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Chapter 890: Ignore "Him"

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Regarding Miss Justice's question, Klein had already considered it some time ago. After all, leaving troublesome problems to the official organizations who could resolve them was his modus operandi. However, Leonard's and Pallez Zoroast's reaction made him realize something different.

Leonard was a Red Glove of the Nighthawks. He could easily create an informant to pass the news of Amon being in Backlund to the Church of Evernight, and then let the archbishop and high-ranking deacons decide on a strategy before carrying out an operation. It wouldn't expose his problem, and it could also quash any latent troubles. Yet, he had chosen to leave using the excuse of a mission. It was obvious to Klein that Amon's appearance was tied to the reason for Leonard's choice of action.

He had the suspicion that informing the Church of Evernight might result in unpredictable negative outcomes. Therefore, the angel of the Marauder pathway in Leonard's body had denied this choice of action. And "He" was one of the existences who knew the various Beyonder powers that Amon possessed.

When I have no idea what to do, the choice is undoubtedly to emulate those with experience… Although there's the gray fog separating us, and any problem will cease at Miss Justice's side, there's no need to take such risks. There aren't many members of the Tarot Club to begin with. Every one of them needs to be cherished… Thoughts flashed through The Fool Klein's mind as he shook his head and said with a calm, humored tone, "Ignore 'Him.'"

Ignore "Him"… Mr. Fool's attitude is as if Amon is a stray dog… In "His" eyes, only Sequence 0 true deities are worthy of attention? That's right. The last time The Sun was possessed by Amon's avatar, Mr. Fool had easily cleansed it away. As long as Amon doesn't appear in person, it's not too big a problem for "Him"… Hmm, the reason Mr. Fool emphasized this matter at the beginning is to warn us to be careful… Alger thought in fearful respect and enlightenment.

Audrey similarly interpreted the meaning that it was a trivial matter. She suddenly made the connection.

Is Mr. World Gehrman Sparrow's temporary departure of Backlund to avoid Angel of Time Amon? To Mr. Fool, although "He" is still slowly recovering "His" standing, level, and powers, it's not difficult for "Him" to deal with Amon's avatar. The Sun's encounter is evidence… "He" got "His" Blessed to avoid Amon to not attract the Angel of Time's real body, as this can spoil "His" plans of awakening?

Yes, "He" emphasized it to us as a warning, worried that we wouldn't react properly when chancing upon Amon. Mr. Fool really shows "His" concern for us!

At this moment, Emlyn had just digested the matter of King of Angels Blasphemer Amon's appearance in Backlund.

Although he was arrogant, repeated Tarot Gatherings had allowed him to understand what a King of Angels was. It was an existence second to Sanguine Ancestor Lilith, second to the true deities that sat at the pinnacle Sequence. "They" were the strongest ones who walked the real world!

What's going to happen this time in Backlund? When the time comes, there will be dead people, the wounded, or the sick everywhere outside. I'll become busy again because of Father… Emlyn recalled his life after the Great Smog of Backlund as he showed signs of fear, fear that such matters would happen again.

Fors also felt that the problem was significant. This was because if Angel of Time Amon really wanted to do something, it was very likely that "He" would inflict damage on a large scale. It was something that she could avoid by hiding at home and not heading out.

She silently drew a breath and looked to the end of the long bronze table, worriedly asking, "Honorable Mr. Fool, why is Amon sending 'His' avatar to Backlund?"

Klein deliberated over his choice of words and looked around the table with a smile.

"To look for all of you."

To look for us? The sentence seemed to be like bolts of lightning that struck Fors and company awake. It left their spines numb.

Right on the heels of that, Audrey made the connection of the reply to "ignore 'Him'" from before. She found Mr. Fool like the boundless ocean, and a mere avatar of Blasphemer Amon was just a rock. It could only cause a tiny stir and nothing more.

Although Amon's avatar came to find us Tarot Club members, Mr. Fool has said to ignore "Him," so there's no need to bother about "Him"… Praise Mr. Fool! Audrey's nerves that had just tensed up instantly relaxed.

Emlyn, Fors, and Derrick also figured out something similar. They either leaned back into their seats, exhaled openly, or praised Mr. Fool from the bottom of their hearts.

Cattleya hadn't joined when Amon possessed The Sun Derrick, and she had only learned of it during a few of the subsequent discussions. Therefore, she knew little and didn't have deep thoughts about it. She just felt worried over the situation where Amon, a King of Angels, was seeking out the Tarot Club members.

Why would a King of Angels like Amon target the Tarot Club?

"He" likely discovered our organization from The Sun…

What goal does "He" have, and why is "He" so confident?

"He" is targeting Mr. Fool? "He" can sense the abnormalities of the gray fog?

But Mr. Fool said to ignore "Him"… This means that, under normal circumstances, Amon is unable to tell who is a Tarot Club member?

With Kings of Angels appearing, is the Fifth Epoch coming to an end?

After Alger relaxed from his tensed state, he began thinking about something else.

Back when he informed the Church of Storms about Bansy Harbor's problem, his excuse was that he had heard "someone at a bar mentioning it." And he had described this person using Blasphemer Amon's image!

Thankfully, even if the Church were to encounter Amon, with the way they handle things, they wouldn't verify and question this matter. And regardless of Amon's performance or because of his identity, they will definitely find him extremely suspicious and place weight on this suspicion… Alger wasn't worried that he would expose himself for this trivial problem; he only believed that it was best that he should be careful and not randomly use high-ranking Beyonders, especially angels and above, as scapegoats.

Hence, he warned himself.

Although not every high-ranking Beyonder is at the level of "any mention of it will be known," or have similar powers, mentioning it excessively might result in me encountering that existence due to the machinations of fate. After all, the higher one goes, the deeper the connections of fate will be!

Seeing that the Tarot Club members, especially the three who were in Backlund, had already shown signs of wariness about Amon's avatar and had written off the thoughts of being rash and not plan on targeting the Blasphemer, he calmed down and leaned back, leisurely looking at everyone as an indication that the floor was theirs.

Cattleya reined in her worries over the Northern and Southern Continent and the Five Seas before looking to the seat of honor at the long bronze table.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, I have three new diary pages again this time."

She remembered vividly that, at the end of last Monday's Tarot Gathering, she had informed the meaning of the two "Rosellean characters" to Queen Mystic. However, she only received a reply on Sunday. In it were three new diary pages and a question of medium length.

"The place his mind and spirit calls home, is it on that island, or the depths of the cosmos?"

When Cattleya ruminated over this question, she seemed to sense the emotional upheavals that were happening when Queen Mystic wrote it, unlike her usual calm self.

With regards to this, she sighed silently based on her understanding of Queen Mystic Bernadette.

In Her Majesty's heart, Emperor Roselle is an unresolved knot. This is the reason why she ultimately doesn't dare to advance to Sequence 2?

Klein had no idea what Ma'am Hermit was thinking; all he did was nod and indicated that she could conjure the new Roselle diary pages.

Soon, the three yellowish-brown goatskin pages appeared in his palm.

"10th March. I participated in that ancient and most secret organization's gathering.

"After many observations, I'm increasingly puzzled over a problem: What does it mean to be the trend of the times? Who defines the trend of the times?

"If it's really as they claim, when everything ends and the original Creator is resurrected from the dead, awakening from his slumber, he would gather everything back into his body to create a new world and new history. Then, there's no need for them to let the times develop according to what they expect of the times. They can quickly come up with all kinds of schemes, such as triggering a world war, a war between angels, or even a war between deities. Wouldn't that accelerate their goals?

"Or could it be the case that 'the times' is part of the original Creator? Only when 'the times' develop according to a certain expectation can 'He' draw energy from it and revive? This isn't scientific… Of course, whatever I see and participate in now isn't scientific at all…

"Actually, if I had any say, why revive the Creator who rides above all? Everyone can just go through the motions and enjoy themselves without any restrictions. Isn't that better?

"Based on my observations, hehe, there are many members who share similar viewpoints as mine. However, there are a number of members who are stubborn and inflexible, strictly abiding to their beliefs. I wonder if they should be called idealists or crazy cultists.

"What I can't see through the most is that mysterious leader. Old Mister Hermes told me that this organization began with him, no—'Him'. It was organized with people who shared 'His' beliefs and goals. However, 'He' seldom expresses 'His' thoughts, never stopping many of the members who use the organization for their own purposes. At times, I will even forget 'His' existence. 'He' seems to enjoy sitting there, silently watching everyone converse.

"But on one matter, I witnessed 'His' might. A High-Sequence Beyonder who had gone against their so-called trend of the times was put forth by 'Him.' In thirty seconds, the person became a target of elimination. And I believe that the poor fellow wouldn't survive past summer.

"Who is 'He'? Some ancient god that survived the Second Epoch??"

Roselle had used two question marks at the end of the sentence to express his strong doubts. This was something he seldom did; hence, Klein suspected that this was the reason why Bernadette had chosen this diary entry.

Chapter 891: Strange Chapel

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The mysterious leader of the Twilight Hermit Order enjoys sitting there, silently watching everyone converse. Once "He" wishes for something to be done, the matter can very quickly reach a consensus… This really matches the characteristics of the Spectator pathway… I'm increasingly convinced that "He" is Amon's brother, the other son of the Creator, Adam… In his later years, the emperor learned plenty of secrets from Mr. Door and was probably able to come up with similar conclusions… As Klein compared the descriptions in the diary with what he already knew to come up with theories and verify them, he cast his gaze down to read the rest of the content of the page.

"11th March. The more I recall what happened yesterday, the more afraid I am. A demigod existence had his fate decided with just a few words. He didn't even have the chance to express his disapproval. And the makeup of the ancient secret organization convinces me that, apart from dealing with the seven orthodox Churches, there is nothing that they can't do. Even the toppling of a nation isn't impossible.

"How lucky I am to be pulled into this organization; otherwise, who knows if I might one day suffer an unexpected assassination I cannot resist. I'll die with my eyes wide open!!

"This kind of organization that hides behind the scenes, secretly passing judgment on others, while determining the life and death of the target is really unacceptable. Even if I'm one of their members, I'm still appalled and feel fear deep down.

"This world is so much more dangerous than Earth. Perhaps just being born with relatively high spirituality, randomly flipping through an ancient tome, sitting normally on a ship doing business, taking in the beauty of some lady, entering some castle because of one's love of traveling, being woken up by fighting next door in the middle of the night, or creating something that's of meaning, these would be enough to cause one to die a baffling, tragic death!

"And this is one of the reasons that drive me to improve myself, to advance myself to gain the ability to determine my own fate. I can definitely succeed. I'm the protagonist of this era, ha!"

"12th March. I feel there's a need to seek out some material regarding the Fourth Epoch, Third Epoch, and even the Second Epoch. The experience that came from joining that ancient secret organization tells me that there might be countless secrets hidden here, the kind that will influence the direction of an epoch.

"Unfortunately, such information is astonishingly rare. They're either kept by the Church, or they have been destroyed. I believe that I'm unlikely to gain much simply by relying on my subordinates. The best method is still to raise my Sequence. It will allow me to gain a higher status and greater power in the Church."

From this diary page, it's obvious that the emperor's act of establishing contact with Mr. Door had happened very long after he joined the Twilight Hermit Order. Perhaps he was already a High-Sequence Beyonder; otherwise, there was no way he could withstand Mr. Door's ravings… Compared to the emperor, it's so much easier for me to investigate history. I have his diary for the Fourth Epoch. There's the City of Silver for the Second Epoch. From time to time, I can even encounter the evil spirit that was formed by a King of Angels… Hmm, in the middle of his life, the emperor seems to tone down on his allusions of grandeur… Klein flipped to the second diary page with a relaxed attitude.

"18th May. I've been having nightmares recently. I dream of myself wearing ancient silver-gray armor and sitting beside a cliff. In front of me is silence, and there's a bottomless black fog beneath me. It was filled with corruption and evil. Merely looking at it was enough to influence me. Towards the end, my face grew complicated, jet-black patterns as I monitored the abyss. My skin turned hard and I had the feeling that sticky liquid was flowing across the surface of my body. My eyes completely lost their reason.

"It was a reflection of the Abyss. It was the reflection of the Abyss which I saw and attempted to enter last month!

"As this nightmare becomes more frequent, I realize that extreme thoughts are becoming a common occurrence for me. Occasionally, the anger from being beaten up might lead me to hoping to rip apart the limbs of my target. Also, dark red lumps are growing on my back. My body temperature is also gradually decreasing.

"Is this a form of corruption from the Abyss?

"I have to think of a way to confirm and resolve it!

"For the time being, I cannot get the Church's help; otherwise, I'll have to divulge the existence of the primitive island and the Abyss.

"Yes, I can find the priests and bishops of the Eternal Blazing Sun. They're more skilled at purification!"

"19th May. Through some connections, I received some secret treatment. My entire being felt a lot more relaxed. All the anomalies that happened to me have turned for the better.

"Amidst my joy, I also thought of a problem. I had only explored the periphery of the Abyss, without making contact with any high-level Devils. I even had an object on the Black King that could resist corruption; yet, I was affected without realizing it and even had signs of being corrupted. Those Criminal pathway Beyonders would make sacrifices to high-level Devils from time to time; the corruption they suffer must be even worse. Over time, it's probably untreatable, and they can only be cleansed—both body and aura.

"Likewise, High-Sequence Beyonders, especially angels, should be able to exert influence on Low- and Mid-Sequence Beyonders of the same pathway. And due to the difference in level, there are corresponding limitations on distance. When one becomes a true god, there's a high probability that they can "communicate" across the whole world and spirit world without any obstructions…

"This begs the question. Am I being influenced to a certain extent by the God of Craftsmanship, no—Should I say the God of Steam and Machinery? This is quite scary. It appears that only by becoming a demigod that I will be able to escape this influence?

"Thankfully, since the Fifth Epoch, there hasn't been any examples of true gods leaving the astral world to descend upon the land. Likewise, pathways without true gods do not have such severe problems."

"20th May. After a period of being dispirited, I've returned to the social scene!

"F*ck, those bastards have been secretly mocking me, saying that the reason for me not coming out recently has to do with me having too much fun and turning weak! Just because my dark eye circles are more obvious because of my nightmare-induced poor sleep quality?

"Hehe, I want to let them know what it means by the difference in one's talent!!"

I wonder what an angel's influence is like on a Low- or Mid-Sequence Beyonder… The transmission of ravings over great distances? Automatic characteristic attraction? Regardless of where it is, as long as one's honorific name is chanted, one will have the godhood to reply? When meeting each other, is it the direct acquisition and erosion of one's Beyonder characteristic? If all of this is possible, it's equivalent to a mini-deity… It's no wonder that angels in the Second Epoch are called subsidiary gods… Klein's thoughts raced as he flipped the page in his hand to read the last diary page.

"12th October. Edwards ran to me, telling me that one of his knights discovered a strange chapel. It might have to do with the faith before the Fourth Epoch.

"This piqued my interest as I immediately rushed to the tiny city by the name of Bayman."

"13th October. Bayman is a tiny town built on a mountain. The buildings all have protruded domes, just like a white straw hat. It's very special.

"Following the street, and covering several flights of stairs, I finally found the strange chapel. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary residence with nothing special about it. Only by entering would one discover the difference.

"There was only one priest here. He was a genial middle-aged man who wore a simple white robe. He had a pale gold beard that covered half his face. His light-colored eyes were clear like a child's.

"He claimed the place to be a temple of the Creator. Any creature from any species, any believer of any deity could enter.

"When I heard him mention this, it reminded me of a question I had. Apart from the seven orthodox deities, the other faiths are deemed as heretics. They are unable to openly build a cathedral other than that of the original Creator. However, there has never been any such Church coming into existence. Even cathedrals are extremely rare!

"In front of the chapel was a simple baldachin. In it was a man carrying a cross. This was likely the divine image of the so-called Creator.

"I sat in the front pew and idly chatted with the priest. He told me of many different stories.

"He said that when humans were first born, the ones that ruled the skies, land, and sea were all sorts of crazy, bloodthirsty monsters. They were said to be the origins of the later species: dragons, giants, and elves.

"These monsters freely indulged in their desires, occupying all kinds of places. It appeared that it wouldn't take long before they destroyed the entire world. At this moment, it was the Creator who had awoken. 'He' retrieved the special traits and powers that they had been blessed with, and he had bestowed it to the humans.

"After that, 'He" returned to his slumber, leaving behind a prophecy:

"When madness, cruelty, greed, indulgence, coldness, and bloodthirstiness drowns the land once again, 'He' would awaken and retrieve everything.

"As we spoke, the priest held the hanging cross by his chest and silently prayed.

"Such a myth is completely different from the Churches' canon. There are many interesting parts that are worth thinking about."

"15th October. I've been back in Trier for a day. Only then did I forget to ask the priest for his name!

"Forget it. There will still be a chance in the future. My sixth sense as a man tells me that I'll definitely head to that chapel again."

Isn't this the condensed version of the City of Silver's myth? Hmm, the period around the end of the Second Epoch and the beginning of the Third Epoch… That priest seems to know a lot. Perhaps, an organization that passes down such a myth over the generations know a lot… Klein's mind stirred as the diary pages in his hand vanished.

Then, he looked up at Ma'am Hermit.

"Go ahead."

Cattleya immediately bowed her head.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, what I wish to know is if the place that Emperor Roselle's mind and spirit calls home on that island or the depths of the cosmos?"

That island? That primitive island that caused Grimm to die and had left the emperor shocked? From the looks of it, the emperor treated the island with great importance towards the end of his life. Even Queen Mystic Bernadette noticed it…

What does deep in the cosmos mean? The astral world? Or some other planet? There are many things about the emperor that transcends his era, so he's suspected by his daughter to be an alien?

Although it's a little ridiculous, it adheres to logic. After all, research has proven that this is a planet. The Sun is a star, and apart from that is the endless universe, a galaxy with countless stars… How should I answer? I can't just tell her about transmigration. But it's not like I can't say anything… Klein pondered for a while before shaking his head with a smile.

"Neither of them."

Chapter 892: Individual "Comprehension"

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Neither of them… Cattleya ruminated over Mr. Fool's reply, suddenly feeling at a loss as to the true meaning of the question.

She originally imagined that the place that Emperor Roselle's mind and spirit called home had to involve something philosophical or mystical. For example, the island might refer to the divine kingdom of the deity of his faith; the depths of the cosmos referred to the astral world, indicating Emperor Roselle's belief in surpassing himself in his quest for a deity's throne. In the end, Mr. Fool answered that it was neither. This denied nearly every possibility, making it difficult for her to think of any other answer.

Perhaps what Her Majesty wishes to ask is not something I understand. What Mr. Fool is saying is pointing at another explanation… It doesn't matter if I understand it. I'm only a communication tool between them… Cattleya sighed inwardly as she sincerely bowed.

"Thank you for your answer."

The other Tarot Club members were lost in regards to the question and answer. Although they could understand the reason for the question and could understand what the actual meaning of the mental and spiritual home was, they couldn't make any connection to the island or the depths of the cosmos. Hence, all of them had their own interpretations and guesses, but all of them felt that their theories were distant from the truth.

Subconsciously, Fors believed that the island referred to the woman Roselle loved the most. The depths of the cosmos referred to the emperor's late years when he cast his gaze to what he deemed "the Sea of Stars."

Audrey believed that the island referred to one's island of self-consciousness in psychology. The sea was the conscious, and below the sea's surface was the subconscious. And the cosmos referred to the spirituality sky that represented the astral world. Hence, the corresponding question became "did Emperor Roselle believe in himself, deities, or purely nature."

From this angle, Mr. Fool's answer appeared rather strange. It was as though "He" was saying that Emperor Roselle didn't believe in anything, including himself.

I might be misinterpreting it… But if that's really the case, Emperor Roselle might seem conflicted based on what Mr. Fool says, but in fact, it might conceal a deeper secret… Or it could be that, in his later years, he had seen through life. He began thinking about the universe, the world, deities, and the basic qualities of humanity. He became a pessimist and a nihilist? Audrey seemed to be training her abilities as she thought with piqued interest.

Alger had similar thoughts as Cattleya. As for Emlyn, he considered it for a moment before decisively giving up upon realizing that he had no clue. Derrick had no interest in Emperor Roselle, but he didn't break the silence. He kept considering the conversations he was to have later.

Finally, The Fool, who was cloaked by the gray fog, chuckled and said, "You may begin."

Alger immediately looked at The World and deliberated over his words.

"Sorry, your mystical item will require a little more time."

Without waiting for him to speak, he quickly gave an explanation:

"That Artisan had strangely gotten infected by a sickness, and there are suspicious 'snoopers' appearing in the vicinity. This resulted in a delay. I will personally make a trip to see if I can resolve his problems so that he can quickly recover. We'll try to make the mystical item you need within two weeks."

He spoke extremely sincerely as a way to express his apologies and importance on the matter. But in his actual description, he had secretly pushed all the blame to the Artisan. It was as though he was saying to The World that if he were displeased, I will teach him a lesson for you. If that's not enough, I will even give you his exact location for you to personally pay him a visit.

That Artisan sure is troublesome… Mr. Hanged Man treats this quite seriously. Hmm, non-official, or should I say Artisans who are willing to accept orders from unknown origins, are extremely rare. If they can be secured, it's best that they are secured… Klein pondered for a moment and got The World to hoarsely reply, "I will allow this delay, but there shouldn't be a next time."

He spoke very calmly, but it alarmed Alger. He could almost feel the hidden murderous intent in The World Gehrman Sparrow.

"Thank you for your understanding," he said with a staid expression.

Upon hearing their conversation, Cattleya looked at The Hanged Man, curled her lips, and nudged her glasses. She said, "If you are unable to resolve the problems, I can provide some help."

From her point of view, as long as the problem wasn't serious, she could even do it for free. After all, this meant that she could skip The Hanged Man and directly establish connections with the Artisan.

Alger obviously sensed the true intent of this pirate admiral. He felt that she was beginning to severely encroach into his territory, giving him a certain level of pressure. He paused for a moment and replied in an unperturbed manner, "Then, I will thank you on his behalf for your kindness."

On the one hand, he expressed his close ties with the Artisan, and on the other hand, didn't directly object to her help; thus, giving him sufficient leeway. Compared to having Gehrman Sparrow find fault with him, sacrificing some benefits wasn't something unacceptable.

Cattleya didn't harp on the matter as she turned to look at The World.

"Are you pleased with the information on West Balam?"

She had already gathered all the information on West Balam that Gehrman Sparrow needed last Thursday. She had handed it to him via the strange messenger.

She was filled with fear when it came to Mr. Fool, so given any other methods, she was unwilling to disturb that existence.

It cost me a total of 300 pounds. If it wasn't good enough, I would've asked for a refund there and then! Klein mumbled and made The World answer tersely as an affirmation.

Then, the fake person cast its gaze on Miss Magician.

Fors immediately felt uncomfortable, akin to the feeling of a rat being targeted by a cat. She couldn't help but consider if she had done something wrong.

Could it be that during my conversation with Xio, my description, no—defamation of Dwayne Dantès, was heard by him? Or is he displeased that I didn't refund him the money? Fors stopped thinking about the bodyguard mission that had happened days ago as she asked, quaking with consternation, "Mr. World, i-is there something?"

The World nodded and said, "A commission.

"Get information on Calderón City from the Abraham family. Most important of all is its location."

Calderón City… Why is The World suddenly searching for this mysterious spirit world city? An instruction from Mr. Fool? It's a new part of his reawakening plans? Cattleya had some idea about Calderón City, so she was quite perplexed.

The other Tarot Club members, including Fors, didn't know what city The World was looking for. All they could do was maintain their silence. Among them, Emlyn felt that he had heard of it before, but he couldn't recall the exact details.

About four seconds later, Fors forced a smile.

"No problem. I can help you ask."

"How much would it cost?" The World asked in an unperturbed tone.

1,000 pounds! No, 500 pounds, no— I still need to deduct the bodyguard fee… Fors's mind raced and finally gave her price:

"350 pounds."

That's cheap. Other than the spirit world's Seven Lights, perhaps only the Abraham family has detailed information on Calderón City… Yes, to Miss Magician, it's just about asking her teacher. It's indeed simple and convenient. It's no wonder it's not expensive… Klein was first surprised before coming to a realization. He made The World nod and say, "Deal."

After watching this transaction close, Audrey noticed something amusing.

Miss Magician seems to be very afraid of Mr. World. It was to the point of being a reflex!

She had previously met Dwayne Dantès, but didn't know that he was Gehrman Sparrow. During this period, she discovered something terrifying? Hmm, I'll arrange to meet her and Xio at Glaint's place. Let's see if I can figure out something… Audrey thought as she indiscernibly nodded.

At this moment, seeing that The World had nothing else, Emlyn hurriedly looked at The Sun.

"Do you have the Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic of the artificial vampire?"

"I haven't accrued enough merit points." Derrick didn't feel ashamed this time. On the contrary, he felt that Mr. Moon was being overly anxious. How could the points needed for a Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic be so easily amassed?

Emlyn turned his head disgruntledly when he suddenly recalled something. He hurriedly said to Miss Magician, "I have clues to the cursed item and remnant spirituality from an ancient wraith. I'm waiting for more detailed information.

"This might not be an item to give to you directly, but one to provide you with some information about where you can find an ancient wraith in the vicinity of Backlund."

Upon saying that, Emlyn thought and said, "300 pounds."

This means that I have to hunt the ancient wraith myself? Based on various mysticism rumors, this is quite a powerful monster… After hearing what Mr. Moon had to say, Fors's first reaction was that it was a dilemma. Her second reaction was to commission the hunting mission to Mr. World. She was certain that he could quickly and successfully complete it!

But upon the thought that hiring Mr. World might cost far more than what the ancient wraith was worth, she felt that it was better to attempt it herself.

I'll wait until Xio becomes an Interrogator. Together, we should have a higher chance… Besides, I still have Leymano's Travels with me. On it is a demigod-level High-Sequence Beyonder power and Angel's Embrace. There are plenty of unique Beyonder powers in it, and below that of High-Sequence Beyonders, it's practically a divine artifact… Uh, I have little actual combat experience since I'm fleeing most of the time. This is an opportunity… Fors quickly made a decision and said to The Moon Emlyn, "Deal."

After confirming some other matters, the transaction segment came to an end. Klein got The World Gehrman Sparrow to beat Mr. Hanged Man to the punch by looking around and saying, "My preliminary investigations regarding Backlund's Cuarón's suicide has borne fruit."

Chapter 893: Hair-Resembling Plants

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The one that was most interested Cuarón's suicide was none other than Justice Audrey. However, she had long noticed that Fors had some slight interest in the case. Hence, she didn't ask and had maintained her posture, patiently waiting for a particular best-selling author to pose the question.

In just a second or two, Fors looked at the borders of the table in front of The World and asked after some deliberation, "What's the truth?"

Klein had already rehearsed how he was to describe it, so without any hesitation, he got The World to say, "The mastermind behind it is the royal family's consultant, Hvin Rambis. He probably has another identity—a councillor of the Psychology Alchemists."

When she heard the first sentence, Audrey's mind had already naturally produced the image of a genial elder. This man came from an aristocratic background. He had graduated from Berth University and possessed profound knowledge and outstanding insight. He had been a consultant to the royal family for more than a decade and was publicly recognized as a scholar, a good man, a gentleman.

Audrey had previously suspected that Cuarón's suicide might have been instigated by the royal family, but she never expected the mastermind to be the genial, amiable, kind, and humorous Hvin Rambis!

When The World announced the other identity of the man, she found herself unable to hide her alarm and puzzlement.

Hvin Rambis is a Beyonder? He's a councillor of the Psychology Alchemists?

This also means that he might be a demigod… I've seen him so many times, but I've never connected him to the mysterious world. I always found him to be solely a scholar, a knowledgeable scholar…

If Mr. World wasn't misled in his investigations, I'd really find it unbelievable. That Hvin Rambis, who's known to be helpful to others, would treat a life with such coldness. He coldly made a child lose his father, a wife to lose her husband, parents to lose their son… He usually presents himself to be cultured and loving… Hmm, politics is dirtier than I imagined. Same for the royal family…

Speaking of which, I have yet to meet a councilor of the Psychology Alchemists. I've never made contact with their upper echelons. I never expected that this secret organization is almost no different from the cults like the Aurora Order and Numinous Episcopate… Our Tarot Club is better. Mr. Fool is always stopping or disrupting the plans of the evil gods and devils…

While Audrey's mind was in chaos, Alger acutely sensed the brewing problems in Backlund's political climate. He felt that various factions were interlinked and that there were many secrets. They formed a massive bucket of explosives that could explode at any time.

The nobles, royal family, Church of Storms, Church of Evernight, Church of Steam, the burgeoning rich, the commoners who live on a precipice, and the lowest class who live abject lives… The revolution of the times is so obvious. To think I didn't recognize this at all. I just simply believed Qilangos's words and the "evidence" he showed. An epoch where the old gods fade and new gods arise is about to descend. The tides of history are roaring in an unstoppable manner… Alger silently sighed, seemingly seeing the tall gothic bell tower and the Bell of Order that hung in it.

And surrounding this famous landmark, swirls of air was materializing and the light was darkening. It appeared that eddies were gearing up to form hurricanes.

Suddenly, Alger had a theory.

What arises might not be a new god, but an ancient god from an even more remote age…

He instinctively glanced at the seat of honor at the end of the long bronze table before quickly retracting his gaze. He could hardly quell the upheavals in his heart.

At that moment, he had a baffling feeling that his ambition and goals were too puny. He had only wanted to become an archbishop of the Church of Storms, a saint. In this position, he would have authority in the world and he could direct many things in secret.

Since the old gods are fading away and new gods are rising, Mr. Fool will be returning to "His" throne in the astral world. Then why shouldn't I consider being an angel?

Only at this level can I complete a qualitative change in my existence. I'll be able to live a long lifespan. Only then can I lord over people and lead a large-scale organization. I'll wield authority over the world!

As thoughts flashed through his mind, Alger trembled in an almost indiscernible manner. His heart was spewing with agitated emotions.

When Cattleya connected Queen Mystic's whereabouts for the past two months, she felt that the latter had been spending a large portion of her time in Backlund.

Is something about to happen in Backlund? I can try asking when I write this time. I wonder what response Her Majesty will give… Cattleya nudged her heavy glasses on her nose and swept her gaze across Miss Justice and the other members from Backlund.

Fors knew some of the details of Cuarón's suicide case. She knew that the victim had acted on his own the entire time and that he wasn't controlled. She also knew that the witnesses believed without a doubt that everything was a result of Dwayne Dantès. Comparing this with the actual situation had induced a deep sense of fear towards the councillor of the Psychology Alchemists. She didn't wish that she would one day find out that her thoughts and hobbies were all a result of someone else's doing.

How is this different from being a puppet? A High-Sequence Beyonder of the Spectator pathway is terrifying… However, this is really good writing material. Currently, the science of psychology already has hypnosis… In my next book, I want to write about a sick girl liking a gentleman. She uses hypnosis to make him fall in love with her. The ending climax is when she discovers that the gentleman is actually a master hypnotist… Fors gaped her mouth before closing it again. She didn't ask further about Hvin Rambis since she didn't know him at all.

Klein's sharing of Hvin Rambis was mainly to warn Miss Justice. He wanted her to be careful and wary of this Psychology Alchemists councilor. Now, seeing that his goal had been achieved, he said, "There's another matter. Help me take note of Brigadier General Qonas Kilgor. He's the deputy director of MI9. On the surface, he's only a Sequence 5, but in actual fact, he's a Black Emperor pathway demigod. He possesses rather potent spiritual perception and can sharply detect that others are observing him."

Qonas Kilgor… Audrey repeated this name inwardly and realized that she had no impression of this gentleman.

Either we have little overlap in our social circles, to the point of just nodding at each other when bumping into one another without asking who the other is, or he keeps an extremely low profile. He doesn't attend such gatherings often… If I have a chance, I should ask Kance. He's from MI9. He definitely knows this superior of his… Audrey was no longer surprised that Qonas was a demigod despite being a Sequence 5 in name. From her point of view, it was common for members of an intelligence agency to be in such situations.

Alger and Cattleya had more or less heard of the high-ranking member of MI9, Qonas Kilgor. However, they lacked a deeper understanding of the matter, so all they could do was refresh whatever they knew and remind themselves to be especially careful when encountering anything to do with the person in question.

Seeing that Mr. World had nothing else to share, Derrick didn't wait for Mr. Hanged Man to ask. He said, "I've made a new friend again."

He paused for a moment before getting to the crux of the matter.

"The area he patrols includes the former Chief's mausoleum. He told me that the six-member council has yet to open the door that leads underground. However, through the cracks on the outer rocks of the mausoleum, there are luxuriant and strange plants growing out from them. They look like human hair."

The six-member council has three demigods. Even if there are some out on expeditions and aren't in the City of Silver, the other three likely control a certain powerful Sealed Artifact or have Grazed an evil spirit, giving them nearly demigod strength. Despite joining forces for so many days, they haven't managed to open the entrance to the former Chief's mausoleum… This means that it's quite a serious problem… Also, what's the reason for plants that resemble human hair to suddenly grow? One question after another arose in Klein's mind as he waited for The Hanged Man to ask Little Sun.

He knew that the former would definitely have questions.

Alger, who finished listening quietly, frowned slightly before relaxing his brows. After some deliberation, he said, "Apart from that, are there any anomalies?

"Is the one in charge of opening the mausoleum that Shepherd Elder Lovia?"

"It's not her. The Chief is present too. Likewise for two other Elders," Derrick answered seriously. "There aren't any other anomalies for the time being."

Alger nodded and said, "Very good. Maintain your present state. Establish communications with more people. Keep a note of any changes with that mausoleum."

After being praised, Derrick hurriedly nodded as he answered eagerly.

After a few more exchanges of words, the gathering naturally began the learning segment. Fors had planned on asking what the Pharaoh mummy was for, but after seeing The World, she shut her mouth.

When the gathering ended, Klein, who had returned to the real world, turned on the tap and washed his face and hands before patiently waiting for night to come.

When the time came, he would be riding on a military airship to Desi Bay.

…

Southern Continent, Behrens Harbor.

As the Golden Dream was cruising south in the Fog Sea, Danitz only took a few days to arrive at the harbor northmost of West Balam.

He draped himself with a dark-colored cloak and carried a suitcase. Wearing the Sun Brooch inside his clothes, he carried an iron-black boxing glove close to his chest. He was walking down the harbor's roads and was out while sweating profusely. He felt that he was already armed to the teeth, far stronger than he was before.

Once out the harbor, Danitz glanced to his sides and extended his hand to stop a carriage.

When the carriage driver saw him, he said out a string of words:

"%#@&&&()(())…"

What is he saying… Danitz looked blankly at him. It took him a few seconds to recall one thing.

He didn't know the local language, Dutanese, at all!

And back when he came to West Balam, he had his captain, a polyglot, leading the crew. He didn't need to worry that he didn't understand anything.

Chapter 894: Meeting

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Danitz turned agape as he subconsciously said in Intis, "Hotel."

The air seemed to instantly freeze as Danitz looked at the carriage driver's dark-brown skin, coarse and messy black hair, rather soft facial contours, and blank expression. He exhaled silently and blamed it on his bad luck before silently carrying his luggage to walk down the street.

"Dogsh*t! I actually encountered a carriage driver who doesn't know Intis! Shouldn't someone who picks up passengers near the harbor know a few Northern Continent languages? There are so many people from Intis, Loen, and Feysac around here!" As Danitz grumbled, he looked ahead to look for pedestrians who looked to be from the Northern Continent or had similar heritages in a bid to smoothen his process of checking into a hotel and filling his stomach.

According to what he knew, Behrens Harbor had quite a number of people from Intis, Loen, Feynapotter, and Feysac who had migrated here. As long as he met one, communication wouldn't be a problem.

However, Danitz felt that all of this was built on a premise: he had to ensure that he didn't collapse from heatstroke.

"This dogsh*t weather!" He looked up at the azure-blue sky, white clouds, and the sun which wasn't too glaring. Cursing with a warped expression, he raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Despite his cursing, Danitz actually knew that the temperature in the Southern Continent was considered mild to the point that even calling it slightly cool wasn't an exaggeration. The reason why he was feeling so hot was because he was wearing the Sun Brooch. However, having just arrived and having not figured out the situation in his surroundings, he didn't dare remove the brooch to stuff it into his luggage bag. If he were to lose the item, he could imagine the cold and crazy look Gehrman Sparrow would give him.

Come on, give me a few people from the Northern Continent. Any country would do. I'm a famous pirate who knows several languages after all… Danitz kept muttering under his breath as all he could think of was iced beer and icebergs that floated in the ocean.

As he muttered, he suddenly rubbed his eyes.

He had finally seen someone who was clearly of Northern Continent descent!

Furthermore, it seemed to be someone familiar!

Diagonally ahead of Danitz, at a street illuminated by bright sunlight, a young man with blond short hair that was split seventy-thirty was leaning against a wall, blowing into a silver harmonica.

He had emerald-green eyes, and he wore a white shirt that didn't have the top two buttons buttoned up. He wore a completely unbuttoned black vest, dark-colored trousers, and a single black glove. He was none other than the Strongest Hunter of the Fog Sea, Anderson Hood!

What a coincidence? This fellow actually came to West Balam… Danitz felt delighted deep down, feeling that he had finally grabbed a floating plank in the sea of people. Ignoring Anderson's actions on the Golden Dream, he approached him and greeted in standard hunter speech.

"What happened? Treasure hunting hasn't been working out for you, so you've begun busking on the streets?"

He noticed that Anderson had an overturned hat in front of him. In it were about twenty to thirty brass coins. A few of them were Intis Coppets, with the majority being local Delexi.

In Intis, Delexi meant copper coins.

Anderson stopped playing the harmonica as he shot Danitz a glance.

"That's not my hat.

"I happened to walk past and saw a hat on the ground. Seeing how no one discovered it, I felt a little wistful and took out my harmonica to play it. To my surprise, quite a number of people gathered around to listen and threw money in it.

"A boorish pirate like you probably doesn't understand the beauty of music and how it has no borders. I'm telling you, your captain especially likes…"

"Stop!" Danitz's forehead throbbed as he stopped Anderson from diverting the topic of conversation. He asked, "Why are you here?"

Anderson held the harmonica and thought about it seriously.

"That's a good question.

"I have no idea why I'm here in West Balam either. I don't remember a thing that has happened over the past two months."

Danitz originally wanted him to cut it out, but Anderson's serious expression convinced him. He deliberated and asked, "You don't remember a thing?"

Anderson put away the silver harmonica, bent down, picked up the hat with quite a number of coins, and dusted it.

"My last memory was of me in Bayam with Gehrman Sparrow. After going our separate ways, I had apparently gone somewhere to meet someone. When I woke up, I was already here in West Bayam…

"Haha, don't be concerned over such matters. As long as I'm still alive. Ah, it's almost noon. Let's go have a meal. I heard that Behrens is famous for its pork knuckles."

While saying that, Anderson placed the hat along with the coins beside a tramp to his side.

Already hot, hungry, and exhausted, Danitz was invigorated upon hearing that.

"You know Dutanese?"

Anderson chuckled.

"Haven't you heard of my numerous adventures as a treasure hunter in West Balam?"

That's right. I had thought of seeking you out to get information on West Balam… The situation here is chaotic, and it's rather dangerous. I'll definitely be safer with Anderson around. Also, I'll have an interpreter! I can't say I'm hiring him, as I can't afford him… Danitz slowly revealed a smile.

"That puts me at ease. Let's go."

Holding his luggage, he and Anderson circled to a nearby main street and found a restaurant.

Upon hearing the waiter speak in his native tongue, and seeing the menu filled with indecipherable text, Danitz felt a headache as he hurriedly said to Anderson, "I'll leave it to you."

As he spoke, he handed the menu to the Strongest Hunter of the Fog Sea.

Anderson didn't reach out his hand as he replied with a composed expression, "I can't read it either."

"…Didn't you say you know Dutanese?" Danitz blurted out in surprise.

Anderson threw up his hands.

"I didn't say that.

"What has my repeated visits to West Balam in search of treasure have to do with knowing Dutanese?"

"Without knowing Dutanese, how are you able to understand those texts in the ancient temples and castle ruins? How do you seek out treasure?" Danitz's expression contorted bit by bit as his tone sped up without him realizing it.

Anderson picked up the cup served by the waiter and gulped it down.

"Problems that can be solved with a dictionary aren't problems.

"Besides, does not knowing Dutanese mean that you can't communicate with the people from the Southern Continent?"

WIth that said, he turned to look at the waiter. Speaking in the Intis language, he said, "Two specialty pork knuckles."

The waiter obviously gave him a blank look as he kept pointing at the menu.

Anderson didn't fluster at all as he unhurriedly pressed his right hand to his nose and mimicked the grunting of a pig.

The waiter was first taken aback before revealing a look of enlightenment. Then, Anderson pointed at his knuckles and pointed at the Behrens label on the menu before using his fingers to show two.

"%$#" As the waiter spoke in an accented Dutanese, he repeatedly nodded to show his comprehension. By the side, Danitz was dumbfounded by what he saw.

After a series of gestures, mixed with a few basic Dutanese words, he finally finished ordering the meal. Turning his head to Danitz, he smiled.

"Get it? In this world, there's a common language—body language!"

Danitz watched with a frozen expression as he curled the corners of his lips as a response.

…

A carriage drove out of West Borough, and it headed south at an intersection. Soon, it arrived at a military base.

With Colonel Calvin's letter and a junior officer escorting him, Klein successfully entered the base and arrived at a square paved with rammed earth. Berthed on it was a dark-blue and white behemoth.

This airship was dozens of meters long, and its truss had solid and light composite metal frames extended from it. They were intercrossed with one another as they held up an impermeable cloth used as cushions. Beneath it were openings mounted with machine guns, projectile launchers, and cannons.

At this moment, the ignition steam engine had yet to hum, and the corresponding propellers were still static. Everything appeared extremely silent.

Klein handed his documents and proof of identity to the officer on guard by the gangway. After receiving permission, he walked up onto the airship with his suitcase in hand.

It was like a ship with three sections. The uppermost section had complicated machinery and a cargo haul. The middle section had a hall for buffets and balls. Surrounding the hall were hallways that led to the upper and lower sections. These hallways included lounges. As for the lowest section, they were the rooms for the machine guns, projectile launchers, and cannons, as well as the soldiers' cabins.

Walking by the guards equipped with rifles, Klein followed the instructions he received from the officer and found the lounge reserved for him. He placed his luggage beside a sofa-like chair.

Then, he picked up a cup of water on the table, walked to the window, and took in the scenery outside.

To be frank, although he knew a little of everything, it was really only a little. Therefore, he didn't understand the design principles used for this new airship model. He didn't know how high it could go or how stable it was in midair.

This left him a little uneasy. Before setting off, he had even done a divination above the gray fog. He received a revelation that he would arrive at his destination rather smoothly.

There seems to be a safety belt. This world's airship industry has plenty of years of history. They have quite a bit of experience accumulated in all aspects… Klein was just about to retract his gaze and admire the decorations inside the room and the candlelight when he noticed a group of people approaching Airship 1345.

They were men and women, all of them wearing thin, black trench coats and red gloves. They were carrying leather suitcases of varying sizes. Only one of them wore a mysterious medium's robe. She had blue eyeshadow and blush, and she was none other than Daly Simone.

And behind the lady was the black-haired, green-eyed Leonard Mitchell.

While no one noticed it, Leonard's footsteps suddenly slowed down. Then, he looked up at the midsection of the airship.

His eyes reflected the gray-sideburned and blue-eyed Dwayne Dantès who was wearing a suit and bow tie.

This gentleman was standing behind a window, revealing a genial smile as he raised the cup in his hand.

Chapter 895: Finally At Ease

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Leonard's expression froze for a moment before he composed himself.

He had already remembered that Dwayne Dantès was working with the military and was preparing to sell a batch of firearms and cannons to West Balam.

Therefore, even though it was surprising to see this gentleman appear on a military airship, it wasn't jarring in any way.

The only issue is why he's heading to West Balam so quickly? Amon's arrival has also exerted some pressure on him? Leonard's mind raced as he leveled his gaze and walked up the gangway with his teammates to the midsection and entered a huge lounge reserved for them.

Not long after the Red Gloves took their seats, a deep hum sounded. The rotating of the propeller and all kinds of frictional sounds were heard. It caused the floorboards and walls to gently shake.

As the tremors increased in intensity, it turned into a wobbling motion as the airship rose up and slowly regained its stability.

Klein had already sat down and buckled his seatbelt. He was looking at his surroundings out of curiosity as he experienced a different form of flight.

"The takeoff isn't too stable. The altitude is also rather low, but without encountering any hurricanes, the tremors are still alright. I wonder how it was done…" Klein looked diagonally at the windows ahead without any intention of unbuckling his seatbelt or walking around.

This wasn't acrophobia even if he had a mild fear of heights. This was because he was briefly wearing Creeping Hunger and had the ability of Short-distance Flight and Teleport. He was only seriously acting like a Desi tycoon who was riding on an airship for the first time.

At this moment, Klein's spiritual perception was triggered. He hurriedly clicked his teeth and activated Spirit Vision.

He saw the colors around him saturate as they clearly stacked upon one another. He saw bones spew out from the floor, gushing out like a fountain in midair, forming a giant skeleton that was nearly four meters tall.

This skeleton's eye sockets were burning with dark flames. Its arms were hanging down, holding a folded letter.

Mr. Azik's messenger… He has finally recovered from his state of metamorphosis? Klein was pleasantly surprised as he tried to stand up to receive the letter.

But when he felt a force pulling him back at his abdomen, he recalled that had his seatbelt buckled.

When he reached out to unbuckle it, the skeleton messenger crouched down and stuffed the letter into his hands.

Klein was taken aback as he looked up into the eye sockets which were burning with pitch-black flames. He nodded gently as form of gratitude.

He could understand why the messenger didn't appear from the section below, allowing half his body to tear through the floorboard, as this was a military airship. Apart from the Red Gloves, there were probably other Beyonders. They also had spiritual perceptions and different levels of Spirit Vision. They could also barely sense the messenger's existence.

But I don't think that delivering a letter in such a crouched manner is being polite… I'd rather it did what it used to… Klein mumbled and saw the skeleton messenger crumble into illusory bones, gushing down like a waterfall.

In the huge lounge, Daly Simone, who still enjoyed being called a Spirit Medium, suddenly turned her head and looked at the room across the hall.

Her brows furrowed slightly as her eyes narrowed.

Daly immediately retracted her gaze and said to the low-ranking officer in the corner of the lounge who was acting as a waiter, "Make me a cocktail. Black Rand and champagne. Half each."

"That's a very strange mixture, Ma'am." As the officer unbuckled his seatbelt, he walked to the bar that was welded to the ground as he attempted to offer a suggestion.

Daly with her blue eyeshadow and blush said with a smile, "I enjoy unique tastes."

Upon saying that, she casually asked, "Is there anyone else on this airship besides the military officers and us?"

The officer answered while opening the bar's cabinet, "Yes."

"A merchant. Apparently, his name is Dwayne Dantès. He is working with the Ministry of Defense."

Dwayne Dantès… Daly was taken aback as she turned her eyes slightly away and asked, "What kind of work?"

To her right, Leonard Mitchell had subconsciously changed his seating posture. He switched from crossing his right leg over his left to his left over his right.

"I'm not sure," the officer answered with a shake of the head. "Apparently it has something to do with using the gentleman's experience in the Southern Continent."

"Southern Continent…" Daly repeated the word in thought and stopped asking.

…

In the small lounge opposite, Klein had already unfolded the letter to read it seriously.

It was indeed from Azik Eggers. He indicated that his previous experiences had allowed him to retrieve more of his memories. He had no choice but to sleep to digest and recover; thus, the late reply.

Klein truly relaxed as he cast his gaze towards the end in a good mood.

In regards to the Spirit World Plunderers, Azik's description was:

"…It's a rather scheming and rare creature. They are very good at disguises, making it very difficult to find them… One thing to make use of is their strong aggressiveness. However, they're also very dangerous. Even with a strength that is close to Sequence 4, one needs to be sufficiently careful; otherwise, one can accidentally end up as its soul avatar…

"Its exact characteristic is… I'm not sure nor am I able to recall where Spirit World Plunderers are most active. I suggest you pray to Aiur Moria. 'He' is very friendly to humans and will be willing to answer similar questions while wielding authority in such matters… The ritual's key is the correct honorific name and symbol…

"Once you have the clues to a Spirit World Plunderer, you can wait a while. I might be able to provide you some help…"

How can I bother you… Klein raised his right hand and pinched the two ends of his mouth.

He then flipped the page and read the final page.

"…Likewise, I will help you seal that glove once again… It's not that I do not wish to teach you the way to seal it, but it's unlikely that you can do it. This requires the power of the Underworld, requiring, at the very least, an Undying to do it…

"Alright. I should quickly have some free time. I recall you mentioning about Death's ring…"

Mr. Azik's changes don't seem too significant. At least I can't tell from the letter… Klein slowly exhaled as he flicked his wrist and ignited the paper in his hand, turning it to ashes before it floated into the trash can that was welded to the floor.

Although he didn't receive the whereabouts of Spirit World Plunderers from Azik, he could also determine that this descendant of Death similarly didn't remember Calderón City. He also guessed that this mysterious spirit world city likely had nothing to do with the Underworld; otherwise, Mr. Azik, who had already restored connections with the Underworld, should've recalled something about it. Even so, Klein still planned on replying to ask more about Calderón City.

Regardless, one should always have hope… Also, I should inform Mr. Azik that I'm in the Southern Continent… Klein seriously considered the contents of his reply.

However, he didn't immediately write it, afraid that the act of summoning the messenger would be noticed via the spiritual perception of the other Beyonders on board the airship.

As he turned his gaze, Klein looked out the window once again. It was dark and silent.

…

Looking at the dark sky with the concealed crimson moon, Admiral of Stars Cattleya retracted her gaze, picked up her pen, and deliberated over her words.

"The answer is neither."

She was originally somewhat perplexed as to why Queen Mystic hadn't directly asked what "home" was. Instead, she had attached two guesses. This made it easy for the question to receive an ineffective answer. But on second thought, she believed that Queen Mystic had thought it through in a way far better than she could've.

This was because this question was posed to a secret existence that was suspected to be an ancient god. As the number of diary pages she could provide had numbered about twenty, with each attempt giving her an answer; therefore, just three pages, even if they were of high value, made it difficult to be equivalent in value to a key question of where Emperor Roselle's mental and spiritual home was. The secrets concealed within might even be more important than a single Card of Blasphemy.

And Her Majesty's question seems stubborn. She doesn't seem willing to switch to something else; therefore, she specially added two choices, hoping that she could obtain an answer via elimination or directly obtain confirmation. In contrast, this lowers the value of the question. It then abides by the principle of equivalent exchange… As Cattleya thought, she recalled something.

Back then, she was still young and was being educated on all kinds of information. Queen Mystic would test her and tell her that in regards to answering a question, there were three opportunities for reducing the difficulty. First, was to eliminate a wrong option. Second, was to request the help of some specific person on the ship. Three, was to pray to one of the Seven Lights to receive the answer. Of course, the prerequisite to doing that was to complete the ritual herself.

Clearly, Queen Mystic had chosen to use the first method to reduce the difficulty.

Did Her Majesty have such an experience when she was little? After eliminating the two wrong options, I wonder how close she is to the real answer… Cattleya's expression unnaturally softened as she wrote:

"According to the intelligence I've gathered, there's a storm brewing in Backlund. I wish you well."

She didn't directly mention the deputy director of MI9 or the royal family's consultant. After all, they were news shared between the Tarot Club. It wasn't something she had asked herself and tacitly acquiesced by Mr. Fool to inform Queen Mystic directly.

Folding the letter, Cattleya summoned Queen Mystic Bernadette's messenger.

…

Behrens Harbor. It was twilight.

Danitz and Anderson found a hotel opened by an Intis immigrant, finally experiencing the convenience of not having any language barriers.

After putting down their luggage, Danitz immediately headed towards the staircase wearing a cloak and his boxing glove.

Anderson leaned against the opposite door and asked in amusement, "Is there anything else?"

Danitz immediately gave a sarcastic chortle.

"I'm heading out to buy a dictionary!

"This is way more reliable than your body language. In a few days, I might even be fluent in a few common words!"

Anderson stroked his chin with his left black-gloved hand.

"Your boxing glove was created from that giant's remains, right? What are its negative effects?"

Danitz blurted out, "Being rash, often acting before thinking…"

As he spoke, he fell silent.

Chapter 896: Daly's Probe

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

To buy a dictionary late at night, in a city that's somewhat chaotic. Furthermore, I obviously look like someone from Intis. That really is rather dangerous… No, I can't keep wearing this glove… Danitz was stunned for a few seconds before he raised his hand and attempted to take off his boxing glove.

When he was halfway done, he suddenly paused and sized up Anderson. When he saw him wearing a black glove on his left hand, he did a hollow chuckle and wore his glove again.

"I believe that in the Southern Continent, a place like this requires strength," Danitz added with a faint smile.

Anderson's expression remained the same as he continued stroking his chin.

"Then, what do you plan on doing?"

Danitz pointed at the staircase and said, "I plan on finding the hotel's boss and borrow his dictionary. I believe he will be teaching his children Dutanese."

"That's an idea worth pursuing. But even with a dictionary, you won't be able to master it anytime soon. Even if you grasp a few terms, it will still be rather difficult. After all, the language here is a completely different system from the Northern Continent," Anderson said with a tsk. "Why don't I suggest a solution for you. Your captain has likely taught you some ritualistic magic in the God of Knowledge and Wisdom domain, right?"

"Yes," Danitz replied with a nod without a second thought.

Anderson clapped his hands and said,

Danitz shook his head without hesitation.

"I believe in the Lord of Storms, and not the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. The reason why some of the ritualistic magic cast in the past had received a reply was because of Captain."

Upon saying that, he shot Anderson a glance.

"Weren't you born in Segar, growing up in Lenburg, being classmates with Captain?

"Then you should also be a believer of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. Wouldn't it be more effective if you held the ritual?"

Anderson shook his head and laughed.

"Despite being believers all the same, those who can actually receive a reply are in the extreme minority."

Seemingly in thought, he said, "The best method is to find a priest or bishop from the Church of Knowledge. Get them to make some charms, uh—I recall that there are a few pilgrims from Lenburg here in Behrens Harbor. Why don't we visit them tomorrow…"

Danitz was just about to say "yes" when he suddenly revealed a look of suspicion.

"I have this nagging feeling that you are up to something…"

Anderson's expression immediately froze.

…

On the airship, Klein had his seatbelt buckled and had a blanket over him as he leaned against his seat, already in deep sleep.

At this moment, it was dark outside. There was little light from the lands, and the scenery swept across slowly despite moving at a high speed. Everything appeared peaceful and silent.

After an unknown period of time, Klein suddenly jolted awake as he stretched his neck.

As he kept Death Knell on him, he had drank plenty of water. His bladder had woken him up.

Pulling away his blanket and unbuckling his seatbelt, Klein covered his mouth and yawned. He walked out of the lounge and headed for the washroom at the corner of the hall.

After relieving himself, he washed his hand and left the washroom. When he entered the hall, he suddenly saw a figure.

The figure was standing amidst the shadows. It was wearing a black robe, and by its eyes were eyeshadow and blush. At a glance, it looked like a shadow or ghost that had floated out of a corpse.

Ma'am Daly… Klein obviously recognized her as he immediately reacted as though he jumped in fright.

Daly walked a few steps forward and looked up at Dwayne Dantès's face. She paused her gaze in between his eyes as she curled her mouth into a smile.

"Your eyes and bearing resembles a friend of mine, especially the eyes."

Klein immediately feigned enlightenment as he said with a smile, "Ma'am, if our genders were swapped, that would be a standard way of hitting on someone."

Daly's eyes didn't move away as she chortled.

"There's no need for any swapping. A difference in genders doesn't change the definition of such actions.

"If this were any other time, I really would be trying to trick you into a bed if I had said something like that, even tricking you all the way down the aisle.

"However, I have no such thoughts at the moment. I came over because yours eyes really remind me of him."

It's really quite overwhelming speaking with Ma'am Daly… I can't let her lead the conversation; otherwise, she might realize that Dwayne Dantès isn't the casanova that has a wide preference or a romance expert. Instead, he's nothing but an inexperienced man in front of charming women… I have to take the lead in this conversation… Klein's mind stirred as he directly asked in a half-joking manner, "Ma'am, do you like that friend of yours?"

Daly was taken aback for a second before she pricked her brows, lowered her head, and smiled.

"That's not something that needs hiding.

"If only he could be like you, being willing to take the initiative when facing a woman, proficient at creating a suggestive atmosphere, perhaps if that were the case, we might already have children.

"Unfortunately, he's a conservative man. When he chats with me, all he spoke off was matters regarding work or his experiences. Any hints given to him or any joke that went overboard just made him appear uncomfortable. He often found excuses to leave. He looked old, and he didn't look after his hair. He also had a bad memory. He even forgot my birthday. Whenever I thought of him, I got mad, having the urge to push him down into bed, tying his arms to the bed's railing…"

Klein looked at Daly's head with a gloomy gaze as he sighed to interrupt her.

"Ma'am, you've said too much."

Daly looked up, speaking with a smile in no way different than before.

"I thought you would enjoy talking about matters about this at a deeper level."

Klein let out a soft chuckle.

"Then why didn't you turn those thoughts into action? I can tell that you aren't just a woman who can only talk."

Daly scoffed.

"Guess."

Following that, she nodded.

"Thank you for not saying that I've been harassing you."

As she spoke, she turned around and headed for the extensive lounge where the Red Gloves were. The corners of Klein's mouth curled up slightly as he returned to his room, shaking his head.

When she came to the entrance of the extensive lounge, Daly, whose eyes landed on the floorboards, suddenly saw an untied shoelace.

She shifted her gaze up as her eyes reflected the black-haired, green-eyed Leonard Mitchell.

Leonard glanced at Dwayne Dantès as he entered his lounge and said with a suppressed voice, "He has plenty of secrets. He's not a simple person."

Daly chuckled and nodded.

"I know."

Having said that, she briskly walked past Leonard Mitchell and walked into the extensive lounge.

When she covered a few meters, she slowed down her pace and once again lowered her head.

Leonard remained standing at the door, watching the long dragged out shadows that were cast from the lights outside. Slowly and silently, he exhaled.

Inside the small lounge, Klein stood by the door, raising his right hand and rubbing his temples. He stood there like a statue.

…

In the Berg household in the City of Silver.

Derrick sat on a stool, munching on bread that was made from Black-Faced Grass powder as he seriously listed down the matters that he had yet to complete in recent times.

I haven't obtained the information of the Bizarro Bane that Mr. World needs… I still lack the points required for the Sequence 5 Vampire Beyonder characteristic… I only have three friends. That's not enough… All the clues I have regarding the former Chief's mausoleum aren't much…

As the thoughts flashed through his mind, Derrick filled his stomach and took off his shirt. Holding an open container that had been ground from stone, he used the sticky black liquid inside to smear on the obvious bruises on his body.

Although the City of Silver only had edible Black-Faced Grass in its vicinity, it didn't only have one type of plant. They were many kinds of plants, all of them being strange. By using different powers, they could grow and proliferate in the dark, sun-lacking environment that only had lightning. One of the traditions of the City of Silver was to select different plants and mix them with organs of monsters to create various kinds of ointments. They were especially effective when treating most injuries and illnesses. It prevented the residents from dying just because of a trivial problem.

They were simplified versions of the magical medicine, holy ointment, and essential oil formulas that generations of Demon Hunters obtained from their potions. These low-level products thus became a tradition!

Just after Derrick applied the ointment and took a whiff of the pungent smell before putting on his clothes, he suddenly heard knocking at the door.

His mind tensed up instinctively as he held up Thunder God's Roar, the dark blue hammer that had electric sparks swirling around it. He carefully approached the door, prepared to kill any monsters that suddenly emerged from the darkness.

"Who is it?" Derrick asked in a deep voice.

A gruff voice sounded from the outside:

"Valer."

At the same time, bright light beamed its way through the door cracks and windows. That was the power of a Dawn Paladin.

Derrick relaxed as he opened the door and greeted, "Valer, aren't you leading a patrol team today?"

Valer stood 2.2 meters tall and was recently befriended by Derrick. Derrick was also most impressed with him because Valer was able to rein in his powers to a great extent and was a person who took very good care of his companions.

In addition, his patrol team's recent patrol area included the former Chief's mausoleum.

Valer had brownish-yellow hair that resembled Derrick's and a thick beard. His favorite pastime was fighting with others. Upon hearing that, he said with a smile, "The six-member council has just ordered our team to skip the area of the former Chief's mausoleum. And this area is the last spot for our patrol mission.

"Let's go to the training field. Let's get some exercise!"

The six-member council has specially ordered the patrolling teams to skip that area? They plan to open the former Chief's entrance today? I wonder what will happen… I hope there's no sinister plot on Elder Lovia's side… Derrick was alarmed as he hurriedly built connections, but he was at a loss.

Just as he hesitantly wore his clothes in preparation to join Valer at the training field, a shadow grew out from the dark ends of the street and said, "Derrick Berg, the Chief has requested you visit him at the spire."

Chapter 897: The Chief's Hint

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

At the top of the spire, in the room that belonged to the Chief.

Colin Iliad had the tall body that was standard of the City of Silver. His hair was grizzled, unkempt, and rather disheveled. He had deep wrinkles around his cheeks, but there were no wrinkles elsewhere. Some old scars, that were either deep or twisted, remained on his cheeks.

He wore a linen shirt on the inside with a brown coat draped over his body. By his waist was a belt filled with tiny compartments. His light blue eyes were deep, filled with the experiences and stories they had seen.

After Derrick bowed, the Demon Hunter nodded gently and pointed diagonally to the items placed on the table.

"Do you still remember them?"

Derrick took a glance as his gaze suddenly froze. His eyes reflected two translucent worms that had the thickness of a child's finger.

Worm of Time!

They were translucent Worms of Time with rings!

They were Worms of Time that came from Blasphemer Amon's avatar!

"Yes." Derrick fell silent for a second before instinctively answering, "They were left behind by Amon."

Colin Iliad nodded indiscernibly and said, "One of them was even coughed out by you."

Without waiting for Derrick to say a word, he continued in a thorough manner, "You once said that while being possessed by Amon, you were in a daze most of the time, as though you were in a dream. You were occasionally lucid."

Faced with the Chief's gaze, Derrick nodded, indicating that he had given such a description before.

Colin Iliad moved his gaze away and cast it out the window, looking down at the nearby buildings.

"I believe I haven't told you the things you did during those times.

"You did a total of two rituals. One of them had elements of a secret deed, and the other one was like a sacrifice. You obtained a certain reply. Do you have any recollection of such things?"

Indeed, I was being monitored when I sought Mr. Fool's help and used the secret deed ritual to cleanse Amon's avatar… Derrick wasn't surprised by what the Chief was mentioning. He had long been advised by The Hanged Man that, based on the rich experience the City of Silver elders, it was impossible that they would dismiss someone acting abnormally. Thus, the conclusion that he had been constantly been monitored after he left the dungeon was obtained. This was corroborated by the fact that someone had emerged from the shadows when doing the sacrificial ritual.

"…I don't have any recollections." Derrick pretended to be in thought before he shook his head.

Colin, who was observing him through the corner of his eye, turned his head over and said with a sigh, "Try recalling it carefully.

"These two worms left behind by Amon are materials of great value. I've been trying to find ways of using them. If I can secretly make them into items, this might be a trump card that no one else knows. It can play a crucial role at critical moments.

"During the two rituals you experienced, you might have symbols, ancient incantations, or mysterious elements that can be used for reference.

"Think about it carefully."

If this were in the past, Derrick would have only understood the Chief superficially, but at this moment, he was able to interpret the hidden and indirect meaning behind the sentence, albeit being a few seconds slow.

"I know there's still a certain connection between you and Amon.

"We will be opening the mausoleum to the former City of Silver Chief. I need to prepare additional trump cards against any unexpected accidents or cause that Lovia and company to use to inflict any harm to the City of Silver. Try attempting communication."

Mr. Hanged Man was right. The higher one's level is, the more experienced they are at handling danger, and the more accustomed they will be at expressing themselves by speaking in riddles. It's a way to leave options open for both parties… Derrick suddenly felt he had grasped a particular technique.

Upon realizing that the Chief's goal was to limit Elder Lovia and how she represented the Fallen Creator, he felt that he needed to do something. However, he had zero clue on how to use a Worm of Time. All he could do was consider praying to Mr. Fool and see if "He" could provide any help.

"I'll try my best to recall. I… need… a silent room." As Derrick spoke, he paused, deliberating over his words.

Colin Iliad was apparently prepared as he pointed towards the corridor.

"Many of the rooms across the corridor do not have people in them. Choose one yourself."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Derrick bowed and exited the room before entering an unused room. He locked the wooden door, sat down, and in the dark corner, prayed softly as his eyes emitted a soft glow.

…

Desi Bay, Eskelson Harbor.

Klein left the airship from the gangway with his suitcase in hand, prepared to head into the city on a carriage prepared by the military base.

As for Daly Simone, Leonard Mitchell, and the other Red Gloves, they were the first batch to leave the airship. Klein had been arranged to be one of the last; hence, they didn't meet each other.

After entering the city and finding a hotel to stay in, he prepared to have some rest to remedy the poor sleep he had last night. Suddenly, he heard a series of illusory, stacked pleas.

Sounds like Little Sun… Klein yawned while covering his mouth and entered a cramped washroom. With great difficulty, he took four steps counterclockwise and arrived above the gray fog.

As he expected, the crimson star that was blinking and burgeoning was none other than the one that represented The Sun.

He emanated his spirituality to make contact with it, and he quickly learned what The Sun's prayer was pertaining to.

The City of Silver Chief is asking Little Sun, no—asking what he thinks to be Amon on how to use a Worm of Time charm… Thankfully, I had such a question previously and have already gotten an answer… However, using the Worm of Time to create a potent charm that can temporarily exchange fates will require him to pray to The Fool. Wouldn't this directly expose the fact that the one backing Little Sun is not Amon, but some unknown hidden existence? Klein tapped the edge of the mottled table as he seriously considered how he was to answer.

In less than a minute, he quickly reframed his line of thought and discovered that his worries were meaningless.

Firstly, apart from Shepherd Elder Lovia, who can receive certain revelations from the True Creator, no one in the City of Silver knows Amon. All they might guess is that "He" is likely the Angel of Time, one of the eight Kings of Angels that were by the Creator's side. Therefore, even if they learn of an existence called The Fool, they will probably believe that it's Amon's true body, or a deity that Amon now believes in.

Secondly, the honorific name of The Fool is no longer a secret to the True Creator, Blasphemer Amon, and Shepherd Elder Lovia. It doesn't matter if more people from the City of Silver learns of it.

Thirdly, the Chief named Colin Iliad is only a Demon Hunter. Even if he knows the honorific name of The Fool and has a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, there's nothing he can do. After all, Blasphemer Amon and the True Creator haven't been knocking at my door in the middle of the night.

Finally, the six-member council's Chief is long aware of a problem with Little Sun. He just hasn't made it obvious.

As his thoughts raced, he felt that he needed to be bolder. Perhaps I can use this opportunity to develop another one or two downlines, no—I mean believers. Little Sun won't have to fight alone anymore in the future.

Besides, I've already improved since the time when I wiped away Amon's avatar. I've also accumulated even deeper knowledge in mysticism. I wield the Sea God Scepter and can stir even more of the powers of the mysterious space above the gray fog. I don't have to worry about missing anything when facing a Sequence 4 demigod during the ritual… as long as I don't rashly pull him above the gray fog… Klein quickly made up his mind and cast the method to creating a Fate Siphon charm into the crimson star representing The Sun.

…

Knock! Knock! Knock! The sound of knocking resonated within the Chief's room at the top of the spire.

And before the knocking even sounded, Colin Iliad had already known that Derrick Berg had opened the door and was walking over to his room.

"Come on in." He turned his body and faced the door.

Derrick pushed open the door and entered. Bowing, he said, "Your Excellency, I've recalled some vague details."

Colin Iliad nodded with a calm expression.

"What are they?"

"Use pure silver and mercury as materials…" Derrick succinctly described the beginning of the ritual and paused. "I think I muttered an honorific name back then: The Fool that doesn't belong to this era."

Colin narrowed his eyes and immediately cut him off.

"The corresponding symbols are the ones left on the candle?"

"Yes," Derrick frankly replied. "The second line is: The mysterious ruler above the gray fog."

At this moment, Colin cut him off once again.

"Is there no need for other ritual materials?"

"No," Derrick nodded, feeling slightly puzzled.

Only then did he realize that the Chief was apparently deliberately stopping him from reciting Mr. Fool's honorific name.

Yes, our common language is Jotun. It's a language that can stir the powers of nature. If I were to directly say out the honorific name, it would result in all kinds of unknown effects. I know that Mr. Fool is a true deity and trustworthy, so I was reciting it all out habitually. However, the Chief doesn't know that… Derrick continued, feeling somewhat enlightened.

"Third line: The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."

Colin silently listened in silence before nodding.

"Very good.

"Although I cannot be sure that the content you recall is of any use, it's still a sizable contribution. I'll get someone to add to your contribution.

"Return, or go to the library to read some books for a while."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Derrick wore a deadpan look as he silently heaved a sigh of relief and rapidly retreated to the room at the top of the spire.

Colin Iliad watched him leave before heading behind his desk and sitting down. He cast his gaze on the two translucent ringed worms in front of him.

Beside the worms was a notebook. Drawn on it was a secret symbol comprised of half a Pupil-less Eye and half Contorted Lines.

Colin's gaze remained fixed for a while, as though he had been petrified.

After a while, he slowly stood up and took out three candles.

Chapter 898: Response

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After setting up the candles, Colin Iliad found a piece of pure silver and picked up a carving knife beside it. With steady strokes, he carved out a palm-sized charm vessel.

Then, he followed Derrick Berg's description, drawing the secret symbol of The Fool on both sides of the silver piece.

The entire process was completed quickly. If an observer was watching, they wouldn't have been able to discern his actions. Yet, the final product didn't show any flaws. It looked like a piece of art that had been slowly carved out.

Right on the heels of that, Colin Iliad found another bottle of mercury. Directly using his powerful spirituality, he guided the liquid inside to trickle into the charm and fill all the patterns. He prevented the mercury on the side facing down from dripping due to gravity.

Repeating the process, he made a second charm. Colin Iliad placed them in front of the candles and placed a translucent ringed worm on each of them.

Compared to him standing up silently, the present Colin's every move was stable, calm, and firm. He didn't show any signs of hesitation, just like how he faced powerful monsters that came out of the darkness.

After finishing the ritual, he took two steps back and removed the crossed swords that were hanging from the wall. He stabbed them into the crevices of the floor tiles at the door.

He then closed his eyes and muttered. Pure and thick beams of light emerged out of the void as they enveloped the two swords with a holy and glorious feeling.

The light beams increased in quantity, slowly transforming into liquid water that flowed across the cracks in the floor tiles and the walls, forming a "cage" that isolated him from the outside.

As a senior Demon Hunter, Colin Iliad didn't wish to take such precautionary measures when holding a ritual. This was because there was a tiny chance of angering the target, bringing about dangerous developments. However, he had no choice but to do so because he needed to be certain that even if the ritual failed, even if The Fool was an existence filled with malice, and even if he were to die at the altar, he would not bring too much harm to the City of Silver.

In regards to the defensive power of the "cage," Colin was rather confident because this directly stemmed from a god-like Sealed Artifact—a crown which the Giant King Aurmir wore: "Proof of Glory!"

This was one of the main reasons why the City of Silver could survive wave after wave of monster assaults in the Dark Ages.

With all his preparations completed, solely using his spirituality, Colin Iliad used his desk as an altar and created a sacred and clean environment that no one could disturb. He then lit the three candles.

The pale yellow light flickered as they reflected in his eyes. He bowed his head and scattered the plant powder, monster hide, and fur into the candle flame or lit them and threw them into a cauldron so as to please the secret existence he was about to pray to.

Such acts weren't rare in the City of Silver. Known to all, there were rituals held that targeted the Creator, but from time to time, certain residents would be enticed by unknown existences during their patrols or exploration, tempted to hold all kinds of rituals.

Most of the latter was a passive act, but there were a few that were done proactively. On the one hand, the cumulative despair of not receiving any response from the Creator had made them eager to grab onto any other existence to rely on, and on the other hand, many generations of the six-member council had come to a common consensus that the Creator who had abandoned the land might very well not return again. Seeking out other alternatives was something that had to be expedited, but unfortunately, such attempts only led to nothing or death, nothing else.

And it was because of this reason that regardless of the difficulties faced or how many times they discovered cities that were destroyed because of "evil gods," the City of Silver continued their exploration of regions that were further away.

As for Colin Iliad himself, the discovery of the outsider, Jack, brought him an indescribable sense of surprise and hope. The encounters when they explored Afternoon Town and the prophecies of the Kings of Angel's ploy and the ecclesiastic had made him feel a more pressing sense of urgency. He no longer held hope for the Creator's return.

With the two reasons combined, along with Lovia's and Derrick's abnormality, as well as the prophecy of the apocalypse, as Chief of the six-member council, senior demigod and powerful Demon Hunter, Colin Iliad had no choice but to attempt to dance on the edge of a knife. He had no choice but to consider making a transaction with a hidden existence.

Silently exhaling, Colin took a step back and chanted with a weather-worn tone, "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.

"I pray to you, praying for the strength that stems from mystery, and praying for the bestowment that stems from good luck. I implore you to make these items on this altar turn into charms…"

Just as Colin spoke with a cadence of mystery, he saw the altar in front of him immediately turn dark. It was as though an indescribable godhood was emanating from the candle in the middle.

The candle's flame instantly burgeoned, but it failed to light the surroundings. Instead, it made everything turn illusory, making countless shapes produce seemingly nonexistence transparent shadows as they covered every inch.

High above this illusory world and countless figures, there were seven lustrous brilliances of different colors spiraling. They seemed to possess immense knowledge.

And above these seven lustrous brilliances, there was an endless grayish-white fog, and sitting above was an ancient palace that looked down upon everything.

Demon Hunter Colin temporarily forgot everything else as he stared intently at the scene above the altar. It was as though something that only existed in books or ancient tomes had taken a step through the illusory and entered reality, appearing before him.

If he recalled correctly, this was likely the projection of the spirit world.

Before the disaster, before the time the Creator abandoned this land, it was easy to observe and enter the spirit world!

The spirit world now only existed in the City of Silver's textbooks and various records, but no one could touch it!

At this moment, a creaking, illusory sound sounded. The ancient palace that overlooked the gray fog and spirit world seemed to open its doors.

Right on the heels of that, Colin saw the unformed charms in front of the candle produce a grayish luster. Their patterns were then "lit up," as they intercrossed with each other, suddenly bursting into a blinding radiance, enveloping the pure silver foils and the ringed worms.

The dark world above the entire altar also instantly warped.

Everything was quickly restored to normal as two strange black crystalline charms appeared on the altar. They were like a pair of eyes of some existence that silently observed the world.

Demon Hunter Colin was taken aback as he retracted his gaze and bowed his head. With a deep voice, he said, "Thank you for your blessings;

"Praise you."

He didn't delay as he immediately ended the ritual and removed the seal.

After doing all of this, this City of Silver Chief of the six-member council returned to the desk and picked up the two charms made from the two Amon avatar remnants.

At this moment, his mind was still fixated on the scene he had previously seen.

Based on his knowledge in mysticism, those that were situated high in the spirit world were mentioned to be the Seven Lights in ancient tomes. They were believed to be close to that of deities, but none of the records indicated what was above the Seven Lights or what the gray fog represented. They didn't indicate what the ancient palace which was enveloped by the gray fog while overlooking the entire spirit world represented.

And during the entire ritual, Colin Iliad only felt that The Fool he was praying to was staid, mysterious, and almighty, nothing like the evil beings who often liked to express their powers as though eager to showcase something.

Such a performance had a close parallel in the records of the City of Silver—the Creator!

As he looked at the charms in hand and his condition, the grizzled Demon Hunter Colin suddenly closed his eyes as figures flashed past his mind for some reason.

They were his father, mother, elder brother, younger sister, oldest son, youngest son, daughter, and oldest grandson whose lives he had personally ended.

This already old Chief remained silent for a very long time before he suddenly sighed softly.

"It's been 2,583 years…"

After 2,583 years, the City of Silver had finally received a normal response.

…

In the library in the steeple.

Derrick was in the ancient myth section he often browsed when he saw a notebook he had never seen before.

This notebook's cover was made from a particular monster's hide. There were clear patterns on it, and the pages inside were old and yellowed. The records included the experiences of the original author when he encountered different monsters.

These monsters were mostly accessible among the City of Silver's textbooks. Even their special traits were the same. However, the thoughts and experiences from the numerous battles left Derrick reading in relish as he read seriously.

As he flipped through it, he suddenly noticed a monster named "Shapeshifter."

Such monsters didn't come equipped with the intelligence to communicate, but they were adept at setting up traps to deal with targets. Furthermore, they could disguise as others, using what seemed like fascinating methods to complete a hunt…

The notebook's owner had commented on them as being bizarre and dangerous.

This is very similar to Mr. World's guess of the Bizarro Bane's traits… Could Shapeshifter be the Bizarro Bane? Derrick felt delighted as he quickly read the rest of the entry. He discovered that this type of monster lived towards the north, in a faraway city's ruins. And the monsters in that area's darkness were powerful and terrifying. Even the six-member council wasn't able to deal with some of them; therefore, after two attempts, the City of Silver paused any exploration of the area. To date, exploration of the area hadn't been resumed. Due to such reasons, the City of Silver's textbooks didn't make mention of the unique monsters there.

After reading the record, Derrick subconsciously flipped the notebook to the last page, wishing to know who had experienced the two harrowing explorations.

As he flipped through it, he saw a name: "Colin Iliad."

…

Desi County, Eskelson Harbor.

Klein returned to the real world, rubbed his temples, and collapsed into bed.

To give the City of Silver's Chief a better impression of The Fool and generate more trust, he had proactively added some special effects when responding, expressing the might of the mysterious space above the gray fog during the secret deed ritual and sacrificial and bestowment ritual. This expended quite a sizable amount of his spirituality, exhausting him.

I'll find food for Creeping Hunger when I wake up. I'll let it have a good nap above the gray fog… Klein thought in his stupor and soon fell asleep. He was woken up by his rumbling tummy after sleeping from morning to the afternoon.