976 - 984

Chapter 976 Zealot

Dressed in pajamas, Klein didn't move. In his spiritual perception, the intruder's Spirit Body Threads appeared.

This also meant that if he so wished, he could turn everyone in 160 Böklund Street into his marionette without leaving the bed. Of course, to a demigod-a Bizarro Sorcerer—the neighbors a few buildings away were within range.

There are many Spirit Bodies around. One of them is helping him fly. He has landed on the opposite balcony… Is it a Beyonder from the Death pathway, or the Evernight pathway? To be able to do this, he must at least be a Sequence 6… He's here for Richardson? No, he's walking towards my bedroom. He has paused and has reached out his right hand to knock gently on my door… He's certain that I've detected him? Klein sat up with a slightly heavy expression.

He had made the initial judgment via the Spirit Body Threads, but subsequently, he did it via direct "sight"-a scene that formed in his mind.

After Klein reached Sequence 4, not only was his danger premonition as a Clown enhanced, the amount of power he could stir and use from the mysterious space above the gray fog had experienced a qualitative boost. With the two combined, it wasn't difficult for him to use his intuition to have a projection of the intruder's figure and actions, despite the distance.

In addition, due to his deepened control over the mysterious space, Klein could converge the augmentation effects the gray fog had on him in the real world. This prevented Beyonders of certain pathways from seeing anything. Based on his judgment, by being above the gray fog, augmenting himself with a Card of Blasphemy, and using the Sea God Scepter, the strength that The Fool could direct at the real world was asymptotically closer to that of an angel.

If that weren't the case, even if the gray fog and the Paper Figurine Substitutes could allow others to maintain their lucidity in dreamlike states, Klein wouldn't have dared to allow Miss Justice to face a Sequence 4 or even Sequence 3 of the Spectator pathway.

Amidst his thoughts, he left his bed, wore his slippers, and straightened his pajamas. He walked to the reclining chair and leisurely sat down.

"Please come in."

The door to the master bedroom opened silently, but no cold wind blew in. All it did was spiral in the corridor.

The visitor was a man about Dwayne Dantès's age, and of similar height. He had black hair and brown eyes. He had cut facial features, a classic example of a Loenese man.

He wore a silk top hat and had a rather thin face. His demeanor was cold but wasn't one that left others feeling uncomfortable. Instead, it was a manifestation of the night view at a suburban cemetery.

At this instant, Klein saw countless Spirit Bodies hugging a middle-aged gentleman. It made his surroundings dark and stacked, as though a world was hidden within.

Klein's spiritual intuition told him that this was a demigod.

Why would there be a demigod coming to me moments after I arrive back in Backlund… Apart from the Church of Evernight's Backlund archbishop, nothing has been exposed in regards to this identity as Dwayne Dantès… Having a headache, Klein looked at the door without an expression. It was unknown whether he was feeling angry or alarmed.

After taking two steps, the demigod's right hand suddenly hung down straight. Together with his waist, it bent like a bow pulled to its limit.

He had bowed deeply in a strange manner, his attitude extremely reverent. Meanwhile, a cold wind blew over, closing the door silently.

Klein was nearly taken aback, feeling at a loss. His mind whirred as he came to a rough guess.

At this moment, the demigod maintained his pose and said in a deep voice, "In response to a revelation, I, Patrick Bryan of the Numinous Episcopate, am here to meet Your Excellency."

Revelation… Klein controlled the twitching of his facial muscles. Together with his previous guess, he had a rough understanding of what was happening.

The Evernight Goddess had deepened "Her" control of Artificial Death-in other words, the Death pathway's Uniqueness! "She" was able to give revelations to the high-ranking members of the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction!

Klein sighed as he chuckled. He pressed his right hand to his chest, but he didn't make any additional movements.

"What is God's revelation?"

Bryan slowly stood straight and looked at the gentleman with the white sideburns sitting at the reclining chair. He replied with some level of fervor, "We succeeded. God has finally awakened. 'He' has requested me to listen to your commands from this day forth, and to follow your arrangements."

Klein had already expected this, but he felt his face burn, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

This is making me be a Blessed of Evernight while also part-timing as a Blessed of Artificial Death, so as to silently lead the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction… Is this a bestowment of fate, or a price that had been exacted? Since the Goddess didn't get the Church's archbishops or high-ranking deacons to handle this matter, it means that "She" wishes it to be kept confidential… Klein instantly stood up and tried to appear pious in tone and expression.

"As God's revelation commands.

"God's wish is my wish!"

After expressing his devotion, he looked at the demigod standing straight in front of him and pointed to the sofa opposite him.

"Please have a seat. Oh, do introduce yourself. That's the most basic form of politeness, isn't it?"

Moments ago, as the thoughts ran through his mind, Klein had vaguely grasped the reason why the Goddess had handed him leadership over the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction.

As Gehrman Sparrow, he had close connections with the Death Consul!

Therefore, if anyone were to really discover anything amiss and begin investigating the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction, they would realize that it had something to do with Gehrman Sparrow and be enlightened. They would believe that they had grasped the truth as to why Artificial Death was able to come to life and send a revelation.

Due to this guess, Klein deliberately made Dantès use Gehrman Sparrow's usual speech.

Patrick Bryan sat on the sofa and said after some thought, "I'm Loenese. I once did business in East Balam and nearly died because of a disease. I was rescued by members of the Numinous Episcopate, and during that ritual, I received God's grace and survived. Later, I secretly changed my faith.

"The faction I'm in is always being vilified by the other members of the Numinous Episcopate. They believe that we're engaging in sacrilege, that we're in a bid to create a new Death. But that's not the case. We firmly believe that God didn't perish at the end of the Fourth Epoch. 'He' is merely asleep and requires certain things to be done in order to awaken. The facts have proven that we were right. You are witness to this."

The ancient chronicles I received didn't say so. Those high-ranking members of the Numinous Episcopate are fully aware that they are emulating the matter of the Hidden Sage to create Artificial Death… Could it be that this gentleman in front of me isn't a core member of the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction? And he also lacks sufficient knowledge regarding the Uniqueness? But how can a demigod not be a core member? Even if the Numinous Episcopate is a remnant of the Balam royal family and Death's Church, with copious amounts of knowledge and powerhouses, there's no way they will let a demigod go to waste… Even the seven orthodox Churches wouldn't do such a thing… Klein was extremely puzzled hearing this as he asked, "What about the other high-ranking members of your faction?" Patrick Bryan said with a reverent look, "When I joined the Numinous Episcopate, God had already awakened a little. This is all the work of the saints of the past. They had sacrificed themselves over the numerous rituals.

"Currently, we have a total of three saints and an angel. They are in East Balam while I'm in charge of Backlund matters."

That's not right. Based on the information provided by Leonard, the Numinous Episcopate have their members split into many small teams in Backlund. They aren't aware of each other, and they only make contact with a specific person in the Southern Continent. There's no overall person-in-charge… Klein's first reaction was that Patrick Bryan was lying, but he immediately dismissed it. This was because it was something easily verifiable for a Blessed who had been the focus of a revelation.

He thought for a moment before he asked, "What's that angel's name? Where is 'He'? Are there any other revelations?"

Patrick Bryan answered frankly, "God made me not inform others, nor make inquiries to others about matters.

"Our leader's name is Haiter, both a last name and first name. 'He' was once the archbishop of the Church, and later he became an angel thanks to God's grace. 'He' has always been working hard to awaken the sleeping God, but he was severely corrupted in one of the rituals. Currently, 'He' is unable to leave his mausoleum; otherwise, he would directly lose control. 'He' is considered my teacher."

This demigod that has existed since the Balam Empire is clearly key in steering the Artificial Death project… Klein asked in thought, "He' and the other two demigods are Balamese pure-bloods?"

"Yes." Patrick Bryan nodded.

I roughly get what's happening… Klein couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He believed that Patrick Bryan wasn't an ordinary demigod, but a byproduct of the Artificial Death

project!

Back then, Haiter and the other members of the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction had no intention of saving a Loenese. Instead, they had planned on using him for a ritual's sacrificial item or material. In the end, something unexpected happened during their attempt which they originally hadn't had high hopes of. Death's Uniqueness gained some level of instinct or produced other changes. This led to Patrick Bryan's survival and his establishment of a certain connection with Artificial Death. His spirit and body became special.

Upon witnessing this, Haiter and the other high-ranking members began viewing Patrick Bryan as key to the success of the Artificial Death project. They gave him potions and taught him, proselytizing him with the faith of Death; thus, fabricating a perfect excuse for themselves. And due to Bryan's specialness, he had advanced rapidly and became a demigod.

Of course, no matter how key he was, he was merely an experimental subject. Patrick Bryan had never been treated as one of the members of the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction. Later, he was sent to the Loen Kingdom's Backlund to lead two or three teams. He did various kinds of rituals in a bid to bring the Uniqueness alive.

Such a guess was in line with the situation which Klein was currently aware of. First, Leonard had mentioned that the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction had placed their experiments in Backlund, planning to destroy the enemy's capital even if an accident happened. Second, many teams were independently connected to the Southern Continent and Backlund and had no overall person-in-charge. Third, Patrick Bryan's knowledge of Artificial Death was very different from reality.

This also meant that the people in the Southern Continent didn't care for Bryan's life and death, nor did they tell him the truth. Under such circumstances, there was no other explanation unless he was a byproduct of the Artificial Death project.

Hmm, from the looks of it, the Goddess's control of the Uniqueness is still limited. "She" can only send revelations to one person who is directly connected to Artificial Death. "She" is unable to influence Haiter and the other saints… Klein reined in his thoughts and asked, "What's your current Sequence?"

Patrick Bryan didn't hide the truth.

"I'm an Undying."

Chapter 977 First Sermon

Klein wasn't surprised at Patrick Bryan's answer. He nodded gently and said, "Which incarnation number are you at?"

Based on what he knew, Undying died once every sixty years before reviving. They would then lose most of their memories, which needed to be slowly recollected. It was like the beginning of a new life.

This was knowledge that came from the potion, so Patrick Bryan easily understood what the Blessed meant. He deliberated over his words and said, "I'm not 50 yet. I haven't been an Undying for more than 10 years."

Klein then asked, "When did you switch faiths to our Lord?"

Here, "Lord" referred to the Lord of the Underworld.

Bryan recalled for two to three seconds before he said, "I had just celebrated my 30th birthday back then."

Stepping into the world of mystery at 30 and becoming a Beyonder. Becoming a Sequence 4 demigod before 40… This speed either means shocking talent or that he's a Blessed… Heh, indeed, his spirit and body had been influenced by the Death pathway's Uniqueness during that ritual… As Klein listened, he became more certain of his theories from before.

Of course, compared to how he had only taken a year to go from an ordinary person to a Sequence 4 demigod, Patrick Bryan's advancement speed was nothing

On this point, Klein didn't feel that there was anything to be poignant about, because he was truly a "Blessed." Furthermore, he had cheats-far greater than one.

The only problem was that he wasn't sure if everything that he had done was enough to exchange for something

After some thought, Klein asked, "What's your current public identity?"

"I'm a businessman. I have two garment factories in Backlund. On the surface, I believe in the Evernight Goddess and am a supporter of the New Party…" Patrick Bryan introduced himself.

Klein nearly let out a scoff as he continued, "How many Numinous Episcopate members do you have under you? What are they doing?"

Already prepared, Bryan answered eloquently, "Two teams, a total of twelve Beyonders. Some of them are working at my garment factory while others are in the watch and clock industry. All of them have their own formal occupations.

"Typically, they will be careful when proselytizing to the people around them. The progress on this is very slow, nor is it the main goal. We do not have more than a hundred believers.

"Most of the time, they are searching for clues that God had left behind, as well as the different materials needed for the awakening ritual.

"With clues in hand, we will carry out operations. And once the materials are gathered, we will experiment in different awakening rituals and seek out the most effective one. I'm the main person behind this operation, and am also core to the rituals."

You sound pretty proud of that… Klein asked about other matters and received detailed answers.

Finally, he thought for a moment before saying with a stern expression, "In accordance with the revelation from God, you are to heed my instructions from this moment forth."

Patrick Bryan immediately got up and gave a solemn bow.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Klein nodded slightly and answered, "First, stop all rituals and stop gathering materials. God has already partially awakened. 'He' is in 'His' recovery stage, so 'He' isn't to be disturbed by 'noise.""

From Klein's point of view, regardless of the changes in Bryan's awakening rituals, they were ultimately pointed at Artificial Death-the Death pathway's Uniqueness. This would only increase its chances of coming to life, making it disadvantageous for the Goddess to deepen her control over it.

And regardless if Klein was happy for this to happen or not, since the Evernight Goddess had assigned Bryan to him, he had to make such arrangements.

Patrick Bryan had zero doubts toward his explanation, because Death had indeed awoken, and "awakening rituals" were, in essence, a form of "disturbance."

This Undying thought before asking, "Your Excellency, what should we do next?"

Klein smiled with approbation.

"Continue seeking out clues for things that God left behind. This will aid in 'His' recovery."

Upon saying that, Klein originally had a second request, but he was worried that there were too few clues to it, making it possible for the Numinous Episcopate members to stir up trouble with nothing to be done. He added, "In addition, promote reading to all those around you and your subordinates, be it at the garment factory or elsewhere. Establish night schools or learning classes. Let the people around you extricate themselves from ignorance and savagery."

To make it more convincing, Klein stretched out his right hand and pressed it to his chest. With abnormal piousness, he began preaching, "God said one needs to understand the belief to believe.

"God said that to those who are lost, one has to first strengthen their body and arm his brain. This is because the kingdom 'He' promises is one without ignorance and savagery."

Patrick Bryan didn't doubt Dwayne Dantès's words, nor did he find it strange that such records weren't found in the Numinous Episcopate's bible. This was because this person before him was God's Blessed, a representative appointed by God!

He earnestly nodded.

"I will heed God's teachings.

"May every spirit gain eternal life in God's kingdom!"

As he said that, he used the praying gesture that the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction used. It was to raise both hands high, thumbs facing each other as he held them at his forehead.

In mysticism theory, this was the core to the Underworld contained in every Gatekeeper. It represented Death's position.

Klein returned with the same gesture and words before saying, "Second, orders from the Southern Continent-no matter who it comes from—has to be handed to me first. They can be done only after I give permission. If no permission is given, you are not to do it in private. You can only give feedback based on what I say."

This was because he was worried that Haiter, the angel of the Death domain, would still remain fervent about the Artificial Death plan, occasionally instructing Bryan and the others to make new attempts.

Meanwhile, he also had to ensure that Haiter and the other two saints wouldn't notice anything amiss before the Goddess gained a deeper control over the Death pathway's Uniqueness. He needed to prevent them from doing anything excessive.

Bryan had no objections on this matter.

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

After giving instructions on the two most important matters, Klein wore the same expression, but he inwardly felt relieved. He said after some deliberation, "Third, unless convened by me, do not seek me out. Our usual communications shall be completed via messengers.

"As you know, there are many existences in the astral world who do not wish to see God return."

Patrick Bryan nodded heavily.

"I understand.

"My messenger's summoning incantation is 'Spirit wandering above the world, absolutely friendly creature, Patrick Bryan's Contract Companion." Indeed, it's impossible for a demigod of the Death pathway to not have a messenger… Normally, Sequence 6 Beyonders of this pathway should have one… Klein didn't hesitate as he answered in an unhurried tone, "Remember, my messenger's summoning incantation is 'The spirit that wanders about the unfounded, the friendly creature that can be subordinated, the messenger that belongs to Gehrman Sparrow.' Oh, be it receiving or sending mail, a gold coin needs to be paid to complete the transaction."

Klein deliberately revealed that Gehrman Sparrow and Dwayne Dantès were related, in order to determine Bryan's reaction.

"Gehrman Sparrow…" Patrick Bryan repeated the name in puzzlement before coming to an enlightened state. He exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Your Excellency, Death Consul?"

Thankfully, although he's a byproduct of a ritual and is fervently zealous, he has normal intelligence. He can consciously seek out information and do an analysis… Klein exhaled in relief and replied with a smile, "I'm not him. 'He' is my teacher."

Bryan nodded in thought, believing that he had fully understood the entire matter.

Klein guessed at his thoughts but ignored it. Crossing his right leg, he placed both hands on his knee and asked, "What do you know about the other factions of the Numinous Episcopate?"

Patrick Bryan sat down again and said, "The Numinous Episcopate's strongest faction is the royal family faction. With God's descendants as the core, they have established many organizations…

"Their leader is currently a descendant with a relatively thin bloodline. Her name is Sia Palenque Eggers. She might be an angel or wields an important relic of God. She calls herself Pale-White Empress…

"Other than her, the royal family faction had five other saint apostles. Some of them are true demigods, while others rely on Sealed Artifacts…

"Other than the royal family faction and us, the other factions are relatively weaker. The main ones are the Repose faction and the Underworld faction… Only by working together do they have three powerful Beyonders who are equivalent to the saint apostles…"

After Bryan finished, Klein nodded indiscernibly.

"That's it for today. If there's anything in the future, feel free to contact me."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Patrick Bryan stood up and bowed before leaving the room. The door silently opened as the "figure" outside slinked into the shadows and disappeared with the cold wind.

After everything calmed down, Klein glanced at the door that had closed. He walked to the window, drew the curtains, and looked towards the street.

There were a few carriages there at some point in time. Each of them had two lanterns hanging in front of them. Their lights were abnormally pale-white with a tinge of dark green. They illuminated the surroundings into a blur.

Nearly transparent figures surrounded this blurry scene. They were wearing illusory clothes that appeared like formal wear, making them appear rather formal.

After Patrick Bryan landed from midair and returned, the figures bowed and attentively followed the demigod and the spirit beside him onto the hardly-visible carriages. Then, they steered into the distance.

The pale-white light with tinges of dark green grew faint and finally vanished into the darkness as though it had never arrived.

Klein looked away and muttered to himself with a solemn expression, Although the revelation received by Patrick Bryan stems from the Goddess and "Her" considerations, I have a nagging feeling that there's something dark and sinister about to break out in Backlund or even the entire world.

I wonder when it will stir up some waves…

With this in mind, Klein didn't delay a second. He immediately contacted Demoness Trissy to confirm that nothing abnormal had happened to her.

Chapter 978 Gift

On a night with clear moonlight, in the garden of 160 Böklund Street.

A gray rat crawled out of its hole, running straight for the master bedroom's bed.

As a tiny, black, glue-like blob object floated down, the rat held it over its head like an acrobatic act.

It quickly turned around, ran out of 160 Böklund Street, and headed for the sewer entrance.

At this moment, the gray rat raised its torso up and reached out with two of its paws.

They magically extended as blobs of flesh appeared on its forelimbs!

Then, using its mutated front paws, it moved the manhole cover away without causing a sound!

Without stopping at all, the gray rat headed straight down the sewers, going all the way to the spot where Demoness Trissy previously hid.

It kept digging in a corner until it excavated a mirror fragment from the soil.

Having done that, the gray rat threw the black, sticky object over its head to the side where it was relatively clean. It then retreated to a corner, allowing its body to stretch and turn into a middle-aged man wearing a dark red coat and a triangular hat. He was none other than Admiral of Blood, who had previously been active at sea.

However, this Senor, along with his clothes and body, was just a thin layer, akin to a figurine cut from paper.

"This rat is quite fat…" Admiral of Blood stroked his chin, but his paper figurine-like body nearly flew up as a result of the cold draft in the sewers.

The person who spoke was none other than Klein. He was inside his master bedroom, turning a rat into his marionette by controlling its Spirit Body Threads. He then made it carry the ritual materials and head down the sewers to contact Demoness Trissy.

Senor, whose arms were flailing about due to the draft, bent down and picked up the sticky blob. This was the remains of Trissy's lock of hair after she burned it with black flames. It could be used for a communication ritual.

Right on the heels of that, he wiped the mirror fragment clean and smeared the material onto it.

After this step, Klein made his marionette take two steps back from the "mirror." With a smacking sound, Senor was plastered to the mossy wall like an oil painting

East Borough. In a room with thick curtains that left it almost dark.

Raven-black, slimy "tentacles" coiled together, forming a huge sphere.

And at the end of these "tentacles," there were either eyes with clear blacks and whites embedded in them, or there were venomous snake heads attached there. The latter opened their mouths slightly as they shot out their tongues in a rather strange fashion. It was quite a harrowing scene.

Suddenly, they flailed up or retracted as the sphere crumbled, layer after layer.

Enveloped in the middle of a sphere was a curled up girl. She had abnormally sweet looks, but her brows were tightly furrowed. Her expression looked slightly warped due to the pain, a look that stirred up one's sense of pity.

The slimy and disgusting "tentacles" retracted and shrank, finally turning back into their original form -strands of raven-black hair!

The expression of the girl with soft, long hair soothed as she slowly got up and walked to the side of a tiny bed she had partitioned out. Picking up the sleeping gown that had fallen to the ground, she draped it over her.

Then, she curled her black hair and came in front of the full-body mirror. Reaching out her right hand, she swiped across it.

A black flame burst forth as it burned quietly in the air before being extinguished. It left behind a mirror that had turned dark and profound.

In the mirror, lights drifted and rapidly presented the sewers filled with dirty slush. Thinly plastered to the wall was a middle-aged man with an old triangular hat and dark red coat. He was looking down on the girl across an unknown distance, like a famous painting

The girl with the round face and thin eyes watched in silence before laughing.

As her smile bloomed, the dark room seemed to instantly brighten.

She then lightly opened her mouth and said in jest, "Mr. Gehrman Sparrow, is this your craziness and cruelty as the strongest adventurer?

"Or is it the case where I'm only acquainted with a clown?"

Klein wasn't surprised that Trissy had recognized him as Gehrman Sparrow. After all, he had previously met her in the image of Admiral of Blood Senor, and this pirate admiral had long been hunted by Gehrman Sparrow.

Back then, Trissy was hiding in the sewers due to an injury and was focused on revenge, preventing her from being kept abreast of the news at sea. It was rather unsurprising for her to be unaware of Admiral of Blood's demise, but things were different after she finished recuperating and left the area. She would've been a terrible Assassin and Instigator if she hadn't investigated her partner. Clearly, Trissy's past actions indicated that, despite being evil, it didn't discount her intelligence.

Klein didn't argue as he controlled the paper figurine-like Senor to smile and simply reply, "Why can't clowns be crazy and cruel?"

Without waiting for Trissy's answer, he said, "Any progress on your investigations into the captain of the royal guards?"

Trissy's expression turned slightly gloomy as she said, "It will need another month at the very least for any results. It might even take two."

"If you need help, you can seek me out," Klein emphasized again.

Trissy scoffed and said, "In Backlund, in this game, strength isn't able to resolve every problem.

"Of course, I've never wasted the opportunity to use others.

"Mr. Gehrman Sparrow, since there's no need to hide your identity, can you give me a more convenient method of contact?"

Why do I feel like I'm being asked to give my cellphone number… Klein thought about it for a moment before informing her of the incantation to summoning Miss Messenger, as well as the important ritual ingredient of one gold coin.

Trissy didn't speak further. Reaching out her right hand, she tapped on the mirror's surface.

The black flames burst before disappearing, restoring the full-body mirror to normal.

In the sewers, Senor buried the mirror fragment back into the soil and made his body shrink rapidly, turning back into a gray rat. It then ran deep into the sewers, allowing itself to be fed by carnivores.

Back in 160 Böklund Street, Klein drew his curtains and returned to the reclining chair.

To be frank, he regretted cooperating with Trissy.

He felt that she was burdened by some will of the Primordial Demoness and was reckless for revenge. She was like a ticking bomb that might explode at any moment.

If Trissy were to mutate, it's highly possible that she would create a terrifying disaster… I shouldn't have spared her back then… Klein sighed and began setting up a ritual. He sent the black blob above the gray fog and attempted to divination Trissy's present location and recent condition.

Twenty to thirty seconds later, he was met with failure.

This only worried him more because such an outcome implied that Trissy had become a Blessed of the Primordial Demoness to a certain extent.

The next afternoon, Klein, who had had breakfast, began instructing Butler Walter and the newly-appointed butler assistant, Richardson, to deliver the gifts he had brought from the Southern Continent.

This filled an entire luggage bag, of which included Fermo coffee beans, East Balam tobacco, River Valley's grape wine, and human-bone sculptures.

They were to be gifted to the different neighbors around the neighborhood as a sign of goodwill from Dwayne Dantès. It was also to announce his return to the social scene.

"Oh yes, remember to mention to Member of Parliament Macht or his wife that this bottle of River Valley grape wine is suitable for making cocktails. It's best matched with lemon juice," Klein exhorted Walter.

Particular care was needed in gifting others—it had to take into account the receiver's preferences, and obviously, the most popular product of the Southern Continent at present, Donningsman Hair Tonic, wasn't suitable as a gift, as it would only appear to be a veiled attempt at ridicule.

Walter solemnly nodded and said, "Yes, Sir."

After receiving no more instructions from his employer, Richardson glanced at the remaining pile of gifts and asked, "Where will they be sent to?"

"This is for the staff of the bursary foundation. I'll deliver it myself," Klein said with a smile.

He then pointed at the golden amulet in his hand and said, "I missed the birth of Dr. Aaron's child, so I'll need to express my apologies in person. Heh heh, I'll head over in the afternoon and plan on gifting this amulet with Southern Continent characteristics to that child."

Of course, as a baby, Will Auceptin Ceres probably won't like it… Compared to this, "He"—I'll just call him he-would rather have ice-cream… Klein grumbled inwardly after answering Richardson. After the butler and Richardson left, bringing gifts and male servants to the different neighbors, Klein got into his carriage and headed straight for the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation at 22 Phelps Street.

After alighting, he headed forward with his valet, Enuni, carrying plenty of gifts behind him. Along the way, he greeted and gifted any members of the staff he saw.

Soon, Klein arrived at the second story and arrived at one of the director's office. He knocked gently on the door.

"Please come in." Audrey Hall's gentle voice sounded.

As a rather senior Spectator, she had already noticed that Mr. Dwayne Dantès had come to the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation. She had been patiently waiting for him.

Klein pushed the door and entered, taking out a small gift box from his inner pocket before saying with a warm smile, "I've returned from the Southern Continent. Well, my business went very smoothly. I brought some gifts for everyone, hoping to share my happiness with everyone."

He had specially mentioned this to indicate to Miss Justice that he remembered her request.

"You leave me no reason to decline it," Audrey said with an expectant smile.

This didn't mean that she cared for the gift Mr. World gave, but more a result of being curious as to what Mr. World would give.

After receiving the gift box, she tore open the wrapping in front of Dwayne Dantès and discovered an accessory with a white feather adorned with pale yellow patterns as its highlight.

"This is a decorative ribbon," Klein explained. "People of certain social standing in East Balam will enjoy wearing items with such white feathers on various parts of their body. Out of all the places, it's considered most noble and meaningful to attach it to a hat. This is said to be a tradition from the worship of feathered serpents. Heh heh, feathered serpents are symbols for Death over there."

And the feather he got a Southern Continent craftsman to craft into the hat was a byproduct of the Artificial Death project. It could be sacrificed.

Klein had once obtained three of them. He had used one in Bayam by using the copper whistle messenger and summoning the mutated monster which was corrupted by Artificial Death. The other was sacrificed to Artificial Death in the Southern Continent, allowing him to receive the revelation of Ince Zangwill being possessed by an evil spirit. This was the last feather.

As the present Artificial Death was equivalent to the Evernight Goddess to a certain extent, Klein, who was clearly a Blessed, didn't need to carry out such acts in subsequent rituals. He could use other materials to replace the feather, so he decided to turn the remaining one into a gift for Miss Justice. After all, she was also a believer of Evernight, and she might be able to contact Artificial Death at some critical moment.

Audrey held her present with a smile as she silently listened to Dwayne Dantès's description. For some baffling reason, an idea flashed in her mind: Don't tell me Mr. World really plucked a feathered serpent's feather for this hat…

Chapter 979 Joy of Life

"The traditions in the Southern Continent are really different from ours." Audrey looked down at the feathered cap in the gift box as she marveled, "But it's in line with my taste."

The latter half of her sentence was partially genuine and partially out of politeness. On the one hand, she found the processed feather akin to a piece of artwork, and on the other hand, she found its style too obvious and extreme. It wasn't something she would use as an accessory.

This was akin to how others would have their interest piqued by items with unique and mysterious patterns when visiting ancient ruins. They would be filled with praise over it, but they would seldom purchase similar items to place it at home or use it as an accessory.

Klein smiled in response.

"There are also many stark differences amongst the Southern Continent traditions. It's almost completely different in East Balam from the highlands and river valley. Of course, they also have their similarities such as their adoration of gold. They believe that this metal possesses magical powers."

As he said that, he pointed at the feather in Audrey's hand.

"Legend has it that people who wear such accessories would receive the blessings of the feathered serpent, or in other words, Death."

He was hinting to Audrey about how she could use the feather.

As a Sequence 6 of the Spectator pathway, Audrey easily read in between the lines. She understood that the hat accessory allowed her to receive a response from the so-called "Death" at critical moments, bringing about certain effects.

As for how she should use it, it was basic knowledge in mysticism. Audrey had a solid foundation and didn't require Mr. Dwayne Dantès to explain in detail.

She faintly smiled without revealing her teeth and said, "I really like it. I will attach it to my hat in appropriate situations."

Not bad. It's so easy talking to Spectators… Klein returned with a smile and pointed at the door.

"I still have presents to hand out."

"You will be the most welcomed person here today," Audrey replied with a smile, a euphemistic way of expressing her gratitude.

Meanwhile, she was a little vexed. She was hesitant about finding an opportunity to inform Mr. World, who had been embroiled in Cuarón's suicide, about Hvin Rambis. He had shown some deep interest and importance on the matter.

Oh, it's almost Monday. I'll leave it until the Tarot Gathering. It will be much easier to communicate when the time comes… I can also seek advice from Mr. Hanged Man and Ma'am Hermit on how to deal with my current situation, especially the problem of being wary against the cues and hypnotism from a High-Sequence Beyonder. After all, I can't always pray to Mr. Fool ahead of time to receive an angel's blessing… On careful thought, such a form of hypnotism is truly terrifying… Carrying out instructions without realizing it… Audrey's mind was awash with thoughts as they bubbled.

This made her suspect that many people in Backlund's high society had been hypnotized, acting in ways that violated their true intentions and will.

In addition, she also came to realize something.

Every time her parents attended Mass at Saint Samuel Cathedral, the one in charge of the rites was definitely Backlund's archbishop. And to hold such a post, he was definitely a demigod of the Church of Evernight!

At times, His Grace will even visit in person to chat with us… This is to prevent such matters from happening? That's why Hvin Rambis's hypnosis effect on me didn't go overboard? Audrey watched as Dwayne Dantès left her office. After closing the door and sitting down at her desk, she picked up a fountain pen and mindlessly scribbled on it.

After she reined in her thoughts, the piece of white paper was filled with interlocking circles. There was a face with cold eyes and scattered lines.

At a glance, Audrey tensed up. She immediately used her spirituality and the friction between items to ignite the paper, turning it to ashes. Her random drawing had, in a sense, reflected her true emotions and thoughts!

And to a good Psychiatrist, interpreting such pictures was a basic skill. Therefore, Audrey hadn't left any traces behind.

After a while, Klein delivered all his gifts and chatted with a few directors along the way. Finally, he entered a room meant for part-time directors like him to rest. He found a pen and paper, sat on the sofa, and began writing after some thought:

"Dear Mr. Azik,"

While in the Southern Continent, Klein had written about Adam's obtaining of 0-08, his successful revenge on Ince Zangwill with the help of Leonard and Daly. He then summoned the messenger via the copper whistle and sent it to the sleeping Mr. Azik. Without a doubt, he had yet to receive a reply to date.

Klein wasn't worried about mentioning Adam and 0-08 in the letter, because the Angel of Imagination definitely knew about his relationship with Mr. Azik. And sharing matters he encountered with someone familiar wouldn't garner any excessive reaction.

This time, Klein's letter didn't involve anything extraordinary. With a smile and gentle scribble, he shared the details about the bursary foundation which he learned from Audrey and the other directors. At the end of the letter, he wrote:

"… This is a really meaningful matter. I feel satisfied and happy about it. Mr. Azik, would you feel the same?

"When you awaken, perhaps you can attempt to do something similar. Every time you revive, you would be able to see the children who had received your help in the past. When that happens, although they might not remember them, they will definitely remember you…"

After finishing the letter and putting down the fountain pen, Klein carefully read it once, and after confirming that there weren't any problems, he blew the copper whistle, summoned the skeleton messenger, and allowed it to take the letter away.

Following that, he left the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation with his valet, Enuni. He came to the nearby Saint Samuel Cathedral and silently prayed for fifteen minutes in the serene and dark prayer hall.

Like before, Klein came to the donation box and threw a stack of cash in-a total of 80 pounds.

Taking this opportunity, he found Bishop Elektra and had a chat with him and listened to his sermon.

This also announced to the Church of Dwayne Dantès's return.

As for presents, Klein didn't directly give it since he was inside the Goddess's cathedral. Instead, Butler Walter would naturally deliver his gifts to the bishops' residences in private.

…

At tea time in the afternoon, Klein followed his schedule and left 160 Böklund Street and headed to Dr. Aaron's for a visit-Richardson had already informed them in the morning and had received permission to visit.

This time, Klein not only met Dr. Aaron Ceres, but he also met his wife, Wilma Gladys, as well as the newborn and his elder brothers and sisters who were a few years older.

"What a pity that I wasn't able to participate in, uh…" Klein deliberated paused and successfully waited for Wilma Gladys to reply "Will" with a smile.

He reorganized his words and said, "Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in Will's birthday party because of my trip to East Balam.

"This is an amulet that's rather popular over there. It brings children good luck."

As he said that, he handed the golden accessory to Dr. Aaron.

Aaron Ceres wasn't a man who was good with words. He accepted it without declining it and nodded.

"Thank you."

Following that, he held the string and hung the golden amulet into the pram beside him. Shaking it, he asked, "Will, do you like it?"

Wrapped in silver silk, the chubby baby raised his arm, swung it, and flicked the golden amulet away.

Flicked away…

The mood instantly turned a little awkward in the activity room. Klein chuckled and broke the silence.

"This is a reaction all kids have."

At this moment, a maid had delivered the three-layered tray for high tea, allowing the hosts and the guest to switch topics of conversation, allowing the mood to return to normal.

As Klein drank his black tea and ate the pastry, he began talking about all kinds of interesting customs in East and West Balam. It left the couple and their two other children intrigued as they would question him from time to time.

During this process, Klein suddenly turned to face the pram and asked with a smile, "You don't seem to enjoy my present?"

As he spoke, nothing abnormal happened to the couple and the rest of the people in the activity room as they continued wearing attentive looks.

In the illusion Klein created, he hadn't finished his recount!

Will Auceptin, who had fleshy arms, scoffed as he said with a child-like voice, "What's the point in having such gifts?

"You might as well give me Gwadar. At the very least, that can be drunk!"

Klein smiled as he shook his head and said, "I have some news for you. Ouroboros was injured by a particular person and will likely not be able to continue seeking you out for the time being."

He didn't dare mention Adam's name or title. He didn't even think about it, afraid that the leader of the Twilight Hermit Order would notice it; thus, discovering Snake of Fate Will Auceptin's location.

As for a description like Amon's brother, Klein had temporarily avoided using it. He had no idea if Amon was still in Backlund and if the frequent mention of the Angel of Time's name would result in a crossing of fate.

However, Klein believed that the Snake of Fate was likely to guess who had injured the Angel of Fate. This was because the only ones who remained active in the real world and were of a higher level than Ouroboros were limited to Amon and Adam.

He had used the words "particular person" to eliminate the possibility of the assumption of the besieging of several angels or the use of Grade o Sealed Artifacts.

Will Auceptin fell silent for a moment and said, "I did tell you that the deviation in your fate is a good thing in the long term."

After exchanging information, Klein was about to dispel the illusion when he suddenly heard Will Auceptin quip, "Oh, I suddenly have a craving for Gwadar, especially if it's iced."

"Such beverages aren't good for a baby!" Klein wore a serious look as he dispelled the illusion, reaching out his hand to receive the cup of ice-cream a maid had delivered.

Then, under Aaron's and Wilma's watch, he scooped some ice-cream with the silver spoon and teased the baby with a smile, "Will, do you want some?

"Do you want some?"

Ma'am Wilma immediately chuckled.

"Our Will doesn't enjoy that."

Just as she said that, Klein stuffed the spoon of ice-cream into his mouth.

"Waaa!"

The baby in the pram immediately let out a loud cry.

Chapter 980 Choice of Parasitic Target

After some placating, Aaron Ceres and Wilma Gladys finally managed to calm down the baby.

Phew… The thin and tall Aaron heaved a sigh of relief and got up. Nudging his gold-rimmed glasses, he nodded at his guest with an apologetic look. After organizing his words for a few seconds, he said, "Sorry about that. Children are often like this."

"Indeed." Klein smiled in reply, indicating that he didn't mind it one bit.

Following that, he changed the topic of conversation and continued sharing his experiences in East and West Balam.

During this process, he made use of his Beyonder powers once more, making everyone in the activity room fall under the effects of an illusion. Then, he picked up the ice-cream which he hadn't finished, changed the spoon and got up with a smile. Walking to the pram, he asked gently, "Will, do you want some?"

Without waiting for the chubby fellow wrapped in silver silk to reply, he said with a gentle tone, "You're born now and should be able to fold a paper crane. This way, I don't have to visit often. You should know how suspicious it is."

Will Auceptin Ceres glared at him without giving him a reply.

Klein didn't flinch as he took out a piece of high-quality paper and placed it in the pram.

Then, he bent down, scooping out some ice-cream.

"A price is always exacted for what fate bestows, isn't it?" Klein chuckled as he swished the spoon in his hand.

In the pram, Will raised his left hand, wiping the tears that hadn't dried from his face, and mumbled, "For Beyonders of the Fate pathway, the exacted price needs to be paid first before awaiting bestowment."

With that said, the chubby baby grabbed the piece of paper and folded a paper crane with great difficulty.

Klein stood in front of the pram and maintained the stability of the spoon, watching this scene with a smile.

A carriage set off from Pinster Street and headed for Saint Samuel Cathedral.

While passing by 160 Böklund Street, Leonard Mitchell looked out the window and seemingly muttered to himself, "Dwayne Dantès is back as well."

The slightly-aged voice rang out in his mind:

"Fate will ultimately intertwine."

"Old Man, you're becoming more of a charlatan after you woke up." Leonard couldn't help but mock.

Pallez Zoroast chuckled without a reply.

After coming to Saint Samuel Cathedral, Leonard entered the study of Backlund's archbishop, Saint Anthony, under a priest's lead.

Anthony Stevenson was wearing a black robe with red hues. His eyes were deep and his face clean-shaven. Standing by a cupboard, the shadow created seemed like an unknown existence that observed everything from the darkness. It stirred fear into anyone.

"Your Grace, you summoned me?" Although Leonard had already anticipated it, he still bowed in a rather lacking manner.

Anthony nodded gently and said, "You have already rendered enough services to apply to become a Sequence 5 Spirit Warlock. However, you haven't finished digesting the Soul Assurer potion; therefore, I'll be extracting you out of Soest's team and assigning you some separate missions."

Leonard replied, as per protocol, "I am at your command."

Anthony picked up a stack of papers on his desk and said, "These are cases with suspected paranormal activity. You are to investigate each case, mainly placating or purifying them. If you require additional assistance, you can select members from the Nighthawks team of each area of jurisdiction."

"Yes, Your Grace." Leonard would've done similar tasks even if Saint Anthony hadn't instructed him to do so. Therefore, he had zero objections toward such an assignment.

After receiving the stack of papers, he casually flipped through it and said, "Your Grace, what's Captain Soest's team busy with at present?" He had been focused on revenge over the past half-year, making himself appear desultory and insular. This prevented him from building strong friendships with the Red Gloves teammates, but despite that, they were teammates who he had fought alongside with. He couldn't help but be concerned for them.

"They have been assigned to help Crestet finish a mission," Anthony Stevenson didn't answer in detail.

His Excellency Cesimir is also in Backlund… Leonard didn't ask further as he gestured four points across his chest in a clockwise fashion.

"May the Goddess bless everyone."

"Praise the Lady." Anthony did the same gesture.

After leaving the archbishop's study, Leonard headed down to the basement. He wanted to find a quiet room and list down his upcoming mission and run through them in the assigned order.

Midway while walking down the stairs, he subconsciously looked at the stained windows above him.

The sunlight was shining in, making the artwork made from the stained windows look even more solemn. It also accentuated the tiny bugs and dust that floated in midair.

Upon seeing this scene, Leonard suddenly recalled Old Man's description of Amon. He had the inexplicable feeling that the Blasphemer was everywhere.

He trembled inwardly as a thought came to him. He quickly asked with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, I have a question.

"What is it?" Pallez Zoroast asked slowly.

Leonard asked with a suppressed voice, "Back then, why didn't you parasitize a bug? They're smaller and more concealed. You can easily hide in cathedrals without being worried that Amon would discover you."

"How long can a bug live? Continuously switching parasitic targets is extremely burdensome on the body. This way, not only will recovery not be possible by parasitizing it, but it will even worsen one's condition and shorten one's lifespan," Pallez Zoroast harrumphed and said.

Leonard was somewhat enlightened as he pressed, "What about other creatures? Those that live relatively longer lives and can enter a cathedral without being noticed."

Pallez Zoroast immediately chortled before saying, "From the looks of it, you haven't kept what I've said to heart. This will only serve to make you suffer in the future!

"The higher the Sequence is, the greater the inclinations towards losing control is, and the more madness accumulates. This is a trait of the characteristics, and it can only be resisted and suppressed. There's no way to eliminate it.

"Therefore, for a Parasite, choosing a target for parasitizing requires one to consider these aspects. If one were to parasitize ordinary animals, it's still alright for short periods of time, but once it goes on for too long, one will suffer the effects of the body's construct and hormones. Heh heh, everything is reciprocal, isn't it? A Parasite can influence the target, but so can the target influence a Parasite.

"When one parasitizes an ordinary animal, it's necessary to frequently talk to someone to avoid forgetting one's former identity. This way, the chances of exposure is extremely high, and if one doesn't do that, the host will definitely influence the Parasite, causing them to lose the ability to speak. It will muddle one's own existence until one doesn't know he is. It would then result in madness and with the loss of control crushing the Parasite."

Leonard was left alarmed as he nodded slightly.

"I understand… It's no wonder you are so strict on choosing a parasitic target."

"Are you trying to praise yourself?" Pallez Zoroast tsked. "To us, the best parasitic target is undoubtedly Beyonders of the same pathway. All aspects will be synchronized, and by nurturing them one Sequence at a time, they can be made as replenishments for one's Beyonder powers. It would be the best medicine and a potential option for taking over the body."

Upon hearing Old Man speak of such vile and terrifying matters so calmly, Leonard frowned slightly as he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. This meant that Old Man wouldn't do the same to him.

Pallez Zoroast continued, "The second best choice would be Beyonders from the Seer or Apprentice pathways. The absorption of their powers wouldn't incur too much a burden on the Parasite, allowing them to quickly recover. "The next choice would then be smart Beyonders of other pathways. At the very least, communication would be good and cooperation would be possible.

"As for you, hehe…"

Leonard was just about to retort Old Man when he suddenly saw a bishop walking down from above. He hurriedly shut his mouth, held onto the railings, and sped up his pace.

…

Half-past seven in the evening, 39 Böklund Street, Member of Parliament Macht's house.

Dressed in a tailcoat, Klein got off a carriage as he buttoned his clothes. Under the lit fountain's illumination, he entered the foyer and met Maury Macht, who was dressed in an olive-green military uniform with an orange-red sash across his waist. His chest was covered with medals, accolades of his achievements in war.

His wife, Riana, was wearing a shoulder-exposing dress. She greeted Dwayne Dantès with a smile, "Welcome, our traveler. Everyone has been waiting for you to share your experiences at Balam this time."

"Should I launch a travel column at a newspaper company?" Klein replied with a joke.

Macht knew that Dwayne Dantès had headed for Southern Continent to do business. Furthermore, it was a business he kickstarted. Therefore, after exchanging a smile, he came close and gave him a hug, suppressing his voice by saying, "Well done!"

Klein smiled with a nod and asked, "Do you like the present?"

He was referring to the bottle of River Valley grape wine that could be made into a sour cocktail.

"It was excellent. I still fondly recall the taste," Macht said earnestly.

Klein was about to enter the hall when he noticed something amiss. He did a cursory glance and asked out of puzzlement, "Miss Hazel isn't in?

"Has she been sent to study at an all-girls public school?"

Riana sighed as she shook her head.

"No, she's only sick. She'll head for public school only in September."

"She caught a cold?" Klein expressed the concern a guest should have.

Macht said with a helpless smile, "No, she was bitten by a rabid rat when she was at the manor in the outskirts. Her wound hasn't healed completely yet."

Hazel got bitten… by a rabid rat… Klein nodded in thought.

"Did she see a doctor?

"Oh, has that rat been caught?"

"The doctor gave her an injection to prevent any infections," Macht said simply. "That rat still hasn't been found. Perhaps we need to rear a few more cats in the manor."

Chapter 981 Hazel's Decision

After hearing Macht's reply, and combining what he knew, Klein guessed that the rat in the manor was likely the Marauder demigod which had been by Hazel's side. As for why it went rabid and bit Hazel, he was unsure.

He nodded slightly and tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion.

"May the Goddess bless her."

After saying that, he walked past the host, entered the hall, and waited for the ball tonight to begin.

In a particular bedroom on the third story, Hazel was sitting on a reclining chair feeling dispirited, her feet curled up.

Her left hand was wrapped in thick bandages, but there weren't any more signs of blood. Her expression was heavy, nothing like her usual arrogance.

In the manor, her teacher, that was in the form of a rat, had suddenly bitten her. This resulted in her being stuck in a similar state, her entire being turbid and muddled. It was as though it wasn't her hand that was bitten but her heart.

To Hazel, although her arrogance stemmed from her upbringing, with her ability to absorb new information exceeding that of the average person's, her outstanding looks, her family's standing in high society, and her maturity compared to her peers, those feelings were still within normal boundaries before she gained extraordinary powers. None of the aforementioned traits made her feel that she was different from others or that she was fundamentally superior to ordinary people.

Therefore, with her teacher, who maintained her sense of arrogance while being a representation of her fortuitous encounter and the source of her strength, suddenly becoming a real rat—to the point of not being able to speak clearly and even bite her without any reason-it left a deep impact on her. She began to question if supernatural powers represented being extraordinary or a monster.

Amidst her thoughts, Hazel subconsciously pulled her black-green hair to the back of her ear and felt frustrated with the melody that came from downstairs.

At this moment, she heard the creaking sound of the door as she turned her head in hesitation.

Walking in was a gray rat with slick fur. Its eyes were deeper than its kind, closer to dark red.

"Hazel," the rat said in a deep voice.

Hazel was first taken aback before she reeled in delight. She hurriedly stood up and blurted, "Teacher, y-you've recovered?"

Just as she said that, she saw gray rats crawling out from the corner of her bedroom, balcony, and bed. All of them had dark red eyes but could only produce squeaking sounds.

Hazel took a step back in shock, overturning the reclining chair. Her body staggered, almost to the point of collapsing. It took her a great deal of effort to recover her balance.

At this moment, she discovered that the red-eyed rats had vanished. The door had been shut tightly, having never opened.

Everything that had happened was a hallucination or a nightmare that stemmed from the worries inside her!

After a moment of silence, Hazel pursed her lips and sighed.

She sat back down, raising her hand to her temples.

As she massaged her temples, she frowned slightly. She had a nagging feeling that what had happened was too surreal.

Her dark brown eyes darted about slightly as Hazel removed the necklace she wore around her neck, clenching it in her palm.

The necklace's seven green gems were equidistant from each other. Embedded around them were tiny diamonds.

At this moment, one of the gems lit up slowly, emitting a green glow, giving her face a sheen and filling her eyes with mysterious symbols.

The scenes from before surfaces in the girl's mind as her blurry dream-like state gradually turned clear.

While observing the scenes, Hazel sensed something amiss. She confirmed that she hadn't been dreaming, nor was it a short hallucination from having her mind go adrift. Instead, she had been thrown into an illusion for nearly ten seconds.

Cryptologist!

This… Hazel's dark brown eyes widened as she muttered a word filled with horror.

She jumped to her feet and looked around anxiously but failed to discover anything.

But the more she looked, the more terrified she became. She had no idea what she would encounter next, nor did she understand what the person who created the dream was up to!

The only thing she was certain of was that the other party's level and strength in the supernatural domain far exceeded hers!

This shattered what little pride she had left.

After a few minutes, the entire bedroom remained silent. The brisk melody from downstairs instantly connected oneself to the current dance steps.

Hazel finally composed herself, believing that nothing would happen next.

Only then did she have the mood or energy to consider the motives of the person who secretly cast the illusion.

As various thoughts surfaced in her mind, Hazel suddenly came up with a theory:

The person from before was here for her teacher!

Through the illusion, the person had confirmed her teacher's current situation!

Is it Teacher's friend, or an enemy? He's definitely headed off to look for Teacher. What do I do? He likely doesn't know where Teacher is hiding… No, all my neighbors know that I was bitten by a rabid rat… Hazel was thrown into panic as she clenched her necklace with increasing strength.

She couldn't be sure of the motives of the other party, nor did she know what she could do.

She wished to head to the manor and inform her teacher, but she was afraid of encountering danger and end up being sacrificed.

Furthermore, her teacher had seemingly lost the ability to communicate. Her warnings might not necessarily be conveyed.

Without realizing it, Hazel stood up and paced about in her bedroom. Finally, she made up her mind. Pursing her lips tightly, she walked to the door and said to her lady's maid outside, "I'm a little tired. I plan on sleeping now. Don't let anyone disturb me."

"Yes, my lady," the maid immediately replied.

After closing the door, Hazel began changing into clothes that allowed for greater movement. Her expression was extremely heavy as her teeth bit down on her lip.

She had finally decided to warn her teacher at the manor.

She didn't wish to become a seemingly arrogant person but, in actuality, was a coward, one who would abandon all principles upon encountering danger!

She found it despicable of herself!

While the bodyguards were focusing their attention on the ball's attendees, Hazel took the opportunity to enter the garden using a water pipe from the balcony. When leaving 39 Böklund Street, Klein was holding onto a cup of sweet and iced fizzy wine, discussing business in the Southern Continent with a few gentlemen.

He turned his head slightly, glancing at the garden. He had already noticed Hazel's actions thanks to his intuition.

…Although she's not a likable girl, she has quite a kind heart… Klein nodded indiscernibly and praised her inwardly.

He wasn't worried about Hazel's actions, because to go from North Borough's Böklund Street to Macht's manor in Backlund's northwestern suburbs would take three to five hours on carriage. And before she arrived, he would've already used an excuse to leave the ball, teleporting over directly to confirm the situation.

Although Macht's manor was in the northwestern suburbs, it was on the other side of the Tussock River. Hence, to head there, one needed to take a detour to an area with a bridge. It was fine in the day, as one could use the steam metro to head to the south side of the Bridge beneath the river. At night, there were only three bridges to consider. It was inevitable to spend five hours traveling.

Of course, as Klein had used Tinder before and had read 2-105 Blood Vessel Thief's information, he had some idea about the powers of the Marauder pathway. Therefore, he suspected that Hazel, who had an item of a higher level, could "steal" the flight abilities of birds and use that short period of time to cross the river. This way, she might arrive within three hours.

Regardless, I'll be faster than her… Klein retracted his gaze and began considering who his next dance partner should be.

Ten in the evening, Moose Manor in the northwestern suburbs of Backlund.

This place originally belonged to a viscount, and it had more than a hundred years of history. Macht had bought it after his marriage, spending tons of money to maintain it every year so as to invite friends over during winter weekends for a vacation.

At this moment, the land steward was arranging for the servants to check every corner and to lock all the windows and doors. This was a necessary procedure before they slept every night.

A few maids walked out of the wine cellar in a group, heading straight for the kitchen to ensure that all flames had been extinguished.

The moment they arrived, they heard squeaking sounds as they looked over, only to discover a grayish-white rat gnawing on a table leg.

This rat seemed to sense their gaze, but it didn't run. Instead, it turned its head and glared at them with its slightly red eyes.

Meanwhile, there were more squeaking sounds as red-eyed rats ran out from the roof beams, storage cabinets, and all kinds of miscellaneous, even appearing beside the furnace which had some water boiling over it.

The maids nearly screamed in fear.

As members of the lowest classes of society, they were no strangers to rats. They had even killed quite a number. However, it was their first time to encounter so many at once. They couldn't help but feel a heavy blow to their senses.

"We need to get Guede and the others to deal with this," a maid left the kitchen and suggested in fear.

Another maid nodded immediately.

"Miss Hazel was bitten by a rabid rat… These don't look normal in any way!"

As they spoke, they retreated a great distance back, distancing themselves from the kitchen.

At this moment, a figure quickly appeared on the table. He wore a white shirt and black vest under a dark-colored formal suit. On his head was a half top hat, and he had a pair of bright leather boots.

This figure slowly lifted his head while holding down his hat. He surveyed the surroundings, revealing his black hair and brown eyes. He had a thin face and cut features. He was none other than Gehrman Sparrow.

Having left the ball ahead of time, Klein returned to Dwayne Dantès's residence and entered his bedroom. Then, he teleported over with Winner Enuni.

Of course, the latter had been left outside the manor to allow for any instantaneous switches in positions.

The rats reflected into his eyes as Klein pulled the human-skinned glove on his left hand, casting his gaze towards the flowerbed in the manor.

Almost at the same time, the rats in the kitchen stirred as their movements turned sluggish. However, they quickly returned to normal.

They had become a Bizarro Sorcerer's marionettes.

And Klein could control as many as 50 marionettes, a number that would rise once he finished digesting the potion!

Chapter 982 Bizarro Sorcerer vs Parasite

When he cast his gaze towards the garden, the scene of the area was naturally reflected in Klein's mind.

In the dark corner concealed by the flowers, grayish-white rats spun around wildly like they had been possessed. They kept squeaking as they attempted to push away their own kind and enter the core area.

In the core area lay a gray rat the size of an adult Loen Shorthair-a particular cat breed. Its eyes were slightly red like congealed blood.

Its tail was swishing about rapidly, seemingly in a bid to vent the irascible feelings within.

And whenever ordinary-sized rats approached, it would grab them and bite them to their deaths, causing rat corpses to pile up around it. But even so, this didn't stop the other rats from surging over.

Upon seeing this scene, Klein suddenly had two thoughts:

First, having his "intuition" boosted by the gray fog was a boon for a Bizarro Sorcerer's controlling of Spirit Body Threads. This wasn't apparent in open areas where the owner of the Spirit Body Threads could be instantly determined, but when inside a bustling city or a place with many buildings, Bizarro Sorcerers who lacked "x-ray vision" were unable to determine the owners of the Spirit Body Threads that bunched up from afar. It made it difficult to accurately lock onto an enemy unless they did something special, making them stand out from others. Of course, Bizarro Sorcerers could also ignore the possibility of collateral damage and just indiscriminately control their targets.

Second, the Marauder pathway demigod that parasitized the rat was already on the verge of losing control. Not only was it several times bigger than when Arrodes showed it, but its condition appeared very unstable. It was filled with a violent and crazy aura.

Thankfully, I came in time. If I had waited a few weeks, who knows what kind of tragedy would unfold… A thought flashed across Klein's mind as illusory black threads appeared in front of him.

At this moment, he was less than fifty meters away from the mutated rat, making it completely feasible for him to control the Spirit Body Threads!

And at this moment, the huge rat with slick fur noticed something. It hurriedly stood up and turned its head towards the kitchen.

A glint flashed in its dark red eyes, instantly leaving the young man wearing a silk hat and black suit pausing in his spot.

It had "stolen" the main thoughts of the antagonizer for the next two seconds, leaving his mind blank. Furthermore, it didn't do the follow-up actions that a Sequence 5 Dream Stealer would've done! Right on the heels of that, this rat raised its right forelimb and attempted to "steal" the enemy's Beyonder powers.

At its level, it was able to "steal" three Beyonder powers from the same target and possess them for two hours. Of course, one attempt was limited to one power.

At this moment, the gigantic rat's thoughts turned extraordinarily sluggish. The actions of it using its powers seemed to be bound by invisible threads, making it appear extremely lethargic.

Initial control of its Spirit Body Threads had been obtained!

Its success at stealing Gehrman Sparrow's thoughts and throwing him into a daze was merely an illusion -a Bizarro Sorcerer's Illusion Creation!

Before Klein properly began controlling its Spirit Body Threads, Klein had already switched places with Enuni. As a marionette didn't possess any self-consciousness or thoughts, it was immune to the Beyonder powers of Thought Usurpation.

How could something that didn't exist be stolen?

And in order to trick the Marauder pathway demigod, Klein had used his illusion powers which had experienced a qualitative upgrade. He had also deliberately made Enuni, who wore Gehrman Sparrow's appearance, put on the corresponding act.

At this moment, he was outside Macht's Moose Manor, his straight line distance from the gigantic rat exceeded 500 meters. However, this didn't stop him from controlling his opponent's Spirit Body Threads. This was because a Bizarro Sorcerer could gift his Beyonder powers to his marionette. This included the control over Spirit Body Threads—the core for converting a target into a marionette!

This also meant that if there weren't any other restrictions, a Bizarro Sorcerer could use their marionette and extend his control of Spirit Body Threads from 150 meters to an unlimited range. After all, as long as there was a marionette placed every thousand kilometers, he could rely on extending his influence by gifting his Beyonder powers.

Of course, there was no ability in the world without restrictions. On the one hand, Klein's maximum number of marionettes was fifty, and it was currently impossible to exceed this number. On the other hand, the only thing that a Bizarro Sorcerer couldn't gift his marionette was the ability to think and be self-conscious. Therefore, the limit of using a marionette to control a marionette was the limit of his control over a marionette—1000 meters!

Once he exceeded this range, the marionette wouldn't be able to do anything.

In addition, by gifting his Beyonder powers to his marionette, a Bizarro Sorcerer was effectively separating a maggot that was related to his Mythical Creature form. It was transferred into the marionette's body via the Spirit Body Threads. Unless he had prepared via giving the same marionette additional maggots, the marionette lacked the means of separating another maggot when converting a new marionette or giving the new marionette his Beyonder powers.

And at present, Klein could only split a maximum of fifty. Exceeding this number exerted a huge burden on his Spirit Body and produced signs of his soul fracturing. Recovery was impossible without effective treatment, and it was possible to not recover, even with excellent treatment. It would only increase the possibility of losing control.

Therefore, through Klein's experiments, the maximum distance he could control Spirit Body Threads was 1000+150 meters. And to be able to fully control a new marionette, it needed to be within 1000 meters. At the same time, if the marionette were to die, the maggot inside the body would return to his body according to the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence. However, there was a chance of experiencing a loss if the process was interrupted.

While the Marauder pathway demigod's actions turned sluggish, the rats that had previously been turned into marionettes rushed out from Enuni's side. They aimed at the garden and opened their mouths in a bid to use Air Cannon to cleanse the target's location.

Suddenly, a dark red glimmer lit up in the gigantic rat's eyes.

Instantly, Gehrman Sparrow appeared in the dark corner of the garden, amidst the dead rats. As for the Marauder pathway demigod, it had arrived inside the kitchen where there were plenty of items on the table.

It had "stolen" Gehrman Sparrow's position!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The marionette rats shot out their Air Cannons without being able to stop midway, hitting the spot where "Gehrman Sparrow" was standing. It left the soil splattering and threw the flowers into the sky. It alarmed the servants in the manor as their bodies trembled violently. They had no idea what was happening and could only frantically run for shelter. The entire garden was leveled by Air Cannon, thinning the layer of soil within. If Klein hadn't directed the attack in that direction, the manor's main building probably would've collapsed.

Amidst the flying dust, the rats were left dismembered, but "Gehrman Sparrow" remained standing there, uninjured.

Winner Enuni had just released all the good luck he had accumulated!

However, his control of the gigantic rat's Spirit Body Threads had been terminated as a result. And there were only a limited number of Spirit Body Threads. The rat marionettes were unable to interfere, for it might create pandemonium and cancel each other out.

Hazel's teacher, the Marauder pathway demigod took this opportunity to regain its freedom. Then, it turned around and raised its right forearm at "Gehrman Sparrow," instantly stealing his Beyonder powers of controlling Spirit Body Threads.

As a Sequence 4 demigod, it could accurately "steal" the power of the target. Typically, there were three options, and with better understanding, the higher the chance of success was. And this time, its luck was pretty good.

Of course, if the target's level was much lower, and if it clearly knew of the target's situation, it could "steal" anything it wanted.

Just as it lowered its right paw, the Marauder pathway demigod raised its left paw. The rat marionettes slumped to the ground and could hardly turn their bodies.

This was a large-scale "theft" that stole the rats' ability to walk!

Right on the heels of that, countless magical symbols appeared in the gigantic rat's red eyes.

It rapidly "decrypted" the puzzle and found where Klein was.

With a red glint, it raised both paws and instantly appeared beside Klein.

This time, it had "stolen" the distance between the two!

At this moment, the thin-faced young man in front of the rat vanished. Replacing him was a gray rat.

And around the surrounding trees, worms began crawling out as they opened their "mouths."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Air Cannons bombarded the gigantic rat and ordinary rat.

While Klein was controlling the marionettes in the Moose Manor, he didn't forget to convert new marionettes around him. This was, after all, a basic trait of a Bizarro Sorcerer. Then, swapping his body with a marionette, he had set up a simple trap!

Dust and soil flew high into the sky as the rat parasitized by the Marauder pathway demigod was completely inundated by it.

After everything settled down, a strong scent of blood emanated from the huge crater. There were pieces of flesh everywhere.

Dead? Klein looked at the blast-filled scene with the eyes of his surrounding marionettes.

However, he quickly frowned because there weren't any signs of a Beyonder characteristic appearing.

As his thoughts raced, Klein took out a gold coin and flicked it.

As the gold coin landed, scenes surfaced in his mind -revelations from his Astral Projection.

Compared to the past, as a demigod, Klein could use such a simple divination to obtain more information!

Chapter 983 In Your Name

Pa!

When the flicked gold coin landed in his palm, Klein didn't even see if it was heads or tails. This was because his mind was fixed on a particular scene:

Amidst the woods, the clouds high in the sky failed to completely conceal the stars that dotted the black velvet sky. The humming, clicking, and thrumming sounds of the insects spread far into the night, mixed with the two commotions of the two "explosions" inside Moose Manor.

Klein rapidly used his knowledge from astromancy, and he roughly gauged the exact location of the scene. Then, his body phased away, appearing beside Enuni before grabbing his shoulder.

During this process, Klein collected the transparent maggots he had implanted in the rats and insects before severing the connection of the Spirit Body Threads.

In just two seconds, he vanished from Moose Manor which was gradually turning chaotic and noisy, teleporting to the spot that he had seen in his mind.

The area was identical to the revelation which Klein had received. It was extremely silent, to the point of being able to hear the breeze wafting through the leaves and trees.

Illusory black threads, representing all the creatures with spirituality in the region, surfaced in Klein's vision.

There were copious numbers of them, dozens being a gross understatement. To sieve through them and determine which was the problematic one couldn't be accomplished in a short amount of time.

However, he wasn't in a rush, because he had confirmed one thing:

His divination results could be trusted as long as the Marauder pathway demigod didn't possess any high-level items. After all, after becoming a Bizarro Sorcerer, not only were his powers elevated, the gray fog's powers also seeped deeper into reality. With these two combined, it made his divination powers far more outstanding than most saints, even without heading above the gray fog. It was unlikely that he was weaker than a Beyonder of the Fate pathway of the same Sequence. In contrast, the Marauder pathway demigod's condition was in shambles with its strength at an all-time low.

Therefore, Klein believed that the demigod was hiding in the woods and hadn't fled far.

Due to such reasons, he believed that waiting patiently was the best solution.

The Marauder pathway demigod was relatively weak, in an unstable condition, and close to losing control. After experiencing that intense battle and abandoning the rat's body, the situation only worsened. It was impossible to experience an improvement. Under such situations, if she didn't replenish herself or recover, it was only a matter of time before problems cropped up. Therefore, Klein could wait, while she couldn't.

As the humming, clicking, and thrumming sounds spread, Klein waited as he hurriedly converted marionettes. He made Enuni leave the region and hide about a thousand meters away. Meanwhile, he kept note of the possibility of having his Spirit Body Threads controlled, as he recalled that the enemy had "stolen" the Beyonder power from his marionette.

Suddenly, he heard a sound that resembled the panting that came from deep within the soul.

Right on the heels of that, a hysterical voice sounded from a tree diagonally ahead of him:

"Why are you forcing me?

"Why are you forcing me?

"Why are you forcing me!"

Amidst the sharp voice, the tree's outer bark rapidly peeled off, revealing the core wood beneath. And on it, holes cracked open as strange worms with about eight circles around them crawled out.

The transparent rings of these worms had many three-dimensional patterns as though time was swirling through them.

Suddenly, Klein lost all his thoughts, losing the Beyonder powers of Air Cannon and Paper Figurine Substitutes. He lost his belt, coat, and hat, making him appear like a sculpture of flesh.

However, to a marionette, this wasn't too serious a problem. After all, it was no problem for his actual body. The lost powers could be retrieved by switching maggots.

Yes, upon hearing the panting, Klein had swapped places with Enuni!

And a Winner like Enuni had no need to worry about his pants dropping after losing his belt. His waist swelled rapidly thanks to the powers of Faceless, stopping his pants from falling.

New marionettes in the form of insects and rats crawled out and surrounded the mutated tree.

At this moment, a voice with a hint of a smile sounded from an unknown location:

"Calm down. Don't be angry. Everything will be resolved."

The voice was filled with a persuasive force. The mutation of the tree slowed down as the ringed worms slowly shrank back in.

"Is that so?" Inside the tree, the vicious-sounding voice calmed down. There was some level of blankness to the voice, as though it was about to be convinced.

As for Klein, he found the words extremely reasonable. He couldn't help but reflect on the reason for pushing a demigod to the brink of losing control.

He had a vague feeling that he had forgotten something and was unable to recall the true reason for coming

Then, he saw a chuckling figure walk out of the woods.

"Relax, I have the means to stop you from losing control. All you need to do is to follow my instructions."

The figure was wearing a black trench coat that resembled a robe. He matched it with black trousers and leather shoes. He had a broad forehead and a thin face. Wearing a tall hat and a striking crystal monocle, he appeared extremely refined.

Klein's gaze froze as a word resonated through his mind: Amon!

The person before him was Blasphemer, Angel of Time, King of Angels, the son of the Creator-Amon!

Although he knew that it was merely an avatar, Klein didn't waste any time. He immediately abided by the deepest cries of his heart and used Creeping Hunger to phase away.

During this process, Enuni snapped his fingers and lit the matches in his pocket and fallen leaves a distance away, allowing him to appear beside Klein with Flaming Jump.

Klein grabbed him and vanished with him.

In the event that Amon tried to stop him, or if Enuni wasn't able to return fast enough, Klein's plan was to abandon his marionette and Travel far away.

Under such circumstances, the death of a marionette to ensure his survival was definitely worth it!

Luckily, Amon's attention was placed on the peeling tree. He didn't stop him or, should it be said, it was the case that he didn't have the time to stop him.

After Klein and his marionette vanished, Amon halted and turned to look at where the two were originally standing. As though in thought, he nodded slightly and scoffed.

"A Bizarro Sorcerer of Evernight."

He then retracted his gaze and looked at the half-mutated tree and asked with a smile, "A descendant of Jacob?"

"Y-yes, do you know my ancestor?" Inside the tree, the rat demigod asked as though it had grabbed onto a floating board while drowning.

Amon stroked his chin and nodded indiscernibly.

"Of course.

"They tasted excellent." Inside the tree, the descendant of the Jacob family fell silent. Only after a few seconds did a voice filled with horror utter:

"Y-you are Blasphemer Amon!"

Inside the tree hole, the worm with rings began crawling out.

However, they quickly stiffened and froze in their spots.

Amon adjusted the crystal monocle and said with a smile, "That's too late now, isn't it?

"It might've been of some use if you had struggled and resisted from the beginning, but now… Do you believe that I'm here on my own?"

As he spoke, the trees around him shook as the leaves of different trees ruffled. Birds leaped onto the branches and let out crisp chirping. And even the night breeze had an indescribable feel to it.

"You…" The Jacob descendant inside the mutated tree's speech came to an abrupt halt. Amon stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trench coat and casually laughed.

"I heard that your family has split into tiny families with zero interaction, afraid that the lot of you will be caught by me, right? Ah right, didn't you establish a secret organization with Zoroast's descendants, as well as other Beyonders of the Marauder pathway? I believe it's called the Hermits of Fate.

"You're probably a member, aren't you? Let me see if I can replace you and infiltrate that organization. Heh heh, a secret organization meant to defend against Amon and deal with Amon has Amon participating in it. Just the thought of it is rather interesting."

Having said that, he glanced at the mutated tree that was vigorously shaking and said, "Unfortunately, from what I can see from your fate, you didn't undergo a good education in mysticism. You can't be a member of that organization. Are you the only one left of this Jacob family branch?

"You wished to seek out a secret treasure left by the Jacob family in Backlund, but you ended up seriously injured for some reason and ended up sealed?

"Ha, you even parasitized an ordinary animal. Yet, there are signs of you not talking to humans for an extended period of time… Aren't you very puzzled as to why you didn't receive any 'warnings' about this from the knowledge contained within the potion or the murmurs when you advanced to Sequence 4? Yes, it's because I've deleted them."

"No!"

A sharp scream filled with anger and viciousness sounded. There was an indescribable pain in it.

The mutated tree's tremblings intensified until it calmed down at some point.

Streams of light flew out from within and surged into Amon's body.

Taking out a piece of silk, Amon took off his monocle and wiped it as he mumbled, "How foolish. She actually believed me when I said it's too late. One flaw with fellows who are on the brink of losing control is that they're brainless and easily fooled.

"If she had carefully thought about it, how could she not realize the problems within? If I could quickly finish her off and steal her fate, why would I be wasting so much time chatting with her? An avatar is an avatar after all…"

After Amon wore his monocle again, the stream of light that flowed out of the mutated tree had been completed absorbed by "Him."

At this moment, a figure was passing through the woods-Hazel in hunting gear.

She seemed to sense something as she subconsciously looked over, only to see Amon.

Then, she revealed a surprised smile.

"Teacher, have you recovered?"

"Oh, someone has noticed a problem with you. It's best that you hide!"

Amon listened in silence before curling the sides of his mouth slowly.

"Alright."

Chapter 984 Active Response

Klein didn't directly teleport back to 160 Böklund Street. Instead, he went to sea with Enuni, found a secluded spot, and chanted the honorific name of The Fool.

Then, he took four steps counterclockwise and went above the gray fog. With a beckon, he summoned a paper figurine.

Immediately after that, he picked up one of the Cards of Blasphemy on the long bronze table in front of him, and he placed it inside his body.

Klein suddenly had an additional dark red robe. This appearance seemed to look like rust and settled gunpowder that had been stained by copious amounts of blood. As for his face, it was covered by a dark gold mask. The patterns on its were ancient and set off a contrasting appearance with the crown he wore that was embedded with gems that sparkled red, blue, and green.

This was a change that the Red Priest card brought about.

After repeated experiments, Klein had confirmed that certain traits of the Red Angel card were very compatible with the Paper Angel's interference effect with fate. It allowed the relevant powers of the mysterious space above the gray fog to be further enhanced. Therefore, he had chosen it instead of the Black Emperor or Tyrant cards.

After completing this, Klein, in the form of the Red Priest, picked up a paper figurine and shook it. He then fused it with the gray fog that surged over, throwing it at the rippling blob of light that represented him offering a prayer.

The paper figurine quickly burgeoned, turning into an angel bathed in golden light. Flames crisscrossed behind it, taking on the form of twelve pairs of wings.

This War Angel then used the secret connection that was generated from a prayer to descend upon the world and enveloped Klein and Enuni with its fiery wings.

Only with this done did Klein relax. Putting down the Red Priest card, he returned to the real world.

He first sought out food for Creeping Hunger before returning to 160 Böklund Street with Enuni. One transformed back into Dwayne Dantès, while the other turned into a young man with mixed-blood.

After combing his hair, Klein walked to the balcony of his master bedroom, looking far into the distance where Macht's residence stood. He discovered that the place remained brightly lit, a clear indication that the ball hadn't truly ended.

Typically, a ball continued until midnight, and of course, people were permitted to leave before then. After all, most people that were willing to dance late into the night were young adults.

Phew… Amon is truly terrifying. Just a battle involving a Marauder pathway's demigod was enough to garner his attention, even if one was in the city and the other was in the suburbs… At "His" level, the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence should be extremely substantial. Yes, I can't eliminate the possibility that the demigod's mutation while being on the brink of losing control had caught Amon's notice… Klein couldn't help but recall everything that had happened, afraid that he would find a thin, monocle-wearing young, refined man sitting in the reclining chair behind him while sipping from a glass of red wine when he turned around.

He felt lucky that he had already become a demigod and could converge the aura of the gray fog to prevent Beyonders of particular pathways from detecting it. Otherwise, with the interest Amon had shown in the past, "His" focus definitely would've been placed on Gehrman Sparrow instead of the Marauder pathway demigod. If that had been the case, he might not have left so successfully by teleporting As the Amon in Backlund was likely only an avatar, Klein was still rather confident of the Paper Angel's interference. He believed that this King of Angels had no means to trace him all the way to 160 Böklund Street from a trail of breadcrumbs and also determine that he was Dwayne Dantès.

But this still didn't ease his mind. This was because the Marauder pathway demigod was involved in Böklund Street as well!

She had encountered Admiral of Blood here and had been forced to trigger the explosives, finally parasitizing a rat… Here, she had been warned by a mirror, learning about the Marauder pathway angel who was in need of replenishments and that Blasphemer Amon was on the way… As she had refused to answer the mirror's question, she was struck by lightning, and had to move to Moose Manor… In addition, Hazel—the target she attempted to parasitize but was her student on the surface—was influenced by a powerful illusion tonight, exposing her teacher's condition… All of these factors combined might make Amon pay a visit… The more Klein thought about it, the more unsafe he found Böklund Street.

From his point of view, just the warning about a Marauder pathway angel in desperate need for replenishments was enough for Amon to take up "residence" in Böklund Street for a period of time!

Of course, there was an extremely small chance that the Marauder pathway demigod escaped and that nothing was divulged. However, Klein believed it was impossible. After all, even he had the confidence of handling the matter himself, much less Amon who had a certain level of control over Marauder pathway existences!

Sigh, I shouldn't have been wary against the grandpa in Leonard. If I wasn't worried that "He" would achieve another stage of recovery and cause Leonard harm, everything would've been settled rather quickly. I wouldn't be in this situation of attracting Amon… What do I do next? Regardless, I need to do something. Otherwise, not only will my identity as Dwayne Dantès be at risk, I might even implicate Leonard on Pinster Street and the ordinary people on Böklund Street. Who knows if Amon will suddenly parasitize them or not… As Klein's thoughts whirled, his expression grew heavy as he began seriously considering eliminating Amon's avatar.

His first idea was to establish contact with Leonard and come up with a plan with the grandpa in him, Pallez Zoroast. With this Marauder angel's knowledge of Amon who shared the same pathway, it was likely that "He" could come up with a good plan.

Klein immediately took out his pen and paper in preparation to write. But after making a few scribbles with the fountain pen, he paused.

He found the confidentiality lacking because describing in detail might result in having an effect on fate, allowing Amon to notice it ahead of time!

The more secure method would be to pull Leonard above the gray fog. The discussion can be held there and have him relay it and discuss it with Pallez Zoroast… Apart from this, what else can be done? Report it to the Church and get them to "disinfect" all of Backlund? Klein put down his fountain pen and muttered silently as he considered other proposals.

He soon gave up the thought of reporting Amon, because Leonard hadn't done so previously. With the understanding that the grandpa in him had of Blasphemer Amon, it implied that this method was useless. Either there was a huge flaw, or it might end up affecting oneself.

It's better to ask Leonard first and gain a better situation of the exact situation before coming to a decision… Klein quickly made up his mind.

He temporarily suppressed the urge to draw the symbol to ask Arrodes or use the paper crane to contact Snake of Fate Will Auceptin. After dismissing Enuni, he entered the master bedroom's bathroom, took four steps counterclockwise, and arrived above the gray fog.

Sitting at the seat of The Fool, Klein conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow and made the fake person pray piously:

"Honorable Mr. Fool, please inform Leonard Mitchell that I've discovered traces of Blasphemer Amon. I hope that he can head to your kingdom as soon as possible to discuss the subsequent actions. The time will be up to him to decide."

After throwing the prayer's content into the crimson star representing Leonard, Klein added as The Fool, "There's no need to hide it from Pallez Zoroast."

In the outskirts of North Borough, in a sparse forest.

Leonard extended his right hand and held down a blurry wild wolf's figure.

The wolf whimpered as the flames burning in its eyes dissipated, returning to normal.

Its body faded away and vanished into the wind. However, it no longer had the bloodthirsty feeling it previously exuded. All was calm and serene.

In the Northern Continent, after the Pale Era, the seven orthodox Churches, along with the various nations, jointly pushed for a Cemetery Burial act which had been strictly carried out to this day. As the number of humans that turned into ghosts were rare, the only exception involved the difficult-to-detect deaths in the slums or drowning victims that couldn't be fished out in time. However, the spirits of the deceased weren't only limited to humans. All kinds of wild animals and all kinds of creatures with spirituality could become specters under certain conditions. Furthermore, it was impossible for them to head to human cemeteries to have themselves interred.

This often resulted in rumors of ghost sightings in the wild.

Just as he put the wild wolf to rest, Leonard suddenly saw a boundless grayish-white fog appear before his eyes as The World Gehrman Sparrow's prayers resounded in his ears.

Traces of Blasphemer Amon. "He" is still in Backlund… Leonard's eyelids twitched as he tensed up immediately.

As he had received Mr. Fool's instructions, he didn't hesitate to speak with a suppressed voice:

"Old Man, did you see it? Did you hear it?"

Pallez Zoroast's slightly-aged voice resounded once again:

"No.

"Although I sensed an anomaly, I didn't see or hear anything. It will only happen if I deepen my parasitization of you, allowing me to directly control your Astral Projection."

Do you think I'm a fool? Hmm, from the looks of it, Mr. Fool's response is done through the Astral Projection… Leonard thought before he said in deliberation, "Old Man, Klein informed me via Mr. Fool that he has discovered traces of Amon. He wants me to head over to Mr. Fool's kingdom to discuss this matter.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a few seconds before he let out a long sigh.

"If he wishes to deal with Amon's avatar in Backlund, tell him that unless he has the blessings of concealment, the outcome will be as you expect it to

be."

By saying this, Old Man is giving preconditions. "He" means that "He" will only be willing to cooperate with the blessings of concealment? Leonard's mind raced as he immediately found a dark corner and informed The World Klein via prayer that he could do it immediately.

As for the danger that resulted from losing control of his body in the wilderness, Leonard wasn't worried since he still had a Marauder pathway angel in his

body.

Before long, he saw a crimson tide surge towards him and inundate him.