165 LOTM (End of Fifth Volume & Start pf Sixth Volume)

Although there was no concept of temperature in the Hall of Truth, Klein still felt a chill down his spine when he heard that. He felt a wave of heat, and he wanted to defend himself, but when he opened his mouth, he didn't know what to say.

For a few silent seconds, his figure was reflected in Adam's limpid eyes before he said with some difficulty, "I accept it...

"But I will try my best to minimize the damage caused by the war in the future, so long as I'm still alive."

He paused and asked in a deep voice, "Is this the price you exacted for the bestowment?"

"Back when a certain ascetic here mentioned your true name, you had already noticed this book and secretly made arrangements?"

Adam, who was dressed in simple white robes, didn't respond. He walked towards the mural on his left and stopped in front of one of the murals. He looked up slightly and quietly admired it.

On the mural, a book consisting of goatskin flew up into the clouds and landed in a gigantic claw.

After watching for a while, Adam said with a warm voice, "You may leave."

He immediately felt that he had been rejected by the Hall of Truth, the sea of collective subconscious of the City of Miracles, and the book world. He involuntarily floated up and flew out of the area.

During this process, he saw Adam return to the front of the black pews. Holding the silver cross pendant, he closed his eyes and prayed sincerely to the huge and blurry figure.

Outside the sea of collective subconscious, an illusory door silently appeared. It stood in midair and was connected to the outside world.

The book world also began to ostracize him, "squeezing" him out of the huge door.

Suddenly, Klein returned to the real world and returned to the grayish-white fog. He was in the state he was in prior to entering the Historical Void.

Unlike before, he hadn't been locked down by the whirlpool formed by countless transparent maggots. As for the slippery tentacles that were almost invisible, they wrapped around Groselle's Travels slightly and disappeared into thin air.

Without having time to lament over the loss, Klein's thoughts raced, and he made a choice almost purely on instinct.

He leaped into the grayish-white fog in another direction and hid in a shattered spot of light. This was the so-called Historical Void.

Klein regretted it the next second because Zaratul's slippery and terrifying tentacles had extended out from the grayish-white fog. The countless translucent maggots were no longer formed a spinning whirlpool as they disintegrated into a tidal wave that surged towards him.

Zaratul could actually fight in the Historical Void!

This was the suppression effect that high-level members of the same pathway had against lower-level ones.

A demigod of the same Seer pathway was always the best choice for dealing with a Seer demigod of a lower Sequence.

Without any hesitation, he "ran" through the spots of light and into the depths of the fog of history, just like his advancement.

Scenes of the secret mausoleum collapsing, Backlund suffering an air raid, and the tragic Great Smog flew behind him. However, the dangerous premonition in his heart didn't weaken at all; instead, it intensified significantly.

He even "saw" a thick shadow getting closer and closer, covering himself.

This was a tidal wave formed by the transparent maggots and the slippery tentacles!

Klein ran as fast as he could, constantly chanting the honorific name of the Evernight Goddess in Jotun in his mind, hoping to be saved. This was the only thing he could do, and "She" was the only existence that could save him at the moment.

Of course, if he knew of Amon's honorific name, he would definitely attempt to provoke this Blasphemer.

Only by messing things up would he have a chance of surviving.

Roselle's declaration as emperor, the modification of the steam engine, the Battle of the Violated Oath, the White Rose War, and the Twenty Year War flashed past one by one. Klein realized that his body was being increasingly covered by shadows, and his consciousness was gradually slowing down. He had a feeling that he was having his Spirit Body Threads controlled.

At this moment, Hounds of Fulgrim ran out of the grayish-white fog's various spots of light.

They were covered in pitch-black short fur, their eye sockets burning with dark red flames as the corners of their lips extended to the back of their heads.

This group of monsters-like creatures, the Sefirah Castle Keepers, ran past Klein and rushed behind him.

He immediately regained his lucidity.

F*ck! he cursed himself, his eyes slightly red as he continued "running" with his vision blurred. He went from the Fifth Epoch to the Fourth Epoch, and from the Fourth Epoch to the Third Epoch.

The massive shadow that resembled the tidal wave behind him paused for a few seconds, then it continued surging towards him as if nothing had happened, drowning out the Historical Voids he passed through.

Klein didn't hold back in expending his spirituality. He used all his might to "run" with the light spots that he had lit in the fog of history. He ran from the Third Epoch to the Second Epoch until he arrived at a lonely fragment of light. Around him was a withered forest and a normal tomb.

This was the period of history where Giant King Aurmir buried his parents.

As for the "tidal wave" that was formed by Zaratul, it didn't seem to understand this history well enough. It stopped at some unknown era and didn't manage to catch up.

At that moment, Klein's spirituality was almost exhausted. And in the fog of history, he could only borrow power from the current Void. But clearly, there was no past projection of himself here.

And when his spirituality was exhausted, he would have no choice but to leave the fog of history and return to the real world. When that time came, he would be facing Zaratul again.

Phew... Klein exhaled and pulled out another paper crane. He snapped his fingers and lit it.

However, after waiting for a few seconds, he failed to see the Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, appear.

In the Historical Void, there's no way to use ordinary paper cranes to contact Will... Why hasn't Amon appeared yet... As his thoughts flashed, he could only repeat in Jotun, "The Evernight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity. You are also the Lady of Crimson, the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror, Mistress of Repose and Silence..."

After holding on for a few seconds, he suddenly had an idea. Hence, he didn't hesitate to leave the fog of history and return to the real world.

Just as his figure appeared, his "Spirit Body Threads" floated into the air and was grabbed by a slippery, transparent tentacle.

And opposite him, another figure appeared at the same time.

It was the barefoot, linen-robed ascetic leader, Arianna.

Based on Klein's abilities, the angel-level historical projection he had summoned must've disappeared. Therefore, the person who came was undoubtedly the actual body.

The Evernight cloister's matron glanced at Klein, and instantly, he vanished under Zaratul's tentacle.

Klein entered a concealed world belonging to Arianna. It was night time, and it was a monastery with many ancient buildings erected. There was a huge and holy crimson moon hanging high in the sky.

Using the experience gained from their past cooperation, Klein immediately used "Traveling" to appear in the crimson moon, leaving this concealed world in order to appear elsewhere.

After returning to reality, Klein had already distanced himself from Zaratul. Hence, he didn't hesitate to use "Traveling" to directly leave. And having held Zaratul back for a short period of time, Arianna entered a concealed state and left the battlefield.

Boom!

A terrifying thunderclap boomed as the transparent tentacle that attempted to reach out to where Klein had disappeared suddenly retreated, disappearing along with the actual body.

Having "Teleported" to the sea, Klein couldn't be bothered to borrow strength from his past self. He first summoned a paper figurine from the Historical Void and shook his wrist.

Most of the items he had with him had been destroyed when he became a "bookmark." It was unknown where he had lost his marionettes, Qonas and Enuni. Of course, they might've evaporated under the illumination of the Angel of Light.

Pa!

The paper figurine burned with scarlet flames as it leaped up into the form of an illusory angel that had layered wings on its back. It embraced him and removed any traces.

Then, he activated "Traveling" once again and left the area.

...

In the secret mausoleum in East Chester County, William Augustus I and Queen Mystic Bernadette managed to sense the death of George III, either through the changes in "order" or via their clairvoyant abilities.

The latter didn't stay any longer. Her body suddenly separated like a collection of soap bubbles that reflected light, scattering in all directions before bursting.

William Augustus I wasn't in the mood to stop or chase after her, but "He" didn't feel much pain.

...

After making a huge detour, Klein, who had used Angel's Embrace three times to remove his traces, finally returned to Backlund secretly. It was probably the safest place.

He didn't return to the apartment he had previously rented. Instead, he found a hotel in the Backlund Bridge area and got a room.

Of course, he didn't forget to change his appearance, height, and temperament.

The more ordinary and common his appearance was, the less attention he would garner.

After entering the room, Klein endured the mental fatigue and physical trauma he received, and he began to chant the honorific name of Sea God Kalvetua. He planned to take four steps counterclockwise and head above the gray fog. He wanted to use his "true vision" and the real Angel's Embrace to confirm his surroundings to eliminate any latent dangers.

Fortunately, Zaratul should've signed a contract with George III, so "He" can't leave the mausoleum "He" was guarding as "He" pleases. Otherwise, I would most likely have become "His" marionette in that chaotic battle... The appearance of "Him" and Abomination Suah exceeded my expectations... Klein heaved a sigh of relief and took one step in a counterclockwise manner. He opened his mouth and chanted in Mandarin, "The Exalted..."

Suddenly, Klein's body trembled. His voice came to a halt as he froze on the spot.

In his line of sight, a figure had appeared on a chair beside the full-body mirror in the room. He was a young man of medium build, wearing a dark-colored jacket and trousers. He looked like a mixed-blood man with Loen and Balam roots.

This was the marionette that Klein had lost—Winner Enuni.

Enuni smiled as he faced Klein's pair of eyes that could no longer move.

"Don't randomly leave your marionettes around. They can be tracked."

As he spoke, he slowly stood up. He casually took out a crystal monocle from his pocket and slowly wore it on his right eye.

(End of the Fifth Volume—Red Priest)

-x-X-x-

In a hotel in the Backlund Bridge area.

Apart from his thoughts that still belonged to him, Klein could no longer control anything else. Even his eyeballs couldn't move.

He knew very well that this was likely a deeper level of "Parasitizing."

In this state, he could only look ahead of him in fear and despair. He watched as Enuni, who was wearing a monocle with a smile on his face, changed into Amon's original form. He took a step forward counterclockwise and opened his mouth to speak in Mandarin in an articulate and mellow manner:

"The Immortal Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

...Did "He" steal my thoughts just now, or my ability to speak Mandarin... It should be the former; otherwise, "He" wouldn't be able to grasp this ritual... Klein's pupils couldn't widen as he watched. He felt an unprecedented sense of anxiety.

As though sensing his emotions, the monocled man turned to look at him and smiled. He then took another step counterclockwise and whispered in Mandarin, "The Sky Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

Following that, this Blasphemer carried on the ritual with great familiarity. With every step "He" took, and every chant of the incantation, Klein's heart sank even deeper into a dark swamp, as though he could no longer see any light.

"...The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

When Amon took the final step and recited the final incantation, a boundless grayish-white fog suddenly appeared in front of Klein. He heard layers of pleas.

There was no need to listen carefully, as he understood what it meant with his spiritual perception.

After advancing to Scholar of Yore, he had obtained basic control over Sefirah Castle. No matter who it was, even if they had the correct ritual and corresponding incantation, they needed to obtain his permission to enter the world above the gray fog!

Reject "Him"! Klein was instantly delighted as this idea clearly surfaced within him.

However, just as he had this thought, he had forgotten it. Standing there, he looked like a statue carved from stone.

His intention of rejecting Amon had been stolen by "Him."

"..." Klein once again felt despair, but the grayish-white fog in front of him and the prayers in his ears didn't disappear.

"..." Klein was first taken aback before he understood what was going on.

I understand! I have to head above the gray fog myself and control Sefirah Castle to give "Him" permission to enter! There is no default option!

This thought was like a straw which Klein grabbed at without any hesitation. It prevented himself from sinking into the water silently without anyone hear him cry.

Although he still didn't know how to make use of this matter, his intuition told him that a slim possibility and his only hope could be hidden in this detail.

At this moment, Amon stopped the attempt and cast "His" gaze at Klein.

Clearly, "He" had failed to successfully enter Sefirah Castle.

This Angel of Time adjusted the monocle on his right eye and smiled without any change in expression.

"Honorable Mr. Fool, your idea of saving yourself is very interesting."

Amon had used the standard Loen language, but every word seemed to be able to stir the powers of nature, creating one "explosion" after another in his mind.

...How is he so sure that I'm The Fool and not the Blessed of The Fool... Klein felt his body turn cold as the hope that had just surfaced sank into the water once more.

"How am I certain?" Amon tsked and pulled the chair from before over and sat down. "He" pointed at the round stool opposite "Him" and said, "Sit down, don't stand on ceremony."

The moment "He" finished his sentence, Klein couldn't help but stride forward and sit on the round stool.

Amon looked around the room and grabbed Klein's black silk top hat. He put it on his head and said with a smile, "Did you think that I wasn't aware that the ritual would be unsuccessful?

"It hasn't been long since Sefirah Castle produced an anomaly, so how could I forget?

"I just want to see your reaction. And you subconsciously felt despair and instinctively rejected me. That was very interesting. If you weren't the one who was called The Fool, how could you have such thoughts?

"Dear Mr. Fool, am I right?"

As "He" repeated the four rhetorical questions, Amon looked rather pleased, as though "He" was an old hunter who had caught the fox's tail.

...I fell for his scam... Only then did Klein realize why Amon wasn't disappointed at all.

He subconsciously wanted to deny it, but after some thought, he calmly said, "Kill me."

Eh... I can speak now? Klein tried to control his body, but it was completely impossible.

In the next second, he was prepared to recite the honorific name of the Evernight Goddess, but this thought was immediately lost.

The thin-faced Blasphemer Amon pressed down on his right monocle and maintained his excited state from before.

"So that you can be reborn in Sefirah Castle?"

...The more I talk to this fellow, the more mistakes I make... Klein shut his mouth tightly and didn't say another word.

When Amon saw this, "He" shook "His" head with a smile.

"There's no need to be so afraid. Actually, there's no bad blood between us."

Uh... Sitting on the round stool like a doll, Klein was stunned for a moment, but he didn't respond.

Amon leaned forward slightly and looked into his eyes before continuing with a smile:

"The only conflict we have is regarding Sefirah Castle.

"But do you really wish to shoulder that fate? Aren't you worried that the original owner of Sefirah Castle will revive within you?"

"..." This was something Klein was very concerned about, making him at a loss for words.

Amon pinched the crystal monocle and didn't urge him to answer. He smiled and said, "If you give me Sefirah Castle, all the problems will be resolved.

"That way, whether the original owner of Sefirah Castle comes back to life, or if the corresponding fate can be shouldered, the person who needs to worry is me, not you.

"Also, I'll be the one to take over the subsequent arrangements of my zealous brother, 'Door,' and Lil' Zaratul's pursuits and the benediction of Evernight.

"And you will be freed from all this and just stay as a Sequence 3.

"Heh, why would I want to kill you? What's the point of killing a Sequence 3? Even if I want to retrieve the characteristic, it's still expendable. My prey will only be Pallez, Lil' Zaratul, and 'Door.' The rest will purely depend on my mood.

"As for the organization that you established, I can also help you maintain it. It's very fascinating and interesting.

"If you think this price isn't enough, then I can make you my Blessed. Heh heh, are you not pretending that The Fool is the Angel of Time Amon in the City of Silver? This can turn into a reality in the future. I will lead them out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods and see the light outside.

"When the time comes, you'll still have a chance to advance to Sequence 2 and become an angel."

...This... This is practically taking over all my worries and hardships. There are only benefits left... Klein, who didn't have a huge desire in becoming a true god and controlling Sefirah Castle, heard his heart palpitate with excitement. If he hadn't known that Amon was the number one master in deceit, he would've agreed to it on the spot. But in the end, he still said without any expression, "Kill me."

"Is that the only thing you know how to say?" Amon said without any signs of anger. He looked at Klein with piqued amusement.

To "Him," this was a very interesting matter. It was completely understandable that "He" would encounter difficulties during the process. They only served to make success even more fulfilling and delightful.

I'm just a heartless broken record... By lampooning, Klein eased his depression and despair. Instead of answering, he asked, "How do you know that the City of Silver thinks that you are The Fool?"

He didn't dare to say that the City of Silver still suspected that The Fool was the god that Amon believed in, afraid that he would provoke him.

Of course, if Amon was the type of person who would lose his intelligence after being provoked, he definitely would've tried doing so. This was because he now suspected that, after gaining initial control of Sefirah Castle, he would be reborn above the gray fog after his death. Unfortunately, Amon wasn't a King of Angels from the Storm pathway, but a God of Trickery that gave even the true deities a headache in the Fourth Epoch.

Amon laughed and said, "Do you think I only have two avatars in the City of Silver? Since you, The Fool, and The Hanged Man have intervened, then I'm happy to quietly watch from the sidelines."

...The City of Silver is still accommodating Amon's avatar... Who's the fellow who was "Parasitized"... Yes, previously, the members of the Giant King's Court's exploration team weren't "Parasitized." This is something that can be confirmed... As his mind tensed up, Klein felt that it was only natural. This was because Leonard had once told him that seeing one Amon meant that there were a bunch of Amons lurking around. It wouldn't just be a small handful.

Without much thought, Klein tried hard to come up with an attempt to create an opportunity.

"You didn't rob me of my destiny directly because you can't handle it right now?"

Amon nodded frankly and said, "Yes, that's why I want to make a deal with you peacefully.

"But since you rejected my offer, I can only bring you to see my real body, to a sufficiently safe place. Then, your destiny will be taken away. When that happens, your ending will not be as good as I just said earlier."

As he spoke, the black-haired, black-eyed man with a broad forehead and thin face slowly got up and walked towards the door. With that, Klein stood up and followed behind like a puppet.

As he reached out to open the door, Amon seemed to recall a question. He pressed down on the crystal monocle and turned to look back at him.

"What's the fourth line of your Scholar of Yore honorific name?"

In mysticism, every existence's corresponding honorific name wasn't that strict. As long as one used the correct format and certain descriptions to narrow the scope to prevent any ambiguity, they could point towards the corresponding hidden existence. This was also why quite a number of heretics who knew anything about mysticism could randomly make up honorific names while still receiving feedback.

Of course, if it wasn't for the honorific name given by the hidden existence, there was no way to enjoy receiving "feedback." Whether they established a connection or not depended on whether the existence was interested in the supplicant.

Previously, Amon had used his understanding of the Scholar of Yore and Gehrman Sparrow, and the powers of the Marauder pathway's Sequence 7 Cryptologist, to restore the full honorific name that could point accurately to Gehrman Sparrow. However, "He" didn't attempt to pray and use the "automatic response" to establish a connection to lock onto Klein's location, because his godhood intuition told him that there was a problem with the fourth sentence, dooming him to fail.

The fourth line of Klein's honorific name flashed across his mind, but he had no intention of telling Amon.

At that moment, Amon opened his mouth and read out his thoughts:

"Protector of Backlund magic and drama performers..."

This so-called "Angel of Time" and "Blasphemer" fell silent for a few seconds after saying it out loud.

Then, he smiled, very happily.

After laughing, Amon adjusted his monocle on his right eye and said with a smile, "To be honest, this is all very interesting.

"Are you really not considering becoming my Blessed?"

Klein opened his mouth and gave a familiar answer:

"Kill me."

-x-X-x-

Upon hearing Klein's reply, Amon smiled and shook his head. As "He" reached out to open the door, "He" casually asked, "How did you think of such an honorific name?"

"It needs to have a certain connection with myself, but also be able to avoid others from using the prayer's automatic response to lock onto me. There aren't many such honorific names." Seeing that his identity had been exposed, there was no need for Klein to hide it any further. Furthermore, he hoped to use such a conversation to grasp an opportunity.

At the same time, his mind raced as he began thinking about how to save himself.

I've been deeply parasitized. If I have any thoughts that aren't beneficial to Amon, it will be easily sensed and detected by "Him"...

Today is Saturday, and it's almost Monday again. If The Fool suddenly stops the Tarot Gathering without any warning, the other members will definitely be terrified, nervous, and confused. Here, those who have the means to contact The World will definitely attempt to summon the messenger to ask for the reason. And once Miss Messenger approaches me, "She" will be able to discover the existence of Amon. Then, "She" can use the Yesterday Once again charm to recover to "Her" peak condition. With the complete strength of an angel, "She" has a sizable chance of rescuing me from Amon's avatar...

The most important thing for me now is to persist and "live" for two days!

Yes, since Amon can't steal my fate right now, why did "He" try to trade peacefully? Even if I agreed to it, "He" wouldn't dare to let me go above the gray fog to grant "Him" permission. That would mean that I'm free from "His" control and able to Sefirah Castle to effectively purify and make a counterattack against the "Parasite"...

Is the "agreement" itself a switch, and there's no need to follow up on it?

Amon deliberately didn't mention this...

As expected, it was a scam!

Having grasped a sliver of hope, Klein decided to stall for time as long as possible for the next two days. The focus of Amon was still on the honorific name that no human and angel could think of.

As he walked out of the room, he scratched his chin and said, "Have you provided any protection to Backlund's magic and drama performers?"

I've protected a Trickmaster before... Having made plans, Klein was much more cooperative than before. He answered simply, "I'm a Magician myself. I've 'performed' many times in Backlund."

The monocled Amon nodded.

"Barely counts."

He then walked out of the hotel room and went down the stairs to the street. Like a servant, he followed behind without any abnormalities.

Looking to his left and right, Amon pinched his monocle and sighed with a smile.

"How regretful."

"What's there to regret?" Klein asked in puzzlement.

I've already been caught by you. What else do you have to regret?

Amon pressed down on "His" silk top hat and maintained "His" smile.

"You can make a guess. If you can guess correctly, I can give you a better ending."

Klein didn't believe in "His" promise at all. In order to not be tricked into revealing more secrets, he shook his head and said, "I can't guess it."

"How boring," Amon said simply. "He" clenched "His" right hand into a fist and lightly tapped on "His" monocle.

From the pedestrians, the trees by the side of the street, the sparrows on the rooftops, the rats in the muddy corners, and all kinds of living creatures in the air, illusory worm-like figures flew out, returning to Amon like stars.

This son of a god's status instantly rose to the level of an angel.

As for Klein, he raised his left hand, and the human-skinned glove suddenly turned transparent.

This was the activation process of "Traveling."

At that moment, the only thing on him which was real was Creeping Hunger. The rest were made by using the powers of a Faceless, as well as the glove using flesh and blood as the material.

Seeing that "Traveling" was about to begin, Klein was taken aback as he blurted out, "Why didn't you teleport in the room?"

He had expected Amon to leave Backlund with him. After all, this was a place where even a King of Angels had to be wary of. However, he couldn't understand why "He" would open the door, go down the stairs, and leave the hotel in such ordinary fashion.

The eye behind the monocle swept across Klein as the corner of Amon's mouth slowly curled up.

"I've already answered you. What a pity that you didn't seek help from Pallez."

This Angel of Time had an obvious smile on "His" face, but there was no emotion in "His" black eyes. It made Klein shudder.

H-he's certain that I have some connection with Pallez Zoroast... Is it because of what happened the last time? No, stop it! Klein attempted to Cogitate, trying his best to control himself from thinking too much, so as to prevent his thoughts from being stolen by Amon.

Amon glanced at the panicking passers-by on the street in an impassive manner before looking up at the gray sky and saying, "I can only wait for the next opportunity. The most important thing now is to bring you to that place."

As they spoke, both of them turned transparent at the same time and vanished from the hotel's entrance. None of the people who came over felt anything amiss.

After passing through countless indescribable spirit world creatures and overlapping layers of different saturated colors, Klein and Amon appeared above the sea.

Beneath their feet was a huge fissure. The blue seawater had been cut off as they plummeted deep into the bottomless "darkness" like a waterfall without ever filling it.

This was the entrance to the ruins of the battle of gods.

With a thought, Klein asked, "You're taking me to the Forsaken Land of the Gods?"

The magnificent "waterfall" was reflected in Amon's monocle. "He" nodded slightly and casually replied, "That's right. When we get there, even your messenger won't be able to sense you through the contract."

The Forsaken Land of the Gods was clearly separated from the spirit world. Only by relying on Sefirah Castle could a connection be made.

...Amon knows what I'm planning to do... The flame of hope that was ignited in him was extinguished by the cold reality.

He couldn't find another way to save himself for the time being.

At this moment, the levitating Amon muttered to "Himself," "If my mausoleum in Backlund hadn't been destroyed by the Church of Steam, we could've used the Abyss as a springboard to head there directly. We wouldn't have to go through all this trouble."

"..." Klein guiltily changed the topic.

"The Abyss is connected to the Forsaken Land of the Gods?"

"No." Amon shook "His" head and said with a relaxed expression, "But I can use some of its characteristics to go anywhere."

"I heard that there were some nasty changes in the Abyss." With a thought, Klein probed.

Amon turned "His" head and glanced at him without concealing "His" curiosity.

"You're actually aware."

"Yes, I once thought of exploring the Abyss." Klein didn't speak further, afraid that the King of Angels of the Marauder pathway would discover that he could read Roselle's diary.

At this moment, Amon suddenly laughed.

"You want to explore the Abyss?"

"What's so funny about that?" Klein was very interested in what had happened to the Abyss to begin with; thus, he took the opportunity to cooperate with Amon in an attempt to know more.

Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly had a new idea:

Using the conversation he had with Amon, he could grasp more historical secrets to speed up his digestion of the Scholar of Yore potion. That way, he could try using it to deepen his control of Sefirah Castle and escape from his current predicament.

This thought flashed through his mind as he quickly restrained himself and stopped thinking about such matters.

In regards to his question, Amon chuckled and said, "Your visiting of the Abyss is like offering yourself as a beautifully packaged gift to someone who wants it."

"...Dark Side of the Universe?" Klein was first alarmed before he made a guess.

Amon nodded.

"'He' was originally the only surviving ancient god, the Devil Monarch, Farbauti. Now, heh."

Without finishing "His" sentence, Amon leaped and jumped into the huge, illusory rift with the strong winds.

With that, Klein lost the support of the wind and fell straight down.

After an unknown period of time, the water that resembled a fountain surged upwards rapidly, throwing him and Amon to the other side of the severed face.

Just as he entered the ruins of the battle of gods, Klein was hit by bright sunlight. He suddenly heard a series of intense and crazy ravings.

It was like a thin needle that pierced through his eardrums and stabbed into his brain, filling every thought with immense pain.

As for the Worms of Spirit that formed his Mythical Creature form, they gradually changed, as though they were about to give birth to a degenerate consciousness that didn't belong to him.

The True Creator's ravings!

With regards to this, Klein could barely withstand it, but it was difficult for him to hold on for too long. There was no way for him to go too far in the ruins of the battle of gods.

At this moment, he saw that the monocle on Amon's right eye absorbed all the light around them. It became unusually bright and white.

Then, a thick darkness ruled the sky.

Amon directly stole the "day" of the ruins of the battle of gods!

In the darkness, this Angel of Time's avatar brought Klein to an island and made him sleep against a stone pillar.

Soon, Klein arrived in the hazy dream world. He saw the projection of the Giant King's Court, which was filled with an epic feeling, opposite the black cloister and the cliff.

Amon, wearing the black silk top hat and crystal monocle, appeared beside him. With a relaxed smile, "He" pointed at the projection of the Giant King's Court that was frozen in the sunset.

"That's the entrance to the Forsaken Land of the Gods."

After some thought, Klein raised his doubts:

"Don't you need to enter a dream at a specific location to open the entrance?"

He couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope again. He thought that it would be great if Amon wasted a week or two of his time in the ruins of the battle of gods.

"That's right." Amon didn't deny what Klein had said. "He" casually said, "If you wish to open the entrance, you have to travel on a ship to the core of this ruin's waters. This might take more than a month, and you will experience many dangers that you're currently unable to withstand. As for me, I don't have to."

"Is it because you're the son of the Creator?" Klein guessed in deliberation.

"No." Amon had one hand in "His" pocket as "He" turned to walk to the black cloister's entrance. "In chaotic places like this, 'order' is in shambles, and the laws governing them have mutated. There are too many things that can be exploited."

As this Angel of Time walked, "He" turned to look at Klein.

"The Marauder pathway's Sequence 0 has a very abstract name, Error.

"It was named by my father. 'He' once used a strange word of unknown origins to represent it:

"Bug.

"When translated, it's a trojan horse of fate, the slug of time, the loopholes in rules, the manifestation of all errors."

-x-X-x-

"Error"... Bug... Is that the essence of the Marauder pathway? As he came to a realization, Klein also confirmed one thing.

That was that the ancient sun god, the City of Silver Creator, Amon's father really did come from Earth.

The word that Amon said was standard English!

Fellow Earthling, your two children have really caused me so much pain... If only they were all like Bernadette... As he lampooned inwardly, he asked curiously, "You want to use this dream world's... loophole?"

Klein controlled himself and didn't use the term "bug" to describe it, lest it would arouse suspicion in Amon due to his overly ordinary fluency when speaking the word. He would then reveal a trump card for no reason.

Faced with a King of Angels who could steal his thoughts and deeply "Parasitize" him, he had very few trump cards to begin with. He had to make good use of every single one of them. Who knew when they might end up being effective.

At that moment, Amon had already walked out of the black cloister.

"He" had one hand in his pocket, and without doing anything, the heavy door opened automatically, as though it was welcoming the arrival of a distinguished guest.

"You can think of it that way, but in actual fact, it's a little more complicated than that." Amon didn't show the might of a Blasphemer at all as he casually answered Klein's question, "This dream world doesn't have any errors, or rather, loopholes. It's just that, due to the clashing of remnant divine powers, some places appear more chaotic. And I can use this chaos to create a loophole."

As the huge door that was prepared for the giant was completely opened, Amon pinched his monocle and walked into the hall, venturing deep inside.

During this process, "He" smiled and gave a more in-depth explanation:

"You should know very well that this cloister is composed of dreams."

"Yes, it comes from the dreams of different living beings in the ruins of the battle of the gods." After some thought, Klein added, "It might also be left behind by some dreams from the past."

At that moment, the man and angel walked on a winding black staircase. The light of dusk shone through the stained glass from high above, bringing with it a feeling of burning holiness.

Amon touched the human skull engraving on the railings and smiled as "He" took in the surroundings.

"Generally speaking, the area you enter this dream world is where you end up when waking up, regardless if you're in the dreams of other living beings in other seas."

Unable to nod, Klein could only express his opinion with words.

"That's right."

"And after I create a loophole, I can wake up in the corresponding location by entering other dreams. Clearly, this cloister is much smaller than the sea ruins outside. The structure is even narrower. Perhaps, we can reach our destination in a few minutes." There was a hint of joy in Amon's tone.

To "Him," creating and exploiting loopholes was a joyous matter.

...This... Amon is actually able to use such a method to quickly pass through the ruins of the battle of the gods. We won't even be wasting an hour or two, much less one or two weeks... As expected of a King of Angels, the Blasphemer of the Fourth Epoch... The glimmer of hope that was generated in Klein vanished instantly.

He wasn't sure if Amon had deliberately not mentioned it in advance, so as to enjoy watching the bubbles of "His" target's hope being popped time and time again. Or if "He" didn't care about such trivial matters. All he could do was to curb his heavy depression and say, "You want to control the core dream of this illusory world?"

He remembered Queen Mystic Bernadette mentioning that she didn't dare enter the black wooden door in the deepest depths of the cloister.

"It's not me, it's us," Amon replied with a smile.

"He" seemed to suddenly recall something. He raised his hand to adjust his monocle and asked with interest, "Why did you put a monocle on your marionette?

"I didn't even need to prepare one myself."

"..." Feeling awkward for a second, Klein thought for a second and decided to answer truthfully, "Not long ago, in order to digest the Bizarro Sorcerer potion, I deliberately wore this monocle in front of the Red Angel evil spirit."

Amon, who was walking down the stairs suddenly paused. "He" turned "His" head to look at Klein and smiled.

"Very interesting."

This Angel of Time said thoughtfully, "To think that Medici hasn't completely died. Next time, if I encounter 'Him,' I'll disguise myself to look like you, and then I'll wear a monocle in front of 'Him' again."

Poor Sauron Einhorn Medici... As a whole King of Angels, can you not be so senseless... Is this the so-called "God of Mischief"? When Klein heard that, he felt wistful, not knowing what to say.

Amon pressed down on the crystal monocle and asked, "Did you wear this monocle on your left eye?"

"How did you know?" Klein was shocked, imagining that Amon had stolen the scene from the fog of history.

"How did I know?" Amon said with a smile. "There are two possibilities. Firstly, it's because you're of a Beyonder of a low level, so you're definitely not a match for that fellow Medici. You were afraid that if your disguise was too realistic, then you would incur a fatal subconscious attack and deduced that you would be better of doing so. Secondly, if you had the intention of imitating me and ended up doing an accurate imitation, then I might be able to use the ripples generated by fate to detect the incident. Since I didn't notice it, it must mean that the monocle was worn on the wrong spot.

"Make a guess. Which possibility is it?"

...I will choose the most dangerous possibility, regardless of whether it's true or not... This way, I will be even more careful and cautious in the future when it comes to matters like this... Of course, there must be a future first... Since Amon didn't show any signs of viciousness or oppression. Klein had unknowingly let down his guard and felt that Amon was an easy-going King of Angels. But now, he suddenly snapped to attention as he came to a realization that this was a trait of a master swindler!

"The second possibility." Klein gave his answer.

Amon didn't say if he was right. "He" reached the bottom of the stairs and came to the lowest level of the cloister. He stopped in front of a black wooden door covered in strange patterns.

"I've been here before. Once this door is fully opened, the power inside will shatter the dream world in its entirety," Klein said as he attempted to extract more historical secrets from Amon.

Amon reached out for the handle, his thin face impassive as he said, "This is my father's final dream. The corresponding location is where 'He' perished."

...The ruins of the battle of gods was where Rose Redemption attacked the ancient sun god, the source of the Cataclysm? When Klein heard that, he tensed up as his thoughts raced.

With regards to this answer, after understanding the formation of Rose Redemption, he had a corresponding theory regarding the various abnormalities in the ruins of the battle of gods. He wasn't too shocked now, and the Scholar of Yore potion had even been digested to a certain degree.

Immediately following that, he let out an indescribable sigh.

This was the closest he had gotten to the ancient sun god.

Previously, when he saw it through dream divination, they were separated by a distant stretch of both space and time.

The ancient sun god and Emperor Roselle were the protagonists of an era, but in the end, they ended up miserable. The ending was tragic... Roselle still has the means of being revived. I wonder if this former "Creator" had any similar setups... Dark Angel Sasrir? The True Creator? Amidst his thoughts, Amon opened the black wooden door covered in strange patterns.

There was a sea inside, and the blinding sunlight shot straight at it. There seemed to be a rich gold color hidden in the waves.

Klein didn't understand what the thick gold represented previously, but now, he had a preliminary idea.

It was the blood of the ancient sun god!

Before "He" died, "He" was affected by the power of the "Evernight" and fell into a dream. He dreamed of his body being torn apart, staining the sea with blood.

Clang!

As the black wooden door opened, an unimaginable aura emanated out, causing the entire cloister to violently shake, as though it had encountered an earthquake that could destroy this world.

Amidst the dust and collapsed stone bricks, the two of them entered the golden sea through the wooden door.

Following that, he felt his Spirit Body melt as his psyche evaporated. In seconds, he would become fertilizer for the dream.

At this moment, bright and pure white light shone out from Amon's crystal monocle, instantly shattering the dream world.

"He" returned the "day" he had stolen to the ruins of the battle of the gods, allowing the place to turn from night to day!

At the same time, "His" and Klein's figures turned somewhat transparent. Then, they appeared in midair above a sea that was dyed golden.

The temperature here was higher than what Klein imagined, but it wasn't as dangerous as the dream.

Or rather, the sea in the core region of the ruins of the battle of the gods was separated into safety zones due to various clashes of divine power. As long as one didn't blindly explore the area, then there wouldn't be too much of a problem.

In the next second, Amon's monocle drew in all the light from "His" surroundings, making himself appear extremely bright.

"Day" was stolen and "night" had fallen once again. After the two landed on an island in a safe zone, they once again entered the dream world.

This time, they appeared outside the black wooden door covered with strange patterns.

Amon adjusted "His" monocle, which "He" wore on "His" right eye, and pulled it with "His" left hand, "stealing" the distance between the entrance and the cloister.

Both of them took a step forward at the same time, leaving the cloister and arriving at the edge of the cliff. Opposite them was the projection of the Giant King's Court that was frozen in the dusk.

Klein originally thought that Amon would follow procedure and chant the corresponding honorific name, but to his surprise, "He" only raised "His" right hand and snapped "His" fingers.

The clouds that separated the two mountains instantly boiled as they parted to the left and right, revealing an invisible dark rift at the bottom.

The projection of the Giant King's Court on the opposite side suddenly sucked all the rays of light from the sunset over, letting them surge forward and fill up the deep crack.

Hence, in between the two mountains, an orange-red light road appeared in the clouds.

"Let's go." Amon gave a low laugh as "He" leaped down the cliff. With the fluttering of "His" clothes, "He" landed on the passage formed by dusk.

Unable to resist, Klein could only follow and jump down the cliff.

-x-X-x-

The path that was formed by dusk didn't seem to contain anything, but after Amon and Klein landed one after another, they didn't continue falling, as though they were walking on the ground.

This time, Amon didn't "steal" the distance. Instead, "He" "brought" Klein along as they approached the majestic projection of the Giant King's Court. From time to time, "He" would observe and admire the beautiful scenery.

Walking above the sea of clouds, they walked along a sunset bridge with the legendary palace in the distance. It was supposed to be a joyful and refreshing matter, but Klein felt as though he was walking into the Abyss, doing so one step at a time. The more he struggled, the deeper he fell.

Once he entered the Forsaken Land of the Gods, many things that he relied on would be useless.

Before long, Amon and Klein arrived at the projection of the Giant King's Court and stood in front of the tallest building.

On one side of the building was a steeple, and on the other side was a spire. The main door was far more than ten meters tall, with it being mainly a grayish-blue color. It was covered with symbols, labels, and patterns. It was where the Giant King lived, the place where Dark Angel Sasrir slept.

Klein glanced at the pitch-black hole to the left of the door, roughly determining that the door in the dream didn't need a key to open. Otherwise, the True Creator's believers wouldn't have been able to pass through. After all, the actual key back then was in Vice Admiral Iceberg's collection room.

"Next, we'll be able to enter the Forsaken Land of the Gods once the door is opened. However, we'll definitely attract the attention of others by doing so." Amon chortled and took a few steps diagonally to the edge of the door. "We won't open the door, but instead directly head over."

As "He" spoke, the Angel of Time raised "His" hand to adjust "His" monocle.

A dark blue color appeared in the corner of the grayish-blue door. It was an illusory door without any sense of being corporeal.

"The 'Door Opening' power of an Apprentice is a very low-level ability, but it's perfect when used here." Amon lowered "His" right hand and introduced in satisfaction.

Taking two steps, "He" passed through the illusory door.

Hmm, there are no useless Beyonder powers, only useless Beyonders... If I directly push the door open, I'll draw the attention of others... But from who? The True Creator? "His" holy residence, "His" divine kingdom should be somewhere in the Forsaken Land of the Gods... If I can lure "Him" over and let "Him" clash with Amon, I might be able to find a chance to escape... Without any ability to control himself, Klein followed behind Amon without leaving much of a gap, stepping into the blurry dark blue door.

The moment he stepped through, he felt the world spin around him. Even his spirituality seemed to be tom apart.

After the abnormality disappeared and his condition was restored, he realized that he was on a beach that was soaked in the glow of the sunset.

The sand and stones here were all black in color. Deep blue waves surged over from afar as they crashed into the coast, one wave after another, but they didn't produce any sounds like they should have.

They were quiet, like a grand illusion.

This sea is an illusion... Coming in would probably result in one appearing here, but it's not necessarily the case for leaving... According to the principle of reciprocity, if one wants to leave, they can only open the residence of the Giant King, where Dark Angel Sasrir is in deep sleep? With a sudden realization, Klein turned his head and looked in another direction. It was a mountain bathed in dusk. On it were countless palaces, towers, and many majestic city walls.

This was the legendary Giant King's Court.

Even if the City of Silver could find a path that leads to the beach, it would be meaningless... From the corner of his eye, he saw that Amon had changed his image.

"He" wore a black classical robe and a pointed hat of the same color. He changed from being a gentleman from the present era to an ancient mage that originated from the Fourth or even the Third Epoch.

With a thought, Klein continued looking at the Giant King's Court which wasn't too far away. He casually said, "Dark Angel Sasrir is sleeping in the palace of the Giant King."

Amon stood to his side as "He" looked in the same direction and said without any change in expression, "I know.

"I've entered the Giant King's Court and even visited the graves of Aurmir's parents."

As expected... One of Klein's guesses was finally confirmed.

He deliberated and said, "What answers you searching for1?"

"You can make a guess." Amon continued looking at the Giant King's Court and laughed.

If I had any idea, I wouldn't need to ask you... After thinking for a few seconds, he said, "Some secrets of the First Epoch?"

You can say that," Amon replied without much concern.

Klein hesitated for a moment before saying, "Aren't you curious about Dark Angel Sasrir's condition?"

"I am." Amon didn't change the direction of "His" gaze as "He" said with a smile, "But compared to me, there are still many people who are more interested in that: my zealous brother, The Hanged Man, the Dragon of Betrayal, as well as Evernight, Storm, and White. I want to see who's the first one who isn't able to hold back. Heh heh, if I can steal everything of importance inside at the critical moment, 'Their' expressions will definitely be very interesting."

This thought... The reason for stirring up such a huge matter was purely to cause trouble, to gain some excitement? Klein frowned slightly and realized that Amon's values were different from that of humans.

This is a natural Mythical Creature... Completely different from humans... Eh, why can I frown on my own... Just as he came to a realization, he sensed that something was missing in his body.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at Blasphemer Amon.

There was a semi-translucent Worm of Time with twelve rings in Amon's hand. "He" smiled as "He" looked into Klein's eyes and said with some anticipation, "Since we've already arrived at the Forsaken Land of the Gods, there's no need to worry about external interference. I'll give you a chance.

"Before I reach my true destination, I will no longer "Parasitize" you. You can use every method that you can think of to escape, and I will try my best to stop you.

"Good luck. Don't disappoint me."

For a moment, Klein couldn't believe what Amon had just said. He suspected that Amon was bluffing him.

But when he thought of Amon's behavior all this while, he felt that it was something that was in line with "His" character.

"Alright." As his thoughts raced, he took a deep breath and solemnly replied under the orange glow of the sunset.

Backlund, Parliament House.

Due to King George Ill's sudden self-destruction, none of the nobles and Members of Parliament were allowed to return to their respective homes. Instead, they were gathered here to receive heavy protection from the three Churches and the military.

Dressed in a pure black dress, Audrey stood behind the railing on the second floor and quietly looked down.

As the matter had happened too suddenly and lacked any prior warning, she still found it surreal despite receiving some indication from The World Gehrman Sparrow.

She seemed to have transcended reality and was watching a performance.

Her father, brother, and the other nobles and Members of Parliament were gathered in cliques as they occupied different small rooms. From time to time, one would walk out of the small room, bringing with them the stench of smoke and their gentlemanly attire as they rushed to another discussion circle.

The ladies and madams sat in the lounge. Most of them had yet to return to their senses as their eyes were dazed and their bodies trembling.

The parliamentary staff and the military's middle and low-ranking officers were running about everywhere, transmitting information from different places.

A soldier dressed in a red shirt and white pants walked in from the outside and handed a stack of paper to the officer in charge of the hall. The officer glanced at it and immediately called for his assistant. He pointed at the small room where Earl Hall and the rest were in. Without asking anything, the adjutant took the documents and ran towards his destination.

All of this happened in a very quiet environment. Only the sound of footsteps and faint whispers echoed in the air. It was as if it was a huge oil painting drawn on the canvas of the real world. The gorgeous decorations, dark colors, dim lights, and the expressions on everyone's faces created an extremely heavy atmosphere.

Audrey pursed her lips slightly and looked at it for a while. Her mood was still at a nadir, and she only managed to maintain her calm by relying on Placate.

Why would Mr. World deal with the king...

The death of the King will definitely bring deep hatred...

It doesn't matter what Sequence the King is, because he has never shown it. This doesn't affect the overall strength of the kingdom, but this incident is enough to explain one thing: The three Churches, royal family, and military have fractured apart. The internal strife is quite serious...

The situation with Loen will be very dangerous. Its enemies will definitely not let this opportunity go... As her thoughts raced, she saw a man in a black coat rush into Parliament House.

He suppressed his voice and started talking to the officer in charge of the lobby.

As an experienced Spectator who could observe the subtle expressions and body language, reading lips was undoubtedly Audrey's strength. As she watched, she interpreted the corresponding content:

Intis has used the excuse of conflict in the borders of the Homacis mountain range to gather a large number of troops there.

Audrey bit her lip lightly as that familiar feeling of not belonging there arose again. It was as if she had seen a novel's description play out in the real world.

The grayness of the sky seemed to grow thicker. No one spoke in the house where the Morettis lived.

Benson stood behind the oriel window with a solemn expression as he looked at the people rushing down the streets.

It was unknown what he was thinking.

Melissa sat on the sofa beside the coffee table. She lowered her head and looked at the crude machinery she made. It was as if she had become a statue.

"Sigh, the situation has become even more chaotic." Benson exhaled as he touched his hairline. He turned his head back and forced a smile. "Regardless, Backlund is definitely safer than most places."

Melissa didn't raise her head. Instead, she said with an ethereal voice, "Klein found a good job, and our lives gradually improved. In the end, an accident took him away...

"We moved out of Tingen, and you got a job as a civil servant. I entered university and started on the correct path. In the end, war broke out...

"It wasn't easy for us to get used to this environment. We were praying that the war would end early. In the end, the king was blown to pieces..."

Having said that, Melissa slowly lifted her head and looked at her brother with a confused expression.

"Benson, is it that difficult to obtain and maintain a better life than what we had before?"

-x-X-x-

Backlund, East Borough.

Fors, who had just returned from the land of ice and snow, was wrapped in thick layers of clothing. She looked at the burning charcoal stove in front of her as if she had fallen into a terrible environment again. She couldn't help but shiver a few times.

"George III is already dead. The things that happened before will definitely come to an end. Perhaps we can move out of this place and head to North Borough or Hillston Borough.

"The houses there have fireplaces!"

Xio sat on a chair opposite her and similarly stared at the warm furnace. She replied with a slightly confused expression, "Let's wait another week or two.

"To be honest, I still can't believe that George III was killed so easily... I didn't have time to do anything."

This bounty hunter, who had become a Judge, sounded disappointed, confused, and puzzled. It felt as though she had lost her motivation in life.

Fors temporarily forgot about the damage caused by the cold as she consoled her, "I don't think that this was done by Gehrman Sparrow. It was done by those people who used Shermane. They were the only ones investigating the secret motives of George III. Your actions have contributed to his death to a certain degree. It's as if you had exacted your revenge in an indirect manner.

"Eh... There shouldn't be any more surveillance or suppressive measures placed against your family. You can try to start a new life. If you have the chance, you might be able to use proper channels to make an appeal for your father."

Upon hearing the last few sentences, Xio raised her head.

"Yes, the situation is getting more and more chaotic now. I'm worried that they'll be affected by the war.

"Fors, do you think it's safer to be in Backlund, or in an ordinary city that isn't near the borders?"

Fors thought for a few seconds and shook her head calmly.

"I don't know."

She added, "I plan to ask Mr. World. He must have a better grasp of the overall situation. Do you still remember? He warned us beforehand that something would happen around George III, and to avoid approaching him."

In addition, Fors also wanted to ask where the next stop of her "travels" would be so that she could make preparations early.

"Yes!" Xio nodded instinctively.

Fors flipped through the newspapers she supported with her knees, and she drank the coffee she had left. Then, she slowly got up and entered the room inside. She prayed to Mr. Fool in a low voice, asking "Him" to pass her questions to The World Gehrman Sparrow.

...

In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, near the Giant King's Court.

Without being "Parasitized" at a deeper level, Klein followed Amon to the foot of the mountain. In the frozen dusk, they circled to the front of the mythical land.

Although Amon had given him a chance to escape, he wasn't in a hurry to do so. This was because he knew very well that Amon had the strength and level of at least a Sequence 2. "He" was an angel in the truest sense of the word, an entity he couldn't fight head-on. Besides, a Marauder was known as an "Error," a loophole, a bug. Its powers were very strange, making it impossible to guard against. Klein believed that whatever normal means he could come up with to save himself would be ineffective.

I can only stay patient and wait for an opportunity that can be used... During this process, I have to keep making attempts to observe Amon's response... Yes, I still have to take note of a problem: I can't believe anything Amon says. "He" has already retrieved the Worm of Time and removed my parasitized state. At least, in terms of my condition, "He" isn't lying, but this might not be the whole truth. I can't rule out the possibility that "He" has left a Worm of Time lurking in my body. "He" might take control of my body at a critical moment... As these thoughts surfaced in Klein's mind, he "chatted" with Amon, asking about Dark Angel Sasrir. However, he saw that nearby, in the distance, the dusk was fading away as darkness blanketed the area. Lightning bolts that snarled from time to time lit up half the sky.

They had arrived at the boundary of the Giant King's Court and were about to leave the mythical kingdom.

Once I'm in the darkness, I'll either evaporate into thin air or encounter a sudden terrifying monster attack... With a thought, Klein pretended not to know anything as he continued proceeding forward. He went from the orange dusk and into the deep darkness.

At this moment, Amon, in his black classic robe and pointed hat, accompanied with a monocle, reached out "His" hand and pulled back a lantern covered in thin animal hide.

Inside the lantern, a candle made of some unknown oil emitted a faint yellow light and a slightly pungent smell.

"Carry it." Amon threw the lantern at Klein.

"..." Klein caught the lantern and fell silent.

A few seconds later, he probed, "Where did you get this from?"

At that moment, Klein imagined that Amon had summoned a projection from the Historical Void.

Amon pinched the crystal monocle and said with a smile, "I stole it from the human camp up ahead. Oh, that's the City of Silver's Afternoon Town camp."

It was stolen... Klein's eyelids twitched. He didn't ask further as he carried the lantern into the endless darkness.

The dim yellow light was like an invisible defensive barrier as it quickly spread out, creating a warm zone in the dark night.

At this moment, the lightning in the sky kept flashing. The gap between them was rather long, and there was almost no thunder. It occasionally boomed.

According to the general knowledge he had learned from Little Sun, this was nighttime in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. It was the most dangerous period.

As he proceeded forward, he first used the Faceless powers which had undergone a qualitative change. Together with Creeping Hunger, he adjusted his eye structure to adapt to this special environment. Following that, he used his spiritual perception to survey his surroundings.

He felt that, in the darkness, there were many eyes staring at him, with creatures of indescribable shapes hidden. However, every time the lightning lit up and shone brightly, there was nothing.

He wasn't worried at all about the serious backlash from using Creeping Hunger while not feeding it. From his point of view, there were only two outcomes. One was that Creeping Hunger attempted to devour him, but had its thoughts stolen away by Amon. The second was that Creeping Hunger successfully devoured him, the wearer, allowing him to be resurrected; thus, escaping from his current predicament. The latter was something he was looking forward to, while the former didn't offer any losses, other than leaving Creeping Hunger somewhat perplexed.

After proceeding forward for a while, he saw the City of Silver's Afternoon Town camp that was built using an abandoned building.

Beyond those boulders and walls that were formed by stone pillars, the bonfire quietly burned and illuminated most of the areas inside, making them completely different from the outside world.

The members of the City of Silver's exploration team were either patrolling or watching the area under the light's illumination to prevent any accidents.

One of them was a Dawn Paladin who was nearly 2.3 meters tall. He was standing at the top of a stronghold and looking into the distance, wary of the monsters hidden in the darkness.

Suddenly, he saw a faint yellow flame coming from afar in the darkness.

This... This Dawn Paladin's pupils dilated as his heart raced.

Apart from newborns and children who had yet to receive education, everyone in the City of Silver knew that this land had been forsaken by God. No one else would use fire in the darkness to create light. Even monsters who were good at controlling flames would be hidden in a dark environment before they attacked. As for the other humans, all the cities that the City of Silver had discovered to date had already been destroyed and turned to ruins. There were no survivors. The only outsider they had seen to date was the strange little boy, Jack.

And at that moment, a flame appeared in the depths of the darkness, one that was constantly moving!

What does this mean? The Dawn Paladin who was standing in the stronghold couldn't think of anything at that moment. He could only feel his body trembling slightly.

The dim yellow light slowly approached from afar. It passed by the campsite and headed beyond Afternoon Town. Vaguely, the Dawn Knight saw two silhouettes that belonged to humans. They walked deep into the darkness, and their silhouettes were strangely illuminated by the light.

Holding what looked like a lantern, they slowly left the camp and disappeared into the endless darkness.

At some point in time, the Dawn Paladin was already holding his breath until the faint yellow light was completely gone.

There are other humans? No, they can't be humans! The Dawn Paladin's eyes narrowed as he carefully turned around to inform the Elder of the six-member council presiding over this camp.

At this moment, he discovered that one of the lanterns hanging on a stone pillar was missing.

This Dawn Paladin's body stiffened as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

...

As he walked away from Afternoon Town, Klein endured the stares of numerous pairs of eyes in the depths of the darkness. He secretly made use of the powers of a Scholar of Yore, as well as his connection with Sefirah Castle, to sense the grayish-white fog that was interwoven through history.

He had succeeded.

This proved that the Forsaken Land of the Gods wasn't isolated from Sefirah Castle.

The holy residence of the True Creator, or even the divine kingdom, is located in this piece of land... If I were to trigger Sefirah Castle and create an anomaly, would it cause "Him" to cast "His" gaze over and clash with Amon... "He" is a true god. I don't have extravagant hopes in escaping in the chaos, but I can seize the opportunity to commit suicide when "He" is dealing with Amon... With a thought, Klein wanted to make Sefirah Castle quake slightly.

In the next second, this thought disappeared.

The corners of Amon's mouth curled up slightly as he walked beside him.

"The Hanged Man has no interest in Sefirah Castle. Of course, 'His' rationality might not be constant."

Klein didn't have extravagant hopes that his impulsive thought could truly succeed. He mainly wanted to test Amon's reaction and see what "His" response was. At that moment, he didn't feel depressed, nor did he hide his curiosity in asking a question, "The Hanged Man is referring to the Sequence 0 of the Shepherd pathway?"

Amon nodded slightly and said, "That's right. This symbolizes degeneration. Of course, if you want to explain it in a positive light, that is sacrifice and responsibility."

Klein thought for a moment before probing, "I thought this was a nickname you came up with."

Just like Medici.

Based on what he knew, the True Creator was born because of Rose Redemption. It was very likely related to the death of the ancient sun god. Therefore, he wanted to know what kind of attitude Amon had towards this evil god, and whether it was the same as "His" brother.

Amon nudged his monocle and chuckled.

"I've always respected the gods."

To have a Blasphemer say this sounds really contradictory... Helpless, Klein put a stop to the topic.

-x-X-x-

Most of the areas in the Forsaken Land of the Gods didn't have paths that one would consider normal, but it wasn't that difficult to walk through them. This was because large swaths of the land were barren. Everything was mostly black in color.

On the moors, there were occasional sightings of plants that stubbornly grew. They were of a variety of strange shapes and distorted sizes. Klein had no way to tell what they originally were.

Around them, in the areas that the lantern couldn't illuminate, the darkness seemed to have a life of its own. It seemed to move silently, as though it wanted to devour everything that they could blanket.

As a Scholar of Yore, Klein just needed one glance from the corner of his eye to see the Spirit Body Threads extending out from the darkness around him. They were illusory, dense, and countless. This meant that there were many monsters lurking in the darkness.

These monsters were extremely silent. They stared at Amon, who was dressed as an ancient mage, as well as Klein, who looked like a present-day gentleman. Under the dim yellow light, they walked through the wilderness.

With his eyes fixed ahead, Klein casually held the animal hide lantern in his hand, not worried about when it would be extinguished.

Just as the two of them were about to leave this barren wilderness and enter a hilly region, a deformed monster of mangled flesh with two heads and five arms suddenly trembled in the darkness behind them.

It had become Klein's marionette.

Controlling Spirit Body Threads was silent to begin with, and it wasn't more than 500 meters away.

In the next second, the monster collapsed silently, losing its life.

Walking to Klein's left, Amon, who was wearing a pointed hat, smiled. "He" raised "His" right arm and opened "His" palm, revealing something.

It was a transparent maggot with three-dimensional patterns.

A Worm of Spirit!

This was stolen from the marionette, along with the Spirit Body Threads.

Without waiting for Klein to speak, Amon easily crushed the transparent maggot with "His" fingers.

Klein immediately felt a pain that came from deep within his soul. His head felt like it was about to split open.

Thankfully, he had gotten used to this feeling from him repeated creating Yesterday Once More charms and Control Spirit Bullets. He only grimaced without losing his composure.

Amon maintained "His" smile and threw down "His" palm.

"You're too reserved. You can be more daring."

Having recovered from the pain, Klein raised his hand to rub his temples, feeling exhausted. Every Worm of Spirit was calling for him to rest.

As he was being chased by Zaratul, the spirituality that he borrowed from his past self had been mostly expended. There was still the continuous "Traveling" after that. By using Angel's Embrace to remove traces, he was already nearing his limit.

After he returned to a safe zone, he had planned on going above the gray fog to check on his surroundings before entering a deep sleep and replenish his energy. Alas, he ended up suffering an ambush from Amon, which resulted in him being parasitized. He had been tormented all the way to the Forsaken Land of the Gods. If he wasn't in a perilous situation, he might've fainted or showed signs of losing control.

"I need to rest now," Klein put down his right hand and said frankly.

He believed that Amon would satisfy his request, because the more he failed at escaping despite trying his best, the more he could satisfy this God of Mischief's desire for entertainment.

"Alright." The monocled Amon's face turned slightly as "He" said while facing the hillside, "There's a resting place there. We'll arrive soon. Of course, I don't mind if you want to camp out in the wilderness. I just feel that you humans might prefer a place that gives you a sense of security."

"Let's go there." Klein originally wanted to directly control the flame of the lantern to complete a Flaming Jump, but his drained spirituality stopped him. He could only follow Amon and rely on his feet to move forward.

Along the way, with a mind of asking more questions, he said to Amon, "Why don't you 'steal' the distance to immediately arrive at our destination?"

Amon turned "His" head and glanced at Klein with "His" monocled right eye. The corners of "His" lips curled up slightly.

"I'm not the one who wants to rest."

"..." Klein shut his mouth and quietly walked forward.

After about ten bolts of lightning flashes, Amon raised "His" hand and pointed diagonally ahead.

"We're here."

In the shadow of a hill less than a hundred meters away, there were a few buildings that looked like half-steeples. More than ten giant stone pillars protruded out from the ground, reaching only the height of Klein's knees. A few strands of wild grass grew out from the crevices, their blade-like tips were dark red like blood.

"There used to be people living here?" Klein rubbed his temples and asked.

Nudging the monocle with "His" right index finger's second joint, Amon smiled and said, "This place used to be a very large city. When the Cataclysm happened, the land cracked open and devoured the entire city, leaving behind only these structures to prove that it once existed."

The destruction of civilization... This thought suddenly popped up in Klein's mind. He sped up his pace and arrived at the destination where there was strange wild grass.

After entering a half-collapsed building, Klein instinctively looked around and observed the place.

The grayish-white stone walls that had cracked open had murals that had been washed away by thousands of years. They were already indiscernible, and he could tell that the people in the city believed that entering Heaven after death was an honor.

After regulating his breathing, Klein threw away the animal hide lantern in his hand. Leaning against a thick stone pillar, he barely managed to imagine layers of spherical lights.

He didn't care about the dangers of sleeping in such an environment.

Let the danger come strike harder! Before he fell asleep, Klein shouted in his heart.

The black-robed Amon glanced at him before casually sitting down beside him and snapping "His" fingers.

The candle that was about to burn out in the lantern stopped melting, but the dim yellow light continued to spread.

Despite only having fuel to last a few more minutes, it seemed to be able to last another few hours or even days.

It was like an error that violated the laws of nature.

After for an unknown period of time of feeling groggy, Klein finally recovered his energy and was woken up by Miss Magician's prayers.

He was temporarily unable to respond to this. He closed his eyes and pretended that he was still dreaming.

Without being "Parasitized" at a deeper level, I don't think Amon can monitor my thoughts. "He" can only tell if my thoughts are harmful to "Him"... With a thought, he secretly summoned the grayish-white fog.

He had borrowed a state from his past self through the Historical Void, a state that wasn't directly meant for escaping.

That was when Hvin Rambis invaded his island of consciousness.

This attempt wasn't stopped or stolen.

Using this state, and the fact that he was able to maintain his lucidity in dreams and the mind world regardless of any intrusions, he split a portion of his self-awareness and stayed in the spiritual sky, calmly looking down at the island.

He began to examine if there were any abnormalities in his mind and thoughts that were being parasitized.

After a series of strict comparisons, he confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his mind world.

In other words, even if there was still a Worm of Time in his body, it was still considered being parasitized at a superficial level. It was impossible to monitor his thoughts.

After finding such a "safe zone," Klein finally released his repressed thoughts and analyzed the current situation. He considered the subsequent methods for self-preservation.

Amon is a God of Mischief and also a God of Deceit. It's impossible that "He" is playing this game purely for his entertainment... If "He" really wants to do that, "He" can definitely wait until "He" meets with "His" true body and steals my fate. "He" can attempt it after obtaining Sefirah Castle. That way, even if something unexpected happens, "His" main goal will also be achieved and "He" wouldn't suffer any losses...

What is "His" goal behind this matter? If I can grasp the crux of the matter, I might be able to discover true freedom...

Also, after "He" recited the luck enhancement ritual incantation in Mandarin, "He" actually didn't show any concern towards this special language, nor did "He" ask any questions. This totally doesn't match the sense of curiosity that "He" portrays...

Uh... Did "He" deliberately use the word "Bug" to probe me... so as to see what connections I'll make...

But "He" didn't steal my thoughts. No, if all my ideas are disjointed from one another, I wouldn't be able to discover that they've been stolen...

Klein recalled the situation back then, and he used the logical connections between his thoughts to confirm that he hadn't had his thoughts stolen.

This made him confirm one thing:

That was, that being "Parasitized" at a deeper level, Amon could directly monitor his thoughts without stealing it!

Amon made it seem that he had to notice malintent before he took action. It was a bluff!

I knew it, this deeper level of "Parasitization" seems to be different from what Pallez described...

Based on this deduction, the thoughts that I've been thinking of along the way have been heard by Amon, including Earth, fellow Earthling, and child education...

How terrifying...

Thankfully, when I was plotting to destroy the advancement ritual of George III, I had imagined the perilous situation of being "Parasitized" by Amon. Half of my thoughts were my instinctive reactions, while the other half was intentionally let loose. This way, not only do I reveal my secrets, but I can also use this to gain Amon's "trust," concealing the most important and core matters.

For now, "He" definitely knows that I plan to obtain more historical secrets from "Him" so as to quickly digest the Scholar of Yore potion. However, "He" doesn't know that I'm not far from being able to fully digest it. I'm just a few steps short or just one opportunity away...

Did Amon deliberately remove the parasite and play such a game with me because "He" had once heard of Earth from the ancient sun god and had come into contact with some secrets? He plans on using my attempt to save myself to complete certain matters that might be inconvenient or impossible for "Him"? If that's the case, there will definitely be something happening next...

Yes, I have to show that I didn't notice this and still plan on escaping like a normal person."

Once I've returned to my optimal state, I'll make my first "attempt"! After a while, Klein opened his eyes.

The pointed hat-wearing Amon sat beside him and smiled at him.

"Have you decided? When are you going to take action?"

"He" acted as if "He" was Klein's partner and not the target from which Klein was trying to escape from.

-x-X-x-

Klein pressed down on the grayish-white wall and slowly sat up straight. He smiled and shook his head.

"Before I fill my stomach, my brain refuses to work."

He was speaking the truth, and also a lie. This was because, before becoming a complete Mythical Creature, a saint would still be hungry and thirsty. But to a Sequence 3 demigod, not eating or drinking for half a month wasn't a problem. As for a whole Mythical Creature, eating was only a hobby, not a necessity.

What he wanted to express was that, before he officially made attempts at escaping, he needed to be in optimal condition.

"The habit of a Magician," Amon commented with a smile. "I'm not in charge of providing food, but you can think of a solution yourself."

Looking at the lantern on the ground, Klein thought for a few seconds before reaching out his right hand into the air.

A not-so-tall coffee table immediately appeared in front of him. It was an item from the residence belonging to Dwayne Dantes.

Under the dim yellow light, Klein reached out once again to summon a beautifully packaged box from the Historical Void.

Inside the box was a set of cutlery, including a knife, fork, and cup.

The reason why he chose this item was because he couldn't form a set of cutlery by individually summoning them. He could only maintain three images from the Historical Void at the same time.

After setting up the cutlery in a leisure manner, Klein politely turned his head to the side and nodded at the pointed hat-wearing Amon. Following that, he summoned a medium-well done steak covered in black pepper sauce.

It landed on the porcelain plate, emitting some steam. With him slicing the steak with the knife, he revealed the remaining edge of the pink protein.

Klein forked a piece of beef and stuffed it into his mouth. He felt that the texture was real and the texture was succulent. It wasn't fake at all as it really calmed the anxiety of his stomach.

"For fifteen minutes, not only will I not feel hungry, but I will also receive 'real' provisions." After swallowing the piece of beef, Klein smiled and introduced it to Amon like a hospitable host, and not a pitiful Beyonder who had been kidnapped.

Amon pressed against the crystal monocle and nodded with a smile.

"I've tried it. It's not bad.

"Your ability to adapt is really quick. Are you really not considering being my Blessed?"

After cutting another chunk of beef, Klein forked it up and replied as though he was chatting with a friend:

"Kill me."

At that moment, the relative frequent lightning and endless darkness ruled the land. Wherever the light from the surroundings couldn't shine on, eyes were staring at the area with zero emotion. The twisted, dark-red grass gently swayed in the occasional breeze.

In the half-collapsed building, the dim yellow light painted the artistic coffee table and the exquisite cutlery with warm colors. The aroma of the steak wafted in the air, not showing any contrast with the outside world that was continuously connected to it.

Under the gaze of the terrifying monsters in the depths of the darkness, Klein enjoyed a sumptuous meal in a refined and poised manner in the desolate land that was soaked in extreme terror.

After finishing his steak, he summoned a small glass of iced wine from Maygur Manor and drank it in one gulp.

Following that, cream soup, pan-fried cod, tender lamb stew with peas, baked potato skins, and all sorts of grape wines were summoned one after another before entering Klein's stomach.

During this process, the steak that was the first to be eaten had already been maintained for a long period of time. It had vanished into thin air, but Klein's stomach and body were numbed by the subsequent food and he was oblivious to it.

Of course, the coffee table and food were replenished. Otherwise, they wouldn't have lasted to the end of his meal.

At the end of the meal, Klein continued reaching out his hand, pulling out a cup from the void. Inside was a ball of vanilla ice-cream.

He then used the spoon to scoop the ice-cream into his mouth, feeling it melt with its delicious sweetness.

After the ball was finished, he still wasn't satisfied as he summoned another ball of ice-cream from the Historical Void. As such, he ate five different flavors of ice-cream in a consecutive fashion.

When Klein reached out his hand for the sixth time, Amon, who was sitting on his side, suddenly laughed.

Your fate has had an abnormal change. You're lucky enough.

"Is this your preparation?"

Klein's right hand immediately froze in midair. His pupils seemed to dilate to a certain extent.

Almost at the same time, in the darkness around them, where the lanterns couldn't shine, strange creatures twitched and instantly became Klein's marionette.

This time, Klein sent out a hundred Worms of Spirit in one go, hoping that one of them would be lucky enough to avoid Amon's theft.

Right on the heels of that, behind the coffee table, a figure wearing a black coat and no hat was replaced with a disgusting vampire covered in pus.

The artistic coffee table and exquisite cutlery shattered like glass that had been smashed to the ground. Countless cracks appeared and shattered.

They quickly returned to the Historical Void, just in case it affected Klein's subsequent summoning attempts.

In the next second, the one hundred marionettes, along with the Klein, who had hidden somewhere, reached out to grab at the void. He attempted to avoid Amon's interference with quantity.

At that moment, they were all Scholars of Yore.

This was the ability of Bizarro Sorcerers, the source of the qualitative change of a Seer.

Of course, the chances of success of each marionette summoning was independent, so there was no influence each had with the other.

At that moment, the projection that Klein was summoning was the projection of Reinette Tinekerr who had recovered to "Her" peak state in the Tudor Ruins. Due to the contract and charms, "She" was the easiest angel projection he could summon from the Historical Void!

Amon was still sitting leisurely in "His" spot. "His" monocle emitted a faint glow as "He" watched the 101 Kleins summon at the same time.

With his right hands reaching out in an orderly manner before being retracted, none of his hundred marionettes succeeded. He didn't drag Reinette Tinekerr out of the void.

At that moment, Amon raised "His" right hand and also grabbed ahead of "Him."

"His" arm sank slightly, and "He" casually pulled it back. Outside the half-collapsed building, a huge cloth doll that was as huge as a castle appeared. It was wearing a dark and complicated long dress, bound by vines.

Ancient Bane Reinette Tinekerr!

Amon had stolen the historical image that was summoned by Klein!

Reinette Tinekerr's red eyes immediately reflected the figures of Klein's hundred marionettes.

Without a sound, the marionettes, that were either disguised with Klein's appearance or in the state of a monster, emitted a faint glow, turning into homed mountain goats, white rabbits, and other different animals.

Transformation Curse!

Klein's actual body had long disappeared. Then, he walked out of the flames that rose up from the animal hide lantern. He looked at the various animals that might be considered his and suddenly sat down and chuckled.

Taking a stroll after a meal effectively improves one's health."

He didn't mention anything about his attempt to escape, as if nothing had happened.

Amon maintained "His" relaxed posture and nodded cooperatively.

"I've read quite a number of books written by humans. There are indeed such opinions among them."

With that said, "He" raised "His" hand and pointed at the projection of Reinette Tinekerr.

"This is your messenger?"

This was something that could be easily confirmed, so Klein didn't hide it. He tersely acknowledged and nodded.

"What a pity." Amon sized up Reinette Tinekerr's projection and shook his head with a tsk.

As he felt the food in his stomach disappear, Klein asked, "What's the matter?"

"I should bring you to Backlund to wait for a few more days. That way, I can wait for your messenger to deliver a letter to you. Then, 'She' will become my messenger." Amon nudged "His" monocle on "His" right eye and said with a smile, "Snatching an angel messenger. That will be very challenging and fun, isn't it? Life needs some fun, excitement, and anticipation."

"I share the same thoughts," Klein replied sincerely.

"What a pity." The hatted Amon shook "His" head again. "Evemight is someone I need to be careful about. If we stayed there any longer, even I wouldn't have any idea what would happen."

As he spoke, this Angel of Time dispelled the Historical Void projection of Reinette Tinekerr, allowing "Her" to vanish in front of Klein.

You seem to be very wary of the Goddess?" Klein pretended to be a devout believer of the Evernight Goddess.

Of course, he didn't need to don a disguise. He was still a Blessed of Evernight.

Amon's gaze shifted to the lantern inside the half-collapsed building and looked at the dim yellow light.

"I'm unable to steal things that I'm curious about from a concealed state. I can't decipher what other arrangements 'She' might have and what' the key thing to take note of are."

To a King of Angels of the Marauder pathway, there was sufficient reason to be apprehensive.

Taking advantage of the opportunity while Amon was answering his question, Klein suddenly recited the honorific name of the Evernight Goddess in Jotun:

You are the Evemight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity..."

Just as he said that, his thoughts were lost. If he hadn't had such plans previously, he wouldn't have known that he had made such an attempt.

Amon turned to look at him and said with a smile, "Are you trying to sound me out, believing that I'll also repeat your words after stealing your thoughts and words?

"At Sequence 4 Parasite, one is able to control the stolen items and make them appear at a suitable time."

"Is that so..." Klein nodded gently. "Thank you."

As he spoke, Klein quickly summarized his experience and lessons of his escape attempt.

Because the existence of the contract and their subordinative relationship, summoning Miss Messenger is the easiest amongst all the angels I know.

Summoning the ice-cream from the past Will can establish a subtle connection with "He" who represents fate, and allow me to be blessed with luck. Yes, every ball of ice-cream represents a portion of my luck... I originally planned on summoning ice-cream as a cover to secretly summon the Snake of Fate.

In the future, the summoning had to be done with a certain degree of interference. Otherwise, Amon would be able to directly steal the Historical Void image I summon. It would only be giving "Him" a helper after going through so much effort...

Just as his thoughts raced, Amon pointed at the bunch of animals that had been cursed by the Transformation Curse, and he said with a slightly evil smile, "Aren't you worried that there won't be any suitable food in the Forsaken Land of the Gods? There it is, as long as we don't dispel the curse, they're real animals."

Klein was stunned as he suddenly looked at the goats and the white rabbits.

With him willing them, the animals looked at him simultaneously.

In a sense, they were all himself. After all, they were combinations of Worms of Spirit and monsters before being hit by the curse.