Chapter 37 : Klein wants to fight
Klein looked at the Genie who came back.
Facing his confused gaze, the latter said :
« I won't grant any of your wishes, someone has already realized them for you. »
Before disappearing, He gave him a deep look and added :
« Also, you should be careful of outside interference. »
But Klein didn't have the time to ask what the Genie meant because He had already gone back into the lamp.
Then, the lamp disappeared and reappeared into Xin Jian's hands, above the gray fog.
Klein : …How can I give it back to Bernadette now ?
Klein looked around him.
Indeed, his behavior had been too reckless !
Was he controlled by something like 0-08 ? Or a high Sequence Spectator ?
Meanwhile, Hermes had basically confirmed Mr. Fool's existence… (At least it seemed obvious that someone or something had interfered just now, making the Genie change His mind. Maybe it was Xin Jian ?)
Above the gray fog, Mr. Fool sighed and used a wish to teleport the City of Silver into the real world.
Since him and Klein were the person, it should be considered as Klein bringing the City of Silver into the real world and would satisfy the ritual's conditions.
Next, there was the issue of anchors.
However, once again, since Mr. Fool and Klein were the same person, he could share his humanity (he didn't have any divinity left because of Xin Jian anyway) to balance Klein's divinity until he resolved that problem and made everyone in the City of Silver believe in him.
It shouldn't take much time since Mr. Fool was currently sending a message to Derrick to tell others that it was him who brought them into the real world. Mr. Fool agreed that it should be a bit abrupt for the City of Silver to suddenly see the sun one day but at least all of their problems would be solved.
In contrary, Mr. Fool had a headache because he had to find somewhere to make them settle down, a way for them to have food, earn money, etc…
All that time, Xin Jian was just watching on the side, she definitely did not want to help.
Xin Jian patted Mr. Fool's shoulder.
« It'll be fine. »
After these not-so-comforting words, Xin Jian still did not help him and returned to drinking her orange juice.
Mr. Fool : …
—————— I am the dividing line~
Klein suddenly felt his Sequence 2 potion integrate his body. The ritual had indeed been realized, but how ?
-All of Klein's reasoning and smart thoughts have been left aside for a reasonable reason called ✨laziness✨-
(Author : Hey, at least I'm writing…)
-So, no, Klein's intelligence and cautiousness have not decreased.-
Klein shook his head and prepared himself.
He was Sequence 2 now, he could take revenge !
Klein couldn't wait to fight Xin Jian.
(Mr. Fool : How does it feel to be hated ?
Xin Jian : Ha. Ha. Ha.)
In this timeline, Xin Jian had substituted Ince Zangwill's role.
(Author : Editor-nim, I sense the threat to my life suddenly coming back, murder is illegal… Hey, it's not a big deal, it's just a fight to the death between two MCs.)
However, to Xin Jian, that was not the main problem.
As Klein completed another preparation while digesting his Sequence 2 potion, above the gray fog, Xin Jian was observing him. She exclaimed :
« Klein, please stop overestimating me with all of your preparations ! At this rate, I may actually die ! »
Xin Jian ruffled her hair.
Mr. Fool, watching a Sequence 1 who can use 3 pathways (wrongfully) feeling threatened by a mere recently advanced Sequence 2 : …
He spoke up.
« Now that I think about it, if Klein just had to complete the ritual, couldn't we have just brought out the people hung in Sefirah Castle instead of the City of Silver ? That way I wouldn't have to work so much to accommodate them. »
At that moment, Xin Jian's body language didn't show any problem, but she strangely did not look in Mr. Fool's direction.
She had forgotten this point.
(Xin Jian : Oh my, is this guilt ?)
She then pushed that feeling aside. After all, she hadn't done anything wrong ! He just had to think of it sooner.
(Let's be shameless forever !)
Because yes, guilt was a feeling that Xin Jian could feel. But why would she ? Guilt isn't needed in this world.
Unaware of Xin Jian's thoughts, Mr. Fool was even more depressed because he could have avoided having to work so much.
Ah, human nature is naturally lazy…
(PS : Klein doesn't know Xin Jian true Sequence/abilities. He only thinks that Xin Jian is an angel (Sequence 2 or 1) of the Hunter Pathway (lol, as if).)
—————— I am the dividing line~
Klein, who had now finished all of his preparations, searched for Xin Jian's current location (which is the gray fog).
(Author : Preparations that the author has not yet imagined- (Or else I would use them to increase the count word, I mean, suspense…)
Xin Jian : No, if you show the preparations, there will be less suspense.
Author : Ahem. Right, everything is reasonable and premeditated !
Xin Jian, *deadpans* : Even you don't believe these words.
Author : Well, I found at least 3 reasons why it was not true as the same time as I said it, so it was indeed not very convincing…
Xin Jian : At least there is a script.
Author : Yes, a script were it is only written "there is a fight", the reason of the fight, the issue of the fight, and I don't know how to write acting scenes ! SO USEFUL !
Xin Jian : I don't know how to fight either ! *complaining to go with the flow and increase the word count, I mean, the suspense*
Mr. Fool : …)
Klein decided to ask Leonard since, the last time he saw him, Leonard and Xin Jian seemed to have been in contact (at least in enough contact for Xin Jian to prank Leonard).
Finding Leonard's location wasn't hard since he could divine and he had learnt Leonard's new address last time.
Klein knocked on the door. He had divined what day was suitable for him to come so Leonard should now be home.
As expected, his dear poet soon opened the door, his hair disheveled as if he had been sleeping (at least Klein was sure that he was certainly not writing poems).
When he saw Klein, he widened his eyes and let him come in.
« What is it ? » He asked while Klein sat down on the sofa as if it was his home.
The Miracle Invoker (who had recently gained the City of Silver as anchors) looked at his dear rabbit, I mean, poet (oh my, my tongue slips a lot these days…) and explained :
« Do you know where I could find Xin Jian ? »
Leonard shook his head. He had not seen that troublemaker-, I mean, that innocent naive and angelic little uniqueness (as if), recently.
(Xin Jian : Stop commenting my narration ! Of course I am an innocent, naive and angelic uniqueness~.
Author : As if.
Mr. Fool : But wasn't the author supposed to write the narration in third person instead of Xin Jian ?
Author : The author is lazy.
Mr. Fool : …
*realizes something*
Mr. Fool : So, it means that Xin Jian wrote she was a troublemaker herself ?
Xin Jian : …
*so Xin Jian forced the author to write the narration in third person instead of herself*
Author : Hey, why are you taking revenge on me !?
Xin Jian : Blame Mr. Fool !)
« Then do you have a way to contact her ? For example, her honorific name ? »
« …No, I don't have it either. »
Leonard realized that he didn't have any means to contact Xin Jian while Klein realized that Leonard was really useless.
Divination didn't work, how could he find her then ?
(Xin Jian : Then don't, don't find me.)
Above the gray fog, Xin Jian turned to Mr. Fool.
« Huh, it's true. I didn't think of creating an honorific name. What should I use ? »
Mr. Fool made up one on the spot.
« What do you think of :
The smiling uniqueness,
laughing Devil seeking for fun,
the bug of Sefirah Castle, Xin Jian. »
(Devil corresponds to her codename at the Tarot Club.)
Xin Jian thought that, if some words were changed, this honorific name could describe Amon (like the words "Xin Jian" and "uniqueness" and Amon just needed to enter the Tarot Club as the Devil and accommodate the Error Uniqueness).
Xin Jian repeated :
« …The smiling uniqueness,
laughing Devil seeking for fun,
the bug of Sefirah Castle, Xin Jian.
Huh, it's creepy. »
Mr. Fool somehow agreed, but he also thought something else…
"But you ARE creepy."
Xin Jian : Mr. Fool, I hear you !
Too lazy to invent an honorific name, Xin Jian adopted Mr. Fool's suggestion (until she forgot it).
« …The smiling uniqueness… »
Xin Jian repeated it once again.
Her honorific name was another thing she got from Mr. Fool. Like her name.
« …laughing Devil seeking for fun… »
She frowned.
However, she had to admit that this honorific name really seemed creepy !
—————— I am the dividing line~
To find Xin Jian, Klein settled on a terrifyingly efficient method : rely on the law of aggregation of Beyonder characteristics, said law which had made them meet by coincidence many times in the past.
Xin Jian then understood that she had the risk to meet him by simply coming down to the real world and decided to stay above the gray fog. This was a war of patience -not literally-.
(Or a war of how much time Xin Jian could remember the reason why she stayed above the gray fog.)
Answer : Not much.
And Klein was only strengthening his preparations everyday (at least in his mind), so maybe it was better to fight sooner ?
Xin Jian blurted out :
« This really looks like a war where I'm the villain and the hero is preparing for the final battle. »
Mr. Fool raised an eyebrow.
« How are you so sure that Klein is not the villain ? »
Xin Jian deadpanned.
« Did you ever see me trying to save the world ? »
« The bloodless war- »
Xin Jian ignored his answer, as if he did not just shatter her whole point by really finding an argument.
« No, you didn't. Klein is the one always trying to save the world while I'm the one trying to destroy it. »
Mr. Fool frowned, feeling doubtful.
« …But you won't really try to destroy it, right ? »
If it was Xin Jian, he felt like she could really destroy the world just for fun…
Seeing Mr. Fool's doubtful gaze, Xin Jian was tempted to say that she would.
Seeing Xin Jian's expression, Mr. Fool sweatdropped and began regretting his life's choices.
Xin Jian began to wonder how to destroy the world.
And so, the end of the world started because of a question…
And it ended right after because of laziness and memory problems. The world is still safe guys ! (For now…)
—————— I am the dividing line~
Above the gray fog, it was the Tarot Club and Xin Jian was wondering why Klein never found Mr. Fool's presence strange.
There were two possibilities, either Mr. Fool covered himself with the gray fog to hide every time Klein was there instead of relying on her illusion (a theory which didn't work since Klein would then wonder why the gods were talking to the air while playing cards at the Tarot Club), either Klein really believed the lie that Mr. Fool was a puppet and fooled himself by thinking that it was just controlled by the Devil.
However, Xin Jian thought that it was the third one.
Mr. Fool must have used the Beyonder item from the Spectator Pathway to make everything reasonable.
Right, it must be that.
Xin Jian focused back to the meeting and looked at Klein.
Klein has digested more of the Miracle
Invoker's potion again…
The potion digestion…
Another thing came to her mind.
She turned her gaze to an empty seat where a certain person was absent because He went who knows where to traumatize people once again (or Klein just didn't want to pull Him up this time because he was traumatized himself).
She began to devise a plan to, in short, let herself be fooled by Amon (Xin Jian, what are you doing…?)
To resume, Xin Jian was bored and her thoughts went astray (a bit too much).
Mr. Fool : ?
Mr. Fool turned his head to Xin Jian.
Mr. Fool : I have a bad feeling…
Xin Jian thought that the Seer's premonition was too strong !
(No, it's because you're looking at Amon's seat…)
She averted her gaze and Mr. Fool felt even more doubtful.
—————— I am the dividing line~
Xin Jian was lying on the ground.
On this cold night, she dazedly looked at the snow that fell on her. She was freezing.
She looked one last time around her. She was alone.
Xin Jian made a self deprecating smile.
As expected, it was such a fitting death.
She felt her legs go numb.
She knew it, her last hour had come.
Xin Jian slowly closed her eyes, maybe for the last time-
« Ouch ! »
…when she was hit by a stick.
She snapped her eyes open and saw a policeman.
« Don't sleep here ! »
« Hey ! You just ruined my beautiful death ! »
« Then don't die here ! »
Why is it so cold today ?! It's not even winter !
Xin Jian, who was just being dramatic all along, grumbled and walked around while waiting for the law of aggregation of Beyonder characteristics to take effect and bring Klein to her.
Or coincidences, fate, or aliens !
(Or the starry sky where the readers are anxiously waiting for the battle !)
Now imagine aliens bringing Merlin here…
Xin Jian returned to Sefirah Castle to warm up.
—————— I am the dividing line~
Merlin, whose potion was already more than half digested thanks to acting in advance, was walking around the continent to grant wishes.
Suddenly, his spirituality was touched.
He turned his head and saw a familiar figure, inconspicuous as usual.
She was sitting on a bench, her legs crossed, dazedly looking at the air (surely thinking "Nice, it is hotter here…").
Merlin froze.
Then, she noticed his gaze and raised her head.
Xin Jian looked fixedly at his face, checking that this was really Klein.
It had been a while since they met.
She stood up, walked up to him and saw Merlin's face clearly.
Meanwhile, Merlin stood still.
Xin Jian smiled.
« I grant wishes. What is your wish ? »
Merlin was stunned. It was usually him who granted the wishes of others.
He didn't answer.
Did she recognize him ?
What should he do now ?
What was her intention ?
Should he fight her as planned ?
Merlin also had a lot of questions he wanted to ask her.
Now that he faced her, he wasn't sure of what to do anymore.
Xin Jian looked at Merlin, who was silent, and lowered her head.
Now that she saw Merlin, her heart began to beat faster. She was nervous.
In a low voice, she said :
« It's been a while… »
She hesitated.
« …Klein. »
Klein now had the confirmation that Xin Jian had recognized him.
He looked at her with a complicated gaze.
« You… »
His words were stuck in his throat.
Why did you let the captain die ?
Why did you betray me ?
Why did you begin a war ?
Why did you make Mr. Azik fall asleep ?
Why do you hate me ?
« …Why did you do that ? »
Xin Jian didn't know which question he wanted her to answer.
« What ? Why did I do what ? » She asked.
Xin Jian sighed.
She knew that there must have been a lot of misunderstandings between them.
However, it would be too complicated to explain.
Xin Jian didn't like troublesome things (beginning a war not counted), so she said :
« No reason. »
What ?
Klein's hand clenched.
No reason ?
Everything… there was no reason ?
Klein laughed.
That was impossible. Maybe she just thought it was not worth it to explain ?(Which was, in a sense, true.)
Then she would get the answer out of her ! She would defeat her and get that answer ! Even if he had to ask it to her soul !
Xin Jian looked at his eyes full of killing intent, hatred, and other emotions, and she felt helpless.
In a calm voice, he said :
« Let's fight. »
A chillingly calm voice.
How did it get to this ?
With an emotionless face, Xin Jian also prepared herself for battle.
As expected, in truth, she didn't want to fight.
But after this, everything would be over, right ?
Xin Jian hoped that it would be the end of this meaningless conflict.
Whatever, when Klein was defeated, maybe he would give up fighting her ?
Why did he want to defeat her, anyway ?
Xin Jian looked at Klein's eyes and changed her thoughts.
No, he didn't just want to defeat her, but to KILL her.
Haha. The misunderstandings had gone too far…
They went to an empty place.
Captain, Azik, and all of the people that died in the war…
I will avenge you !
Klein took out a person from the historical pores.
It was Azik.
At the same time, he used flame jump and burned the thousand paper crane in his pocket to attract Will's gaze.
Azik's historical projection looked lifeless and fought on instinct (like any historical projection when their owner doesn't come to possess it). After all, Azik was still sleeping.
In response, Xin Jian pulled out Roselle's historical projection.
Xin Jian could also use historical projections !
Roselle suddenly became alive and looked around Him, wondering why He was called, until He saw Azik's projection.
« So I have to fight it ? » He said.
Klein was stunned.
The true Roselle came to possess this projection !
Roselle was still alive ! Xin Jian knew Him !
Xin Jian took advantage of Klein's shock to steal Azik's projection from him.
All in a fraction of a second, she pulled out Ourobouros, making Will hurriedly retract His gaze, and deactivated all of the historical projections.
However, she didn't take the initiative to attack him.
They were back to square one.