138LOTM

On the heavily scuffed and damaged Revival Square, the environment turned dark as a gloominess and eeriness filled it in a seemingly corporeal manner. Even the blinding silver lightning wasn't able to dispel this feeling.

Daly Simone acutely sensed that an unknown creature was crossing the spirit world and approaching. An ominous feeling rose up in her as though she could already see Ince Zangwill using such an accident to easily escape, never to be found. @@novelbin@@

She felt ice-cold in a manner that couldn't be resisted, just like when she first became a Beyonder.

Back then, due to a particular accident, as a nineteen-year-old, she had lost her family and ended up drinking a potion by mistake. She ended up becoming a Corpse Collector and was placed into a Nighthawks team.

The influence of the potion and the wounds from losing her family had made her enjoy gloominess and coldness. She couldn't help but approach corpses, often loitering in cemeteries and sleeping there.

This made her appear odd, with people instinctively avoiding her. This not only dropped her body temperature, but it also slowly froze her heart and soul as they turned ice-cold.

She was afraid of this feeling. She still hoped to live as a person; hence, she instinctively used how men coveted her for her looks and body to gain a boyfriend. She wanted to use the warmth of a body to stop her soul from turning cold.

In this decadent and surreal life, she met that man, a man who always warmly listened to her. He was a man who always stayed by her side and provided her help. He was a man who became embarrassed when faced with jokes involving the two sexes. He was a man who accepted all the flaws and weaknesses of his teammates with a sincere attitude. He was a man who fumbled in helplessness when she jested at him again and again. He was a man who hid the pain and sorrow in his heart, to the point of suffering an early receding hairline. He was a man who was the first to step forward when encountering danger, putting himself in between the danger and his teammates.

She changed. She began putting on makeup that made her appear older. She stopped mixing with other men but kept her jokes to deliberately express that she hadn't changed in an obvious manner.

However, she still didn't make it in time. She didn't manage to witness the man master the acting method, digest potions, and advance to Sequence 6. She didn't manage to see him reach out his hand to invite her to an opening dance or be able to participate in his final battle. She didn't manage to tell him her feelings in time.

I was wrong. I failed to do anything in time. Today, I'm not having it repeat again... Daly's expression turned sorrowful as the corners of lips curled bit by bit with tenderness and sweetness.

With her eyes closed, she suddenly pulled out a small metal bottle from a hidden compartment. She threw the stopper and gulped the liquid inside.

Her blue eyeshadow and blush instantly brightened, and even her skin turned slightly translucent. Her coiled up hair was instantly released, pushing her hood back as they fluttered.

"Spirit wandering the void, higher-order creature that leave one with awe, the unforeseeable creature," Daly chanted with simple and forceful ancient Hermes, "I, I shall sign a contract with you in my name, pray that you leave this place!"

Behind the eight-"legged," the white-feathered Ince Zangwill, a figure appeared. It was a blood-colored piece of flesh with countless eyes on it and arms of different races.

Just as it was about to grab Ince Zangwill and drag him into the spirit world, it suddenly paused. It then turned its gaze towards Daly Simone.

Pitch-black snake-like scales instantly appeared on Daly's skin, and within the gaps of the scales, white feathers grew.

Her knees buckled as she knelt down in pain, but she ultimately maintained her spirit channeling posture.

That quill began writing autonomously on Ince Zangwill's body.

"The unknown existence descended upon Revival Square and was just about to take Ince Zangwill away—but no, it was attracted by Daly Simone. Its sense of aesthetics was inclined towards humans. Oh no, it abandoned Ince Zangwill. It decided to listen to Daly Simone's suggestion and ended up leaving.

"How surprising that when it came to spirit channeling, Ince Zangwill, a demigod, would actually lose to Sequence 5 Daly Simone. Although this lady had consumed the Flower of Spirit and paid an immense price, she had little chance to defeat Ince Zangwill who was barely using the Quill of Alzuhod.

"Ince Zangwill was just too unlucky. He actually encountered a matter with nearly zero probability!" Amidst the lightning strikes, blood-red beams lit up in Ince Zangwill's pitch-black eyes that were covered with mysterious symbols before calming down. His "hand" which held the quill wrote on his body once again:

"Another unknown existence was lured into the vicinity and attempted to enter the real world..."

Just as he wrote that, the quill suddenly paused as it continued writing:

"Incoming! Incoming! It, no— 'She' was Reinette Tinekerr! No, Reinette Tinekerr chased away all the surrounding creatures in the spirit world. 'She' gave Ince Zangwill a glance, looked away, and left, continuing 'Her' patrol of the surroundings.

"Ince Zangwill is too unlucky, just too unlucky!"

Ince Zangwill's rapidly-moving body suddenly paused as though he had suffered a terrible blow.

Boom!

A thick bolt of silver-white lightning smote the eight-"legged" monster. It sent Ince Zangwill flying up as he let out an inhuman cry.

In his pitch-black eyes, the blood-red beam spread out like an explosion, turning into two bloodthirsty, cruel, and maniacal blobs of light.

"Ince Zangwill could no longer control his emotions and maintain a good state of mind. He lost most of his reason..." The more the slightly damaged quill wrote, the darker it became until it slowly stopped.

With a scream that left one with goosebumps, an endless darkness blanketed the area, pulling Daly Simone and Leonard Mitchell into a dream.

However, the thunder booms and lightning snapped the dreamers awake.

Ince Zangwill took a step back with his eight "legs," leaving behind an afterimage in his spot. He rapidly ran towards Daly Simone who was on the brink of losing control, hoping to rip apart the Nighthawk who had foiled his plans for escaping.

Boom! Boom!

Ridiculous bolts of lightning blasted down, stopping his attempts to escape.

Boom! Boom!

The eight "legs" that were covered with white feathers, which now had signs of being charred, moved one after another as he kept his body low while he circled the square, dodging the lightning in search for an opportunity to kill Leonard and Daly.

With time, he realized there was a problem with the remaining reason that he had. The frequency of the lightning was dropping!

The person that kept casting Lightning Strike had apparently reached his limit, and his spirituality was almost drained!

Ince Zangwill's heart stirred as a cruel smile was plastered across his face. He ran at high speeds as he muttered in ancient Feysac, "All of you will die!"

He had apparently forgotten of his need to escape.

All of you will die... Leonard Mitchell could do nothing despite hearing that sentence. It was because he couldn't even open his eyes. He couldn't determine where Ince Zangwill was, nor use his spirituality to lock onto him.

At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to Tingen, back to the Blackthorn Security Company, back to the day where they engaged Megose in an intense battle. He had returned to the time when he was weak and helpless, unable to stop anything himself.

Back then, he clearly wanted to help Captain and Klein. Despite overcoming his horror, despite having Old Man to provide him with help, he quickly fainted due to his low Sequence and lacking strength; thus, failing to participate in the subsequent battle. All he could do was wake up to see two corpses and use the pain of meeting family members to resolve the blame he placed on himself.

He always cherished his leisurely life in Tingen City, the feeling of not needing to take any responsibility as if he was the protagonist. However, the more he cherished those memories, the more he hated his former self, wondering why he hadn't worked harder.

With his eyes tightly closed, figures of light were darting around, and all he could do was ball his hands into a fist as he hurriedly shouted, "Old Man!

"Old Man!"

This time, there wasn't any response in his mind. No one provided him any help, as Pallez Zoroast was still in a deep sleep.

Leonard's breathing turned heavy as he couldn't help but move his head from side to side with the darting of the light. Then, with a slightly hoarse voice, he shouted in clear anxiety, "Old Man!

"Old Man!

"Old Man!!"

His voice gradually softened, drowned by the thunder. Leonard hung his head bit by bit, his face filled with shame and pain.

His lips quivered as he relaxed his hand and gripped it tight again. His entire body froze for several seconds.

Suddenly, he wore a firm expression. With a grimace, he opened his mouth and chanted softly in ancient Hermes, "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!"

Just as he said the prayers, he magically saw a scene in his mind.

Ince Zangwill, who had seemingly turned into a spider or some deformed feather wolf, was running frantically and dodging the lightning strikes. From time to time, he attempted to attack him and Daly Simone.

And unlike normally, Ince Zangwill's figure appeared rather blurry in this scene. It was almost completely represented by red light, and it could only be used to determine his location.

Leonard was first taken aback as he immediately laughed. Teardrops flowed down as he laughed.

Without any hesitation, he raised his left palm, pressed the glove to his temple, and then tightly gripped the Fate Siphon charm with his right hand.

"Fate!"

The incomprehensible, mysterious word in ancient Hermes resounded as a transparent book appeared in front of Leonard. It flipped to a page amidst the ethereal chanting of "I came, I saw, I record," as he locked onto the eight-"legged" monster with white feathers growing all over him.

Silver bolts of lightning blasted as Leonard Mitchell threw out the charm with a hideous expression, shouting, "Die! Ince Zangwill!"

He had waited to say this for a very, very long time. He had played this scene in his head so, so many times.

-x-X-x-

The moment the Fate Siphon charm left Leonard Mitchell's hand, it vanished into midair, its whereabouts unknown. It cloaked the spots where he and Ince Zangwill stood in darkness. Even the burgeoning silver storm was unable to illuminate it.

At that instant, Leonard felt the surface of his body turn numb, as though lightning was leaping over it, creating a slight stabbing pain, one that would completely pulverize his body at any moment.

But following that, he didn't get bombarded with irresistible pain, as though nothing had happened.

No, something did happen. A bolt of lightning smote down at him as if it had bared its fangs, shattering the ground and charring the soil.

Klein had personally redirected his casting of Lightning Storm from Ince Zangwill when Leonard Mitchell used the Fate Siphon charm!

"Ah!"

A shrill scream sounded as the rich darkness around Ince Zangwill failed to dissipate the storm that was formed from a mesh of silver lightning bolts. His body was swept into the heart of the storm.

He had suffered the fate of Leonard Mitchell being devoured by the Lightning Storm ability!

Boom!

The thunder boomed deeply as the lightning forest quickly dissipated, but before the Lightning Storm came to a complete end, more bolts of silver lightning smote down from the sky, causing a new wave of attacks.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The wrath of a thunder god smote down again and again as the lightning's frequency returned to normal. There weren't any gaps in between. Even though there were waves of darkness surging out from Ince Zangwill's position, they were unable to obliterate the silver swath.

After a few Lightning Storms, the blinding light finally dimmed. The minute bolts snaked around weakly.

Ince Zangwill remained standing there without collapsing.

However, his head with pitch-black eyes, blood-red halos, and mysterious symbols had cracked. The flesh inside the cracks was charred black as a grayish-white liquid seeped out.

The four "legs" by his torso had already been burnt black and curled up together. All it took was a touch for them to fall off.

On them, not only were the white feathers gone, even the overlapping blood vessels were pulverized and had scattered to the ground, leaving them at head height with him.

But even so, Ince Zangwill still wasn't dead. Creatures that had obtained godhood had an unimaginable vitality compared to ordinary people!

The blood-red halo in his eyes grew richer as the violent aura no longer had any room for decreasing. Feelings of hatred and regret surged in him, giving him the urge to vent them out.

He hated himself for only thinking of escaping in the beginning and not killing all the enemies present. Back then, if he hadn't held back and had used his powers by releasing the terror of a demigod without any reservations, he was definitely able to kill Daly Simone and Leonard Mitchell amidst the lightning strikes. If he had done so, he wouldn't have been left in such a sorry state by two Mid-Sequence Beyonders.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Ince Zangwill roared and threw away the darkened 0-08 quill. Using his remaining four "legs," he pounced at Leonard Mitchell.

Leonard was just about to take action when he felt a coldness in him. It was as though thin, long hair was reaching out and binding him from the darkness, doing so from a dream. He was unable to move again.

Boom!

A bolt of lightning struck Ince Zangwill, but it only served to stagger him for a moment and drop a few pieces of charred flesh. He continued his attack and even revealed a cruel smile.

From that strike, he was already certain that the person hiding in the background casting the lightning was at their limit. The person was unable to use any more demigod-level powers!

As for Leonard, who was being bound by countless strands of invisible hair, his thoughts quickly became serene. It was as though he no longer put up any resistance and had wished to sleep in the darkness.

Unable to move, he bit his tongue lightly and temporarily recovered some of his lucidity. He made the transparent book in front of him emit the ethereal chanting: "I came, I saw, I record!"

With a resonating whoosh, a terrifying Hurricane swept at Ince Zangwill, who had arrived with a pounce.

It snapped the illusory black hairlike objects, giving Leonard freedom again.

Whoosh!

Ince Zangwill was thrown up as he slammed heavily to the ground. His body was covered with deep gashes as pale-white blood gushed out of him.

Despite having lost another front "leg," he still wasn't dead. He "stood" up again and locked onto the Evernight poet who still had his eyes closed.

Without any warning, Leonard suddenly slipped and fell to the ground. When he tried to get up, he seemed unable to maintain his balance. Even the gale he created had failed to sweep up his body.

"Damn it! I should've killed you when you were unconscious back in Tingen City!" Ince Zangwill cursed through clenched teeth. "That woman is about to die. The same goes for you!"

As he cursed, he hobbled over to Leonard's location as though he had lost his ability to move at rapid speeds. With a ferocious expression, he said, "Your captain was irritating. Likewise for that teammate of yours. All of you are the same!

"After I kill you, I'll leave this place and return to Tingen to dig up their graves!"

As he cursed, the darkness filled with cadaveric auras surged out of Ince Zangwill, sweeping towards the nearby Leonard Mitchell.

Leonard could sense that he was riddled with bad luck, but he could do nothing. He didn't even dare to open his eyes.

Bang!

Amidst a gunshot, a pale-golden bullet pierced through the thick deathly darkness, bringing out blinding sunlight, terminating the abnormality within.

Pa! Tarot cards flew over, stabbing into the ground at different spots.

One of the cards landed in front of Leonard as it burst into scarlet flames.

Amidst the flames, a figure wearing a half top hat and black suit walked out with a revolver in hand. With a bookish demeanor, he had black hair and brown eyes with a face with a deep outline. He was none other than Klein Moretti.

Unable to use the Sea God Scepter anymore, he had decisively returned to the real world. He had rushed here with Death Knell!

"You, it's really you! You really are still alive! Die together with them!" Ince Zangwill's movement speed instantly recovered as he circled around Klein, trying to forcefully pull him into a dream.

He had been acting! @@novelbin@@

However, Klein was completely unaffected. He didn't show signs of falling asleep as he raised his right hand and pulled the trigger as though he had foreseen it.

Bang!

Ince Zangwill was thrown to the ground by a powerful impact. The cracks on his head widened.

"That shot was for Ma'am Daly," Klein said in a deep voice as he snapped his fingers. Using the flames that burst up, he flashed to the side of Ince Zangwill.

Ince Zangwill's eyes protruded out. As he moved at high speeds, he released bad luck in a bid to influence Klein, but it was completely useless.

"This shot is for Leonard."

All the Tarot cards were ignited at the same time, like bursting fireworks. Klein flashed behind Ince Zangwill, cocked the gun, and relying on his intuition, he pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Pale-white blood spurted out of Ince Zangwill's left leg as it broke.

His running came to an abrupt stop as he even failed to maintain his balance.

Using the burning tarot cards, he repeatedly cast Flaming Jump, preventing himself from entering the influence of the black "hair."

"This shot is for Megose.

"This shot is for the Keepers.

"This shot is for the destroyed Blackthorn Security Company.

"This shot is for all the Nighthawks.

"This shot is for me."

Amidst the gunshots, Klein kept pulling the trigger and did the corresponding reloading as he shot demon-hunting bullets. He blew through another of Ince Zangwill's legs, blasting open his forehead, causing his roars to turn into a whimper until he fell onto the ground.

Finally, Klein flashed in front of Ince Zangwill. He then held Death Knell to his face.

At this moment, mysterious patterns accentuated Ince Zangwill's almost-cracked head, creating an immense impact.

He still had the ability to resist!

He was waiting for him to approach and then use his Mythical Creature form to turn the tables!

However, Klein's brown eyes continued looking at him without reflecting anything.

He thrust Death Knell forward and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Ince Zangwill's head completely exploded, and like a smashed watermelon, the fragments and the juice splattered everywhere.

Death Knell had sounded the knell for him!

Klein raised his left hand and rubbed away his two eyes. The real eyes that hid beneath were moved back to their original spots.

His brown eyes had blurred up. He curled the corners of his mouth bit by bit and said to the already dead Ince Zangwill softly, "This shot is for Captain."

He didn't give Ince Zangwill a chance to leave any last words. He had no wish to know what bitter past the latter had experienced.

He then took out one remaining tarot card from his pocket and threw it on Ince Zangwill's corpse.

It was an inverted The Star card.

At this moment, a figure appeared not far from him. He bent down and picked up the darkened quill.

This figure wore a simple white robe and had a pale gold beard that covered half his face. On his chest hung a silver cross as though he was the most ordinary priest, but he was the King of Angels, Adam!

Adam looked at Klein and said with a genial smile, "Unfortunately, I failed to retain the snake."

He looked at the quill in his hand and then at the tarot card. He smiled and added, "A price is always exacted for what fate bestows(1), isn't that so?"

With that said, he turned around and slowly disappeared from the ruined square with each step he took. He left the following words as though he sang it:

"Under the witness of a Spectator, Klein Moretti completed a grand performance, directing a magical murder. With that, he managed to digest his potion with enough energy left to attempt an advancement before the curtains fell."

Klein didn't take in the feeling of his Marionettist potion's digestion and the corresponding feedback. With a Flaming Jump, he arrived in front of Daly Simone.

The lady was already on the brink of losing control. She said in a daze, "I don't want to become a monster..."

"Alright..." Klein looked at her with a sorrowful gaze as he quickly thought of the means to rescue a Rampager.

He had considered getting her to chant The Fool's honorific name before pulling her Spirit Body above the gray fog, but with her body already mutating, it was apparently useless. The only way was for Daly to choose to remain there forever. As for the Flower of Blood, it was also unable to resolve such problems.

Daly smiled with great difficulty as she resisted the white feathers and pitch-black scales that kept growing out of her.

"So it's you...

"Didn't you ask me why I didn't take the initiative to confess to Dunn, to throw him in bed?"

She gasped for air and said with a bitter smile, "I had indulged myself too much in the past. H-he was a conservative man. I-I felt inferior."

She couldn't hold out much longer, with the outcome of her becoming a monster happening at any moment.

At this moment, she heard Klein Moretti reply, "Captain actually liked you too, very much. Because you were too outstanding and young, he felt inferior as well."

Daly smiled as her blurry gaze saw a man in a black trench coat with a receding hairline. He had dark gray eyes. She watched as he pressed his hand to his chest, bent down, and reached out his palm to invite her to a dance.

She reached out her hand as her thoughts turned sluggish.

The gray-eyed man in a black trench coat pulled up Daly, whose mutation was slowly fading away. Under Leonard's watch, they danced a brisk dance in the destroyed square with the fountain spewing water everywhere.

One material after another flew out. There were golden grapevines and a rather ugly rubber mask. Under the guidance of spirituality, they slowly mixed together and entered a small metal bottle.

Amidst the beautiful dance, Daly leaned forward gently, resting herself in Dunn's embrace.

Klein held the potion bottle, brought it to his mouth, and downed it.

[1] Quote from Stefan Zweig.

-x-X-x-

The ice-cold potion slid down his throat, bringing Klein numbness, one that reached deep into his soul.

He had already stopped dancing. His mind seemed to be lifted as though he was high in the air, looking down at the ruined Revival Square, at Cookawa City which had been left in shambles by the repeated lightning strikes.

At this moment, he felt his emotions rouse up for some baffling reason as all the pedestrians below seemed to be connected to him by some invisible threads. They could be happy, angry, or sad, making all kinds of actions based on his directions.

Klein often had such feelings recently. He knew that this was the vision of a "director." By viewing all participants as marionettes or actors, he attempted to control or guide them into putting on a grand performance.

Using that hint of familiarity, Klein hurriedly adjusted his state of mind, completely separating his emotions from it, and viewing everything in a cold, aloof manner, so as to prevent himself from being affected by the play.

As a "director," he followed the script, referred to reality, and rationally made an analysis to choose according to the circumstances. He allowed emotions to build up, allowing himself to push matters forward and use the clues that had developed.

Once his state of mind settled, he felt the potion's power spread across his body, like a sharp threaded net.

Suddenly, Klein felt that his Soul Body was connected to his physical body. They were split into countless parts, and without being able to hold it in any longer, he let out a cry from deep within his soul.

"No!"

His thoughts were diced apart, turning into fragments as they fused with different pieces of flesh as he gained his own sentience.

These included Klein with pain, Klein with arrogance, Klein with coldness, Klein with gentleness, Klein who could amusement himself, as well as Zhou Mingrui, Sherlock Moriarty, Gehrman Sparrow, and Dwayne Dantès!

His entire Spirit Body seemed to be thrown into a grinding machine.

Not far away, Leonard, whose cheeks were streaming with unconscious tears, first saw Captain Dunn, who was embracing Daly Simone, transform back into Klein Moretti. Following that, he noticed his face, neck, and the back of his hands. Pale-colored tendrils protruded out as though they had a life of their own. They kept growing outwards, turning into a transparent maggot. And beneath his clothes, there were also signs of squirming.

This made Leonard have the feeling that Klein would collapse into a cluster of transparent maggots the next second as they raced in different directions!

Just as he wanted to do something, he felt dizzy. He instinctively closed his eyes and didn't dare to keep watching

The transparent maggots that grew out of Klein's body shimmered under the sunlight, producing three-dimensional layers of mysterious symbols. They connected to higher and lower levels, directly presenting the abstract concepts of bizarreness, madness, change, strength, and wisdom.

Amidst howling cold winds, black illusory threads rose up around Klein as they bonded together, forming strange "tentacles."

The tentacles flailed as his Soul Body, Astral Projection, Body of Heart and Mind, and Ether Body were reduced to fragments as they fused with the different maggots that represented Klein's various thoughts, turmoil, and dilemmas. As they wafted between them gently, they seemed to fly up to an infinite height where there were countless illusions hugging huge distorted buildings. They were either playing wind instruments, giving speeches, growling, or raving.

Amidst Klein's countless chaotic senses, everything around him stacked together as though they turned into the spirit world. However, there were living people coming and going with the stars shining upon them.

At this moment, the fragments filled with thoughts had similar memories appear-fresh memories:

It was of King of Angels Adam praying with his eyes closed. It was the scene of his shocking appearance;

It was him using Death Knell against Ince Zangwill as he pulled the trigger to blast open his head;

It was when he revealed his Clown's smile, saying in a deep voice, "This shot is for Captain";

It was when Spectator Adam used an extremely clear and innocent eye to take in the ending of the performance;

It was of him turning into Dunn Smith, inviting Daly Simone to dance the closing dance.

They were all so fresh on his mind, especially the gaze of a Spectator. There was a seemingly corporeal feedback that felt like a magnetic force. It made Klein gradually discover his sense of self-awareness once again.

I...

Who am I?

This was a question that Klein had an answer to when he was still a Faceless. He didn't need to think too much about it as he quickly understood his identity:

A person from Earth, a person who had been reconstructed from Klein's memory fragments; @@novelbin@@

A person whose experience as a Nighthawk deeply influenced him;

A person who played safe and was afraid of danger, but was able to persist and give up everything;

A guardian and a miserable wretch.

Strange sensory organs that didn't come from the Body of Heart and Mind or Soul Body were extracted bit by bit from the fragments, condensing Klein's new thoughts—coldness, calmness, spectating, and overlooking. They were thoughts that allowed him to view the world from even more angles and dimensions.

He knew that this could possibly be godhood. Without putting up any resistance, he chained the original Spirit Body fragments with black threads, allowing him to slowly take form again.

At this moment, he realized the purpose of the advancement ritual.

It was a mark, an anchor. Compared to other pathways, the Bizarro Sorcerer, who experienced the fragmentation of their Soul Bodies, required an anchor much earlier!

However, this didn't require the support of any faith. On the contrary, faith was a numerous and jumbled affair with too many personal feelings involved. During the fragmentation during this ritual, it easily wiped away the humanity of the advancer who was only Sequence 5, leaving behind godhood.

A grand and profound performance under the watch of countless spectators was enough to make up this anchor!

Although the spectators were few in number, as the pinnacle existence of the Spectator pathway, Adam could match thousands of ordinary spectators. He could even imagine a theater of spectators to create the effect.

With his entire body taking form, all kinds of knowledge surged out from the depths of his demigod Spirit Body, embroiling Klein's mind and giving him an indescribable impact. It felt as though his brain was about to explode.

However, with some level of godhood and his rich experience, he could view this in a detached manner and rather easily pass through this stage.

The transparent maggots on his face, hands, neck, and beneath his clothes returned into his body, turning back into the black-haired, brown-eyed Klein Moretti.

Looking at Daly Simone, who was still in his embrace and slowly turning cold, he lifted her up and walked to Leonard Mitchell. He bent down and placed her on the ground.

Daly no longer had pitch-black scales or white feathers. She had been restored to normal and her eyes were closed. The corners of her mouth were curled up like she was having the deepest and sweetest dream.

Klein stood up and looked at Leonard, who had opened his eyes again, and said heavily, "She has returned to the Goddess's kingdom, just like Captain."

He had turned her into a marionette to reverse Daly's mutation, allowing her to die like a human before releasing his control over her.

Leonard tried to force a smile as he whimpered a sound of acknowledgment. Tears were streaming down his face.

Klein gently nodded his head.

"To her, this might not be the worst outcome. She returned as a human to the embrace of a deity she believes in, and that's where Captain and the others are."

As he spoke, he subconsciously and sincerely raised his right hand and tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion.

Leonard instinctively drew the sign of the crimson moon. He was momentarily taken aback as his expression turned odd.

Klein surveyed the area and said, "Take Ma'am Daly back with you to East Balam. Make it known that she died due to Ince Zangwill's attack and had made exceptional contributions in causing Ince Zangwill's death.

"Don't worry, no one will investigate you. Of course, you can take this opportunity to leave the Red Gloves."

"I-I'm used to the Church," Leonard said heavily.

Klein took off his hat and bade farewell with a bow.

Holding his hat, he turned to walk to Ince Zangwill's body and took a card that had a chariot and a red priest on it.

The red priest wore the face of Roselle Gustav.

Leonard's lips quivered as he suddenly asked, "A-aren't you returning to the Church?"

Klein didn't turn around as he wore his silk top hat and headed for another exit of the square.

After a few steps, he paused and replied to Leonard with his back facing him:

"I can't return anymore..."

Can't return anymore... Leonard stared in a daze as the familiar figure gradually distanced himself and vanished.

After a while, a few Beyonders flew to Revival Square. One of them was wearing the clergyman robes of the Church of Evernight. She had a head of beautiful raven-black hair and an exquisite face.

No one could tell her age, because no one cared. They could only notice the eyes that seemed to contain countless stars within.

This lady was floating in midair as she looked at the square. All she saw was Ince Zangwill's sorry corpse that could hardly be recognized. Covering his cracked head was a commonly-seen tarot card.

It was The Star.

Above the gray fog, Klein placed the Red Priest card by his left hand and closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

He had a basic grasp and understanding of the powers of a Bizarro Sorcerer.

On the one hand, he could transform into animals that weren't too disparate in size. In a Spirit Body state, he could completely ignore this point. He could transfer wounds from either himself or others onto a paper figurine. He had also gained the enhancement of the Flaming Jump ability that now spanned nearly a thousand meters. The might of Air Bullet reached that of a cannon.

On the other hand, he could now obtain initial control of one's Spirit Body Threads in three seconds. He could turn a target into his marionette within fifteen seconds. His control range was 150 meters. At the same time, he could switch Spirit Body Threads, allowing his marionette to obtain all his Beyonder powers. Within a thousand meters, he could switch locations with his marionette as he wished.

Due to this point, and the maggots he separated as a Mythical Creature form, as well as the disguise from the Spirit Body Threads, Klein obtained a higher level of body doubles. This also meant that, as long as any one of his marionettes were alive, a Bizarro Sorcerer would never die!

The enemy often found it difficult to know if the one killed was the Bizarro Sorcerer or his marionette. What was real and what wasn't was difficult to determine.

After confirming his state and resting for a moment, Klein immediately walked deep into the mysterious space above the gray fog. He headed for the staircase of light that seemed to lead to heaven.

As he expected, there was another step, one formed of light.

This time, Klein believed that he could use this sixth step that resembled a giant's to step onto the condensed gray cloud.

One step, two steps, three steps... He came to the end and, with a leap, stepped onto the cloud formed by the gray fog.

Reflecting in his eyes was a door of light tainted with a bluish-black luster. It was formed from countless layers of spherical light, and each spherical light enveloped squirming maggots. Some of them were transparent, others translucent. This was the scene Klein saw through Enzo's eyes, but the objects were very blurry, as though something was obstructing his vision.

In addition, above the door of light, there were thin black threads that hung down. They were hanging up what seemed like completely transparent cocoons.

These cocoons were gently swaying, wrapping different souls. They looked to be of all descentsAfrican, Asian, Caucasians, etc. Some were wearing jeans, others holding cell phones. Some had beautiful clothes, others having beautiful facial features. All of them had the aura as though they were living, but their eyes were tightly closed.

Klein's gaze froze as though he had returned to Earth and had walked onto the streets which were filled with people.

Then, he noticed that three cocoons had opened. They were empty and were swaying with the wind.

Raising his head, Klein took in this sight as he observed in silence.

-x-X-x-

Backlund, East Borough, in a two-room apartment.

A few policemen in black-and-white checkered uniforms opened the door and entered. All of them reached out to cover their mouths.

There was a strong stench of blood inside!

"Officer, I've no idea what happened. Other tenants said that it seems like there's plenty of blood here that they can even smell it from next door." The landlord with a silk top hat looked around in fear, unwilling to stay in the room for another second.

A black-haired, blue-eyed police officer with an inspector epaulet waved his hand and said, "Wait by the door. We still have questions for you."

As he spoke, he wore his white gloves and cast his gaze towards the wooden door of the bedroom.

However, he wasn't in a rush to enter. He slowly surveyed the area and visually took in the surroundings-a pile of coal, a cupboard with cutlery and food, a small stove, a cleanly washed iron pot, a somewhat greasy table, two collapsed circular stools, two slanted chairs, a few glass bottles with unknown powders, and a stack of scattered tarot cards.

"A mysticism enthusiast with an ordinary financial situation?" The black-haired, blue-eyed inspector nodded gently as he made a judgment. Then, he signaled for a subordinate to open the bedroom door.

With a creak, a stronger smell of blood gushed out.

The constable who opened the door looked in and let out a short exclamation as he repeatedly retreated.

The inspector frowned. He pressed the retreating constable's shoulders, circled around him, and approached the bedroom.

When he swept his gaze, his expression immediately changed.

In the bedroom, on a wooden bed, there was a man lying there. His hands were tied to the bedpost.

He was naked with deep and shallow marks on his body. His blood had long been drained, dyeing the bedsheet and blanket beside him dark red.

On a cursory glance, the deceased had apparently been bound by metal wire, cutting into his skin and flesh, right into his bones.

This scene still affected the policemen who had seen many murder scenes. Furthermore, it had a diabolical feeling like it was a ritual.

As the inspector was about to say something, two people rushed into the room. One of them attempted to take photos while the other bombarded him with questions. @@novelbin@@

"Another murder case?

"Hasn't there been many murder cases in East Borough recently?

"Officer, do you think it's a serial murder?"

The black-haired, blue-eyed inspector frowned and waved his hand.

"Do not interfere with the scene; otherwise, we will view you as the criminal's accomplice."

He then said to the constable from before, "Khazix, please escort the two reporters away. Tell them that if they have any questions, ask the news department of Sivellaus Yard."

After the reporters were escorted out of the crime scene, the inspector let out a long sigh.

"I'm going on the newspapers again. Damn it!"

In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Earl Hall.

"Another murder in East Borough. The victim is suspected to have been abused before being killed..." Having had dinner, Audrey was in the activity room casually reading the Backlund Evening News.

Upon hearing his daughter's soft muttering, Earl Hall shook his head and sighed.

"This isn't new in East Borough. The statistics show that there are people dying every day in there. It's far from one person."

Audrey didn't pay too much attention to the matter. After a casual chat with her parents and brother, she returned to her room with her golden retriever, Susie.

The human and dog could read each other's minds without any exchanging of words. The latter stood by the door as a guard while Audrey locked the door. She sat by her bed and chanted Mr. Fool's honorific name.

After a few seconds, she saw a dark red beam of light surge and drown everything.

Audrey arrived above the gray fog, coming inside the magnificent and ancient palace.

She then saw a small room to the side. The mottled door was ajar.

It's much better than the old confessional from before... However, this doesn't match Mr. World's character. Did something happen to his state of mind? In thought, Audrey entered the room and closed the mottled door.

She had previously had a follow-up appointment with The World Gehrman Sparrow and concluded that he had fully recovered. To her surprise, she received a request from him for another treatment.

This left her puzzled as she felt a little intrigued.

In the rather spacious dark room, Audrey leaned against the wall that obviously had another person behind it. Her body slowly slid down as she knelt down with her legs placed diagonally.

In the calm and serene atmosphere, she adjusted her state of mind and said with a brisk tone, "Good evening, Mr. World~"

Just as she said that, Audrey's spiritual intuition already knew the situation with his Body of Heart and Mind, or in common parlance, his emotions or mood.

Gloomy, disheartened, confused, depressed, and having no interest in anything... Mr. World's current problem is completely different from the last one... What happened this time? Audrey gently bit her lip and calmly made a judgment and used a timely Placate.

This was the most useful power of a Psychiatrist. In ancient times, it was called Psychoanalysis.

The "dark clouds" behind the wall scattered significantly. Gehrman Sparrow finally hoarsely said, "Good evening, Miss Justice."

Leaning against the wall, Audrey thought and canceled her original plan. She maintained her brisk tone and said, "I'm very curious about your recent experiences. It seems you have had too, too many encounters.

"There's no need to think about anything else. Let's have a chat first, just like we're friends.

"If you're interested in my life, I'm also willing to share with you some of the interesting matters."

On the opposite side of the wall, Gehrman Sparrow fell silent for a moment. Without answering the question, he asked, "What hopes do you have for the future?"

Audrey's eyes darted slightly to the side as she replied seriously, "To advance myself, to work hard to become a demigod so as to better protect my father, mother, and brothers.

"Oh, I've recently visited the applicants to the bursary foundation with the other staff of the foundation. Their living conditions are really worse than I imagined. Although I've read some reports and was mentally prepared, I still found it unsettling when I saw it with my own eyes. A girl who's just a few years younger than me was very short and skinny. She doesn't fill her stomach daily, and she only has two tattered dresses. When she said that she wishes to study, her eyes were extremely pure and filled with an earnest desire. I can't forget it to this day..."

As she spoke, Audrey acutely sensed the change in Gehrman Sparrow's mental state. It was no longer a completely still lake, and it was now rippling and undulating

After a short deliberation, this Psychiatrist continued as though she didn't seem to notice anything, "I once anticipated having a beautiful wedding, wishing that my 'prince' will appear like those popular novels. However, after becoming a Spectator, I realized that I might never be able to fulfill this dream. I can often read the true thoughts of those men and see through their lies. I'm able to confirm that many people aren't as nice as I imagined, and it has left me disappointed. Hmm, in a few more years, I might be able to appreciate people for their flaws, but it's really difficult to do so now..."

Noticing that Gehrman Sparrow, who had his back to her across the wall, having the emotions of laughter, Audrey did a timely Placate on him. Then, she heard him ask, "You once gathered information about dragons from The Sun. You should have some understanding of the Dragon of Imagination.

"If I were to tell you that your father, mother, and brothers are imagined by the Spectator pathway's King of Angels and that they do not really exist, what would be your reaction?"

I'll definitely collapse on the spot and directly lose control... Mr. World has a psychological problem because of his discovery that the thing that he has been anticipating-his ultimate goal—will never be fulfilled? Audrey was first alarmed by Gehrman Sparrow's question before she realized the essence of the question.

She didn't reply as she asked in a guiding manner, "You seem to have witnessed the destruction of hope."

"Heh." There was a self-deprecating scoff sounding from the wall behind Audrey. "Indeed, I once thought that I had family. Later, I realized that it was only an extravagant hope of mine."

"Why do you say that?" Audrey asked like she was having a casual chat.

Gehrman Sparrow fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "Have you heard of those fairy tales that Emperor Roselle used for bringing up children?"

"Those are my childhood memories," Audrey acknowledged.

At the same time, she discovered that Mr. World's emotions were clearly stirred on the other side of the wall. Repressed pain was surging out. This time, Audrey didn't use Placate. Her spiritual intuition and professional knowledge told her that he needed to vent it out.

"Then you should know of Sleeping Beauty and her prince," Gehrman Sparrow said with a soft, hoarse voice. "There's one such person who also entered a deep sleep until he suddenly woke up one day... He believes that his family is still around, and he works hard to improve himself, hoping that he can one day find them. This becomes his main driving force in life. Finally, he realized that he has slept for at least three hundred years, or even more than a thousand years, perhaps even longer. He can never find anything that he once had any more..."

The intense pain and sense of loss was extremely clear to Audrey. She came to a realization.

The gloomy, restrained, experienced, and ruthless Mr. World also has his own goals and reason for existing!

This is in line with his gentle heart... How pitiful... Although he was giving an example using a fairy tale, some of the emotions he felt when saying certain words reflect reality... When he mentioned "deep sleep," "family," "three hundred years," "more than a thousand years," "even longer," "never find," his pain clearly increased... This means that he's from an ancient time and has lived to this day due to certain encounters? This matches the situation of Mr. Fool being an awakening ancient god. It's no wonder he became his Blessed... Audrey quickly grasped the key to the matter.

She pursed her lips and pondered for a moment.

"Did his family say anything? Did they say what they wanted him to do when he wakes up?"

-x-X-x-

From Audrey's point of view, Mr. World's current situation wasn't him suffering from a mental illness, nor was it close to pushing him to the state of losing control. It was because his goal in life and the meaning to his existence had been destroyed. It left him with a psychological barrier that just needed some guidance. Once she helped him set up a short-term goal, allowing him to find meaning in life, the problem would slowly be resolved.

In the serene and silent darkness, Audrey heard Gehrman Sparrow answer in a deep voice across the wall, "No."

As expected... Audrey wasn't surprised as she asked, "Then did he search for his family's last words? Did he search for their grave? Did he try to figure out the reason for the deep sleep?"

The Spirit Body behind the wall seemed to vanish for a few seconds as there wasn't a single sound. After a moment, the hoarse voice continued:

"No, not yet."

Not yet... That means that it's a possibility in the future? Audrey felt relieved as she clearly felt that Gehrman Sparrow's emotional state wasn't as heavy and gloomy as before, without any interest in anything. He had a certain level of drive and a tiny sense of urgency. He was just still in a state of confusion.

Taking this opportunity, Audrey cast Placate again. The effects were much better than before. At the very least, she believed that Mr. World had used this impetus to escape from the abyss of gloominess and depression, returning to a normal person's disheartened state.

Following that, Audrey didn't press on regarding how he could find clues or investigate, because this could bring about some resistance. She nodded in the dark room in a natural manner and said, "Yes, there are many things to do, and many things that need amending! Perhaps you will have the chance of meeting someone from the same bloodline? Perhaps a family member of his hasn't died from age, or had ended up living to this day due to some reason? The reason why there's meaning to life is because of its infinite possibilities.

"In the process of searching, make sure to not miss out on your surroundings. Life isn't just a one-way street. There are many branches and alleys. If only the former exists, how boring would it be. You should know how to approach it, to broaden your horizons, and to discover..."

Trying hard to recall all the suitable words she read in books, Audrey suddenly thought of something as her voice softened significantly.

"Also, don't wear that thick mask."

The thinner and transparent ones don't matter because everyone wears a mask when interacting with others. No one likes to directly express one's relatively private secrets to others. It's both a way to protect oneself and also a way to respect others... When Mr. World has a certain number of friends, a new meaning in life will naturally be formed... Audrey added inwardly, but she ultimately didn't say it out loud. She believed that it might even backfire.

Unsurprisingly, Gehrman Sparrow fell silent again, seemingly still in confusion.

After a few seconds, a voice that wasn't that hoarse sounded again:

"Thank you for straightening me out, and for your treatment."

"No, this is all a result of the strength inside you," Audrey replied seriously.

She cast a final Placate to confirm that Mr. World's mental state was back to normal and that it wouldn't relapse.

She then heard Gehrman Sparrow say, "Let's end it here for today, okay?"

Audrey adjusted her tone and briskly replied, "Of course. It's not a serious problem. I can do another follow-up whenever you're free next week.

"Also, if it's possible, make some medicine to stabilize your mental state. Take it for seven consecutive days. The ingredients are 10 grams of chamomile powder, 5 grams of rosemary powder, 10 milliliters of lemon balm extract... During this period, don't reduce your consumption of desserts, and try to relax yourself in an appropriate manner..."

In the dark and silent room, she propped herself against the wall with her hands and slowly stood up.

At this moment, Gehrman Sparrow's voice passed through the wall: @@novelbin@@

"What's the consultation fee?"

Audrey held one hand to the wall and turned her head in thought.

"Wait till I get the potion formula for Sequence 5 of the Spectator pathway. I might need you to help me find the ingredients.

"If the Psychology Alchemists provides me with the ingredients, hmm..."

She curled the ends of her lips and said, "When you return from the Southern Continent to Backlund, remember to bring me some of the local produce as a

gift."

A super luxurious and light transportation coffin that's carried by eight people? On the other side of the wall, Klein had the inexplicable urge to lampoon. He then stood up while clinging to the wall and sent Miss Justice back to the real world.

With a wave of his hand, the room vanished. He returned to the seat of honor at the long bronze table and sat at the seat belonging to The Fool.

In front of him, there were the Black Emperor, Tyrant, and Red Priest Cards of Blasphemy on the right. On the left, there was the Creeping Hunger, which Leonard Mitchell had sent back via Miss Messenger Reinette Tinekerr.

"I owe Miss Messenger 10,000 gold coins again..." Klein retracted his gaze and raised his right hand to rub his temples.

To prevent Ince Zangwill from escaping through the spirit world, he had already communicated with Reinette Tinekerr before he made plans for the murder. She was in charge of chasing away all the spirit world creatures around Revival Square, in exchange for that very same 10,000 gold coins.

The only thing that caught him by surprise was that 0-08 was more terrifying than he imagined. With Ince Zangwill suffering from Deity's Curse, and with King of Angels Adam having drained it, its first attempt was able to "attract" an unknown creature which could pass through Reinette Tinekerr's seal. If not for Daly Simone's forceful spirit channeling and signing a pact, Ince Zangwill might very well have escaped.

Of course, while under Deity's Curse, even if Ince Zangwill were to successfully escape, there was a high chance of him encountering other misfortunes, such as being thrown by the unknown creature to somewhere more dangerous or having it directly cause him harm. However, that wasn't within Klein's control.

At the thought that he was 10,000 gold coins in debt again, Klein felt a headache, but his mental state was a lot better.

After seeing the cocoon above the gray cloud, and the door of light beyond the staircase of light, he had suffered a shock that was as though a river had broken through its banks. He felt that all his expectations had been shattered. His mature world view, outlook on life, and values had crumbled as a result, causing his entire being to fall into a turbid state, as though he were a walking zombie.

Thankfully, he still had the innate desire to live and had sought out his private psychiatrist, Miss Justice Audrey, in time for treatment.

Phew... Klein exhaled and forced himself to turn his thoughts towards the cocoons. And from the scene he saw, his first reaction was:

An extremely high-level existence or Sealed Artifact had used different means to grab a large group of people from Earth at the same moment in time. Here, there were people who used the luck enhancement ritual, others bought strange silver plates, or had their phones hit by some strange virus...

Then, these transmigrators had their souls sealed inside the cocoon and were left hanging above the door of light, awaiting a particular opportunity before being sent to the real world.

Based on Klein's observation, the door of light didn't have any intelligence. It was operating based on pure instinct. This also meant that as long as the conditions were met, it would catalyze a cocoon and deliver the soul inside to a specific target's body.

Based on the current circumstances, Klein guessed that there were probably two conditions that needed to be met.

First, there mustn't be any other transmigrators prior, or the transmigrator had already been deemed to have failed or died. Second, the "calling out" of a certain object, item, or ritual. For instance, Klein Moretti had followed the Antigonus family's notebook to perform that dark divination.

As for the rest, it's impossible to know. Unless I can find the corresponding content in Emperor Roselle's diary... Putting together everything that I know, my current theory should be very close to the truth. This will make it easy to explain why, despite being from the same era as the emperor on Earth with less than a year in between us, our entry into the real world was separated by slightly more than two hundred years... It's because we transmigrated at the same time, but we were "released" in different eras! Before entering the real world, who knows how long we've been asleep for... A brother from next door? Klein leaned back into his chair as his eyes shimmered before turning gloomy again.

This was a hypothesis he came up with based on the conditions of the door of light, his situation, and the emperor's diary.

Of course, this didn't mean that there weren't other possibilities. At present, Klein was just unable to find evidence to support them. For example, a cocoon might represent the life of a transmigrator, but this was in contradiction with Klein's own recovery or the lack of change in his Spirit Body.

And if his hypothesis wasn't too different from the truth, it meant that he had left Earth, transmigrating over for at least two hundred years or even thousands of years. Even if he found the way and method to go back to Earth, he was unable to return to the place he called home.

Compared to the gap in distance, the barrier of time left him in greater despair.

This was the reason why it caused Klein's mental state to instantly collapse. "Returning home" was always his ultimate goal.

Miss Justice is right. There are still many questions to resolve and to probe... What's the meaning behind hanging so many transmigrators behind the door of light? What goal does it have? Who set up everything back then? How many people were pulled in here? Where has the other person gone to? The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth? Klein tried hard to engross himself in thinking, so as to find a new goal for the future.

Unfortunately, he was only able to approach the door of light and not touch it. He was unable to touch it, grasp it, or even carefully inspect it. He had no means to do any studies to receive any direct information.

I should consider finding clues from the real world... Also, since reaching Sequence 4 allows me to reach that gray cloud and see the door of light, will there be another qualitative change at Sequence 2? Will I be able to gain control over the door of light when that happens, allowing me to figure out the truth?

Heh heh, I was affected by the Seven Lights, the Goddess, and Arrodes's attitude. I almost imagined myself to be the real owner of the gray fog, and believe that I'm some great master above the spirit world. Now, from the looks of it, I'm just a "test subject" that was randomly thrown down. Once I fail, the next transmigrator will appear... Klein thought as he tapped the edge of the long bronze table.

He was rather curious of another point. Three broken "cocoons," with one representing himself, and another representing the emperor, so who was the third one?

-x-X-x-

Klein's first target of suspicion was undoubtedly Elf King Soniathrym. This ancient god had created chopsticks, made blood cakes, enjoyed eating animal innards, and was good at using spices for cooking. "His" descendants had facial features, hair color, and eyes that resembled Asians on Earth. Not only did Klein suspect that "He" was a transmigrator, even Emperor Roselle shared his feelings.

Of course, after a deeper level of investigations, Roselle had ruled out that hypothesis from their language, symbols, traditional proverbs, and other facets. Klein believed that using chopsticks as cutlery, the preference for eating innards, and using spices wasn't an exclusive trait. To a species that enjoyed nature, it was possible for these to gradually appear in their daily life!

As for why elves who wielded the Sailor pathway were close to nature, Klein didn't know why. It was just something as described by the murals and texts they left behind.

I for one felt that the Elf King is unlikely to be a transmigrator, but after seeing the three shattered cocoons, I can't be too sure... Perhaps "He" might be a fellow countryman... Hmm, I can't rule out the possibility that this ancient god isn't a transmigrator but that one of the high-ranking elves around "Him" is one. This can also allow the tradition to pass down in the name of the Elf King... Klein tapped his fingers as he thought silently.

Almost at the same time, he had two directions for his investigation:

Groselle's Travels had Elvish Songster, Siatas, who served Soniathrym's queen, Queen of Calamity Cohinem!

As long as I enter her sea of collective subconscious, I should be able to see or make contact with the elves and find memory fragments regarding the ancient

god!

I can also use Hypnosis, directly allowing her subconscious to speak... But the problem is that I'm not good at such matters. The last time I attempted to delve into Groselle's subconscious, I felt quick-tempered and could hardly calm down. Although I'm already a demigod, it also becomes more pressing that I resist the inclination towards madness and losing control. And I won't be able to regulate my mental state for quite some time... Forcefully spirit channeling isn't suitable for such a situation and for such a target... Klein frowned slightly. He felt that he might need a mystical item that was of a relatively high-level Sequence in the Spectator pathway, or an assistant that was at least a Hypnotist.

He began seriously considering the possibility of getting Miss Justice's help. There's no problem doing it. It's not impossible to leave by entering as a Spirit Body above the gray fog...

I don't have to worry that Miss Justice will pry into the secret of a transmigrator. As long as Siatas doesn't have any knowledge of this, her subconscious and collective subconscious wouldn't point towards such a conclusion. And I can find the desired clues in details so they don't pay any notice...

The biggest problem is that Miss Justice has no adventuring experience and she lacks it. Entering the sea of subconscious of an ancient figure is very dangerous to her. There might be the remnants of an ancient god in there at any time... Once I don't have the help of a Psychiatrist, I will also end up the same... @@novelbin@@

Even if I'm getting Miss Justice as support, I'll have to wait until she reaches Sequence 5 so that she can use her level to make up for her lack of experience. When that happens, we can first attempt to hypnotize Siatas and see what we can learn from her mouth. If there's nothing of value, we can consider entering her dream to delve deeper into her consciousness and step into that sea.

Yes, the Dream Charms I create now aren't potent enough. I might not be able to maintain such a long exploration. Sigh, the Goddess won't directly respond to such trivial matters. It's a fixed feedback based on a fixed ritual... The corresponding Beyonder characteristics have been returned to the Church... Don't tell me that I need to bring Leonard with me? I wonder if pulling someone at the Spirit Body level can avoid the notice of the grandpa inside him. I'll do some research over the next few days...

Klein reined in his thoughts and considered his second target of suspicion.

This person didn't seem too special in the past, nor did Klein believe that he was a transmigrator. But now that his mind calmed down, he began processing his thoughts and analyzing, Klein realized that many points that he viewed as common sense weren't that simple on careful thought. They contained an unspeakable sense of horror.

He suspected: the ancient sun god, the City of Silver's Creator!

The seven Church's separate bibles have similarities to Earth's Western religions... It is similarly the case for their Masses!

Based on Little Sun's description, from what Emperor Roselle saw from Adam's chapel, and the content of the murals in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, it's clear that the ancient sun god's main symbol is the cross!

"He" gave his children the names Adam and Amon...

The angels beneath "Him" all have wings of light. I've not seen that in the other pathways to date...

It's unknown how "He" rose up. "He" suddenly appeared late in the Second Epoch, killed several ancient gods, and took "Their" various authorities...

I never thought much about these details in the past. It's quite scary now that I think deeply of it. Klein drew a gasp as he began feeling more convinced that it was the ancient sun god instead of Elf King Soniathrym.

"His" experiences were just too legendary, more of a protagonist of an era than Emperor Roselle!

Of course, "His" outcome was rather tragic, becoming a feast for "His" Kings of Angels. Emperor Roselle was also tragic but in no way as terrible.

Doesn't this imply Amon's and Adam's attitude in a certain sense? "They" believe that the gray fog is related to "Their" father, but due to "Their" different pathways, they made different choices? Hmm, there's a certain chance that Adam can't see the gray fog. "He" isn't a High-Sequence Beyonder of the Fate, Marauder, Seer, and Apprentice pathways... Klein nodded slightly.

Based on these clues, he also had a direction of investigation that didn't require him to make contact with major figures at the angel level.

In Groselle's Travels lived Ascetic Snowman who survived the Third Epoch and had served the ancient sun god!

The problem circles back to itself... There's nothing to doubt about the rest for the time being. Klein slowly exhaled, reached out his right hand, and picked up the newly obtained Card of Blasphemy: Red Priest card!

Infusing his spirituality into it, the card produced a blood-red light, forming a palm-sized illusory book.

The pages of the book flipped, presenting portraits of a lifelike Roselle Gustav. He was either wearing a hunter's attire, raising his middle finger, walking through a burning building, or standing behind a trap. He had all sorts of attires and was doing all kinds of things.

Sequence 9: Hunter... Sequence 8: Provoker... Sequence 7: Pyromaniac... Sequence 6: Conspirer... Sequence 5: Reaper... Sequence 4: Iron-blooded Knight... Sequence 3: War Bishop... Sequence 2: Weather Warlock... Sequence 1: Conqueror... Sequence 0: Red Priest... Klein's gaze swept past the different portraits on the tarot card and imprinted the content into his mind.

He wasn't surprised at this pathway's Sequence o's ritual to become a god. This was because Hermes had once told Roselle that the "red" in Red Priest meant the red of war.

Therefore, when he saw "stirring up a war that sweeps an entire continent and gain victory," he wasn't stirred at all.

After flipping the Red Priest card, he began thinking about problems and felt his mental state improve. He rubbed his temples, finally feeling exhausted.

I should set a short-term goal and investigate the person behind the Great Smog of Backlund. This is something that I've yet to complete. Yes, I should continue the arms deal according to my original plans, and return to Backlund after receiving the money. Now, there are two clues. First, the captain of the royal guards, Viscount Stratford, and the other is MI9's deputy director, Brigadier General Qonas Kilgor... Klein tried to pull himself up and decided to occupy himself with something.

Before leaving the gray fog, he threw the mental medicine recipe that Miss Justice had given him to the crimson star representing The Moon Emlyn. He requested this vampire, who was good at making it, to make a week's worth at 1 pound a bottle.

Backlund, within the Odora family's villa.

Emlyn White, who was waiting in the activity room, curled his lips and thought to himself, A transaction that's just 7 pounds. I really don't want to do it... The World can concoct it himself if he's a little careful.

He hadn't objected to The World's request, because after spending 5,000 pounds to buy the Sequence 5 Vampire Beyonder characteristic, he only had 730 pounds left.

At this moment, Cosmi walked over, looking like a middle-aged gentleman.

After exchanging a bow, the Sanguine Baron asked, "Emlyn, why are you suddenly here?"

Emlyn immediately felt a little guilty before recalling his previous experiences of conversing with The Hanged Man and The World. He tipped his chin slightly and answered in a seemingly casual manner, "I've received a Sequence 5 Scarlet Scholar Beyonder characteristic. I wonder when we can begin the ritual to make me a Viscount."

Cosmi was taken aback as he asked in surprise, "You obtained a Scarlet Scholar Beyonder characteristic?"

Emlyn glanced at him and nodded with a faint smile.

"That's right."

He didn't explain how he had obtained the Beyonder characteristic, as though Cosmi wasn't worthy of knowing

Cosmi turned agape as he fell silent. After a few seconds, he said, "Wait till the next full moon."

He paused and said, "I happen to have something for you.

"My grandfather wishes to inform you that an important figure will be coming to Backlund. 'He' wishes to meet you."

"He"? Emlyn's pupils dilated instantly.

The ancient ones of the Sanguine that lived since the Second Epoch to this day, together with the Grade o Sealed Artifacts, all of those important existences at the angel level didn't exceed five in number!

-x-X-x-

Emlyn fell silent for two seconds as he lowered his chin and asked, "Who... is it?"

To him, angels were naturally worthy of respect, but those who could truly make him bow his head were the important figures addressed as "He" by every Sanguine. "They" had witnessed and experienced the Sanguine's long history, the source of his pride.

"I'm not sure. But in short, I'll notify you when the time comes." Cosmi Odora shook his head.

... The person is coming because of the Ancestor's revelation? There are subsequent instructions? Why doesn't the Ancestor directly give me a revelation? This will be better concealed. I'm "Her" chosen one! This is to avoid agitating Mr. Fool? Questions flashed past Emlyn's mind as he answered them himself.

He didn't speak further as he wore his top hat and left Odora's villa. @@novelbin@@

When he arrived at the door, he looked at the thin clouds that could hardly block out the sun. Emlyn curled his lips in disdain, raised his hand to press down on his hat, and ran for a rental carriage at the end of the street as he inwardly mumbled, Such weather really isn't suitable for heading out!

The medicine that The World wants isn't rare. It can be concocted in fifteen minutes... Hmm, the ingredients I ordered previously should be in by today. I can carry out the transaction with Miss Magician that I've delayed for days...

Backlund, Cherwood Borough.

Fors placed glass bottles on an altar and looked at the light blue and golden liquids, feeling the exhilaration from shopping. More enticing than a cocktail. I wonder what it tastes like. Putting some ice in might make it taste better... Seriously, what am I thinking? These are all medicine! Fors sputtered at herself and hurriedly cleaned up the room.

Upon receiving the medicine required for medical treatment, she finished her preparations for heading to the abandoned castle in Delaire Forest. She was just waiting for Xio to return!

After tidying up certain matters, Fors slumped onto the sofa and casually picked up a few newspaper copies and began planning her itinerary for the day.

Set off at dusk. Dinner will probably be when we arrive at the town bordering the forest...

Amidst her silent mumbling, Fors flipped to the copy of News At Sea.

Suddenly, her gaze froze as a familiar name was reflected in her eyes: "Gehrman Sparrow!"

This adventurer had appeared at sea again, boarding the Black Tulip with a middle-aged name known as "Death Consul." He killed Admiral Hell Ludwell, changing the lineup of the seven pirate admirals again.

ILIL

Fors subconsciously patted her chest, unsure what she was happy about.

At that instant, she had a baffling feeling that Gehrman Sparrow's experiences were sufficiently legendary, something that could definitely be written into a novel!

Unfortunately, he's not someone who's easy to get along with; otherwise, I can totally be a part-time biographer to write a book for him... Haha, if I were to write the book titled "Gehrman Sparrow," I'll definitely be targeted by the official Beyonders... Fors thought in amusement before hearing the lock turn.

She looked up and saw Xio pushing open the door and entering the living room.

"You're early?" Fors asked in surprise.

Xio ruffled the right side of her blonde hair and said, "I met with MI9 again and received a mission."

"What is it?" Fors sat up, asking out of curiosity.

Xio casually threw herself onto the single-seater.

"Investigate the background of the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow.

"Based on the information provided by MI9, he's a terrifying Beyonder, and the name he uses is fake. Even his identification documents are fake. He probably came from Backlund.

"They suspect that Gehrman Sparrow has another identity and partners here."

Upon hearing the word "partners," Fors couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth. She had the urge to tell Xio that MI9's guess was right. Gehrman Sparrow's partner was sitting directly opposite her.

She coughed slightly and acted calm while she asked, "Why are you investigating Gehrman Sparrow's background?

"What did he do this time?"

Xio glanced at the stack of newspapers beside Fors.

"Haven't you read today's News at Sea?

"Gehrman Sparrow killed Admiral Hell Ludwell and is now known as the strongest adventurer of the Five Seas.

"By the way, MI9 also told me that Gehrman Sparrow might very well believe in the secret existence known as The Fool. This is news that came from many different sources, including the Aurora Order and the Rose School of Thought."

I can testify to that... They are right... Fors forced a smile and said, "Sounds rather dangerous."

"Yeah." Xio nodded. "I only plan on gathering the intel and not delving too deep into it."

Fors didn't continue on this topic as she said, "I've already prepared the medicine. Shall we head to Delaire Forest today?"

Xio had already become a Sequence 7 Interrogator a few days ago, and she had mastered a rather useful power, Psychic Piercing.

"Alright." Xio stood up, showcasing how she was a woman of action. "Let's set off now."

"Ah? Let's wait a little longer. I was thinking dusk..." Fors replied, feeling a little resistant.

She often wished to procrastinate until the last moment.

Before long, she was pulled out of their rented apartment by Xio while bringing all kinds of items along. They got a rental carriage and headed for the metro.

Amidst the sonorous whistle of the steam engine, the massive steam locomotive hauled its meandering body and entered the platform. Under the illumination of the wall lamps on both sides, it stopped

Fors and Xio stood outside a carriage and waited patiently for the passengers to alight.

Suddenly, they saw two Red Gloves.

The owner of the Red Gloves was a man in his thirties. He wore a white shirt with a black trench coat. His collar was raised up high, covering his chin and mouth.

He had a pair of dark-green eyes with golden-brown sideburns. He held a silver chest that was big enough to put a tiny violin in it.

Fors and Xio exchanged looks as they lowered their gaze, staring at their toes.

As a high-ranking deacon of the Church of Evernight's Nighthawks, one of the twenty-two members of power in the Church, and one of the three bigwigs of the Red Gloves, Crestet Cesimir wasn't someone who cared about parading himself around. He enjoyed traveling alone, taking the transportation that commoners took, making him appear like an ordinary clergyman.

After transferring to another line, he eventually arrived in North Borough. He then took a rental carriage and headed straight for Saint Samuel Cathedral where he met Backlund diocese's archbishop, Saint Anthony Stevenson.

After greeting each other and praising the Goddess, Cesimir found a seat and said, "I'll be troubling you to provide me with some help for the next couple weeks."

The clean-shaved archbishop, Anthony, in his black robe with red accents sat down as well. He deliberated before asking, "Is it something to do with Ince Zangwill?".

"Yes." Cesimir nodded slightly. "The Holy See wishes that I inform you that another servant of the Goddess, the matron of the Evernight cloister, Ma'am Arianna, will be in Backlund not long from now."

This ascetic was ranked first among all the thirteen archbishops.

Without waiting for Saint Anthony's inquiry, he explained in detail, "Ma'am Ilya learned plenty of important information from Ince Zangwill's remnant spirit, including his mental problems that 0-08 used to escape, as well as the details of his cooperation with the royal family and the Demoness Sect...

"After machinating the Great Smog of Backlund, Ince Zangwill was betrayed by 0-08 and had ended up being possessed by the Red Angel evil spirit. He headed for the Southern Continent alone in an attempt to set up a trap to hunt Ma'am Ilya.

"An important point to take note of is, that in Ince Zangwill's memories, there is a very important underground ruin. It's in the northwestern outskirts of Backlund, an area just before the Tussock River flows in.

"My mission is to find that ruin."

Saint Anthony finished listening in silence before asking in thought, "Ince Zangwill doesn't know of the exact location?

"He has never been there before?"

Cesimir shook his head.

"He had entered, but he was led in there and didn't grasp the required key information."

Saint Anthony tersely acknowledged before asking, "Have you figured out which batch of people from the royal family that Ince Zangwill was working with?"

"No." Crestet Cesimir paused and continued, "Based on normal logic, regardless of whether the partners donned disguises, if they meet, there should be the corresponding memory fragments, but inside Ince Zangwill's Spirit Body, there were no traces of that. It was as though it never existed."

"Perhaps it's an influence of a deed. The source of the deed's power that even a Sequence 4 demigod can't resist is something worth paying attention to." Saint Anthony nodded very slightly.

He thought and said, "The telegram didn't include much. I do not know the exact sequence of events. Who exactly killed Ince Zangwill?"

Crestet Cesimir exhaled slowly and said, "A name you might never believe, Klein Moretti."

"The Nighthawk who died in the line of duty during the Tingen incident?" Anthony's wrinkles deepened.

"Yes, that's what Ilya sent back. No one knows how Klein Moretti, who was only a Sequence 8, had resurrected, or how he could kill Ince Zangwill, a demigod wielding 0-08..." Upon saying this, Cesimir's expression turned somewhat odd. "The Holy See requests us to strictly keep this intel confidential. We are not to divulge this to anyone who isn't an archbishop or high-ranking deacon. Furthermore, we are not to pursue Klein Moretti, pretending as though he's still in his grave."

Saint Anthony fell silent for a few seconds as though he recalled something trivial. He nodded and said, "Perhaps, he's a Blessed of the Goddess..."

Cesimir suddenly looked up at Saint Anthony as though he was a lunatic.

His lips quivered, but he ultimately didn't say a word.

Anthony didn't continue the topic as he looked at the door and said sternly, "Your mission might need plenty of investigations. This requires enough manpower. Hmm, Soest's team has completed their mission in the Southern Continent. I'll get them to return quickly and follow your instructions."

"Alright." Crestet Cesimir didn't put up any objections.

"Rest for the remainder of the day before returning to Backlund?" Leonard looked up at team captain, Soest.

Soest looked pitifully at Leonard, who had been silent for quite some time, and nodded.

"That's right."

After watching this Spirit Warlock leave his room, Leonard sighed and leaned against the wall.

At this moment, dark red light surged out from before his eyes, enveloping him completely without any prior warning.

-x-X-x-

By the time Leonard reacted, he saw numerous towering stone pillars, as well as a towering palace that looked like a giant's residence above the endless grayish-white fog that was being propped up by these stone pillars.

His green eyes wore a blank look. After a second, Leonard found himself sitting on a high-back chair beside a long mottled bronze table at some point in time. Beside him and opposite him were high-back chairs that exuded solemnity.

And at the end of the long mottled table, where the seat of honor was, a figure was shrouded in thick gray fog. The figure was leaning into his seat leisurely, as though he was overlooking everything.

When this figure appeared in Leonard's eyes, he felt as though he was on a liner, seeing a bottomless abyss whose boundaries were nowhere to be seen. It also felt like he had left the city and was on the outskirts, looking up to see lofty mountains that tore through the clouds.

Instantly, many thoughts flashed through Leonard's mind. He had a rough guess as to what he was experiencing. As a Beyonder of the Church, a believer who knew that deities truly exist, he wasn't able to resist his feelings. He subconsciously wished to leave his seat and prostrate before the existence before him.

The might of a deity was boundless!

Just as Leonard stood up, he was pressed down by an invisible force. A slow and calm voice resonated in his ears:

"There's no need for such trouble.

"You can call me Mr. Fool."

The Fool... Indeed... Leonard's fear of the unknown had settled immediately. Although he was still worried about what would happen next, he wasn't that perturbed any longer. He didn't sit uneasily with a dry mouth and parched lips.

He got up halfway, pressed his hand to his chest, and bowed.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, why did you summon me here?"

As an experienced Nighthawk and a Red Glove who had participated in major cases, Leonard knew how dangerous it was to establish a connection with a secret existence. He knew that he had slid down the edge of the abyss and had no chance of redemption.

At that moment when he decided to chant The Fool's honorific name, he was able to foresee his tragic end. But for revenge, he had made the choice regardless.

However, everyone had the instinct to survive. Recalling how Klein Moretti, who believed in The Fool, was still alive and had even become a demigod, Leonard couldn't help but hold out some hope and expectations.

At this moment, he heard the fog-enshrouded Fool chuckle.

"Since you prayed to me for help, then based on the principle of equivalent exchange, you definitely need to pay the price."

Leonard's body trembled as he bowed his head lower.

"What is it you wish?"

After a brief pause, The Fool's voice sounded again:

"There's no rush. Perhaps there will be something that requires you to provide help to certain people.

"Have a seat."

Leonard slowly calmed himself down and sat. He looked around and asked, "He... Klein Moretti... has been here like me?"

The Fool's said with a calm tone, "In a different manner."

Different manner... Indeed, Klein didn't enter because he chanted the honorific name. He had been introduced by that Death Consul named Azik Eggers before becoming one of Mr. Fool's faithful... Leonard couldn't help but survey the area, and he discovered that there were a total of twenty-two high-back chairs around the long mottled table.

It corresponds to the twenty-two Beyonder pathways. There are also twenty-two tarot cards... The Fool... Just as Leonard came up with a theory, he heard Mr. Fool chuckle.

"Other than you, there are other living beings that have been pulled in here for various reasons.

"They earnestly wished for me to convene a gathering to carry out the exchange of information and the transaction of materials and formulas. They also help each other. This allows them to rapidly advance, eventually becoming High-Sequence Beyonders."

This is a little different from the secret organization represented by tarot cards I had imagined. It's rather loosely organized... What motives does Mr. Fool have to agree to such a request? After coming to the ancient palace above the gray fog, Leonard felt high-strung, causing his thought processes to be a lot more agile than usual. He came up with all kinds of questions.

After successfully achieving revenge, he had been feeling low-spirited and empty for a moment, as though he had lost his goal in life. However, he quickly pulled himself together. This was because Daly's death told him that he wasn't strong enough. To reduce the number of casualties of his companions in future missions and so as to not lack the ability to save them, he needed to reach Sequence 4 at the very least. He needed to become a demigod.

Therefore, The Fool's words had stirred his heart. He felt that it was an opportunity. Meanwhile, he also believed that by joining the gathering, he could deeply understand the situation of the secret organization. It helped in maximally averting the danger that resulted from establishing contact with The Fool.

After some deliberation, Leonard asked, "Klein Moretti is also a regular member of this gathering?

"Does he have a seat here?"

The Fool replied without much concern, "Yes."

Leonard fell silent for a second as he asked, "Honorable Mr. Fool, can I join this regular gathering?"

Shrouded in the gray fog, The Fool said with a smile, "Sure.

"But when you return, remember to mention this to Pallez Zoroast about it. Do not attempt to hide it from 'Him."

"Him"... Old Man really is an angel! It's no wonder the Luck Siphon charm is so magical... Although Leonard had already expected this, he still couldn't help but be alarmed after receiving confirmation from Mr. Fool.

He hesitated for a moment and said, "Why must I tell Pallez Zoroast?"

Although he had a good relationship with Pallez Zoroast and had established a certain level of trust, he still felt wary. The reason why he had made the request to join Mr. Fool's secret gathering was to balance the latent danger of the ancient Parasite.

He then heard Mr. Fool reply with a smile, "Many a time, striking fear is a lot more useful than conflict."

Striking fear is a lot more useful than conflict... That's right, forcefully creating a balance might agitate Old Man. Regardless, the final battlefield will be in my body, and it would be extremely disadvantageous to me. By striking fear into "Him," I can get "Him" to recognize the situation. Even if "He" has ill intent, "He" will think of another solution and take another path... Leonard bowed his head in enlightenment.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, I have no more questions."

At the end of the long bronze table, The Fool conjured a deck of tarot cards and lifted up his hand and pointed at them.

"They have each selected a tarot card to represent their code name. You can also choose one.

"The deck has the cards of their respective owners taken away."

They do use tarot cards are as their code names... Leonard exhaled and couldn't help but ask again, "Which card is Klein Moretti?"

"The World," The Fool said casually. "It's him, and also not him."

What does that mean... Leonard didn't dare to ask further. He extended his right hand and pulled out a card from the deck of tarot cards.

Flipping it over, he saw a goddess pouring holy water, with stars littering the background.

The Star card!

This didn't match Leonard's taste, but since he had already completed the ritual under Mr. Fool's watch, he could only accept it.

"Return. The gathering happens every Monday at three in the afternoon, Backlund time." Shrouded in the gray fog, The Fool raised his hand and made Leonard, who was rushing to bow, vanish from the ancient palace.

The Fool Klein chuckled as he flipped all the tarot cards.

All of them had the same picture with the same sky-filled stars.

All of them were The Star cards!

After laughing for a while, Klein cast his gaze to the crimson star that represented Leonard.

While attempting to pull the poet above the gray fog, he had made some careful observation and had discovered that there was a blob of light hiding in Leonard Mitchell's body. It seemed to be made of countless ringed worms, hidden deep inside his Soul Body.

This made Klein confirm that Pallez Zoroast had only parasitized Leonard at a preliminary stage. "He" didn't control Leonard's Body of Heart and Mind, Astral Projection, Ether Body, and physical body. And after advancing to become a demigod, Klein had gained a deeper control over the mysterious space above the gray fog, allowing him to pull in anyone he wanted, without targeting the soul. He could make a selection.

Therefore, Klein decided to not touch Leonard's Soul Body, and only pulled his Astral Projection above the gray fog. This avoided agitating Pallez Zoroast or end up bringing "Him" into the mysterious space. Of course, it was almost certain that the Sequence 1 angel of the Marauder pathway would notice it.

And the ability to enter the dreams of others stemmed from the Astral Projection of Beyonders of the Evernight pathway, so it didn't affect Leonard's ability to do what he was good at in this mysterious space.

Let's hope that he can escape from Pallez Zoroast's parasitizing bit by bit... Klein suddenly sighed.

The reason why he made Leonard join the tarot club was because he wished to help this former teammate grow stronger, allowing him to escape the claws of Pallez Zoroast.

If that Marauder pathway angel didn't have any ill intent, he could get Leonard to help "Him" hide from Amon and aid "His" recovery. This would speed up "His" switching of parasitic targets.

Retracting in his gaze, Klein thought for a moment. He threw the Hunter pathway's Sequence 6 Conspirer potion formula to the point of light representing Danitz. He then instructed him to leave the Southern Continent and return to the Golden Dream.

Black Hunting Spider's composite eye, sphinx's brain... Danitz recalled the content he had just "seen" in a daze as he stood up in delight.

He planned to immediately bid farewell to Anderson and leave the dangerous Southern Continent.

After coming to the door of the Fog Sea's Strongest Hunter, he knocked on the wooden door, only to see it open.

Anderson hadn't locked the door!

Danitz was puzzled as he cast his gaze inside and saw Anderson holding a knife and sliding it against his abdomen.