191 LOTM

Late at night, the clanging sound of the door and windows opening woke Wendel up from his deep sleep. He warily rolled off the bed and surveyed his surroundings.

What happened? Utopia encountered a super heavy storm? It wasn't easy for the recently insomniac Wendel to fall asleep, but he had no choice but to get out of bed. His mind was still lethargic, and he looked rather lost.

He soon realized that there was no wind blowing in from the open window, nor did the rain enter. It was like he had opened it while sleepwalking to take in fresh air.

Wendel suddenly thought of the supernatural events that he had experienced and learned from the dossier. He was reminded of the fear of the unknown that once ruled his heart.

He didn't know what else would happen next, nor could he guess what he would encounter. He felt a chill run down his back as he shivered again.

At this moment, he heard the commotion outside the door. All sorts of voices entered his ears.

There were the loud sounds of running, the sounds of judgment, the declarations of orders to be changed, and unconcealed shouts.

"Something is wrong with the underground seal!"

"Be on high alert!"

Underground seal? What kind of item is sealed beneath the Irises Hotel? Wendel was surprised and confused. He couldn't help but walk to the door and look around.

He then saw an MI9 colleague, who he barely knew, and Colonel Xio Derecha, who was on duty tonight.

Did MI9 find Utopia because of me? They're here to handle the abnormality? Wendel instinctively frowned just as the thought flashed through his mind.

He discovered that the corridor outside was completely different from the Irises Hotel. Not only were there gas lamps on both sides, but there were also classical candle stands. The floor was very bright, and the ceiling was more than three meters high...

This... This isn't the Irises Hotel... Wendel suddenly turned around and sized up the room he was in.

He quickly recognized that this was his sleeping quarters at MI9 headquarters. His luggage was placed quietly in a corner without any signs of movement.

Wendel clearly remembered that he had headed to Utopia through the washroom in his room. He wasn't too confident in the process, so he didn't bring his luggage and only held the subpoena from Utopia's courts.

Tap! Tap! Tap! He quickly ran to the window and looked outside.

What greeted his eyes was the garden and lawn at MI9 headquarters.

I-I'm back in Backlund again? Or perhaps, I didn't return to Utopia at all. I was just too tired and ended up having a dream in my sleep? Wendel dazedly walked back to his bed and sat down.

After about ten seconds, he suddenly jumped up and picked up his coat from the ground.

Then, he saw the Utopian subpoena in the inner pocket of the coat when it should be inside a drawer.

Wendel fell silent, as though he had become a statue.

...

Travel columnist, Monica, also woke up from the banging of the doors and windows.

She sat up straight, pulled the blanket up, and placed it in front of her chest.

The sleepy-eyed Monica's first reaction was that a robber had barged into the hotel. She was about to scream and call for the police.

But in the next ten to twenty seconds, Monica didn't hear any footsteps entering her room. However, there were more and more people gathered along the corridor.

"What happened?"

"It doesn't seem like a hurricane..."

"Was it a prank?"

"Damn clown, if I knew who it was, I would definitely kick his ass hard!"

...

The voices of discussion were mixed with all kinds of curses.

Monica didn't think much of it when she heard it. Instead, she thought of using the crowd's discussion to consider the reason underlying the paranormal activity and write it in her traveling column.

But as she listened, she gradually realized something was amiss.

How could Irises Hotel have so many guests?

She remembered clearly that on this floor, there were at most five rooms with guests. This included her room.

At that moment, Monica thought of the ghost stories she had heard. She immediately felt as if there were wraiths and shadows outside.

She had originally stretched her feet towards the bedside, preparing to leave the room to participate in the discussion and grasp more details for her writing material. But now, she retracted her feet and curled into a ball, trembling.

A few seconds later, she heard a man say, "I asked the hotel owner, and he said that he had no idea what happened. Perhaps there was a short storm just now.

"Return to your room and get some rest. Remember to lock the windows. Yawn. I have to get up early tomorrow to go to the Royal Museum."

Royal Museum... Monica was stunned.

As a travel columnist, as a traveler who had been in Utopia for a long time, she naturally knew that there was no Royal Museum.

In the Loen Kingdom, a museum with such a royal name would definitely be in Backlund.

To take a steam locomotive from Utopia to Backlund required many hours. Even if he woke up early, he wouldn't be able to arrive before the Royal Museum closed.

Monica was puzzled. She slowly lifted the blanket. She heard the sound of the door and windows closing continuously.

She got off the bed carefully and walked towards the door.

During this process, she gradually saw the room through the moonlight.

Hiss... Monica almost screamed.

This wasn't the guest room she had slept in previously!

Regardless of the layout or arrangement, they were completely different!

The ghost stories that she had thought of earlier surged into her mind again, causing her legs to give way, and she almost couldn't support herself.

Just as Monica's teeth were chattering, she saw a hotel name card on the table. It was prepared for guests. If she brought it out, she would be able to get someone to guide her back when she was lost—even if she didn't know the language.

Monica subconsciously approached it and used the moonlight to identify the words on the name card.

Carlpensa Hotel, Backlund West Borough, 19 Mourning Street.

Backlund West Borough... Backlund... Monica's eyes widened as she felt like space and time had gone topsy-turvy.

...

Backlund, Hillston Borough, in a house with a fireplace.

Fors heard the door and windows open, but she didn't immediately wake up. This was because she had fallen into a strange nightmare and couldn't break free.

She dreamed that her teacher, Dorian Gray Abraham, had been influenced by the family's Sealed Artifact, dying in front of her with blood dripping. She dreamed that she had lost control and mutated, turning into a series of starlight insects that warped into the shape of doors. She couldn't help but fly towards a Door of Flesh and Blood. She dreamed that the apocalypse had dawned, and the surging blood-colored tide had drowned the entire world, preventing Xio, Gehrman Sparrow, and company from escaping...

Finally, Fors escaped the dream and sat up, panting heavily.

As a demigod, one who was once an Astrologer, she knew what such a dream meant. She hurriedly suppressed her emotions and looked up ahead.

The glass on the oriel window in the bedroom all bore open at some point in time.

Something must've happened... Furthermore, it has a certain relationship with the apocalypse, the Abraham family, and the Apprentice pathway... Fors silently muttered to herself before standing up and wearing a cloak, preparing to "Teleport" to her teacher to confirm his safety.

Such a change made her feel a sense of urgency towards advancing to Sequence 3 or even Sequence 2.

After learning about the apocalypse from Mr. Fool and The World Gehrman Sparrow, Fors had actually been working hard, but the Secrets Sorcerer potion wasn't something that she could digest in a short period of time. Furthermore, without making any contributions, she couldn't bring herself to ask her teacher for the Wanderer's formula and ingredients.

Of course, if she was willing, she could've obtained it from Mr. Door. However, how could she have been bewitched after receiving all kinds of reminders?

Phasing away, Fors vanished from the room.

A few seconds later, she appeared at Dorian Gray Abraham's residence and saw her teacher sitting there, pressing down on his heart as though he had been frightened.

"...Do you need medicine?" Fors asked carefully.

She had purchased medicine from Mr. Moon to treat ailments of age.

Dorian took a deep breath and shook his head.

"There's no need."

Fors immediately relaxed.

"Teacher, I dreamed that you were affected by the negative effects of the Sealed Artifact. Uh, the windows and doors around me had undergone unnecessary changes, so I came over to take a look."

Dorian looked up at the window open and said with a serious expression,

"Your dream wasn't wrong. I nearly died just now, but at the most critical moment, the seal came into effect..."

Having said that, he suddenly stood up and said to Fors, "Quick! Bring me somewhere else. I'm worried that something might happen to the other family members!"

Without any hesitation, Fors immediately grabbed her teacher's arm and asked for the exact location.

Their figures rapidly faded away and disappeared.

After traveling through the spirit world that was covered in gray fog for several seconds, Fors and Dorian suddenly left their present environment and landed in a place that looked like a study.

There were quite a few people standing there. They were members of the Abraham family who wielded different Sealed Artifacts and could "Travel."

"Vilos? Why are all of you here?" Dorian blurted out.

Vilos and the others shook their heads at the same time, both confused and terrified.

In the next second, countless dazzling stars appeared out of the void.

The starlight quickly gathered together, turning into objects that fell to the ground one after another.

There was a miniature door of starlight, a crystal ball formed from insects. There was a translucent, strange-looking key, a resplendent torch that burned slightly...

For some reason, names after names appeared in Dorian and company's minds:

Sequence 3 Wanderer Beyonder characteristic... Sequence 4 Secrets Sorcerer Beyonder characteristic... Sequence 1 Key of Stars Beyonder characteristic, Sequence 2 Planeswalker Beyonder characteristic...

Furthermore, there wasn't just one of each Beyonder characteristic. There were even two Sequence 1 Key of Stars Beyonder characteristics! In addition, there were three Planeswalker Beyonder characteristics, and even more of the rest.

The key members of the Abraham family and Fors slowly turned agape, unable to close them for a long time.

By the time all the Beyonder characteristics dropped to the ground, nothing abnormal happened again. There was silence.

-x-X-x-

The nearly frozen silence lasted for nearly ten seconds before the Abraham family members uniformly cast their gaze at Fors.

After sensing the mixed emotions of wariness, guardedness, and fear, Fors took the initiative to take a few steps to the side and warned, "Be careful of the negative effects."

Even if the Beyonder characteristics hadn't fused with the surroundings and formed Sealed Artifacts, they contained certain negative effects. However, most of the time, it would only have effects from direct contact. Of course, the Beyonder characteristics here were all High-Sequence Beyonder characteristics. No one could be certain if they would actively expand their area of influence.

Seeing that Fors didn't show any obvious greed, Dorian nodded and said, "When you finish digesting the Secrets Sorcerer potion, you can consider advancing to Sequence 3 Wanderer. I'll give you the potion formula and prepare the corresponding ingredients for you. Of course, at this level, the higher the Sequence, the greater the danger you face. This is an objective situation. It doesn't change because of your personal will and arrangements. When the time comes, you can decide whether you wish to advance or not."

He said these words because he cared for his student, and on the other hand, he wanted to assure her that whatever the Abraham family possessed was equivalent to her possessing it. No one would treat her as an outsider and deliberately make things difficult for her on the matter of raising her Sequence.

This could effectively eliminate the heat brought by greed.

And after obtaining so many High-Sequence Beyonder characteristics, Vilos and the other members of the Abraham family weren't unwilling to part with a Wanderer Beyonder characteristic. They even believed that using it to exchange for "peace" was absolutely worth it. After all, there was only one demigod here—Fors.

Without the time to bring out their Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, and because of the ineffectiveness of the seals, the Abraham family members didn't dare take out most of the Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts. Under such a situation, Fors had the ability to finish all of them off.

Faced with her teacher's promise, Fors tersely acknowledged.

"Was the 'door' to the concealed space opened?

She thought that the High-Sequence Beyonder characteristics in front of her were all from the Abraham family's treasure vault and had been thrown into the real world due to the recent abnormality. However, she did feel that there were too many of them.

"No." Dorian slowly shook his head, looking confused.

The other Abraham family members remained silent, equally confused.

No one would believe that treasure would fall from the skies unless it happened before their eyes!

"Should we pray to Mr. Fool?" Fors tried giving a suggestion.

Dorian, who had a vague guess, immediately looked at the other Abrahams. He saw the ones who had changed faiths to Mr. Fool nod in agreement. Those who hadn't changed faiths were clearly hesitant and eager to object.

After some consideration, Dorian composed himself and said, "Gather the ones with negative area-of-effect traits while using the correct method. Prevent them from combining with the surroundings.

"I'll pray to Mr. Fool at the side."

"Alright." The few members of the Abraham family hesitated for two seconds before agreeing.

Following that, they seized the opportunity to identify the characteristics and attempt to gather them.

After some of the members had obtained a certain amount, Dorian finally retreated to Fors's side and bowed his head to pray to Mr. Fool.

Soon, a grayish-white fog and an ancient palace deep in the fog appeared in front of him. A high and solemn voice resounded in his ears:

"These are the relics of Mr. Door.

"Your bloodline curse has been completely removed."

Relics of Mr. Door... Relics... Dorian ruminated over the word and opened his eyes, casting his gaze at the High-Sequence Beyonder characteristics.

He looked on silently, his vision gradually blurring.

...

East Chester County, the Hall family manor.

Alfred and the others, who had just figured out the source of the explosion and the "enemy attack" shout, saw the doors and windows opening at the same time as they crashed into the walls.

During this process, several pieces of glass shattered.

There is indeed something abnormal... Alfred raised his hand with a solemn expression. He said to his adjutant, squire, personal guards, and bodyguards, "Retreat back to the main house to prevent any accidents that might happen next.

"At the same time, send a telegram to the archbishop of East Chester diocese, and request for assistance."

He felt that the most important thing right now was not to investigate the anomaly, but to protect his father, mother, and sister.

He had plenty of time to do the former after daybreak. But if anything happened to the latter, it would be impossible to make up for it.

After returning to the manor's main house and arranging for strict patrols, Alfred walked into the living room and said to Earl Hall, "There was indeed something abnormal, but the guard couldn't describe what he saw. He only felt extreme fear at that moment."

Earl Hall nodded calmly and said, "We'll do further investigations after daybreak.

"Sit down and get some rest."

Beside him, Audrey was holding her mother's arm as she quietly listened to her father and two brothers talking.

Of course, this was only an image. She had been continuously releasing Virtual Personas in an attempt to find the reason for the sudden opening of doors and windows from the memories of eyewitnesses.

After a few minutes, she ended the investigation, somewhat disappointed. For the time being, she temporarily attributed it to the influence left behind by the mind dragon, Ariehogg, and Mr. Wrath.

At that moment, she realized that the golden retriever, Susie, had a strange look in her eyes. She quickly sent out a Virtual Persona and entered the mind island of the other party's soul to have a private conversation.

"What did you discover?" Audrey asked directly.

On Susie's mind island, a voice resounded:

"I smell a thick scent of blood. At the edge of the manor, It happened sometime before the doors and windows opened. Yes, it happened about ten seconds after the explosion."

After hearing that, Audrey pursed her lips and fell silent for a few seconds.

"Go take a look."

Susie immediately stood up and tiptoed out of the living room. She left the manor's main house from a side door on the first floor.

During this process, there would be people looking at her from time to time, but they didn't mind her and didn't attempt to stop her. After all, she was just a dog, a dog who had mastered Psychological Invisibility.

After walking the path to the furthest building from the manor's main house, Susie twitched her nose and chose an open window before jumping in.

Then, she saw a bloody corpse on the bed. Its skin had shed.

And what she saw was equivalent to Audrey seeing it through the Virtual Persona that she planted in her mind island.

In the living room inside the main house of the manor, Audrey, who was holding her mother's arm, lowered her head.

Then she lifted her head, and her eyes swept slowly and deeply across her family's faces—Earl Hall, Lady Catelyn, Hibbert, and Alfred.

She maintained her silence, becoming increasingly silent.

...

Bayam, inside the Cathedral of Waves.

Alger, who was wearing a robe embroidered with the Storm symbol, walked out from the underground area one step at a time. He nodded at the Mandated Punishers and priests who were waiting by the sides.

"The seals were restored to normal in time.

"You can return the items under your watch."

"Yes, Your Eminence." The Mandated Punishers, priests, and bishops heaved a sigh of relief as they struck their left chest with their right fists.

Alger didn't say anything else as he responded with the same salute.

After returning to his room, he slowly looked around. He took a deep breath and found a seat to sit down.

The Fool that doesn't belong to this era... Alger silently prayed to Mr. Fool, expressing his thoughts of preparing to leave the Church of Storms.

The explanation that the seal was restored to normal in time could only convince relatively low-level members of the Church. It was impossible to hide from any cardinal or high-ranking deacon, much less the pontiff and the Lord of Storms.

And if he didn't get Mr. Fool's approval and protection, Alger didn't dare leave the Church of Storms so casually. He would definitely suffer the wrath of a god.

A few seconds later, he saw the familiar boundless gray fog and heard Mr. Fool's reply:

"Okay.

"Go to the Church of the Sea God."

Phew... Alger relaxed, stood up, and took off his Storm robe.

After changing into a linen shirt, brown jacket, and pantaloons, Alger looked at the cardinal robe on the table and fell silent for a while.

Then, he reached out and folded the robe neatly.

After carefully examining it for a few seconds, Alger retracted his gaze and flew out of the cathedral through the open board window by controlling a strong wind.

He first flew to the bell tower and landed on the top. He looked down at the surrounding streets and down at Bayam.

During this process, Alger stepped on the edge of the roof and slowly circled it.

Finally, he closed his eyes.

A hurricane suddenly stirred as it swept Alger towards the Church of the Sea God.

...

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Klein silently sat on the high-back chair belonging to The Fool.

His figure would occasionally turn incorporeal, as though he was wearing a mysterious and classical black robe. During such instances, he wore a hood that made his face indiscernible. At other times, he would return to normal. However, he was enveloped in a faint gray fog.

The frequency of this change gradually slowed down.

And every time Klein transformed into the black-robed, hooded figure, slippery tentacles with strange patterns growing would extend out from under his clothes.

These nearly transparent tentacles flailed about, striking everywhere as if taking the palace for itself.

After a while, Klein's figure finally stabilized.

Out of habit, he raised his right hand and rubbed his temples as he muttered to himself, The awakening of the Celestial Worthy's will is faster and more intense than I expected... If I hadn't devoured Zaratul's Beyonder characteristic and used the remnant mental imprint to balance it and stalled for time, I wouldn't have been able to adjust my state and stop "Him" from awakening...

However, this made Klein's mental state rather unstable.

And he didn't lose control because his Miracle Invoker potion had already been completely digested, and the new Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic he consumed was mostly digested shortly after consumption. The identity of The World was a Blessed of the owner of Sefirah Castle, making it directly equivalent to the Attendant of Mysteries. Therefore, Klein had already acted the role of Attendant of Mysteries for a very long time, and it had been quite successful.

As for the second Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic, he still needed some time to digest it.

-x-X-x-

After stabilizing his anchors, the will of the Celestial Worthy, and the weak balance of his consciousness, Klein leaned back in his chair and observed the various powers brought about by the Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic.

Among them, there were three most important ones. They were all grasped by Klein using Sefirah Castle and the "curtain," ahead of time, but he just didn't know the exact names.

The first was "Regenerate": If the materials that made up an item once had a Spirit Body, then the Attendant of Mysteries could use the powers of "Regenerate" to summon the corresponding Spirit Body Threads, making the item become his marionette. Then, he could establish a deep connection with the item and also naturally transform it into a marionette.

To put it simply, an Attendant of Mysteries couldn't allow something that didn't have Spirit Body Threads to produce Spirit Body Threads, but he could allow some items to regenerate their Spirit Body Threads that had long disappeared. The former represented metallic items, gold coins, gold pounds, and so on. The latter mainly consisted of beef, fish, and other food. Once humans ate food that were marionettes, they would also transform into marionettes, as though they had encountered intense corruption.

The second was "Reassembly," which was also known as "Tampering": It could reassemble many physical objects or abstract concepts into something different, resulting in an unbelievable effect. It was like changing the definition, logic, orientation, or rules.

The third was the "Realm of Mysteries": This was an ability used to create an embryonic form of a divine kingdom. It could bring about a certain concealment effect.

"Reassembly" represents the authority of "change," while the "Realm of Mysteries" represents "concealment." The two essential elements of The Fool's symbol are in place... However, "Reassembly" and "Tampering" doesn't sound nice, and the meaning isn't clear enough. "Grafting" is still better. It's obvious at a glance... Klein mumbled inwardly before casting his gaze around.

Now, he had deepened his control of Sefirah Castle, he could directly borrow the powers nearing Sequence 0 of the Seer pathway. He could also use most of the Beyonder powers below Sequence 0 of the Marauder and Apprentice pathways. It was quite similar to Dark Angel Sasrir from back then.

Of course, Dark Angel Sasrir could only use the first Blasphemy Slate to indirectly use the powers of the Chaos Sea. As for Klein, he was the owner of Sefirah Castle, one that hadn't fully gained control of the sefirah. Therefore, his level was higher than Dark Angel Sasrir's.

As for strength, in theory, he was stronger, but his strength was affected by too many factors. Having only become a Beyonder after a few years, Klein couldn't guarantee that he would definitely be able to defeat Heaven's deputy and the left hand of God.

In short, he was now considered a king of the King of Angels, and he was very close to the level of a true god.

After gaining a deeper grasp of Sefirah Castle, the difference between me in here and in the outside world is almost gone. It wouldn't result in me being a King of Angels outside but having the power of a true god in Sefirah Castle... The greatest advantage here is it provides me a defensive barrier that even a true god can't break. Yes, whether the Outer Deities can do it remains to be seen... Klein slowly exhaled as he focused his attention on the current situation.

There were two things he was most worried about at present:

The first was the Primordial Moon, which was also the Mother Goddess of Depravity. Although "She" failed to fully descend into the real world with Mr. Door's return, a little portion of "Her" strength had invaded. Furthermore, "She" maintained it for a few seconds under the attacks of the five orthodox deities of Evernight, Steam, and company. Whether this would affect the surroundings, the corresponding pathways, and exert certain effects on some matters remained to be seen.

Second, Angel of Time Amon has already stolen Mr. Door's ritual and became Sequence 0 of the Marauder pathway. "He" would be Klein's most direct and most powerful enemy.

I wonder if Amon has taken the opportunity to accommodate Mr. Door's Uniqueness and Sequence 1 Key of Stars. If "He" has completed this step, "He" will be the most powerful true god in the real world. Hmm, I wonder how "He" compares to the Evernight Goddess. No one knows how much of the Death and God of Combat Uniquenesses the Goddess has accommodated.

Typically speaking, Amon shouldn't have the time to accommodate the Apprentice pathway's Uniqueness. Although Mr. Door's return is equivalent to the ritual itself, the most important matter at that moment was to replace Mr. Door, allowing the three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and the Uniqueness of the Marauder pathway to gather together, resulting in a qualitative change. There's no time to accommodate the Uniqueness of the Apprentice pathway. Also, this operation has a high chance of awakening the Celestial Worthy. Amon wouldn't take such a risk...

In other words, Amon's subsequent focus is to accommodate the Uniqueness of the Apprentice pathway and become a true god of two pathways. Otherwise, under the watch of the other true deities, it will be very difficult for "Him" to finish off a King of Angels like me.

Furthermore, even if "He" does take the risk and succeeds, "Him" having accommodated the Apprentice pathway's Uniqueness means that "He" has to slowly adapt and stabilize "His" condition, making it impossible to deal with me in a short period of time.

I have to make use of the time to become The Fool. Only by doing so can I use Sefirah Castle and my own level to resist Amon.

I don't have much time left... Klein silently gave a self-deprecating comment. He leaned forward and gently tapped the edge of the long mottled table.

He was analyzing the possibility of him becoming The Fool in a short period of time.

The digestion of the Attendant of Mysteries potion was relatively simple. By the time Klein used his anchor and consciousness to suppress the awakening of the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings, and not lose control or become someone else, he could use Sefirah Castle to create an avatar like Amon. Then, he could use the power of Sefirah Castle to steal the undigested Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic he got from Zaratul.

At this point, Klein would immediately turn the avatar into a marionette to prevent any unexpected developments.

This way, Klein would drop to the level of an Attendant of Mysteries who had fully digested the potion, and he would have an Attendant of Mysteries marionette—this was one of the main ingredients of the potion.

And the Attendant of Mysteries who had digested the potion was qualified to consume The Fool's potion and become a Sequence 0 true god.

These series of operations weren't too complicated, but it was prone to mistakes. Furthermore, an ordinary dual Sequence 1 King of Angels from the Seer pathway couldn't do it unless "They" have a Sequence 2 Trojan Horse of Destiny friend of the Marauder pathway who's willing to sacrifice "Himself" to provide help. Of course, a Sequence 1 Worm of Time friend could do it.

Therefore, to Klein, the most troublesome thing was the other two matters: First, how to deal with The Half-Fool of the Antigonus family, and secondly, how to complete the ritual of "fooling time, history, or fate."

With my current level and strength, it isn't impossible to deal with the Antigonus family's ancestor. Of course, the prerequisite is that I should first familiarize myself with the corresponding Beyonder powers and changes in Sefirah Castle... Sigh, I don't have any idea on how to approach The Fool's ritual at all. Klein raised his hand and pinched his forehead, casting his gaze at the grayish-white fog beneath Sefirah Castle.

Among time, history, and fate, he was undoubtedly more familiar with history.

Now, he could use Sefirah Castle to directly influence the fog of history, allowing the corresponding powers of the Seer pathway to become stronger or weaker.

This was the embodiment of authority.

Fooling history... Fooling history... Klein tapped the edge of the long mottled table again as various thoughts flashed through his mind, but he repeatedly wrote them off.

In his opinion, all the possible solutions didn't satisfy the requirements of "fooling history." This was because history objectively recorded what had happened. Whatever happened was definitely reasonable. And the solutions that could satisfy the requirements, such as returning to the past, consuming the potion, and becoming The Fool that came from history, wasn't able to achieve it. At the very least, Klein had never seen the ability to reverse time.

As his gaze moved deep into the fog of history, Klein suddenly had a feasible idea.

The present reality of history was this: The Tarot Club members believed that they were following The Fool that didn't belong to this era—an awakened ancient god or an existence that surpassed an ancient god. In fact, Mr. Fool was originally just an ordinary person hanging above the gray fog. He used all sorts of resources to package himself and improve himself.

Klein's thoughts were inspired by Amon.

He could use Sefirah Castle to create an avatar, and let the avatar use Sefirah Castle to steal the fate, consciousness, anchors, and Zaratul's Sequence 1 Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic.

Therefore, the main body's Beyonder characteristic was formed purely from the one inside the "curtain," in which the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings was slowly awakening in.

This way, the understanding of the Tarot Club members was correct. Mr. Fool was a great existence that was awakening.

This went against the true history, but it was a fact grounded in reality. It could fulfill the requirements of the ritual.

Of course, the premise was that the act of stealing an avatar needed to happen in Sefirah Castle or other concealed areas. Otherwise, it would also be recorded in history, preventing it from achieving the effects of "fooling."

As for how he was to deal with the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings when "He" awakened, and how his avatar was to kill his true form and make "Him" a potion, Klein was temporarily out of a solution.

The result of this attempt is equivalent to suicide. Heh, before being killed by the Celestial Worthy, my avatar's Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic would've been digested by then. After all, I successfully revived the Lord of the Mysteries... Klein shook his head and threw the incomplete plan to the back of his mind.

Under the circumstances where he couldn't think of a solution, he decided to seek advice from the existences that might know what to do.

He had two targets: One was Snake of Fate Will Auceptin, and the other was the Evernight Goddess.

The former might have some thoughts about "fooling fate," while the latter probably knew what kind of ritual the ancestor of the Antigonus family used to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness.

After stabilizing his mental state, Klein left Sefirah Castle and directly "Teleported" to Backlund.

-x-X-x-

Deep in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, on the peak of a mountain stood a gigantic cross that bordered the realm of reality and illusion.

There was a blurry figure hanging there. Ancient wooden stakes dyed with fresh blood that didn't drip down passed through "His" body, nailing "Him" to the cross.

At the bottom of the cross was the Angel of Fate Ouroboros, who was wearing a simple linen robe and had silver hair that reached "His" waist. "He" sat there cross-legged with a gentle and pious expression as "He" closed "His" eyes and prayed.

Adam, whose face was half-covered by a pale blond beard, walked over and stopped in front of the huge cross. "He" raised "His" head and silently looked at the hanging figure.

"He" held Arrodes in one hand and held the second Blasphemy Slate in the other. "His" eyes were limpid and his expression was calm.

After an unknown period of time, the image of The Hanged Man on the huge cross suddenly faded away, connecting to the sky and to the land below with a shadow curtain. Behind the curtain, there seemed to be a pair of cold eyes watching over the world.

In the next second, a rift appeared in the shadow curtain. It was dark inside, faintly reverberating with an illusory tidal wave.

Adam raised "His" left hand and let the ancient and mysterious magic mirror emit a faint glow.

In the light, a sticky but illusory black liquid surged out. A boundless sea that seemed to contain all colors appeared. It looked like it was at arm's length but couldn't affect reality.

Following that, Adam placed the second Blasphemy Slate into the illusory scene.

The illusory sea scene in the distance ebbed gently as it circled the second Blasphemy Slate, forming a certain connection with it.

The second Blasphemy Slate was a manifestation of the corpse of the ancient sun god—one which was extremely close to being a Great Old One, and almost equivalent to the owner of the Chaos Sea.

Upon seeing this scene, Adam's left hand moved slightly, allowing Arrodes to fly up and fall towards the Angel of Fate Ouroboros under the huge cross.

The second Blasphemy Slate that "He" held underwent some subtle changes, and through the rift on the curtain, "He" walked inside.

The shadow curtain closed and quickly faded away, leaving behind a huge empty cross.

No one said a word throughout the entire process. Everything was carried out silently. Angel of Fate Ouroboros didn't even attempt to open "His" eyes.

At the same time, Amon became a god and used the first Blasphemy Slate to block the tunnel that the Mother Goddess of Depravity was trying to enter through. The Lord of Storms finally smote apart the corpse cathedral that Adam had envisioned out of nothing, and one of Adam's identities.

After a while, Tail Devourer Ouroboros opened "His" eyes and cast "His" gaze at Arrodes, which had landed on "His" lap.

On the surface of the mirror, silver words appeared in the swirling illusory water:

"You should know the feeling of piously believing and following a great existence, right?"

Ouroboros nodded indifferently.

"So, can you send me back to my Lord?" On the surface of the mirror, silver words squirmed and formed a new sentence. "Once you answer, you can ask me two questions."

Ouroboros silently looked at the ancient mirror in silence for a long time.

Finally, Arrodes couldn't help but produce a new question:

"Why aren't you answering?"

Ouroboros looked at "Himself" in the mirror and replied calmly, "I haven't thought through it yet."

"Three questions..." On the surface of the magic mirror, the silver light slowly outlined two words.

...

In Backlund, on a lawn that belonged to a bungalow.

Will Auceptin, who was already over two years old, was happily chasing a fat golden cat with glistening fur. Beside "Him" was a nanny and a maid.

Ever since this Snake of Fate was born, Aaron Ceres's career had improved by the day. Now, he owned a private hospital that provided medical services to high society.

As "He" ran, Will Auceptin stepped on a spot that was slippery. With a slip, "His" body involuntarily leaned back.

"He" took a few steps back and stepped on another rock.

This provided an impetus to stop Will Auceptin's fall, miraculously allowing him to maintain "His" balance.

In regards to this encounter, alarms started ringing in this chubby toddler's head. This was because with "His" luck, it was impossible for "Him" to step on a spot that could make people slip.

A familiar figure quickly appeared in "His" eyes.

It was Sherlock Moriarty wearing a half top hat and a black double-breasted coat.

Will Auceptin turned "His" head abruptly and looked at "His" nanny and maid. "He" discovered that they hadn't noticed the appearance of the stranger on the lawn.

"I have a nagging feeling you would say: 'Go ahead and scream. No one will hear you,'" the two-year-old toddler mumbled as he turned around.

Without waiting for Klein's reply, "He" spread "His" hands and said, "In short, I must congratulate you on becoming a King of Angels.

"Bullying children doesn't suit your current status."

Klein let out a soft chuckle.

"Do you know how to fool fate?"

Will Auceptin raised "His" head and looked warily at Klein.

"Giving me fake ice cream isn't equivalent to fooling fate."

With that said, "He" grumbled, "Why don't you squat down? At my age, it'll be bad for my neck's development if I have to keep raising my head like this."

Klein didn't have the air of a newly advanced King of Angels. He squatted down with a smile, allowing Will Auceptin to look him straight in the eye.

Will Auceptin held "His" nanny's hand and said, "Unless I've advanced to Sequence 0 and become a Wheel of Fortune, fooling me in any form doesn't count as fooling fate."

Klein thought and asked, "You haven't found the opportunity to accommodate the Die of Probability?"

"No." Will Auceptin shook "His" head before adding, "I have a premonition that it's coming soon."

Klein carefully looked at the chubby two-year-old toddler for a few seconds before suddenly smiling.

"If I were to give you and the Die of Probability to Ouroboros, would 'He' quickly advance to Sequence 0?"

Will Auceptin glared at Klein and said, "He will also need to wait for an opportunity to accommodate it. Furthermore, the opportunity to become a Wheel of Fortune, and the requirement to accommodate the Die of Probability isn't the same."

As "He" spoke, Will Auceptin curled "His" lips.

"If you wish to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness, the corresponding ritual can be simplified. It won't be that difficult.

"In such a situation, by ingeniously using the abilities of a Trojan Horse of Destiny and making a sacrifice to a certain degree, there's a chance of fooling fate.

"However, when you attempt to advance to Sequence 0, even if you accommodate the Uniqueness and absorb three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics on separate occasions, you will still have to hold a ritual, allowing the corresponding items to fuse and undergo a qualitative change."

Is that so... In other words, choosing to first accommodate the Uniqueness is just a trick, but in the end, I have to truly fool time, history, or fate... Klein nodded slightly and said, "I roughly understand."

He smiled and added, "Enjoy your childhood. I wonder how long it will last."

With that said, Klein's figure turned transparent and vanished from the lawn.

Will Auceptin's other empty hand instinctively grabbed forward before retracting it weakly.

"He left just like that... He's so rude. He actually didn't prepare a present when he visited..." the child couldn't help but mutter.

...

North Borough in Backlund. Saint Samuel Cathedral.

Klein, who had transformed into Dwayne Dantès, walked into the prayer hall and found a corner to sit down.

He looked at the Evernight Sacred Emblem on the altar, lowered his head, clasped his hands, and began to pray.

"The Evernight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity. You are also the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror..."

As he prayed, Klein's body and mind gradually settled down as though he had entered a half-awake state.

After an unknown period of time, a boundless darkness appeared in front of him. Beside his feet was a clump of night vanilla and slumber flowers.

This place was so quiet that even breathing seemed to disturb those in slumber around him.

Before Klein could survey his surroundings, a figure suddenly descended from the depths of the darkness.

There was clearly no sky or land here, but the figure seemed to come from the crimson moon or the stars in the sky.

"She" was wearing a long, layered black dress that didn't seem complicated at all. It was adorned with countless resplendent lights, as though the starry night sky had been draped upon it.

"Her" head was indistinct and difficult to discern. He could only confirm that it was a female.

"Long time no see," the figure said gently before Klein spoke.

"Her" voice was like a lullaby.

Klein bowed in a gentlemanly manner and said, "Is this directed at the former Lord of the Mysteries, or me who was previously hung above Sefirah Castle?"

Klein was very certain that this was a dream, but a dream didn't mean that it was fake.

The Evernight Goddess's projection said with a smile, "I'm not sure where you were hanging above that door of light. After I left, I never went back again."

Indeed... Klein sighed inwardly. From the details, he confirmed the origins of the Evernight Goddess Amanises.

"The three cocoons of light that tore open were side by side," he replied simply.

The Evernight Goddess's projection was silently floating in the darkness, giving off a surreal feeling.

"She" said softly, "The people there were all candidates meant for the Lord of the Mysteries's revival, but due to some unknown incident, "He" lost control of many things.

"If it wasn't for that, I would've died long ago, and lived with the identity of the Lord of the Mysteries. Then, you and Roselle wouldn't have had the chance to return to reality."

This means that the death of the Celestial Worthy is more thorough. "He" can only rely on the will left inside the Beyonder characteristic and the mechanical arrangements of Sefirah Castle to revive? Klein sighed and smiled.

"I can already hear 'Him' whispering into my ears."

-x-X-x-

The Evernight Goddess's projection calmly said, "For 'Him' or 'Them,' we are unable to defeat or stop 'Them.' All we can do is resist and suppress 'Them.'"

Perhaps, at certain times, a tiny oversight or relaxing even the slightest will turn us into "Him"... On the path of being a Beyonder, danger is always accompanying us. No one knows when one will fall into the abyss... Klein silently added a few words for the Evernight Goddess.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Did you cause some sort of disturbance when I was born?"

Seemingly fused with the surroundings, the Evernight Goddess nodded slightly.

"I used the Uniqueness in Antigonus to indirectly affect Sefirah Castle to 'Tamper' the Beyonder characteristic that accompanied your birth to the Forsaken Land of the Gods."

Indeed... Klein sighed and frowned.

"The Uniqueness of Antigonus can indirectly influence Sefirah Castle?"

The Evernight Goddess's projection replied gently like a lullaby, "'He' has already lost control.

"This also means that 'His' self-awareness is no longer able to suppress the Lord of the Mysteries's will in 'Him.' The two psyches are stitched together, revealing the most primitive, most instinctual, and also most bloody and crazy side.

"And the Lord of the Mysteries is the former owner of Sefirah Castle. The present Antigonus can indirectly influence Sefirah Castle by using this identity very naturally."

It's no wonder the Evernight Goddess has a greater understanding of the strange door of light than Emperor Roselle. On the one hand, "She" was born from Sefirah Castle, and on the other hand, "She" had imprisoned the crazy Antigonus... Klein was enlightened as he continued asking, "Why didn't you have any Beyonder characteristics accompanying you and Roselle when both of you were born?"

In that case, be it the Evernight Goddess or Emperor Roselle, they definitely would've chosen one of the Seer, Apprentice, or Marauder pathways.

The Evernight Goddess's projection said indifferently, "This is also why I said that something unknown had happened to the Lord of the Mysteries, causing many of the prior arrangements to be out of control.

After two consecutive failures, Sefirah Castle experienced a certain change.

"This is also a good thing for you. As the apocalypse arrives, the remnant will of the Lord of the Mysteries has dissipated. In the end, all that's left is a mental imprint that's attempting to awaken.

=

"If you were born in the Fourth Epoch, you would've become 'Him' the moment you became an Attendant of Mysteries."

This was because Klein had used the "curtain" left behind by the Celestial Worthy during his advancement. As for the Beyonder characteristics in the bodies of Antigonus and Zaratul, they had undergone generations of Beyonders and Beyonder creatures, diluting and wearing off the will.

Klein had a nagging feeling that the Evernight Goddess had some guesses about what had happened to the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings. However, since "She" deliberately didn't mention it, it wasn't appropriate for him to probe further. All he could do was say, "How did Antigonus manage to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness?"

The Evernight Goddess's dream projection didn't hide anything as "She" replied gently, "'He' sought the help of Adam and Amon.

"'They' were supporting Alista Tudor back then."

Using the abilities of the Trojan Horse of Destiny? Klein acutely grasped the core reason based on Will Auceptin's explanation and his inference.

The Evernight Goddess's projection that was like the starry sky of the night quietly comforted "Her" surroundings.

"'They' captured a demigod from the Solomon Empire and got Adam to do a deeper level hypnotism act and a transplant of the corresponding memory, making him believe that he was Antigonus.

"Then, with Amon working with Antigonus, 'He' stole Antigonus's identity and fate while Antigonus used the 'Tampering' authority to combine the identity and fate with the experimental subject.

"That demigod from the Solomon Empire began living in the state of Antigonus, and after some time, he took the initiative to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness.

"'He' undoubtedly lost control. At this moment, the real Antigonus removed the 'Tampering,' allowing 'His' identity and fate to return into Amon's hands. Amon ended the theft and returned them to the original owner."

Klein listened attentively and added thoughtfully, "If that's the case, it's equivalent to 'Antigonus failing to accommodate the Uniqueness and turning into a monster' and 'a perfectly well Antigonus with no problems at all.' The two completely different fates existed in the real world at the same time. Therefore, fate has been fooled to a certain extent...

Before he finished his sentence, Klein sensed some latent problems and hurriedly asked, "Aren't there problems with this?"

"It's very risky," the Evernight Goddess's dream projection calmly replied. "Fate isn't easy to bear. If one can't retrieve the fate from the target in that short period of time while he's losing control, things will undoubtedly fail. Retrieving it a second earlier will not achieve the effect of the ritual. Retrieving it a second later will lead to Antigonus shouldering the fate of losing control and inevitably end up with the same outcome."

That's right. One has to naturally bear the burden of the troubles brought about by fate... If not for that, Amon would've long stolen my fate and swaggered into Sefirah Castle... Klein mumbled inwardly as he began to think about how he should imitate the ritual of the Antigonus family's ancestor.

It was difficult to complete a normal ritual, and with the urgency of the matter, using a simplified ritual to accommodate The Fool Uniqueness was the best option.

Once I become The Half-Fool, my control over Sefirah Castle will improve. My level and strength will at least reach the level of a true god. This way, even if I face a dual pathway true god like Amon, I'll be able to protect myself and wait for reinforcements even if I'm not a match for "Him"... As Klein thought about the strength match-up and development he hoped for, he began coming up with a preliminary ritual plan.

He planned on using the Evernight Goddess's help to suppress the Antigonus family's ancestor and use Sefirah Castle to steal "His" identity, fate, and self-awareness.

This way, his body would have his own consciousness, the will of the Celestial Worthy, Antigonus ancestor's self-awareness, as well as the anchors from the New City of Silver, New Moon City, and Rorsted Archipelago. He would also become Antigonus to a certain extent and accept "His" fate of losing control and going mad.

The reason why Antigonus went crazy was that "His" self-awareness could no longer suppress the awakening Celestial Worthy—the two psyches were stitched together. When "His" self-awareness reached Klein's body, "He" would undoubtedly repeat the same process. This was because the Celestial Worthy's will in Klein's body was no less than the one in "His" actual body.

In other words, the fate of losing control and madness was unavoidable. Klein believed that there wouldn't be any additional burden when bearing it. At the same time, with him having more anchors than Antigonus, his own consciousness could remain center stage and in a harmonious state, maintaining a sliver of rationality.

In such a state, he would use the identity of the Antigonus family's ancestor to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness. And in the corresponding fate, this was something that "He" had long accommodated, so it wouldn't bring about any further repercussions.

Hence, fate had been fooled.

After the ritual ended, Klein would remove his theft and restore his original identity and fate, and no longer be affected by the madness, allowing him to become The Half-Fool.

The main problem of this plan was in two places: First, it was to maintain his own state. Any slight accident could easily cause Klein to go crazy and be powerless to save himself. Second, no one knew for sure how much the Celestial Worthy's will in the body of the Antigonus family's ancestor would awaken or bring about unsuppressed changes. He could only rely on the Evernight Goddess to balance it out.

At this moment, the Evernight Goddess's projection seemed to have guessed his thoughts.

"If you wish to steal the fate of Antigonus, it's best to let 'Him' enter a temporary state of eternal slumber.

"I can try to help you, but I need a medium to have the necessary confidence. This is an angel that had accommodated The Fool's Uniqueness."

"What medium?" Klein asked, seemingly in thought.

The Evernight Goddess's projection said with a smile, "The river water of the River of Eternal Darkness."

As expected... To Klein, this answer wasn't surprising at all. It was even within his expectations. This made him feel rooted to the ground.

He deliberated for a moment and said, "Just the river water?"

The Evernight Goddess's projection nodded slightly and said, "You won't be able to take away the entire River of Eternal Darkness at the moment. You'll understand once you reach the depths of Calderón City.

"You can ask the questions when you're back."

Without waiting for Klein to answer, "She" added, "For you, there's an unusual danger there. You better wait until your mental state is stable before you go."

"Alright." Although Klein didn't know what he would encounter in the depths of Calderón City, he knew that he wasn't in the right state to take risks, especially when it involved a sefirah.

The Evernight Goddess's projection continued, "When you wake up, hold a bestowment ritual. I will give you an item that can be used to scoop up the river water of the River of Eternal Darkness."

Klein nodded and said without a word, "Adam is part of the ancient sun god, one of 'His' identities."

The Evernight Goddess's projection didn't show any obvious signs of emotion. "She" gently said, "'He' has already gone to the Forsaken Land of the Gods and met the True Creator."

That's fast... After feeling a little surprised, Klein felt that it was only right.

The reason why Adam allowed the secret to be exposed was that the secret was no longer of value.

The Evernight Goddess's projection continued, "No matter what happens next, it will take a long period of time. You don't have to pay attention to it for now."

After Klein nodded, the figure in front of him quickly turned blurry. The night vanilla and slumber flowers under his feet flew up one after another, scattering throughout the darkness.

He opened his eyes and saw the dark hall and the pure light shining through the holes in the wall. The latter were like stars embedded into a velvet night sky.

-x-X-x-

Klein watched as scarlet flames suddenly appeared and engulfed him.

When the sparks scattered, his figure had already vanished from Saint Samuel Cathedral.

In an ordinary inn's empty room, Klein walked out of the sudden rising flames and began setting up a bestowment ritual.

Soon, the mysterious door formed by candlelight opened. An ancient accessory flew out from the endless darkness and landed on the altar.

This accessory seemed to be made out of gold. It looked like a slender bird, surrounded by a pair of wings formed by white flames. The bronze eyes shimmered with layers of light as though there were illusory doors hidden within.

Klein sincerely thanked the Evernight Goddess, ended the ritual, and picked up the golden bird-shaped accessory.

This seems to be the image of the legendary Phoenix Ancestor Gregrace...

Beyond this ancient Death's own pathway, "She" had apparently grasped partial authority of the Apprentice pathway. This is a preliminary conclusion from the city ruins in the Forsaken Land of the Gods that believed in the Phoenix...

It's no wonder most ancient gods find it difficult to control their emotions. They were on the edge of madness. No, they were constantly teetering between madness and rationality... Before the first Blasphemy Slate appeared, none of the Beyonder creatures had the concept of a Sequence pathway. They only had the concept of convergence, reproduction, and blind attempts... As Klein carefully examined the golden bird-shaped accessory, he sighed inwardly.

As the owner of Sefirah Castle, he could sense that there was a subtle connection between the accessory and the River of Eternal Darkness.

So it can contain the river water of the River of Eternal Darkness? Yes, the river water of the River of Eternal Darkness is definitely not river water in the true sense of the phrase, but an abstract concept or symbol. Klein nodded in thought and threw the golden bird-shaped accessory into Sefirah Castle, sealing it in the junk pile to prevent any unnecessary accidents.

...

On a mountain peak outside Bayam City.

The Red Angel evil spirit watched as the edge of the sea gradually lit up as an orange sun slowly left the horizon.

At some point in time, a young man wearing a pointed hat and a classic black robe appeared beside "Him."

The man played with a crystal monocle and wore it on "His" right eye. It was Amon, who had become Mr. Error.

Sauron Einhorn Medici turned "His" head and glanced at Amon.

"The sacrifice you provided was actually the original body."

"If it wasn't my true body, how could I have the time to steal the ritual and replace Bethel?" Amon replied with a smile. "As a qualified Conspirer, you shouldn't have not thought of this."

The Red Angel evil spirit scoffed.

"How would I know that you weren't trying to trick me? Perhaps you'd predicted my prediction?"

Amon smiled and didn't answer directly. Instead, "He" took out a strange crown covered in rust and blood.

"This is your reward." "He" threw the item to Sauron Einhorn Medici.

After the Red Angel evil spirit caught the strange crown, "He" was somewhat surprised.

"Wow, you actually didn't try to go back on your word."

"Doing something that doesn't match your expectations is also a form of deception." Amon pinched the monocle on "His" right eye and said with a smile, "I'm looking forward to you becoming the Red Priest and devouring that Demoness. When that happens, your image will definitely be extremely interesting."

As Amon said this, "His" smile carried an unconcealable sense of warped humor.

Sauron Einhorn Medici fell silent for a moment before saying, "I don't think it will be very different from how I am now."

Two bloody mouths opened on both sides of "His" face before quickly closing.

Amon adjusted the monocle on "His" right eye and looked to the other side of the sea.

"The situation in the Western Continent seems interesting."

With that said, the present Mr. Error, the former Angel of Time turned into light and dissipated.

The Red Angel evil spirit looked in the direction of where Amon was looking at and tossed the strange crown in "His" hand.

On both sides of "His" face, the bloody mouths appeared once again as "They" said, "After absorbing this Beyonder characteristic, you'd better stay away from Bansy."

"If you wish to grow breasts and have your body swell up, you can continue staying there."

Medici curled "His" lips and said, "Isn't this something you both wish for?"

...

Facing the altar filled with materials and artifacts, Klein raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

The table in front of him instantly became empty and clean. All the junk had been split up in categories and returned to their original location.

This was a Miracle that stemmed from one of Klein's accumulated wishes.

Compared to the past Miracle Invokers and Attendants of Mysteries, the "Miracles" I can create can be described as quite varied. It's very practical, including but not limited to building houses, interior design, garbage classification, and environment protection... Klein looked at the cleared and laughed self-deprecatingly.

He then opened the door and left.

He wanted to return to the real world and return to human society to strengthen his humanity and stabilize his mental state. His problem now was relatively problematic. If he directly sought Miss Justice's treatment before first suppressing the awakening will of the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings, he would only contaminate her and allow his psychiatrist to suffer mental illnesses. Of course, if Miss Justice had reached Sequence 2, the effects wouldn't be too great.

The current Backlund had been rebuilt, and the number of pedestrians coming and going had returned to their previous peak. Just as Klein pushed open the inn's door, he heard all sorts of voices.

"Wait! Wait!"

"Fresh fish from Pritz Harbor. It has plenty of meat and little bones. It's great for frying!"

"Special ginger beer matched with muffins and potato wedges!"

"Hot and fresh oyster soup!"

"The freshest vegetables!"

...

Most of the noise came from the street vendors, and some came from a small number of passengers who were chasing the public carriage or pedestrians who were knocked down by people in a rush. The early morning rush painted such a noisy, sonorous, and chaotic scene.

Klein listened to these unfamiliar yet familiar shouts and silently looked at the scene in front of him. He didn't move for a few minutes.

Only when a thief came close did he put his hands into the black coat's pockets and walk towards the nearest coffee shop.

"A cup of good coffee, a set of mutton stewed with peas, and a piece of oatmeal bread," Klein said to the affordable coffee shop's owner.

"A total of 11 pence," the boss said after a mental calculation.

Then he added, "The price of everything is rising now."

Klein didn't say anything. He took out a one-soli note from the junk pile in Sefirah Castle and handed it to the boss.

He then found a seat by the window which wasn't very greasy. He took out a few pieces of tissue to line the table.

Following that, Klein placed a piece of letter paper on top of it and took out a dark red fountain pen.

After watching the morning scenery and pedestrians, he finally wrote:

"Dear Mr. Azik,

"I haven't written to you for another month, because I had no choice but to sleep for some time. This isn't because I'm hurt, but because the ritual requires it.

"When I woke up and walked into human society again, on the streets, it suddenly reminded me of the life I had when I was in Tingen.

"At that time, it was always very noisy in the morning. A large number of citizens would leave their homes, rushing to the factories or companies. The mobile peddlers gathered on the street and peddled their vegetables, food, and fruits of questionable quality. They were always cheap.

"I would always protect my wallet and carefully squeeze through them before heading to the station and wait for the public carriage with many people.

"I worked at the Blackthorn Security Company at 36 Zouteland Street, and had a group of good colleagues.

"Dunn Smith was the Captain, the supervisor there. He was an experienced, kind, and responsible Beyonder. He had a mild personality and was experienced in his job. He also cared for all the members in the team, and his only flaw was his bad memory. For matters which weren't too important, he might forget about it the moment he turned around. He often said 'hold on, there's still another thing.' Of course, there was a reason why: he had lost too many companions. He hoped that they would all stay in his dreams, so he often became lost as to which matter was reality and which belonged to dreams.

"Old Neil was my first mysticism teacher. The most useful skill he taught me was expense claims. He always designed strange ritualistic magic, hoping to obtain help from the Goddess. Some of it succeeded, while others produced ridiculous accidents. Until today, I can still recall them. He was a very kind person. Even when he was seeking to fulfill his everlasting dream, he didn't wish to harm others.

"Leonard is a poet with his own secrets. At first, I thought he was very mysterious, and a hidden expert that needed attention to be placed on. Later, I realized that he was a crude, simple, impulsive, rebellious, aloof, and rude young man. Furthermore, he really doesn't have any literary talent, so he could only rely on memorizing things to complete the acting requirement. Yes, he barely has some merits. He's considered rather brave, and he has sharp intuition and terrifying reasoning abilities in certain matters. However, this is limited to certain matters.

"Frye was a cold-looking Beyonder who no one dared to approach. But in fact, he has a sense of responsibility and a warm heart. He would always extend his hand when others needed help.

"Kenley was very short. He used to be a civilian staff member, and he then took the initiative to apply to become an official member. He was quite smart, but he would never decline a case. Every time he played cards, he would talk about his fiancée.

"Rozanne is the receptionist at the Blackthorn Security Company. She's lively and lazy, and she's loved by everyone. To us, she's like a younger sister. She also likes every single one of us, but she also hates all the official members because her father was once an official Beyonder who later died in the course of duty. Perhaps, in her heart, official members were equivalent to people who received a notice that they were infected with a critical illness.

"Mrs. Orianna is an accountant, a victim of a supernatural case. She's delicate and gentle, and she pursues an exquisite life. She usually doesn't speak much, but she takes good care of everyone and doesn't make things difficult for us regarding finances. For example, she rarely rejects Old Neil's expense claims—no matter how ridiculous the reason was. She would only leave it to the Captain to make a decision.

"Ma'am Seeka Tron has rare natural white hair, and she's an unsuccessful author. She has an outstanding temperament and a quiet personality. She doesn't seem like a Beyonder who fights at night. She's also very brave and very firm. Even when facing death, she doesn't flinch.

"Ma'am Royale is very similar to Frye. They don't talk much but are very concerned about their colleagues. Yes, except at the card table.

"Bredt is the best at writing reports among the clerks. He's a romantic gentleman. Even though he's been married for fifteen years, he still loves his wife very much. I think he'll live a good life because he lives by the maxim that the less he knows, the longer he'll live.

"Cesare Francis is our carriage driver. Despite being a civilian staff member, he often encounters dangerous situations. Therefore, the Captain handed over the matters regarding the purchase of goods and applications to him. He doesn't make his presence known, and perhaps this is the key to his survival.

"I occasionally think about it. If it weren't for the things that happened later, I would definitely still be living in Tingen. I would work on time every day. I'll be on duty to man the basement, and I would deal with the few cases that crop up while playing cards with my colleagues. I would occasionally accompany Melissa and Benson to watch a play or a circus show. If I can come home early one day, I'll study cooking. That's a huge hobby of mine. When the weekend comes, I might come to visit you and talk about the history of various fields...

"It's a pity that life is always pushing us forward and making us face changes."

-x-X-x-

After Klein wrote down his impression of Tingen, he briefly mentioned that he had completed the ritual to become a Sequence 1 Attendant of Mysteries, as well as resolve one of his long-time traumas—the leader of the Secret Order, Zaratul.

He didn't describe his predicament in detail, only seriously discussing the mental problems that angels suffered.

Putting away the fountain pen and folding the paper, Klein reached out to take out Azik's copper whistle from Sefirah Castle and blew at it.

Inside the cheap coffee shop, white bones spewed out like fountains, forming a huge messenger.

The messenger then shrank his body, becoming only the height of a normal person.

At the same time, it knelt down on one knee and stretched out its palm.

"There's no need to be afraid of me." Upon seeing this, Klein laughed. "It's not like I would do anything to you?"

As he spoke, he picked up the letter and placed it in the skeleton messenger's hand.

The messenger nodded heavily a few times; it was unknown what it was agreeing with.

Then, its body disintegrated, turning into bones that drilled into the ground.

At this moment, the boss brought coffee, oatmeal bread, and mutton stewed with peas.

As Klein enjoyed breakfast that wasn't too delicious but was filled with a bourgeois style, he looked out the window and enjoyed the morning scenery without any reason. He admired the pedestrians, carriages, trees, mist, food, and machinery that made up the scene.

If there was no apocalypse, it's best to be a Sequence 7 Beyonder to maintain the life in Tingen and live rather leisurely while being capable of handling most cases. When prepared, a Magician, who has many tricks up his sleeve, won't appear too weak when facing Sequence 6 and Sequence 5 Beyonders. As for Faceless and Marionettist, one can easily get lost while acting. It's relatively easy to lose control when one advances, making it rather dangerous. Of course, if one has a sealed Creeping Hunger, it would be perfect... Klein casually thought as he recalled Creeping Hunger which had landed in Amon's hands.

He didn't know how Amon would treat this Sealed Artifact, but he only felt that an item of this level was of no value to an Angel of Time. After playing for a while, "He" would probably throw it into a secret "warehouse" in the darkness.

I wonder if there's a chance to retrieve it. Just as this thought flashed through Klein's mind, he suddenly felt a little guilty.

This was because even if he could snatch Creeping Hunger back from Amon's hands, he would throw it into the junk pile, making it wait to be bestowed to the Blessed or believers that needed it.

This was no different from being in Amon's hands.

Klein quickly diverted his attention.

I lost the mirror again.

Adam shouldn't be interested in a mirror at the saint level. Perhaps, I can get it back...

No, Arrodes seems to have been spewed out from the Chaos Sea. In certain matters, it's possible that it can be a medium... Sigh, I only hope that Adam doesn't damage it, and that I have the time to retrieve it...

After becoming an Attendant of Mysteries and gaining a deeper control of Sefirah Castle, Klein already possessed a certain level of authority in the "Concealment" domain.

Whenever he was thinking about important matters, there would always be a thin shadow around him that no one else could see.

This was equivalent to the embryonic form of a divine kingdom, the Realm of Mysteries.

Therefore, he dared to directly think of Adam's name.

After sighing, Klein suddenly recalled something and hurriedly got the Worms of Spirit on duty in Sefirah Castle, to "Graft" a certain area in the spirit world he fixed when he advanced over.

Immediately after, he finished the leftover mutton and the last bit of oatmeal bread that he dipped into the soup. He finished the coffee beside him.

After putting on his hat and standing up, Klein took a step forward and entered the spirit world that corresponded to Utopia.

Then, he removed the "Grafting" and returned to the ruins of Utopia.

This was to use the abilities of "Grafting" and his ability to freely enter the spirit world to indirectly achieve a "Teleportation" effect. Of course, the prerequisite was that he could locate the corresponding region in the spirit world. On this point, as the owner of Sefirah Castle, Klein had a unique advantage. As for Zaratul and the other Attendants of Mysteries, they could only rely on "Their" preparations.

As soon as he stepped into the ruins of Utopia, Klein surveyed the area and discovered that the collapsed houses and charred corpses were shimmering with different colors.

They were the Beyonder characteristics inside the monster marionettes, the wealth accumulated by Klein back in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.

This might be useless to him, but he still had many believers and Blessed that would gradually increase in numbers. As a "deity," he had to stock up some Beyonder characteristics in order to bestow them.

Thankfully, the Lord of Storms didn't take the opportunity to sweep them away... As Klein silently muttered to himself, he couldn't help but thank Leodero.

...

East Chester County, inside the Hall family manor.

After the sun finally rose, the suffering people returned to their rooms one after another to make up for their lack of sleep. Only Alfred, Earl Hall's personal bodyguards, the deacons, and Nighthawks sent by the Church of Evernight to investigate the reason behind the incident last night remained.

As Audrey used the golden retriever, Susie, to monitor the development of the situation, she opened her bedroom door and walked in.

Through the curtains and the weak sunlight in the room, a figure sat quietly on a high stool like a large doll.

It was a huge, snow-white rabbit.

Audrey's brows twitched as she whispered, "Mr. Wrath."

This was Mr. Wrath from the Psychology Alchemists that had pursued the mind dragon, Ariehogg. It was suspected to be one of Hermes's identities.

As she spoke, Audrey reached out her hand and closed the door.

And with this action, the back of her hand flashed with a star-like crimson tattoo.

"I'm sorry; I made use of you." When the door closed, the giant white rabbit took the initiative to say, "However, I might have been used by someone else as well."

Audrey thought of the opening of the doors and windows in the middle of the night and took two steps forward. She replied in thought, "There's no need to apologize. Just don't disturb me in the future."

She was tactfully expressing that she wanted to leave the Psychology Alchemists, hoping that no one would come looking for her again.

The huge white rabbit stared at her with its bright red eyes for a few seconds and said, "Your previous wish was to protect your parents and family, but don't you think that you've been embroiled in too much trouble? The danger that you've brought them is greater than the help you provide?"

Audrey fell silent. She didn't speak for a long time.

"Normally speaking, a saint can indeed allow the family and family to gain more safety, but the premise is that they do not involve themselves in the struggle between angels or deities. Or perhaps, they are part of a powerful organization that can be relied on in the true sense of the word." Upon saying this, the huge white rabbit slowly said, "I have two gifts to express my apology. You can choose one."

"Two?" Audrey asked in a low voice.

The giant white rabbit nodded, its ears constantly wiggling.

"One is to truly become Miss Pride of the Psychology Alchemists. We can ignore all your other secrets and tacitly allow your other operations—as long as you don't reveal our matters and bring danger to the Psychology Alchemists. Of course, there will be a certain disadvantage. You will shoulder the burden of certain matters and might be embroiled in quite a bit of trouble. The only difference is that you will receive a lot of help and be rescued in time."

"What about the second one?" Audrey had no intention of getting compensation from the Psychology Alchemists. To not have the secret organization disturb her again was the best form of apology.

Furthermore, she suspected that Mr. Wrath's true intention behind "His" apology was just another form of exploitation.

The huge white rabbit answered calmly, "I can help you divide another identity for you so that 'she' can stay by your family and provide them with some protection and emotional comfort. As for you, you will stay away from them and live on in this world with another identity.

"This way, your troubles will not affect the people you want to protect.

"In the supernatural world, under certain circumstances, distancing yourself is the best form of love and protection."

Audrey fell silent once again as her green eyes seemed like a still lake.

"You don't need to answer me at once. Or you can combine the two methods." The giant white rabbit got off the high stool and stood up. "You know how to get into the Garden of Eden."

As it spoke, its figure gradually disappeared into the sea of collective subconscious.

...

Bayam, in a room in the Church of the Sea God.

The Oracle, Danitz, dressed in a gorgeous robe, sat on a chair, silently looking at Alger Wilson.

The sleepiness from waking up in the middle of the night was gone from the fright.

The cardinal of the Church of Storms actually wanted to defect to the Church of the Sea God!

This was a huge matter in the field of religion, in the world of mysticism and international politics!

Even though he only had a rough understanding of the Church of Storms, Danitz believed that with their style in handling matters, they definitely wouldn't let this matter go. Perhaps a calamity was already on its way to the entire Rorsted Archipelago to destroy it.

Furthermore, a cardinal is definitely highly valued by the Lord of Storms. Alger's betrayal might attract a god's punishment at any time... The more Danitz thought about it, the more he trembled, afraid that he would be affected.

This made him recall a saying from his hometown:

"Don't be near people abandoned by the gods."

This was because those guys might get implicated when lightning smote down.

If not for the fact that Gehrman Sparrow had sent me a message in the name of being Mr. Fool's attendant to help me settle Alger Wilson in, I would've already tied up this ticking bomb and sent him back to the Church of the Lord of Storms... The more afraid Danitz was, the more he couldn't help but mutter inwardly.

Of course, he was just letting his thoughts run wild. He didn't even consider their difference in strength.

After a while, someone knocked on his door.

Danitz jumped up and quickly walked to the door, opening a crack.

"Any results?" he asked in a low voice.

The intel supervisor of the Church of the Sea God said simply, "Lord Oracle, the Church of Storms has switched cardinals."

"What about the original one?" Danitz pressed in surprise.

"It's said that he was transferred back to their headquarters," the intel supervisor recounted what he learned from some of the servants at the Cathedral of Waves.

Transferred back to their headquarters... As Danitz was confused, a grayish-white fog suddenly appeared in front of him.

He heard Mr. Fool's words:

"From this day forth, Alger shall wear a mask and become the pontiff of the Church of the Sea God."

-x-X-x-

Pontiff... Danitz jumped in fright, nearly unable to believe the revelation he had received.

If it wasn't for the fact that this order directly came from Mr. Fool, he would have definitely cursed.

Of course, if the person opposite him was Gehrman Sparrow, he would suck it up.

"Lord Oracle, is there anything else?" The intel supervisor of the Church of the Sea God saw that Lord Danitz's expression was rather odd. This left him a little afraid.

Danitz retracted his thoughts and forced a smile.

"Pay close attention to the development at the Cathedral of Waves."

"Yes, Lord Oracle." The intel supervisor heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly bowed to bid farewell.

Danitz turned his head and looked at Alger Wilson as he said with a brilliant smile, "Mr. Fool has already issued a revelation."

Alger didn't hesitate. He immediately stood up and pressed his right palm against his left chest.

Danitz straightened his back and solemnly said, "God said that from this day forth, Alger shall wear a mask and become the pontiff of the Church of the Sea God."

"Mr. Fool's will is my will!" Alger couldn't hide his smile as he bowed.

Half of his smile was for Danitz to see, showing his humility, while the other half was from the bottom of his heart. This was because the revelation meant two things:

Mr. Fool and the Lord of Storms had reached a certain agreement. With a tacit understanding, his betrayal would no longer be pursued. Of course, he had to wear masks and use a fake name to prevent humiliation to the Church of Storms.

Becoming the pontiff of the Church of the Sea God was a critical step to reaching the throne of Sea God.

From Alger's point of view, this meant that he had officially become Mr. Fool's subordinate. In the future, be it the exchange for the identity of Sea God or being the leader of the Church of The Fool, there would be plenty of opportunities. As for Mr. Fool, "He" was a great existence that was at the same level as a true god, or even higher. How could "His" proxy not be an angel?

After the bow, Alger waited patiently for Oracle Danitz to bring him a silver-black mask.

He received the mask and wore it solemnly.

...

While wearing a red glove, Leonard strolled along the shores of Midseashire, enjoying the Ru0026R earned from closing a supernatural case.

As for the mysterious opening of doors and windows last night, he had already received the orders from the Holy Cathedral not to pursue it through investigations or learn more about the matter.

Regarding this order, Leonard couldn't do anything about it because he had long learned the general truth from Old Man Pallez Zoroast:

Mr. Door had returned to the real world, and Angel of Time Amon took the opportunity to steal "His" apotheosis ritual and advance to Sequence 0 Error. Almost at the same time, Mr. Fool awakened further. Through Sefirah Castle, "He" had briefly and weakly connected to Beyonders of the Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder pathways.

As an angel of the Marauder pathway, Pallez Zoroast was undoubtedly able to sense the changes in Amon's corresponding authority and "His" apotheosis. "He" also discovered that Sefirah Castle had established a connection with "Him."

"Old Man, Amon has already advanced to Sequence 0. You shouldn't be of much use to 'Him' now. Why do you still want to Parasitize my body?" Leonard took in the fresh morning air as he suppressed his voice and asked with a hint of concern and confusion.

In his mind, Pallez Zoroast scoffed.

"Naive.

"Do you think that you don't need my guidance anymore after becoming a saint and having mastered a lot of mysticism knowledge?"

"You can choose to teach me face-to-face," Leonard said after some deliberation.

To him, having an angel "Parasitizing" his body was both a boon and bane for him.

The good thing was that even if he encountered a real Mythical Creature, he wouldn't be completely defenseless. As long as he softly shouted "Old Man," the problem might be resolved. In addition, history and various rare mysticism knowledge from the Fourth Epoch were also rather useful.

The greatest disadvantage was that his life was in the hands of the Parasite. If the other party had any evil intentions, he couldn't stop it.

This question was once Leonard's greatest worry, but it wasn't too problematic now. This was because Mr. Fool's awakening was deepening, allowing "Him" to completely suppress Pallez Zoroast. Furthermore, Leonard had also become a high-ranking deacon of the Church of Evernight. He would definitely be under the watch of the Evernight Goddess, and he could even be specially marked by "Her." Under such circumstances, it was impossible for a deity with the "Concealment" authority to not discover Pallez Zoroast. If Old Man had any nefarious thoughts, he would've been resolved long ago.

What Leonard was most vexed about was that many things weren't too convenient as a result.

Although he was already used to having an old man "Parasitizing" his body, and he would even casually chat with him while on the toilet, he still preferred having that time to himself in such situations.

Therefore, he felt that having Old Man leave his body, and letting "Him" live in his house like an elder would be a better way of getting along with "Him." When he needed to deal with more dangerous matters, he could get Old Man to temporarily "Parasitize" him.

Upon hearing Leonard's suggestion, Pallez Zoroast scoffed.

"Are you still thinking about removing the "Parasitizing" when you return home, and 'Parasitize' when out?

"Do you think I'm your bodyguard?"

Leonard laughed dryly before saying, "If you haven't fully recovered and wish to continue 'Parasitizing,' I have no objections."

Pallez Zoroast fell silent for two seconds before his slightly-aged voice resounded in Leonard's mind.

"Next up is actually the most dangerous period. For the position of the Lord of the Mysteries, The Fool and Amon will definitely have a battle. When the time comes, under the influence of all kinds of Beyonder characteristics, angels of the same pathway might be affected. Heh, it's better to be kept under the protection of Evernight's gaze.

"When the Lord of the Mysteries is born, I won't even bother with you even if you were to beg me to be 'Parasitized'!"

Leonard was slightly taken aback as he subconsciously repeated the name.

"Lord of the Mysteries?"

"This isn't something you can fully understand. Of course, with me around, there's no need to worry," Pallez Zoroast sighed and said with pride.

Leonard was just about to take the opportunity to ask when he suddenly saw a Red Gloves team member running over with a telegram.

"Reverend, a telegram from the Holy Cathedral," the team member said respectfully.

Leonard nodded slightly and received the telegram. He quickly scanned it.

"Head to the Southern Continent and participate in the besieging of the Rose School of Thought."

Southern Continent... Rose School of Thought... Leonard narrowed down to two keywords.

He quickly returned to the largest cathedral in this city and used large-scale ritualistic magic to establish a connection with the Holy Cathedral. In his dream, he met the Pope, Ma'am Arianna, and other high-ranking officials.

After a simple exchange, Leonard roughly understood the essence of the mission:

The various orthodox Churches would delegate three to four demigods to head to the Southern Continent to besiege the Rose School of Thought which had become very active after the world war.

This was a long-term mission. As the Rose School of Thought's demigods knew how to hide their tracks, they did things in a rather secretive manner, they weren't easy to locate or lock onto. It wasn't easy to deal with them either.

According to what the Pope had said, it was already considered quite good to see enough results within three years.

During this process, the Holy Cathedral would observe the situation and rotate demigods to ensure that the archbishops and high-ranking deacons were in a relatively stable mental state.

After leaving the dream, Leonard looked around and suppressed his voice.

"Old Man, things are a little strange. Why would the various Churches suddenly target the Rose School of Thought?"

This wasn't an easy task. In the past few centuries, it wasn't as if the orthodox Churches hadn't made similar attempts, but they could only suppress and weaken them, without being capable of eradicating the Rose School of Thought.

On the one hand, it was because there were cracks in their alliances. There was suspicion among each other and a lack of cooperation. On the other hand, due to the Rose School of Thought's demigods' indulgence, their mental states might be abnormal, but when faced with danger, they knew how to avoid, hide, and conceal. They wouldn't throw themselves into danger for no reason.

In addition, with the blessings of the Chained God and the Mother Tree of Desire, it was difficult for the deities to provide precise guidance for their actions.

Pallez Zoroast didn't immediately answer Leonard's question. After about ten seconds, "He" sighed and said with a slightly-aged voice, "This is to eliminate potential threats, and to prepare for the apocalypse."

Prepare for the apocalypse... Leonard turned agape and wanted to say something, but he eventually fell silent.

...

Backlund, Harvest Church.

Emlyn White had just entered the hall, but before he could head to his room and change his clothes, he saw Father Utravsky stand up in the front pew, like a mountain rising from the ground.

"Earth Mother has instructed us to head to the Southern Continent and bury the evil-doers." The Blessed spoke in a low voice.

His voice reverberated in the hall, like a slow clap of thunder, causing the praying Sanguine believers to open their eyes.

So the dream last night was real... Emlyn was enlightened.

Last night, he dreamed of the Ancestor, and he dreamed that "She" wanted him to work with Father Utravsky and the Rose School of Thought's temperance faction to head to the Southern Continent to deal with the Rose School of Thought members who believed in the Primordial Moon.

Of course, if there was a chance, the enemies who believed in the Mother Tree of Desire would not be spared.

As he often had fake revelations, Emlyn didn't take this dream to heart. He planned on changing his clothes and completing his prayers before seeking confirmation with Father Utravsky.

He tersely acknowledged before replying to Father Utravsky in a rather composed manner.

"There's no rush.

"I'll first contact the members of the Rose School of Thought's temperance faction."

Father Utravsky nodded nonchalantly and said, "Select some volunteer Sanguine too."

...

In the Intis Republic, in the capital, Trier, a supervisor of an intelligence agency was assigning tasks to his subordinates.

Suddenly, his vision blurred as he heard a distant voice ring in his ears.

"Orville... Dylan... Orville... Dylan..."