Intentions & Insights

Loen Kingdom, Backlund, Empress Borough

Sitting in his room, with one leg over the other, Abel flipped through the Book of Shadows. His current focus: 

"Life School of Thought…"

A secret Beyonder organisation. 

Abel's sudden interest in them stemmed from the suspicion that they might have been the ones guided by fate to deliver the Monster Beyonder Characteristic to him.

It was a theory he and Dominique had come up with after Xio and Fors had left following their business. 

After all, he had only considered becoming a Beyonder today, and yet the Characteristic had appeared in his hands less than half a day later.

"If I hadn't consumed the Monster Characteristic, would a Mystery Pryer one—or its main ingredient—have fallen into my hands tomorrow?" Abel once again realised how terrifying Chosen One was. 

Still, something didn't quite add up.

"How did the Aurora Order come across the Honorific Name?" The Jumper furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "A revelation from the True Creator? If so, how does He know? Did my alternate self slyly insert a prophecy into the world's history about some savior who'll appear during the darkest days?" He joked, yet seriously considered it for a moment, then shook his head.

His Honorific Name didn't matter right now. No one knew it pointed to him, and with Rite Bound, he could choose the type of people—or only those with specific characteristics—who could attract his attention by uttering it. So even if Evil Gods knew it, there was nothing to worry about.

The Life School of Thought, however, was a different story. 

He wasn't concerned about them knowing he was The Summoner, that was impossible. Nor was he worried about them seeing through his Beneath the Radar and Presentation.

The former ensured that even if his appearance was unusual, people were more likely to think of him as "that quiet guy who was around" rather than "the white-haired, gold-eyed man." It didn't erase him from memory, but dulled his relevance to the extreme. 

So even if someone tried to strongly recall his appearance, at most they might think, "One of them might've had light-colored hair."

Dominique's disguise was flawless too. Black hair was not unnatural, it was too common even. As for her gold eyes, that was easily dealt with by drinking his blood before they left the carriage.

Sequence 7: Vampire was special in that regard. The moment a Vampire drank blood or used any of their abilities, their eyes turned crimson. And as they digested their potion, red would become their natural eye color.

All in all, it had been a solid countermeasure to conceal their identities.

Yet in the Beyonder world that wasn't enough. More so against the Life School of Thought who controlled the Wheel of Fortune (Monster) Pathway. 

Outer Reaches protected Abel against divination, luck manipulation, and fate interference, but the same couldn't be said for his sister.

"How convenient would it be if Dominique could just utter my Honorific Name, and let me grant her the perk through Rite Bound." He mused. 

Even if it lasted one day, so what? It could be repeated daily. After all, wasn't it normal for devout followers to mention their god or faith every day?

Abel chuckled lightly at the thought of Dominique, who was a pious devotee of Earth Mother, unknowingly praying to him. A part of him—definitely the Intis within him—thrilled at the notion. 

And yet, the thought didn't alarm him. He wasn't horrified or ashamed. There was no dread that he was becoming something monstrous from all the power he had at the tip of his fingers now and in the future.

It was just a thought.

 A dangerous one, maybe. But it was just that, a thought.

He wouldn't fall into that rabbit hole. He didn't crave worship. The path of a self indulgent spiral into megalomania and depravity wasn't his, and it could never be.

Abel was too Grounded for that.

No matter how high he climbed, no matter what strange, unholy, or sacred powers he acquired, he was still Abel—still himself. That anchor held firm. And it always would.

"Now that I think about it, aren't I like Jesus to Beyonder's?" The biggest risk about becoming a Beyonder was paranoia, hallucinations etc, which culminated into the loss of control and going berserk.

However, with the Grounded perk, such a result was non-existent for Abel. Which makes it all the more important for Dominique to recite his Honorific Name.

"Father should be fine given his decades of experience." 

As for Veronica…Abel was confused.

Veronica was the typical rich bitch; sadistic, proud, ruthless, and indifferent towards the lower class. Yet she cared about him and Dominique in her own way.

The only reason shy, reserved Dominique had even gathered the courage to confess to him was because Veronica had relentlessly teased and provoked her—showering with him, and even going so far as to give him a blowjob, just to push her indecisive half-sister into action for acting so… Loenese.

"Indeed, my reaction when I saw Veronica this morning was normal, considering what she did to me in the past." It wasn't his fault his eyes wandered, given the history.

"If there's a chance, I'll try to help her," Abel decided.

Antoine wasn't even a consideration. Something about him rubbed Abel the wrong way, he seemed to fake, especially with the perpetual smile on his face.

"He's hiding something too…" The Jumper made a mental note to pay extra attention to his older brother from now on.

Anyways, he digressed.

The Life School of Thought.

Abel decided to shift his Perspective a little, leaning into his Intuition and Obsession Whispers to guess their intentions.

He closed his eyes and let the thoughts swirl.

First of all, what did he know about them? 

Not much. 

They controlled the Wheel of Fortune Pathway, the very same one he'd just entered. And also the Moon (Apothecary) pathway, partially.

Their structure was that of Master and Apprentice, with knowledge passed down carefully.

He knows they revere fate, not as something to be escaped, but as something to be understood.

That was what stood out the most to him now.

Fate.

The Life School of Thought treated it like a religion. Like a cosmic law that guided all things.

They specialized in astromancy too, predicting and reading the stars. They used medicine, music, light, wine, and fragrance to eliminate unfavorable fates, harmonizing imbalances between man and nature, and man and his mind.

And how did Abel tie up in all of this?

Abel had the Chosen One perk.

Fate gave him opportunities to beat odds and survive dangers. It lightened its touch when used against him, making the impossible possible.

So, if he thought like one of them—a Fate-worshipper, an astrologer, someone who had devoted their entire life to studying the river of fate—then wasn't this the logical choice?

"This is their way of showing good intentions."

Delivering the Monster Beyonder Characteristic.

Their doctrine was about eliminating paths of unfavorable fate. And what if… just what if, they had read the river and discovered that Abel's Fate couldn't be overcome?

That trying to interfere, oppose, or even delay him would only create greater calamity, bring disaster to themselves?

What if they realized that the best course wasn't avoidance or confrontation, but alignment?

To side with him immediately, only after a few hours….

That sort of decision… it wasn't something a mid-tier Sequence member could make. Perhaps not even a Demigod.

No. Only if there was a supreme authority, someone who could see fate on a higher level, could such a swift, absolute decision be made.

And just like that, Abel arrived at the answer.

"An Angel."

That was the only explanation.

The Life School of Thought had likely been guided by one of their own Angels. It made sense, they were an ancient organization, founded even before the Aurora Order. And the Aurora Order, despite being far newer, had such a solid foundation that even the Churches had trouble rooting them out.

That was only possible with the backing of an Angel.

So if a new secret organization could be that difficult to dismantle, then what about one as old and secretive as the Life School of Thought?

Of course they had an Angel.

And that Angel had seen the river of fate.

Abel's fate.

Rather than oppose what they couldn't overcome, they aligned with it.

They were throwing their lots in with him in hopes of their own success.

He opened his eyes, letting his Perspective return to normal.

"It seems I don't need to worry too much even if they divine that Dominique bought the Characteristic." Abel realised, feeling the weight on his shoulders ease. 

"Though I wonder…will they think Dominique is the one with the powerful fate, or will they see through it all and guess correctly, despite Beneath the Radar obscuring me?"

Although curious, Abel decided to put this matter behind him for now, and instead thought about the new perk that helped him come to his deduction.

Obsession Whispers. 

If he was to compare it to a Pathway, White Tower (Reader) and Black Emperor (Lawyer) pathways would be it.

Whenever something didn't add up—when the puzzle was missing a piece—he would know. Not how or why, not even what exactly was missing, but the sense of absence would be there. From that moment on, his mind would work in the background without pause, silently cross-checking memories, clues, and connections until all relevant information was before him. Then the answer would hit him like lightning.

A very useful perk in a world full of mysteries like this one.

Abel turned the page of the Book of Shadows, the title reading: Missions.

The page was structured neatly, almost like an official report.

One Mission in particular caught his attention.

Mission: The Tarot Club

Objective: Become a member of the Tarot Club

Reward: Is This Your Card - A singular tarot card that represents you and your natural aspect. While you carry it, you gain an advantage related to the card's domain. 

"Tarot Club…The name of The Fool's organisation?" Abel found it hard to take it seriously. "Why does it sound like one of those after school clubs that teachers pestered you to join?" 

Abel drummed his fingers on the armrest in thought.

The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…

The Mysterious Ruler above the Gray Fog….

The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck…

He mentally recited the Honorific Name, so as not to draw attention from said existence by saying it aloud.

"Fool…The other name of the Seer pathway. The chances of The Fool being the God of this pathway is ninety nine per cent." Abel's assumption wasn't baseless—it was backed by substantial evidence: his father, Antoine, Vanessa, and of course, the phrase 'Ruler above the Gray Fog' in the Honorific Name.

Gray Fog was something Abel consistently perceived around Seer Pathway Beyonders, a detail only visible to him thanks to his supernatural perception perks: Insight and Sixth Sense. 

"Doesn't belong to this era…" This part implied temporal dissonance. Someone who didn't originate from this Age. Perhaps a being from a previous Epoch.

These were the conclusions any native of this world might reasonably reach.

However, when Abel considered this line, it reminded him of two people.

"Roselle, and myself." Both had come from the twenty-first century—a modern era where the supernatural existed only in fantasy and fiction.

"Could Roselle be The Fool?"

Abel found it hard to believe that Roselle would discover the world of Beyonders and not seek to become one. For a modern human, the desire for power—especially in a world where the impossible had become real—was almost instinctive.

And if that were true… if Roselle had indeed become The Fool, then it opened a whole new can of worms Abel had deliberately chosen to leave unopened.

Beyonder's could become Gods.

The Seven Orthodox God's;

Evernight Goddess.

God of Combat.

Church of Earth Mother.

Lord of Storms.

God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Eternal Blazing Sun.

God of Steam and Machinery.

They were once mortal and Beyonders.

It was a blasphemous thought. One that, if said aloud, would see him branded a heretic in the eyes of any Church—Orthodox or not.

But the clues were there, hidden in plain sight.

Where?

The Sequences themselves had the answer. One only needed to actually question it, look at it from another angle.

Sequence 9 to Sequence 1.

A Beyonder's progression. Each step granting powers far beyond the last, each level shedding more of what made them human.

9 through 8… Low Sequence Beyonders.

7 through 5… the Mid Sequences.

Then came the High Sequences. Starting at Sequence 4.

Sequence 4 and 3—Saints.

Demigods in name and power.

Sequence 2 and 1—Angels.

The Sequences counted down.

They descended toward something.

"So… isn't it fair to assume there's a Sequence 0?" Abel muttered his thoughts aloud.

Absence and nonexistence was not all Zero symbolised. 

Origin was another symbol.

The origin point. The singularity from which all things burst forth and to which all things return.

Beyonder's start from zero—Sequence 9, the origin point—and return to Zero.

"Godhood." 

Abel's thoughts drifted to the Sleepless/Darkness pathway. More specifically, its other name:

Evernight Pathway.

It couldn't be more obvious that the Evernight Goddess was the True God of this pathway, wielding the authorities of Darkness, Concealment, and Misfortune, as mentioned in her Honorific name.

Obsession Whispers gave no sense of falsehood. No pang of wrongness.

Which meant Abel's theory held water. The Gods of this Earth—those untouchable beings worshipped by millions—were not born as Gods.

Like everyone else, they climbed. They bled, schemed, and sacrificed their way up the Sequence ladder until they broke through the ceiling.

And then, as if bursting from a cocoon, they transcended—no longer crawling, but soaring.

Anyways, he digressed, again.

"Roselle being The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…Impossible." Abel instantly denied the idea. 

The mysteriousness of The Fool didn't match the Emperor's personality; Bold, uninhibited, known for his sexual affairs. 

"And he was more than likely a Beyonder of the Paragon (Savant) Pathway."

A pathway that specializes in knowledge of the natural world and crafting items. Primarily focusing on mastering scientific knowledge, enhancing memory, intelligence, and logical reasoning abilities.

How else would one remember the process of creating steam engines, improving maritime safety and many things only seen in the modern era? 

"The two pathways Paragon and Hermit are held by the Church of Steam and Machinery, so these two were likely his only options." 

If not Roselle, who was The Fool?

Perhaps another Transmigrator?

"Or is it actually just a hidden exis—"

Abel paused suddenly, an inconsistency in his information coming to the forefront of his mind thanks to Obsession Whispers.

He stood up from his chair, pacing around as he laid the facts aloud.

"I can speak every language thanks to Polyglot. That's how I realized this was, in fact, an alternate Earth—because I instantly understood every language known on my original Earth: Mandarin, French, Spanish, and so on. Which means all the countries from the 21st century must have once existed on this planet—perhaps in the unknown First Epoch—even though it's now in what appears to be the 18th century."

"Roselle is from the modern era too. But unlike me, who came from a completely different Earth, he must be native to this Earth. That suggests the modern era was part of this world's past."

"It's as if history flowed backward. And if that's the case—if the modern era was in the past—then Roselle must have transmigrated hundreds, if not thousands, of years into the future."

Abel didn't stop his analysis, his mind drifting to the third line of The Fool's Honorific Name.

The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck.

"King of Yellow and Black….Hastur?" Abel muttered the name of the Great Old One from H.P. Lovecraft's creation. "Not King." He shook his head.

His Intuition guided him to focus on the correct part.

Yellow and Black.

The instant recall of Loremaster suddenly made him remember various cultivation novels that used Yellow and Black as gradings.

The Five Elements too.

Like a thunderclap, the pieces all fell into place.

Abel's lips curled up. Without hesitation, and with absolute confidence, he uttered.

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era;

The Mysterious Ruler above the Gray Fog;

The King of Heaven (Black) and Earth (Yellow) who wields good luck."

++++

A/N: What an info dump, huh? Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter. This chapter was meant to be my way to show off Abel's perks and how broken some of them are in a world full of mystery LotM. 

He was able to deduce, cross-reference and come to theories and truths from information that's obvious, yet not, and only with the perks that guided him, and his own status as a transmigrator was he able to think outside the box.

[Evernight Goddess]