13 COI

Lumian slumped to the ground, gasping for breath. He could barely muster the strength to move a finger.

Silently, he observed the crimson flames flickering on the ground, their intensity gradually diminishing until they snuffed out.

During this time, Lumian managed to lean forward and grab the Fallen Mercury with his left hand, while his right hand tightly gripped the iron-black axe, ready for any unexpected threats.

His focus was unwavering, and he remained on high alert.

Inwardly, he prayed to the Eternal Blazing Sun and the unknown, great being, hoping They would shield him from harm.

In his current state, even a mundane foe like the skinless monster could easily take him down, let alone the possibility of the flaming creature reviving itself unexpectedly.

As time ticked by, Lumian's spirituality and stamina gradually improved, but his injuries only worsened, leaving him disoriented and unfocused.

Hunters need to be cautious, level-headed, and patient—capable of using their environment to their advantage. Above all, they require courage.

Courage to confront the unexpected, to persevere in the face of crisis, to steel oneself when escape seems impossible, and to find a path out of the jaws of death…

Distracted by these thoughts, Lumian suddenly felt as if the Hunter potion coursing through him had been fully absorbed.

It was as if a barrier had shattered, and a tiny spark had merged with every fiber of his being.

All traces of Lumian's loss of control vanished, and his condition immediately improved.

Slowly, he rose to his feet and heaved a quiet sigh.

I've actually digested it…

This meant he was ready for the next potion.

Lumian, clutching the pewter-black dirk in his bandaged left hand, scanned his surroundings. Occasionally, he fixated on the flaming monster's remains, patiently awaiting the appearance of the Beyonder characteristics.

Unlike the shotgun monster's swift transformation, Lumian waited for half an hour. He wondered if the flaming monster still lived and whether he should strike it a few more times.

Finally, on the verge of collapsing from his injuries, red sparks burst forth from the monster's body.

Like fireflies, they swarmed around the corpse before gradually coalescing into a scarlet object resembling a heart.

The "heart" pulsed, its surface pocked with countless tiny holes, from which indistinct flames seeped.

Is this the main ingredient for the Pyromaniac potion? Lumian mused, reaching down to pick it up.

A searing pain radiated from his palm straight to his mind, making him instinctively want to fling the "heart" away to escape the agony.

Luckily, Lumian's skin had been numbed by the flaming monster's burns, allowing him to barely tolerate the relatively minor pain.

He tried wrapping the "heart" in a strip of cloth, but it instantly incinerated the fabric, reducing it to ashes.

After a moment's thought, Lumian set the Beyonder ingredient on the ground, wrapped the Fallen Mercury in the remaining black cloth, and secured it at his waist.

Next, he emptied the contents of the cloth bag containing the lead bullets into his pocket.

He then filled the bag halfway with soil from the area before tossing in the flame-wreathed heart.

But Lumian didn't stop there. He continued shoveling soil into the bag until the "heart" was entirely encased in layers of inflammable earth.

Exhaling, he carried the bag to the edge of the ruins, pondering a newly discovered problem.

I'm only a Sequence 9, and this is the main ingredient for the corresponding Sequence 7 Pyromaniac. I can't just advance to Sequence 7, can I?

This will make me lose control!

I initially thought the flaming monster would yield a Pyromaniac, Provoker, and Hunter Beyonder characteristic, but it's all mixed together…

Uncertain of what to do, Lumian stumbled away.

Miraculously, he didn't encounter a single monster on his way back. In his weakened state, any confrontation would have spelled disaster. His only hope was to rely on his keen observation and sharp senses to detect danger early and avoid it.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Lumian exited the dream ruins and traversed the barren wilderness, arriving back at his semi-subterranean two-story dwelling.

Laboriously, he climbed to the second floor and removed the Fallen Mercury, the cloth bag with the Pyromaniac ingredient, and the iron-black axe. He placed them on the bedside table or tossed them to the floor before staggering to the full-length mirror embedded in the wardrobe.

In the mirror, Lumian saw his ghostly pale face, marred by flame scars and faint silver-black patches on his skin.

His blue eyes flickered with an illusory silvery hue, entwined with darkness.

This was a sign that he had sustained severe injuries and nearly lost control.

If not for his home-field advantage in the dream ruins or the acquisition of Fallen Mercury and Invisibility, Lumian would have had no chance of defeating the flaming monster.

Munching on jerky and cheese to stave off the intense hunger left by his possession, he collapsed onto the bed.

He desperately needed to return to reality and rest for a while, allowing his body to recover swiftly.

…

Sunlight pierced through the curtains, casting the bedroom in a soft glow that highlighted Aurore's desk, cluttered with reference materials, reading notebooks, and stacks of manuscripts. It also illuminated a wardrobe filled with dresses and an exquisite full-body mirror.

Lumian opened his eyes to meet his sister's light-blue gaze.

Aurore watched him stir, her voice laced with concern. "How was it? Is everything alright?"

She knew that her brother had ventured into the dream ruins to hunt the flaming monster this time.

"I succeeded." Lumian sat up, his head feeling foggy. His skin tingled, and his bones threatened to snap.

But compared to the excruciating pain that had nearly killed him in the dream, this was nothing.

He lowered his gaze to examine his body. Red, swollen patches covered his skin, as if he were suffering from an allergic reaction.

"That's good…" Aurore sighed with relief. "An hour ago, you twitched all over and kicked me awake."

Lumian laughed, self-deprecating.

"It was indeed dangerous back then. I almost lost control."

"I was hesitant to wake you up, but you quickly calmed down and didn't scare me anymore," Aurore said, visibly relieved.

...

Lumian's heart stirred. "And you just kept looking at me?"

"That's right." Aurore nodded calmly. "If anything happens, I have to shake you awake and bring you back to reality. You can't die in your dreams."

Lumian suddenly felt the pain, struggle, and fear of nearly dying in his dream dissipate, replaced by a warm current surging from the depths of his heart.

He asked, almost without thinking, "You didn't wake up because I kicked you, did you? You haven't slept at all, have you?"

Aurore smiled and said, "That was my original plan, but considering how long you'd have to wait for that monster, and how I just finished my night duty, if I didn't catch up on sleep, I'd definitely be in a daze later. It'd be easy for me to make a mistake and not wake you up in time.

"So, I decided to put my hand on you and take the chance to catch some shut-eye.

"This way, I'd be able to sense any movement and wake up quickly. Heh heh, I was indeed kicked by you!"

As she spoke, she pointed at her right calf, where a visible bruise had formed.

Before Lumian could respond, she asked, "Tell me the details."

Suppressing his voice, Lumian recounted his ordeal, describing how he set up the trap, ambushed the monster, and how his clothes caught fire. Unable to turn invisible, he had no choice but to flee into the basement and fully activate the black thorn symbol with Cogitation.

Aurore listened intently, her expression occasionally betraying her worry for her brother's perilous situation. She was the kind of person who easily immersed herself in stories.

...

As the tale drew to a close, Lumian raised a question.

"How do I separate Provoker from the Pyromaniac Beyonder characteristic?"

He didn't know where to find the potion formula.

Aurore thought for a moment and said, "I don't know how to separate them. I've only heard that you might need the help of a high-level Beyonder for such a situation."

"A demigod?" Lumian guessed.

There were probably only three people he knew who had reached Sequence 4: the enigmatic lady, Madame Pualis, and the one lying in the coffin in the tomb.

Aurore nodded.

"I think so. Actually, you don't have to worry. I suspect the mysterious lady will come to you soon and provide some help. She always appears at critical points in your growth. This time should be no exception. After all, the loop hasn't been resolved and the secret of the dream ruins remains locked away."

"Go to Ol' Tavern to find her?" Lumian frowned.

Their agreement with Ryan and the others was to avoid going out as much as possible.

Aurore tersely acknowledged his words.

"Let's wait a while. She might visit us directly."

Aurore sighed and said, "For ordinary Beyonders, the potion formula isn't a problem, but you're different. There's corruption sealed in your body, and you can lose control if there's the slightest issue. You still need a complete and correct Provoker potion formula."

"Why don't ordinary Beyonders need potion formulas?" Lumian asked, surprised.

Aurore explained, "It's not that they don't need them, but anyone below Sequence 7 can advance just by consuming the main ingredient."

"Doesn't that risk losing control?" Lumian asked, astonished.

Aurore acknowledged tersely.

"Years ago, there was a high chance of losing control. But recently, Sequence 9 and Sequence 8 Beyonder characteristics can indeed be consumed directly. However, it's about 20 to 30% more dangerous than concocting a potion.

"Right, that's the conclusion reached by our president, Gandalf."

Why? Just as Lumian was about to ask, a familiar song echoed from outside the house.

The siblings exchanged solemn glances.

Lent had begun, and the Spring Elf entourage had reached them.

-x-X-x-

A group of young men encircled Ava, singing and dancing as they arrived outside the Lumian residence.

Guillaume-junior of the Berry family strode to the door and slammed at it.

He was a friend of Lumian, Reimund, and Ava. With curly brown hair and prominent freckles, his blue eyes appeared smaller than average, as if perpetually narrowed.

With a creak, Aurore appeared before them.

Her blonde hair tied up, she wore a formal flounce-lined, light-collared dress. Aurore exuded energy, her face radiant—impossible to tell she hadn't slept well the night before.

Ava, donning a laurel crown woven from tree branches and flowers, stepped forward and sang,

"I'm the elf of spring,

"With a sweet face and a joyful ring,

"…

"Come and sing, come and dance,

"For this is the only way,

To obtain a harvest that will stay…"

Aurore listened quietly, took the leaf, and handed Ava a small pottery jar containing animal fat.

"Bumper harvest! Bumper harvest!" The young men cheered.

As the Spring Elf entourage set off for the next location, Guillaume-junior deliberately lagged behind and asked Aurore, "Where's Lumian? I haven't seen him in the past two days. Is he not participating in the Lent celebration?"

Aurore laughed and replied, "He's sick."

"Sick?" Guillaume-junior was slightly surprised. "He gets sick too?"

In his mind, Lumian was always brimming with energy. At most, he'd suffer minor injuries from a prank gone awry.

"I'll be worried if he never gets sick," Aurore replied jokingly. "All humans fall sick."

Guillaume-junior hurriedly waved at Aurore as the Spring Elf entourage moved further away.

"Tell Lumian I'll visit him after Lent!"

Aurore nodded slightly, watching Guillaume-junior sprint towards the entourage that had stopped in front of the next building.

"How was it?" Lumian stuck his head out beside his sister.

Aurore thought for a moment and said, "They're still normal, but I wonder what will happen at the end of the celebration."

Lumian recalled the bloody scene of Ava's beheading at the celebration's end and the strange mood that agitated the young people. They had either gone mad sending off the Spring Elf or succumbed to mental and physical breakdown, collapsing to the ground. No one was spared.

Silently, he glanced at Ava singing in front of the neighbor's house and Guillaume-junior and company surrounding her. He slowly withdrew his gaze.

Ryan, Leah, and Valentine also arrived on the first floor and looked out through the window.

"We have to be very careful from now on," Ryan said in a deep voice after the Spring Elf entourage left the area.

Aurore nodded and said, "Yeah."

Before the celebration ended, they quickly prepared lunch and filled their stomachs.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The classic wall clock on the first floor chimed, signifying noon.

Lumian and the others, having tidied up the dining room, exchanged tense glances.

If the Lent celebration had gone smoothly, it would've ended by now.

And if the ritual to send the Spring Elf off was completed, who knew what Cordu would become?

In their semi-subterranean building, Lumian needed to raise his head slightly to see the situation outside the window.

The sky was a brilliant azure, filled with white clouds. The sun shone brightly, and there were no dark clouds, fog, or dim light as he had imagined.

Leah paced around the stove, the small silver bells on her veil and boots tinkling nonstop. It was neither intense nor soothing.

Seeing Aurore looking at her, she explained, "We're already in danger, and it's been an extended period of danger, but it's manageable at the moment."

Aurore acknowledged and didn't inquire further.

Ryan, on the other hand, sighed and said, "By the twelfth night, it would be great if it was always at this level."

Aurore blinked, embarrassed to tell this Dawn Paladin of the Machinery Hivemind not to jinx it.

Although Lumian's heart was heavy, he still smiled and replied to Ryan,

"There's a proverb in our Dariège region that says, 'Good and bad are all predestined.' Regardless of how worried we are, we can't change what happens next."

What he didn't say was: The only thing they could do was muster up the courage to face it.

In the intermittent conversation that followed, the five of them were on guard against any abnormalities. However, be it the weather or the birds, everything was so normal that it only instilled greater fear in them.

After almost thirty minutes, they found themselves staring at the door simultaneously.

Footsteps drew near.

Soon after, Aurore's doorbell rang, the sound reverberating through the first floor.

Exchanging a glance with his sister, Lumian cautiously approached the door and peered through the peephole.

The man who had rung the doorbell was their neighbor, Louis Bedeau.

"What's going on?" Lumian cracked the door open, smiling.

Louis Bedeau had black hair and blue eyes. He was in his forties and had been injured while harvesting wheat in the fields when he was young. He had only three fingers on his left hand.

Clad in a grayish-blue blazer and dark pants, he said timidly, "I need to borrow your oven. It's Lent. We must bake some fresh bread for the kids."

As he spoke, he lifted the flour bag and nudged the bag of inferior coal beside him.

...

Lumian hesitated for a moment before turning to Aurore.

Aurore nodded, signaling him to let Louis Bedeau in.

She had already discussed it with Ryan and the others in hushed tones, intending to observe the changes in the villagers who had participated in the Lent celebration up close.

"Just baking bread? I thought you'd make some bacon for your kids." Lumian stepped aside and teased Louis Bedeau with a grin.

Louis Bedeau replied cautiously, "If we have a bumper harvest this year, there should be plenty of bacon."

His eyes brimmed with anticipation, as if he was certain of a bountiful harvest.

Once inside, Louis Bedeau greeted Aurore and headed to the oven, busying himself.

The more Lumian and his companions observed, the stranger they found him.

Louis Bedeau didn't even glance at Ryan, Leah, and Valentine, as if they were invisible!

It was like a person who had already turned into a monster trying their best to pretend to be normal. However, as long as they encountered something that exceeded their original memories, they would display obvious abnormalities or ignore it.

Lumian instantly thought of the deputy padre, Michel Garrigue.

...

Initially, he appeared fine, but recently, all that remained were his daily activities of eating, sleeping, and urging others to pray. He ignored everything else!

Under the watchful eyes of the three foreigners, Louis Bedeau baked his bread mechanically, occasionally conversing with Lumian and Aurore.

It was very normal, yet very abnormal.

After Louis Bedeau left with the baked bread, Aurore looked at Ryan and the others, smiling wryly.

"Everyone who participated in the Lent celebration must have become like this."

"It's like being replaced by a monster bit by bit," Leah exclaimed sincerely.

She no longer forced a smile on her face.

Lumian had already regained his composure and posed a question.

"How can we save someone like this if we want to?"

"The only thing I can think of is purification," Valentine replied with a sigh. "But if the abnormality is already closely integrated with humans, the final outcome might be purification together."

At that moment, two more villagers passed by the window.

One of them was a regular customer of Ol' Tavern and Pierre Guillaume, who had scrounged Ryan's absinthe in a previous cycle.

He was happily chatting with his companion, seemingly discussing the excitement of the Lent celebration.

As they passed Lumian's door, they simultaneously turned their heads to look inside the house, their expressions eerily grim.

After an instant, they withdrew their gazes and resumed their conversation, smiles plastered on their faces.

If Lumian and his companions hadn't been watching the outside whenever someone passed by, they wouldn't have noticed the fleeting change in their expressions.

The louder the laughter outside, the more suffocated they felt.

Silence took over the conversation.

Eventually, the two villagers left, and Aurore sighed, saying, "This isn't just being replaced by monsters bit by bit. I suspect that the entire village is filled with monsters wearing human skin, except for us."

Is this the complete Lent celebration? Lumian couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Ryan sternly warned, "It's going to get tougher every day. Everyone, hang in there."

From noon to night, they kept vigil against mutated villagers attacking the house, but apart from the occasional passerby who gazed inside with a sullen or cold expression, nothing happened.

The situation weighed heavily on Aurore and the others.

Ryan surveyed the room and said gently, "There are still a few days until the twelfth night. Don't be so tense.

"After dinner, we'll split into two groups and take turns resting. We must maintain a good mental state."

With such an experienced Beyonder with a calm demeanor, both Aurore and Lumian felt more at ease.

At midnight, Aurore and Lumian woke Leah and the others, then retreated to their bedroom.

Lumian glanced at the door and lowered his voice.

"That mysterious woman hasn't appeared. Should I find an opportunity to go out tomorrow and take a look at Ol' Tavern?"

"Everyone in the village might be a monster now. It'll be very dangerous if you go out." Aurore disagreed.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Let's wait a little longer. If the mysterious woman doesn't appear tomorrow morning, I'll accompany you to Ol' Tavern in the afternoon."

Lumian hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He planned to discuss with his sister tomorrow morning if they should ask Ryan and the others for help. The five of them could act together.

…

In the bedroom filled with a faint gray fog, Lumian opened his eyes.

He sat up and checked his body, realizing that his severe injuries had completely healed.

Just as he was about to marvel at the fact, he suddenly heard the sound of a doorbell ringing.

Someone's ringing the doorbell? The thought instinctively flashed through Lumian's mind. He habitually prepared to go down to the first floor to see who was visiting.

He had just taken a step when his entire body froze.

This was the dream ruins!

How could anyone visit?

-x-X-x-

Instantly, Lumian tensed up.

He spun around and returned to the bed, scooping up Fallen Mercury with his bandaged left hand.

Grabbing his shotgun, he strode to the bedroom window while the doorbell continued to ring. He scrutinized the entrance.

There was no one there!

In that moment, Lumian's heart felt like it was about to seize.

He intended to activate his Spirit Vision for a better look.

Since he would hear the maddening and terrifying sound and show signs of losing control after entering Cogitation for a few seconds in the dream ruins, he couldn't use this ability smoothly. It took him a while to complete the corresponding operation.

However, even with his Spirit Vision activated, he still didn't notice anyone at the door.

Yet, the doorbell rang incessantly.

As his thoughts raced, Lumian seriously considered returning to bed, forcing himself to sleep and escape the dream.

But he felt that even if he returned to reality, he might not be able to evade the subsequent attack, considering the unknown danger that could invade his semi-subterranean two-story building at any moment.

Two scenarios:

If the person ringing the doorbell can enter, going to bed is as good as surrendering.

If they can't enter, I'll be safe as long as I don't open the door myself.

Regardless, I must go downstairs and take a look…

Lumian made up his mind quickly.

He sheathed Fallen Mercury at his waist, clipped his axe, and hoisted his shotgun. He stepped out of the room and cautiously descended the stairs.

Upon reaching the first floor, a figure came into view.

At the six-person dining table sat the enigmatic woman Lumian had been searching for.

She wore a white blouse with a large bow at the collar and loose pearl-gray pants. Her casual attire was deceptively elegant.

She sipped a pale-golden drink, a short black hat beside her.

Lumian relaxed and approached the mysterious woman with brown hair and blue eyes.

He set the shotgun and axe aside, pulled out a chair opposite the dining table, and sat down. He asked, "You can enter here?"

The woman set her glass down and smiled.

"How else do you think those materials were delivered to your room?"

As she spoke, the jingling sound ceased.

Lumian glanced at the door, puzzled.

"Since you're already inside, why were you still ringing the doorbell?"

She smiled and replied, "That's basic courtesy."

Courtesy that can scare people to death? Lumian dared only to mutter inwardly.

He got straight to the point.

"I've obtained the Pyromaniac Beyonder ingredient. Uh, it should be Pyromaniac."

The woman nodded gently.

"I know. That's why I came to see you."

"Are you willing to help me separate the Provoker Beyonder characteristics and give me the corresponding potion formula?" Lumian suppressed his sudden joy and asked, "I was planning on finding you at Ol' Tavern."

As for the price he would have to pay, he no longer cared.

The lady smiled and said, "With Cordu's current situation, it's very dangerous for you to go out, so I came here directly. I can indeed provide the help you want, but it won't be free this time."

Lumian noticed that indecipherable emotion in the woman's eyes again, but the notion that it was no longer free reassured him.

The unknown was even more terrifying.

"What is the price I need to pay?" he asked without hesitation.

She replied calmly, "The separated Pyromaniac and Hunter Beyonder characteristics belong to me."

That simple? Lumian was surprised.

He didn't even think of it as a price. After all, he wouldn't be able to use the Pyromaniac Beyonder characteristics for a long time.

She continued, "In addition to the help I originally provided, if there's any more in the future—if there's a future for you—you have to do something for me."

Lumian sensed the inscrutable emotion in her eyes intensify.

He probed, "What if I don't?"

She laughed.

"Isn't it common for investments to fail? Didn't your sister lose some money buying stocks with divination?"

"What do you need me to do?" Lumian asked without hesitation.

She sighed softly.

"Let's talk about it if you can survive.

"Alright, give me the Beyonder characteristic you obtained."

Lumian rose and headed for the stairs leading to the second floor.

He barely restrained himself from sprinting up the staircase. When she could no longer see him, he dashed.

...

Soon, Lumian returned to the first floor with the cloth bag containing the Pyromaniac Beyonder characteristic and approached the dining table.

The woman raised her glass again and sipped the pale-gold liquid.

"What's this?" Lumian asked casually.

She explained simply, "It's an aperitif from Trier called Black Poca. It's brewed from ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves soaked in sweet wine for a long time. It tastes pretty good."

Having raised the topic merely to build rapport, Lumian didn't pry further. He opened the cloth bag and extracted the burning heart from the soil.

A scorching sensation seared his palm. Enduring the mild pain, he leaned forward and handed the Beyonder characteristic to the woman across the dining table.

She extended her left palm and let the "heart" hover in midair.

She glanced at Lumian and chuckled.

"When storing Beyonder characteristics in the future, remember to change their environment every once in a while. If such a thing comes into contact with something for too long, it's very likely to fuse with it and become a mystical item that needs to be sealed."

Is that so… Lumian asked, "How often do I need to make a change?"

"Normally, it takes two to three days," the woman said nonchalantly, "but accidents do happen. I recommend switching environments every 24 hours. With proper sealing and preservation, it could last months or even years. Also, if you've already mixed Beyonder ingredients into a potion, drink it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the liquid might merge with the bottle."

...

As she spoke, a sudden flash enveloped her body, and the burning "heart" transformed into countless red fireflies.

The fireflies danced and swirled, coalescing into three distinct objects.

One was a dark red, springy, textured object. Another was a shrunken version of the burning heart, now missing numerous holes. The last was a black stone with a liquid-like surface and a potent odor.

The woman's right palm caressed the three objects, causing two to vanish into thin air.

All that remained on the dining table was the dark "rock," about half the size of a fist.

"Is this the Provoker Beyonder characteristic?" Lumian asked eagerly.

The woman produced a post-it note and a silver fountain pen, scribbling down the potion formula, then reminded him, "You still lack mystical knowledge. After killing the monster, you only took the Beyonder characteristic.

"Such Beyonder creatures are rich in spirituality. Many of their parts can be used to make charms, lotions, and ingredients for certain spells and rituals. For example, its blood is a supplementary ingredient for the Pyromaniac potion.

"Although the Pyromaniac potion requires Fire Salamander blood, the monster's blood will do. It's essentially the same, and the effects might even be better."

The more Lumian listened, the more regretful he became.

Although Aurore's adventure novels included scenes of hunting monsters and harvesting parts, he hadn't connected this to reality. He believed the flaming monster's only value was its Beyonder characteristic.

And now, retrieving it was impossible—the blood would have dried by now!

The woman ignored his reaction, tearing off the top note and letting it float toward Lumian.

Lumian grabbed it and read the words eagerly.

"Provoker potion formula:

"Main ingredient: One Provoker Beyonder characteristic;

"Supplementary ingredients: 50 milliliters of distilled liquor, 10 drops of honeysuckle extract, 5 grams of grapevine powder, 10 grams of fern powder;

"Usage: Drink it directly."

After finishing, Lumian asked, puzzled, "There aren't any materials rich in spirituality…"

Like the Fire Salamander's blood.

She smiled and replied, "Different potions have different requirements. Yours mainly relies on symbolic mysticism.

"For example, ferns symbolize being 'easily influenced by others.' This aligns with the essence of a Provoker."

So, a Provoker needs to sway others with their words? Lumian tucked the note away, pondering where he might find the supplementary ingredients.

Distilled liquor was available at home; Aurore used it in certain dishes. Grapevines and ferns were abundant in Dariège, though venturing out might be risky. The only item left was honeysuckle—he'd have to ask Aurore if she had any among her spell-casting supplies…

When Lumian looked up again, the woman across from him, along with the black short hat and the Black Poca aperitif, had disappeared.

He hadn't even noticed when she'd left.

This despite the fact that his Spirit Vision hadn't been deactivated the entire time.

Phew. Lumian exhaled and headed back to the bedroom, clutching the Provoker Beyonder characteristic and the potion formula, anticipation swelling within him.

He quickly lay down on the bed, intending to return to reality and consult Aurore, hoping to gather the additional ingredients by nightfall.

He didn't care that his Spirit Vision was still active; it would deactivate on its own once he fell asleep.

…

In the dead of night, Lumian opened his eyes and glanced over at Aurore.

He couldn't wait to share the news of acquiring the Provoker potion formula with his sister.

Yet, almost simultaneously, he spotted Aurore's mouth open slightly, a hazy, translucent figure emerging.

It was a bizarre, lizard-like creature!

Lumian's gaze locked in place. As the ethereal lizard surveyed its surroundings, he instinctively shut his eyes.

The "lizard" darted its gaze around before quickly scurrying away from Aurore's mouth and exiting the room.

Lumian reopened his eyes, staring at his sister in bewilderment.

Aurore's face was shrouded in darkness.

Her mouth hung slightly open as she slumbered peacefully.

Lumian observed her, motionless, as if he'd become a statue.

In the thick of night, his heart sank further into despair.

-x-X-x-

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. The second hand of the wall clock echoed through the dark room.

After what felt like an eternity, Lumian finally shook off his nightmare.

He hastily reached over, gripping Aurore's shoulders and shaking her vigorously.

"Wake up! Wake up!"

!!

He stifled his voice, careful not to alert the three official investigators on night duty.

Aurore's eyes remained tightly shut, her mouth slightly agape. No matter how much Lumian shook her, she didn't respond. She appeared like a living corpse, devoid of a soul.

Lumian's shaking gradually slowed, then ceased altogether.

He gazed at the sleeping Aurore, frozen in place for a long while.

He couldn't comprehend what was happening or when the issue had begun. The fear he felt mirrored the night he'd witnessed his grandfather's death.

From that day on, he'd embarked on his nomadic existence.

Lumian's fists clenched tighter, his body quivering slightly.

Abruptly, he spun around to face the window.

The translucent, ghostly "lizard" had returned to the room.

Lumian leaped off the bed, lunging with his right hand to grab the stunned creature as it caught sight of him awakening.

In the next instant, he jammed the "lizard" into his mouth, snarling with a twisted expression, "You like to worm your way into people's mouths, huh? Fine! I'll give you a chance!"

As he crammed the "lizard" into his mouth, he tore at it ferociously, his eyes bloodshot.

The "lizard" appeared too petrified to resist.

Just then, a voice sounded behind Lumian.

"What are you doing?"

It was Aurore's voice.

Lumian froze and slowly turned to look at the bed.

At some point, Aurore had woken up. Her blond hair disheveled, she sat up with her light-blue eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Subconsciously, Lumian glanced down and realized that the "lizard" he had captured had long vanished.

For a moment, he didn't know if what he had just seen was a nightmare or reality.

"What's wrong?" Aurore frowned.

Lumian forced a smile.

"You kicked me off the bed while having a nightmare."

"Is that so?" Aurore eyed her brother suspiciously, feeling like he was playing a prank.

She thought for a moment and said, "I had a nightmare. I dreamt that I was grabbed by a huge monster and stuffed into its mouth. I was so frightened that I struggled with all my might and finally woke up."

As Lumian listened, a chill ran through his body, as if he had been submerged in an icy lake that hadn't completely thawed.

"Maybe, probably, I really kicked you…" Aurore was a little embarrassed.

Lumian closed his eyes and smiled.

"I'm just kidding. I woke up because of something else."

He then lowered his voice and said, "That mysterious lady appeared in the dream ruins and helped me separate the Provoker Beyonder characteristic and gave me the correct potion formula."

"So, you woke up in joy and wanted to ask me if I had the corresponding supplementary ingredients?" Aurore deduced.

Lumian said with a smile, "That's right. By the way, do you have honeysuckle extract, grapevine powder, and fern powder?"

His smile was much more natural than before, but there seemed to be a flickering glint in his eyes.

Aurore mulled it over for a moment before responding, "I have both grapevine and fern. One is a ritual ingredient, and the other is a spell medium.

"Honeysuckle flowers. We always have them at home. Don't you know that I soak them in water for drinking?"

As she spoke, she rummaged through the hidden pocket of her long dress.

"That's honeysuckle?" Lumian looked at his busy sister and deliberately smiled. "Why didn't you ask if I was given free help this time?"

Aurore took out a short grapevine and said with a smile, "You grind it into powder yourself!"

She didn't seem to hear Lumian's question.

"Alright." Lumian pretended not to have asked.

He then said to his sister, "The Provoker potion still requires distilled liquor. I'll head to the cellar to retrieve it and strive to advance to Sequence 8 tonight."

"It will take some time to make extracts from honeysuckle flowers," Aurore said with a frown. "However, the supplementary ingredients for Low-Sequence Beyonders potions aren't that strict. You can use the entire honeysuckle flower as a substitute. You can consume them as long as the Beyonder characteristics can eventually dissolve."

She then looked at the open door and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid that Ryan and the others will be suspicious if you go to get distilled liquor in the middle of the night?"

Seeing his sister's reaction, Lumian forced his smile from being too stiff.

"As a regular at Ol' Tavern, waking up in the middle of the night and suddenly wanting to drink is very normal.

"Although alcohol has many disadvantages, it can at least relax my mind to a certain extent."

What he meant was to use the excuse that the Lent celebration had ended and he was under too much stress. He had trouble sleeping and needed hard liquor to relax.

"Sure." Aurore agreed.

Lumian turned around and walked to the door, the smile on his face gradually disappearing.

He clenched his fists tightly from beginning to end.

...

After exiting the door and arriving at the corridor, Lumian saw Ryan standing diagonally opposite him in a brown tweed shirt and pale-yellow pants. Leah and Valentine were at opposite ends of the corridor.

"Not sleeping anymore?" Ryan raised the kerosene lamp and looked at Lumian.

Lumian grinned.

"I'm heading to the cellar to get some liquor. How about it? Do you want a sip to relax?"

"I don't need it." Ryan nodded. "You haven't experienced anything like this before. You're tense and under a lot of stress. It's understandable. Alcohol can indeed help."

As he spoke, he walked towards the staircase with the flickering kerosene lamp.

"I'll go with you. You shouldn't move alone at a time like this."

"Alright." Lumian didn't object.

As the two entered the stairs, Leah took the initiative to approach Aurore's bedroom and stand guard at the door.

One step, two steps… Lumian and Ryan descended to the shadowy first floor in silence.

As the faint light cast a glow over half the stove, Ryan asked casually, "Did something happen upstairs? I heard some commotion."

...

Lumian opened his mouth and said with difficulty, "Aurore, something's wrong with Aurore…"

His intention in suggesting they get alcohol from the cellar wasn't to advance tonight. The two-story building in the dream ruins also had a cellar and the distilled liquor. His main goal was to avoid Aurore and communicate with Ryan and the others about what had just happened.

However, when the words reached his lips, he almost couldn't bring himself to say them. He felt that the unsaid words were even more choking than the strongest liquor.

Ryan's expression turned serious.

"What's the matter?"

Lumian took a few deep breaths before saying, "Aurore, like the deputy padre, had a lizard that looked like a mini-elf coming out of her mouth."

It was as if all his strength had been drained when he said this.

After seven to eight seconds, he recounted the entire incident. Instead of waking up willingly, he explained it as happening to wake up and seeing it.

Ryan listened quietly and didn't rush him. After he finished, he said gently, "You handled it well. We can't let her know that something's amiss. I'm worried that it will worsen the situation.

"Continue pretending that nothing happened. At dawn, I'll use the excuse that Cordu has been corrupted and that we need to undergo a purification every day to prevent ourselves from being affected. I'll get Valentine to try and exorcize the lizard."

"Alright," Lumian replied weakly.

He felt that the "lizard" had already fused deeply with his sister's soul. It wasn't that easy to exorcize and purify.

Ryan glanced at him and patted his shoulder gently.

"I can understand how you feel. If something similar happened to my family, I wouldn't be able to stay calm.

"But you have to remember that impatience can't solve anything.

"I know Valentine's purification might not be effective, but we have to give it a try to confirm that it won't work. Yes, that abnormality is most likely related to Cordu's loop. As long as we can finally break the loop, your sister should be able to recover."

That's right… This is equivalent to corruption. As long as I can remove all the corruption when the loop is lifted, Aurore will definitely be fine… Lumian's eyes gradually lit up as he regained his motivation.

Ryan was rather satisfied with his reaction and said gently, "I need to remind you that you have to adapt to your sister's changes in the next few days. It's very likely that she'll be like the deputy padre, gradually losing herself to instincts. She'll act differently, following her memories and strongest emotions without reacting to anything else."

Lumian fell silent for a moment before saying, "I'll adapt…"

His voice became softer and softer until it trailed off.

After getting the distilled liquor from the cellar, the two of them returned to the second floor as if nothing had happened.

Upon entering the bedroom, Lumian smiled again.

He shook the bottle in his hand at Aurore and whispered, "It worked."

Aurore smiled and pointed at the desk.

"The honeysuckle, grapevine, and fern are all there."

Lumian nodded and placed the bottle on the desk.

Then, he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes under the pretext of trying to fall asleep and advance in his dreams as soon as possible.

He couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

He couldn't figure out when his sister had been corrupted and had the lizard enter her body. During this period, the two of them had been together every second. Even if Aurore went to the washroom, Leah would accompany her, and vice versa. How could there be a problem?

If it happened during our sleeping hours, why didn't anything happen to me? Lumian tried his best to recall, hoping to find the source. It would help resolve the abnormality.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

In the previous, previous cycle, Padre Guillaume Bénet had remarked that the Church didn't want to kill all the adults here and harvest a ruin. He said that he had other means even if Aurore really wanted to deal with them.

At that time, he was still an ordinary person.

Lumian initially believed that he was relying on Shepherd Pierre Berry, but with the current situation, he had a guess—a crazy guess: Perhaps from the beginning, most people in the village had been parasitized by those strange lizard-like creatures, including Aurore!

As the twelfth night approached, the corresponding abnormality would become more and more obvious, and some people would show signs earlier.

The reason why he was spared was because he had the bluish-black symbol on him.

Recalling Aurore's lack of commitment in many matters in the second half of the previous, previous cycle, Lumian felt that his guess might be correct.

He couldn't help but grit his teeth.

At this moment, Ryan was patrolling the corridor with a kerosene lamp.

On the wall beside him, the shadow suddenly lengthened.

Almost at the same time, the small silver bells on Leah's veil and boots rang.

She felt her shoulders turn abnormally cold.

-x-X-x-

The sound of tinkling bells sent a shiver down Leah's spine. Unable to pinpoint the danger, she instinctively used her Paper Figurine Substitutes.

Her body rapidly shrank and thinned, morphing into a carefully trimmed paper figurine.

The paper figure darkened, turning yellow and brittle as if it had aged a decade in an instant.

Silently, the withered yellow paper disintegrated into countless tiny fragments.

!!

Leah reappeared at the top of the stairs, clutching the kerosene lamp. But in the next moment, she felt the chill on her shoulders.

Her thoughts raced as she raised her right hand and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Activating her Spirit Vision, she glanced at the room across from her and the glass window.

In the dim light of the kerosene lamp, the washroom's glass reflected Leah's upper body.

Transparent, ghostly infants perched on each of her shoulders!

Their faces were round and chubby, their skin a ghastly blue-white. Their expressions twisted in malevolence.

The spectral infants leaned down, pressing their mouths to Leah's neck as if feeding on her essence.

Rather than panic, Leah breathed a sigh of relief.

Identifying the source of the threat was far better than being in the dark!

Now she could assess the situation and make informed decisions.

Just like this!

Leah drew her exquisite silver revolver, aimed at the eerie infant on her left shoulder, and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

A golden bullet, wreathed in illusory flames, burst from the barrel.

The infant wailed as it was flung from Leah's shoulder, consumed by the golden fire.

Bang! Leah fired again, this time at the infant above her other shoulder.

The second ghostly child, ablaze with the same intense fire, cried out as it followed its companion down the corridor.

A woman's figure materialized. Her eyes were a piercing blue, her features delicate; her round face framed by disheveled black hair. She was the padre's mistress, Sybil Berry, sister to Shepherd Pierre Berry.

Her skin was coated in a sickly blue hue, and on both sides of her neck, grotesque growths protruded.

The spectral infants returned to her, latching onto the corresponding growths to feed.

As they nursed, the golden flames that engulfed them gradually dissipated.

But Leah would not stand idly by. She aimed at Sybil Berry and pulled the trigger.

With a bang, the golden bullet traversed mere meters before striking Sybil squarely in the forehead.

For some reason, Sybil made no attempt to dodge. A bloody hole bore through her skull.

Within the wound, white and red mixed as illusory golden flames devoured them both.

Clang! Sybil fell lifeless to the floor. The ghostly infants, their pale faces contorted in anguish, vanished.

That's it? Leah couldn't believe it.

The silver bells on her veil and boots continued to tinkle, growing more intense by the second.

In the blink of an eye, Leah felt a cold, malevolent force growing within her.

Frantically, she glanced at the washroom and the glass window. Her skin had taken on a bluish hue at some point.

In the next instant, her body reverted to a paper figurine.

The paper figure crumpled into a ball, hitting the floor with a thud.

Leah reappeared in the bathroom, the icy sensation still growing inside her.

Almost simultaneously, a gentle voice whispered in her ear.

"I made a pact with a strange spirit world creature and gained one of its abilities.

"Whoever kills me, I can be reborn within their body and take control.

"You're very beautiful. I like it very much. The padre should like you very much too…"

Without hesitation, Leah bolted from the bathroom, silver revolver and kerosene lamp in hand.

She had to find Valentine.

Exorcism was one of the Sun domain's specialties. They were particularly effective against such threats!

…

Valentine found himself cornered near the balcony.

The area was choked by pitch-black, thorn-covered vines hanging from the ceiling. Blood-red, putrid-smelling flowers bloomed all around.

Valentine spread his arms, summoning golden flames from thin air to incinerate the monstrous flora.

Just then, a figure materialized in midair.

He wore a white robe adorned with golden threads. His black hair was short, his blue eyes solemn, and his nose slightly hooked. He was Guillaume Bénet, the padre of Cordu.

No longer invisible, he floated in the air and gazed down at Valentine. In ancient Hermes, he bellowed,

"Valentine!"

Dark energy flickered within the padre's robes.

This was an ability Guillaume Bénet had obtained through a contract with a spirit world creature.

...

By invoking the target's true name, he could affect their Soul Body, causing disorientation.

The closer the language was to nature and the spirit world, and the better the understanding of the target, the stronger the effect.

If his Spirit Body was far superior to the target's, he could even extract their spirit, leaving them disoriented and defenseless.

Valentine's head spun as he heard the padre's shout. He suddenly felt dizzy and couldn't think straight.

However, he quickly regained control and shook off the disorientation.

Ever since entering Cordu, he had never revealed his full name. The padre's ability had limited effect on him.

Guillaume Bénet hadn't expected success either. Before Valentine could completely shake off the dizziness, the padre hurled a human bone he had prepared earlier.

As the bone hit the ground, the airborne padre rapidly recited in Hermes, "Blind, deaf, unwakeable."

It was a curse and an ability Guillaume Bénet had gained through a contract.

He cast bones symbolizing death to render the target like the dead—blind and deaf, with unresponsive eyes.

Valentine wasn't asleep, so the curse couldn't render him unconscious. However, the lingering dizziness intensified, blurring his vision and causing his ears to ring. He struggled to see beyond three meters or hear anything further away.

...

Seizing the opportunity, the padre extended his right palm.

His blue eyes took on a hazy, almost ethereal quality.

Complex mercury symbols, reminiscent of tiny rivers, swirled around Valentine. They formed a grand illusory river shimmering with light.

Countless tributaries branched off downstream. As the main river surged forward, most were swallowed up, leaving only one.

Guillaume Bénet observed for a few seconds and snatched one of the mercury symbols just before Valentine broke free from the cursed blindness and deafness.

He intended to amplify the corresponding tributary and make Valentine's fate of being paralyzed by the Abyssal Demon Flowers a reality.

…

Ryan barely managed to dodge the shadow's axe as it slashed down towards him. He quickly discarded the kerosene lamp he had been carrying and donned his silver-white armor. In his hand, a broadsword condensed from light appeared.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Ryan slashed continuously, forcing the shadow back against the wall. The specks of Sunrise Gleam he released covered the surroundings, exorcizing the shadows in the area.

The pitch-black, pale-white, evil, or terrifying arms that were about to reach out from behind the shadow were pushed away, making it hard for them to grab Ryan's body.

With a clang, the shadow shrank back into the wall and reverted to normal.

It disappeared under the illumination of Sunrise Gleam.

Not far away, a remnant shadow enlarged, and Shepherd Pierre Berry, dressed in a long hooded coat, walked out.

He bent down slightly and charged at Ryan with his axe, accumulating powers in his body with every step. After a few steps, Pierre Berry seemed to have the posture and strength of a giant.

Ryan loomed over his opponent, gripping the Sword of Dawn with both hands as he prepared to strike the enemy charging at him like a rampaging bull.

Clang!

The broadsword and axe clashed, sending a shower of sparks in every direction.

Both Pierre Berry and Ryan recoiled simultaneously. One stumbled back three steps to regain balance, while the other only needed one.

Ryan halted his retreat, one leg stretched back, and seized the moment before Pierre Berry could steady himself. He lunged forward, slashing at his adversary.

Just then, Pierre Berry's mouth gaped open.

His tongue bizarrely morphed into a peculiar chameleon.

The chameleon's head was tucked between its legs, a front foot stuffed into its mouth.

The instant Ryan's gaze fell upon the chameleon, he was wracked by a searing pain in his head, so intense that his attack faltered, failing to land.

Headache curse!

Shepherd Pierre Berry had gained this ability through a pact with an enigmatic Spirit Body that had reveled in studying all manner of curses during its life.

Capitalizing on the opportunity to inflict a debilitating headache on Ryan, Pierre Berry summoned the receding shadow back and unleashed a ferocious assault.

Amid the cacophony of clanging metal, Ryan found himself forced to retreat.

…

Amid the chaos outside, Lumian bolted upright and urgently told Aurore, "Something's not right! We have to regroup with Ryan and the others!"

Ryan had drilled this principle into their heads time and time again: In the face of an attack, they had to strive to stay together. A united team was far more effective than five individuals battling solo!

"Okay!" Aurore leaped out of bed and sprinted for the door, reaching into the concealed pocket of her flowing gown.

As Lumian neared the open doorway, he caught sight of a figure—Deputy Padre Michel Garrigue stood before him, garbed in a white robe adorned with gold thread.

The striking, curly-haired youth's eyes were eerily vacant as he offered Lumian a smile.

"Do you want to pray?"

With a swift motion, Lumian yanked his axe free and aimed for Michel's neck.

Michel's head lolled, but only a trickle of blood escaped.

Glancing at Lumian from the corner of his eye, he inquired with a radiant smile, as if nothing had transpired, "Do you want to pray?"

As Lumian prepared to raise his axe and sever the man's neck, an overwhelming sense of danger washed over him.

Relying on his Dancer's uncanny agility, he abruptly spun around and swung the axe behind his back.

In the next second, his gaze froze.

He saw Aurore.

Aurore's light-blue eyes had inexplicably grown vacant. She hurled a handful of powder, ground from some kind of tree, at Lumian.

Gazing upon his sister's familiar visage, Lumian's axe strike decelerated until it came to a halt.

He even forgot to evade.

A crackling noise erupted as a sphere of silver lightning struck Lumian's head.

He fainted.

Darkness swallowed his vision.

-x-X-x-

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Ryan retreated, barely managing to parry Shepherd Pierre Berry's relentless onslaught.

Pierre Berry's eyes were bloodshot, the gentleness gone, replaced by a ferocious rage.

As sinister arms, either pitch-black or ghostly white, reached from the shadows to ensnare Ryan, Pierre Berry swung his axe at Ryan's head.

This time, Ryan didn't parry or retreat. He didn't even raise the Sword of Dawn.

Instead, he twisted his body, allowing the eerie arms to grasp his legs and Pierre Berry's axe to strike his shoulder.

Clang!

Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the silver pauldron, light flaking off and dissipating.

Grimacing in pain, Ryan genuflected, plunging the Sword of Dawn into the floor.

He knew he'd been separated from his allies for too long. He needed to regroup at any cost.

The strength of a team surpassed that of any individual!

In a split second, the light-infused two-handed broadsword detonated.

It shattered into countless light fragments, morphing into a hurricane that barreled towards Pierre Berry.

Panic flickered in Pierre Berry's eyes at the devastating blow.

Ignoring the malevolent arms, he retreated into his own shadow.

A fierce storm of pure light engulfed the area, slicing shadows and evil into shreds.

As an area-of-effect attack, Hurricane of Light inevitably impacted Ryan's surroundings, despite his best efforts to direct it towards his enemy.

Silently, the walls of Lumian's and Aurore's bedrooms crumbled, reduced to tiny fragments in the terrifying storm.

Near the balcony, pitch-black vines hanging from the roof writhed like tortured weeds. Even Padre Guillaume Bénet, suspended in midair, had no choice but to hastily dodge.

Bloodied scratches marred his body as he fled Aurore's house.

Rumble!

Half the roof had been obliterated, the second floor pockmarked with gaping holes. In many places, the stove below was visible.

Leah was also caught in the storm of light, her figure rapidly withering and shrinking, transforming into a paper figurine.

When the tempest subsided, she reappeared in the study, barely intact.

Ryan knew she had Paper Figurine Substitutes, allowing him to unleash such a brutal attack on Pierre Berry in a confined space.

As for Aurore, Lumian, and Valentine, their positions offered some protection from the attack. Ryan had tried to control the storm's direction, with limited success.

After assessing the situation, he decided to use this decisive attack.

Crimson moonlight and faint starlight streamed through the ruined roof. Ryan scanned the area but saw no sign of Aurore or Lumian. Leah, pale-faced, was rushing towards him. Valentine lay unconscious on the balcony, numerous wounds from the Hurricane of Light, but none lethal.

Seeing his battered allies, Ryan stopped searching. He grabbed Leah's shoulder and leaped to the balcony.

With one hand, the Warrior hoisted Valentine and jumped from the Lumian residence.

Relying on his not-yet-shattered Dawn Armor to withstand further ambushes, he raced towards the edge of Cordu Village, fleeing to the nearest mountain pasture.

They had a plan: if they couldn't defend Aurore and Lumian's homes, they'd retreat to the pasture.

There, they could use the terrain to their advantage, escape by leaping off the cliff, and trigger the cycle.

Padre Guillaume Bénet hovered above, unable to match the Dawn Paladin's top speed.

Beneath him, Shepherd Pierre Berry emerged from the shadows at the edge of the house.

His dark robe was shredded, the hood long gone. His face, chest, and legs bore deep gashes, blood oozing relentlessly. It was a chilling sight.

Had he not swapped his shadow with that of a villager at the crucial moment, he'd be dead with his body torn to shreds!

The villager who had served as his pawn was now undoubtedly a mangled heap of flesh and blood.

…

As Ryan obliterated the Abyss Demon Flower with his Hurricane of Light, Valentine's paralysis waned. He regained consciousness before they left Cordu Village.

"What's the situation?" he inquired, his voice muffled by the wind.

Ryan, running at full speed, couldn't elaborate. He replied tersely, "Help Leah first!"

Valentine glanced at Leah, cradled in Ryan's other arm, and noticed her pallid, ashen face.

Without a moment's hesitation, he stretched out his hand with great effort and placed his palm on Leah's shoulder.

"Sun!"

He cried out in ancient Hermes.

Glistening golden droplets materialized out of nowhere, raining down on Leah.

Her expression contorted, and steam rose from her body.

Within seconds, Sybil's ethereal figure was expelled, her face filled with shock and terror.

She couldn't fathom how she'd been ejected from Leah's body.

Immediately after, ghostly golden flames erupted from the void, engulfing the bizarre spirit like a candle, reducing it to liquid droplets.

Sybil shrieked and cursed, but couldn't evade her fate of being purified.

This time, she failed to reincarnate in Valentine's body.

"Vile creature!" Valentine muttered under his breath.

...

…

Shepherd Pierre Berry looked up at Guillaume Bénet, who hovered above, and asked, "Should we chase them?"

Despite his injuries, he refused to surrender.

Guillaume Bénet pondered for a moment and responded, "No need. Our priority lies here.

"They won't make any moves in the short term. They'll only observe and assess the situation. That's enough for us."

As he finished speaking, he furrowed his brow and whispered, "Sybil's dead."

"Can't she be 'reborn'?" Pierre Berry asked, surprised.

He wasn't particularly distraught over his sister's demise.

Guillaume Bénet couldn't help but curse, "I warned her not to use Rebirth in front of the three official Beyonders. Rebirth at this level is inherently countered by the power of the Sun pathway, but she didn't listen.

"Imbecile! What a waste of the Lord's gift!"

…

...

Lumian's eyes snapped open, taking in the wispy gray fog and the familiar ceiling above.

He had awoken within the dream ruins after losing consciousness.

Gasping for breath, Lumian struggled to sit up straight.

As Aurore's attack struck him, he had been filled with despair, thinking it was better to just surrender.

She could reclaim the beautiful life she had granted him, along with the five years she had given him.

Phew… Lumian exhaled sharply as two realizations pierced his thoughts.

That wasn't Aurore. She was possessed by a monster!

To give up now would be to abandon her to the creature and snuff out her last hope!

Lumian rose to his feet, his resolve steeling within him.

He glanced toward the window and spotted a bottle of liquor, a honeysuckle flower, some grapevines, and fern powder.

Had that woman sent these materials? Had she witnessed the attack? Why hadn't she… Lumian shook his head, dispelling his intrusive thoughts.

In this dire circumstance, he could only rely on himself and his allies. No matter how powerful others may be, they were useless to him now!

Wasting no more time, Lumian retrieved the instruments he'd used to brew the Hunter potion and poured 50 milliliters of liquor into a beer mug.

He added the honeysuckle flower, grapevine powder, and fern powder, one after the other. Lastly, the repulsive "stone" with its dark, flowing liquid surface.

A sizzling sound accompanied the dissolution of the Provoker Beyonder characteristic, and the honeysuckle flower vanished.

The colorless liquor in the mug turned a deep black, becoming viscous. The mere sight of the potion made Lumian want to hurl it away and stomp it into oblivion.

He steadied himself, using shallow Cogitation to calm his nerves and focus.

Moments later, Lumian snatched up the beer mug without hesitation, gulping down the foul, pungent Provoker potion.

Setting the mug down, he immediately felt his insides grow heavy, as if plummeting.

Drawing on his experience, Lumian sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, bracing for the next transformation.

His breaths became heated, his emotions veering wildly between anger, sorrow, frustration, and exhilaration.

Simultaneously, a voice—infinitely distant yet intimately close—assailed his ears, drilling into his temples like an iron spike.

Familiar, searing pain engulfed Lumian's mind, but he couldn't shake certain thoughts.

I must succeed!

I must unlock the secret of the dream!

I must save Aurore!

I must shatter the loop in Cordu!

Enduring the scorching, tearing sensation and the illusion of losing control, Lumian didn't open his eyes or alter his posture.

He felt like a tiny vessel in a tempest, battered by waves and gales. Powerless, but not yet submerged.

After what felt like an eternity, the pain began to ebb as the bloodthirsty, insane thoughts receded from Lumian's consciousness.

He opened his eyes, knowing he had ascended to a Sequence 8 Provoker.

-x-X-x-

A dense white fog hung heavy in the sky, swallowing most of the light and casting the dream ruins into a perpetual twilight.

Lumian stood, stretching his limbs and surveying the blood-streaked mountain peak as he assessed his condition.

In comparison to Hunter, the Provoker's strength, reflexes, speed, and agility had improved, albeit modestly.

Lumian identified three primary changes:

First, his body had grown more robust and his recuperative abilities had seemingly improved.

Second, his spirituality had increased to a certain extent. He could now maintain his possession state for four minutes, up from just three.

Lastly, he had gained a Beyonder power called Provocation.

This ability induced a permanent state change while also requiring active activation to achieve its desired effect.

Lumian's observation skills had experienced a qualitative transformation, far surpassing those of an ordinary person. He could now effectively discern which words, actions, and situations would most easily trigger his target's sensitivities and provoke agitation.

When Provocation was employed, it merged insults and humiliation, causing the target to lose their composure.

The more tailored the taunts and humiliation, the more effective the Provocation. However, even a single word like "dogshit" could still incite anger to some degree.

Against an uncommunicative opponent, Provocation allowed Lumian to exude a repugnant aura.

This ability was well-suited to the traps and ambushes Hunters excelled in, but it held little meaning for Lumian in his present state.

He no longer had time for hunting. His sole focus was exploring the "wall" surrounding the blood-stained "peak" and uncovering the secret of the dream ruins.

In contrast, the enhancements to his spirituality and physical resilience pleased him. At the very least, he could now delve further into the dark area that once lulled him to sleep.

With the potion's boost, Lumian massaged his temples.

This time, activating his Spirit Vision was seamless.

He finally had the capacity to easily invoke his Spirit Vision.

Without hesitation, Lumian changed his clothes and gathered his gear: Fallen Mercury, the iron-black axe, a cloth bag of cheese and biscuits. He slung his shotgun over his back and exited the two-story semi-subterranean building. Amidst the muted gray fog, he traversed the wilderness and entered the ruins.

He followed a familiar path, avoiding areas where monsters might lurk, and proceeded cautiously.

Upon reaching the area where he had encountered the three-faced monster, Lumian danced, partially triggering the black thorn symbol.

With the "amulet," he navigated increasingly treacherous terrain and repelled several horrifying creatures.

At last, he arrived at the thorny "wall" formed by an array of houses.

After a moment's consideration, Lumian chose a direction.

He resolved to enter the area that seemed to be shrouded in night, a place that instantly plunged him into a drowsy haze.

His intuition suggested that something significant lay beyond the towering wall of twisted trees. However, the area resembling the onset of night held a greater likelihood of harboring the secret of the dream ruins.

After all, "night," "slumber," and "dream" were often related terms.

In due course, Lumian, having performed another ritual dance, found himself in a place noticeably dimmer than its surroundings.

He exhaled slowly and stepped forward with determination.

Almost immediately, Lumian felt as though he had transitioned from a foggy day to a cloudy evening. Shadows enveloped the objects around him.

Clutching Fallen Mercury, he yawned and pressed on.

I can't sleep. I can't sleep! Lumian urged himself forward.

As he proceeded, Lumian remained vigilant, scrutinizing the buildings that formed the city wall. Yet, the secrets of the dream ruins eluded him.

Gold coins and other trinkets held no interest for him.

Delving deeper, he trudged dozens of meters, his willpower alone keeping his eyes open against the overwhelming drowsiness that engulfed his mind.

After a moment's contemplation, he opted for retreat. He would investigate the area behind the wooden wall and enter this sleep-inducing zone from another angle.

Perhaps that would grant him access to previously unreachable locations.

Lumian pivoted and retraced his steps, but the drowsiness persisted, growing in intensity with each passing moment.

At last, his resolve crumbled. His eyes slid shut, and he slumped to the ground.

Darkness consumed his vision once more.

…

Lumian was suddenly gripped by a sharp pain in his abdomen, causing him to curl up and open his eyes.

First, he saw a dazzling mural with a curved dome, followed by the stern visage of the padre along with his slightly hooked nose, and Pons Bénet's right fist, which he withdrew with a sinister grin.

I've been captured and brought to the cathedral? Lumian recognized the scene overhead and instinctively scanned his surroundings.

He saw Reimund's father, Pierre Greg, Ava's father, Guillaume Lizier, his neighbor Louis Bedeau, and nearly all the villagers.

The altar had transformed beyond recognition, now adorned with lilacs, tulips, and other symbols of that hidden entity instead of sunflowers.

The Sun Sacred Emblem had vanished, replaced by an unnaturally twisted thorn ring, seemingly oozing black liquid.

Spotting the familiar symbol, Lumian felt a wave of dizziness as heat surged in his chest.

He knew this was a sign that the corruption within him had been stirred but remained trapped within the bluish-black symbol.

The padre and his followers have turned the cathedral into an altar for the hidden entity? Poor St. Sith… Lumian imagined Valentine would go berserk upon seeing this.

Bound tightly, he surveyed his surroundings, relieved to find the stained glass and murals depicting the great Eternal Blazing Sun and St. Sith's preaching unscathed.

It seems the alterations were hastily made… Lumian deduced the cathedral's current state.

The villagers stood eerily silent, like wax figures.

After observing Lumian for a moment, the padre scolded Pons Bénet.

...

"How could you let him sleep? You should have woken him up as soon as you brought him back to the cathedral!"

"Understood," Pons Bénet replied, his gaze unusually deferential, as if the padre were his deity or ruler.

Leaning against a pillar, Lumian glanced up at Guillaume Bénet. "Where's Aurore?"

The padre smiled cryptically. "You'll find out soon enough."

"What about the three foreigners?" Lumian frantically devised an escape plan while trying to maintain the conversation.

Guillaume Bénet gazed through the stained glass, his expression relaxed. "They've escaped. They should be at the nearest alpine pasture by now. But don't expect them to rescue you and Aurore tonight. Knowing the officials, they'll stall and merely observe. They'll only act after confirming the situation. Sometimes, they'd rather do nothing than make a mistake. That's how they wasted a decade of mine."

Lumian conceded the padre's point, but he knew that wasn't why Ryan and the others were waiting.

Without understanding why the evil god's followers had captured him and Aurore, Ryan's group wouldn't take drastic measures, like triggering the loop's reboot by leaving Cordu. They wanted to wait until the twelfth night to uncover the cause of the disturbance here, laying a solid foundation for escaping the predicament in the future.

Lumian's silence caused the padre's grin to widen.

In a matter-of-fact tone, he announced, "I plan to complete the ritual tonight."

What? Lumian was baffled.

...

In high spirits, Guillaume Bénet patiently elaborated, "I intend to move the April 9th ritual to tonight. The three foreigners won't have a chance to interfere."

What? The twelfth night can be moved up? Lumian was shocked, speechless, and inexplicably terrified.

At that moment, Guillaume Bénet turned to Pons Bénet and instructed, "Before taking him to the altar, ensure he stays awake. You may use any method, just don't kill him."

Pons Bénet asked eagerly, "What if I kill him?"

"We'll die together!" The padre glared at his dim-witted brother.

Send me to the altar and start the ritual again? Could the bluish-black symbol on me be useful again? Lumian's nerves steadied as he listened to the Bénet brothers' conversation.

The padre redirected his gaze to Lumian and leaned down. "Don't worry, you're not the vessel. We have a better choice."

A better choice? Lumian's alarm grew as he followed the padre's gaze to the original altar.

Aurore had appeared there at some point in time, dressed in a plain white robe, her golden hair unadorned and her light-blue eyes vacant.

"Aurore!" Lumian cried out.

Aurore remained statue-like, unresponsive.

The padre smiled and nodded.

"Yes, your sister is the superior vessel. Your role in the ritual is to help us expedite the timeline. We needn't wait for that exact moment or the shift in the constellations."

Lumian was terrified and bewildered.

Why can I help bring forward the twelfth night's ritual?

The padre leaned in once more, a smile of anticipation on his face.

"Because most of the boons we'd prayed for are within you."

What? How does he know? Lumian's eyes widened, straining to scrutinize Guillaume Bénet's face more closely.

Guillaume Bénet leaned in and whispered into Lumian's ear, "Did you really think you and Pualis were the only ones able to retain memories in the loop?"

-x-X-x-

Upon seeing Lumian's blatant shock, Guillaume Bénet straightened up with satisfaction and said to Pons Bénet, "Keep an eye on him!"

With that, the padre strode towards the altar.

As he left, the villagers around them seemed to come alive, engaging in animated conversations.

"The horoscope is about to change."

"Our good fortune is coming!"

"It won't be long before we're wealthy!"

"When the time comes, I'll drink a bottle of wine every day and eat a pound of meat every meal!"

"I want to find a beautiful woman."

"I'm going to watch a play."

"…"

Lumian's mind was a whirlwind, and he barely noticed when Guillaume Bénet departed.

The padre's words were like a boulder tossed into a placid lake, sending ripples through Lumian's thoughts.

How is that possible?

In the previous cycle, I killed him because he didn't understand what made me special!

Back then, I didn't even know what was so special about myself. It was natural for him not to know… After that battle, he didn't have any conflicts with me in the subsequent cycles until Aurore began acting strangely…

But he didn't seem to know about the loop at all. The cursing he did when I led the rest to catch him in the adulterous act, him being knocked out by Leah after we infiltrated the cathedral, and being spied upon by Aurore using White Paper didn't seem fake at all!

If he was putting on an act, his level of restraint would be bone-chilling…

Moreover, he knows that Madame Pualis retains her memories in the loop and might know something about the abnormalities in the castle. Yet he still had an affair with Madame Pualis at the beginning of each loop, allowing no one to suspect him.

If it were me, I wouldn't even have desires after finding out what Madame Pualis had done, let alone sleep with her!

The more Lumian pondered, the more he found the padre terrifying. This fear was unlike the terror he felt from Madame Pualis.

Questions swarmed his mind:

Why didn't the padre with his memories sacrifice the three sheep from the beginning and obtain the corresponding boon to take full control of Cordu? Why didn't he complete the twelfth night ritual on the first day?

This could have prevented any accidents!

What was he waiting for? The sacrificial ritual only takes place near Lent every time…

Does that ritual have a date and time requirement?

The Lent celebration is an integral part of the twelfth night's ritual. So, the padre will only have a chance to advance the subsequent ritual after Lent is over?

But he could just control everyone from the beginning and wait for Lent to arrive…

Also, didn't the hidden existence find it odd that they prayed for a boon twice across three cycles? Yes, He might have done something, like helping the padre recover his memories!

No, if their sacrificial ritual had truly been completed, the three sheep wouldn't have entered the loop again. Their spirits and Beyonder characteristics should have gone to the hidden existence.

Could it be that, like Reimund, the spirits gathered around the altar and didn't escape the loop?

Who were the padre and the others praying to, and who bestowed their power…

As Lumian considered this, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower body.

He instinctively curled up, but the ropes binding him prevented the motion.

Pons Bénet pulled his foot back from between Lumian's legs, smirking as beads of cold sweat formed on the young man's forehead. Lumian couldn't even make a sound.

He squatted down, raised his right hand, and slapped Lumian.

"Did you enjoy zat? Tell me, did you enjoy it?"

Without waiting for Lumian's response, he swung his arm and slapped the right side of his face, causing his ears to ring. Lumian felt like his head might fly off.

Seeing Lumian being beaten by Pons Bénet, Reimund's father, Pierre Greg, approached and squatted down. He sighed and said, "Bear with it. Just endure it for a while. Our fortunes are about to change. Good luck is on its way. If you leave now, you'll miss the opportunity!"

Ignoring Lumian's reaction, he repeated the same words, trying to persuade and console him.

Lumian paid no attention to Pierre Greg. He gazed at Pons Bénet without anger, as if he were looking at empty air.

He completely disregarded him, ignoring the pain and humiliation this villain had inflicted upon him.

Only one thought occupied his mind:

The situation is dire!

Ryan, Leah, and Valentine are unlikely to trigger the loop and restart everything prematurely before confirming the padre's intentions. Besides, they just fought; who knows when they'll recover. They probably won't sneak back to the village until tomorrow or the day after.

This way, no one can stop the padre from conducting the ritual in advance tonight…

Slap, slap, slap. Pons Bénet continued slapping Lumian's face and kicking his lower body, intensifying the pain he endured.

Lumian's thoughts were repeatedly interrupted by pain as he stubbornly tried to focus, refusing to waste even a second on Pons Bénet.

This only infuriated Pons Bénet further, causing him to strike even harder.

My specialness has already been discovered and targeted. They won't give me a chance to disrupt the ritual…

What should I do…

What can I do?

Lumian endured the pain and searched for a way to escape his current predicament.

Pons grew tired from beating him up. He stopped and panted.

"If ze padre hadn't forbidden me from killing you, I would've sliced off your flesh piece by piece, including what's down below!"

...

Hearing this, Lumian was taken aback as an idea flashed through his mind.

Kill me?

Kill me!

He suddenly raised his head and glared at Pons Bénet, his face contorted into a twisted smile born of pain.

"Is that all you've got? Are you using that pathetic little knife of yours to pick lice for me?"

He fully embraced his role as a Sequence 8 Provoker.

…

In the alpine meadow nearest to Cordu.

Ryan, clad in tattered armor, stood guard at the entrance and asked Valentine and Leah, "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine," Valentine responded immediately.

Leah added, "My spirituality has almost recovered."

...

Ryan nodded and dissolved the Dawn Armor.

"After I rest and recover a bit, we'll return to Cordu."

"Now?" Leah sounded surprised.

They hadn't been gone from Cordu for long.

Ryan exhaled slowly and said, "We need to find out as soon as possible why Guillaume Bénet's group attacked us tonight and not on the twelfth night. Besides, they captured Lumian and Aurore, but they didn't pursue us. Experience tell me that something's off."

Leah nodded slowly. "But we're not in the best shape."

After all, they had just fought a massive battle.

"That's why Guillaume Bénet doesn't expect us to return to Cordu tonight," Ryan explained. "Also, we left that item at Lumian and Aurore's house. We have to retrieve it as soon as possible. We can't let Guillaume Bénet and the others get their hands on it."

Valentine and Leah's expressions turned grave at the mention of that item.

They agreed to Ryan's plan.

…

Pa!

Pons Bénet slapped Lumian's face again, making his nose throb. Two streams of bright red blood flowed down to his mouth, bringing with them a foul and salty taste.

"How about zis?" Pons Bénet asked with a smile.

Lumian studied his expression and actions, realizing that his words hadn't had the desired effect.

He sniffed his blood-filled nose and replied with a smile, "Any other woman could hurt me more than you!"

"Is zat so?" Pons Bénet's expression darkened.

With a slap, he struck Lumian's mouth, sending two of his teeth flying with blood.

Relying on Provoker's insight and his experience at pranking, Lumian acutely sensed that Pons Bénet's reaction was different this time.

Familiar with all sorts of scandals and rumors in Cordu, Lumian vaguely thought of something and grinned.

"You don't seem to have a mistress."

His mouth was swollen from the slap, and two of his teeth were missing. His words came out slightly muffled.

Hearing the word "mistress," Pons Bénet's expression shifted subtly as he kicked Lumian's groin.

Lumian nearly blacked out from the pain. He couldn't speak for a few seconds.

Forcing a smile, he said with a boisterous laugh, "And the padre's mistresses are all over the village. Can't get it up?"

Pons Bénet's expression instantly darkened.

Lumian knew he had guessed right.

He endured the pain, his eyes narrowing.

He hadn't dared use Provocation earlier, fearing that he would be discovered if he used it too often. Now was the time!

Lumian laughed out loud.

"Did the padre sleep with your wife too? Are all your children his?"

Pons Bénet's eyes turned bloodshot.

He suddenly reached out and grabbed Lumian's neck, yelling with all his might, "Why don't you just die!"

Lumian heard a cracking sound from his neck and found it difficult to breathe.

Yet, he wasn't afraid. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled up as he calmly awaited the excruciating pain and inevitable death.

He had done his best to enrage Pons Bénet so that he would kill him.

Once he died, the loop would be triggered, and everything would restart immediately. Everything would return to the beginning, leaving room for recovery!

Not only had Lumian considered provoking Valentine to commit suicide to verify the nature of the loop, but he had also thought of sacrificing his own life in an emergency!

Compared to the current situation, what was there to fear?

He gazed at Pons Bénet, whose expression was vicious, and his purple lips quivered as if to say: "Please, kill me quickly."

-x-X-x-