12 COI

Ryan nodded at Lumian's confirmation.

"You can interpret it that way, but if there are any other abnormalities worth investigating, we can't ignore them."

"Alright." Lumian actually shared the same thought.

He hadn't even planned on participating in Lent, just in case he couldn't resist attacking when he saw the "performance" at the celebration.

The four of them rapidly reached Lumian's residence, where Aurore led them to the second floor.

Now dressed in a pure white cotton dress that accentuated her down-to-earth charm, Aurore pointed to Lumian's bedroom and study, offering the three official investigators a choice.

"You can choose either room."

Ryan glanced at Leah, seeking her opinion.

After pondering for a few seconds, Leah raised her right hand, pointed at the study with a smile, and said, "That recliner looks pretty good; I could sleep there. Ryan, bunk in that room with Valentine."

While Aurore had the same question in mind, Lumian asked, "You trust us that much?"

He assumed the three foreigners would opt to sleep in the same room on the floor, fearing an attack if they were separated.

Leah grinned and answered Lumian's half-mocking, half-doubtful query, "My divination tells me the two of you can be trusted."

As she spoke, she walked into the study. Accompanied by tinkling sounds, she lay on the recliner with a contented expression.

Aurore found Leah intriguing and approachable. She smiled and advised, "A friend once told me that you can believe in divination, but not blindly. Divination is not all-powerful."

"My mentor said something similar, but we're all in the same situation. If I don't trust it, what else can we do?" Leah replied with a grin, snuggling into the recliner.

Aurore didn't mind relinquishing her favorite seat. She pulled over a chair and sat down.

Their study also served as a small living room. It occasionally hosted afternoon tea parties, so there was ample space and chairs.

Ryan surveyed the corridor briefly before returning to the study. He said to Aurore and Lumian, "I have some suggestions."

"Please, go ahead." Aurore politely assumed an attentive posture.

Ryan nodded and offered, "First, when you sleep at night, don't close any doors. Let everyone be in the same space. This way, no matter where an abnormality occurs, we can react promptly.

"Second, considering we've destroyed the altar, someone might attempt to deal with us before Lent. Starting tonight, everyone will take turns on night duty. Yes, from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next morning, two hours per person…"

How professional… Aurore muttered almost silently.

Lumian glanced at her, as if asking why she hadn't thought of it.

Aurore spread her hands slightly, signaling her lack of experience in team operations.

She then turned to Ryan and Valentine, stating confidently, "Lumian will cover the period between 10 p.m. and midnight."

Leah and the others didn't object to this arrangement.

From their perspective, it made sense. Among the five present, Lumian had the lowest Sequence and least experience. He was most prone to mistakes on night duty, but from 10 p.m. to midnight, others would still be awake to cover for him.

Lumian knew his sister's intentions extended beyond this.

He had to explore the dream ruins undisturbed after falling asleep.

After finalizing the first schedule, Valentine volunteered, "I'm used to sleeping and waking early. I'll take the 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. slot."

"You get up early to welcome the sunrise?" Lumian teased instinctively.

Valentine's gaze on him softened.

"Yes, I want to greet the rising sun and praise the light."

His eyes seemed to say: "As expected, only a devout believer of the Eternal Blazing Sun understands me."

Hey, I'm mocking you, brother! Lumian felt slightly defeated by Valentine.

In the Eternal Blazing Sun Church, "brother" was a term used among believers. The two mainstream organizations within it, the Order of Preachers and the Brotherhood Minor, employed the term.

"I'm not used to being woken up mid-sleep," Leah chimed in. "I'll take the midnight to 2 a.m. slot."

Aurore nodded.

"I like to wake up late. I can take 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. And don't wake me for breakfast tomorrow. I'll get up around noon."

"Leave the rest to me." Ryan claimed the worst period with satisfaction.

He also entered the study and found a chair to sit on.

A conversation flowed effortlessly. Aurore, though seldom venturing out, possessed a wealth of knowledge spanning from astronomy to geography. She had her finger on the pulse of the latest trends, scandals, and supernatural events in metropolises like Trier and Backlund. This left Leah, Ryan, and the others secretly in awe of her.

"As expected of the renowned author, Aurore Lee," Leah couldn't help but exclaim. "No wonder you can tackle any theme."

Aurore inquired with genuine curiosity, "Have you read my novels?"

Leah's eyes sparkled as she replied with a smile, "I've been reading your first novel since I was a young girl. By the way, I'd love your autograph!"

As she searched for papers and fountain pens, the silver bells on her veil and boots jingled.

"Are those Sealed Artifacts?" Having heard Lumian mention Leah's performance with the four bells, Aurore couldn't resist asking.

Leah produced a stack of post-it notes and a fountain pen, casually responding, "Yes, they can proactively warn me and enhance my divination abilities. The downside is they're rather noisy and not exactly discreet. Plus, the wearer must dress fashionably, with a dress being mandatory. It has to look good, or it'll be not only useless but also potentially misleading or even dangerous."

Aurore chuckled. "I can't decide if these bells were originally a man or a woman."

Lumian agreed. If they were from a woman, it was a remnant of her vanity. If a man, he was undoubtedly a pervert.

Leah offered a faint smile.

"That involves some confidentiality, so I can't say any more."

She stood up, handing Aurore a post-it note and the fountain pen.

Aurore signed and asked, "Which genre of my novels do you prefer?"

...

"Romance," Leah replied without hesitation. "Your first novel, Eternal Love, left a deep impression on me."

"I wrote that book too early," Aurore admitted with a hint of embarrassment. "I was young, and my writing skills were unpolished. I lacked experience. Many scenes felt rigid, and much of the dialogue was overly emotional and unrealistic…"

Lumian chimed in, "But it's sincere and original."

Having read his sister's novel, he knew it dealt with a couple's separation through life and death, interwoven with adventure, misunderstandings, and terminal illness. It was a trailblazing piece in the Intis literary world.

Naturally, this drew criticism from conservative authors and critics. They echoed Aurore's self-assessment and claimed it couldn't qualify as literature, deeming it a mere pedestrian novel.

"That's right," Leah agreed, retrieving the paper and pen. She looked at Aurore and asked with a smile, "Ms. Author, would you consider becoming our informant at Bureau 8?"

Seeing Aurore's surprise, she continued, "Our primary objective in targeting wild Beyonders is that they're unpredictable and may lose control or cause disaster at any moment. Otherwise, they can use their Beyonder powers for all sorts of malicious purposes to satisfy their desires.

"Over the past few days in the village, I've carefully observed both of you and confirmed that you're orderly Beyonders. Prior to arriving in Cordu, the information we gathered indicated that you haven't committed any wrongdoing on the surface.

"This meets our recruitment standards. Moreover, once you become our informants, you won't need to worry about being targeted by official Beyonders."

Aurore found the proposition enticing. She glanced at Lumian and gave a slight nod.

"I'll think about it. I'll give you my answer when the cycle is over."

...

Lumian immediately understood why his sister had looked his way.

I don't have a problem, but will a heavily corrupted guy like you bomb the test?

After chatting briefly, the siblings bid adieu to Leah and the others and headed back to Aurore's room.

Aurore perched on the edge of the bed and glanced at the door. She hushed her voice and muttered, "Leah's socially adept."

"What do you mean?" Lumian also sensed Leah had made the vibe harmonious in the study.

Aurore smiled and said, "She took the initiative to bring up my novel and asked for my autograph to bond with me, so she could pitch recruiting me. The recruiting was to fix the distrust and barriers we have, easing teamwork the next few days.

"The whole process seemed natural, not off-putting or wary. That's a sign of high EQ. You should follow her lead!"

Lumian remembered the chat and said self-deprecatingly, "If it were me, I might've been booted by now."

Amused, Aurore leaned back and said, "At least you know yourself!"

She ruffled her blonde hair and said, "I'll nap a bit. My eyes haven't fully healed so I need more rest. Rouse me at ten and I'll keep watch over you. It's your first night shift, so better safe than sorry."

Lumian didn't object and agreed instantly. He watched his sister lie on the bed unhesitatingly, pull the blanket over her and close her eyes.

The room instantly turned eerily silent.

Lumian quietly switched off the electric lamp and drew the curtains.

Then, he sat on the chair by the desk and quietly watched his sister sleeping peacefully under the crimson moonlight. His heart gradually calmed down.

-x-X-x-

The wind outside rustled, almost silent. Lumian allowed his thoughts to wander in this tranquil state as instinctive questions ran through his mind.

There's still light in the corridor. Leah must be awake still, reading Aurore's book collection…

Pitch darkness blankets my bedroom. Valentine should be resting in bed. I wonder what Ryan's up to…

Heh heh, they didn't bring any alcohol on their first visit. They've no clue about Dariège's customs…

!!

If the cycle lifts, Grande Soeur can turn informant for Bureau 8. When the time comes, she won't fret over any investigation if she goes to Trier… As for me, I needn't undergo any special tests as an informant, right?

Now we've a full theory of the whole affair. The sole thing we can't be sure of is the owl and the dead warlock in the tomb's role…

If they bewitched the padre and company, causing the abnormality to achieve some goal with the twelfth night ritual, why did they do nothing but monitor my progress exploring the dream ruins?

Could it be that, like Madame Pualis, they await a specific time or the ritual on the twelfth night, intending to complete the disrupted part? Is that why they want no changes to the loop restarting it ahead of time?

Their actions in turn prove the key to the loop lies with me. That's why they repeatedly try to confirm how far I've explored the dream ruins…

If I unlock the dream's secret before the twelfth night comes and master recycling the corruption, will they ignore the possibility of the cycle restarting ahead of time and attack me to hold me in custody?

Yes, it's very likely they still have their memories…

As all sorts of thoughts raced through his mind, Lumian suddenly heard faint commotion.

"Baa…"

It was a sheep's bleat, as if from afar.

Lumian instantly thought of the three people turned sheep and Shepherd Pierre Berry.

Don't tell me he really wants to attack us dead of night? Lumian stood up and listened intently.

Outside the window was but the wind's sound through leaves and branches. No bleating.

It seemed Lumian so engrossed in his thoughts was hallucinating.

But he didn't think so because he felt slight heat in his left chest.

The black thorn symbol seemed to have appeared again!

This meant an invisible force closely tied to the hidden existence had quietly invaded the room.

Lumian had no time to think. He rushed to the bed and shook Aurore.

"Wake up! Wake up!" he shouted in a hushed voice.

He instinctively worried Leah, Ryan and Valentine would sense something amiss with him.

Aurore opened her eyes, her light-blue eyes clearly dazed.

"What time is it?" she asked in a weak voice. Obviously she was still not fully awake.

"There's a situation," Lumian said decisively before continuing, "Half past nine."

They were one of the few families in the village with wall clocks.

Aurore's eyes snapped open. She bolted upright, threw out her right hand, and massaged her temples.

She had no time to consider what she might see that she shouldn't.

If she couldn't pinpoint the anomaly and confirm the problem as soon as possible, she might not have to worry about seeing anything again. The dead had no need for eyes!

Aurore scanned the room, her gaze darkening as if reflecting strange, indescribable lights and shadows.

Lumian seized the chance to tell his sister about the sheep's bleat he'd heard in the distance and the triggered heat in the black thorn symbol on his chest.

Aurore frowned. "But I didn't detect anything…"

"The burning in my chest remains," Lumian rumbled.

He felt inexplicably terrified. The darkness around him was not simple. An indescribable danger lurked.

Aurore scrutinized every corner of the room, trying to find the unknown.

Silently, Lumian broke into a cold sweat—a stark contrast to the searing heat in his left chest.

He deliberated for a moment and said, "Why not tell Ryan and the others? Maybe they can find something."

Aurore pondered, then nodded.

"Use your sudden sense of impending danger as an excuse."

"Right." Lumian opened his mouth, about to yell outside—then froze.

"What is it?" Aurore asked, alarmed.

Lumian frowned. "The heat in my chest is dimming fast…"

Meaning the black thorn symbol was "fading" rapidly.

"The danger invading our room has left?" Aurore mused. "Because we prepared, it did nothing?"

"Perhaps." Lumian turned to the corridor and bellowed, "Something's wrong!"

Ryan appeared in the doorway in the blink of an eye, followed by Leah, then Valentine, who looked jolted from sleep.

Without waiting to be asked, Lumian recounted what had happened, using his sense of danger in place of the burning in his chest.

Ryan listened intently, not doubting this was Lumian's hallucination. He sighed,

"It's useful indeed to take turns on night watch.

"Mostly it's boredom, but if it saves everyone, it's almost life and death."

As he spoke, he conjured pure Sunrise Gleam around him, circling every room on the second floor.

Though he couldn't find the sinister power, he could at least sanctify the environment.

...

Leah paced around, muttering under her breath. Her veil and boots jangled ominously, then fell silent just as abruptly.

Finally, she said to Aurore and Lumian, "It was dicey just now. On top of that, whatever it was could block my Sealed Artifact from giving me any warning. I'm afraid these stupid bells will only go off once that thing really starts targeting someone. But now, it has left."

"Well, that's reassuring." Aurore sighed in relief.

"Maybe it wasn't a single creature." Lumian relaxed and grinned. "Could've been more than one."

Ryan and the others were silent.

"That's even worse!" Aurore lashed out at Lumian and told the investigators, "Now that the alarm's off, let's get back to our schedule."

She didn't mention who might've snuck in to attack them. There were too many possibilities: Shepherd Pierre Berry, the unknown corpse in the tomb, or the shady deputy padre.

Without solid clues, speculating would just waste time. Better to wait until daylight.

For now, they just had to remember that nighttime held real danger. Someone was out to get them, so they'd need to stay on high alert.

Once Leah and the others had gone to their rooms, Lumian glanced at the wall clock and asked Aurore, "Want to sleep in a bit more?"

"No way, waking up and crashing this late sucks." Aurore stretched her arms overhead. "Ugh, just to handle emergencies, I got this dress with pockets for spell components and useful stuff. I didn't even dare roll over, scared I might stab myself. I slept like a board."

...

As she spoke, she hopped off the bed and strode to the window. She yanked back the curtains and peered outside.

Cordu was silent. Many houses were still lit up.

"I thought that owl would come after us for sure, but there's no sign of it out there." Aurore surveyed the area and explained to Lumian.

Lumian nodded.

"That was my guess too."

He then leaned in and whispered everything he had figured out to his sister.

"Not bad," Aurore said with a smile. "You're getting better at analyzing situations. I've got nothing to add." She paused. "But we can't take matters into our own hands. That tomb is too dangerous…"

At this point, she exclaimed, "At dawn, we'll pay Madame Pualis a visit and tell her your theory. Let her know the Warlock's and owl's motives might affect her escape from this time loop at that precise moment."

"I'll go myself," Lumian said. He didn't want Aurore anywhere near Madame Pualis who had designs on her.

Aurore didn't argue. She only reminded him, "Watch your back. Don't piss her off, or else…"

She eyed his abdomen meaningfully.

Aurore sighed and said, "Truth is, that mysterious lady at Ol' Tavern is clearly stronger, but she wants nothing to do with this time loop. No way she'll help us investigate that tomb."

"Yeah," Lumian agreed.

He then said, "Still, I'll drop by Ol' Tavern tomorrow to see if I can run into her. What if she changes her mind?"

"Fair enough." Aurore didn't object.

They chatted in hushed tones until midnight.

After Lumian relieving his post with Leah in the study, he returned to Aurore's room. He lay beside his sister, inhaling her familiar scent and sinking into the soft mattress. Sleep eluded him.

"What's wrong?" Aurore asked, noticing his tenseness.

"Just not used to this," Lumian said carefully.

Aurore scoffed.

"What happened to the bold Lumian I know?"

Lumian didn't reply. Aurore exhaled slowly and smiled.

"Remember when you first started tailing me? You were scared I'd slip away and refused to sleep at night. You were super vigilant."

"Yeah, I do." Lumian drifted into the past. "Back then, you'd hum me a lullaby and let me doze off to the sound of your voice."

As soon as the words left his lips, a familiar melody reached his ears. Light and soothing, it calmed his body and mind.

Leaning against the bed, Aurore gazed into the deep crimson dark before her. She hummed the lullaby from her hometown, soft and wistful.

It was a song their mother had crooned when Aurore was just a kid, coaxing her to sleep.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep…"

Lost in the gentle tune, Lumian gradually unwound and slipped under.

...

Lumian woke up amidst the faint gray fog.

He scoped the room and realized that he wasn't in his sister's room. He was still in his own room.

-x-X-x-

Indeed, no matter where I fall asleep, I'll wake up here. Lumian tumbled out of bed and glimpsed at the Fate Appropriator Dirk beside him. No, Fallen Mercury. He paced to the window in the faint gray fog.

He planted his hands on the desk and cast his gaze at the blood-colored "peak."

At the summit of the mountain, the fog was dense and stratified, utterly masking the three-headed, six-armed colossus.

I nearly lost control with just a glance the last time. I really have no idea what to do if I have to face it in the future… Lumian sighed in frustration.

He didn't sink into such emotions for long and quickly broke free because he still had numerous things to do.

Lumian contorted himself into a deranged dance within his bedroom, emitting a distorted spiritual pulse. Combined with the stirred forces of nature, he 'broadcasted' himself in an unspecific direction.

Before long, he sensed approaching entities and saw the translucent forms of the mouth-orifice monster, the shotgun monster, and the skinless monster reflected in his glass window.

Lumian was in no hurry. Following his dance, he withdrew a ritual silver dagger and stabbed the back of his left hand.

A droplet of crimson swiftly surfaced and congealed into a bead atop his skin, guided by his spirituality and the forces of nature.

The trio of creatures shifted but did not dare enter Lumian's abode or attach themselves to him.

Lumian spun around, elevated his left hand and bellowed, "I!"

Shouting in the ancient tongue of Hermes, it caused the room to rock faintly.

Employing his ritual dagger, Lumian collected the droplet of blood and aimed it at the mouth-orifice beast. "I command you! Onto me!"

Again in ancient Hermes. An imperceptible gust blew.

The translucent form of the mouth-orifice monster trembled visibly, as if seized and vigorously shaken by an invisible entity.

Just as Lumian completed his dance, believing it would have no effect, the mouth-orifice monster hurtled into the house and landed upon the ritual silver dagger, devouring the droplet of crimson.

It then convulsed violently as it tunneled into Lumian's body through the silver dagger.

Lumian could not help but gasp, his mind flooded with thoughts of 'So hungry, so hungry, starving, starving.'

He hastily turned and stared at the full-length mirror on his wardrobe. He saw his visage was pallid and tinged cerulean. His maw gaped wildly, resembling a cadaver more than a living being.

Success… Lumian exulted gazing at his reflection as if regarding a stranger.

It felt somewhat alien.

He resisted his intense hunger and attempted to sense the mouth-orifice monster possessing him.

It was like acquiring an additional brain. Much of it brimmed with hunger, bloodlust, madness and more. Instinctively, he had a proclivity to harness its characteristics.

Lumian could utilize his will and spirituality to magnify one of those instincts. It equated to employing the mouth-orifice monster's traits or abilities.

Without a second thought, Lumian chose invisibility.

In the blink of an eye, his reflection vanished from the full-length mirror.

Everything from his body to his clothes to the ritual silver dagger had disappeared.

Lumian took a few steps forward and back, but he couldn't spot any traces of himself in the mirror or glass.

Of course, his footprints and scent remained.

Lumian stuffed the silver dagger Aurore had given him, raised his arms, and punched the air a few times.

With each whooshing punch, the full-body mirror stayed empty until Lumian swung a fist at its surface.

The moment his knuckles connected with the mirror, his outline materialized. His face was pale with a tinge of blue, and his eyes glinted dangerously.

Unbelievable… No matter what I do, the invisibility stays on, but I can't mute it. However, as long as I attack the mirror, I lose invisibility… I thought it was optical invisibility like Aurore said, but it seems to be a result of mysticism… Attacking something forms a bond with it, rendering me invisible to its 'gaze?' Lumian hovered his right fist over the mirror.

After verifying the effects and limits of invisibility, ravenous hunger overwhelmed him. He stomped downstairs into the cellar and found two steaks.

If not for his rationality, he would've sunk his teeth into the dark meat.

Lumian abandoned the ingredients and grabbed the cheese he had stockpiled, realizing he had to fry the steak medium rare with no fire set up.

He didn't care if it was clean or delectable. Like a ghost starved to death, he shoved food into his mouth.

After eating a few cheese slices, Lumian finally satiated his intense hunger.

Looks like this is the downside of the mouth-orifice monster… he evaluated seriously. Luckily, I can still control my body and haven't lost my mind… That thing is obsessed with revenge but overpowered by even greater fear… If I utter 'leave' in ancient Hermes now, it'll bolt faster than anything…

By now, Lumian was sure the mouth-orifice monster's possession had acceptable side effects. Invisibility would become a potent weapon to explore and battle in the dream ruins.

Coupled with Fallen Mercury, he felt his combat ability had more than doubled.

Lumian returned to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, patiently awaiting the possession's end.

Soon, his spirituality nearly depleted.

He didn't strain himself. He stood up and performed some seemingly insane moves.

It was the same dance to attract monsters. Its purpose was to force the possessing creature out.

Without Lumian's command in ancient Hermes, the mouth-orifice monster's blurry and translucent figure flew out and vanished through the glass window on the first floor without glancing back.

Lumian couldn't help but make a self-deprecating remark. "Don't run so fast. You're acting like I have a cesspit on me."

He knew he could maintain possession for about three minutes given his spirituality. Once invisible, his consumption rate would double.

Of course, that was under normal circumstances. In danger, he could strain himself to last longer. But that risked losing control, best avoided if possible.

Though the mouth-orifice monster had left, Lumian still felt ravenous. He lit the stove and fried the steak medium well.

Then, he picked up his knife and fork and quickly cut, forked it, and put it into his mouth. He felt that the juice locked in the meat was delicious.

Lumian devoured two steaks in under ten minutes, sating his hunger.

Looking at the empty plate, he sighed, "Three minutes of possession needs at least two hours to recover…"

This didn't only mean eradicating hunger, but a recovery of spirituality too.

Lumian knew his current state wasn't fit for exploring. He found flour, sugar and other bits, using the oven at home to bake biscuits.

...

With cheese, this would be his main source of fuel in the ruins.

Had he more time, he'd have gotten jerky too—food shepherds often carried. As a Cordu resident, he knew how to make them.

Busy with this, Lumian pondered his dream ruin plans.

First, circle the city wall. Then hunt that flaming beast…

Only by amping up my strength can I better explore and unravel the secrets of the dream…

The flaming monster's strength was at least Sequence 7, and there was a high chance it was from the Hunter pathway. Its various abilities perfectly squashed Lumian. He hadn't planned on dealing with that dude anytime soon, hoping to first seek out prey that was weaker and on par with a Provoker. But now, scoring Fallen Mercury and Invisibility gave him a certain level of hope.

When his spirituality had mostly recovered, Lumian placed the baked biscuits and sliced cheese into a cloth pouch and slung it around his waist.

Then, he seriously wrapped his left hand in layers of white bandages and grabbed the evil dirk called Fallen Mercury.

Hauling his shotgun and axe, Lumian strode towards the door on the first floor with the other stuff he needed.

Suddenly, he had the feeling that he was a fully armed hunter preparing for a dangerous hunt.

Many thoughts surfaced in his mind.

...

My first move is to track the flaming monster's movements. Then I'll use Invisibility to sneak up on it and stab it with Fallen Mercury.

Before that, I'll hunt a weak monster and steal its bad fate. Then swap that fate with the flaming monster's.

I can't do the sacrificial dance while possessed and half-activate the black thorn symbol. Otherwise, the mouth-orifice monster will bolt from my body immediately. So, how do I get away from the flaming monster after hurting it and wait for the fate swap to finish? It'll easily lock onto me through my traces. Invisibility alone won't cut it…

Lumian hadn't figured out the last part yet. That depended on early intel.

As he opened the door and went into the wilderness, he had an odd feeling.

If I can successfully hunt the flaming monster, my Hunter potion will be fully digested.

...

In the area where he'd met the flaming monster before, Lumian held his pewter-black dirk in his left hand. He carefully searched for any traces, on high alert for sudden attacks.

After circling cautiously for nearly ten minutes, he finally found signs of the flaming monster.

In a collapsed house's corner, there were black scorch marks on a stone unlike any around it.

Where there's one, there's two. Lumian quickly tracked the flaming monster's location and slowly, cautiously followed its trail.

When the marks were fresh, he stopped and began to dance.

-x-X-x-

Lumian danced to lure in strange creatures. His objective: to use Invisibility to slip closer and analyze the flaming monster's habits and movements, gathering intel for future hunts.

Within a mere 30 to 40 seconds, he used ancient Hermes to reattach the mouth-orifice creature to himself.

An overwhelming hunger consumed Lumian, compelling him to open his mouth. It was as if his mouth had sprouted vortex-shaped teeth.

Swiftly, he stifled the ravenous and insane thoughts flooding his being, pulled out a small biscuit and a cube of cheese, and shoved them into his mouth, chewing and swallowing.

!!

Simultaneously, he strengthened the mouth-orifice creature's invisibility, causing him to vanish from sight.

Having quelled his hunger, Lumian tried hard to clamp his mouth shut to prevent the aroma of biscuit and cheese from escaping.

He then trailed the flaming monster along the road's edge.

Before long, Lumian spotted the charred monster, its every limb ablaze.

It was constructing a new trap in the clearing from before.

You're already a monster, yet you're still so dedicated? Lumian silently jeered.

Naturally, he understood this was merely an expression of the monster's instinctive behavior.

Lumian dared not approach too closely, halting beside a crumbling wall at the clearing's perimeter.

He studied the flaming monster for a few moments before glancing back at the path he had traversed. He noticed that, although his footprints were faint and concealed in less conspicuous areas, they still existed.

Lumian eyed his current position and hatched a plan.

Closely monitoring the monster's movements, he seized a larger rock and hurled it to the side. As it flew, he pressed his right hand against the decaying wall and vaulted up, landing securely atop the wall.

Crash! Lumian's actions were flawlessly masked by the sound of the rock striking the ground.

After changing his vantage point, Lumian felt much more at ease. Monitoring his dwindling spirituality, he intently observed the flaming monster.

He discerned that the flaming monster's traps were neither concealed nor challenging to detect. They didn't exploit any logical vulnerabilities or inertia-driven movement. They were simple and exposed.

The most elementary example was the flaming monster stretching a rope slightly above one's ankle between two ruined buildings across the clearing.

Any human or monster with normal vision could easily discover this trap.

At first, Lumian didn't grasp its purpose, but after placing himself in the monster's position, he gradually discerned its potential significance.

The intent of such traps was not to directly harm or ensnare enemies, but to forge an environment that enabled Hunters to exhibit their full potential.

In the heat of battle, one struggled to observe the environment and maintain situational awareness. Constantly distracted by these limitations, they occasionally had to slow down or alter their stance to evade traps. Hunters possessed the unique ability to remain alert to their surroundings at all times and exploit the environment to their advantage.

This disparity widened the gulf between their strengths.

An open conspiracy… Lumian nodded in understanding, recalling Aurore's words.

Suddenly, he perceived the flaming monster as a stern instructor imparting valuable lessons about Hunters to him.

Simultaneously, he remembered the content of Aurore's novel: Stealing from a master is punishable by death!

Eventually, the flaming monster ceased its activity. Its charred face instinctively scanned the vicinity.

Then, it strode towards the edge of the clearing near Lumian, flames dancing from its body.

Following a predetermined route to the next location? Lumian mused to himself, his excitement mounting.

For Hunters, discerning a quarry's path was invaluable.

Most traps lay hidden along such routes!

As the flaming monster ambled, it scrutinized its surroundings and examined the ground, remaining vigilant.

This caused Lumian to furrow his brow. He realized that a higher Sequence Hunter wouldn't be easily handled.

The most effective counter to Beyonders was often individuals or objects of a higher Sequence from the same pathway, even if the gap was only one or two Sequences.

I'm better at your strengths than you are. You may lack what I possess!

If not for his Dancer-related abilities and the Fallen Mercury dirk, Lumian wouldn't have dared to entertain any designs on the flaming monster.

Seven to eight seconds later, the flaming monster reached the edge of the clearing, approximately five to six meters from the crumbling wall.

As before, the flaming monster's gaze instinctively roved.

It paused, as if observing footprints near the wall's edge that appeared to have been left by someone.

Thump, thump. Lumian's heart pounded involuntarily.

He wasn't prepared to hunt the flaming monster just yet.

Despite the five to six meters between them, Lumian hesitated to kill the enemy with Fallen Mercury, knowing the latter hadn't stored an exchangeable fate.

If a fight erupted, he'd be hunted before he could activate the black thorn symbol!

Lumian struggled to control his heartbeat and breathing. His right hand hovered over the black cloth covering Fallen Mercury's blade, ready to tear it away at any moment.

If he leaped with full force from his current position, he might reach the flaming monster and avoid a long-range battle that favored his opponent.

Two or three seconds ticked by. The flaming monster averted its gaze and moved on.

It didn't seem to have noticed Lumian's footprints.

After covering another ten meters, the flaming monster suddenly spun around.

Flames erupted from its body, condensing into a massive, searing white fireball.

The fireball rocketed like a cannonball toward the spot where Lumian had been perched at the edge of the crumbling wall.

Following his instincts, Lumian, who was crouching on the wall, leaped down to the other side, where the flaming monster had laid its trap.

Boom!

A fiery blast erupted, causing the already unstable wall to collapse.

...

Upon landing, Lumian rolled twice to avoid falling debris and the shockwave laced with flames.

He immediately sprang back up, maintaining his "invisibility" as he sped through the traps left by the flaming monster and headed toward another exit in the clearing.

The flaming monster couldn't detect its enemy right away, so it focused on searching for clues.

Finally, it spotted a series of faint footprints.

By then, Lumian had reached the rope stretched between two collapsed buildings, easily jumping over it and fleeing the clearing.

He dashed to a natural trap and shook off his pursuer.

Having deactivated his invisibility, Lumian cursed in pain, "Too treacherous, too treacherous! One of these monsters' heads is worth two of Pons's. After finding my footprints, it pretended not to see them and deliberately increased the distance between us, fearing it might be defeated!"

As Lumian cursed, he felt like he had learned something new.

Of course, there were drawbacks to this approach: the increased distance gave Lumian room to escape.

Furthermore, his invisibility meant the flaming monster couldn't lock onto him right away. His chances of escaping were high.

After catching his breath and restoring some energy, Lumian mused while eating biscuits and cheese, "Based on what just happened, as long as I plan carefully and strike at the right moment, I can rely on Invisibility to create distance and escape to a safe location, waiting for the fate exchange to complete."

...

Lumian's Invisibility would break upon attacking, but as long as he avoided contact, he could use it again.

This valuable insight emerged from his reconnaissance.

However, he also realized a problem. As a Hunter, I didn't bring water when I went 'hunting in the mountains!' I'm so thirsty!

Both cheese and biscuits required water.

The jerky Lumian intended to make in the future fell into this category too.

After resting briefly, he resolved to hunt Noodle Man, strip its bad fate, and store it in Fallen Mercury. He couldn't risk being defenseless in an emergency again.

A puppet's fate also belonged to Fallen Mercury and could be exchanged. But Lumian wasn't a wielder. He couldn't swap his fate with others. If he could, he'd gladly give away the bomb on him.

...

About thirty minutes later, Lumian tracked down Noodle Man, the grotesque hodgepodge of limbs and features.

Having completed the ritualistic dance in advance, Lumian strode towards Noodle Man openly. As expected, he found Noodle Man prostrate on the fetid ground, trembling uncontrollably.

Very obedient… Lumian praised, gripping an iron-black axe in his right hand and the pewter-black Fallen Mercury dirk in his left.

Though Fallen Mercury dirk's malignant aura seeped into Lumian's skin even without contact, he had long grown immune to its corrupting influence. What might drive ordinary Beyonders to losing control was nothing to him.

Lumian glowered at the pathetic Noodle Man cowering before him, retracting his gaze from the gnashing maw on its forehead.

"According to Aurore, death is a mercy for your kind. The sooner you expire, the sooner your suffering will end."

As he spoke, Lumian crouched and plunged the pewter-black dirk deep into the back of Noodle Man's neck.

Noodle Man spasmed, but did not resist or struggle.

Lumian wrenched the dirk free and gripped his axe, swinging the weapon down with fluid grace.

The axehead cleaved through flesh and bone, sending Noodle Man's head tumbling across the ground with Fallen Mercury's swipe.

Blood erupted from the severed neck, splattering everywhere.

Noodle Man's twitching remains soon fell still, lifeless at last.

Lumian strode over to the head and retrieved FalleN mercury with his left hand.

In the fleeting second between breaths, an illusory river shimmered before his eyes.

The river appeared to be constructed from intricate mercury symbols, and each symbol seemed formed by the river itself.

At once, the river's branches disappeared, leaving only the primary current. It fractured midway and kinked as if wanting to double back to its source but for now could not prevail.

-x-X-x-

Lumian couldn't grasp the meaning of the illusory river he saw or sensed. All he could surmise was that it symbolized fate. Guided by Fallen Mercury's instincts, he lifted the blade's tip and aimed it at a mercury symbol within the river.

As soon as he made contact with the mercury river, a series of scenes flashed through Lumian's mind: Noodle Man performing an enigmatic sacrificial dance; Noodle Man cowering before the black thorn symbol and prostrating itself; Noodle Man gathering the scattered flesh and blood throughout the dream ruins to satiate its hunger; Noodle Man attempting to approach the 'city wall' circle, but retreating each time as if afraid of something; Noodle Man's head severed by an axe…

Is this its entire existence since the loop began? Lumian realized this as he tried to stab the tip of Fallen Mercury at the mercury symbol representing Noodle Man's demise—the end of the illusory river.

It was too immense and heavy for him to succeed.

At that moment, the mercury symbol started to dissipate, and the illusory river gradually faded. The images in Lumian's mind grew hazy.

There's a time limit? Lumian didn't dare to dawdle. Adhering to the principle of proximity, he aimed the dark pewter dirk at Noodle Man's fate of succumbing to the black thorn symbol.

The mercury symbol, seemingly formed by the river's entanglement, was pried open, condensing into a droplet that seeped into the blade of Fallen Mercury.

In the next instant, the illusory river vanished entirely, preventing Lumian from witnessing Noodle Man's fate again.

He glanced down at Fallen Mercury and noticed the heretic symbols on the pewter-black blade undulating gently like water, as though infused with some vital force.

They had been mesmerizing from the start, but now they appeared even more sinister.

"Success…" Lumian whispered to himself in relief.

Fallen Mercury was now complete.

In the future, as long as he could wound the flaming monster with this heretic dirk in battle, he could swap the monster's fate of cowering before the black thorn symbol with the former.

Lumian wrapped the blade of Fallen Mercury in black cloth and sheathed it in his belt. He dealt with Noodle Man's corpse briefly, moving it into a half-collapsed building. He destroyed the building's last support, allowing rubble and wood to fall, burying everything inside.

After this, Lumian circled back to where the flaming monster had appeared.

This time, he didn't approach for observation. Instead, he searched for footprints and other traces, taking time to identify which ones the target left while deliberately circling around.

After nearly two hours, Lumian gradually deciphered the flaming monster's habits and patterns. A mental hunting map emerged.

He spent some time surveying the predetermined battlefields, seeking natural traps to exploit.

Eventually, Lumian rubbed his forehead and decided to delve deeper into the ruins while he still had energy, gathering information for future explorations.

He remained vigilant and performed the sacrificial dance again, partially triggering the black thorn symbol.

With the 'amulet' in hand, Lumian quickly followed the same path as before.

He encountered monsters along the way, but they either fled before attacking or vanished from sight at a distance. The deeper he went, the more similar situations occurred.

Finally, when the burning sensation in his chest from the second sacrificial dance subsided, Lumian spotted the 'city wall' composed of twisted houses once more.

He rested a while, waiting for his spirituality to recover before performing the sacrificial dance again.

After the dance, sometimes forceful, sometimes graceful, Lumian headed in the direction where he found Fallen Mercury, the black thorn symbol activated.

After passing through the room where the flames had been extinguished, he slowed his pace, wary of a sudden assault.

After walking a while, Lumian noticed the light ahead had dimmed considerably. It was as if a massive creature high in the sky blocked the light, or the sun was obscured by something.

Lumian instinctively looked up, but saw only thick fog.

Unable to determine the cause, he could only draw Fallen Mercury and cautiously proceed.

In a moment, it felt as if he had transitioned from day to night.

Of course, this was an exaggeration. Lumian thought it more accurate to liken the foggy weather to a place shrouded in dark clouds.

Almost simultaneously, he yawned involuntarily, his exhaustion intensifying.

No, I can't sleep… Lumian forced himself to keep his eyes open as he retreated from the shadowy base of the mountain.

His mental state improved significantly. Although still tired, he could endure it.

You fall asleep the moment you enter. The deeper you go, the sleepier you become? Lumian mused silently. He turned and walked in another direction.

After another sacrificial dance, he arrived at an unfamiliar area.

To his right were 'walls' stacked with doors and windows. To his left lay a wasteland connected to the circle of building ruins, and ahead stood brown trees.

In the desolate ruins, the trees seemed incredibly resilient. They intertwined and embraced each other, forming a wooden wall five to six meters tall.

This wooden wall had numerous green leaves and branches, a stark contrast to the deathly silence and desolation surrounding it.

If it hadn't blocked the path to the back of the city wall, Lumian might have praised its tenacious vitality. But now, he could only express his dissatisfaction with the crude gesture of raising two middle fingers.

He could have chosen to take a detour and enter from the other side of the dream ruins, but he wasn't familiar with that area. His spirituality was nearly depleted, so there was no need to take the risk.

Lumian yawned unabashedly, his chest still burning as he retraced his steps.

...

As Lumian awoke, the first light of dawn had already crept through the thick curtains, casting an outline of the desk, chair, wardrobe, and other furnishings within the room.

Still early, he thought, glancing over at Aurore beside him.

Aurore's blonde hair lay strewn across the white pillow, her eyes closed in peaceful slumber.

Her right hand gripped the edge of the blanket, occasionally attempting to turn over but stopping instinctively. Her brow furrowed before gradually smoothing out.

Lumian had a good idea why his sister reacted this way.

She had hidden numerous bottles within her nightgown as a precaution. Sleeping on her side or stomach would undoubtedly cause her harm.

How exhausting, Lumian sighed inwardly, his expression tender and his heart at ease.

After a moment, he carefully slid out of bed and left the bedroom.

He moved toward a side balcony that led to the rooftop. Facing the distant crimson sky, he stretched his body.

Within a minute, Valentine emerged from his room and stood in the corridor.

"Are you also greeting the sun?" he asked, his usual cold demeanor replaced with warmth and approval.

...

Can I say no? Lumian smiled. "That's right."

Satisfied, Valentine stepped onto the balcony and stood tall, facing the rising sun.

He spread his arms wide, lifted his face toward the sky, and whispered, "Praise the Sun!"

With no other choice, Lumian mimicked the gesture. "Praise the Sun!"

Valentine lowered his arms and crossed them over his chest. After a moment of silent prayer, he opened his eyes and said to Lumian, "If the loop is successfully resolved, I'll introduce you to the bishop of Dariège. Or would you prefer Bigorre?"

"I prefer Trier," Lumian answered, smiling. "But where I go isn't up to me. It's up to my sister."

Valentine nodded and dropped the subject. He turned back toward the corridor and began patrolling.

Nothing happened until eight o'clock. The pair then went downstairs and prepared breakfast together.

Soon after, Ryan joined them to help. Leah woke up just before nine, leaving Aurore still asleep.

Ryan bit into his toast and asked Lumian, "Do you have any plans for today?"

Lumian hesitated before responding, "We should leave someone at home. Aurore can't be left to face a potential attack alone. The remaining two will accompany me to stock up on food and fetch some water. We must hold out until the twelfth night."

...

Cordu lacked a proper water supply. Aurore had installed a water tank on the roof during her renovations. As long as it was regularly filled and disinfected, it was as good as having running water.

"Yes, we need to do all this before Lent," Ryan agreed.

Lumian smiled brightly. "By the way, we should visit Madame Pualis and ask if she can help us investigate the dead Warlock and the owl in the tomb."

As expected, Valentine frowned, and Ryan's smile stiffened.

Leah sipped her water and offered a smile. "I'll stay with Aurore."

"No problem," Lumian agreed on behalf of Ryan and Valentine.

With no other choice, the two men acquiesced to visit the administrator's residence that morning.

Following breakfast, the trio exited the semi-subterranean two-story building and made their way toward Ol' Tavern.

They passed Shepherd Pierre Berry's home along the way.

Lumian's heart raced as he suggested to Ryan and Valentine, "Let's check on the three sheep."

He recalled the bleating he had heard the night before.

Understanding his meaning, Ryan and Valentine offered no objection.

They circled around to the rear of the Berrys' home, only to find an empty sheep pen.

The three sheep were gone.

-x-X-x-

Gazing at the empty sheep pen littered with hay and dung, Ryan furrowed his brow and said, "Did they really fix the underground altar so quickly?"

He suspected the three missing sheep had been taken for sacrifice.

"Maybe these heretics have some special powers," Valentine replied with disdain.

As Lumian listened to their conversation, he suddenly remembered the faint sound of a sheep's bleating he heard the night before.

Could it have been one of the sheep being sacrificed? Puzzled, he shared his suspicion with Ryan and Valentine.

"That seems unlikely," Ryan dismissed, shaking his head. "The cathedral is hundreds of meters from your house, and the altar is underground."

What he meant was that even with a Hunter's enhanced hearing, it would be impossible to hear anything from the cathedral's underground.

Lumian shared that doubt, but couldn't explain why he heard the bleating. Simultaneously, a distinct burning sensation appeared in his chest as the black thorn symbol partially activated.

There was no way to fake this!

Burning sensation… Lumian's heart raced, recalling something the mysterious woman had said.

Pray to yourself… the principle of proximity…

Thinking back to the ritual that invoked Dancer's power and the black thorn symbol, he formed a new hypothesis.

He heard the sheep bleating during the sacrifice because of mysticism!

In simpler terms, when the padre and his group performed their ritual and prayed to the hidden being, the principle of proximity also targeted the corruption in Lumian's body, partially triggering the black thorn symbol. As a result, Lumian could faintly hear the sheep's cries from afar.

Him being unable to respond or knowing how—with the corruption now sealed by the owner of the bluish-black pattern—the padre's ritual ultimately 'contacted' the hidden entity.

After the ritual, the burning sensation in Lumian's chest faded.

It seems no invisible, strange power had invaded Aurore's room last night. The anomaly in my body was just half-activated by the padre's ritual… Lumian roughly understood how events had unfolded.

At that moment, Ryan warned his companions, "It appears our investigation of the cathedral's underground has alarmed the padre and his people. They've found a way to repair the altar and pray for strength ahead of time. From now on, we need to be extra vigilant. Don't assume things will only turn dangerous as Lent approaches."

"If I weren't worried about restarting the loop, I'd have dealt with them already!" Valentine spat hatefully.

Then, he added gloomily, "Can you stop calling that servant of the evil god a padre? He's not worthy!"

Why was he a padre if he wasn't worthy? Lumian dared not voice his thoughts.

He wasn't afraid to voice his thoughts; but wanting to maintain his image in Valentine's eyes, he kept silent. After all, he might need to persuade this fanatic to do something later, like using his suicide to verify the essence of the cycle.

Ryan nodded.

"Let's visit Madame Pualis as soon as possible to replenish our supplies. We should stay inside as much as we can in the future."

Lumian said nothing more, leaving Shepherd Pierre Berry's house through the back door and heading towards the castle on the hill.

Passing through the vibrant garden, the trio approached the partially opened door and informed the red-coated, white-panted manservant, "We need to see Madame Pualis."

"Wait a moment." The valet glanced at Ryan and Valentine before swiftly turning and vanishing through the door.

Soon after, the pale-faced 'midwife' in a grayish-white dress emerged.

Compared to last time, her face was even paler, and her eyes were so blank that it made one's heart turn cold.

Had Lumian not informed Ryan and Valentine beforehand that the 'midwife' wasn't 'dead,' they would have been shocked.

They had seen plenty of dead people turn into zombies. The Solar High Priest specialized in such matters. Valentine had purified dozens of similar cases, but it was beyond their understanding how a person diced into pieces could revert to their original appearance and seem more alive than dead.

The 'midwife' spoke in a monotone.

"Madame doesn't want to see you. Please leave."

"We have urgent matters," Lumian insisted. "Isn't Madame Pualis concerned that the person underground will disrupt her plans?"

The 'midwife' maintained her tone.

"Madame says it won't affect her."

Hearing this, a chill ran down Lumian's spine.

It meant they would have a hard time getting Madame Pualis' help again.

Lumian smiled without displaying frustration or disappointment. Looking at the 'midwife,' he said, "But we might explore the tomb."

He implied that during the exploration, either side could encounter trouble, triggering the loop to restart prematurely.

Unfazed, the 'midwife' remained stiff and blank.

"You can try, but you'll only be disappointed."

What does she mean? Lumian couldn't grasp Madame Pualis' message.

Does she mean they could explore all they wanted, and she would offer some help at crucial moments, but they wouldn't find any valuable clues? The more Lumian pondered, the more he doubted that was her intended meaning. Otherwise, she wouldn't have refused their meeting request through the 'midwife.'

Before Lumian could consider other possibilities, Ryan thoughtfully asked, "Is Madame Pualis trying to tell us that the person in the tomb can easily control us and prevent our investigation without triggering the loop?"

"Yes." The 'midwife' nodded slowly, turned, and retreated deeper into the castle.

Lumian, Valentine, and Ryan exchanged glances and left, feeling helpless.

Their next stop was Ol' Tavern, where they could purchase plenty of provisions and barrels of cheap wine.

Compared to potable water that spoiled easily, wine was more stable. As long as its alcohol content wasn't too high, it could substitute for water.

Entering Ol' Tavern, Lumian scanned the room but didn't spot the mysterious woman.

Disappointed, he focused on the bar counter, telling tavern owner Maurice Bénet what they needed.

After Ryan and Valentine hauled out wine barrels, Lumian lowered his voice and inquired, "Where's the other lady?"

Maurice Bénet shook his head.

"I don't know. Maybe she's in her room, somewhere else in the village, or even in Liège. She rented the room until the 9th. She's free to do as she pleases."

...

The 9th? The twelfth night? Lumian nodded thoughtfully.

April 9th was the so-called twelfth night that he and Aurore had deduced.

This also confirmed that March 29th was indeed the loop's first day.

If Ryan and the two other foreigners hadn't happened to enter Cordu on a particular cycle's first day, the loop would immediately restart and commence on March 29th whenever outsiders invaded the area.

"Damn." Lumian slapped his forehead and told the tavern owner, Maurice Bénet, "My stomach's acting up. I need the restroom. Tell them to wait for me."

Maurice Bénet's expression seemed to say: What are you up to now?

"Don't mess with me!"

The downside of having a bad reputation rears its ugly head once more… Lumian chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'm really just using the restroom!"

As he spoke, he waved and sprinted toward the staircase.

He did want to use the restroom, but he was heading for the one upstairs.

...

Maurice Bénet glanced at his retreating figure and muttered, "Spring is here, and this scoundrel's hormones are raging…"

His voice barely reached Lumian's ears.

Upon reaching the second floor, Lumian approached the restroom and positioned himself in front of the mysterious lady's room.

Knock, knock, knock. He rapped on the door.

No answer.

Noticing the absence of a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the handle, Lumian knocked twice more, each time louder than before.

Unfortunately, the mysterious lady never showed.

Lumian pondered for a moment before producing a slim wire and jiggling it in the keyhole.

The door creaked open, revealing an empty room.

The bed's blanket lay neatly folded, as though no one had occupied the space recently.

Lumian exhaled quietly and closed the door without venturing inside.

…

In the afternoon, the siblings congregated in Aurore's bedroom under the guise of instructing Lumian in the art of Hermes to swiftly enhance his strength.

Lumian kept his voice low as he recounted his excursion into the dream ruins the previous night. At last, he inquired, "Anything to add? About hunting the flaming monster?"

Though he was armed with Fallen Mercury and Invisibility, his confidence in hunting the flaming beast remained low.

It was a Sequence of the Hunter pathway that had experienced a qualitative transformation!

Aurore chuckled.

"You've covered all the bases. The only thing I can add is…"

She lifted her hands, formed fists, and shook them gently.

"Break a leg!"

"…" Lumian felt defeated by his sister's jest.

However, the tension in his chest subsided.

Aurore then said, "What remains are some clichéd words: be careful, be careful, be very careful."

She sighed.

"It's a shame the mysterious lady isn't here. Otherwise, I could've crafted some simple, supplementary talismans, along with the Integrity Brooch, and had them brought into your dream."

"That's true." While Lumian felt disappointed, he wasn't disheartened. He had no intention of giving up.

…

At 9:50 pm, Lumian slid out of Aurore's bedroom and stalked down the hallway towards the washroom.

He intended to relieve himself before beginning his night watch.

Bathed in the crimson glow of the moon, the washroom was shrouded in darkness. Only the toilet was faintly visible.

Lumian bent over and unfastened his belt.

Behind him, the shadow on the wall abruptly writhed and morphed into a silhouette brandishing an axe high above its head!

-x-X-x-

Lumian's eyes were narrowed, his body tensing as he sensed the pores on his skin open. An overwhelming premonition of danger washed over him.

In the dream ruins, he'd had no shortage of similar experiences. Instantly, he halted and tumbled to the side, like a boneless sack of flesh.

A whistling wind filled his ears as a razor-sharp axe grazed his body, slicing through the air.

Lumian hit the ground with a thud, attempting to roll to his feet. But pale-white and pitch-black, eerie arms extended from the surrounding shadows, grabbing his clothes and coiling around his body.

The cold sensation and stiffness seeped into Lumian's flesh. Twisting wildly, trying to escape the restraints with his powerful agility, he shouted, "Help…"

Two malicious, bumpy palms smothered his mouth, stifling his voice abruptly, leaving only a whimper.

Simultaneously, Lumian glimpsed an elongated humanoid shadow on the wall, raising the axe at him.

Clang!

A two-handed broadsword of pure light blocked the axe's slash.

Ryan was the first to rush over, not bothering with his Dawn Armor, and simply summoned a Sword of Dawn.

The shadowy axe took on a heavy, sharp, and dark appearance the moment it detached from the wall.

The second person to arrive at the washroom door was Leah, who had been in the opposite study. The silver bells on her veil and boots tinkled softly.

Leah raised her right palm and aimed her silver revolver at the strange arms grabbing Lumian.

They tightened, as if trying to drag Lumian into the shadows.

Blue blood vessels bulged from Lumian's neck, forehead, and hands, straining with all his might.

Yet, he couldn't fend off the pale-white and pitch-black arms. His body dissolved into the shadows piece by piece.

Bang!

Leah fired, and a golden bullet wrapped in blazing flames struck a pitch-black arm that seemed to drip ink.

The arm ignited, quickly releasing Lumian's neck and retreating into the shadowy corner.

Aurore arrived at the washroom to find such a scene.

Seeing a third of her brother's body thinned and darkened into a shadow, his expression growing increasingly rigid, Aurore wasted no time. She pulled iron-black materials from her hidden pocket and sprinkled the powder at Lumian, her light-blue eyes darkening.

Lumian felt an invisible hand grasp him and pull him toward Aurore.

He recalled his sister using a similar spell before, but it had pushed him away—this time, she yanked him closer.

The colossal hand's strength equaled that of the sinister arms, stopping Lumian's slide into the shadows.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Ryan drove the figure with the sharp axe back into the wall.

The next second, Valentine appeared behind Leah and Aurore.

Witnessing Lumian's state, he spread his arms wide.

Golden illusory flames materialized around Lumian, incinerating countless wicked arms.

The pitch-black or pale-white arms either melted like candles or evaporated into black wisps of smoke.

Within seconds, four-fifths of the strange arms grabbing Lumian vanished.

The remaining arms struggled to resist the invisible hand and Lumian's efforts, releasing him one after another.

Feeling the grip on him loosen, Lumian was pulled by the invisible hand, half-flying and half-pouncing toward Aurore.

As the pitch-black and pale-white arms retracted, the axe-wielding figure froze on the wall, merging with the surrounding shadows, leaving no trace.

Lumian stood and surveyed the area, sneering.

"Is that it? Aren't you looking down on us by only sending one person?"

Aurore glared at him.

"Don't speak!"

How could he utter such ill-omened words at a time like this?

As Aurore's voice echoed in the corridor, a black, spiked vine, abnormally thick as if from the Abyss, descended from the study's ceiling.

At its top bloomed a massive, blood-red flower with a foul odor.

The flower expanded, as if stretching its mouth to the limit.

It suddenly engulfed Leah's head and writhed frantically.

As it chewed, the object in its mouth turned into a thin piece of paper and was shredded.

Immediately after, the radiant broadsword of light flew from the washroom, impaling the massive evil flower to the wall.

Streams of bright red blood oozed from the sword, evaporating into mist.

Simultaneously, tendrils of black vines cascaded from the ceiling of the Lumian residence, enveloping the walls and sealing the windows with enormous red blossoms.

Aurore swiftly produced a pearl-like powder and tossed it into the air, mingling it with summoned natural forces.

An unseen warm breeze blew, causing the black vines to wither and lose their vigor, no longer able to support the vivid red flowers suspended in midair.

The wilted vines dangled lifelessly from the second floor.

Not a bad result… Aurore mused to herself.

She had obtained the spell from a member of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. Intended as a gardening spell for weeding, Aurore had acquired it at a bargain price, thinking it would be useful someday. Typically, it was used to clear weeds from building walls, but today it proved invaluable.

Nonetheless, the abyssal black vines were unnaturally resilient. They merely withered and didn't perish instantly.

This bought time for Valentine, who summoned the golden and illusory Fire of Light to incinerate the vile creatures in the corridor and rooms.

...

Ryan then flooded the area with the pure Sunrise Gleam, banishing all evil and obliterating all illusions.

Confronted with this situation he was powerless in, Hunter Lumian stifled his urge to perform the enigmatic dance. He observed his sister and the three outsiders collaborate to eradicate the anomaly that had invaded the second floor.

Soon, the black vines and red flowers disintegrated into smoke.

But Leah's veil and the silver bells on her boots continued to jingle, signaling that danger still lurked.

Lumian swiftly surveyed the scene and sniffed.

"The air doesn't smell right…"

A faint, sweet scent lingered.

"I feel a little dizzy and want to sleep," Leah confessed her unease.

The fumes from the burning vines and flowers contain an anesthetic? How sinister! Aurore, possessing extensive mysticism knowledge, acted promptly.

She produced a handful of transparent powder and scattered it forward.

A fierce wind materialized from nowhere, gusting through every corner of the second floor.

...

Ryan, Lumian, Valentine, and Leah dashed into separate rooms, throwing open the windows that had been sealed by the black vines.

As the innocuous wind subsided, Aurore turned to Lumian and inquired, "And now?"

Lumian sniffed cautiously. "Don't smell it anymore."

"I feel better, too," Leah chimed in.

At that moment, the silver bells on her veil and boots ceased their movement.

The crisis was averted.

"A probing attack from the padre and company?" Aurore speculated.

Lumian glanced at Valentine, who appeared troubled.

"Could be Guillaume Bénet, who just received a boon, or the already powerful Shepherd Pierre Berry."

Valentine's expression softened at Lumian's choice of words.

Ryan surveyed the area and declared in a deep voice, "Whichever the case, we must heighten our vigilance. From now on, let's split into two groups for shifts. We'll alternate between resting and standing guard, day or night."

A single guard risked being ambushed without timely assistance.

"No problem." Aurore and Lumian exchanged glances before adding, "I'll be in the same group as my brother."

Ryan and the others didn't object.

Over the next few days, the two groups maintained a watchful eye in six-hour rotations. Although nothing transpired, as Lent drew near, they all felt the impending danger, anticipating relentless waves of peril.

During this period, Lumian continued exploring the dream while resting.

He didn't immediately hunt the flaming monster. Instead, he suppressed his impatience and sought to understand the creature's patterns.

With his Invisibility, long-range tracking, daily observation, and ample patience, Lumian finally gleaned the information he desired.

The flaming monster would set traps in the dream clearing each morning, practicing techniques it had mastered for 45 to 90 minutes. It would then follow a fixed route into a flesh-strewn area to replenish its energy.

Its afternoon activities were unpredictable, mainly patrolling its territory via different paths. Lumian had yet to discern its criteria for choosing routes.

In the evening, it would retrace the fixed route and re-enter the hunting zone.

Lumian remained ignorant of its nocturnal activities. He had only spent a maximum of six hours in the dream ruins and never ventured there at night.

…

The night before Lent.

Lumian jolted awake in the hazy gray fog of the dreamscape bedroom. He glanced at Fallen Mercury beside him and his mind snapped into sharp focus.

This was the night. He would hunt down the flaming monster.

-x-X-x-

Lumian meticulously wrapped his left hand in layers of white bandages. He gathered his supplies: Fallen Mercury, his iron-black axe, gray amber perfume, biscuits, cheese, bloodied mutton chops, rope for traps, and a bag of cooled boiled water. Slipping his shotgun over his shoulder, he left his semi-subterranean dwelling.

Through the thin gray fog, he ventured into a barren wasteland, riddled with cracks. He entered the dreamlike ruins and strode toward the clearing where the flaming monster often lurked.

Hearing a distant noise, Lumian veered towards a path he anticipated the creature would take, arriving at a natural trap he'd discovered earlier.

A deep pit lay beside the road, with collapsed walls to the front and left. Stacked rocks bordered the right side, and behind it, a mostly collapsed house loomed.

Such a trap was difficult to spot. Lumian had found it only after scouring the area multiple times.

He crouched behind the pit, tossing in a few sharpened wooden stakes. He covered it with a rope net he'd woven earlier and camouflaged it with soil.

With the simple trap set, he placed his bait: two blood-soaked lamb chops, half on solid ground and half suspended above the pit.

Lumian stepped back, assessing the precarious balance. He retreated into the mostly collapsed house, perching himself on the remains of an outer wall.

He adjusted his position to watch the trap without being seen by passing monsters.

Next, he took out the gray amber perfume and sprayed it on the wall.

A delicate, sweet scent wafted through the air, carried by sporadic gusts of wind that blew through the ruins.

The fragrance clung to the wall and to Lumian.

Without hesitation, he leaped away, looping back to the path where the flaming monster would appear, positioning himself closer to its hunting grounds.

Once more, he changed direction, crossing the path and entering the ruins of a building opposite.

Reaching the rear of the crumbling structure, he stopped, leaned against the wall, and waited.

As with his strategy against the shotgun monster, Lumian never expected his trap to fool the flaming monster or wound it severely.

These decoys and alarms targeted the creature's keen senses, observation, and behavior.

Only a Hunter knew how to exploit a Hunter's strengths!

Of course, all this relied on the target operating primarily on instinct, its intelligence limited to combat.

Leaning against the wall, Lumian gripped Fallen Mercury in his bandaged left hand, tearing off the pitch-black cloth shrouding its surface.

He couldn't know how long it would take for the flaming monster to arrive; all he could do was be patient.

Patience was his strong suit—a remnant from his vagrant days.

Time crawled by. Unseen by Lumian, a charred, flame-tinged monster entered the path.

After walking over 20 meters, its nose twitched.

It detected the faint scent of blood.

The monster didn't immediately turn. As it continued, it surreptitiously scanned the source of the smell.

Passing the collapsed wall, the bloody lamb chops caught its eye.

Tempting food, but the flaming monster resisted its instincts, not devouring the bait.

It pressed on, slowing its pace.

Soon, an unusual fragrance filled its nostrils.

It instantly deduced the meat was a trap and a Hunter lay in ambush nearby.

This Hunter seemed different from the one who had previously observed it while invisible. It lacked sufficient knowledge of Hunters and hadn't masked its scent beforehand.

Taking a few more steps, the flaming monster used the fragrance and subtle footprints to pinpoint the enemy hiding on the outer wall of the building behind the trap.

Feigning ignorance, it increased its distance by another seven to eight meters.

Suddenly, it whirled around, its scarlet flames rapidly condensing into a fireball tinged with white.

Boom!

With a flick of its right palm, the fireball hurtled towards Lumian's 'ambush' location, collapsing the outer wall and causing the house to shudder.

Hearing the explosion from a distance, Lumian abandoned his hiding spot, darting into the clearing, his movements a wild, distorted dance.

The explosion was like a signal flare, a stark reminder for him to swiftly ready the second phase of the trap.

Lumian and Aurore had devised this intricate plan, luring their prey into sending out their own signal flares.

In the midst of his mesmerizing dance, Lumian detected the hazy forms of the mouth-orifice monster, the shotgun monster, and the skinless monster.

By then, the flaming monster had already approached the collapsed wall, searching for any trace of its enemy.

Lumian danced for another ten to twenty seconds, his movements growing more intense. He drew out the ritual silver dagger with his right hand, making a small incision on his left wrist.

A single drop of blood emerged, congealing into a tiny sphere.

Lumian stepped forward, pivoted, and snatched up the blood droplet, aiming it at the mouth-orifice monster.

"I!"

He uttered the word in ancient Hermes, his voice barely above a whisper.

At that moment, the flaming monster had discovered the faint footprints Lumian had left behind. Catching a whiff of a subtle scent, it started tracking him.

Quickly shouting his follow-up command, Lumian watched as the mouth-orifice monster swallowed the blood droplet from the tip of the silver dagger and entered his body.

A wave of madness, bloodlust, cruel intent, and ravenous hunger washed over him.

Lumian fought back the discomfort, hastily bandaging his insignificant wound with a white strip he'd brought along.

Next, he popped a piece of cheese into his mouth, chewing and swallowing to make sure the residual gray amber scent on his body would mask any other mingled odors.

Throughout this process, Lumian sprinted to the edge of the road and halted at an inconspicuous spot.

He clenched his jaw tight and spun around, carefully retracing his steps along his previous path.

...

Relying on a Hunter's observation skills and Dancer's exaggerated flexibility, Lumian made sure to leave only faint footprints and no additional marks.

It wasn't long before he reached the center of the road and stopped.

Maintaining his invisibility, Lumian remained in plain sight on the road.

He waited, using shallow Cogitation and constant suspension to suppress any thoughts of attacking the flaming monster, a rudimentary way to disrupt its danger premonition.

His inspiration came from a Hunter's keen self-awareness.

Aurore had once written about the tactic of retracing one's footsteps to lie in ambush mid-road in a novel.

After seven or eight seconds, the flaming monster's pitch-black form appeared in Lumian's sight. Utilizing his uncanny flexibility, he twisted his body to observe the approaching target.

The flaming monster followed the faint footprints and scent left behind by its enemy. Uninterrupted, it continued its pursuit.

Once back on the main road, it sniffed the air, unsurprised to detect a mild fragrance.

It instinctively lowered its head and found the inconspicuous footprints.

But it found no trace of traps in the vicinity.

...

Without hesitation, the flaming monster tracked the footprints to the other side of the road.

The charred face and displaced eyeballs loomed larger and clearer in Lumian's sight.

Holding his breath, Lumian didn't disrupt his Cogitation again, striving to empty his mind.

Five meters, three meters, one meter… He lunged at the target, raising the Fallen Mercury in his left hand for a swift slash!

He didn't wait to close the gap further, fearing that it would trigger the prey's danger sense and prompt evasive maneuvers.

The flaming monster suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of danger.

Without thinking, it leaped to the side.

Simultaneously, its vision captured Lumian's figure, attacking with a pewter-black dirk in his bandaged left hand.

They were so close that despite the flaming monster's reaction, evasion was impossible. Lumian collided with it.

With a tearing sound, Fallen Mercury's sharp blade sank into the flaming monster's right chest.

The fate extracted from Noodle Man infiltrated the target's body as an illusory mercury bead.

Meanwhile, a river of countless intricate mercury symbols briefly surfaced. Some of the destinies rapidly converged towards the pewter-black blade.

Lumian didn't bother selecting the destiny to exchange, letting Fallen Mercury do as it wished.

Boom!

The monster's flames erupted.

The forceful shockwave hurled Lumian and his Fallen Mercury away. Crimson flames ignited his clothes and scorched his facial skin.

Lumian bore the searing pain, twisting his waist midair to alter his trajectory.

As soon as he landed, he sprang to his feet and fled.

However, unable to re-enter the Invisibility state until the flames were extinguished, he remained visible.

Boom!

Despite his serpentine sprint, Lumian was still knocked off his feet by the fireball's aftershock. His back throbbed with numbing pain.

He struggled to his feet, scrambling away from the path and into the ruins where he had been hiding before.

The flaming monster pursued Lumian, who was unable to turn invisible once more.

-x-X-x-

The flaming monster pursued relentlessly, hurling crimson fireballs that blasted craters in the earth. Lumian was thrown off balance multiple times.

Flames licked at the charred logs that littered the desolate landscape, casting flickering red light in every direction.

Lumian barely spared a thought for the fire still consuming his clothes. Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, he was sent sprawling by the shockwaves of detonation after detonation. He staggered to his feet and careened wildly towards his destination—veering left, then right, arcing and darting straight ahead.

Mercifully, he didn't have far to go based on his plan. Just as he felt the taste of blood in his mouth and his body threatened to give out, a dilapidated building loomed before him.

Boom!

Lumian contorted his body mid-stride, narrowly avoiding a fireball. The scarlet projectile exploded just ahead, unleashing a hellish maelstrom of flames.

Seizing the moment, Lumian dropped to the ground and rolled beneath the worst of the conflagration. With the momentum, he tumbled into the partially collapsed structure.

The flaming monster halted and hesitated, wary of pursuing its prey into a potential death trap.

It watched as Lumian rolled deeper into the building, summoning a swarm of red Fire Ravens around it.

Their screeches filled the air as they took flight. Half of them dove towards the building's support beams, while the others bore down on Lumian from all sides.

These avian flames were unerring, constantly adjusting their trajectories to match Lumian's movements.

In that instant, the flaming monster could almost see its enemy's charred remains.

Fire Ravens were far more difficult to dodge than mere fireballs!

And then, Lumian disappeared from the monster's view.

He had rolled into a well-preserved basement.

Bang!

Lumian slammed the wooden door shut and leaped aside, using the force of the impact.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! The scarlet Fire Ravens slammed into the door.

Boom!

The heavy door disintegrated into flaming splinters.

Rumble!

The remaining Fire Ravens struck their intended targets, bringing down the decaying structure in a torrent of debris.

Stone, wood, and dust engulfed the area, entombing the basement.

Lumian had already taken refuge in a corner, using the accumulated dirt to smother the flames that clung to him.

But he was still badly burned, his internal organs battered by the force of the explosions. Without swift medical attention, he wouldn't last another day.

The flaming monster's attack had been devastating, even more potent than Ryan sans his Hurricane of Light!

Lumian had intended to use Invisibility to elude the flaming monster, slipping into the basement to perform his enigmatic sacrificial dance, activating the black thorn symbol on his chest to terrify his foe. He'd planned to bide his time for Fallen Mercury to complete the exchange of fate. But the persistent fire had thwarted his Invisibility, nearly costing him his life.

The one consolation was that he had a backup plan in the event he couldn't escape the monster's pursuit, nor could he perform his sacrificial dance in peace.

He'd even considered collapsing the building to bury the basement and buy time, but the flaming monster had done the job for him.

Phew… Exhaling deeply, Lumian sat cross-legged.

He retrieved the bottle of gray amber perfume from Aurore, unscrewed the cap, and placed it before him.

Outside the demolished building, the flaming monster's gaze cut through the swirling dust, searching for any trace of its quarry.

It was certain that the cunning intruder wouldn't have been buried alive so easily.

Given the complexity of the traps he'd laid and his intimate knowledge of the ruins, he must have left himself an escape route!

The flaming monster wasn't particularly intelligent, but its Hunter's instincts led it to circle the collapsed building.

In less than ten seconds, it discovered a hidden cave entrance angling downward.

The opening was concealed by debris from the fallen structure, sheltered from the ensuing collapse. It was difficult to spot and tucked away in a discreet location.

The monster raised its right hand, conjuring a fist-sized white fireball in its palm.

With a sudden lunge, it hurled the fireball down the passageway.

The flames streaked through the air, penetrated the basement, and collided with the far wall.

Boom!

The blast wave didn't affect Lumian, who was deliberately hiding in another corner. It only overturned the bottle of gray amber perfume in front of him and quaked the entire basement.

The gurgle of liquid flowed from the open bottle, its elegant and sweet fragrance intensifying instantly.

Lumian leaned against the wall, eyes closed, lost in Cogitation.

His mind conjured a crimson sun, holding it steady for a few seconds.

Suddenly, a terrifying sound reached Lumian's ears, as if from an infinite distance yet unnervingly close.

Blue veins bulged across his face, hands, and neck, quickly turning red.

Simultaneously, silver-black spots seeped from his skin.

He opened his mouth to scream, but collapsed and curled up before a sound could escape.

Fallen Mercury slipped from Lumian's left palm, but it dared not make a move. It didn't even attempt to approach his exposed face or right hand to create a marionette through contact.

It just quivered there, violently.

Outside the basement, the monster poised to conjure a fireball froze beside the entrance Lumian had excavated.

It couldn't help but shudder.

A few seconds later, it fled, abandoning the hunt.

...

Lumian plunged into a darkness teeming with flickering flames. His mind was overwhelmed with excruciating pain and malevolent thoughts.

In that moment, death seemed preferable. He sensed something deep within him rapidly growing and taking form.

It appeared to be a trauma—composed of all negative personalities and a particular will. Once assembled into human shape, it would utterly supplant the original him.

Amid the unending darkness of despair and pain, Lumian caught a whiff of a scent.

Elegant and sweet.

It was Aurore's fragrance, a familiar aroma.

Aurore… Grande Soeur… Lumian slowly regained his composure, as if hearing the comforting melody once more.

I want to live!

The loop hasn't ended yet!

…

A rush of thoughts flooded back to him. Lumian finally vanquished the pitch-black will and the agony-laced darkness within his heart and opened his eyes.

...

The first thing in his sight was the toppled bottle of gray amber perfume on the ground.

It toppled? Lumian's heart ached as he reached out his right hand.

Initially, he'd only intended to mimic Aurore's use of incense to control his symptoms and rely on the natural perfume as a wake-up call. Unexpectedly, more than half the bottle had spilled.

In the next instant, his body quivered. He saw the charred, bloodstained back of his hand and the silver-black circular spots that had yet to fade.

Without needing a reminder, Lumian could "smell" the unfamiliar, hair-raising scent on himself.

If he crossed paths with Valentine now, he'd be "purified" by his Holy Light Summoning without revealing a thing.

Lumian scooped up the remaining half of the gray amber perfume, tightened the cap, and stowed it away.

He then picked up Fallen Mercury, still trembling violently, and asked in Hermes, "Is the fate exchange over?"

Fallen Mercury swiftly shook left and right, signaling it wasn't.

Lumian exhaled in relief.

He feared that by the time he awoke, the fate exchange would've been completed—the shock would last no more than a minute.

If he couldn't locate the flaming monster in time, his recent torment would be futile.

Breathe in, breathe out… Lumian adjusted his dreadful condition and mustered his remaining strength before crawling out of the basement through the hole he had dug earlier.

Each motion tugged at various wounds, making him wince in pain.

Upon exiting the basement, Lumian searched for the flaming monster's tracks and sighed inwardly.

Using Cogitation in such a state and fully activating the thorn symbol on my chest is downright suicidal…

I haven't done it since becoming a Hunter, barely repressing the symptoms with gray amber's scent. Had I done it a few times before, my body might have mutated slightly, turning me into a monster…

I can't risk this for a while unless I have a death wish…

He opted for Cogitation to fully activate the black thorn symbol on his chest rather than the sacrificial dance's partial activation, as time was of the essence and he couldn't perform the dance.

With Cogitation, he could frighten off the flaming monster in five or six seconds. The enigmatic sacrificial dance, however, took 30 to 40 seconds—even with his familiarity.

In Lumian's hunting strategy, this was his last resort. If he couldn't evade the flaming monster's pursuit by other means, he'd attempt Cogitation!

Lumian hadn't anticipated that Cogitation would leave him gravely injured from the start and on the brink of losing control, turning into a monster.

Before long, Lumian discovered the flaming monster's tracks and pursued them.

A few minutes later, the prints appeared fresher, so he slowed his pace.

Soon after, Fallen Mercury shuddered on its own, notifying Lumian that the fate exchange was complete.

Without hesitation, Lumian brandished the iron-black axe and charged forward, following the flaming monster's footprints.

In under twenty seconds, he spotted the scorched and smoldering prey.

It cowered in a rock-encircled corner, quaking.

Lumian dashed over, cast aside Fallen Mercury, and seized the axe with both hands, cleaving down with all his might.

With a dull thud, the flaming monster's head and body separated.

Bright red blood spurted out violently, igniting into scarlet flame clusters on the ground.

Lumian, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed to the ground with his axe.