization, and felt the gray fog and the mysterious space above it simultaneously rippling with power!
However, for the time being, Klein couldn't combine these forces with his own spirituality to create a Beyonder effect that could exorcise the evil spirit, unless there was another corresponding ritual.
Clearly, this was impossible. He couldn't maintain two rituals simultaneously!
Klein's eyes quickly swept the area in front of him, and his gaze stopped at the Sun Brooch.
Chapter 363: High-level Authority
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Perhaps I can use it as a "bridge"… Just as this thought flashed through Klein's mind, his right hand grabbed the Sunbird-shaped dark golden brooch.
At the same time, he used his spirituality as a whirlpool to attract the pried power from the mysterious space towards him, making it surge towards the Sun Brooch like a tidal wave.
The quivering above the gray fog became obvious. Little dots of pure light intertwined and swept toward Klein, blending with his spirituality.
The Sunbird-shaped dark golden brooch began to glow with a dazzling brilliance. It grew brighter and denser, and in an instant, drop after drop of a translucent golden liquid began to condense.
The liquid quickly merged together and formed a human figure that was as tall as Klein. It was a golden figure, a sacred figure!
It does work… Sun Holy Water that's created from a higher level of power is closer to a God's bestowment! Klein's heart was filled with joy. He turned his gaze back to the crimson star which symbolized The Sun. He then looked at the figure that was waiting to bond with the great being.
As for the divine figure condensed by the golden Sun Holy Water, it wasn't a result of the Sun Brooch, but simply a manifestation of Klein's subconscious thoughts.
Reaching this step, he had already allowed the golden figure to move forward. Through the illusory crimson star, it merged with Little Sun through the secret deed ritual as it dispelled the "evil spirit" hidden inside his body, as well as giving him a certain amount of knowledge and a miraculous spiritual experience.
However, Klein didn't have much confidence at that very moment.
The power of the mysterious space was obviously higher than his spirituality, making him unable to smoothly control the power. As such, the power of the golden figure was mixed, chaotic, and insufficiently coordinated. If he used it as is, the effect was, at most, 10% of what he expected.
As for Amon, who was suspected to be a descendant of the ancient Sun God, he was born into a family of Blasphemers in the Tudor Empire's Fourth Epoch. Even if it wasn't his main body, he was able to successfully hide his identity from the powerful High-Sequence Demon Hunter and the powerful mystical items that protected the existence of the City of Silver. Klein truly didn't have much confidence with the effect only amounting to 10%.
His initial plan was only to give it a try. If it really didn't work, he would temporarily bar The Sun and then reconnect with him when he found a better solution.
However, having come this far, Klein naturally wanted the best outcome and strived to succeed in one go.
Having disguised himself as the godlike Fool, he too had a little pride, and he wanted to keep up his reputation… He gave a self-deprecating laugh as he prepared to find a way to increase the effects of the golden figure to dispel the evil entity at the last moment.
Of course, I can only waste a few seconds; otherwise, the ritual would be over…Klein's eyes swept over the items on the long bronze table again, thinking only of the words "high level."
Due to his spirituality's intuition as a Seer, his gaze landed on an item.
The Card of Blasphemy, the Dark Emperor card!
Of all the items Klein owned, it was the only one that matched the words "high level!"
As for Azik's copper whistle, Klein clearly remembered that it had been completely suppressed when the Blackthorn Security Company faced off with the spawn of the evil god.
However, what the Dark Emperor card's "high-level" pertains to is the knowledge contained inside. That's not right, after the owner advances to become a High-Sequence Beyonder, it can produce subtle responses with the Beyonder ingredients that are needed. Furthermore, it also possesses the characteristics of anti-divination and anti-prophecy… In other words, its level isn't low… I don't need to use it for a fight; as long as I can use its "high-level" to suppress the power of this mysterious space above the fog, and if I can minimize the chaotic and unnatural coordination of the golden figure, that will be enough!
Klein quickly came up with an idea. He reached out his hand towards the Dark Emperor card which had its back facing up!
Just then, he noticed a frightening scene through the corner of his eyes.
Within the shadow of The Sun that was formed by the illusory rays of the crimson star, a palm, so shriveled that only skin and bones remained, was suddenly reaching forward. Slowly but firmly, it grabbed at the boundary of the crimson star, giving off a feeling as if it was piercing through reality and entering the psyche domain.
Amon was attempting to use the connection to rip open the boundary and extend his hand into the gray fog!
Whoosh!
For the first time, the endless grayish-white fog was in chaos. The "flowing" from before seemed to turn into waves as gales formed.
Klein's pupils shrank. He no longer hesitated, and he picked up the Dark Emperor card.
As soon as he held this item in his hand, he immediately felt that his spirituality was no longer subdued by the power of the mysterious space.
Suddenly, the golden figure became abnormally tall, and on its back, it grew pairs of enormous pitch-black wings. There were a total of twelve pairs!
On each pair of wings, there were dark and bright feathers engraved with many mysterious symbols.
The contrast between gold and black was stark, and the huge figure, driven by Klein, spread its wings to cover the vast dome of the towering palace.
Without a sound, the sacred yet corrupted figure of light and darkness flashed over, overlapping with the manifestation of Little Sun that was formed by the crimson star!
The light and shadows intersected, and a fierce wind blew in all directions. The palm that was so shriveled that it didn't have any flesh, to the point of only having skin and bones left, shrank backward uncontrollably, but it also firmly refused to retreat.
It was like a man falling off a cliff who had extended his hand to grab a bulge, unwilling to let go regardless of what happened.
Whoosh!
In the midst of the illusory and chaotic sounds, light and darkness completely erupted. The shriveled hand finally lost its support, and it plummeted, constantly disintegrating and disappearing as it did.
After a few seconds, the gray fog and the mysterious space above it returned to its previous tranquility, as if no one had stepped inside for thousands of years.
Klein focused again and saw that the blurry figure of Little Sun was no longer entangled with the twisted and incorporeal entity.
Phew! Unable to stop himself, he heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he conjured the contrasting image from before and threw them at the manifested figure of Little Sun in the crimson rays of light, allowing him to fully comprehend them.
…
In the Berg household in the City of Silver.
Derrick felt both awake and adrift at the same time.
It was as if he could see shadows of ineffable shapes, different colors of light that contained endless knowledge, and a majestic, tall, golden figure looking down upon everything.
This figure stood beside Mr. Fool in the thick gray fog, with twelve pairs of huge, dark, mysterious wings on his back.
Not only did his body and mind become warm and pure, but he also seemed to understand what was called sunlight. He had even figured out Holy Water Creation, as well as the knowledge to exorcise evil spirits.
It also contained images he couldn't understand, such as a towering, hidden pyramidal mausoleum.
In that intoxicating spiritual experience, it was as if he had returned to his most carefree childhood, to the lands where the sun shone in his imagination, and it was only when everything was gone and the simple furnishings of his room came into view that he snapped back to his senses.
Is this the secret deed ritual as referenced in textbooks? For more than two thousand years, no one in the City of Silver has succeeded before. No one has been able to come into contact with a mighty existence… At that moment, Derrick's low spirits and loneliness lessened. A heartfelt smile beamed on his face.
The Fool's so-called experiment was to confirm whether our City of Silver's environment can perform a secret deed ritual? That wondrous feeling of all that knowledge was the payment "He" gave me? Derrick lowered his head again and said with great respect, "Thank you, Mr. Fool!"
Right at this moment, a grayish-white fog suddenly appeared in front of his eyes. In the center of the fog was a lofty chair. It was the leisurely seated Fool.
Then, Derrick saw himself covered in a transparent, illusory shadow.
The figure wore a black classic robe, a matching pointed hat, and a crystal monocle hung from its face. It coiled around his body like a python!
This… Amon wasn't dead! He evaded the detection of the mystical items and the attention of His Excellency, and he became a parasite on my Spirit Body! Derrick's eyes widened, and he saw himself as he was now, no longer entangled by Amon.
Did Mr. Fool notice him and finish him? Derrick's sunken heart calmed down while cold sweat trickled down his forehead due to the lingering fear. His face, on the other hand, displayed an expression of instinctive reverence.
He subconsciously followed the words described in the mythology course and said, "Praise you, the mighty Mr. Fool!"
…
Somewhere in the deep darkness, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the surroundings.
This was a plain that was filled with ravines, and a dark-green single-eyed giant was wandering about subconsciously.
His eyes were lifeless, and his face was covered with traces of rotting pus. Grayish-yellow gas permeated from his body and interwoven in the air, forming many clouds.
And beneath his feet, in the darkest ravine on the plain, there was a figure standing at the edge, overlooking the land below.
With the help of the lightning, a thick and broad grayish-white building could be vaguely seen at the bottom of the ravine.
The figure was dressed in a black classic robe and a pointed cap of the same color. It had curly black hair, black eyes, a broad forehead, and thin cheeks. It looked identical to the phantom Derrick Berg had seen.
He raised his hand and pinched the crystal monocle. Then, he turned his head to the left and looked into the distance.
"As expected…" he suddenly whispered, in the language of ancient Feysac.
After pausing for a moment, the man smiled and said the words, "The Fool."
Before he finished speaking, he had already jumped into the ravine in front of him.
At this moment, the lightning subsided for a second, and darkness completely enveloped the world.
…
After eliminating the fatal threat, Klein returned to the real world, once again feeling the urgent need to advance his Sequence.
The Amon that I eliminated wasn't the main body. If he truly is interested in the mysterious space above the gray fog, he will soon return to the City of Silver. At that time, I wonder if the two legendary mystical items and the three Demon Hunters will be able to stop him…
For a mere clone to be so bizarre and terrifying, one can imagine how powerful his main body is… Therefore, I need to conclude the rest of the Magician rules as soon as possible and, through digestion and advancement, better grasp the mysterious space above the gray… Perhaps, the City of Silver's Shepherd elder will be used. If she really is corrupted by the True Creator…
Klein opened the bathroom door and went down to the first floor while in deep thought.
Chapter 364: Cathedral of Serenity
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
What about the rest of the Magician's rules? As Klein idly leafed through the newspaper he had finished reading, he thought about the issues that mattered most to him.
He had already considered one point before, and that was the difference between having an audience to cheer for him and not having one. However, just this alone didn't seem sufficient.
With this thought, Klein's thoughts ran wild as he inexplicably thought of something.
When I was still a Seer, being recognized and praised as a true fortune-teller would give me a feeling that the process of digesting the magic potion had become faster. After I concluded the Seer principles, I began to believe that there was no direct correlation between the views and feedback from others and that they were merely expressions, nothing substantial. If I act well enough, I would naturally be acknowledged, and my digestion would naturally be faster.
That is to say, I had always believed that they were two different responses with the same gains, and not something related to causality.
But now, there's the "choice" of receiving an audience's applause… If it does help me digest the potion, does it mean that some performances really require feedback, and the way that others view me can subtly affect the progress of my potion's digestion?
Hmm, by extension, would the establishment of the Churches by the seven orthodox gods, the spreading of their faith, and the nurturing of their followers partially be a result of this?
… This is truly a sacrilegious thought. I am indeed not a person who sincerely worships gods. I will praise them, but I won't blindly believe in them… Klein quickly adjusted his train of thought as he searched for another angle of attack.
He repeatedly compared the subtle differences between Seer, Clown, and Magician. Gradually, he came up with an idea.
In comparison, does a Magician, who needs to perform, possess the need to take the "initiative?"
Taking the initiative to perform instead of being passive like a Seer or Clown?
From the perspective of fate, it also fits. From a Seer's reverence of fate, a Clown's characteristic of being teased by fate while still maintaining a smile, and finally a Magician who takes the initiative to challenge fate. Even if the result is nothing real or substantial, he will still receive the audience's applause from his deception…
Klein nodded indiscernibly as he planned to make attempts in taking the initiative to perform.
Where should I start? It should be something relatively less dangerous. Uh, I can consider the imprisonment of that vampire named Emlyn White by Father Utravsky…
However, I need to confirm that this group of nonhumans abide by the law and only engage in petty theft at the worst… Where do Emlyn's companions stay on the southern side of the bridge? I can't really remember. I'll have to use divination to jog my memories. Hmm, I'll also confirm how dangerous it is…
Having come to this conclusion, Klein put down the newspaper, got up, and went upstairs.
It had to be said that he didn't have any other motivation to actively involve himself in something that had almost nothing to do with him. It wasn't his personality, but in order to act, he had to force himself to do so.
This is considered rather simple for me. How would a straight male act as a Witch and Demoness of Pleasure? It's no wonder the City of Silver emphasizes that "you're only acting"… Klein suddenly understood the meaning of the admonition.
…
City of Silver, in a dark room at the top of the spire.
Chief of the six-member council, Colin Iliad, stood in front of a window, staring at the silver city which was shrouded in darkness and lightning.
Those beams of light illuminated his disheveled white hair, revealing his twisted and hideous old scars on his face, as well as the deep wrinkles on his face and his worried eyes.
After an unknown period of time, Colin turned and looked at a dark corner. He asked in a deep voice, "Find anything?"
In the corner, a shadow stood up. It was pitch black as it shot towards the wall, twisting and whirling.
Its voice carried the feeling of metal rubbing against metal, and it was rather jarring to the ears.
"After Derrick Berg returned home, he showed some signs of abnormality, but there was no immediate need to deal with it."
Colin nodded slightly and said, "What did he do?"
With the help of the mystical item at the bottom of the spire, the Rampager and the clone of the mysterious figure were eliminated. However, he had constantly suspected that the matter had not been completely resolved.
The former captain of the exploration team suddenly lost control. The mysterious person recklessly took action after enduring for a full forty-two years, without any consideration for the traps or the consequences… All of this made Colin, who had killed and hunted many monsters, instinctively feel that something was amiss.
Therefore, he believed that this was a deliberate choice made by the mysterious man. Although the real purpose of the mysterious man was still unknown, he definitely had some sort of follow-up method, and it wouldn't be so simple to get rid of him.
After using his Demon Hunter powers and finding no abnormalities, he deliberately pretended to be deceived and directly permitted the youth named Derrick Berg to return home. However, he had secretly sent someone to monitor the situation closely.
This was completely different from the detention and observation method which Colin had used in the past. It was a change he had no choice but to make.
The black shadow that was slightly gyrating replied, "After he entered the room, he sat on the edge of the bed and muttered to himself for quite a while. As I was afraid that the mysterious man would discover me, I didn't get too close, so I couldn't clearly hear what was being said. However, I can confirm that this is an abnormal sign.
"After talking to himself, Derrick seemed to become very tired and fell asleep very quickly. But after a shop nap, he suddenly woke up and conducted a ritual. I suspect that his mind wasn't lucid while doing so and that he was controlled by the mysterious man.
"By the way, the ritual had elements of a secret deed."
Colin pondered for a while and said with a solemn expression, "As expected… Perhaps he was communicating with his main body via this method.
"What exactly is his purpose? Why did he spend his forty-two years at the bottom of the spire in peace?"
The black shadow naturally couldn't answer this question as it continued, "After the ritual, Derrick no longer showed any abnormal behavior.
"Does this matter need to be dealt with immediately? If that mysterious person's main body is attracted here, we might not be able to deal with him."
Colin remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Continue the observation. That mysterious person has yet to show any substantial malice, so our reaction can't be too intense.
"Sigh, do you remember that prophecy? It's almost time for disaster to befall… The further we explore, the more strange ruins we find, and the more dangerous the items we harvest…"
"By your will, Your Excellency." The black shadow slowly retreated back into the ground and disappeared.
At this moment, in the Berg household, Derrick began to cough so violently that his heart seemed to almost burst.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
He crouched down and coughed nonstop until his throat began to itch, and he coughed out something!
Splat! A translucent object slid across his throat and fell to the ground. It was a worm with the length and thickness of a finger!
There were some transparent areas on its body, forming rings.
Derrick had seen something like this at the bottom of the spire previously, and he was certain that he was already free of Amon's influence.
He bent down and picked up the translucent worm, and finally, he was able to count the total number of rings on its body. There were a total of twelve.
What is its use? What can it be used for? It seems to be dead… Derrick lost himself in thought.
…
Winter County in the northern part of the Loen Kingdom.
A black Gothic cathedral towered over the snow-covered mountains as it occupied a vast stretch of land.
In front of it was a cliff, and its surroundings was a vast expanse of whiteness with utmost silence.
This was the Church of the Evernight Goddess's headquarters, known as the Cathedral of Serenity.
The dark-haired, green-eyed Leonard Mitchell had a black windbreaker draped over him as he wore red gloves and walked out of his room.
Having successfully advanced and stabilized himself, he hadn't been given the opportunity to participate in any operations yet, as well as some exercises and so-called mysticism courses.
After going around a corner, Leonard saw a staircase leading down. There, he saw Captain Dunn Smith, with a pair of dark gray eyes and dressed in a black windbreaker, and Klein Moretti, who exuded a bookish demeanor standing there, smiling and waiting.
He tilted his head back and sighed.
My memory has also gotten worse.
I've already forgotten that the two of you no longer exist…
Leonard looked away and walked down the stairs to the first floor of the cathedral. He knocked on the door and entered a small room.
There were chairs in the room, and some Nighthawks wearing red gloves sat around inside.
Leonard found a seat at random and sat down, smiling as he chatted with his friends.
After a while, the high-ranking deacon, Crestet Cesimir, with his propped up collar covering his chin and lips, walked in, sat right in front, and said to the crowd, "Today's class will inform you of things you need to pay attention to.
"As Red Gloves, you will travel to different places, and there's a high chance of encountering dangerous High-Sequence Beyonders.
"If their intent is obvious, and they want to kill you, the only thing you can do is leave a trail behind you so that the subsequent investigators will be able to find the appropriate clues. The exact methods include…
"But most of the time, High-Sequence Beyonders won't always attack you directly. They will utilize you based on all sorts of factors.
"You must be alert enough to not be fooled, and here are a few things that we have summarized.
Sitting in the back, Leonard listened with a smile and great attentiveness. His target for revenge was a High-Sequence Beyonder!
Cesimir paused for two seconds and continued, "In the first case, some High-Sequence Beyonder will pretend to be hidden existences, using promises and hope to deceive you into reciting his corresponding description.
"In the second case, some High-Sequence Beyonders might be restrained in a sealed state. They will act as mystical items that can help you get out of your predicament. For example, a magic lamp that can grant you three wishes or a wishing pond.
"The third case is for a High-Sequence potion named 'Parasite.' They often claim that they have lost their bodies and can only survive together with your Spirit Body. They can only rely on you and will not harm you. They will then give you knowledge, formulas, and all sorts of benefits, hoping that you can become powerful so that you can one day help him reconstruct his body or take revenge.
"In reality, the Beyonders with Parasites will only become nutrients for the Parasite; thus prolonging the Parasite's lifespan and condition."
As Leonard listened, his smile faded.
Chapter 365: Vampire With A Unique Hobby
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The Cathedral of Serenity looked particularly beautiful at night. It complemented with the crimson moon high up in the sky that coldly illuminated the land.
Leonard entered his single room, took off his two red gloves, and tossed them onto a wooden table.
With a grim look, he sat in front of the patterned glass window, his back facing out as he bathed in the moonlight.
After ten seconds of silence, he said softly, almost gritting his teeth, "So you're a Parasite!"
Leonard's voice echoed faintly in his own ears, muffled by obvious anger, tension, a sense of loss, and fear.
In the blink of an eye, a slightly aged voice resounded in his mind.
"You can say that."
"What exactly do you want? Are you a being that's leeching my life through your parasitic means? Or are you waiting for me to become stronger, so you can directly devour my Beyonder characteristic, just like cultivating a humanoid potion?" Leonard's voice was suppressed, but in no way slow.
The slightly aged voice in his mind laughed.
"I'm your fortuitous encounter; didn't you always think so? You believe yourself to be unique and the protagonist of this era…
"In fact, you aren't acting as arrogant and self-conceited as you usually do. Ultimately, you're wary of me. Hehe. After I taught you the acting method, you didn't even focus on studying it. All you did was a very superficial attempt at it. You wasted a very long time before you digested it and even hid it. You didn't pursue the Nightmare potion.
"It was only after you met with the spawn of the True Creator and suffered a setback were you willing to advance to Sequence 7. Your regret has made you hallucinate.
"Leonard, think about it carefully. Would I not understand the Church of the Evernight Goddess? When I dealt with them, even the so-called Chanis hadn't even been born yet.
"Would I not know that the Church of the Evernight Goddess knows of Parasites? Would I not realize that the Red Gloves would grasp certain secrets to prevent the infiltration of High-Sequence Beyonders?
"But did I ever stop you from joining the Red Gloves?"
After a few brief changes in expression, Leonard finally fell silent, saying nothing.
The voice in his mind laughed again.
"Do you feel like you have aged faster than your real age? No, right? I can live for at least another hundred years. I'm not in a hurry to take over my host's life.
"As for your Beyonder characteristics, humph. We aren't even in a similar pathway that allows exchanging. If I swallow it, it would be equivalent to drinking poison, making me half-crazy and increasing my chance of losing control. Do you think that I would do that?
"Evernight is grouped with Giant and Death, while my Beyonder pathway's goal is that of the Apprentice and Seer."
Leonard looked at his body which was illuminated by the crimson moonlight. After some thought, he asked again, "What exactly do you want to do? What is your purpose?"
The slightly aged voice in his mind sighed.
"Didn't I already tell you?
"I've suffered tremendous damage, and I need a host to recover slowly, and I have to hide from a terrible enemy… The Nighthawks, the Church of the Evernight Goddess, is quite a good choice for a host."
Leonard lifted his head, looked at the ceiling for a few seconds, and said in a deep voice, "Will you be discovered by the archbishops, high-ranking deacons, or other Sealed Artifacts?"
The slightly aged voice replied leisurely, "If Parasites were so easily discovered, that high-ranking deacon named Cesimir wouldn't have just given a warning and not send all of you to be checked.
"Of course, Parasites do leave traces. The Church of the Evernight Goddess has the means to determine this, but it's relatively complicated and troublesome. It will cause certain losses and substantial danger. It might even affect that Goddess, so before you become a high-ranking deacon, making you qualified to participate in meetings for the upper echelons of the Church, and interact with Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, there's no need to worry.
"By then, I should've recovered and embarked on my own journey."
Leonard listened with a serious expression. After a while, he said, "You have a terrifying enemy? Who is he?"
The slightly aged voice chuckled and said, "I don't know his name, but I do know his last name…"
"What is it?" Leonard asked.
The slightly aged voice suddenly became low and deep.
"Amon."
…
The area south of the Bridge, 46 Riverbay Avenue.
The owners of the house that were enjoying their dinner heard the tinkling of the doorbell.
The only maid came to the door, and through the peephole above the door's lock, she saw a policeman in a black-and-white checkered uniform.
She opened the door and asked somewhat fearfully, "Sir, is there anything I can do for you?"
The cop was none other than the disguised Klein, who was attempting to take the initiative to perform. He was here to confirm that the partners of the vampire, Emlyn White, the ones living at 48 Riverbay Avenue, and the people who entrusted Stuart with the mission, were law-abiding monsters.
Yes, law-abiding monsters! Although this doesn't sound right and sounds a little funny, it's how I would react with my true thoughts… Klein emphasized in his heart.
The police uniform he wore wasn't a fake that he specially tailored. It was a product of his ordinary clothes and hallucinatory effects.
A Magician had to do what a magician would do!
Klein didn't monitor 48 Riverbay Avenue because he believed that Emlyn White's companions had long since moved away.
As monsters and non-humans, moving to another residence was the most basic thing to do after a comrade disappears for several days!
They had to suspect that Emlyn White was captured by the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, or other official Beyonder organizations, and it was necessary to assume that he might be dead at any moment.
Therefore, what Klein wanted to do was to perform an investigation by conducting a survey.
He maintained the arrogance of a low-ranking policeman towards an ordinary citizen. Without taking off his hat, he slightly raised his chin and said, "I have something to ask your master."
The maid entered in a fluster and quickly brought back a man in his thirties wearing a thick shirt.
"Officer, what would you like to ask me?" the man asked nervously.
Klein stood at the door and looked inside.
"Do you know the residents of Unit 48?"
"I do." The male owner was stunned for a moment before asking, "What happened to them?"
"They're involved in a case. You have to tell me everything you know," Klein said with a straight face.
His face was also disguised, augmented with slight hallucinatory effects. It was to ensure that he looked distinct from the great detective Sherlock Moriarty.
The male owner suddenly came to a realization.
"It's no wonder they moved away so hurriedly more than a month ago… Most of the residents of Riverbay Avenue and the neighborhood knew the Whites and their son. He was a handsome but eccentric young man.
"Mr. White is an excellent physician and is good at using all kinds of medicine and bloodletting therapy."
"Bloodletting therapy?" Klein returned with a question.
"Yes, although this has been regarded by many newspapers and magazines as an old medical skill that had no effect, anyone who received Mr. White's treatment were cured. However, Mr. White also said that except for him, the other doctors who practice bloodletting therapy are quacks." The owner gave his viewpoint.
The bloodletting therapy is to accumulate food for themselves, isn't it? The only thing that is useful was the medicine… This vampire family relied on bloodletting therapy to help treat patients while receiving "food" as compensation. If there weren't many patients, or if their blood was very unhealthy, would they consider going to a distant hospital to steal blood from a blood bag and drink it? For such monsters, they really are law-abiding… Klein nodded in understanding.
The emotional color changes in his Spirit Vision told him that the man wasn't lying.
Seeing that the police officer didn't refute him, the man continued, "Mr. White and his wife are very nice people. Although they can't cure those who are seriously ill, they're still pretty good doctors for all the residents who live nearby…
"Was their child, Emlyn, involved in a case? That young man was too silent, as though he looked down on us. He's always hiding at home, and I have no idea what he's doing… Officer, are you hot? It's so cold outside."
He probably just hides in the day and comes out at night… Klein wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "I've been walking around here all day because of this case!"
Next, according to his designed survey, he learned everything about the Whites and their son.
One family at a time, he knocked on the door, asked questions, compiled answers, and came to the conclusion that the White family was indeed kind, amiable, and law-abiding.
It doesn't seem like a description of a vampire… Klein looked up at the crimson moon which was piercing through the clouds, ready to make a final confirmation.
He removed the hallucinatory effect from his body and started divining.
After making sure there was no danger, he went around to the side and climbed into the house at 48 Riverbay Avenue.
Others might not know who had taken Emlyn White away, ultimately afraid of being followed up by an official "visit" from official Beyonders, but Klein knew what was going on and wasn't worried about a trap.
As he entered the second floor, he used the moonlight to see that the rooms were in disarray. Many things hadn't been taken away. Through these things, he could imagine the haste in which their owners had left.
He even found some precious books on herbs in a study, including some popular countryside folk recipes.
As he walked, Klein entered one of the bedrooms, and shadows came into view.
He jumped in fright, imagining that he had been ambushed. He almost snapped his fingers to light the match that had been thrown outside.
Fortunately, no attacks occurred.
The crimson moonlight shone through the window, covering the entire room. Klein was finally able to clearly see what those black shadows were.
They didn't have any spiritual luster, and they were figurines of varying sizes!
The biggest one was only slightly shorter than Klein. It was a girl wearing a gorgeous long skirt. Her sleeves and collars were covered with lace and ribbons.
This female figurine was obviously more like one of wax. Her facial features were vivid and lifelike, and her golden hair and red eyes were alluring and beautiful.
The smallest one was only the size of a normal person's palm. It was a woman wearing silver body armor. She looked valiant and heroic while looking magnanimous and beautiful.
As his eyes swept past each figurine, Klein suddenly remembered something.
Under the influence of Roselle, the development of figurine art had two trends: one was the adorable type, allowing them to have a change of clothes; while the other strove to be more realistic.
Klein looked around and couldn't help but exclaim, "These figurines are not cheap!
"Don't tell me Emlyn is a vampire who is obsessed with figurines?"
Chapter 366: The Hanged Man's Ambition
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After a thorough inspection, Klein confirmed that there was nothing odd about the White family and that the couple didn't even leave a single strand of hair behind, apparently to prevent anyone from tracking them down using divination.
He returned to the bedroom filled with dolls, took four steps counterclockwise, and went above the gray fog, intending to use divination to for a final confirmation.
However, before he got down to business, he conjured the female figurine who was nearly his height, and just like how he had done a divination for the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem in Tingen City, he picked up a dark red fountain pen and wrote a sentence on the yellowish-brown goatskin: "Its origin."
Putting down the pen and holding onto the piece of paper, Klein leaned back in his chair and began to mumble as he slowly adjusted his mental state into a Cogitation state.
After repeating this seven times, his eyes turned dark, and his eyelids drooped as he entered a deep slumber.
In the gray space, he saw the puppet craftsman working with extraordinary concentration. He saw the red-eyed "girl" being placed in the room of dolls and Emlyn White fishing out his wallet with his eyes fixed on her.
Finally, the scene stopped inside the bedroom where Klein was presently located. The proud vampire, Emlyn White, with his hair combed back diagonally, looked handsome but slightly delicate. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the doll affectionately, along with all the other puppets of different sizes.
He truly is a fanatic of figurines… Klein opened his eyes and facepalmed.
Soon after, he waved his hand, causing the puppet that he conjured to vanish from the space above the gray fog.
When he was done, he picked up his fountain pen again and wrote another divination statement: "Scenes of death in the last ten years in 48 Riverbay Avenue."
According to the statements from the residents, the White family had been there for no more than ten years, so Klein was able to lock onto a specific area, and he believed that if the White family were just superficially good monsters who were actually making disappearance cases all the time in order to suck warm, delicious blood, then it was impossible to not have any happen at home.
In a period as long as ten years, there would always be a few accidents as long as they didn't stop!
After carefully checking the divination sentence, Klein recited it and entered Cogitation again, rapidly falling into a dream.
In the dusky world, his vision was sometimes pitch-black, sometimes dotted with snowflakes, and sometimes splintered. However, no scenes appeared.
This was the result of the divination: nothing!
No one had died in the last ten years at 48 Riverbay Avenue!
By taking into account all the factors involved, it's possible to make a preliminary conclusion that the White family was a law-abiding vampire family, other than a few instances of petty theft… As Klein looked at the long, mottled bronze table in front of him, he wrapped himself with his spirituality and plummeted into the gray fog.
Returning to the real world, he carefully removed the traces he had left behind and left 48 Riverbay Avenue.
Instead of making his final conclusion, he took a detour to the Riverbay Police Station, where he easily sneaked into the archives by mixing himself in among the thieves and drunkards, allowing them to serve as a foil for his disguise. There, he boldly lit the gas lamps inside.
Then, Klein pulled out the last ten years of missing persons records and paged through them.
From time to time, the police officers on duty would pass by the door, but their eyes didn't notice any light leaking out from the archives.
There's nothing suspicious at all… After an unknown period of time, the black-gloved Klein placed the docket back.
Then, he turned off the gas lamp, took off his hat in the darkness, pressed his hand to his chest, and bowed towards the lobby.
On his way back to Minsk Street, Klein took a shower, changed his clothes, sat down at his desk, and spread out the map of Backlund that he had first bought on the steam locomotive.
The first thing he did was find Rose Street, which was on the south side of the bridge where the Harvest Church was located. This was where Father Utravsky was the bishop of the cathedral and had Emlyn White imprisoned in his basement.
Soon after, Klein's gaze moved as he familiarized himself with the names and layout of the surrounding streets.
A performance can't be done too hastily or with an excessive thirst for success. One has to slowly immerse the audience into the act… Klein whispered, unfolding a piece of paper and lowering his pen.
"Dear Detective Stuart,
"I wonder if you've found Emlyn White? I've been keeping an eye out for you lately, and one of my informants told me today that he has seen this man on Tuteva Street in the area south of the Bridge. Of course, he simply said that the person he saw looked similar to the man in the portrait."
…
Putting down the pen, Klein folded the letter neatly, stuffed it into an envelope, and affixed a black stamp worth one penny.
…
Above the vast, boundless Sonia Sea with undulating waves churning beneath it.
The Blue Avenger advanced forward steadily without any signs of shaking.
Alger Wilson sat in the Captain's cabin with a brass sextant in his hand, but his eyes were closed.
Without a sound, a smile suddenly appeared on his face.
I've finally digested it… Alger opened his eyes and raised his hands, causing the surroundings to glow with an azure light.
The azure lights intersected and turned into a huge wave that swept forward.
Alger pressed his hands together, and the wave disintegrated, turning into countless raindrops that fell onto the deck.
After nearly four months, his Seafarer potion had finally been digested!
During this period of time, not only had he spent a long time wandering the seas, completing all the missions assigned to him by the Church, but he had also deliberately sought out new sea routes and sought out undiscovered islands. After a few setbacks, he was finally met with success.
This, in turn, led to the digestion of the potion, allowing him to figure out his principles as a Seafarer.
The core principle involved being intimate with the sea, to masterfully grasp information regarding sea routes and the weather, as well as exploration and discovery!
The always heavy Alger couldn't help getting out of his seat. He paced back and forth in the Captain's cabin, thinking of the future he longed for.
After obtaining the potion formula for the Wind-blessed and finding the corresponding Beyonder ingredients, he would hide his advancement to Sequence 6 from the Church. Then, he would repeat the same process again, striving to become a Sequence 5 Ocean Songster within three years.
During this process, he had to serve as the captain of the Blue Avenger and avoid entering the Mandated Punishers with its complicated social relationship so as to prevent his secret from being exposed…
Once I'm promoted to Sequence 5 and gain sufficient strength, I'll be able to secretly return to that place… Alger subconsciously looked to his right.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the planks of the ship and the vast sea, and onto an ancient and hidden island.
Alger wasn't worried about his future advancement within the Church. Once he fulfilled his wishes, he would be able to fully focus on seeking a higher position in the Church!
At that time, he would continue to disguise himself as a Sequence 7 despite being a Sequence 5 and drink another Wind-blessed potion!
This would increase his Beyonder characteristics, strengthen him, and slow his digestion, but it wouldn't endanger his own safety.
For the same reason, after Sequence 5 was completely digested, he could imbibe another Ocean Songster and repeat the normal process. This would only push him closer to losing control, but he also had solutions to that.
It was to find a woman to marry and transfer the extra Beyonder characteristics to his children.
After doing this, I'll be able to move closer to the level of a Cardinal and approach the level of a High-Sequence Beyonder! This is my chance in such an era! In his mind, Alger had already sketched out the image of himself wearing the robe of a Cardinal as he occupied a high position in the Church and had many Mandated Punishers under his control.
After being intoxicated for a moment, he withdrew his gaze and regained his senses.
… What follows will increase in difficulty with each step. Fortunately, I have the Tarot Gathering and Mr. Fool. Although there are dangers underlying it as well, any path to improving myself will involve risk!
I have to try to gather those Roselle diary pages as quickly as possible. I should grab the chance to raise a question and understand what that card beside Mr. Fool's hand is — the one which only shows its back.
It wasn't there previously.
Card… Roselle's diary… Could it be the item I'm thinking of?
Alger's eyes narrowed as his pupils constricted.
…
15 Minsk Street. Klein yawned, switched off the gas lamp, and slipped into bed.
He originally had another plan. He had wanted to use divination to grasp the origin of the Biological Poison Bottle and obtain the first three potion formulas for the Sequence from the Werewolf Beyonder characteristic.
But after a busy night dealing with the matter regarding Emlyn White, he felt a little tired and decided to try again the next day above the gray fog.
Just as he lay down and closed his eyes, Klein suddenly felt that something was wrong.
This was the spiritual intuition of a Seer!
It has already been several days since I obtained the Werewolf Beyonder characteristics and the Biological Poison Bottle. It's not like I haven't been in a good mental state during this period of time; yet, I have been repeatedly delaying the divination. This is very abnormal! Klein sat up, carefully thought about it, and recalled a similar incident.
The first time he met Megose, he had wanted to directly use his Spirit Vision to observe her mental state, but he naturally ended up missing the opportunity due to momentarily being taken aback. It was only at the end that he found out that it was because Megose had an evil god's spawn in her stomach. His spiritual intuition as a Seer had stopped him without leaving a mark, preventing him from losing control and collapsing right on the spot.
It's very similar, and this time, it's even more obvious… I remember that Miss Sharron mentioned that the Rose School of Thought's control over their members far exceeds my imagination. Everyone's body and soul seem to be bound by something, which is also the reason why information regarding the Mutant Sequence is rarely leaked out… They believe in the Chained God… So, when using the Beyonder characteristic of a Werewolf to deduce the corresponding potion formulas, it would directly involve this evil god and bring about consequences that I don't wish to bear?Klein thought about it seriously and felt that there was something suspicious about it.
Back when I divined the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem and the "ear" left behind by the Listener, my spiritual intuition hadn't stopped me… Could it be that the Chained God is stronger than the Eternal Blazing Sun and the True Creator?
Or could it be that "His" nature allows him to restrain the gray fog and even be able to effectively invade it?
Of course, the source of the danger can also be the Biological Poison Bottle…
Thinking of this, Klein, who was always cautious, decided to attempt divining the Biological Poison Bottle tomorrow and see if his Seer's spiritual intuition would stop him.
Chapter 367: Threatening Letter
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Tuesday morning, the weather remained as cold as it usually was this season.
Klein tightened the collar of his tweed coat, put on his hat, and pulled open the door.
He was heading to the end of the street, where the mailbox was, to post a letter to Detective Stuart. Since it wasn't that far, there was no need to dress neatly or heavily, but Klein had just recovered from his cold, so he had wrapped himself up thickly just in case.
Perhaps it was because of the strong wind last night, but the air in Backlund was surprisingly good. Klein subconsciously slowed down his pace and enjoyed this rare morning.
As he passed Jurgen's house, he heard the oriel window creak open and instinctively turned to look.
Standing at the window was Mrs. Doris, wearing a black plush hat and a thick grayish-blue scarf. She looked even worse than before, and her body was even more hunched.
"Good morning, Detective Moriarty. Thank you for taking care of Brody. He said you were a good man, didn't you, Brody?" Old Granny Doris bent down and picked up the black cat with green eyes.
Brody used all four of his limbs and struggled in her embrace. Finally, he jumped down and lightly landed on the windowsill.
But instead of leaving, he circled around and around, nuzzling Mrs. Doris with its head on one side, without even looking at Klein.
Was he being friend-zoned by a cat? Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh and smiled sincerely.
"It's a happy deed, and even more delightful news is that you've recovered and have been discharged from the hospital."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, he said goodbye and continued to walk down the street with a smile on his face.
He had only taken a few steps when he heard Mrs. Doris call after him.
"When Jurgen comes back, I'll have him pay you!"
… Do I look like I took this mission for the money? The smile on Klein's face suddenly froze. He could only half turn around and wave his hand, indicating that he understood.
When he was far away from Jurgen's house, his expression gradually turned serious, and he sighed faintly.
He had just activated his Spirit Vision to look at Mrs. Doris's aura and found that her situation wasn't too good. It wasn't only because of her old age but also because of the cold weather and bad air in Backlund. All of these had a very bad effect on her lung disease.
Mrs. Doris should be able to make it through this late autumn and winter, but it will be hard to say for the next one, or the next, next one… If she wants to live for a few more years, she would have to move to the south, to the area around Desi Bay… It's a pity that it's likely that Lawyer Jurgen can't afford to do so now… Even I haven't been to Desi Bay… Klein mumbled, came to the mailbox, and stuffed the letter in.
This was the prelude to his performance.
And this evening, he would head to the Harvest Church as a detective and do the rest of the preparations.
After buying a Desi pie for breakfast, Klein returned via his original path and was quite at ease.
Before he got close to the house, he saw an elegantly-decorated carriage parked outside. Two ladies in black hats and a ribbon were anxiously pulling on his doorbell, while the maids and bodyguards were scattered around, as though they were on guard against something.
Mrs. Stelyn… Ma'am Mary… Do they have something to entrust me with? They look very anxious… With the paper bag containing the Desi pie in hand, Klein approached and said with a laugh, "Ladies, it should be time for breakfast."
When they turned back to see Detective Sherlock Moriarty, Ma'am Mary was visibly relieved.
"Mister Detective, you have to help me."
In Klein's Spirit Vision, there was nothing fake about her anxiety, nervousness, and fear. Therefore, he nodded his head, pointed at the door and said, "Let's talk inside."
As he spoke, he glanced at his landlady, Stelyn, and he noticed that her condition was entirely different from the past two days. She had become very low and dejected, as though she wasn't interested in anything at all.
What happened to her? Although his landlady liked to show off a little, she's someone who loves life a lot… Klein took out his key and opened the door.
After entering, before she could sit still, Ma'am Mary impatiently said, "Detective Moriarty, I received a threatening letter!"
Threatening letter? Klein put down the Desi pie, clasped his hands and asked, "What does the letter say?"
Ma'am Mary glanced sideways at Mrs. Stelyn, and seeing that she wasn't quite as active as usual, she said after some deliberation, "That letter asked me to handle the smoke of the factory impartially when I carry out the atmospheric pollution investigation and to acknowledge their contributions, or else I would end up like the doll that came with the letter…
"The doll's head was ripped off, and its arms and legs were broken."
Ma'am Mary seemed to recall the feeling when she opened the letter, and she said with a trembling voice, "This is the first time I've encountered something like this. I don't know if it will become a reality or not. I didn't know that I would have to experience such cases when I became a member of the investigation council. I didn't know…"
Ma'am, perhaps Emperor Roselle once said that there are only two ultimate forms of hatred between people. One is to murder the other person's parents, and the other is to destroy another person's means of earning money… Klein solemnly nodded his head and said, "My suggestion is to report it to the police."
From his point of view, Ma'am Mary was now a member of the National Atmospheric Pollution Council. Her status was completely different from before, and the police would certainly not take the threats she received lightly.
Moreover, this involved important the development of a governmental policy and wasn't an ordinary matter, so there was a high probability that the police department would hand the case over to the Church's Beyonder organization in order to solve this case as soon as possible.
Based on Ma'am Mary's status as a follower of the Goddess, the Nighthawks was an inevitable choice.
This way, even if Klein wanted a share of the reward, he didn't want to involve himself in it.
"I've already done so, but it doesn't reassure me." Ma'am Mary pursed her lips and said, "Do you know what they said? They said that threatening letters were formed by cutting the words from newspapers, and the doll could be bought from anywhere. It would be very difficult to find the sender in a short period of time! And they only sent one policeman to protect me! Goddess, is this how they treat a helpless citizen's cry for help?"
Ma'am Mary paused, looked earnestly at Klein and said, "Detective Moriarty, I believe you can help me, not only because of your performance from that matter but also because of Mike's approval, Aaron's praise, and Talim's extolment. And I know you made a great contribution in that serial murder case. Don't worry, I will pay you well enough."
Your words make me happy, but something doesn't seem right…
Unless the police have already been bribed, they would probably transfer the case to the Nighthawks, and with Beyonder means such as divination available, it would be impossible for a letter made up of words from a newspaper to avoid detection. The sender would have either been caught already, or they would have means to interfere with divination… The latter would only lead to a formal and large-scale intervention by the Nighthawks…
No matter what the situation is, it will be different from how the situation is handled now…
Klein didn't answer Ma'am Mary right away, but he carefully analyzed the abnormality of this matter.
The living room suddenly became unusually quiet. The feeling of silence made Ma'am Mary and Mrs. Stelyn somewhat uneasy for some unknown reason.
At some point in time, Klein had fished out a coin and made it bounce and roll between his fingers, as though it were a habit of his to focus his thoughts.
Suddenly, the coin flew up and then fell down steadily onto the palm of his hand, its back facing up.
Klein was surprised. He was divining whether this matter involved danger, but it turned out to have none.
If such a threat really exists, even if the sender doesn't have considerable abilities, it would still result in a certain degree of danger. It's impossible to have none… Is it just a simple threat? Or… Klein suddenly thought of another possibility as he smiled and said, "Ma'am Mary, don't worry. You can go back home in peace. If someone comes to you in the next two days to discuss this issue so as to make it public, allowing the citizens to know the true intentions of those factory owners in order to incite anger among the public, then you will be fine."
The possibility which Klein had just thought of was that the threat was a trap set up by the council so as to incite the public to use their anger, allowing the atmospheric pollution investigation to be carried out smoothly and lead to the subsequent bill which could benefit them.
This would explain why the police are responding in this manner.
"… Why do you say that?" Ma'am Mary asked, frowning.
Klein smiled and replied, "That's what I've deduced."
"And if what you claim doesn't happen in two days?" Ma'am Mary pressed.
Klein said sincerely, "Then I will provide protection."
In any case, there's no danger… he added inwardly.
After comforting and sending off Ma'am Mary, he went above the gray fog to confirm the matter and received the same result as before.
By then, his Desi pie had turned cold…
…
Ma'am Mary returned home with some apprehension and uneasiness, wondering if she should invite Stelyn to stay with her for a few days.
At that moment, her housekeeper informed her that the eldest son of Count Hall, the chief secretary of the National Atmospheric Pollution Council, Mr. Hibbert Hall, had come.
After both of them entered the living room, before Ma'am Mary could even open her mouth to speak, the handsome, blond gentleman spoke first.
"Ma'am Mary, I've heard of what has happened to you. It's a disgrace to Backlund, and even to the whole kingdom, and I'm deeply sorry for it.
"Don't worry, everyone in the committee will stand with you!"
"Thank you for your concern," Ma'am Mary responded gratefully.
After a moment of consideration, Hibbert Hall said, "Ma'am, I wish to get a reporter to interview you regarding this incident. I want to tell everyone about what happened to you and how despicable this act is. I want to let everyone see how outrageous those people who have contaminated Backlund's air are! There's no sign of repentance!
"Please agree to my request."
This… It's exactly as Detective Moriarty described… Ma'am Mary was momentarily at a loss for words.
…
After breakfast, Klein rested for a while. Since he had nothing better to do, he went above the gray fog in preparation to divine the origin of the Biological Poison Bottle.
This time, he didn't delay it at all.
Chapter 368: Taking Him By Surprise
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The stone pillars of the ancient and majestic palace supported the high dome.
Klein sat at the end of the long bronze table, holding a translucent brown bottle. He checked it over and over again, but he didn't sense any danger from it.
Let's begin… He conjured a pen and paper and wrote the divination statement: "Its origin."
Putting the fountain pen away and bracing himself for a blow, Klein glanced at the paper and the Biological Poison Bottle, leaned back in his chair, and entered Cogitation while reciting the statement.
Soon, he entered a hazy gray dream world and saw a dark but spacious room.
There were king cobras, black widows, and other strange plants and animals in the room. It was a messy and harrowing scene.
A middle-aged man in a white coat was standing in front of a long table in the middle of the room. He threw the snake gall and spider venom into the huge black pot that hung from the ceiling.
In the end, he even put in a few items that possessed a strong spiritual luster. For example, they would sometimes disperse into a black gas, and other times condense into dark green lung-shaped objects. Otherwise, they would be in the form of a tube containing a clear azure liquid or fiery red eyes…
The air around the black iron pot gradually became viscous. It was gathering towards the center, but it was constantly being pushed aside, making it difficult to achieve its goal.
When the white-robed middle-aged man saw this scene, his brow slowly creased, his expression looked slightly anxious.
He flipped through the black notebook by his side, gritted his teeth, and used a ritual silver dagger to slice open his wrist.
Drops of fresh blood dripped into the black iron pot, seemingly breathing life into its contents instantly. A terrifying suction force suddenly erupted, sucking in all the viscous air around it. The scarlet blood which had yet to leave his wrist was fully sucked into it.
And that wasn't everything. Regardless of how the white-robed middle-aged man struggled to resist, or how he revealed a terrified expression, he couldn't prevent his body from approaching the iron pot.
His body was stretched, his head was compressed, and amidst his screams, he was eaten, little by little, by the pot.
The hanging specimens, plants, and anything that could move or be moved, all flew into the pot.
Brown fog suddenly filled the room, quietly ebbing and flowing.
By the time it was all over, the room was empty except for the brown, translucent bottle lying quietly in the middle of the clearing.
…
The scene quickly faded away, and the dream world shattered. Klein opened his eyes and muttered to himself, So the Biological Poison Bottle is a product of a death-seeking experiment.
I thought it was a Beyonder characteristic left behind by some Beyonder… If that were the case, I'd have been able to divine a formula…
To Klein, a Rampager's spirituality and Beyonder characteristic, as well as a spirituality and Beyonder characteristic which was contaminated by an evil god, could all be used to divine a formula. Just like the All-Black Eye which Nimblewright Master Rosago left behind. It was thanks to the isolation effects of the gray fog, and how the mysterious space was able to eliminate negative influences, giving him the ability to court death. Of course, a Beyonder characteristic involved many other additional factors. In theory, the chances of failure were extremely high, but Klein only had the confidence to do so after advancing to Magician.
Similarly, a Sealed Artifact formed by Beyonder characteristics could also be used to divine the formula for a potion.
However, if they were mainly ingredients, then through the production processes and dangerous experiments done by an artisan or other Beyonders, turning them into mystical items, then Klein's divination would be useless at his current state. Even with the enhancement effect provided by the mysterious space above the gray fog, it was useless.
Not bad. At least I don't have to worry about the Biological Poison Bottle having any other latent risks anymore… Klein glanced at the Werewolf fang and wisely abandoned his curiosity.
…
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Count Hall.
Audrey continued her study of psychology.
By her feet, the huge golden retriever, Susie, was sitting there, her eyes shining. From time to time, she wagged her tail, as if enjoying the scene.
Psychiatrist Escalante finished the introduction material and deliberately made a casual remark.
"Actually, there is such a theory.
"It's believed that humans would inherit a certain amount of their ancestor's consciousness over the generations; thus, forming the underlying logic of one's behavior patterns. For example, although many people have never seen a poisonous snake, they would instinctively feel afraid and wish to avoid it once they encounter one.
"Why is that? This is theorized to be an instinct that we inherited from our ancestors, something that is hidden in the deepest recesses of our consciousness. In ancient times, people constantly fought with poisonous snakes and all kinds of ferocious animals, and they gradually carved this memory into their consciousness and passed it down."
"How does it get passed down?" Audrey asked with interest.
Escalante, with her long hair which reached her waist, laughed.
"That's a very good question.
"Some people provide explanations that involve a theory that everyone's consciousness is actually connected at the lowest level. It is one entity, and the traces and characteristics left behind on this entity will affect the consciousness that belongs solely to them.
"For example, the lowest level of consciousness is like an endless ocean. Our unique consciousness would be the islands situated in the ocean and can be split into two parts. One is hidden under the water, which is the subconscious which is higher in both quantity and size; the other is exposed on the surface of the ocean, the superficial consciousness that can usually be detected.
"This is the axiom of this school of thought in psychology."
Audrey glanced at Susie, stroked the golden fur on its neck and said, "So, we can use this connected ocean to influence the consciousness of others and achieve the goal of curing certain mental illnesses?"
This is the mysticism foundation and Beyonder powers of a Psychiatrist? But it doesn't seem enough and is lacking something. For example, the sky above one's head, the sky which shrouds everything? Audrey curiously thought as she wore a look of confused enlightenment.
"You're really talented in this area!" Escalante praised in delight. "However, we can only affect a portion of the surrounding ocean, and through it, we can affect those who are close to us. If we venture deeper into the ocean, it will be easy for us to lose ourselves."
She looked up at the ornate and complicated clock on the wall, smiled, and said, "Time's up, this is the end of today's class. Miss Audrey, if you're interested in this psychological school of thought, then we can continue talking about it next time."
"Alright." Audrey stood up and bowed.
Watching Escalante leave, she nodded in thought.
Ma'am Escalante doesn't seem like a real Psychiatrist. At most, she's like me, a Telepathist…
Was what she just talked about the axioms of the Psychology Alchemists?
They really are patient. Why aren't they trying to recruit me yet…
As Audrey was in thought, Susie commented happily from the side, "Audrey, I feel like she's the same type of person as us. No, I mean the same type of dog. No, that's not right… Woof!"
Susie, who only had a rudimentary grasp of the human language, fell into a state of confusion, unable to find the right words to describe her feelings.
…
South of the Bridge, Rose Street, outside the Harvest Church.
Klein, in his normal disguise, looked up at the Sacred Emblem of Life on the facade, held his cane, climbed the steps, and stepped through the main door.
The first thing he had to do was to confirm the situation.
Only by doing this could he perform better so as to ingeniously rescue the vampire, Emlyn White, without garnering suspicion. Then, as a detective who had provided clues, he could receive the gratitude from the White family and gain the applause of an audience.
It was bound to be an interesting performance.
The Harvest Church wasn't big, as it only had a prayer hall. Klein found a spot by the aisle and looked ahead as he took off his hat.
Bishop Utravsky was preaching. His height of more than 2.2 meters, and his burly physique, which couldn't be concealed by his loose priest robes, gave off an extreme sense of oppression.
However, his expression was one of extreme gentleness, filled with appreciation and gratitude towards life.
In front of such a "priest," no one dared to cause a ruckus. The few believers quietly listened, occasionally making prayer gestures unique to the Church of Mother Earth.
Klein watched carefully, waiting patiently, neither conceited nor rash.
As the sermon ended, he gripped his cane and prepared to get up to proceed with his subsequent plans.
At this moment, a man wearing the priest robes of the Church of Mother Earth entered from the door that led to the room at the back of the cathedral.
He looked twenty-eight or twenty-nine-years-old, had black hair and red eyes, possessing a high nose and thin lips. He was handsome but didn't give off masculine vibes. He was none other than Emlyn White.
Klein's mouth gaped a little and nearly failed to close it.
Isn't this guy supposed to be locked up in the basement?
Wasn't he shouting about how determined he was, that he would absolutely not submit to Bishop Utravsky's will?
Emlyn White distributed the communion to one believer after another, and he finally stopped in front of Klein.
Klein's mind whirred, and he immediately in a low voice, "Are you Emlyn White? Your parents entrusted my friend to look for you.
"Why are you here? Did you encounter something? Are you in need of assistance?"
Emlyn White didn't seem to have his unique pride and said with a smile that only looked slightly better than crying, "There's no need; I will be returning home soon."
He pursed his lips, shook his head, and forced a smile, saying, "I am already a believer of Mother Earth, no—a priest."
This answer was completely out of Klein's expectations. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond, and he could only shout repeatedly in his mind:Hey, you were very adamant about your worship of the moon the last time we interacted at the Harvest Church. You said that you would absolutely not convert to believing in Mother Earth. How long has it been, and you have already given in?
Isn't that way too fast?
What about your persistence? Where's your moral integrity?
My carefully prepared performance has been forced to end before it has even begun.
Th-this is just taking me by surprise!
Klein opened his mouth and suddenly realized something amiss.
Why is Emlyn White informing me of his conversion?
I'm just a detective who accidentally chanced upon him while passing by…
Does he wish for me to pass this message to his parents?
Is there another meaning behind this?
While Klein was guessing, Emlyn White put away his worried and smiled smugly.
"You don't have to act, Mister Detective.
"Or should I call you the new owner of the Master Key?
"Hehe, to a noble Sanguine, everyone has a different smell and has different blood characteristics. Even when I was locked up in the basement, I could smell it. I remember your smell."