110 COI

High above Trier, an ancient, mottled, gigantic shadow emerged. It resembled a stone-carved wall clock, divided into twelve segments. Each segment was either gray-white or dark green, intermixed yet distinct, each marked with different symbols.

Clang!

The ethereal chime seemed to traverse through ages, making all of Trier appear frozen in time.

In this brief stasis, transparent and opaque worms with twelve rings crawled frantically, burrowing into various places, seeking patterns to deceive and escape the influence of fate.

Lumian and the others were also momentarily immobilized by the ancient-sounding chime.

Not long ago, upon hearing Lumian mention the term "Circle Inhabitant," Franca and Jenna both took out a tarot card from the Traveler's Bag.

The tarot card depicted an angel sounding a trumpet to guide the departed.

Major Arcana card, Judgment!

Next, the two Demonesses softly chanted in Hermes, "Rain judgment!"

They felt Madam Judgment's response, but it was faint, unable to establish a true connection.

The two Demonesses instantly understood that this botanical garden or the surrounding area of the cabin was under more severe restrictions, not just the influence of the Circle Inhabitant's abilities.

While they sought Madam Judgment's descent, Lumian, Anthony, and Lugano watched as their cabin rapidly decayed and collapsed, like a long-buried tree trunk disintegrating into the soil.

Boom!

A blazing-white fireball shot upward, blasting apart the collapsing ceiling, preventing the rotting wood from touching anyone present.

As the cabin decayed and collapsed, Lumian saw two figures appear several dozen meters ahead.

One figure was slender, of medium height, wearing a crisp white shirt and black suit, with a gray bow tie. His features were sharp and pronounced.

Although he appeared elderly, it was clear he had been quite handsome in his youth. His hair was now graying but meticulously groomed, and his face bore brown age spots that seemed ready to fester and ooze.

The other figure was also dressed formally, in his fifties, with thick blond hair flecked with white, eyes as clear as a lake, and a meticulously trimmed beard.

Despite his age, he was still strikingly handsome.

Seeing the latter figure, Lumian, though prepared, still forced a hoarse voice from his throat. "Voisin Sanson!"

This was the leader of the Sinner's Organization, the father of Aurore's original body, a follower of fate who had brought tragedy to Aurore!

"Sanson, leave those two Demonesses to me," the man with the age spots said, his eyes brightening at the sight of Franca and Jenna, addressing Circle Inhabitant Voisin Sanson.

It wasn't just a lust for beauty, but a deep-seated attraction from more profound factors.

Voisin Sanson gazed at Lumian, chuckling lightly as he responded to his collaborator, "No problem, Higdon."

Lumian suppressed his urge to rush forward for revenge, quickly instructing Ludwig, "You handle the blonde one!"

Last time, Lumian had relied on the residual aura of the Blood Emperor to intimidate Voisin Sanson, causing the Circle Inhabitant's effect in the painting world to shatter, allowing him to escape. This time, the residual aura of the Blood Emperor was sealed by the Underworld Daoist, and having suffered once, Voisin Sanson would surely be on guard.

So, Lumian hoped that Ludwig, with his angelic body and rank, could forcibly break the Circle Inhabitant's influence through brute strength and rank suppression.

lf they didn't break free from the Circle Inhabitant, no matter how much effort he, Franca, Jenna, and the others put in, they would be reset to the current moment, achieving nothing.

Ludwig hesitated, as if saying to Lumian, "Me? Fight that powerful old man? I'm just child!"

On the one hand, Ludwig hadn't expected to be part of a battle, and on the other, he felt he shouldn't fight, believing it best to cooperate with the two elders in front of him and let them take him away.

Vaguely, Lumian heard the chime again, his thoughts briefly blurred.

Franca, Jenna, Anthony, and the opposing Voisin Sanson and Higdon all had similar feelings.

Quickly regaining his composure, Lumian swiftly took out Black Tear from the Traveler's Bag and tossed it to Franca.

From Higdon's tone and attitude toward Voisin Sanson, Lumian believed he must be a Saint, a true demigod. Thus, Franca could only rely on Black Tear to hold off the opponent long enough to break the Circle Inhabitant's effect.

Tossing Black Tear to Franca, Lumian urged Ludwig again, "Go! I'll prepare a grand feast for you later!"

Ludwig hesitated, but his feet remained firmly planted.

At this moment, Voisin Sanson and Higdon, lacking angelic rank, seemed sluggish under some strange influence, not attacking swiftly.

Lumian's voice grew imposing, roaring, "Do you want to be sent back to the Church of Knowledge?"

Ludwig, startled, turned immediately towards Voisin Sanson.

"Don't you enjoy your current life?" Lumian added, based on his understanding of Ludwig.

Ludwig pursed his lips, then stuffed a piece of chocolate into his mouth, sprinting towards Voisin Sanson.

Lumian signaled Franca and Jenna, who had just shaken off the sluggishness.

He meant for Franca to engage Higdon, stalling him, with Jenna assisting Franca but avoiding direct combat.

Franca and Jenna nodded solemnly.

Franca wrapped the Black Tear accessory around her wrist, her figure swiftly disappearing.

Jenna also vanished from sight.

Without hesitation, Lumian retrieved the Devil's Whispers bone ring and slipped it onto his right middle finger.

His body instantly ignited with blue-purple flames, exuding a strong sulfuric scent, and malice surged forth.

He was grateful that he had vented most of his pent-up desires and emotions during this period, feeling much better than when he used the Hisoka relic in Morora.

He then grasped the hilt of the Sword of Courage and drew it from the Traveler's Bag.

Courage filled Lumian's body as he stared at Voisin Sanson, who sought to control Ludwig's insignificant fate, transforming into a long spear of blazing white-blue flame, and hurled it forward.

Revenge! Revenge!

I won't back down!

Before using the Sword of Courage, Lumian had devised a strategy: Franca and Jenna would stall Higdon, while he and Ludwig launched a strong assault on Voisin Sanson, attempting to break the Circle Inhabitant's influence. Anthony would support both sides and act as an external brain.

As for Lugano, he wouldn't participate in the battle, instead finding opportunities to provide healing.

...

Inside the dim "Black Emperor" mausoleum, dark walls surrounded a central black platform.

Atop the platform was a giant chair that appeared to be made of black iron, engraved with complex, twisted patterns. The top of the chair back extended into the shape of a crown.

A massive black shadow sat on the heavy chair, its facial features gradually becoming clear: Blue eyes, a high nose, thin lips, and well-groomed mustache...

The shadow's body also became clearer, seemingly clad in black armor and a luxurious cloak.

Roselle Gustav.

The Intis Emperor who named an era after himself!

He was constantly being reborn and dying, but both processes were distorted and slowed, allowing him to awaken and partially manifest.

Seeing Roselle like this, Bernadette's eyes welled up, and she cried out in both pain and joy, "Dad!"

Roselle's eyes turned blood-red, and his face cracked open to reveal glowing red slits.

But these vanished after another round of death and rebirth.

Regardless of whether he was dying or being reborn, both processes slowed even further.

Roselle looked at his eldest daughter and sighed. "Didn't I tell you never to come back?"

Bernadette, her expression resolute, replied, "Dad, I want to save you!

"I don't dare gamble on whether the one who wakes up is Mr. Fool or The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings. At the very least, I want to ensure you can stay conscious and stable without Their help."

Queen Mystic paused, her voice heavy before adding, "Moreover, I can't predict when the apocalypse will come or what the outcome will be. I don't want to wait any longer."

Roselle sighed with a hint of relief.

"Silly child...

"Who helped you bypass my restrictions and return here?"

"It was that individual." Bernadette didn't hide anything from her father.

"Adam? The current True Creator?" Roselle wasn't surprised at all.

Bernadette nodded lightly.

Roselle sneered, then looked at Bernadette with a complicated expression.

"You chose to collaborate with the believers of the Uncertain Mist. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

Bernadette was silent for a moment, then said, "It's exploitation.

"The forces capable of balancing your corruption are all outside the barrier.

Among them, only the power of the Uncertain Mist can relatively easily penetrate the barrier and transmit some of it inside.

"I've also made some preparations to prevent the vortex from progressing further.

"I deliberately didn't respond to Cattleya's letter, so she would participate in the Tarot Club. When she is above the gray fog, she will quickly become aware, and with the strength of the Tarot Club and its connections, once the problem is identified, they can respond effectively...

"I've also predicted some of Perle's trade partners, discovered the movements of the indulgence faction of the Rose School of Thought, and arranged for my subordinates to leak it to the temperance faction...

"I've also foreseen the outcome of this matter, and the situation hasn't deteriorated.

"That individual also hinted at the same."

Roselle shook his head, his tone slightly grave as he said to Bernadette in a teaching manner, "Perhaps the situation hasn't deteriorated because many people have sacrificed themselves.

"To Adam, this might be necessary.

"But what about you?"

-x-X-x-

Trier, inside the botanical garden.

Higdon from the Order of All Extinction saw the two Demonesses disappear. He immediately raised his right hand and scratched at the dark brown age spots on his face.

The spots instantly festered, releasing maggots similar to those that crawl through corpses, oozing a greenish-yellow pus.

The disgusting pus evaporated upon contact with the air, dispersing without a trace.

Jenna had just circled to Higdon's side, ready to assist Franca in launching an attack. Suddenly, she felt a wave of lethargy, as if stricken by a sickness called "laziness."

It felt as if her desires were wilting, showing signs of decay, and as if parts of her brain were beginning to malfunction.

Following her instinct, Jenna immediately used her Mirror Substitution, not waiting for the problem to worsen and trigger it passively.

The sound of two simultaneous cracks echoed. Franca, who had been sneaking up on Higdon under the cover of Invisibility to release the Black Tear plague, reacted the same way.

Their figures first materialized and then quickly transformed into mirrors.

During this process, as Franca and Jenna's Mirror Substitutes were still forming, their internal organs sprouted noticeable tumors, autonomously drawing nutrients. Blood vessels around the heart and within the brain rapidly became fragile.

If the Demonesses used pathogens to control diseases, then Higdon's pathway seemed to represent the pathogens themselves, the very essence of disease.

lf Franca and Jenna hadn't actively triggered their Mirror Substitution, it would have been much more difficult to deal with the actual tissue changes in their bodies. They would need to perform a ritual, praying to the Primordial Demoness or a corresponding Angel to transfer the disease to a designated mirror, or one would need to stick to the target while the other left the area, allowing Lugano to perform surgery combined with the Doctor's abilities for treatment.

Meanwhile, the disease had not yet spread. Voisin Sanson, with his blond hair flecked with white, had already found several manipulable fragments within Ludwig's mercury-like river of fate.

As long as he didn't touch the most critical parts of the Angel's fate, he needn't fear backlash or losing control on the spot.

Similarly, his godhood allowed him to observe most of Ludwig's fate without peering into fragments containing dangerous scenes or knowledge.

Midway through his dash, Ludwig opened his mouth and extended his hand, intending to strip away the Circle Inhabitant's power from his target. At this moment, Voisin Sanson, who had already raised his arm, gently pressed down, magnifying a specific tributary of fate from a distance.

Thud!

Ludwig, the little boy, tripped over a protruding stone and fell flat on his face.

Simultaneously manipulating fate, Voisin Sanson directed his gaze towards Lumian, who had transformed into a blazing white-blue flame spear.

His eyes glowed, instantly emitting two ghostly green beams.

This was a newly contracted ability Voisin Sanson had recently acquired.

The main issue with the Inevitability pathway's Contractee was that the strength of contracted abilities could not surpass the contracted creature's potential. This meant that early-stage contracted abilities were hard to enhance unless the initial contract was with a demigod-level creature, constrained only by one's own spirit and flesh from utilizing the ability to its fullest. This could potentially enhance the contracted ability with each sequence advancement.

Below Sequence 4, without the qualitative factor of godhood, even Sequence 7 or 8 level contracted abilities could participate in Sequence 5 level battles and play significant roles. However, at Sequence 4, facing opponents of the same level, most of these abilities would struggle to be effective, necessitating new suitable contracted creatures.

The ghostly green beams struck the blazing white-blue flame spear directly, giving Lumian no time to dodge.

Yet, the spear contained no trace of Lumian.

As the fiery spear rapidly withered and extinguished, only scattered flames remained within.

As the figures of the two Demonesses reappeared within the cabin's ruins, Lumian, wielding the Sword of Courage, materialized behind Voisin Sanson.

Teleport!

After the Abscessed Hand regained a complete body, Lumian's Spirit World Traversal ability had significantly enhanced!

At this moment, a translucent figure climbed out from Voisin Sanson's back.

The figure resembled Voisin Sanson but was colder and more indifferent.

This was another ability Voisin Sanson had contracted after becoming a Circle Inhabitant, belonging to the domain of death.

He had always guarded against Lumian's teleportation sneak attacks from behind!

Although this would likely trigger the Circle Inhabitant's effect, he still had to guard against the unexpected. Moreover, it could be used as a trap.

As the cold, indifferent Voisin Sanson specter rushed towards him, Lumian's thoughts began to sink, his body cooling. The blazing white-blue flames on the Sword of Courage gradually dimmed.

...

On the primitive island housing the Black Emperor mausoleum, within the thick white fog.

Perle's ever-changing face cast its gaze on three light points.

The next phase was the most crucial part of Project Vortex.

As Perle's face shifted, two of the three light points suddenly expanded.

One revealed a villa shrouded in white fog, permeated with a blood-red figure yet enveloped in divine light; The other was hazy, as if a figure hung suspended in mid-air, wrapped in yellowing bandages, pierced entirely by countless brownish branches, with thorns and rosebushes entwined. Though constantly intertwining, the roses and thorns continuously wilted and fell.

The suspended figure's belly occasionally swelled and deflated, as if new life was stirring within.

Beside the figure stood a massive tree covered in black tar-like substance. Its limbs, serving as branches, sprouted eerie, terrifying hands, with countless bloodshot black and white eyes rolling over its surface.

Another light point had already expanded, revealing a member of the School of Deliciousness, Topsy, devouring an invisible seal over the ocean.

...

Inside the dim Black Emperor mausoleum.

Hearing her father's question, Bernadette remained silent for two seconds before saying, "I will do my best to prevent it."

Roselle looked at his eldest daughter and smiled with a sigh. "Everyone makes mistakes. In my youth, no, even until I was trapped here, afraid to resurrect, I kept making mistakes, doing many wrong things, some even bad. Only when I resided in this mausoleum, occasionally gaining some peace and clarity, did I finally reflect seriously on my past life, realizing some of my choices caused a lot of unnecessary harm. Of course, I also did many right things, many good things."

Seeing Bernadette's expression turn gloomy yet stubborn, Roselle affectionately raised his right hand, pressing down. "Don't blame yourself too much. I'm actually very happy and relieved about your choices and actions. Seeing my little princess willing to defy her long-held principle of 'do as you wish, but do no harm,' willing to risk falling into the abyss to save her old father, makes me genuinely happy and relieved. It shows I didn't love you in vain, that my family life wasn't such a failure!"

The increasingly clear figure stood up from the massive black iron chair.

He descended the platform, walking to Bernadette, opening his arms.

Bernadette, momentarily dazed, felt like a child again, instinctively throwing herself into her father's embrace, feeling that familiar yet no longer warm broad chest.

After a brief hug, Roselle stroked Bernadette's chestnut hair, then walked past her, heading towards the mausoleum's entrance, his figure growing larger.

"Dad?" Bernadette turned, calling out instinctively.

Roselle turned his head, smiling. "The vortex ritual has already begun. Due to the unique characteristics of the Uncertain Mist's pathway, it will be hard to stop the subsequent transactions from proceeding. Even if you want to kill that woman, it's unlikely to be accomplished.

"But it doesn't matter, Dad will handle it."

Bernadette suddenly understood her father's intention. She took a step forward, trying to catch up, but found the distance between them unbridgeable.

Meanwhile, she urgently shouted, "Dad, your corruption isn't balanced yet! If the vortex ritual is disrupted, you won't be able to return to your previous state!"

Roselle stopped at the mausoleum's entrance, smiling at his anxious, panicked, and pained daughter.

Raising his arm, he said with spirited enthusiasm, "I was an emperor for many years, stood at the pinnacle of human power. I faced true gods, fought Angels, had followers willing to die for me.

"I brought the light of civilization to that era. Even after a century of death, countless people still recite my name. I slept with many beautiful women and controlled countless destinies. Even after my downfall, no longer an emperor, my daughter is still willing to sacrifice everything to save me, to revive me!

"What regrets could I possibly have in this life?"

Bernadette heard the finality in her father's tone, her eyes reddening, her voice choking, "Dad!"

She used every ability to close the distance, but it was as insurmountable as the separation of heaven and earth.

Roselle's nearly clear face showed a gentle smile. "Bernadette, do you remember when you were little, and Dad often gave you lessons?"

Tears welled up in Bernadette's eyes, her vision blurring. "I remember. You taught me words, filled my mind with knowledge, told me many, many fairy tales..."

Queen Mystic's face was streaked with glistening tears.

Roselle nodded in satisfaction. "I remember too."

He continued with a slight smile, "Today, Dad will give you one last lesson."

Roselle's expression grew solemn as he looked at Bernadette and declared, "A true gentleman knows what to do and what not to do!"

With that, Roselle turned away, no longer looking at Bernadette.

The Black Emperor mausoleum's doors swung open instantly.

The outside light shone in, illuminating Roselle's giant figure, his black armor, and luxurious cloak.

Bright and radiant.

-x-X-x-

As soon as Franca's figure materialized within the cabin's ruins, she saw Lumian, behind Voisin Sanson, turning pale. His eyes gradually became hollow, and only the Sword of Courage prevented him from turning into a corpse or triggering his Mirror Substitution. Voisin Sanson, despite having his back to Lumian, raised his left hand, and an indescribable radiance quickly gathered within his fist.

Franca knew she couldn't passively wait for the Mirror Substitution to trigger.

Perhaps Voisin Sanson's impending attack could bypass the connection between the substitute and the original, rendering it ineffective.

At their current distance, neither she, Jenna, nor Anthony could awaken Lumian or stop Voisin Sanson in time.

Even if they could, the threat from Higdon was even more imminent and closing in fast!

At this moment, Ludwig was the closest to Lumian and Voisin Sanson. He had just gotten up but still had twenty to thirty meters to cover before reaching them.

In a flash, Franca took a mirror out of her Traveler's Bag and instantly vanished.

Relying on Black Tear, she appeared in the mirror world, traversing a dark, void-like tunnel into the distance.

Meanwhile, Jenna watched as Franca's mirror fell to the ground, her attention shifting to Higdon, who was now only a few steps away. His face, mostly rotting and oozing pus, had reached her.

She felt that all the Demoness spider threads she had released had withered and decayed, losing their effectiveness.

At this moment, everyone except Ludwig experienced a moment of disorientation.

When Lumian, Franca, Jenna, and Anthony regained clarity, they found themselves back inside the cabin-intact and uncollapsed.

Franca felt a surge of joy seeing this.

Her "retreat in the face of battle" wasn't to escape but to trigger the Circle Inhabitant's effect, resetting the battle and freeing Lumian from Voisin Sanson's secret power and Jenna from Higdon's grip!

Enemy abilities could be used to their advantage!

Finding the trigger point, reverting an adverse situation instantly, meant any dangerous or fatal scenario could be retried. Of course, this was only if they had time to trigger it.

Never thought you could use the enemy's abilities like this... Jenna, momentarily stunned by this realization, saw the cabin decaying and collapsing again, revealing Voisin Sanson and Higdon approaching from a distance.

Lumian wasn't surprised. He had actively triggered the Circle Inhabitant effect back in Cordu Village, seeking a reset.

He quickly reached into the Traveler's Bag, retrieving the Black Tear forehead accessory and tossing it to Franca.

Franca shouted, "Stall!"

She had a plan for the current predicament: delay until circumstances changed!

Since they couldn't break Voisin Sanson's Circle Inhabitant in a short time, they could use it fully. If things went wrong, they could restart, delaying until the authorities in Trier noticed the anomaly or the Tarot Club's Major Arcana card holders found a solution and approached.

As long as the evil gods hadn't fully invaded this world and the apocalypse hadn't arrived prematurely, delaying would surely bring assistance to cleanse the heretics!

After all, this was the capital of Intis, Trier!

Franca thought this and acted accordingly. She caught the Black Tear forehead accessory and threw her Ice Talisman to Jenna.

This way, three people in the group could try to leave the area in different ways to trigger the Circle Inhabitant effect, without worrying about Voisin Sanson and Higdon each locking onto one of them, thus greatly increasing their margin for error.

When Franca suggested this, Lumian was about to retrieve the Sword of Courage, and Ludwig was already instinctively charging towards Voisin Sanson.

Lumian noticed that Voisin Sanson's expression remained unchanged, despite Franca discovering the weakness of the Circle Inhabitant and planning to delay until the end of the Project Vortex.

He suddenly had a thought. Combining his understanding of the Inevitability pathway, he formed an initial judgment: Voisin Sanson couldn't allow the Circle Inhabitant to loop infinitely. He likely set a predetermined end for it. Each reset would push everyone closer to that conclusion until it became unavoidable.

From the fact that they could retain their memories after the reset, it was clear that the Inevitability power attached to the Circle Inhabitant effect wasn't strong.

This endpoint wasn't far away.

Lumian immediately reminded Franca, "Only one more time!"

In the Inevitability pathway, the number "three" was sacred, with strong mystical symbolism. It represented the past, present, and future, and pointed to the beginning, process, and end. Additionally, the initial number of abilities gained by a Contractee fluctuates around three. Lumian suspected that after three activations of the Circle Inhabitant effect, the fourth reset would lead them directly to the predetermined end, with no way to reverse it.

In other words, three times was the limit, and the fourth would bring the final result. They had already triggered the Circle Inhabitant effect twice.

Franca didn't understand why Lumian was denying her proposal, why he said they could only use the Circle Inhabitant effect one more time. But she knew Lumian understood the Inevitability pathway better than she did; he was the expert in this area, so she should heed his advice.

Thud!

As Ludwig fell again, Higdon, whose age spots had not yet festered, slowly raised his arms.

He clearly remembered the battle from the last loop and chose a different approach this time.

Higdon's aura suddenly weakened, as if he was on the brink of death but not quite there yet.

The age spots on his face festered, and his body emitted a strong smell of decay.

He was quickly covered in a thick, disgusting, greenish-yellow pus.

Higdon then vanished, seemingly disintegrating into countless pathogens.

Seeing this, Lumian gripped the Sword of Courage, and blazing white-blue flames ignited around him.

The flames quickly spread, circling Franca, Jenna, and the others, protecting them in the center.

Meanwhile, Anthony, who had been observing, solemnly reminded his companions, "Higdon feels very similar to the 'Winter is Coming' revolver."

"Winter is Coming?" Franca and Jenna both tensed.

They remembered very clearly that the Winter is Coming revolver had two very powerful abilities: Certain Death and Sure Hit.

The former meant that if hit, even a Saint-level Beyonder would be critically injured and gradually die, while those below demigod level would die instantly unless they had a substitute. The latter meant that unless they used a substitute before the attack or had a special ability, they would be inevitably hit, and the substitute would fail.

If Higdon was indeed as Anthony described and similar to Winter is Coming, the two Demonesses had to be wary of the Sure Hit ability. After all, their physical strength was certainly not comparable to a Hunter of the same sequence. If the substitute failed, even if the attack wasn't Certain Death, it would severely injure them!

Protected by the white-blue flames, Franca raised her guard and came up with a new plan.

She glanced at Lumian, who was ready to charge at Voisin Sanson, and quickly told Anthony, "Work with him! Certain Death!"

Franca meant that, with Lumian and Ludwig distracting Voisin Sanson, they should find an opportunity to use the Certain Death ability of Winter is Coming on the Inevitability believer, to see if it could kill him outright, or if the Certain Death effect would be reset by the Circle Inhabitant ability.

As soon as Voisin Sanson died, the Circle Inhabitant effect would naturally be nullified, removing any hidden dangers!

Just as Franca finished speaking, behind her, a greenish-yellow glow quickly condensed within the white-blue flames, forming Higdon covered in thick, disgusting liquid.

The old man was ignited, but he still lashed out at Franca with his arm like a whip.

Sure Hit!

As Franca's spirituality warning triggered, she immediately used her Mirror Substitution.

Smack!

Her body transformed into a mirror, struck by Higdon's thick arm, quickly darkening and shattering, falling to the ground with no trace of light, as if buried in soil for a hundred years.

As Lumian prepared to charge at Voisin Sanson, he suddenly pulled back and swung the Sword of Courage at Higdon.

Courage could be strategic too!

Lumian wasn't afraid of Higdon; he was just concerned that the enemy would flee too quickly, leaving no time to hit his body, so he feigned an attack on Voisin Sanson.

Boom!

As Ludwig fell again, Higdon's arm, unable to escape, was severed by the explosive and sharp sword. The thick, greenish-yellow liquid covering his body was engulfed by the blazing white-blue flames.

Smack!

The severed arm fell to the ground, wriggling and growing rapidly, turning into another Higdon.

Now, there were two Higdons.

The flames covering them quickly dimmed, decayed, and extinguished!

The two Higdons pounced on Franca and Jenna.

Meanwhile, Voisin Sanson, who had planned to magnify a tributary of Franca's fate to make her substitution fail, suddenly felt a ripple of destiny.

He instantly had an epiphany: No more delays, time is running out!

Voisin Sanson frowned.

He didn't want to do what came next; it would be extremely painful.

Let it be an accumulation for the Sufferer stage... Voisin Sanson raised his right hand, pressing it to his temple, gathering an indescribable radiance.

As the source of the Circle Inhabitant effect, he couldn't trigger a reset by leaving the area; that would mean truly leaving. He had to kill himself!

Seeing this, Franca and the others felt a strong sense of foreboding.

At that moment, the radiance in Voisin Sanson's hand strangely dissipated, as if twisted out of its composition.

Similarly, the two Higdons missed their targets, and Lumian's Sword of Courage struck nothing.

The sky darkened, and a majestic voice echoed in everyone's ears: "People of Intis, your emperor has returned!"

-x-X-x-

Deep within the primitive island, amid the pervasive white mist, Perle's twisted face saw the gates of the Black Emperor mausoleum swing open.

A giant figure clad in black armor and a magnificent cloak emerged with majesty, with a torrent of white mist flowing between Perle and the figure.

Roselle Gustav... Perle's face instinctively tensed, causing the mist that formed her body to collapse inward slightly.

Roselle didn't spare a glance at the Vortex Weaver. He floated step by step into the air, reaching the edge of an abstract and ethereal strange world, like a rising mountain.

During this process, the sky dimmed, and the remaining clouds twisted as if something had begun to come alive.

Roselle gazed into the distance, raised his arms, and in a grand voice, he proclaimed, "People of Intis, your emperor has returned!"

Suddenly, the clouds above were pushed together by an invisible force, swirling downwards to form another terrifying vortex.

The center of this vortex was Roselle Gustav.

Meanwhile, across Intis, those who still followed the order Roselle had established heard the voice of the returning emperor. Most were bewildered, questioning their ears after the recent burst of intense light, while a few turned pale, unable to believe their suspicions.

To the eastern reaches of the sky, a beam of light flared up, trembling wildly as if striving to cross the vast distance and reach Roselle's embrace, causing various distortions. Behind this beam, three more beams appeared, as if pushed by an invisible force, forced to advance prematurely.

In different parts of the world, some people found themselves back home despite having just left, others saw their bright cathedrals turn dark and silent, and some were habitually drinking milk but didn't notice they were using their nostrils, suffering no harm.

Long-abandoned compulsory education schools strangely lit up, as if filled with students quietly attending classes.

Using his Worms of Time to search for a flaw in Inevitability's watch, Pallez found an exploitable point, but the Worms of Time he sent out disobeyed His commands.

Madam Magician, who was wandering again with Ma'am Hermit and Miss Justice, found herself away from the target location, instead of the sea, and in front of her appeared Madam Judgment and the little boy Will Auceptin holding her hand.

The light dots within the white mist remained largely unaffected, only dimming slightly. Perle, the Vortex Weaver, was first startled, then showed a joyous expression.

She hadn't expected Roselle to step forward, forcibly reviving himself before the ceremony's end to reclaim the Black Emperor's divine throne. Such an outcome was beyond her wildest dreams, and she hadn't even considered having Héloise, the Fate's Attendant, weave it, but this was undoubtedly a good thing for her and the great entity she worshiped, the Uncertain Mist.

The rewards this time will be immense! Perle had just formed this thought when the Uncertain Mist she was linked to through the ritual conveyed an emotion, tightening their connection and thickening the swirling mist.

Perle sharply turned her gaze towards the villa in Trier, towards the twisted blood shadow emerging from the sacred glow and white mist.

In a drifting voice, she spoke, "The payment for the indulgence faction of the Rose School of Thought is the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess, a Sealed Artifact derived from the Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic of the Moon pathway. The one willing to offer a price for it is Madam Hart of the Nightstalkers."

As Perle's Words of Order echoed, another light dot rapidly expanded.

This light dot revealed a secret chamber, where a vague female statue stood in the center, the walls covered with childlike figures with bird-clawed limbs, and the floor piled with expressionless humans.

At that moment, a figure stood before the statue, her belly swollen, face full and beautiful, with emerald eyes sparkling like gems, and brown hair neatly tied up, wearing a simple and loose white robe-a pregnant woman.

The lady who nurtured a deity!

The twisted blood shadow from the villa in Trier, using the white mist, pierced through the corresponding light dot and appeared beside Perle, then moved towards the light dot where Madam Hart was.

It walked slowly, influenced and twisted by Roselle's resurrection.

"Madam, you may begin." Perle couldn't change the situation of the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess and could only ask Madam Hart of the Nightstalkers to provide the price in advance.

Hart nodded gently, turned to face the statue in the chamber, and chanted incantations in a low, indistinct voice.

As the incantation neared its end, the childlike figures on the walls became illusory, transforming into beams of light that entered the statue's belly. The dazed humans on the floor exploded one by one, returning as flesh and blood to the great mother.

The female statue gradually took on a crimson glow, transforming into a humanoid crimson moon.

Madam Hart then turned and made a cradling motion towards Emperor Roselle in the air.

She called out in ancient Jotun, "Come back, child of the mother!"

Blood-red moonlight seeped from Roselle's body, leaving him and heading towards the light dot where the female deity statue stood.

These were the pollutants that forced Roselle to seek godhood and death but failed to free himself from.

Now, they were all drawn out, no longer affecting Roselle, no longer attempting to corrupt him.

Roselle's century-old problem was thus effortlessly solved, but his current state required the corruption of the Uncertain Mist to balance the corruption of the Great Mother. Removing either would break the balance!

In the blink of an eye, Roselle was filled with white mist, twisting the speed of passing and the distance between two points, gradually eroding the emperor to completely corrupt him.

Inside the Black Emperor mausoleum, Bernadette saw this and, no longer calm like outside the mausoleum, anxiously shouted, "Adam, where is your promise?"

Roselle remained unaffected by his state change, as if it was within his expectations. He continued to spread his arms, awaiting the return of the Black Emperor's Uniqueness and three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics.

These were traits unique to the Black Emperor's true deity. Once revived, regardless of who held the Uniqueness and the three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, they would forcibly return, merging with him without the need for extra rituals or potions!

Crimson moonlight rose from various parts of the primitive island, coalescing with the pollutants drawn from Roselle into a miniature crimson moon-like object.

Perle's ethereal voice rang out in time, "Madam Hart requested the Great Mother to reclaim the corruption from Roselle Gustav. This corruption will be exchanged for the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess and given to the indulgence faction of the Rose School of Thought..."

Madam Hart caught the miniature crimson moon trying to return to the mother's embrace and pushed it out of her light dot.

The miniature crimson moon entered the white mist created by Perle, slowly flying towards another light dot.

This wasn't the light dot the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess emerged from but one guarded by a peculiar giant tree with a vague figure hanging above it.

The Vortex Weaver, Perle, suppressed her excitement and once again scrutinized the scene of Topsy of the School of Deliciousness destroying the seal in the sea.

In the next second, wisps of thin gray fog seeped from the seabed, cooperating with the hydra-like Topsy.

...

Trier, botanical garden.

Hearing the emperor's return across space, Franca's lake-blue eyes widened in astonishment and confusion, with a hint of uncontrollable joy.

At the same time, her spiritual intuition told her that the order here had been distorted, including the Circle Inhabitant effect.

And wherever there was a distortion, it meant they could escape without triggering the Circle Inhabitant effect!

Where is the distortion? Franca had just this thought when she saw Jenna take out a mirror and quickly perform a Magic Mirror Divination.

Jenna had a similar intuition.

Meanwhile, the two Higdons, ignoring the unusual surroundings, madly attacked Lumian, who wielded the Sword of Courage, unable to focus on the two Demonesses.

Likewise, before Voisin Sanson stood only Ludwig, still short-legged and short-statured, unable to reach him to interfere.

The Circle Inhabitant made a quick decision, pressing his temple, letting the gathered strange light pierce through his head.

In excruciating pain unbearable even for an Ascetic, he was instantly near death.

The Circle Inhabitant effect triggered once more.

Lumian and Anthony's thoughts blurred, and they found themselves back in the intact cabin, before taking out the Sword of Courage and Black Tear forehead accessory.

Franca and Jenna couldn't complete their Magic Mirror Divination in time.

Lumian instinctively took out the Black Tear forehead accessory, intending to throw it to Franca, but upon grasping it, he sensed the mirror world, particularly the special one, feeling the summons of 0-01 from Morora.

Is it possible to sense this way? Not before...

The earlier anomaly distorted the order here and the Circle Inhabitant effect, causing this change? Meaning they could escape through the mirror world without triggering the Circle Inhabitant? Lumian instantly judged.

He acted before Voisin Sanson could commit suicide again and bring the inevitable end, shouting to Franca and the others, "Grab hold of me!"

Time was tight; he couldn't explain and hoped his teammates would trust him.

Despite their doubts, Franca and the others, including Ludwig, grabbed Lumian's body again.

In the next second, Lumian used the Black Tear forehead accessory and the cabin's window to enter the void-dark mirror world, randomly choosing a tunnel to traverse.

As expected, they didn't trigger the Circle Inhabitant effect this time.

As joy surged in Lugano's heart, everything blurred in a topsy-turvy manner, and they found themselves in an almost completely dark world, facing Harrison from Resurrection Island.

Around Harrison were four lit candles and four servings of staple food, including two loaves of bread, Feynapotter noodles and rice, all moldy.

Harrison looked at Lumian with a slight smile. "The Celestial Worthy's Oracle states you carry the key part of this matter. Capturing you will eliminate any surprises."

As Harrison spoke, Voisin Sanson and Higdon appeared in the darkness beside him.

Voisin Sanson also looked at Lumian, smiling. "Didn't you know I escaped from Fourth Epoch Trier through the special mirror world?"

-x-X-x-

Lumian didn't waste time engaging with Harrison, Voisin Sanson, and the others.

This confirmed that the Mirror People were deeply involved in Project Vortex, and this was indeed the special mirror world, though its specific layer was unknown.

Lumian immediately activated the black mark on his right shoulder. He needed to transport Franca and the others away from this area before Voisin Sanson could use his Circle Inhabitant ability.

This time, his destination was Morora, the City of Exiles!

Since they had already entered the special mirror world and the worst-case scenario had occurred, there was no need to hold back. They could attempt to navigate the hidden dangers here and reach Morora.

If they didn't take risks, facing Voisin Sanson and Higdon, two demigods, plus the strange and special abilities of Harrison, Lumian doubted they had any chance of survival. All of them dying was only a matter of time. It was better to take a gamble and see if they could get through the dangers of the special mirror world and reach Morora.

In Morora, Lumian was the proxy of 0-01. He could borrow significant power, enough to counter a Sequence 4 demigod. If necessary, he could even temporarily exert the strength of Sequence 3. With the cooperation of Franca, Jenna, and the others, and the "help" of Morora's archbishop and hundreds of thousands of residents, they might repel or even kill Voisin Sanson and Higdon.

More importantly, 0-01 repelled the approach of demigods above Sequence 5, likely causing terrifying mutations. The first targets would inevitably be those two Saints!

Lumian used his Spirit World Traversal ability obtained from the Abscessed Hand, leveraging his special connection with 0-01. Holding on to Jenna, Anthony, and the others who hadn't let go, he disappeared from the spot, "transporting" to some deep part of the special mirror world.

Suddenly, he felt the world rejecting him, as if an invisible barrier had appeared ahead.

He was forced out of the Spirit World Traversal state, and several figures simultaneously materialized in a gloomy, dark town ruin.

The path to Morora was blocked.

It seemed the higher powers within the Mirror People did this. Their control over the special mirror world was clearly superior to the Black Tear.

Lumian thought for a moment, seeing that Voisin Sanson and the others hadn't caught up yet. He immediately tossed the Black Tear forehead accessory to Franca, speaking calmly, "You lead them through the mirrors, constantly shifting locations. Wait for a change in the outside world. There has already been a distortion of order; there will surely be similar anomalies soon. When that happens, seize the opportunity to use the mirrors to return to the surface, back to Trier."

"What about you?" Jenna blurted out.

Lumian chuckled. "Of course, I'll stay and play with them.

"If I go with you, they'll definitely chase us relentlessly, giving you no chance to escape the special mirror world. Wouldn't that mean no one could find reinforcements?"

Jenna's eyes reddened, and she was about to say something when Lumian sternly interrupted, "Have you forgotten your brother?"

Jenna's mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

Lumian nodded and smiled again.

"You need to find Madam Magician and Madam Judgment for me, and provide accurate coordinates.

"Also, you should be able to distract one demigod."

He didn't hold back, smiling at Jenna, Franca, and Anthony.

"If I die, remember to avenge me."

Jenna's vision blurred with tears. She bit her lip, nodded with difficulty, and squeezed out a word from her throat, "Okay..."

She would avenge Lumian just as she avenged her mother!

Lumian turned to Franca, his expression calm. "Everything else is up to you."

Franca's eyes shimmered, her voice hoarse. "Okay."

Lumian put on the Devil's Whispers bone ring again and continued speaking to Franca, Jenna, and the others, "You are not the main target, not even secondary. While shifting locations through the mirrors, if Higdon catches up, leave Ludwig somewhere along the way. Let him hide on his own, which should buy you more time.

"Do you have any objections?" he asked Ludwig.

Ludwig shook his head, feeling this was something he had hoped for.

He made one request.

"Can you give me more food?"

With his body burning with blue-purple sulfur flames, Lumian tossed some chocolate and cookies over, then spoke to Anthony, "If Higdon keeps chasing, you can separate from the group."

Seeing Anthony about to refuse, Lumian smiled.

"Someone has to stay alive to avenge us.

"The one who lives suffers the most. I believe you understand that."

Anthony cast a Placate spell on himself. "Okay."

Lumian didn't say more and urged them, "Go quickly."

Franca threw the Black Tear back to Lumian. "The Ice Talisman is enough if we're just shifting locations through mirrors. The Black Tear can leverage the power of the special mirror world and should help you last longer."

The Demoness of Affliction's voice choked, feeling the potion digesting rapidly.

Lumian didn't refuse and quickly wrapped the Black Tear around his left wrist.

Franca immediately took out the ice-crystal-like amulet from the Traveler's Bag.

Without hesitation, she gritted her teeth. "Hold on to me."

Jenna looked at Lumian with watery eyes and grabbed Franca's arm. Lugano eagerly moved to Franca's back.

With a flash of icy light, they disappeared, leaving a falling mirror.

Lumian turned his gaze to the three approaching figures.

The enemies were closing in.

Looking at Voisin Sanson, Higdon, and Harrison, with the Black Tear on his left wrist and the Devil's Whispers on his right hand, Lumian drew the Sword of Courage from the Traveler's Bag.

The blue-purple sulfur flames on him immediately turned a bright white with a tinge of green. His back slightly arched.

His eyes deepened in color, locking onto the blonde-haired Voisin Sanson, a clear smile on his face.

He uttered from his throat. "Actually, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

...

Madam Magician, unexpectedly reunited with Madam Judgment and Will Auceptin due to the distortion effect, straightforwardly asked the little boy, "Can you lead us to the medium through which the power of Inevitability is seeping?"

Will Auceptin, chubby-faced and dressed in a child's suit, showed a troubled expression.

"Given the current situation, anyone not involved in Project Vortex will be influenced by the power of Inevitability, leading to inevitable failure. If I use that die, I might still be able to help you find the target, but it will drain all my accumulated luck. When I get home, I might see Ouroboros waiting for me.

"Do you have any special items that can save my luck or replace the die? I think you should."

Hearing the archangel of Fate say "should," The Magician, Justice, and Hermit began to examine their possessions-the latter understanding Will's words through Miss Justice's mental communication.

Suddenly, Ma'am Hermit remembered something and produced an iron cigar case from somewhere.

"This was given to me by Queen Mystic. She said she foresaw that this item would provide critical help in the future."

Madam Magician glanced at it and murmured, "It carries the aura of Mr. Fool."

Hearing this, Miss Justice made many connections.

She sought confirmation, "Did the Celestial Worthy send subordinates to participate in Project Vortex?"

"Yes," Madam Magician vaguely understood what Miss Justice meant.

Receiving confirmation, Miss Justice smiled. "The Celestial Worthy participating in Project Vortex means Mr. Fool is involved too, doesn't it? So..."

She looked at the iron cigar case in Ma'am Hermit's hand, her voice synchronously echoing in the mind of the Major Arcana card holder.

Ma'am Hermit immediately handed the item to Will.

Will smiled broadly. "It will do!"

The boy then addressed Madam Magician and Miss Justice, "I'll lead the way."

Though leading, Will closed His eyes.

Starlight sprinkled down as Madam Magician led everyone present, following Will's intuition to begin wandering.

...

Deep within the primitive island, amid the pervasive white mist.

Vortex Weaver Perle occasionally glanced at the slowly approaching Shadow of the Beauty Goddess and the miniature crimson moon-like corruption, sometimes at the loosening seal in the waters near Port Santa under coordinated efforts, and sometimes upward at the towering figure of Roselle Gustav in mid-air.

The four beams of light on the horizon, one after another, drew closer.

Perle anticipated that Roselle would perfectly resurrect and return as the Black Emperor. In that case, the great Uncertain Mist would reclaim one of His possessions and have a Sequence 0 true deity as a puppet.

According to Perle's original plan, the end of the vortex ritual and the completion of the transaction between the Nightstalkers and the Rose School of Thought would allow the great Uncertain Mist to thoroughly corrupt Roselle Gustav. Only then could the deceased Black Emperor be driven to resurrect. At that time, with all transactions concluded and no other forces providing assistance, the resurrection of the Black Emperor would face numerous obstructions, necessitating another vortex.

But now, Roselle Gustav had walked out of the Black Emperor's mausoleum himself, choosing to resurrect before the vortex ritual ended!

In midair, the first beam finally landed on Roselle, who was in the strange and abstract world, followed by the other three.

An indescribable light suddenly burst forth.

-x-X-x-

In the special mirror world, seeing that only Lumian was ahead, Higdon immediately looked towards Voisin Sanson.

Voisin Sanson took off a ring that looked like it was made of glass and tossed it to the demigod of the Order of All Extinction.

Harrison, standing to the side, spoke in somewhat awkward Intisian, "This world will guide you."

At this moment, Lumian, engulfed in blazing white-blue flames, charged forward with the Sword of Courage in hand.

After catching the glass-like ring, Higdon immediately activated it.

In this almost completely dark town ruin, as if covered by something from above, various mirror-like objects suddenly lit up. Higdon's figure was then enveloped in a transparent light and thrown into one of the mirrors, chasing after Ludwig and the others.

Lumian had only taken a few steps before he suddenly disappeared from the spot.

Behind Voisin Sanson, a ball of blazing white-blue flame quickly appeared, expanding rapidly and forming into a burning figure wielding a giant flaming sword.

The Circle Inhabitant was not surprised. A semi-transparent figure resembling him but colder and more indifferent emerged from behind him.

This was Voisin Sanson's new contract ability, "Death's Summon!"

The blazing white-blue figure quickly dimmed as the semi-transparent upper body approached, extinguishing the flames one by one.

However, Lumian himself was not within this figure.

At Voisin Sanson's feet, the shadows cast by the flames came to life eerily, transforming into a sticky black liquid that seemed to condense from the darkest desires and emotions of the human heart, surging upwards.

It first wrapped around Voisin Sanson's legs, then quickly spread to his torso.

Desire Incarnation!

Lumian's previous attack from behind was merely a distraction for Voisin Sanson.

The real killing move was the Desire Incarnation from the Devil's Whispers bone ring. This allowed the various chaotic corruptions and seals within him to play a significant role in battle.

So, when he teleported behind Voisin Sanson, he used the flaming figure he had created as a cover, turned into a shadow creature, and slipped into the shadows under the target's feet, activating the Devil's Whispers bone ring from Hisoka.

As for the other enemy present, the courageous Lumian did not pay him any mind.

Before drawing the Sword of Courage, he had already planned his battle strategy: With Ludwig, Franca and the others should be able to divert Higdon.

Lumian only needed to deal with Voisin Sanson and Harrison. Though Harrison was not a demigod and lacked godhood, his abilities were strange and varied, making it just as difficult to kill him quickly as to severely injure Voisin Sanson.

Thus, the primary target had to be the Circle Inhabitant Voisin Sanson. Lumian would rely on the quicker and more frequently usable Spirit World Traversal to constantly flash around, avoiding being caught by Harrison, who might steal his items or crucial abilities.

During this process, the mystical plague from the Black Tear forehead accessory would naturally spread, covering the area. Lumian believed it would be highly effective against Harrison's Paper Figurine Substitutes. Harrison might use the Paper Figurine Substitutes to avoid the occult diseases, but as long as he stayed on the battlefield, he would continue to be infected. The Paper Figurine Substitutes would eventually be exhausted, and over time, the damage rate would increase dramatically.

Just as the sticky black liquid covered Voisin Sanson, his body suddenly became blurry.

Lumian's mind fogged momentarily, and by the time he cleared up, Voisin Sanson had already put several meters between them, showing no signs of the Desire Incarnation's terrifying corruption affecting him.

This was another application of the Circle Inhabitant's ability.

This time, Voisin Sanson hadn't included the entire town ruin in the Circle Inhabitant effect, only treating his own body. Just like Lumian resetting his physical and spiritual state every morning at six o'clock, Voisin Sanson's trigger was Set to near-death or when suffering a fatal attack.

The Desire Incarnation attack had triggered the Circle Inhabitant effect, allowing Voisin Sanson to recover and use the brief moment of Lumian's distraction to create distance. Otherwise, he would have continued to be engulfed by the sticky black liquid.

Next, a ghostly green light condensed in Voisin Sanson's eyes and shot towards the recovering black liquid.

Lumian didn't have time to teleport and could only swiftly animate his shadow, swapping places with it.

As soon as the beam appeared, it hit the shadow, causing it to disintegrate instantly with no room for struggle.

Almost simultaneously, Voisin Sanson extended his right hand.

His eyes were dyed with a silver-black hue, reflecting a silently flowing mercury river.

This was the River of Fate, belonging to Lumian.

Voisin Sanson, the Circle Inhabitant, intended to exchange a segment of Lumian's fate.

After dodging the green beam, Lumian fearlessly teleported to Voisin Sanson's side once more.

Heh, trying Fate Exchange?

No problem!

As long as I knock you into a reset, your attempt will fail!

Lumian raised the iron-black straight sword, blazing with white-blue flames, and slashed heavily at Voisin Sanson.

Cull!

At that moment, Harrison finally found an opportunity. He reached out his right hand and lightly grabbed, Stealing this attack.

Blazing white-blue flames appeared on his body, and a giant flaming sword formed in his hand.

Bang!

From over ten meters away, Harrison slashed the flaming giant sword at Lumian, producing a fierce explosion.

Lumian, undaunted, turned to face the roaring flames and swung the Sword of Courage once more.

Another Cull!

Rumble!

The white-blue flames and the terrifying shockwave clashed, the violent windstorm wreaking havoc in the ruins, lifting stones and igniting wood.

Harrison was engulfed by the returning flaming windstorm, his body quickly degenerating into a sinister paper figurine with drawn features.

This paper figurine's surface was marked with red and yellow rust, which quickly burned to ash in the white-blue flames.

As Harrison's figure reappeared at the edge of the storm, Lumian, with his enhanced physique from 0-01 and the Sword of Courage absorbing damage, did not retreat a single step and locked onto Voisin Sanson again.

His eyes turned iron-black, searching for the weak point on Voisin Sanson.

He raised the Sword of Courage once more, conjuring several white-blue Fire Ravens behind him.

At this moment, thanks to Harrison's delay, Voisin Sanson completed all the prerequisites for the Fate Exchange. Soon, he would just wait for the time to pass and welcome the final outcome. If Lumian hadn't possessed a false Angel rank, Voisin Sanson could have started the exchange directly after choosing the desired segment from the River of Destiny without taking extra time.

Bang!

Lumian slashed the Sword of Courage down on Voisin Sanson's head, and the white-blue Fire Ravens circled, covering the surrounding area.

You can use the Circle Inhabitant ability to restore your state, but I can target you with area attacks and delayed assaults right after you recover!

A few more resets, and you will reach your inevitable end!

Boom!

Voisin Sanson's body blurred again, causing Lumian's thoughts to become hazy.

Using the Circle Inhabitant effect, Voisin Sanson recovered from the damage caused by the Sword of Courage. However, the white-blue Fire Ravens continued to follow their predetermined paths, landing in different spots.

Suddenly, Voisin Sanson's figure vanished from the spot.

As the crows exploded one after another, the Circle Inhabitant's figure reappeared about forty meters away.

You may be able to teleport, but I also have teleportation from my contract!

Lumian's figure quickly appeared beside Voisin Sanson, relentlessly pursuing him.

His eyes turned silver-black, reflecting Voisin Sanson's mercurial River of Fate.

He extended his left hand, pushing the illusory River of Destiny towards the tributary where Voisin Sanson couldn't escape the subsequent attacks, while slashing with the Sword of Courage, creating more white-blue fireballs.

Had he found the right choice, Lumian would have used Compelling Fate to directly disrupt Voisin Sanson's Circle Inhabitant effect.

Rumble!

Lumian's spirituality was drained by the continuous attacks, forcing him to urgently release the accumulated spirituality. Voisin Sanson was hit by the Sword of Courage and, after recovering, couldn't teleport away in time, suffering from the barrage of white-blue fireballs.

The Circle Inhabitant effect triggered for the fourth time.

Voisin Sanson recovered and teleported to another location.

However, the Fate Exchange did not stop, as only Voisin Sanson's body and spirituality were included in the Circle Inhabitant effect, not his fate or actions.

This was similar to Lumian's daily reset at six o'clock, which didn't undo previous actions or invalidate their results.

Lumian relentlessly pursued Voisin Sanson, blinking to his side again.

Voisin Sanson no longer chose to resist head-on. He used his contracted teleportation ability to change his position.

On the other side, Harrison had reverted to a thin, sinister paper figurine, sensing an impending infection.

Lumian continued chasing Voisin Sanson and overtook him with the time gap between teleportation and speed, finding two more opportunities to attack.

However, Voisin Sanson either used special abilities to neutralize the attacks or triggered the Circle Inhabitant effect.

Voisin Sanson's Circle Inhabitant seemed far from reaching its predetermined conclusion.

Even with the Sword of Courage, Lumian felt a certain level of despair-knowing that the Fate Exchange would lead to a very bad outcome, having opportunities to attack the enemy, but unable to stop the exchange and change the impending result.

This might be the meaning of inevitability.

Perhaps a Fate Appropriator needed a Circle Inhabitant to unleash its true horror.

Despair was fleeting; courage once again took hold of Lumian.

-x-X-x-

After a while, Voisin Sanson stopped passively waiting for the fate exchange to complete and began actively using various strange abilities, suppressing Lumian's attacks.

On the other side, Harrison increasingly relied on his Paper Figurine Substitutes to avoid the mystical plague spreading through the ruins of the town.

He had little time left to interfere with Lumian and kept trying to remove the densely packed mythical pathogens in the air with various methods he could think of, but to little avail.

Lumian felt the fate exchange nearing completion. Although he wasn't afraid, he decided to take a gamble.

Mimicking the Beyonders of a Warrior, he unleashed a Hurricane of Light, holding the Sword of Courage upside down and stabbing it forcefully into the ground.

With him and the Sword of Courage at the center, blazing white-blue fireballs spread layer upon layer, covering the ruins of the town.

Rumble!

Explosions erupted one after another, destroying the already crumbling ancient buildings and igniting every corner of the ruins.

Harrison used his Paper Figurine Substitute again. As he was always on the edge of the town ruins, his figure reappeared in the dark tunnel they had pursued through earlier.

Voisin Sanson, who was closer to Lumian, was inevitably affected. His attempt to teleport was interrupted by the violent shockwave.

His body caught fire again, but the injuries were not fatal. With the resilience of an Ascetic, he only instinctively twisted his face in pain.

Seizing this opportunity, Lumian teleported in front of Voisin Sanson.

Voisin Sanson's eyes immediately filled with ghostly green light.

Almost simultaneously, Lumian, anticipating Voisin Sanson's habit and method of using the terrifying beam, half-turned the Sword of Courage, holding it horizontally in front of his chest.

The ghostly green beam, upon completion, shot towards Lumian at unavoidable speed, striking the Sword of Courage. The blazing white-blue flames on its iron-black blade were instantly extinguished, and its metallic luster dimmed significantly.

Successfully blocking Voisin Sanson's beam, Lumian released his left hand, aiming to deliver a fatal blow.

He sensed that Voisin Sanson's current Circle Inhabitant cycle was nearing its end. Perhaps two or three more triggers would lead to the inevitable conclusion, possibly even death.

At this moment, Lumian's hair stood on end, his mind nearly blank.

The negative effects of the Black Tear forehead accessory manifested.

If not for the Sword of Courage sharing the burden, he would have been utterly overwhelmed by Pleasure, rather than just briefly dazed.

Taking advantage of this moment of distraction, Voisin Sanson teleported away from the emptied ruins but did not extend the distance beyond the Fate Exchange limit.

Lumian quickly regained his senses and prepared to pursue Voisin Sanson.

Suddenly, his thoughts slowed, becoming sluggish as if he had been rapidly frozen.

His body became rigid, and even moving a finger was extremely difficult.

The fate exchange had completed.

Clang! The Sword of Courage fell to the ground, as Lumian no longer had the strength to hold it.

Lumian slowly collapsed to the ground, his eyes vacant, his expression blank, leaning against a pile of rubble.

No longer controlled by Courage, he instinctively tried to activate the Blood Emperor's residual mark on his right palm, hoping the rampant frenzy might help him break free from his current state, but he couldn't manage it.

His ability to think coherently was rapidly slipping away.

This was the outcome Voisin Sanson had wanted from the Fate Exchange.

Voisin Sanson smiled, teleporting back to Lumian, and whispered, "If not for your false Angel rank, the fate exchange would have been completed long ago.

"You probably don't know that the maximum limit for the Circle Inhabitant's cycles is nine. You're still several cycles short of dealing real damage to me.

"You're not truly a demigod. There's a fundamental difference between you and someone with godhood."

As Voisin Sanson spoke, he pulled out an incomplete ritual sheepskin, just large enough to cover a head, intending to turn Lumian into a sheep and completely control him.

In the next second, Lumian felt the stiffness in his body and the sluggishness of his thoughts easing, their effects seemingly distorted.

Opportunity! Lumian immediately tried to activate the black mark on his right shoulder, hoping to teleport out of the special mirror world.

Voisin Sanson's face changed, then he activated a contract mark, shouting in a deep voice, "Lumian Lee!"

As Lumian's figure was still fading away, his mind buzzed, his head spinning, making it difficult to maintain the teleportation effect.

Voisin Sanson then placed the sheepskin over Lumian's head, chanting in Hermes, "Sheep!"

A flash of dark light transformed Lumian into a grayish-white sheep.

Most of his abilities were sealed, and the earlier state of sluggish thoughts and stiff body returned, preventing him from using the Black Tear forehead accessory or the Devil's Whispers bone ring.

Seeing this, Voisin Sanson felt the weakness and spirituality exhaustion in his own body but believed he could endure the mystical plague for a while longer, waiting for the Circle Inhabitant effect to passively activate.

A sinister paper figurine with drawn features entered the still-burning ruins from the tunnel, its surface accumulating rust at a visible rate.

It looked at Lumian and spoke in Harrison's voice, "Your companions don't seem to have escaped either."

As he spoke, the paper figurine made a gesture, and the edges of the dark world illuminated by the flames began to turn transparent, revealing the states of Franca and the others-not through Harrison's magic, but through the Mirror People watching in the shadows.

In the mirror-like scene, Franca led the others, except Ludwia, trying to traverse out of the special mirror world.

Above them, a figure in a black dress and gold crown appeared.

Surrounded by white mist, a light seemed to emanate from in front of her.

She glanced down, causing Franca and the others to fall back into the area they had just left, unable to escape the special mirror world.

Higdon, having split into two and covered in green-yellow slime, blocked Franca and the others' escape route in the scene.

After using it three more times, Franca's Ice Talisman only had one Mirror Traversal left.

She did not attempt to flee again. She pulled out a set of silver-white full-body armor from the Traveler's Bag and placed it in front of herself. Anthony also drew the Winter is Coming revolver.

In another scene, another Higdon was searching for Ludwig.

Seeing this, the increasingly ragged paper figurine of Harrison spoke to Lumian with a laugh, "Your companions will likely all die before you. Their Mirror Substitutes aren't as numerous as my paper figurines. You still have time to mourn them.

"Actually, you've done quite well. If it weren't for me and Higdon, your team might have been able to escape or even win against Voisin Sanson on their own."

With double control over him, Lumian had almost no ability to think deeply, leaving only his emotions to resonate.

His heart was ablaze with anger, indignation, and hatred, filling the sheep's eyes with bloodshot rage.

Voisin Sanson turned to Harrison's paper figurine and asked, "Can I kill him now to bring back Lord Termiboros?"

Harrison's paper figurine shook its head slowly, "The Celestial Worthy's revelation is to imprison."

Voisin Sanson thought for a moment and said, "Indeed, killing this trash might trigger unforeseen changes due to the high-level powers within him, potentially affecting the entire Project Vortex.

"Can I attempt to unseal his chest and bring back Lord Termiboros?"

Harrison's paper figurine paused for two seconds and said, "Yes."

This did not violate the Celestial Worthy's revelation.

Voisin Sanson smiled and said, "I'll need you to use that Celestial Worthy's boon for the final part. Otherwise, I'd have to bring Lumian Lee to the brink of death to unseal him, which is too risky."

The method to unseal Lumian Lee's The Fool seal wasn't devised by Voisin Sanson himself but given through a ritual by the great Circle of Inevitability.

"Okay." Harrison agreed.

Voisin Sanson immediately took out a black metal box and opened it.

Inside were thumb-sized mercury beads, their surfaces tinged with black and inscribed with complex, fear-inducing patterns and symbols.

Voisin Sanson's voice became low and his words eerily ethereal.

The black-tinged mercury beads floated up, spinning rapidly in mid-air, forming a continuous river.

With barely any coherent thoughts, Lumian heard Voisin Sanson and Harrison's conversation and saw the scene unfold but felt no despair or regret.

At this point, despair and regret were meaningless.

Lumian was only filled with anger, indignation, and hatred. The sheep's eyes bulged with fury.

Son of a sow!

Within ten to twenty seconds, Voisin Sanson completed his chant, sending the silver-black river towards Lumian's chest.

In the tunnel, Harrison had lit four candles and placed four pieces of bread in front of each, reciting incantations while taking special footsteps and gestures.

Lumian quickly fell into a dark state, his thoughts gradually clearing.

But before he could form any other thoughts, his chest grew hot, the familiar heat rapidly dissipating, turning cold.

In an instant, silver-black light beams burst from his body, weaving together in front of him to form a figure.

-x-X-x-

Madam Magician and the other Major Arcana card holders were again affected by the distortion of order, abruptly emerging from their starry roaming state and floating in midair.

What met their eyes was an unusually bloody altar and countless mutilated corpses.

On the altar, there was also an oil painting depicting a strange cosmos.

Ma'am Hermit, whose hearing was sealed, had a twisted expression and whispered with difficulty, "It's here, it's that painting..."

She felt the terrifying voice influencing her growing louder, originating from that oil painting!

"It really works..." The Magician cast her gaze towards the boy, Will Auceptin, who was holding the iron cigar case. It was unclear whether the praise was for the item imbued with Mr. Fool's aura or the luck she had always envied.

The boy, Will, shrugged and said, "I didn't expect it to be this effective either."

As he spoke, Ma'am Hermit forced an ancient spear stained with mottled blood into existence, sending it with destructive intent towards the painting.

But the Spear of Longinus, born of Fairytale Magic, disintegrated into points of light before it could reach the altar.

In Madam Magician's eyes, brilliant starlight shone.

Around the altar, faint glows outlined a pair of dreamlike doors, attempting to transfer the painting along with the altar outside the barrier, into the deep, dark cosmos.

However, the starlight doors remained motionless, unable to open.

"Those who are not participants in the vortex ritual cannot affect the painting," Miss Justice said, eying the iron cigar case in Will's hand, eager to take it and use it as a medium to showcase her physical strength and see if she could damage the painting.

Madam Judgment took the lead, receiving the iron cigar case from Will and holding it in her hand, making it part of her fist.

Immediately, the Major Arcana card holder shouted in ancient Hermes, "Execution!"

Accompanied by this command, Judgment swung her right fist, the iron cigar case gripped in her hand.

Bang!

The altar dented slightly, but the painting showed no obvious signs of damage.

"There's some effect, but not much," Madam Magician accurately assessed.

She took the iron cigar case and tried various abilities herself, but could only cause minor damage to the painting, unable to shake its core effect, as they were not participants in the vortex ritual and could only influence it through the medium-the iron cigar case-which lacked destructive power.

Watching the painting still affecting her and many high-level individuals, Ma'am Hermit could not help but feel anxious.

...

Deep in the primitive island, in the dense white mist before the Black Emperor mausoleum.

As the four beams of light merged into Roselle's body in midair, Perle's face was suddenly stretched wide, presenting a comical yet terrifying appearance. The blood-red figure and the miniature crimson moon in the mist retreated strangely, as if going in the wrong direction.

From the light point where the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess emerged, the white mist, which had been nearly purified by the holy pillar, filled again. Saint Viève in midair and the Purifiers outside the villa, including Angoulême, felt an impending collapse of the current order.

The lightless domain instantly twisted, with some darkness seeping in, forming a shadowed side.

Discovering the presence of the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess, Mr. Moon was about to turn into crimson moonlight and illuminate the white mist but found himself rushing into the sky. The Worms of Time split by Pallez, just deciding to return, assess the situation, and unite in deception, got lost in life's path.

Mr. Hanged Man, riding the gale, suddenly plummeted, nearly losing his flying ability and falling to the ground.

As distortion phenomena appeared to varying degrees worldwide, at the core of the vortex ritual, Perle struggled to raise her head and look up.

At the edge of the abstract, fantastical world, Roselle's figure, clad in black armor and a luxurious cape, grew larger and clearer, with a crown set with dark gems forming swiftly atop his head.

The surrounding white mist mostly invaded His body, distorting His face, with His eyes a deep blue almost black, a slow-expanding mist.

The Black Emperor had revived in the astral world.

Roselle lowered His head slightly, gazing down, focusing on the white mist before His mausoleum, the torrent connecting Him and the mist, and the face of Perle in the depths of the mist, exuding majesty and depth.

The next moment, the Black Emperor raised His right hand, forming a fist, and gently twisted His wrist.

Distortion!

He forcefully completed a distortion using His authority, the Black Emperor pathway, the special connection with the Uncertain Mist, and the corruption deeply eroding His body and soul, relying on the invisible barrier blocking the Outer Deities.

Perle, deep in the white mist, briefly lost focus, then discovered in shock that the great Uncertain Mist was no longer closely connected with her through the vortex ritual but had shifted to the Black Emperor.

Her object of faith, her ritual foundation, had all been Distorted to Emperor Roselle!

After her initial confusion, Perle quickly felt a surge of fear and despair.

Not only her, but all the Uncertain Mist believers across the continents also saw a thin white mist before their eyes, with a majestic, indistinct figure standing within.

That figure, wearing a crown and black armor, quietly looked down at them.

The Black Emperor's first act upon revival was to temporarily "take over" all faith directed at the Uncertain Mist!

Of course, this also exposed Him more directly to the Outer Deity outside the barrier.

Another wisp of white mist separated from the surface of a planet, reaching the site of an intense divine battle, using the special environment and its symbolism to penetrate the barrier again, falling upon Emperor Roselle at the edge of the astral world, like a fishing line finally controlling its target.

Roselle's expression became increasingly distorted.

He continued to gaze at Perle and the Uncertain Mist believers worldwide, speaking in a majestic voice, "The Broker can unite the Outer Deities and has acted, posing a great threat, a crime beyond pardon!"

As He spoke, the Black Emperor's outstretched right hand opened, as if to grasp something.

After declaring the crime, His right hand clenched abruptly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! On the Northern and Southern Continents, the Uncertain Mist believers exploded into blood mist.

This was not the ability of the Judgment domain but the control granted by the boon system, the control of an evil god over His followers!

Temporarily distorting the Uncertain Mist faith, Black Emperor Roselle used this to purge the evil god's followers, making them feel the wrath of a god, aiming to eliminate them all.

A single Broker might not be dangerous, but their ability to weave all dangers together made them the greatest threat!

"No!" Despite her desperate resistance, Perle exploded uncontrollably within the white mist.

Her face split into different parts like the nose, eyes, mouth, and ears, scattered into the white mist, staining it with a noticeable blood color.

Yet the vortex ritual had not ceased. The Shadow of the Beauty Goddess and the miniature crimson moon continued to approach their target light point, even faster than before.

Silently, the exploded Uncertain Mist believers, in blood mist form, crossed the void, merging into the vortex mist that Perle had become. This accelerated the advance of the Shadow of the Beauty Goddess and the miniature crimson moon, sustaining the ongoing transaction as if other forces were maintaining the ritual.

A characteristic of the Vortex was that all participants contributed power to maintain the ritual until their part of the transaction was complete.

Thus, once the Vortex was formed, destroying it would become increasingly difficult!

Roselle glanced at the white mist connecting Him and the outside barrier, His expression of pain growing more apparent.

He shouted lowly, "Adam! Where are you?

"The Uncertain Mist has made a heavy bet. If you don't reveal your cards, we're all doomed!"

Seeing no change around, Roselle paused and continued to roar angrily, "Adam!

Are you really waiting for a chance to devour the Eternal Blazing Sun and others?"

Just after Roselle's low roar, a distant yet gentle voice echoed in His mind, "I''m here."

...

In the special mirror world,

Voisin Sanson watched expectantly and reverently as silver-black light beams shot from the gray-white sheep that Lumian had become, waiting for Lord Termiboros to be completely freed.

The beams wove together in front of him, quickly forming a figure.

The figure was slightly hunched, wearing a black classical robe and a pointed hat of the same color, with a thin face, slightly curly black hair, a broad forehead, and pitch-black eyes.

Just as Lumian was about to activate the Blood Emperor's residual aura to try and escape the sheep state, he froze upon seeing this figure.

Wh- Voisin Sanson and Harrison's bodies trembled, also becoming stunned.

The figure slowly straightened, not even glancing at Voisin Sanson and Harrison, but turned to look at Lumian.

Without any warning, the sheep's wool covering Lumian's body fell off, shrinking back to its original head-covering size.

Lumian remained in shock and bewilderment.

The figure took out a monocle made of crystal and leisurely placed it over his right eye, revealing a slight smile at Lumian, "You can call me Amon, or..."

The figure's voice grew majestic and layered, the smile on his face more evident.

"Termiboros."

-x-X-x-

Lumian knew that the figure before him was Amon. Although Amon's appearance differed somewhat from Monette and the other Amons, the monocle over his right eye and his overall demeanor and aura unmistakably confirmed his identity.

But why was Amon here? And why did he call himself Termiboros?

Lumian clearly saw those silver and black beams of light emerging from within himself, from the shattered seal of Mr. Fool. How did they transform into Amon?

This was why Lumian had frozen in place earlier.

Could it be that during their previous encounters, Amon had secretly bypassed Mr. Fool's seal, hidden inside him, and replaced Termiboros?

If so, what had Mr. Fool's seal actually been for?

Despite his shock and confusion, Lumian suppressed these emotions because he had more urgent matters to attend to.

He stood up, ready to pick up the Sword of Courage and use the Mirror Traversal ability of the Black Tear to reach Franca, Jenna, and the others, to help them fight Higdon.

Meanwhile, Voisin Sanson and Harrison stood frozen like statues.

Amon, who claimed to be Termiboros, raised His hand to stop Lumian.

He glanced at the transparent boundary showing the battle between Franca, the others, and Higdon, and smiled, saying, "I've fixed their fate for the next ten minutes so they won't die. You still have some time. As for what happens after ten minutes, that's up to your choices."

Lumian refocused on Amon, removing the Black Tear forehead accessory and tucking it into the separate space within his Traveler's Bag to prevent any further negative effects. In a low voice, he asked, "What choices?"

Without waiting for Amon's response, he couldn't help but ask another question, "When did you become Termiboros?"

As he spoke, Lumian temporarily put away the Devil's Whispers bone ring.

Amon's lips curled slightly. "A long, long time ago. By the time you first learned that name, Termiboros was already me."

At this, the former King of Angels' smile took on a hint of mockery.

"In that dream in Cordu Village, the Warlock symbolized the power of inevitability. The Warlock's death and burial in the tomb symbolized the loss of the true owner of that power-the real Termiboros. The owl guarding the tomb and the Warlock's body symbolized an outsider seeking this power. The other you, accompanying the owl, symbolized the inherent depravity within everyone.

"Pallez couldn't even decipher this, yet he calls himself a Cryptologist? Just because I changed my symbolic form, He couldn't recognize me?

"Has he already begun aging prematurely at such a young age?"

Lumian didn't know who Pallez was, but he understood the implications of Amon's explanation.

The first time he had heard about depravity was from a Secrets Suppliant. That knowledge came with the potion. The second time was in the honorific name of the True Creator worshiped by the Aurora Order.

And Amon had a very close relationship with that individual.

This meant the True Creator's influence on the Cordu incident was much deeper than Lumian had imagined. It wasn't just a matter of sending a few lizard-like elves to nudge events along!

Rage that even an Ascetic couldn't suppress burned within Lumian. He squeezed out a hoarse voice from his throat, "Was the Cordu disaster the plan formulated by you two?"

Amon pinched His right eye's monocle, not directly answering Lumian's question.

He pulled a piece of paper from the void and read it in the tone of a report, "Patient: Lumian Lee, male, claims to be born on September 26, 1340, a native of Cordu in Riston Province, Intis Republic.

"Diagnosis: Strong self-destructive tendencies, loss of ability to respond to others' emotions.

"Cause Analysis: Experiences as a street urchin made the patient distrustful of his surroundings, developing habits of self-neglect to survive, abandoning certain societal morals. Aurore Lee's care, sympathy, love, supervision, and interdependent life helped the patient initially heal from that phase, reestablishing social connections and gradually becoming a normal person.

"The disaster at Cordu Village and Aurore's death shattered the patient's rebuilt life, bringing more severe pain and despair, making him afraid to desire or respond to others' emotions, fearing loss again, thus fostering strong self-destructive tendencies.

"First Phase Treatment Plan:

"Step 1: Emphasize the possibility of Aurore Lee's resurrection to give the patient motivation to live.

"Step 2: Arrange for the patient to stay at the Auberge du Coq Doré in the Trier market district, where many people at the bottom of society can effectively evoke the patient's empathy.

"Step 3: Force the patient to form connections with Celia Bello and others through events, preparing to rebuild social connections.

"Step 4: Use the undercover mission in the Iron and Blood Cross Order to make the patient meet Franca Roland. Franca Roland's background is similar to Aurore's, and her cheerful personality can effectively lower the psychological walls the patient has built, making her the most important candidate for re-establishing social connections.

"Step 5: Coordinate with the Tarot Club's Justice and Susie for treatment, reasonably allowing certain events to happen to aid in improving psychological conditions:

"Early Stage: Use the patient's sympathy for the unemployed Charlie and the street girls Ethans allow his help to yield positive results, giving him positive feedback.

"Mid Stage: Ensure the patient encounters Celia Bello after setbacks, receiving companionship and comfort, and using the self-indulgent yet unintentional behavior he chooses to relieve accumulated emotions.

"Late Stage: Bring inevitable events forward at the most appropriate time, with some events potentially occurring before mid-stage treatment:

"These include:

"1. Susanna Mattise targeting Charlie again, having the Bliss Society abduct him to Underground Trier. This would allow the patient to vaguely sense the Sufferer's presence, feel anger, and through these events, strengthen his connections with Franca, Celia, and Charlie, initially rebuilding social ties;

"2. The madman Flameng, whose situation most resembles the patient's, hangs himself after losing all hope and motivation for life despite the patient's help. This strongly resonates with the patient, giving him a huge shock, triggering his rebellious spirit and stubbornness;

"3. Scavenger Ruhr, unfortunately getting affected by the indiscriminate influence of cultists, contracts a severe illness. The patient's efforts to help end in failure, with Ruhr's wife, Michel, losing hope and choosing to indulge once by having a hearty meal and singing loudly before hanging herself at dawn. This similar fate and predestined outcome thoroughly ignite the patient's emotions, making him want to fight against the unfairness of fate, wanting to challenge everything.

"4. The explosion at the chemical plant where Celia Bello's mother worked, acting as the final catalyst.

"First Phase Treatment Result: The patient's self-destructive tendencies significantly reduced, re-established social connections, regained some motivation to live, and can now handle more events."

As Amon read the "report" in an even tone, Lumian felt his heart sink, growing colder with each word.

It was like being doused with cold water as a street urchin, the chill spreading from his head to his toes, extinguishing all his hope and pride like a candle flame.

His indignation, his rebellion against fate-all of them seemed like a joke, shattered into pieces and ground into the dirt by those in power.

At this moment, Lumian felt completely numb.

Half of him burned with uncontrollable anger and the self-destructive urge to drag the report writer to death with him. The other half once again felt the despair and pain from when Aurore had pushed him away to face death alone.

Amon finally finished reading the first phase treatment report and looked at Lumian with a smile, seemingly waiting for a response.

Lumian's body hunched slightly, and his voice erupted from the depths of his soul, filled with agony, "Why? Why me?"

Amon smiled and said, "The Fool's aura and Aurore's foolish choice made you a good test subject, capable of bearing many things and verifying the initial experimental results.

"That's one reason. The other is if you truly self-destruct, won't my role as Termiboros be exposed? How can I deceive those outside and make Them place heavy bets?

"Only by slowly absorbing and digesting Termiboros' Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics within The Fool's seal and changing pathways will it be most hidden and least likely to be discovered."

Lumian's mind was in chaos, his emotions exploding, even the Conspirer's abilities were hard to use. He could only ask instinctively, "In that large ceremony with the padre, did not only Termiboros descend but also you? Did you intentionally seal yourself with the injured Termiboros into my body?"

Amon nodded lightly and smiled. "Thanks to your gifts, it helped me open the return path and gave me such a present."

Lumian fell silent, involuntarily breathing heavily as if the air here was too thin, and he had to force himself to breathe deeply. "Previously, the Sufferer hidden around me, who was it?"

Amon shook His head. "Haven't you guessed it yet? You should have heard His name, the Angel of Fate, Ouroboros."

The Angel of Fate, Ouroboros... Lumian was stunned, but it seemed to make sense.

This was the King of Angels who had once followed the Ancient Sun God and was currently serving the True Creator as mentioned by Mr. K during his preaching.

Lumian instinctively gritted his teeth, his voice squeezing out through the gaps, "Did you have a chance to save Aurore back then?"

Amon smiled. "Do you want to hear the answer?"

He glanced at the paper in His hand, seemingly preparing to read new content that might contain all the answers.

-x-X-x-