1179 - 1186

Chapter 1179 Preparations Both Ways

At that moment, Fors felt her cheeks burning as she stiffened. She didn't even dare to turn her head to look at her friend.

She realized that she had severely underestimated the bottom line of the magic mirror!

After stuttering for a moment, Fors recalled Mr. World's reminder and closed her eyes.

"I choose to accept the punishment."

A silvery-white bolt of lightning fell from the air in the room, but the moment it appeared, the lightning vanished without a trace like it was a hallucination.

The dark red words on the surface of the mirror were dyed silver as they were quickly replaced with new content:

"The question and answer game will end here today. Goodbye!"

Without waiting for Fors to open her eyes and before Xio could react, the rippling light in the mirror instantly calmed down. The gloom and darkness in the room shattered as they were swallowed by the light of the candle.

Wasn't there supposed to be a punishment? Fors waited for a few seconds before opening her eyes slightly. She looked at the mirror that had returned to normal and then at Xio, who was watching by the sidelines.

Xio pointed at the top of her head and said, "There was lightning that smote at you, but it disappeared halfway. Also, the magic mirror had already left."

"…The magic mirror was only joking? That's not right. The warning I received was that the questions would be rather embarrassing, and the punishments would be rather heavy… Could it be that Mr. Fool protected me?" Fors rubbed her right cheek as she made a guess.

"Perhaps." Xio nodded in agreement with her friend.

Just as Fors heaved a sigh of relief and rejoiced, she suddenly realized that Xio was looking at her earnestly.

"W-what's the matter?" Fors's heart skipped a beat.

Xio asked thoughtfully, "In that erotic dream of yours, who was the main lead?"

"…Haha, who would remember such a dream from so long ago? Besides, aren't dreams blurry and unclear?" Fors forced a smile.

Xio tersely acknowledged.

"If that's the case, why didn't you answer with that just now?"

"…I was nervous. I was too nervous." Fors glanced at the luggage that she had finished packing and said, "It's time for us to move. I miss having a fireplace!"

As she spoke, she walked towards her luggage.

It was only at this moment that she realized that, at times, the outcome was similar whether she answered the magic mirror's question or not.

Is this the "social death" that was mentioned by Gehrman Sparrow? I really want to bury my head into the ground! Fors continuously took deep breaths in an attempt to calm her burning face and embarrassed heart.

…

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Klein threw the Sea God Scepter back into the junk pile and scoffed at Arrodes's act.

Despite knowing that I was the one who sent someone to summon it, it actually dared to raise such a question. Only when I stopped the punishment did it hurriedly change its attitude and leave in a panic… It sure had fun…

However, its answer has given me a new train of thought. I really don't need to restrict myself to the path of a Miracle Invoker…

The second Blasphemy Slate is most likely from the City of Silver's Creator, and is now in the hands of Adam… Although Amon and "His" brother are mutually staying away from each other's affairs and aren't on especially good terms, "They" have worked together before. I don't believe that "He" has never seen that Blasphemy Slate… If that's the case, "He" is definitely aware of the Miracle Invoker's ritual and can guess that I'll be bringing the City of Silver out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods. When that happens, "He" wouldn't even need to put much effort into tracking me. "He" just needs to wait at the Giant King's Court…

Yes, I can't go according to the enemy's expectations, especially since this is a God of Deceit and the God of Mischief. Countless accidents will happen… If it's because of my participation that the City of Silver's thousands of years of hope ends up being destroyed, then it'll be completely contradictory to my original intentions…

The problem with a Planeswalker is that I might hear Mr. Door's ravings, and will suffer the scrutiny and corruption from the cosmos that's worse than Sequence 2 angels from other pathways. Of course, this isn't completely unacceptable…

Also, will I need to pay back the two resurrection chances that Sefirah Castle gave me? That's still fine since I'll definitely transfer back to being an Attendant of Mysteries at Sequence 1 because Mr. Door has already blocked off the advancement path of the Apprentice pathway. "He" is at least in control of the Uniqueness and two sets of Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics—perhaps even all three…

It's not necessary for me to switch to Planeswalker, but I have to make the necessary preparations. When my options increase, even if Amon tries to stop me, the difficulty of burying a trap in advance will increase significantly. Only then can I become an angel while under the pressure of a King of Angels!

Yes. I'll stay on the fence for now. I'll prepare for the Miracle Invoker advancement while preparing for the Planeswalker advancement. I'll determine which pathway to take based on the actual situation when the time comes.

Having come to a decision, Klein felt refreshed. His mind was abnormally active, and he quickly came up with a preliminary plan.

I'm not in a hurry to ask Miss Magician's teacher about the Planeswalker potion formula and the corresponding Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. This will scare the Abraham family, making them suspect that Miss Magician worships some evil god and has joined some terrible organization…

With their current situation, there's a high chance that they won't reply. They will change their identities, move, and sever all ties…

Yes, the head of the Saint of Secrets, Botis, will make a fine gift. Regardless of whether the Abraham family gives the Worm of Cosmos, this matter will have to be placed on the agenda… I hope Miss Justice can digest the Dreamwalker potion as soon as possible. I hope that Ma'am Hermit will be prepared. I also hope that the two ladies, Miss Magician and Miss Judgment, will be able to improve before the operation…

Right, according to what Miss Magician said, Saint of Secrets Botis is a defector of the Abraham family, and the Aurora Order holds a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact of the Apprentice pathway. That's interesting… Perhaps I don't need to contact the Abraham family. I might be able to get what I want from the Saint of Secrets. Uh, I have to remind Ma'am Hermit that Botis might be carrying a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, so confirmation has to be made before the operation…

If that Grade 0 Sealed Artifact isn't in the hands of the Saint of Secrets, then I'll probably have to face the Angel of Fate Ouroboros to get it… No, Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts are terrifying to begin with. It's one of the sources of danger…

Phew, I'll first wait for Miss Magician's teacher to reply and see if the Abraham family is averse to any mention of the Worm of Cosmos…

As he thought of this, Klein suddenly felt a hint of self-deprecation. He felt that he and the Aurora Order appeared to be destined enemies. They often had all kinds of interactions.

When the operation begins, the Aurora Order will definitely shout in their hearts:

"Why is it you again? Why is it us again?"

After letting out a breath, he gathered his thoughts and conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow. He replied to Miss Magician who had reported the answer.

Following that, The World prayed once again, requesting Mr. Fool to forward his request to Danitz.

…

On a certain island in the Fog Sea, Danitz, who was waiting for the Golden Dream, turned his head to look at Anderson and chuckled.

"I'm going to summon Gehrman Sparrow's messenger."

Anderson pricked up his brows and scoffed.

"You're qualified to consume the Conspirer potion."

"You were the one who made it too obvious. Even I could sense that you were afraid of that messenger." Danitz felt even more pleased with himself as he said humbly.

Anderson suddenly guffawed.

"Why do you not suspect that I'm pretending to be afraid? I'm just trying to find a reasonable excuse to avoid hearing things I shouldn't be hearing."

"…Dogsh*t, do you think I'll believe the lies you came up with in a hurry?" Danitz was almost convinced.

Anderson spread his hands and walked to the door.

"You've gathered all the materials of the Conspirer potion. Remember to remind Gehrman to not forget my Iron-blooded Knight potion formula."

Danitz waved his hand impatiently, indicating that he hadn't forgotten.

After Anderson walked out of the room and closed the door, Danitz immediately set up a ritual and summoned the messenger holding four blonde, red-eyed heads.

Seeing the eight eyes look over at the same time, Danitz's chest immediately retracted.

He forced a smile and handed out a gold coin.

"Ma'am, Gehrman Sparrow wants me to tell you that he's fine. He's now in the Forsaken Land of the Gods."

…Wait, what did I say? The Forsaken Land of the Gods? As a crew member of Vice Admiral Iceberg, Danitz's knowledge of mysticism was still adequate. After a momentary pause, his pupils clearly dilated.

"Alright…" Reinette Tinekerr bit down on the gold coin and answered immediately.

Then, "She" entered the void and vanished from the room.

After reporting this to Gehrman Sparrow, Danitz received the Iron-blooded Knight's potion formula and new orders.

Prepare some local delicacies and sacrifice them to Sea God Kalvetua… Isn't this mission a little odd? Danitz muttered to himself, but he didn't dare to raise any questions.

He quickly tidied up the altar, found a parchment, and wrote down the supplementary ingredients and corresponding ritual in the Iron-blooded Knight potion formula.

Following that, he opened the door and handed the parchment to Anderson.

"Form a team of at least thirty people… The stronger the team's strength and chemistry, the better the ritual's effects…" Anderson unfolded the parchment in front of Danitz and read it. As he read, his brows gradually furrowed. "If the team's chemistry is to build upon the idea of killing me—the captain—the ritual is rather simple…"

Without waiting for Danitz to mock him, a burning white flame appeared from his fingertip and burned the parchment.

Anderson chuckled.

"I need to go back to my homeland to find an opportunity. That place is currently being invaded by Feynapotter, and war is always the best place for building up and training a team."

With a pause, he looked at Danitz and said with a smile, "I've prepared some questions for you. They're in my room. Once you become a Conspirer, you can try doing it and see if your intelligence has improved."

"…Dogsh*t! Are you trying to trick me into reading all the books in your room?" Danitz was almost moved, but he immediately understood that something was wrong.

No matter how high his intelligence was, he wouldn't be able to solve the questions if he hadn't read the textbooks!

"Not bad. It only took you three seconds this time to grasp the crux of the matter. If it were in the past, heh heh, you would've really believed me." Anderson praised with a smile as he turned around and left the inn.

1180 Different Effects

In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, at night when the frequency of lightning had dropped to a very low frequency.

Two slices of white bread and a piece of barbecued meat is pretty good after all… The sweet and sour desserts from the Fog Sea are better than I had expected… After swallowing the last mouthful of food, Klein sighed in amazement from the bottom of his heart. He then threw the remaining packaging into the darkness—after all, there was no concept of environmental protection here, nor was there a rubbish bin.

Of course, he had removed his connection with those items ahead of time, just like how he would head over to Sefirah Castle to perform "sterilization" every time he abandoned a marionette. This was to prevent Amon's avatars from locking onto him with them.

Hmm, lifeless objects won't be transferred into a concealed state by the darkness here… Klein raised the lantern that Danitz had sacrificed, and he illuminated the abandoned items.

It was only after he filled his stomach that he was in the mood to try out the dangerous things he had previously divined.

Amidst the flickering dim yellow light, Klein reached his right hand out into the air and dragged out another projection of himself.

It was another version of him from the Historical Void, one who was also holding onto a lantern.

Klein entered the grayish-white fog one second later, allowing his projection's consciousness to awaken.

The projection was surrounded by a group of monsters. Amidst the endless darkness, it opened its mouth, planning to recite the name, "Amanises."

"…"

He didn't manage to make a single sound, as though the words he wanted to say had been concealed.

"Indeed, it's as I expected." Wearing a silk half top hat and a black trench coat, Klein slowly took a deep breath.

Looking at the lantern that emitted faint yellow light, he suddenly chanted in Jotun, "Leodero!"

Before he could finish his sentence, more than a hundred lightning bolts warped as if they were responding to being summoned. They instantly blanketed the area.

There was no time for him to dodge. Even if he had switched places with a marionette, he would still be within the attack range.

Amidst the brightening of silvery-white light, he collapsed to the ground. His body was charred as he convulsed violently, as though he had become a gigantic piece of coal.

Then, his figure rapidly dissipated as the illusion vanished.

Wearing a real top hat, clothed in an Intis-styled windbreaker and carrying a simple lantern, Klein immediately "returned" to reality and continued proceeding forward as if nothing had happened.

After walking for a while, his figure suddenly turned blurry and clear.

Following that, Klein opened his mouth again and read out a name in Jotun:

"Au…"

Just as he produced the first syllable, a transparent flame burst out from his body, instantly reducing him to ashes, not giving him a chance to switch places with his marionette.

Klein's figure appeared once again. He pressed his hat and walked calmly on the hill filled with strange plants.

"Herabergen."

…

"Badheil."

…

"Omebella."

…

There's nothing out of the ordinary. There are no traces of the corresponding divine powers left in the vicinity of the City of Silver…

Medici, Ouroboros, Sasrir… These are of no use, neither one of "Them" are deities… I thought that the situation at Afternoon Town and the Giant King's Court was due to special circumstances. Using Sasrir's true name outside can activate the powers of degeneration from the Forsaken Land of the Gods… As a King of Angels with the Uniqueness, Red Angel is also considered half a true god. Yet, there aren't any traces left of "Him." How shameful for a person—no, shameful for a King of Angels! As Klein walked down the hill, he followed his spiritual intuition and headed northwest where the city ruins of Nois were.

He would occasionally take a detour, occasionally using Flaming Jump, and he didn't follow the route that the City of Silver had used to explore to reach their destination.

…

Backlund, late at night.

Feeling that she had digested the potion a little more, Audrey very eagerly used Dream Traversal to leave her mansion and to enter the various dreams of the surrounding area.

Knowing what the current situation was like, she had a strong desire to become a demigod.

Just like that, she suddenly saw someone familiar.

This was a noble lady who had a good relationship with her. She was 29 years old and had married a viscount two years ago.

At this moment, the lady's room was filled with rose petals. The bed was white, and there was a heart-shaped ring placed on it. And she could hear knocking sounds from the outside.

With flushed cheeks, the lady quickly walked over and opened the window.

A man wearing a black iron mask and a dark cloak leaped in. He hugged the lady and whispered, "I'll take you away from your suffering."

Then, the two of them started to wrap their bodies around one another as they rolled into bed.

As a Dreamwalker who was working hard to digest the potion, Audrey had long seen similar scenes. She had experienced the phase of feeling embarrassed, and she sighed at how everyone's dreams were full of imagination. At that moment, she didn't lose her composure at all. She maintained the etiquette of a Spectator, as though she was witnessing an overly intense play.

After a brief examination, she discovered a problem:

The man wearing the black iron mask wasn't the wife's spouse, but more like a particular playboy in the aristocratic circles.

Is this a reflection of what's hidden in her heart? Audrey muttered to herself in an academic manner while analyzing the dream.

Following that, she "traversed" into the dream beside her out of curiosity.

This dream corresponded to the noble wife's husband, the viscount.

In the dream, this viscount was busy attending a discussion at the House of Lords. Later, he was chased by an earl with a revolver. The latter claimed that he had tricked his daughter.

After escaping to a safe zone, the viscount found his female secretary to vent his fear.

Audrey couldn't help but leave the dream, wanting to see the state the viscount and his wife were in.

In the bedroom under the illumination of the crimson moonlight, the viscount was hugging his wife on the huge white bed. His wife was hugging him and sleeping in a very intimate manner.

Yes, I have to realize that everyone has a dark side to them. It's just a dream that they've had. If "conviction" for a mere instantaneous thought was carried out, then everyone would descend into hell, and no one will be spared, including myself… I can control my dark side, preventing it from ever being realized in the real world. To most people, that's already considered excellent… Audrey increasingly felt that acting as a Dreamwalker was a way to question and hone one's mind and body.

She entered the dreamscape again and "traversed" to another area.

Not long after, she arrived at a warm "room."

There was a dining table placed over a thick carpet. At the seat of honor was a white-haired old lady.

To her sides were a middle-aged couple and three children who were not of age. They were all enjoying the delicious food, chatting and laughing.

It was dark outside the room. The strong winds made the glass groan and thump as they seemed to brew a horrifying sensation before the disaster struck.

What is the owner of this dream bothered about? Audrey retreated from the dream and tried to find an answer from the real world to verify her hypothesis.

She then saw a small bed and the white-haired old lady.

There were photo frames on the bedside table of the old lady. They were either wrapped in black cloth or white flowers—consisting of a middle-aged couple and three underage children.

Audrey silently turned her head to look out the window, only to see that there were ruins nearby, ones left behind by an explosion.

The young noble lady pursed her lips and suddenly returned to the old lady's dreams.

She didn't stop the disaster that might happen. She only conjured a chair and sat on it. She looked at the happy and warm family in a solemn manner.

Amidst the howling wind and glass, the room was brightly lit. There was the fragrance of food and laughter everywhere.

Audrey had already concluded one of the acting principles of Dreamwalker:

"A traveler of a dream enters, takes in the sights, and records—never interfering. That was a Spectator."

…

In Saint Samuel Cathedral, having been summoned by Bishop Anthony Steven, Leonard slowly walked up the spiral staircase under the sunlight that shone in through the stained glass.

Suddenly, he said with a suppressed voice, "Old Man, that secret gathering is about to begin again. Are you really planning to attempt to enter the treasures left behind by the Jacob family at the end of the month?"

"I'm not sure yet, but this is an opportunity. At the very least, Amon's main body is being tied down by the matter regarding Sefirah Castle. "He" won't suddenly appear." In Leonard's mind, Pallez Zoroast replied with a slightly hoarse voice, "However, I'm more inclined to reveal the news of the treasure trove. I want the people at the gathering to adventure and explore it. We'll stay in the vicinity and observe the situation, taking what I need from their hands."

Leonard was taken aback as he whispered, "Old Man, isn't that too sinister?"

This was using the members of the Hermits of Fate as tools to step into a trap.

"Heh, naive, childish. You can tell them all the details and let them decide whether they want to go on their own." Pallez scoffed.

Leonard didn't mention it again. Instead, he asked, "Old Man, when can I become a demigod?"

Pallez chuckled.

"If you can obtain a spirit at the level of your former colleague's messenger, you'll be able to digest the potion by the beginning of next year. However, heh heh, it's better to act according to my instructions. Engage in a deeper level of acting. Wait till the second half of next year, you'll have the qualifications to try for Sequence 4. Of course, I'm not sure if the Church of Evernight will give you the potion and hold a ritual for you. That high-ranking deacon named Cesimir Crestet, had to wait several years before he truly became a demigod when war truly broke out, didn't he?"

Leonard nodded and asked thoughtfully, "Old Man, can you act as a spirit to help me digest the potion?

"Your level should be higher than Klein's messenger…"

Pallez Zoroast fell silent for a few seconds before he chortled.

"What a great idea.

"How about I help you digest the potion?"

"How?" Leonard knew that Old Man was mocking him, but he couldn't help but ask.

"I'll deeply parasitize you, gaining full control over your body," Pallez snapped back.

As he spoke, Leonard came to the door of the Backlund diocese's archbishop.

He immediately shut his mouth and raised his right hand to knock on the door.

"Come in." Anthony Steven glanced at Leonard who had opened the door. "You can release that vampire behind Chanis Gate."

Chapter 1181 Nois Ancient City

Upon hearing the bishop's instructions, Leonard was first taken aback before he inwardly sighed.

Mr. Fool's prophecy was really accurate…

No, it's not a prophecy. "He" was already aware of everything.

Leonard quickly reined in his thoughts and followed the procedures to get Bishop Saint Anthony to give him an official document. Then, he returned underground and brought two members into Chanis Gate.

After waiting for the Keepers to check the documents, he came to Emlyn White's room which was illuminated with shining silver candles that were covered with engraved patterns. He opened the heavy stone door with a brass key.

Ghostly blue light entered the cell, "stabbing" Emlyn White's eyes to the point of him instinctively closing his eyes.

His face was much paler than before, and his body was much thinner. He exuded a feeling that a gust of wind would lift him up at any moment.

Thinking of Mr. Fool's answer, Emlyn suddenly felt confident in his current situation. Without opening his eyes, he slowly stood up and chuckled.

"I knew you would take the initiative to send me out."

Would you be disappointed if I said that it was just a routine investigation? Leonard lampooned inwardly and replied without any expression, "I'll give you thirty seconds. If you don't leave Chanis Gate within this period, I'll take it as you voluntarily choosing to stay behind."

As a slightly more senior Nighthawk and a captain of a Red Gloves team for several months, Leonard had rich experience in dealing with prisoners.

Emlyn's expression froze. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he ultimately maintained his silence. He walked past Leonard and his two teammates and walked out of Chanis Gate.

Outside, he suddenly shuddered, as if he wanted to purge the chill in his body.

"Once you return, getting some sunlight would fix you up. Oh, the sun is a rare commodity in Backlund's winter, and you vampires don't enjoy sunbathing… Aren't you an Apothecary? You can concoct some medicine from the Sun domain yourself." Seeing this, Leonard casually reminded him.

Emlyn's condition wasn't the best. On the one hand, he hadn't drunk any spirituality-containing human blood for days. He could only rely on the blood of animals as a substitute. On the other hand, it was because he had stayed behind Chanis Gate for too long. The power of Evernight that supported the seal had eaten into him a little, making him require the effects of medicine from the Sun domain to remove the residual effects.

As a Potions Professor, Emlyn was aware of his physical and mental condition. He didn't retort or nod. He only emphasized the word "Sanguine" before asking, "Where's Father Utravsky?"Visit website our Listnovel.com

"He still needs to stay a little while longer. I hope this bloody war will end soon. Don't worry, we'll let him come out twice a week to get some sunlight. As for which days they'll be, it'll depend on the weather in Backlund." Leonard gave a simple response before sending Emlyn White to the ground and onto the streets.

Emlyn hesitated for a moment before asking again, "Where's the nearest hospital?"

"What do you want to do?" Leonard asked in a professional manner.

"Get a blood transfusion." Emlyn raised his chin slightly, trying his best not to change his expression.

Blood transfusion… more like drinking blood… Leonard didn't call him out. He pointed in one direction and gave him the address.

After watching the Sanguine Viscount leave, he returned underground and began to discuss a recent case with his team members.

…

After several days of traveling, Klein finally arrived near the Nois City ruins in the north.

This was equally a desolate plain. The dried riverbed left traces of itself on the ground.

Looking at the dark, shadowy city that was filled with a thin fog, he was in no hurry to get close. Instead, he found a hidden spot and muttered the honorific name of Mr. Fool.

Following that, he took four steps counterclockwise and recited the incantation before entering the world above the gray fog. To return to Sefirah Castle with just a thought, he needed the prayers of the Tarot Club members to stack together, forming a strong and firm anchor. That way, it would provide The Fool with the sufficient summoning power.

With the help of the prayer light, Klein used his "true vision" to check the situation of the Nois ruins from afar. He discovered that the thin fog was slowly dissipating, but it couldn't completely dissipate. On the surface of the city, there wasn't a single Spirit Body Thread. The people who were dressed in linen robes or animal hides were lying in different spots on the streets. They weren't as lively and busy as the time the City of Silver's expedition team visited.

After the angel or Sealed Artifact that occupied this city discovered that "Their" whereabouts were exposed, they chose to migrate? As Klein made a guess based on the situation in front of him, he retracted his gaze and looked at the grayish-white fog that held up Sefirah Castle.

He was trying to prevent the Miracle Invoker, or Attendant of Mysteries, or the corresponding Sealed Artifact from hiding in the Historical Void and ambushing the Beyonders of the ancient Nois City. He didn't wish to directly encounter a cluster of translucent maggots that twisted into a huge vortex when he leaped into the fog of history, nor did he wish to be pursued by those terrifying tentacles.

The ambush that Zaratul had laid for him still left Klein feeling a lingering sense of fear. From time to time, he would have nightmares, hoping to seek Miss Justice for another round of treatment for psychological trauma.

This stimulus was worse than seeing his marionette, Enuni, wear a monocle in front of him while his body remained completely immobile. This was because he had implicated the Hounds of Fulgrim.

After confirming that the Historical Void was safe, Klein returned to the real world. He stretched out his hand, grabbed, and pulled out his former self. This former self was also wearing a silk half top hat, a black trench coat, and holding a simple glass lantern.

In the next second, he "jumped" into the grayish-white fog and followed the illuminated spots in the Historical Void, running all the way to a period before the First Epoch, in that city of a long-dead civilization.

To him, this was a very ingenious "safe house." This was because, aside from him, no Scholar of Yore could trace back to this lost piece of history.

Of course, to him, coming all the way here had required him to expend a lot of his spirituality. He could only stay there for another fifteen minutes at most, and that was only if he didn't make any burdening attempts at summoning Historical Void projections.

After hiding his true body, Klein's projection in the real world moved forward, quickly arriving outside the Nois ruins.

He didn't blindly approach or enter. After circling to a small mound opposite the dried riverbed, he raised his right hand and summoned his original marionette—the cold Earl of The Fallen Qonas Kilgor with dark blue eyes.

Qonas's body squirmed and instantly transformed into Gehrman Sparrow. Then, he reached out and took out a lantern from the Historical Void.

The historical projection who summoned a historical projection had "Disordered" the distance under the dim yellow light of the lantern. In a few steps, he arrived outside Nois City, alone.

With the lantern in hand, he passed through the rotting buildings and passed through the thin fog before entering the ruins.

Compared to using his "true vision" above the gray fog, actual contact made him discover more details.

The humans and monsters lying in different spots had signs of decay, as though they had been abandoned for some time.

Some of them sat on chairs under the eaves of the house, others slumped beside stoves. Some held moldy bread while others held hands. There were some leaning against the walls and sitting on the ground, their lips pressed against a bone flute…

This allowed Klein to imagine the situation in the city back when they were "living."

Some of them were slacking off and resting. Some were baking food, and others were shopping along the streets. Others were focused on music as some came and went, laughing nonstop. There were also others fighting monsters in an arena…

This was such a lively and bustling scene, but in reality, everyone had already died and were no longer in possession of their souls. They were only repeating predetermined actions.

And one day, this strange scene froze with time, and everyone collapsed without any warning.

A city formed by marionettes, the most realistic theater… Back then, the foggy town was in a similar situation… Although I'm also a Seer, I still have to say that, in terms of horror, terror, and bizarreness, our pathway is definitely ranked amongst the top three… Could it be that I'll be acting in the same manner in the future? Attendant of Mysteries? With the lantern in hand, Klein walked through the streets that were littered with corpses. He followed his spiritual intuition and headed for the ancient Nois City's center.

The situation here made him believe that the person who had once ruled the Nois ruins definitely had enough intelligence. After the City of Silver's expedition team broke the peace and serenity here, the entity didn't choose to kill or destroy any clues. Instead, this place was abandoned without hesitation before the entity migrated elsewhere.

The reason why the City of Silver wasn't silenced probably had to do with an Amon parasite following behind. Yes, it could also be because of the True Creator… As he casually let his thoughts wander, Klein quickly arrived at a relatively intact cathedral.

Inside the cathedral stood a statue of a demonic wolf with eight legs. It was covered with short and dark hair.

There was a tuft of grayish-white fur at the top of the statue head. Its pitch-black pupils covered at least three-quarters of its eyes.

It's not Flegrea… The Dark Demonic Wolf that occasionally appeared in the Third Epoch, the God of Wishes? "He" has been in the Forsaken Land of the Gods for thousands of years and has finally found that Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic? Just as this thought flashed through his mind, Klein suddenly heard footsteps coming, resounding one after another.

Standing sideways, he immediately cast his gaze outside the cathedral. He saw a figure slowly walking through the thin fog before its outline quickly formed.

He was nearly 2.3 meters tall, with a slight hunch to his back. With grizzled hair, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and a scar at the corners of his mouth, he looked like an old priest or bishop while donning a long black clergyman's robe.

His dark brown eyes were calm, unlike the monsters deep in the darkness who were bloodthirsty and zero intelligence.

However, in the long, quiet night of low-frequency lightning, this clergyman didn't carry any animal hide lanterns or have any fire lit. He just quietly walked through the thin fog.

Chapter 1182 The Holy Word

Although it had been less than a week since he entered the Forsaken Land of the Gods, Klein had long gotten a good understanding of the place through Little Sun. He knew that normal humans, even saints, had to use fire to create light in the darkness. Otherwise, it was very easy for them to encounter dangerous monsters lurking in the depths of the darkness, or be secretly devoured, disappearing without a trace, never to be found again.

And at that moment, the elderly clergyman wasn't carrying any animal hide lanterns. Instead, he passed through the fog in the darkness and slowly entered the cathedral that was illuminated by the dim yellow light.

If it wasn't for his deep and calm eyes that didn't show any signs of madness, Klein's first reaction would've been that he had encountered a special monster.

Of course, having a normal person's state of mind and being immersed in darkness were contradictory traits. Any living creature with any semblance of normal intelligence could easily come up with a conclusion that this person might be even more terrifying than special monsters.

Klein had only met one person who could pass through the darkness without being affected by it while having sufficient intelligence:

Blasphemer Amon!

Sensing that the faint yellow light was reflected on his face, the tall black-robed clergyman with a slight hunch to his back stopped in his tracks. Looking at the demonic wolf statue, he hoarsely asked, "Where did the owner of this city go?"

Klein was the kind of person who would try his best to resolve a problem peacefully if a fight with a stranger could be avoided. As he raised his guard, he calmly replied, "I don't know where either—I just entered the city—who knows where the owner went."

Just as he said that, the entire cathedral dimmed. A thin fog surged in like a tidal wave from the outside, drowning the interior.

The lantern in Klein's hand failed miserably at illuminating the windows and the situation at the door. It was dark outside, and nothing could be seen.

In the blink of an eye, the cathedral that worshiped the demonic wolf statue seemed to be isolated from Nois City. It was unknown where it was located.

Klein's pupils dilated slightly as he looked at the clergyman with wrinkles and white hair. He asked in a deep voice, "Who are you?"

The hunched clergyman replied in a condescending manner, "I'm an attendant by the Lord's side. I'm the Angel of the Holy Word, Steph. I walk this land of the past that the Lord had passed on, doing so on 'His' behalf in search of the 'Blasphemer' hidden in the darkness."

As he spoke, the elder's figure expanded to a height of four meters tall. Behind him, black illusory feathers appeared. Their shadows intersected and formed four pairs of gloomy but holy wings.

Angel of the Holy Word, Steph… An attendant by the Lord's side… Land of the past… This is the Blessed of the True Creator, the Angel of Fate's subordinate, a member of the Rose Redemption? It's no wonder that "He" can walk in the darkness; "He" has the power of degeneration protecting "Him"… That evil god is still searching for the Beyonder characteristic of the Attendant of Mysteries? Klein had no choice but to raise his head and lock eyes with this clergyman who, despite wearing a black robe, had four pairs of angel wings on "His" back. This high-level existence angel's form remained wrinkled with grizzled hair. There was a sense of contradiction in everything about "Him."

Pretending that he had never made an enemy of the Aurora Order, he calmly said, "That Blasphemer has long fled. I'm also searching for 'Him.'"

After staring at Klein for two seconds, the Angel of the Holy Word asked in a low voice, "Who are you?"

It won't be convenient saying it out directly… Klein sighed and smiled.

"I'm a lonely traveler."

After he gave this reply, he suddenly felt an extreme sense of darkness developing within him. It then sank down and merged with the shadow created by the lantern.

The pitch-black figure abruptly warped and came to "life," stretching itself out to become another Gehrman Sparrow—one with sinister and ferocious eyes and a solitary demeanor.

This… Klein's pupils constricted. Without any hesitation, he reached out his right hand and grabbed outward at thin air.

At this point, if he hadn't guessed that Steph was using his "answer," he should've joined the Aurora Order and made the True Creator his god.

At this moment, he already knew what it meant by "Angel of the Holy Word."

This was clearly the Angel of the Evil Word!

By using a person's reply, "He" could extract a portion of the ambiguity or expand on it to create the effect of spirit language!

When Klein said that he didn't know where the owner of the city had gone, Steph extracted the words "I don't know where I went," trapping himself and isolating himself from the outside world.

When this angel revealed "His" identity, every word was enhancing "His" level and strength.

When Klein answered who he was, it ended up separating "a lonely traveler" from him.

From the moment "He" appeared in Nois City, there was a strong sense of malice in the black-robed Steph!

And just as Klein was attempting to summon a particular image from the Historical Void, the sinister Gehrman Sparrow seemed to share the same thoughts as he did. He too grabbed at the same projection, canceling each other out.

Seeing that his powers as a Scholar of Yore had been restrained, Klein's eyes narrowed. Without any hesitation, he opened his mouth and said a word in Jotun.

But in the next second, the word was stolen.

Standing at about four meters tall, the stooped Angel of the Holy Word, Steph, had at some point in time grown a head covered in blood on "His" left shoulder. It looked very similar to "Him," but was much younger—a person who was approximately in the forties.

Around the head were two skinless arms that had mangled flesh. They had "Grazed" different souls and had used Beyonder powers that could steal thoughts.

At the same time, another bloody head grew on Steph's right shoulder, one that looked to be in "His" twenties.

Amongst the three heads, one "Grazed" souls and stole Klein's thoughts, while the other was staring coldly at the target, deepening the self-awareness of the lonely traveler. The last one opened "His" mouth and said, "You lie!

"You are the person who destroyed the son of God's descent ritual and interfered with the Lord's descent twice!

"You are one of the targets I'm looking for!"

The corners of Klein's mouth twitched as he calmly said a word in Jotun, "Leodero!"

This was the true name of the Lord of Storms!

The reason why this thought wasn't stolen was because he had lined up his subsequent actions. The lineup was filled with the same content. It didn't matter if the first thought was stolen, as it didn't affect the subsequent thoughts.

This was a precious experience he had gained from fighting Amon.

Of course, if he were to meet Amon again, he suspected that such a method might not work. Once the God of Mischief was prepared, "He" would definitely come up with something new.

As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the Angel of the Holy Word Angel, Steph, lit up with bolts of silver lightning.

They covered the entirety of Nois City, and they tore through the darkness that enveloped the cathedral. They tore apart all the corruption, concealment, darkness, vileness, and evil.

Inside, Klein and the sinister Gehrman Sparrow were situated at the eye of the lightning storm. Without even a grunt, they dissipated.

Then, the terrifying, silvery-white, twisted electric bolts snaked the area and swallowed the demonic wolf statue as well as the Angel of Holy Words, Steph.

Amidst the dull rumbling sounds, the ancient city of Nois completely collapsed, becoming a true ruin.

At the opposite side of the dried-up river bed, Klein's historical projection quickly faded away, returning to the real world.

Right on the heels of that, Klein immediately used Flaming Jump to distance himself from the Nois ruins. During this process, he pulled out a few paper figurines and made them into "angels" to cover his tracks.

The desolate plains returned to its state of dead silence once again. After an unknown period of time, the ruins where the cathedral stood shook. Steph slowly stood up amidst crumbling dust and rock.

"His" completely white hair had thinned again, and "His" deep-black clergyman's robe became tattered.

The Angel of the Holy Word left Nois ancient city in silence, got "His" bearings, and walked deep into the darkness.

Half a day later, a figure approached the city's ruins from another direction. It was none other than Klein who had made a huge detour.

He hadn't had the chance to check the ancient city of Nois previously, and his return this time was motivated by the hope of finding actual clues of that existence.

At a relatively far distance away, Klein repeated his observations above the gray fog, summoned the historical projection, and hid in ancient times, using the projection to summon another historical projection.

After finishing his preparations, he stepped into Nois once again and returned to the cathedral in absolute silence.

Along the way, the corpses that had been lying dead on the ground had either turned to ash or turned to charred remains, devoid of that creepy and harrowing feeling.

That fellow named Steph didn't die… From the looks of it, the remnant divine powers of Storm here can only injure an angel… Klein stopped in front of the ruined cathedral and muttered to himself wistfully.

Of course, he only found it a little regretful. He didn't expect to finish off an angel so easily.

As he swept his gaze, he saw a few pieces of the demonic wolf statue.

The surface of it was dark black, and the insides were dark red—nothing like commonly seen stone.

These stones must be extraordinary for them to be used by that Dark Demonic Wolf for "His" statue. Furthermore, they don't look like something produced in the vicinity… Perhaps I can seek out the area the Dark Demonic Wolf hid prior to Nois City by investigating them… As a Miracle Invoker, or even an Attendant of Mysteries, that Dark Demonic Wolf must be good at covering "His" tracks. It'll be very difficult to track "His" whereabouts directly, but if I can find most of the areas "He" had hid previously, I should be able to gain insight into "His" habits and style…

Once I know a person's past, I can predict his future! As he thought, he took two steps forward, bent down, and attempted to pick up a fragment of the statue.

At that moment, a charred hand suddenly reached out and blocked his finger.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a charred corpse standing up!

The charred corpse's other hand held onto a crystal monocle and wore it on its left eye.

Amon! Left eye… Klein's heart tightened at first before a strong sense of doubt and suspicion surfaced within him.

In the next second, the charred corpse smiled and said, "Sorry, I wore it on the wrong side."

As it spoke, it took off the monocle and moved it to its right eye.

Chapter 1183 Klein"s Advantage

"…" Once again, Klein understood why Amon was the God of Mischief.

At that moment, he didn't even have the desire to lampoon. All he wanted was to immediately end the historical projection and escape from the Amon—no, Amons—in front of him.

The charred corpse that had been "Parasitized" wiped the soot from its face. Before Klein disappeared, it said with a smile, "There's no rush. You are just a projection from the Historical Void. I can't really parasitize you, and you should know very well that I'm not alone. It's difficult for you to launch an effective counterattack."

With a simple lantern in hand, Klein thought silently. He picked up a piece of the black sculpture fragment that had red insides, and he cautiously asked, "What exactly do you want to say?"

At that moment, Amon had already changed back into "His" appearance. The only problem was that "His" skin remained darker.

"He" adjusted "His" crystal monocle and chuckled.

"You know that I'm aware that you're searching for that Dark Demonic Wolf in an attempt to obtain the Miracle Invoker's Beyonder characteristic from 'Him.' I happen to be very interested as well. Why don't we play another game and see who can get to it first?"

What's the point of that? It's not like I won't pursue it or think of snatching it if I don't play this game. After two seconds of silence, he shook his head.

"I refuse."

He had no intention of listening to what conditions Amon would offer. The more he heard from a top cheat, the more he would suffer.

Amon shook "His" head without a hint of anger.

"You'll regret this. I had originally planned to use a Miracle Invoker's Beyonder characteristic to exchange for Sefirah Castle with you, and also give you a period of time to transfer the secret gathering you organized.

"And now, I can only consider stealing your fate directly. I will carry the burden of the corrosion from the source. Yes, although it's dangerous, it's still thrilling enough. I'm already prepared to accept it and see who will eventually control the flow. With my father's experience, I believe I won't perform too poorly."

…What? Corrosion from the source? The experience of the ancient sun god? Klein originally didn't wish to continue discussing the topic of the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic and Sefirah Castle, but when he heard that, his heart stirred.

He recalled Amon's description and couldn't help but ask, "The source refers to the Oldest One, the first Creator?"

He desperately wanted to know what sort of unbearable fate Sefirah Castle would bring him.

Amon pinched the edge of his monocle and looked at him for a few seconds before suddenly smiling.

"It's better if I don't answer this question directly, as you won't believe every word I say."

Tell me, I'll determine its authenticity! Klein suppressed the urge to blurt out and calmly replied, "Maybe it's just because you haven't made up the reason yet."

Amon didn't mind at all as "He" smiled and said, "You can think of it that way too.

"Heh heh, at times, the truth that you discover for yourself is definitely more agreeable than what others tell you. If you have the time, you can wander around the Forsaken Land of the Gods. This should provide you with more clues. Of course, if you have the guts to enter Chernobyl, then you would know more."

"…" Klein didn't pursue the matter any further. After staring at the collapsed cathedral that was bathed in a faint yellow light, he casually said, "Did the Dark Demonic Wolf hurriedly migrate because of the discovery of your existence?"

Amon nodded slightly and said, "It wasn't just me. 'He' also sensed The Hanged Man's gaze. 'He' has been hiding in the Forsaken Land of the Gods for thousands of years. 'He' is very sensitive to such matters."

A Sequence 2 angel, perhaps even a Sequence 1 angel, can only play hide and seek in the Forsaken Land of the Gods and live such an abject life… Isn't the environment here a little too harsh? Klein sighed inwardly before saying, "You must've left more than one avatar in the City of Silver. Why didn't you try to stop me from reviving there?

"Why didn't you send more powerful avatars over?"

Amon nudged the bottom of "His" monocle with "His" right index finger and laughed.

"If that happens, you'll choose to revive in the outside world. This will cause quite a bit of trouble for my follow-up tracking.

"And if I—if we were to relax a little, due to the existence of the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, you would most likely be resurrected here. In the following game, the only things that we need to consider are The Hanged Man and Ouroboros."

Just as I thought… Klein said after some thought, "Even in the same region, as long as you exceed a certain distance, your true body and avatars have no way to instantly merge or switch locations?

"Back when you first entered the Forsaken Land of the Gods, you were able to transform back into your true form because the anomalies with Sefirah Castle had similarly interfered with the area here, allowing your true body to sense something. You went to the entrance in advance to wait?"

After hearing what he said with a smile, Amon asked without answering, "What's your guess?

"Why don't you guess if I've turned back into my original form?"

Klein raised his right fist and covered his mouth. After pondering for a few seconds, he revealed a smile.

"I guess your other avatars are setting up a corresponding ritual to allow your true body to descend directly…"

Before he could finish his sentence, his figure rapidly turned incorporeal and dissipated.

The Historical Void projection was dispelled.

In the wilderness outside the ancient city of Nois, the air around the hiding Klein suddenly stirred. In midair, there were a series of illusory monocles.

They stared at Klein's figure, as if saying that they had finally found him.

However, Klein's figure rapidly faded away.

Back when Amon moved the monocle to "His" right eye, Klein had already returned from ancient history to the real world. With the help of Paper Angel, he had used Flaming Jump and other Beyonder powers to quickly leave.

The reason why his historical projection was able to speak to Amon rather normally was because he was essentially a marionette. It was Qonas Kilgor in the form of Gehrman Sparrow. He had a Worm of Spirit that came from history inside him and was controlled by Klein's projection outside the city.

Meanwhile, in the process of escaping far away, Klein frequently entered the Historical Void, allowing the projection outside the city to intermittently regain consciousness and maintain control of his marionette.

This caused the person who had spoken to Amon to fall into deep thought from time to time. He would either stare with a focused look for a few seconds or seemingly need time to recall what Amon had said.

Against the God of Deceit, Klein didn't dare to be careless!

After leaving Nois City, he circled around two more times and used his true vision to inspect his surroundings above the gray fog. Only then did he slow down.

The corrosion that comes from the source… I wonder if Amon is bluffing me… Indeed, I'll have to enter Chernobyl one day to take a look, but I have to become a Miracle Invoker—doing so after I have self-preservation abilities to a certain degree; otherwise, I'll just be knocking on death's door… With the lantern that Danitz had sacrificed, Klein casually proceeded in the dark environment of the weeds.

Thanks to this experience, he finally had a deeper understanding of the danger in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.

Extremely harsh and warped environment, crazy cultists, fallen angel, groups of Amons wandering about, and Mythical Creatures lurking in the darkness. Somewhere here, there are evil gods watching everything. I can stir remnant divine powers that others can as well… As expected of the Forsaken Land of the Gods. The danger level far exceeds my imagination… As he sighed, he turned his attention back to the Dark Demonic Wolf.

To be frank, he didn't think he had any advantage in tracking this Mythical Creature. Be it his understanding of the Forsaken Land of the Gods, or his confidence in the target's situation, he was far inferior to Amon, who had been exploring the area for more than a thousand years, as well as the True Creator's Blesseds who had the benefit of this place being their home ground.

My only advantage is that I share the same Seer pathway as the Dark Demonic Wolf. Furthermore, I have Sefirah Castle. There is a strong inclination for Beyonder characteristic convergence. This will have a certain effect on fate and judgment… However, Amon is a King of Angels of a neighboring pathway. There is also the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence between "Him" and the Dark Demonic Wolf. The effects won't be any weaker than mine… Klein considered carefully for a moment when he suddenly had an idea. He found his best advantage.

The advantage was:

He was very weak!

Compared to Amon, the True Creator's attendant, and the Dark Demonic Wolf, he was very weak!

Under normal circumstances, this was a disadvantage, but at times, it was possible that it could bring him something that he wanted.

My level is low, and I'm weak. That means that I can become the hunting target of the Dark Demonic Wolf instead… It's very difficult for me to find "Him," so why don't I get "Him" to come and find me instead! A Scholar of Yore might not necessarily interest the Dark Demonic Wolf, but if this Scholar of Yore can still trigger Sefirah Castle, that's a whole other matter… I can stir Sefirah Castle from time to time, leaving behind traces of the gray fog's aura as bait for the Dark Demonic Wolf… The more he thought, the more viable he believed it was.

Of course, this was definitely very dangerous. If he wasn't careful, he might accidentally bait Amon or even the True Creator. And the Dark Demonic Wolf might very likely choose to observe first before suddenly launching an attack and not giving him a chance to prepare.

Before taking this approach, I have to make sufficient preparations… There's no need to rush it… Taking a deep breath, Klein reached out his hand and pulled out the black demonic wolf sculpture's fragment that was red on the inside.

Although he had failed to obtain the item due to Amon's obstruction, this didn't stop him from taking it out from the Historical Void. This was because he had already seen it and had touched it. And the item itself wasn't at a high level.

At this moment, he wanted to use the fragment to search for the hiding spot of the Dark Demonic Wolf by analyzing it in reverse and figuring out its modus operandi.

In the wilderness ruled by darkness, Klein lifted the lantern that emitted a faint yellow light. He got his bearings and changed directions before slowly entering.

…

Backlund, Hillston Borough.

Fors, who had gone out "Traveling" once, finally received a reply from her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham.

Chapter 1184 "Record"

There are no Worms of Star at the moment… He wants me to take note of what else the person who's seeking to purchase a Worm of Star needs… Fors read the letter from her teacher and silently heaved a sigh of relief.

However, when she thought about how she was about to begin hunting the Saint of Secrets, she felt a pang of nervousness. After all, he was a demigod, a saint who had reached Sequence 4 about one or two years ago. It was unknown if he was already at Sequence 3 now.

Although the mastermind behind the operation is Ma'am Hermit, as the bait, I still need to worry about my own safety… Besides, the Aurora Order still has Rose Redemption backing them, as well as angels and a King of Angels… Fors didn't regret agreeing to Gehrman Sparrow's request. This was something she had wanted to do in the first place. However, due to the high risk involved, it was inevitable for her to feel flustered and uneasy.

This made her think of another possibility:

If Mr. World could participate in the operation and lead it, I'll definitely feel less nervous and worried.

It wasn't that Fors didn't believe in Ma'am Hermit's strength and experience, but that the results from The World Gehrman Sparrow were laid bare for all to see. His hunts didn't include one or two demigods, so having him run the operation would make one feel at ease.

Xio, who was sitting beside the fireplace, glanced at her friend and asked, "Is the hunt about to begin?"

"Yes." Fors nodded solemnly before saying, "It won't be too soon. Everyone needs some time to prepare."

Hunting a demigod wasn't akin to fox hunting in the suburbs during autumn. Setting off wasn't as simple as bringing the equipment and gathering friends. This required a precise and meticulous plan. Fors believed that Ma'am Hermit had to come to Backlund personally, or live in another kill box that she had decided on for some time. Only by figuring out the exact situation could she come up with an effective plan.

As for Miss Justice, she was still speeding up the digestion of her Dreamwalker potion. This might take another one to two months or even longer.

For Fors, she could afford to wait. She also wanted to finish digesting her Scribe potion, set up the ritual, and become a Traveler before the actual operation began.

The only thing she wasn't sure of was whether The World would rush them.

I will try my best to convince him—no, let Miss Justice convince him. That's what a Spectator is best at… Just as Fors mumbled, she saw Xio turn around and hesitantly say, "The liaison officer from MI9 suggested that I should officially join them today. And they said that, with the new king in place, there are many matters from the past that I don't need to worry about. People like me and him have the chance to have importance placed on them again."

Fors listened attentively and said after some deliberation, "That isn't some sort of investigation that's targeted at us, right?

"This will likely make them discover that there's a faction behind you."

Xio nodded and said, "They believe that I was abandoned after that incident. Also, they suspect that that faction belongs to a Church—the Church of Evernight."

Xio believed in the Evernight Goddess, so mentioning the Church was undoubtedly referring to the Church of Evernight. However, considering that her good friend was a believer in the God of Steam and Machinery, she made an emphasis to prevent any ambiguity.

"Heh heh, that's what Mr. World told us to disguise ourselves as," Fors stroked her hair with a relaxed expression and said with a smile.

She then made herself look serious and mature.

"Xio, this is an opportunity for you. 'Acting' as a Judge clearly requires the support of the officials. Your current strength and level aren't enough to be a Judge in the underground world in Backlund. You also lack sufficient support.

"If you can really enter a court of law, rotate between the different courts, and serve in a criminal court for a few months, your potion should be completely digested. Oh right, I heard that MI9 has a 'Paranormal Court' within it, one which specializes in Beyonder cases. If you become a Judge there, you might be able to attempt to be a Disciplinary Paladin by February or March next year."

Seeing Xio clearly being moved by her speech, Fors hurriedly added, "Once you make enough contributions, you might be able to restore your father's reputation to a certain extent. Anyway, George III is already dead. As long as it doesn't affect his reputation, Jevington II might not stop it."

Jevington was the eldest son of George III. He had worn the crown as Balam's emperor and was now the new king of Loen.

Xio fell silent for a while before she slowly nodded.

"I'll give it a try."

"Yes, after things settle down, you can bring your mother and brother to Backlund. Although the situation is tense now and food prices are rapidly rising, you definitely get food rations from MI9. You can provide for them!" The more Fors spoke, the more she felt that joining MI9 was a good thing.

After persuading Xio, Fors entered her bedroom and prayed to Mr. Fool, asking "Him" to forward her message to Mr. World.

Immediately following that, Fors extracted the important points of her teacher's reply and described her thoughts, hoping that Gehrman Sparrow could be more patient.

Just as she finished her prayers and was about to leave the room, her vision suddenly blurred. She saw a crimson tide surge out of the void, instantly drowning her.

Fors immediately discovered that she had arrived in the ancient palace and was sitting on her usual high-back chair. However, there was no towering figure that was shrouded in gray fog at the long, bronze table's seat of honor.

At that moment, there was only her and The World Gehrman Sparrow around the long mottled table.

"…" Fors's mind suddenly tensed up as her thoughts raced suddenly. "Mr. World, I meant, just now, that it's best if you have some patience. This will make things simpler. It's actually fine if you don't. We will begin hunting as soon as possible."

Klein let out a soft chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'm not in a hurry."

When his ultimate goal had become an angel-level potion formula and Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, he had enough patience regarding this matter.

Phew… Fors secretly heaved a sigh of relief and asked curiously, "Then why did you look for me?"

Klein replied calmly, "Didn't you wish to digest the Scribe potion as quickly as possible?

"Apart from the customs of different places, I think you still need to record all kinds of Beyonder powers. The higher the corresponding level, the better the digestion's effect."

Fors's eyes lit up when she heard that.

"Yes… Yes!"

After blurting it out, she found her attitude highly questionable. She hurriedly and fearfully added, "Is this the advance payment you mentioned before?"

Klein nodded slightly and said, "Let's begin. Be prepared. I've borrowed a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact from Mr. Fool. It corresponds to the level of a saint."

To a Sequence 6 Scribe, the chances of successfully recording an angel-level Beyonder power was extremely low—nearly impossible. Therefore, Klein didn't attempt to summon Miss Messenger and Mr. Azik from the Historical Void to showcase their "skills."

Fors sat up straight and nodded heavily.

"Yes."

In the next second, she saw The World Gehrman Sparrow raise a white bone scepter covered in blue gems.

Amidst the bright light, bolts of lightning leaped out of the void and interwove together, forming a forest of lightning that emitted an aura of destruction.

Fors's eyes turned silvery-white as her body and mind were left in awe.

After the Lightning Storm calmed down, she was stunned for two seconds before timidly saying, "It failed…"

"Again," Klein calmly replied.

"Lightning Storm" descended again and again in the ancient palace above the gray fog. After an unknown period of time, Fors exhaled and leaned back in her chair. She couldn't hide her joy as she said, "It's a success! It's a success…"

She had finally "Recorded" Lightning Storm once.

It's finally over… Fors immediately relaxed. Then, she heard The World say without emotion, "Alright, next Beyonder power."

…Next? Fors saw the crazy adventurer at the bottom of the long, mottled table extend his right hand and grab at the grayish-white fog. Out of nowhere, he took out a long, thorny cross that was covered in bronze.

Record this cross's ability? Fors tried hard to make her expression appear normal.

After she digested the Scribe potion to a certain extent, the godhood powers that she could "Record" had increased from one to two.

"No." Klein glanced at Miss Magician and said, "Record my summoning of the Unshadowed Crucifix."

"…It failed," Fors said softly.

The reason for her failure this time was that she didn't have time to "Record" it.

Dispelling the maintenance of Unshadowed Crucifix, Klein once again reached into the fog of history and pulled out an iron-black revolver.

"It didn't succeed…" Fors replied with a complicated expression.

All she wanted to do now was to return to the real world and digest what she had just received, but the ringing of the bell to mark the end of "class" just didn't happen.

Nearly thirty times later, when Fors's head throbbed in pain and her mental strength was beginning to run dry, she finally "Recorded" Historical Void Summoning once.

At that moment, she felt her tears fill her eyes, but she still held back her fatigue and tried her best to show the attitude of a good student.

"This can summon people and objects that one is related to through the Historical Void?

"When the time comes, who should I summon, or what item should I summon?"

Klein looked at Miss Magician and coldly replied, "Me."

"…" Fors forced a smile and asked, "From which period?"

"The last time we met." Klein had already thought of an answer.

It was the him who had deliberately sent Miss Magician back from the world of ice and snow to Backlund before he destroyed George III's ritual. He had already become a Scholar of Yore by then.

Fors nodded solemnly and subconsciously asked, "What if I fail? For me to summon someone who exceeds my own level, the probability of failure should be very high…"

"Come again tomorrow to record this ability. Use Leymano's Travels," Klein said calmly.

Will two times be enough to succeed? Fors instinctively had such a question. However, she didn't dare to speak when she saw how certain The World Gehrman Sparrow was about it.

She raised her hand and gestured.

"Then, can I go back now?"

With a terse answer, he allowed Miss Magician to leave Sefirah Castle with a delighted expression.

…

In a primitive forest on Sonia Island.

Alger Wilson led his subordinates into an elven ruin that was seldom visited.

Chapter 1185 Reappearing

The withered vines drooped down, covering the rotting wooden structure. The entire ruins had been frozen in a silent atmosphere that no one had tread within for a while.

Alger and a few sailors circled around the ruin in the environment of a withering winter, but they still failed to discover anything of value.

"Captain, batches of adventurers have come here before. What else could they have left us?" Finally, a sailor in his thirties impatiently broke the silence.

This resonated with his other companions as they echoed, "A place that didn't take us much time to learn about can definitely be easily found by others."

"That's right, that's right. Let's continue to f**k the Feysacians!"

"Captain, are you trying to make this place a stronghold?"

Alger slowly scanned the area, quelling the sailors to stop their complaints under his gaze and making them choose to obey.

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "I plan on using this place to ambush the Feysacians.

"Let's observe the terrain and see if it's suitable."

With such an excuse, the sailors barely perked up, and the group quickly entered the depths of the elven ruins.

As he walked, Alger's spiritual perception was triggered as he subconsciously looked behind a gigantic tree.

There were some signs of churning in the soil over there, and it wouldn't take more than a year.

Alger retracted his gaze and pretended not to notice anything amiss. He naturally looked elsewhere.

After exploring the elven ruins, they returned to their new camp.

At that moment, it was almost evening and the forest was getting colder. Alger had dinner with the sailors before leaving two patrolling guards behind, and then all of them entered their respective tents.

The cold wind blew through the trees, causing the bonfire to sway. Alger, who had wanted to leave the campsite in the middle of the night, suddenly heard faint singing from afar.

The voice was ethereal, like a woman humming and singing slowly, relating her inner thoughts.

This made Alger involuntarily recall the past. He recalled his mother who had long passed away, and the days when he was a bullied child.

Indescribable grief surged from the bottom of his heart, preventing him from waking up immediately. He waited for a few seconds before he suddenly sat up, frowning and listening.

This time, he didn't hear anything. That melodious voice seemed to have never happened.

Alger narrowed his eyes, grabbed his thick jacket, and put it on. He walked out of the tent and came to the bonfire.

The two sailors in charge of night duty had just finished their patrol and were drawing warmth from it.

"Did you discover anything unusual?" Alger asked in a deep voice.

The two strong, vigorous sailors shook their heads.

"No."

Alger's brows relaxed a little as he turned around, intending to make his own rounds.

At this moment, he noticed something from the corner of his eye.

The two sailors were too close.

If it were any ordinary pirate, this wouldn't have been a problem. However, Alger's subordinates had undergone formal training through the Church of the Lord of Storms. They definitely knew that, in such an environment, the patrol team had to maintain a certain distance from each other. They couldn't be too far or too close. They had to be able to see their companions, as well as prevent themselves from being taken away at the same time from a single assault.

Alger took two steps without batting an eyelid. He turned back and casually asked, "Did you discover anything normal?"

He had changed the question and made it appear very strange.

The two strong sailors shook their heads and replied without changing their expressions, "No."

No… Alger nodded slightly with a relaxed expression.

"Very good."

He turned around and slowly walked into his tent.

The moment the sailors' attention on him was cut off, Alger drew out the Blade of Poison and the Gargoyle Glasses. He opened his mouth and prepared to belt out a song.

At that moment, the ethereal voice from before appeared once again. It echoed in Alger's ears and pierced into his mind.

This was an extremely ancient folk song, spelling out an extreme sense of sadness and melancholy through the singing. It made Alger's Spirit Body produce pale, non-existent arms that constantly tore at him.

Alger's expression twisted as his skin began to produce slippery, black fish scales. His dark blue hair stood up one by one as they became abnormally thick.

The thoughts that originally existed in his mind were disrupted by the song and were cut off by the pain. They were unable to take form any further.

Alger fell and struggled on the ground. He squirmed, becoming less and less like a human as he was pushed to the brink of losing control.

Suddenly, the singing stopped. A slightly indifferent voice entered Alger's ears:

"Some elven blood…

"Then, that shall be all. Use Siatas's Beyonder characteristic well."

Alger's forehead was covered in cold sweat as he slowly got up. He didn't know when a figure had appeared in the tent.

It was a woman with black hair and exquisite facial features. Her ears were slightly pointy, and her eyes were deep. Her facial features were soft, and she wore a complicated and ancient long dress. Even though she didn't have the advantage in height, she still gave off an air of superiority.

"…Are you the Elf Queen, Queen of Calamity Cohinem?" A thought flashed through Alger's mind as he took the initiative to ask.

The woman played with a beautifully decorated golden cup and calmly said, "Haven't you already met me?"

Alger suddenly recalled the similar singing he had heard on Pasu Island. He recalled seeing a high elf when he entered the underwater coral palace.

After a few seconds of silence, Alger said in a deep voice, "You're actually still alive."

At the same time, he silently recited Mr. Fool's honorific name in his heart, but he didn't know if it would be effective if he didn't recite it out loud.

The black-haired woman's expression remained unchanged as she replied, "It's very difficult for an angel to perish without encountering an enemy."

"Then why did you split the characteristics and place yourself to be in a strange state? This makes you need to wait for an opportunity to be resurrected." Alger had learned of the corresponding situation at the Tarot Club, and now, he was asking out of curiosity, partly to stall for time.

The elven lady suspected to be Queen of Calamity Cohinem snorted.

"Because the divine throne for 'Storm' is occupied by Leodero, and I have no way of resisting the 'Tyrant.'

"Also, the elves are dwindling in numbers. My anchors are becoming increasingly unstable."

Other people might not know who Leodero was, but Alger knew very well. He didn't dare continue this topic in the real world.

Just as he was about to ask the Queen of Calamity Cohinem's goal for coming, the Elf Queen said, "Do you want to become a demigod?"

"She" wants to use my body to revive? "She" wants to use my wish to advance to Sequence 4 and obtain godhood as bait to intrude my body? While Alger was tempted, questions arose in his mind.

Considering how Mr. Fool could cleanse all kinds of corruption, Alger acutely felt that this was an opportunity.

This made him recall a term Emperor Roselle had once mentioned:

A trojan horse!

And now, he had a high chance of bringing in the trojan horse and throwing out the invaders within.

"What do you want me to do?" Alger didn't appear too anxious as he raised a question based on his personality.

Queen of Calamity Cohinem observed him for a few seconds before saying, "When you have the right to make contact with the Book of Calamity, take out something that no one else will notice, and take it to the Western Continent."

The Western Continent… The legendary homeland of the elves? Alger frowned slightly and said, "Hasn't the Western Continent already disappeared?"

The corners of Cohinem's lips curled up slightly.

"Since it disappeared, it will reappear again.

"It will definitely appear again when the apocalypse happens."

Without waiting for Alger to ask further, the Elf Queen paused and said, "You don't have to personally send that item to the Western Continent, but you have to entrust someone trustworthy. Although I'm not skilled at curses, I can still make you die in pain from breaking our agreement."

"But what if the Western Continent doesn't appear again, or if it can't be entered?" Alger thought seriously for a moment.

Cohinem, with her gentle gaze and lustrous raven-black hair, seemed to be lost in beautiful memories.

After a few seconds, she calmly said, "If it really doesn't appear again, then the agreement shall be null and void.

"Perhaps entering the Western Continent requires an incantation or command, but I do not know what it is. However, you can ask a particular existence."

"Who?" Alger asked, puzzled.

Cohinem glanced at him and coldly said, "The Mr. Fool you were chanting in your heart just now.

"I have a feeling that 'He' is the key to this matter."

Alger's heart tightened as he hurriedly lowered his head in response.

"I understand."

Seeing this, Queen of Calamity Cohinem nodded slightly and said, "If you wish to become a demigod and abide by this agreement, you can head to the elven ruins when the sun rises."

After the voice fell, the Elf Queen's figure quickly dissipated, like a mirage that was often seen at sea and in the desert.

Alger suddenly opened his eyes and realized that he was lying in a tent, having just woken up.

His memories were in a mess, but he quickly regulated them.

He and his sailors had just found the location of an elven ruin and had yet to explore it.

The previous "exploration," singing, sailor anomalies, and appearance and conversation with Calamity were all just a dream!

It's no wonder I was so careless… Even though I knew that I might encounter the Queen of Calamity, I didn't pray to Mr. Fool first… The Queen of Calamity relied on her status as an angel to create this realistic dream? Or perhaps, she has a corresponding Sealed Artifact. Even if she exists in a special state, she still has the means to use her powers? Alger listened to the commotion outside the tent, and he realized that everything was normal.

He then sat down and prayed sincerely to Mr. Fool.

In just twenty to thirty seconds, Alger arrived above the gray fog and saw Mr. Fool sitting at the end of the long, mottled table.

"You met Cohinem?" After The Hanged Man greeted him, The Fool Klein spoke casually.

Alger answered seriously, "Yes, but I can't be sure that it's the Elf Queen."

Chapter 1186 Opportunity and Danger Are Two Sides of the Same Coin

The Fool acknowledged softly and didn't deny The Hanged Man's guess, nor was he certain that it was Queen of Calamity Cohinem. After all, it was impossible for him to take out a gold coin in front of him and perform a divination on the spot.

Alger waited for a few seconds. Seeing no clear response from Mr. Fool, he quickly went into greater detail about what he had said in the prayer. From the woman suspected to be Queen of Calamity Cohinem saying that he had some elven blood in him, to how she gave him a promise of becoming a demigod, as well as the key to the Western Continent and the completion of the agreement.

After recounting everything, Alger shut his mouth and lowered his head, not daring to directly ask Mr. Fool what "He" thought. He obediently waited for the great existence to speak.

Some elven blood… Send something from the Book of Calamity to the Western Continent… The missing Western Continent might reappear again… The Western Continent… The Fool Klein listened quietly. He closed his eyes and calmly said, "This is very dangerous, but this is also an opportunity for you."

He had already gained initial control of Sefirah Castle, and the power he could mobilize had reached the level of a Sequence 2 angel. As for Queen of Calamity Cohinem, she couldn't be higher than this level; therefore, he was quite confident that he could resist the various accidents brought about by the Elf Queen.

It was precisely because of this that he dared to claim it to be an opportunity for The Hanged Man.

Of course, the prerequisite for grasping the opportunity was that The Hanged Man wasn't rash or went overboard. He had to constantly remember to ask for protection at all times. Therefore, Klein specially emphasized that it was very dangerous. He wanted The Hanged Man to remember to pray to Mr. Fool before he took action.

This short sentence had two meanings to it, but he believed that Mr. Hanged Man would definitely understand it.

Alger was delighted as he replied rather sincerely, as though he had learned from The Sun.

"My faith lies only with Mr. Fool!"

These words made Klein feel uneasy as he remembered the pain of being drowned by endless lightning. He could only smile without saying a word.

Alger deliberated for a moment before asking, "Honorable Mr. Fool, what are the incantations or commands needed to enter the Western Continent?"

I would like to know that too… The Fool Klein sighed and said, "It's not time for you to know."

"Yes, Mr. Fool." Alger didn't ask further as he bowed respectfully.

When he returned to the real world, he immediately walked out of the tent and led his sailors out. Under the light of the morning sun, he spent a certain amount of time reaching the elven ruin.

The scene here was identical to what he had seen in his dream. The withered vines covered the decaying wooden structure, and there were some areas where the text on monuments could be seen. The air seemed to have frozen, as though no one had stepped in for a long time.

Looking around, Alger suddenly thought of a question.

How was he to face the Church after he really relied on the Queen of Calamity to become a demigod?

Directly rebel, becoming the fifth king over the Five Seas—no, the sixth king? But this way, I won't have a chance to come into contact with the Book of Calamity. Unless I design a situation that forces the Church to use this Sealed Artifact that might've been labeled as Grade 0 without my knowledge. That will not only be very difficult, but I have to become a Sea King, or even a Calamity to succeed… Yes, I can request The World's help… If I wish to continue staying in the Church, I have to give them a reason that they cannot ignore but is sufficiently believable… Alger frowned slightly without hiding his solemnity.

In the eyes of the sailors who followed him, this was a sign that he was worried about the ruin.

As his thoughts churned, Alger gradually came up with ideas:

There are many books in the Church that have records of people turning into demigods due to a fortuitous encounter… Two-thirds of them were invaded by evil gods and devils and eventually lost their lives in the purification process… However, a third of them passed the test and became a high-ranking deacon or a cardinal…

Now that the war has broken out, the situation in Loen is tense. As long as there aren't any problems during the investigation, the Church wouldn't mind having an additional Sequence 4 demigod as cannon fodder… Then, I can slowly gain their trust later…

The prerequisite for all of this is that the Queen of Calamity hasn't truly attempted to corrupt me or left a mark on me…

Considering the various Sealed Artifacts in the Church's possession, I have to pray for Mr. Fool's blessings ahead of time… According to Miss Justice, Angel's Embrace can effectively hide one's true thoughts and tests in one's dream…

With the members of the Tarot Club beginning to become demigods or about to become demigods, Alger really didn't wish to be lining the bottom of the barrel. Just like in the past, he had done so many things in the Church, all for the sake of being superior to others. Now, he was naturally willing to take a certain risk.

With this decision, Alger immediately led his sailors into the ruins and began exploring the path in his dreams.

This time, he didn't split his subordinates into small teams. On the one hand, he was worried that an accident might occur, and on the other hand, he hoped that they could all be his "witness."

After fifteen minutes, Alger and his crew arrived beside the giant tree that had signs of its soil being churned.

Before he could survey his surroundings, his vision blurred, and he saw a gorgeous palace made up of coral.

Above the palace was a layer of deep blue seawater that rippled outwards. Giant pillars stood tall and held up an exaggerated dome. It was tall and beautiful, but also dark and gloomy.

Alger looked around and realized that all the sailors beside him had disappeared. He immediately knew that he might have been pulled into an illusion.

He took a silent breath and slowly walked into the coral palace.

There were many elves inside. They were either roasting fish or placing spices in the coagulated animal blood. Their choice of utensil was two tree branches to bring the food to their mouths. None of them minded the entrance of a stranger.

Alger then cast his gaze to the nine-staired stairs a hundred meters away.

On the steps, there was a coral throne inlaid with sapphires, emerald, and lustrous pearls. The Elf Queen, Queen of Calamity, was sitting there, looking down at Alger.

"Very good." Cohinem nodded and threw out the exquisite gold wine glass.

The gentle but resilient wind held the wine cup in its embrace and, like tiny pixies in a line, carried the corresponding items towards Alger.

Alger reached out to receive it and looked down. He discovered that there was a blue liquid inside the golden cup. It was incorporeal, dreamy, and surreal.

"Drink it, and then head to the waters near the Symeem Island of the Rorsted Archipelago. Find this coral palace. The thing you want is inside."

"If I don't drink this 'wine,' I won't be able to see that palace?" Alger asked thoughtfully.

Although he was facing an angel, he was still able to communicate rather calmly. This was because he met a mighty figure every week and was already used to this situation.

Queen of Calamity Cohinem nodded and said, "That's right."

"Will you leave a mark on me?" Alger asked cautiously.

"Yes," Cohinem said coldly. "So, before entering the coral palace and obtaining the corresponding items, you can't return to Pasu Island. You can't meet the angels under Leodero."

The pontiff can't be met even if I want to… Alger heaved a sigh of relief inwardly before asking, "After I get hold of that item, the effect of this 'wine' will disappear?"

Elf Queen Cohinem, replied without any change in expression, "No, you need to directly consume that characteristic.

"When the time comes, this 'wine' will transform into a seal, allowing that characteristic to temporarily not invade your body. How you prepare the ritual and explain this to the Church of Storms will be up to you."

Let the characteristic belong to me first before holding the ritual? This way, there might be a better way for the Church to accept it… Alger thought for a moment before raising his hand to bring the wine cup to his lips.

The ice-cold liquid slid down his throat and disappeared in a blink of an eye. The entire coral palace shattered as the light of dawn and the remnants of the gigantic green tree reappeared in front of Alger.

You didn't sign a contract or get me to swear an oath? Yes, drinking that cup of "wine" is equivalent to making an agreement… Alger retracted his gaze and said to the surrounding sailors who were unaware, "There's nothing here. Let's go deeper and take a look."

…

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Klein also retracted his gaze from the crimson star representing The Hanged Man and nodded thoughtfully.

That's Siatas and Mobet's grave… I never expected that golden wine cup to have such an effect…

That is indeed Elf Queen Cohinem… How's "Her" present condition? Half of it is in the Book of Calamity, while the other is hiding somewhere unknown. "She" was using the golden wine cup or the characteristic to influence reality?

Mr. Hanged Man hasn't been contaminated for the time being. I'll wait for him to head to the Rorsted Archipelago before making another assessment.

As his true body had a limited amount of time left in the Historical Void, Klein didn't stay any longer, and he returned to the pitch-black wilderness. He carried the lantern that emitted a faint yellow light as he walked towards a certain location.

As he walked, he turned his head to look east, which was symbolic of where Chernobyl was. His footsteps slowed down involuntarily.

Once I gather sufficient information from the Dark Demonic Wolf's former hiding spots, I'll head east. I'll walk all the way until I reach the boundary and confirm the situation. Then, I'll consider the matter of the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic… Amon probably wouldn't expect that I would suddenly leave… "He" definitely knows the past of the Dark Demonic Wolf. It's impossible for "Him" to do the same kinds of investigations that I'll be doing… Yes, but "He" will definitely be tracking me… Klein exhaled slowly and sped up his pace.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark and red desolate plains. Raindrops began dripping down intermittently.

Klein dragged out a black umbrella from the Historical Void. With one hand holding an umbrella and the other holding the lantern, he proceeded alone.

…

About a week later, the Future was docked somewhere along the long Loen coastline.

Cattleya held a stack of tarot cards in her hand and said to the sailors—Nina, and company, "I'll be staying in Loen for some time. All of you have to watch Frank and prevent him from doing his strange experiments."