"Captain, I..."
As Danitz, his face full of excitement, pushed open the captain's cabin door, he saw his old nemesis Ferran was also inside. Most importantly, he was alone with the captain again!
His expression instantly turned vigilant, and the words he was about to say stopped. Ferran, on the other hand, looked at Danitz who had barged in, feeling quite speechless. He didn't know what was wrong with this guy, staring at him with the look of an enemy.
The Golden Dream had stayed on the elven island known as "Nas" for a long time. Edwina seemed to have obtained some information on that elven island. After leaving Nas Island more than a month ago, the ship had been heading in a certain direction.
Ferran had previously exchanged part of the Sequence 5 "Ocean Singer" potion formula, which only included the auxiliary advancement ritual, with Aaron at the Chaos Council, using the contribution he gained from transmitting the spirit world coordinates of the elven island.
He had almost fully digested the Sequence 7 "Navigator" potion, and he had already obtained the Sequence 6 "Wind Blessed" potion formula before, so Ferran felt it was very necessary to prepare for the advancement ritual in advance.
And after learning that the ritual was to take the potion inside the belly of an Aubnis, Ferran immediately found Captain Edwina to inquire about the Aubnis.
Edwina's light blue eyes, like clear spring water, glanced at Danitz standing at the door. She nodded and continued in a calm tone:
"Aubnis is an ancient sea monster, most of which have been tamed by the Church of Storms and have fixed activity areas. Besides that, the 'King of the Five Seas' and the 'Mysterious Queen' might possess Aubnis sea monsters that don't belong to the Church of Storms."
Without waiting for Ferran to be disappointed, Edwina's tone shifted, and she added:
"However, you don't need to worry. There were several 'Ocean Singers' on that elven island before, and they must also possess Aubnis sea monsters."
"Your task is to advance to Sequence 6 as soon as possible. After completely digesting the 'Wind Blessed' potion, you can return to that elven island to seek advancement."
Saying that, Edwina turned her head, her light blue eyes looking at Danitz, signaling him that he could report.
Danitz, who was shocked that Ferran was actually preparing to advance to Sequence 6, had lost the sharpness in his eyes from earlier and responded somewhat awkwardly:
"There's an island directly ahead of us. It doesn't look smaller than the previous elven island. Maybe..."
Before he could finish, a sudden exclamation came from the deck. Feeling the spiritual fluctuations from the combat on the deck, Edwina frowned slightly, and her figure instantly disappeared from the captain's cabin.
By the time Danitz and Ferran also arrived on the deck, the battle had already ended.
A monster two to three meters tall lay powerlessly on the deck. One of its huge bat wings on its back had been torn off, and the horns growing next to its ears, covered in mysterious patterns, were also broken.
Within its ink-black fur, crimson flames tinged with blue flickered, and a strong smell of sulfur wafted out.
It was impossible to tell what kind of creature the demon had evolved from; only the flames of madness and bloodlust remained in its magma-like eyes, its rationality completely lost.
It seemed to be affected by some stronger pollution, making even the bloodthirsty and degenerate demon go mad. Its extraordinary ability to predict danger was distorted by the intense will of madness.
Taking out a few bottles of light blue potion from her Pregnant, Edwina threw them to the sailors who were injured and polluted by the demon. She frowned and looked at the island that was growing larger in the mist, and the patterns inscribed on the Golden Dream lit up accordingly.
After dealing with a few more equally mad demons, the "Golden Dream" finally approached the massive black island.
Edwina, standing at the bow and watching her surroundings, her gaze suddenly froze as she looked at a figure on the edge of the island. A gentle voice ignored the distance and appeared directly in her mind:
"No need to be nervous. You can call me Turani-Von-Hermosin, or you can call me by another name, 'Hilaryon the Orange Light'..."
-----------------
On November 3, 1347, on an unnamed island at the edge of the Fog Sea, a light blue portal appeared, and Aaron walked out slowly with Boyer-Bail, who had just left "Groselle's Travels" more than a month ago.
This "Demon Hunter" had digested some of his potion after several battles in the world within the book. Although he was somewhat out of control when he first left the book world, he had completely eliminated the hidden danger within less than a month and fully controlled the incomplete mythical creature form.
Cavendish-Lanther, dressed in a black robe with a cold expression, walked out last with the tense Shatass. He had successfully advanced to "Ancient Scholar."
After learning some secret history of the Second Epoch from Aaron, he had digested a lot of the "Ancient Scholar" potion. Now, he could summon two historical void projections simultaneously.
Even using "Travel" to cross the entire Southern Continent and the Raging Sea with a few people consumed a lot of Aaron's spirituality. After a simple rest, Aaron handed the charm recording the spirit world coordinates of the elven island to Shatass:
"Later, when we enter the spirit world corresponding to the Fog Sea, you can use your blood to activate this charm, and you will find your kinsmen."
Shatass nodded with some anticipation. After taking the charm, she waited in silence.
Activating the teleportation again, the four arrived above a huge island. In the center of the island was a deep lake, and waves carrying the sound of wind and thunder came from the lake.
Sensing the aura of the few people, hurricanes rose, carrying two elves, one male and one female, who ascended from the dense forest of the ring-shaped island. Their hair defied natural laws and spread out, each strand distinct, entwined with electric light.
Feeling that there were several terrifying demigod auras, the male elf vigilantly pulled the string of the ancient bow in his hand. The air in the sky became dim as if dark clouds were gathering, and electric light was flickering.
Silver-white lightning surged from his hair, intertwining on the long arrow condensed on the ancient bowstring. A thick bolt of lightning struck down, superimposed on that arrow, making the arrow completely silver-white, as if it came from the God of Thunder.
Even seeing Shatass, who was also an elf, the female elf still questioned with a lack of confidence in Elvish:
"Who are you? Outsiders are not welcome here. Please do not disturb our lives..."
Aaron withdrew his gaze from the ancient bowstring. After understanding the other party's words, he couldn't help but inwardly grumble:
"I remember you didn't say that when the Golden Dream came, did you? There's only one demigod and one saint, there's no need to be so vigilant."
Boyer-Bail, who was beside him, kept his eyes on the lake in the center of the ring-shaped island. Emerald green symbols appeared in his eyes. The "Demon Hunter's Eye" was extremely sensitive to traces of fallen pollution.
After Boyer-Bail's confirmation, Aaron left him and Shatass to let the two elves calm down, while he took Cavendish-Lanther and jumped into the lake, exploring towards the depths.
The two seemed to pass through some kind of void "barrier" like a curtain, suddenly feeling the surroundings become viscous and heavy.
Flickering light appeared all around, coming from the deep blue seawater that filled this area.
The bottom was an ancient and dark ruin. All the buildings were unusually tall, and their architectural style was different from the present, but most of the buildings were already dilapidated.
A huge pillar, inscribed with strange patterns and symbols, extended from the center, tending to reach the top level. It seemed to have supported this place in the past, but now, it was broken, half-fallen and leaning against the top of a nearby building.
Having broken through the obstruction of some kind of barrier, Aaron could clearly hear prolonged, painful roars echoing, without diminishing.
That obvious demigod aura should originate from the elven demigod in very poor condition that Ferran mentioned. What surprised Aaron was that in this situation, the sea area where the "Disaster Priest" was located did not form a terrifying storm. Suppressing the doubt in his heart, he continued forward.
The center of that ancient ruin was a palace that seemed to be composed of coral. The overall structure was even taller and more spectacular, but since it was under layers of deep blue seawater, the sky could not be seen at all, making it appear dark and gloomy. The only light source was the streaks of silver-white electric light swimming in the palace.
Borrowing the faint light, Aaron saw the inside of the palace. The pillars were not very thick or tall, and they also had strange patterns that were somewhat different from current symbols and magical marks.
And at the base of each stone pillar, there was a figure sitting. They were all elves, with serene faces. The fluctuations emanating from the strange patterns on the stone pillars blocked everything within the palace, preventing it from leaking out.
The source of the painful roars was a female figure sitting on the lightning throne. Her originally beautiful deep blue hair had turned into gray-blue tentacles attached with fallen patterns, like a canopy spread open.
Sensing the gaze, her mouth stretched to her ears, and her crimson eyes showed bloodthirsty madness. The randomly waving blue-green tentacles, entwined with lightning, shot towards them, and the seawater rolled back, forming a vortex.
Aaron's eyes fixed on those crimson eyes and the seawater vortex below. Two dazzling bolts of lightning suddenly lit up in his pupils.
"Inquisitor", "Mental Sting"!
The blue-green tentacles entwined with lightning suddenly froze, and the vortex emitting terrifying suction stalled accordingly. Aaron's figure instantly disappeared from the spot.
A brilliant beam of light, entwined with a bit of golden flame, descended from the sky and struck directly on the "Disaster Priest."
Her body immediately ignited, and her gray-black skin and flesh fell off in chunks and continuously dissolved in the pure radiance.
Those tentacles, entwined with lightning, were melted by the sacred beam of light, inserted into the ground, twitching and wriggling, turning into ashes.
Cavendish-Lanther stood in the center of the palace, holding the "Sun Seeking Scepter." Golden light continuously spread, enveloping the "Disaster Priest" on the lightning throne.
Although it was only a historical void projection summoned by an "Ancient Scholar," its power was no match for a real Sealed Artifact Grade 0, but it was more than enough to deal with a polluted "Disaster Priest."
Cavendish-Lanther intended to directly activate the "Light Seeking Domain" to forcefully expel the pollution from her body. Anyway, as long as he dissolved the maintenance of the historical void projection in time, he wouldn't suffer the negative effects.
On the other side, Aaron also entered the palace. The gray-blue tentacles that originally covered the entire palace had disappeared. Borrowing the intense sunlight, Aaron looked at the murals on the inner wall of the palace. The content was a confrontation between two figures:
Looking down at the enemy from above was a man stepping on waves, topped with dark clouds, and covered in a storm. In his hand, he held a spear composed purely of electric light, with the background being the ocean that submerged everything.
Below this man was a person wearing a simple white robe. His face was blurred, making it difficult to distinguish his age; one could only vaguely tell he was a male.
Behind the head of the person in the classical white robe was a halo, quietly emitting radiance, like a sun.
Behind Him was hidden a shadow like a curtain. Within the shadow, an eye seemed to be silently peering outside.
This mural depicted the confrontation between the "Elf King" Soniathorem and the "Creator" in the Second Epoch.
"Is this the 'Creator' who reclaimed the authority of the ancient gods and was followed by eight 'Angels of Kings'?"
As Aaron looked at the figure shrouded in light, thoughts just arose in his mind when he suddenly felt intense spiritual fluctuations and a danger warning coming from behind.
Taking out "Groselle's Travels" and holding it in front of him, Aaron glanced sideways and saw that the figure originally shrouded in bright white light suddenly erupted with deep blue light. The source was the deep blue gem worn by the "Disaster Priest."
Streaks of silver-white electric snakes shot out, carrying an intense, almost substantial tyrannical and destructive aura, densely striking the surroundings, actually forcing the "Light Seeking Domain" back.
Looking at the deep blue gem emitting a tyrannical aura, a solemn look flashed in Cavendish-Lanther's eyes. As expected of the elven tribe that migrated to the Fog Sea in the Second Epoch, they still possessed a terrifying Sealed Artifact formed from a "Sea King" extraordinary characteristic.
He maintained the historical void projection of the "Sun Seeking Scepter" with his right hand, while his left hand kept reaching into the historical fog, and a hint of excitement actually flashed in his eyes.
Suddenly, his face turned pale, but he revealed a smile and looked respectfully towards the air, where a figure had already taken shape:
It was a majestic middle-aged man with brass-colored hair and golden eyes. It was "Night Emperor" Trunsoest when he was still Sequence 1 "Order of Hand," before he became a true god.
When summoning images from the historical void, the more detailed and real your understanding of the corresponding history and events, the greater the probability of success and the longer the duration of maintenance.
As one of the personal guards who followed the Night Emperor since the United Empire period, Cavendish-Lanther successfully summoned the historical void projection of the Night Emperor in just 4 attempts.
Since the summoned Night Emperor projection's status was much higher than Cavendish-Lanther's own sequence, the image only had partial power and characteristics, but this was already enough.
His golden eyes looked indifferently at the deep blue gem, pointed his arm forward, and lightly swiped.
Without Him needing to say anything else, the chaos and strangeness within the entire ruin ceased. That deep blue gem was separated into different spaces by some force, and all the silver-white electric arcs were isolated.
Looking at that terrifying image, Aaron felt a little apprehensive, but couldn't help but remind him:
"Don't actually kill that 'Disaster Priest.' Try to save her. She's still useful."
Cavendish-Lanther, who was consuming spirituality frantically while maintaining two historical void projections simultaneously, nodded and directly borrowed strength from his past self, ensuring that he would not have a moment of weakness.
Without the protection of that deep blue gem, he, whose spirituality was replenished, once again activated the "Sun Seeking Scepter" and began to extract the pollution filled with degenerate and mad aura from the "Disaster Priest."
Chapter 199 The Secret of the Elven Survivors
In the illumination of the fiery gold-red flames, dark red blood clots peeled away from the cracked body. The black mist twisted as if alive, stubbornly gathering the peeled flesh and blood.
Circles and circles of pure, warm light enveloped the mass of flesh and blood that exuded a degenerate and foul aura. Under the illumination of the "White Ray," it rapidly dissolved, leaving behind only a piece of pure black crystal.
The "High Priest of Calamity," who had shed the flesh and blood, no longer shrieked. The body scorched by the intense sun was quickly covered by deep blue light, and eerie blue illusory scales were regrowing on the charred torso.
Picking up the dropped "Travels of Groselle" again, Aaron clicked his tongue, looking at the cover that showed no trace of damage, quite satisfied with its defensive power.
Watching Cavendish-Lancer put away the pure black crystal, the gradually transparent historical void image of the Night Emperor also sealed the deep blue gemstone formed by the "Sea King" Beyonder characteristic.
"Who exactly are you?"
Just then, a hoarse, low voice sounded. The "High Priest of Calamity," with a damaged body, sat on a seat formed by lightning, raising her head, half of her face covered in scales.
"As expected of a demigod-level Elf, this body's recovery ability is truly extraordinary..."
Looking at the wriggling flesh and blood, Aaron couldn't help but marvel inwardly, but his expression remained calm. The dignity of an "Arbiter" close to the demigod level enveloped the heavily injured "High Priest of Calamity" as Aaron's gaze shifted.
"We are from the East Chester Family of the Loen Kingdom in the Northern Continent. We have come this time to form an alliance with your Elf race. To show our sincerity, we first helped you clear the contamination on your body."
"However, I am very curious to know what exactly you encountered? To end up in such a state."
The charred dead skin peeled off on its own, and scales covered her entire body, replacing her clothes. The "High Priest of Calamity" on the seat shifted her wary and even slightly fearful gaze away from Cavendish-Lancer, staring intently at the deep blue gemstone wreathed in golden light in Aaron's hand.
That was the most precious item of their branch of the Elf remnants, one of only two remaining items originating from the Second Epoch. It not only commemorated their glory and history but was also their foundation for survival in the Sea of Fog and Anchor Island. It absolutely could not be taken by outsiders.
After a long silence, she took a deep breath, and a cold, slightly hoarse voice came out:
"Distant guests, you may call me 'Talia.' I am also the High Priest of this branch of the Elf remnants. I hope you will not make things difficult for my clansmen."
"As for your question, due to the continuous erosion of my mind by the contamination, I can't remember the exact time. It was probably several hundred years ago, shortly after I received the Gift from the previous High Priest and advanced to 'High Priest of Calamity,' when Nas Island faced a crisis."
Speaking of this, Talia's azure eyes slightly unfocused, as if lost in distant memories:
"It was a massive sailing ship, nearly two hundred meters long, completely covered in viscous, pitch-black slime, exuding boundless aura of degeneracy, as if it had sailed from the abyss, a ship of demons."
"At the center of the ship's cabin was a pitch-black tombstone. The source of all degeneracy originated from it. It was not an inanimate object, but a high-level demon from the abyss."
"Its condition seemed to be very problematic, forcing it to flee from the abyss. Its extreme bloodlust was why it targeted Nas Island."
"Even so, I, who was already a demigod, was completely no match for it. Only by relying on the 'Diamond of the Abyssal Sea' could I resist it."
Talia said this and raised a finger to point at the deep blue gemstone Aaron held, then swept her gaze across the magnificent palace filled with murals before continuing:
"Although I successfully repelled it, I was contaminated by it because I had just advanced and my divinity was unstable. I have been unable to get rid of it and could only seal myself within the ancestral temple to avoid harming my fellow clansmen."
Cavendish-Lancer had no extra reaction, merely shifting his gaze to the surrounding murals and the strange patterns carved on the pillars within the palace, which differed somewhat from the symbolic and magical markings in his memory.
Aaron, on the other hand, found his expression growing stranger the more he listened. This description reminded him of an old acquaintance he had met when he first visited the Divine War ruins, the "Undying King" Agarito, or more precisely, the "Death Knell."
Without voicing the guess in his heart, Aaron asked with interest instead:
"Do high-level demons frequently appear near Nas Island?"
Before time, all living beings are equal. A high-level demon could extract quite a bit of lifespan from the "Spirit World Picture Frame." It would be better for him to judge such degenerate and twisted demons. That way, he wouldn't have to risk hunting those demigods.
Talia seemed choked by Aaron's question, especially the excitement in his words, which made her fall silent. Encountering a high-level demon, was that something to be excited about?
Glancing at Cavendish-Lancer standing beside Aaron, Talia sighed in her heart and replied with a somewhat helpless tone:
"Of course not. If that were the case, Nas Island would have long since been wiped out of history and ceased to exist."
"Since the King and Queen fell, the first High Priest of Nas Island led us to escape to the Sea of Fog by ship. In the long years since, excluding the harassment of ordinary demons not recorded, true high-level demons have only appeared 9 times."
"And the time I encountered was the last time, and also the strongest demon encounter."
From the end of the Second Epoch until now, in such a long period, they only appeared nine times, and you were unlucky enough to encounter the strongest one and were even contaminated by it.
Somewhat amazed by the luck of this "High Priest of Calamity," even if the plan to hunt demons to replenish lifespan fell through, Aaron wasn't particularly bothered. Looking at the sealed item in his hand, which Talia called the "Diamond of the Abyssal Sea," he asked with a slightly raised corner of his mouth and an expectant tone:
"I want to exchange for the 'High Priest of Calamity' potion formula. If you have the 'Sea King' potion formula, that would be even better. I can offer generous compensation that you will definitely be satisfied with. Of course, I can also return this sealed item to you."
The expectant gaze was met with silence. Aaron frowned. Just as he was about to reveal some of his conditions first, he heard Talia's cold voice speak again:
"The King and Queen fell one after another, and the entire Elf race disintegrated. The pioneer who led the clan to escape to the Sea of Fog was a 'High Priest of Calamity' who had advanced within the clan long ago. He did not know the specific potion formula, only the advancement ritual, let alone the subsequent potion formulas."
Speaking of this, Talia paused, looked at the stone pillars covered with strange patterns in the hall, and the dry Elf skeletons beneath the pillars, and continued with a complex tone:
"When that pioneer's lifespan was nearing its end, he used everything to build this ancestral temple, taking the Elf bloodline as the foundation and sacrificing himself."
"Every High Priest will sacrifice themselves before death, allowing the successor to advance to 'High Priest of Calamity' without needing to sacrifice themselves and gain the recognition of the 'Diamond of the Abyssal Sea.'"
"The 'Diamond of the Abyssal Sea' was a tribal sacred item that the pioneer originally held, corresponding to Sequence 3 'Sea King,' held by every High Priest; another lower-level sacred item corresponding to 'High Priest of Calamity' is held by the next candidate."
Listening to the High Priest's narration with a frown, although he didn't know the specific process, advancing solely through blood sacrifice would inevitably leave many problems. After all, the mental imprints left by each High Priest in the Beyonder characteristic were terrifying contamination for every advancer.
In this situation, the mind would be assimilated unknowingly. This assimilation is silent and would only make the experiencer feel that it is an inheritance of glory, making them identify with it more and more.
With a hint of pity in his complex gaze, Aaron looked at the weak High Priest and understood her unspoken meaning.
The "Diamond of the Abyssal Sea" in his hand and even the "High Priest of Calamity" Beyonder characteristic within this High Priest's body contained the mental imprints of generations of Elf remnants. Without recognition, they could not be used at all.
"You have been separated from the outside world for too long. I must remind you that the East Chester Family is now an Angel Family, and there is more than one Angel. The mental imprint you are worried about is not a problem."
Cavendish-Lancer, who was nearby, couldn't help but withdraw his gaze from the surrounding murals and looked at Aaron with a somewhat strange expression. His entire face expressed only one meaning:
"Okay, okay, more than one Angel, how much more have you been hiding, kid?"
Pretending not to see Cavendish-Lancer's expression, Aaron's mouth curved slightly as he looked at Talia, whose expression had suddenly changed.
He didn't actually intend to take this sealed item. He didn't lack powerful sealed items at all. Whether he could exchange it with the Church of the Storm was another matter; just explaining its origin would inevitably reveal some of Aaron's secrets.
He just wanted to give this High Priest a stern warning, making her abandon some unrealistic ideas. Of course, after giving a stick, he also had to offer a carrot:
"I am also very interested in the ghost ship that took you to escape to the Sea of Fog back then. As long as you agree to cooperate, you can exchange that ghost ship for this sealed item. I think this is enough to show my sincerity."
-----------------
In the waters near Nas Island in the Sea of Fog, the "Golden Dream" was sailing through thin fog, returning to Nas Island.
Dunniz stood listlessly on the deck, watching Ferran, whose body was covered in rapidly rotating strong winds, constantly levitating. This was Edwina's suggestion, said to help better fit the "Wind Favored One."
Since more than a week ago, when they met that mysterious old man who called himself Hermosin on that strange black island, the captain had ordered them to return.
Thinking of that old man whom even the captain respectfully called "Teacher," Dunniz felt a pang of toothache, especially the way he looked at himself as if he were an idiot.
But his terrifyingly vast knowledge also earned the respect of all the crew members on the Golden Dream. Dunniz vaguely remembered reading a sentence in a book in the captain's cabin:
"Knowledgeable and versatile, omniscience means omnipotence..."
The rumbling thunder constantly coming from a distance interrupted Dunniz's gradually wandering thoughts. He and Ferran on the deck simultaneously turned their heads to look in the direction of the sound.
In the thin mist, silver-white electric arcs could be seen constantly blooming in the distant sky. That was the destination of this return voyage - Nas Island.
Unlike Dunniz's bewildered expression, Ferran's face was quite strange. He always felt that the abnormality not far away was related to him sacrificing the coordinates to Mr. Favored One earlier.
...
Things on the ring island did not go as smoothly as Aaron had expected. The facts proved once again that whether it was giants or elves, they were short-tempered and muscle-brained individuals, and communication was very difficult.
Seeing that the two foreign humans had trespassed into the forbidden area, the male Elf holding the ancient longbow no longer hesitated. Arrows formed by silver-white electric snakes shot directly towards Boyer-Bayless.
The dark green symbols in his pupils clearly captured the trajectory of the incoming arrows. The "Dawn Armor" instantly appeared on his body, and his massive figure suddenly turned into an afterimage, dodging the incoming arrows and appearing beside the male Elf, throwing a punch.
Since they were unwilling to calm down, he would help them calm down. He just needed to control his strength so as not to endanger their lives.
Looking at the fist that almost instantly enlarged in his eyes, the Elf immediately gave up on shooting arrows. With the enhancement of the lightning striking from the sky, he changed his bow into a blade and slashed at the fist.
Even though blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth, the Elf who flew backward with the force took the opportunity to continuously pull the bowstring. Three lightning arrows sealed off all of Boyer-Bayless's retreat paths.
Tilting his head to look at the silver arrow stuck in his armor, feeling the tingling sensation spreading throughout his body, Boyer-Bayless couldn't help but be somewhat surprised, but it was limited to that. He admitted that the ancient longbow was very strong, but a Sequence 5 could not unleash the true power of that bow. Looking at the Elf who still wanted to pull the bow and shoot arrows, Boyer-Bayless was preparing to knock him out first when green vines suddenly drilled out from the ground, binding his body, and simultaneously pulling that Elf towards the coast.
Ignoring the two female Elves who were confronting each other, Boyer-Bayless easily snapped the Entanglement vines and turned his head to look at the coast not far away. A huge golden sailing ship gradually appeared in the fog.
Edwina Edwards was already standing at the bow, and green light condensed in her palm, not dispersing. Hermosin, who was beside her, chewed on candy while commenting:
"Very good secret technique. Although its power is insufficient for demigod-level powerhouses, it is enough to deal with ordinary Sequence 5s."
"Hmm, you can consider combining it with driving undead and poison. That way the effect will be better. I can help you modify the corresponding spirit world incantations, consider it payment for the ship fare during this period."
"Let's go, I'll take you down to see an old friend. The opportunity for your future advancement is not with me, but with him."
Watching Hermosin walk towards the burly giant in silver armor as if strolling through the void, Edwina's shallow blue eyes, like clear spring water, rippled. After instructing the crew not to leave the Golden Dream without authorization, starlight rose around her, and she also walked towards the Elf island.
Boyer-Bayless frowned, somewhat unclear what the two suddenly appearing individuals wanted to do. At this moment, waves surged on the calm lake surface behind him. Aaron suddenly leaped out of the water, followed by Cavendish-Lancer and High Priest Talia.
204Chapter 200 Abyss
As their gazes met, a subtle light flickered in Edwina's eyes, and she recognized the young man opposite, clearly the leader, as Aaron-Wil, renowned throughout the Five Seas.
She had always placed great importance on intelligence gathering, and even though exploring the Sea of Fog had separated her from her intelligence organization, the Secret Prayer Ritual directly connected to the headquarters of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom could still be used.
From the intelligence transmitted by the Church, she had also learned some information about the Southern Continent, particularly that a Cardinal of the Church of the God of Combat had died at the hands of the East-Tudor family.
Even the Archbishop of the Church of the God of Combat had descended, but the matter seemed to have ended inconclusively.
Looking at the burly giant clad in silver armor standing beside Aaron, Edwina vaguely guessed the final destination of that Demigod Beyonder characteristic.
Even though she didn't know the deeper secrets, the known intelligence alone revealed the terrifying nature of this Angel family.
Especially after meeting him in person, Edwina always felt a familiar aura from Aaron, as if they had met before.
Looking at Hermosin, who kept popping candies into his mouth, a hint of amusement flickered in Aaron's eyes.
Months ago, when preparing to hunt the "Hound of Fog," Aaron had prayed to "Orange Light" Hilarion, hoping for His help, but received no response.
Unexpectedly, he would encounter that entity's avatar here. An expression of interest appeared on Aaron's face, and his gaze swept over "Iceberg Admiral" Edwina-Edwards behind Hermosin. He smiled and stepped forward proactively:
"I didn't expect to meet you here, Mr. Hilarion."
Hearing this name, Cavendish-Lancer, who had remained silent, was actually suppressing Thalia, couldn't help but look up. If he remembered correctly, this name was the true name of "Orange Light."
Without correcting Aaron's address, Hermosin smiled and walked towards Aaron, saying politely:
"This is the guidance of fate. I apologize for not responding to you last time. I encountered some trouble while exploring the Abyss and was preoccupied."
As he spoke, he walked over to Boyar-Bailey and lightly patted the giant's body.
The silver-white Dawn Armor showed no abnormality, but a coolness instantly arose in Boyar-Bailey's heart, and his restless mind was soothed.
Meeting the other party's surprised gaze, Hermosin smiled lightly and explained:
"There should have been some accident when you were promoted to Demigod, which caused your emotional control to be deeply affected by the potion. This hidden influence will become a hidden danger when you continue to advance in the future."
Boyar-Bailey nodded silently, watching Mr. Hilarion walk away with His Grace the Viscount, before turning his gaze towards Edwina and Thalia. The atmosphere became somewhat heavy for a moment.
Finally, Shatass lightly coughed and, enduring the pressure of the three Demigods, stepped forward and began to comfort and recruit her fellow elves according to the procedures Aaron had instructed earlier.
She was open-minded. As an elf who had truly survived from the Second Epoch to the present, the continuation of the race was paramount. Moreover, Aaron had also said that the Queen had not completely perished, and saving Her was a necessary price.
After learning that the apocalypse was approaching, she urgently wanted to lead her fellow elves to face the future disaster, rather than senselessly crippling themselves. Perhaps this was her mission for luckily arriving in the Fifth Epoch.
Aaron and Hermosin came to the forest on the circular island. Aaron casually set up a wall of spirituality, put away his smile, and asked with a frown:
"Mr. Hilarion, were you exploring the Abyss before? What kind of place is it exactly?"
Hermosin stopped chewing candy, nodded, and pointed towards the Golden Dream, speaking calmly:
"The real entrance to the Abyss is not far from here. At that ship's speed, keeping the correct direction will get you there in less than two weeks."
Acutely catching the information in the words, Aaron rubbed his cheek and asked in confusion:
"The real entrance? Hmm, can one enter from other places?"
Hermosin nodded slightly and explained with a smile:
"'The Abyss' can refer to Sequence 0 of the Criminal pathway, which is the 'Dark Side of the Universe,' or it can refer to that completely fallen continent."
Seeing Aaron's somewhat confused gaze, He continued to add:
"Haha, I'm not talking about the Forsaken Land of the Gods, but a continent that only existed in the early Second Epoch. Its area was probably only half the size of the current Southern Continent, and its original location was in this Sea of Fog."
"After the Ancient God Demon King Farbauti appeared, He polluted that continent. All living beings turned into demons, and even the abstract history and corresponding Spirit World transformed into the Abyss together."
"Gathering the filth and degeneration of the world, it not only turned the corresponding area in the Spirit World into the Abyss, but also formed corresponding concepts in the Astral World. This is also the direct reason for His later predicament."
Aaron listened attentively, suddenly having the illusion of listening to a teacher tapping on the blackboard in class, and couldn't help but mutter:
"It would be even more like it if there was a blackboard..."
Hearing this, Hermosin's smile deepened. He was very cooperative and directly condensed a screen of light. It was evident that He truly enjoyed the process of teaching knowledge, no wonder He had formed a "Brotherhood of Pure Light" with many Spirit World creatures specifically for teaching knowledge.
Resisting the urge to cover his face, Aaron quickly changed the subject and asked with some uncertainty:
"What you just mentioned, is that the ritual for becoming a god of the 'Abyss' pathway?"
"At least it conforms to the first Blasphemy Slate, but that's no longer important."
Hmm, this indicates that the ritual for becoming a god recorded on the second Blasphemy Slate, formed after the Creator's fall in the Third Epoch, had some differences.
The simplified ritual for becoming a god could help Sequence 1 Angels accommodate a Uniqueness in advance, and also help True Gods of similar pathways accelerate the accommodation to avoid uncontrollable situations.
However, for the Abyss pathway which already had a Sequence 0, it was indeed useless.
Hermosin, with the self-awareness of a teacher, waited patiently for Aaron to finish his contemplation before continuing:
"When the last civilization ended and the 'Primordial One' awakened, the previous Seven Lights were wiped out due to the destruction of the Spirit World, and the current Seven Lights are pure light re-bred by the Spirit World in the First Epoch."
"Therefore, I do not know if the Abyss also existed in the old civilization. The core of the current Abyss is the Kingdom of God of that 'Dark Side of the Universe'."
"To use an inappropriate analogy, the Kingdom of God of that 'True Creator' is in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, but the Forsaken Land of the Gods does not entirely belong to that one's Kingdom of God. The current situation of the Abyss is similar."
"After Demon King Farbauti was severely injured by the Creator who revived at the end of the Second Epoch, He retreated to His Kingdom of God in the Abyss. Even the corresponding concepts formed by the Abyss in the Spirit World and Astral World were sealed by that Creator."
"But after that Creator fell, the seal in the Astral World was infiltrated by that one, and the severely injured Demon King Farbauti was also gradually eroded. The 'Dark Side of the Universe' came into being from this."
Hermosin said, pointing upwards to the deep, star-filled night sky.
"More than 900 years ago, that one used the abstract concept of the 'Abyss' in the Spirit World to try to forcibly infiltrate some power and corrupt the Spirit World. Although it ultimately failed, it left behind great trouble."
Aaron's heart stirred slightly, and he asked for confirmation:
"The birth of that 'Divine Being of Disaster,' Salinger?"
Hermosin nodded with a somewhat heavy expression:
"The Rose School also completely fell because of this, and the concept of 'Temperance' was gradually replaced by indulgence and slaughter, which is more aligned with the 'Criminal' pathway."
"However, the Astral World barrier exists after all. That 'Dark Side of the Universe' was severely injured by the 'Storm,' and His control over the Abyss weakened. Several high-level demons even chose to self-mutilate to break free from His control and escaped the Abyss, well, like that 'Death Knell'."
Control?
The Death Knell, which controlled its crew through blood crystals, instantly came to Aaron's mind. This was indeed a consistent demonic style.
His heart stirred, remembering that he still had a Sequence 4 "Devil" Beyonder characteristic obtained from that Cardinal of the Church of the God of Combat in his miscellaneous items. He couldn't help but ask:
"I still have a 'Devil' Beyonder characteristic, and it's also contaminated by the Abyss. If I want to use this to attract the 'Death Knell,' do you have a way?"
Hermosin looked at Aaron with a strange expression but still showed various ritual patterns on the light screen:
"To attract the attention of a high-level demon, blood sacrifice is usually the most effective method, but a Devil Beyonder characteristic contaminated by the Abyss will be even better."
"This is the ritual process I've modified for you, but I need to remind you of two points. First, the target of the ritual is not fixed; other demons might respond to you."
"Secondly, if the 'Death Knell' foresees the source of danger, he has the opportunity to exert influence in reverse on the spot. Therefore, the ritual must be performed by that 'Demon Hunter,' only he can shield the demon's danger premonition."
"However, as I said at the beginning, that 'Demon Hunter' might have his emotional control affected by the potion due to his promotion, and this is a fatal flaw for demons who control emotions and desires."
Aaron's expression was calm, and he nodded indifferently, carefully remembering the ritual symbols on the light screen.
Seeing this, Hermosin said no more and took out a black stone from his wide sleeve and handed it to Aaron.
While simultaneously remembering the ritual and looking at the black stone in his hand "stretching" its body into a stone man with no signs of life, Aaron looked at Hermosin in confusion:
"This is?"
Hermosin, who had always been smiling, his expression became slightly solemn:
"Before in Bayam, you said you wanted to know the location of the hidden passage from the Abyss to the Forsaken Land of the Gods. It can point the way."
"Although I don't know why you want to know that location, if you want that 'Ancient Scholar' outside to explore, it's best to avoid the recent period. My previous exploration has attracted the attention of some existences."
Looking at Aaron, who re-pocketed the black stone and kept nodding, Hermosin's expression softened slightly, and after a moment of thought, he added:
"If you encounter insurmountable danger in the Abyss, you can try to pronounce this name in ancient Hermes...".
He switched between several languages, pronouncing the name syllable by syllable: "Leo", "De", "Ro".
"This is the true name of the 'Lord of Storms'. Calling upon the true name can draw upon His divine power remaining in the Abyss, but this will inevitably attract the attention of the 'Dark Side of the Universe'. It is a last resort for escape."
Controlling his facial muscles, Aaron almost burst out laughing.
Using a Historical Void Projection to call upon the true name of the hot-tempered big bro – this operation truly achieved a rare consensus.
When Aaron walked out of the forest, many elves had already gathered. As a Beyonder race, although they were not as exaggerated as the Blood Race, starting at Sequence 7, they were all Beyonders.
After learning that "Queen of Disaster" Cohinem had not completely perished, the last bit of unwillingness in Thalia's heart was gradually replaced by hope, and she put aside her reserve and reached the final agreement with Aaron.
Watching the Elven High Priestess set up the ritual, a massive Spirit World portal opened, and a ghost ship several times larger than the "Golden Dream" slowly sailed out.
It was the "Dawn," the ship that had led the surviving elves to escape to the Sea of Fog.
Looking at the many elves who showed reluctance, Aaron lightly coughed and said to Thalia:
"I know the value of this ghost ship to you. It still belongs to you. I will only borrow it for five years, but as a corresponding price, I need your help."
In Aaron's plan, in the outside world, the "Dawn" had to be completely separated from the East-Tudor family, developing as an independent hidden force. Therefore, all the crew had to be found through other means.
Ordinary crew members could be recruited at any time, and the most crucial Beyonders, the best candidates at present were these elves.
Through friendly negotiation, it was finally decided that a portion of the elves would follow Shatass onto the "Dawn," with Boyar-Bailey serving as the captain.
Having dealt with these matters, Aaron finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Edwina, who had been silently observing, his eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled lightly:
"Interested in a collaboration?"
Looking at the two Demigods who had also approached, Edwina was silent for a moment before asking in return:
"What kind of collaboration?"
The smile on Aaron's face grew wider, and his tone was playful:
"Hunting, the 'King of Immortality,' Agalito..."
-----------------
December 31st, noon, Loen, Backlund Bridge Area, Iron Gate Street, "Bravehearts Bar."
Morbett wrapped his trench coat tightly, covering his mouth and nose to prevent the biting, acrid wind from irritating his brain.
Since learning of Amon's existence at the Hermit of Fate Gathering last time, he had rushed to Backlund almost non-stop, and had even specifically rented a room next to the Holy Wind Cathedral in Cherwood Borough.
Thinking of the rent for that room, Morbett's heart couldn't help but ache. Shaking off some unpleasant thoughts, he sighed and abruptly pushed open the door of the "Bravehearts Bar."
He hadn't traveled all the way from Cherwood Borough to Backlund Bridge Area just for a drink. He was here for an appointment. During the last Chaos Council meeting, Sharon had arranged to meet him at this bar.
Pushing through the jostling crowd of drunkards, Kaspars looked at Morbett, who was well-dressed and had walked up to the bar counter, whistled, and said with a smile:
"Sir, wishing you a Happy New Year in advance. Would you like a glass of Sounya Blood Wine? It's only 15 Soli."
Chapter 201 Zaratul
What a rip-off! A glass of wine costs 15 Sule, but he didn't plan on paying himself anyway.
Clicking his tongue, Mobet rubbed his somewhat hungry stomach and said grandly:
"Alright, give me two glasses of Sunya Blood Wine and a steak."
Then, the corners of his mouth curved up as he lowered his voice and added:
"Just send the bill to someone named 'Sharon'..."
Caspars' pupils constricted slightly, then he chuckled, told the waiter to prepare the food, and patiently waited for the gentleman to finish eating before mentioning the bill. He led him directly to the back room.
Before Mobet could knock, the door opened. The room's furnishings were simple. Maric and two zombies were playing cards, while Sharon sat quietly on the other side, engrossed in the newspaper in her hands.
The newspaper's headline was prominently marked in red:
"The Latest Pirate General 'Vice Admiral of the Moon' is Born!"
Looking at the headline on the newspaper, Mobet's expression was a little strange. He casually closed the door, set up a Spiritual Wall, and then chuckled:
"Didn't that fellow Louise call herself 'Admiral of the Moon'? Why did she demote herself?"
Sharon's azure eyes seemed to ripple, a flicker of amusement flashing through them, before she responded in a cool tone:
"Even with the support of the Blood Race and a powerful Sealed Item, she only recently advanced to Sequence 5. Her combat experience and control over Beyonder abilities are far inferior to those long-established pirate generals."
Seemingly unaccustomed to speaking so much at once, Sharon, wearing a small black soft hat, lightly raised her hand. The newspaper she held, as if it had a life of its own, stretched its body and floated into Mobet's hand.
"'Vice Admiral of the Moon' Louise clashed with 'Vice Admiral of Twilight' Bratov Ivan in the southern waters of Sunya Island, engaging in a major battle."
"'Vice Admiral of Twilight's' flagship's second mate, Malik Furlong, was killed in the battle. Another pirate general has demonstrated her might..."
After a quick glance at the newspaper's contents, Mobet clicked his tongue and put the newspaper away. Since learning that Shartar had successfully left the world of the book, he had been quite concerned about matters at sea.
If he hadn't been worried about attracting Amon there, he would have gone back to find Shartar long ago.
Looking at Sharon, who resembled a vengeful spirit, Mobet clicked his tongue enviously in his heart. That was a demigod, a major figure even before he entered the world of the book. Clearing his throat, he collected his thoughts and asked:
"You mentioned last time that you had a lead on the complete heart of a Heart-Eating Beast that I needed. How is it?"
That was one of the auxiliary materials for his advancement to "Parasite." He had already collected the other auxiliary material. As for the main ingredient for the potion, he could find a way to trade with that mysterious Blessed.
Mobet was now very eager to become a demigod, mainly due to the pressure from Amon. The "Dream Weaver"'s concealment ability truly couldn't make Mobet feel at ease.
Only by advancing to "Parasite" as soon as possible, and using the Sol Zoroastrian family's inherited secret technique of "Parasitism" to parasitize a host, could he quietly leave Backlund and head to Tingen.
Sharon's eyes moved, and a black box emerged from the void. Then she responded calmly:
"1200 pounds. I've already bought it for you. You can pay in installments. Also, the meal outside is on me."
Coughing awkwardly, Mobet chuckled twice, accepted the black box, and performed an elegant noble bow:
"Generous and beautiful lady, in one month, ah no, in a week at most, I will be able to repay this money. I will also fully cooperate with the collaboration you proposed before!"
-----------------
Pritz Harbor, Oak Island, above the Royal Navy Base.
The airship, floating and flying in mid-air, slowly docked. It had extremely smooth and elegant lines and was painted entirely in dark blue.
Aaron stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking Pritz Harbor. He slightly narrowed his eyes when he saw the towering giant ship shining with metallic light in the nearby military port.
He had returned to the airship via "Traveling" yesterday. For the past few months, Dallen Shelloto had been boarding the airship disguised using the "Faceless Man" Beyonder ability.
Necessary cover-ups still had to be done. At least in the eyes of the King's faction, Aaron had been staying very steadily on the airship this past month.
This year, the Southern Continent had undergone drastic changes, with continuous wars all related to the East Tussock family, coupled with the reforms he had made in Royd City in the Pass Valley, which had touched the interests of some old-fashioned nobles.
Even though he had been in office for less than a year, he had to return to Backlund to report on his duties, while Boyer Barratt remained on the Elven Island, getting familiar with the "Dawn" with Shartar and the Elven crew members.
The airship landed steadily. Aaron was the first to descend the gangway, taking a carriage directly to the steam train station to head to nearby Backlund.
Dallen Shelloto, who had returned to his original appearance, stood opposite Aaron with some unease, his peripheral vision glancing at Carvindi Lanser to the side. From the perspective of the Spirit Body Threads granted by the "Marionettist," Carvindi Lanser's position was a distorted, unrecognizable mass of things, with twisted Spirit Body Threads merging into it, the source invisible.
The entire carriage was enveloped by a Spiritual Wall. Considering that many old monsters from the Fourth Epoch were also in Backlund, Carvindi Lanser had also changed his appearance to avoid exposing some secrets. Feeling Dallen Shelloto's gaze, the corner of his mouth curved up:
"A very young 'Marionettist,' you've done very well in the Southern Continent. Your loyalty will not be buried by the family. You can follow me during your time in Backlund, and how much you can learn depends on your comprehension."
Dallen Shelloto was a little unclear about the other party's identity, so he could only look at Aaron with a questioning gaze. Only after receiving a positive nod did he bow and accept.
"This is one of the family's most secretive powerhouses, and also a Sequence 3 'Ancient Scholar' of the Seer pathway. You must seize this rare opportunity."
Smilingly advising his always loyal subordinate, Aaron looked at Carvindi Lanser sitting beside him, his tone turning cold:
"Courtesy demands reciprocity. Since those Augustus like to engage in unsavory activities, let's give them a big gift as well."
"After the destruction of the Kingdom of Night, the only overt secret organization that still holds the high-sequence potion formulas for the 'Seer' pathway is Zaratul's Secret Order."
"A 'Mysterious Sage' suddenly appearing to give those arrogant Augustus a dose of reality, what do you think they'll think?"
A hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes, which were full of interest, and Carvindi Lanser murmured in a low voice:
"Zaratul? That Zaratul who was loyal to the Solomon Empire? He is a Sequence 1 Angel."
"His Majesty once said that He obtained clues about another Crimson Servant characteristic from the True Creator and has begun searching and preparing to advance to King of Angels with it."
"We are still in hiding. There is no need to create powerful enemies for temporary pleasure."
Coughing awkwardly, Aaron tapped the table lightly with his finger and explained with a smile:
"You're talking about the ancestor of the Zaratul family. He perished during the War of the Four Emperors when he directly encountered Antigonus and Bethel Abraham, and his characteristic was taken by Antigonus."
"The current Zaratul is merely a successor. A hundred years ago, he was a 'Miracle Invoker,' and after obtaining the Antigonus family's notebook, although he advanced to Sequence 1, he lost most of his sanity and had to seal himself to fight against the madness."
"You can even be called one of the strongest individuals of the 'Seer' pathway who can move freely outside."
Aaron waved his hand, signaling Dallen Shelloto, who was standing aside with shock lingering in his eyes, to leave the carriage. As a "Marionettist," it wasn't a bad thing to learn some secrets of the Seer pathway in advance, but it was no longer suitable for him to continue listening.
Not until Dallen Shelloto had left the carriage and the Spiritual Wall had sealed again, did Carvindi Lanser speak in a low voice, his eyes looking somewhat terrifying:
"A 'Crimson Servant' who has lost control..."
Aaron cleared his throat, interrupting his somewhat crazy thoughts:
"A 'Crimson Servant' can already cast 'Mysterious Realm,' which is almost a nascent divine kingdom. It inherently has a certain level of concealment."
"Even if He falls into madness, with the Sequence 1 status and the innate concealment effect, without an effective method to accurately locate Him, one might instead fall into certain traps."
Of course, these were all superficial reasons. The deeper reason was the entanglement of interests between the Seven Deities and Adam. Every piece placed on the chessboard had its own destiny.
The simplest example is how the mad Zaratul, whose sanity was isolated by the Goddess of the Night in the foggy town, could still quietly seal Himself in the palace for a hundred years. Whose hand was behind this?
Even putting all this aside, the cost and commotion of dealing with a Sequence 1 who has lost control and doesn't need to worry about the revival of mental imprints would not be small.
Looking at the somewhat disappointed Carvindi Lanser, Aaron changed the subject and said:
"My intelligence from the sea previously discovered the whereabouts of 'Crazy Captain' Connors Victor, in the waters near Pritz Harbor. Your task is to find an opportunity to get rid of him."
Connors Victor?
Carvindi Lanser appropriately expressed his confusion with his expression. A small figure like that, needing him to assassinate?
Seeing his indifference, Aaron put away his smile and said in a low voice:
"He is just a notorious slave trader, but his buyers are those Augustus, and these slaves are being secretly arranged in the ruins where Tudor prepared to advance to Black Emperor."
"Qunas Coiger of MI9, who secretly advanced to 'Degenerate Count,' is in charge of this matter, and you are very likely to encounter him."
Upon hearing that someone was preparing to secretly repair the ruins left by Tudor before he prepared to advance to Black Emperor, Carvindi Lanser, who had personally experienced the War of the Four Emperors in the Fourth Epoch and understood many secrets, his pupils suddenly contracted sharply, and he raised his head in disbelief.
Acknowledging the disbelief in his eyes, Aaron warned with a solemn tone:
"Do not deal with Connors Victor near Backlund. The matters involved behind this are too complex. Regardless of the process, the Secret Order must be made to take the blame."
Looking at Carvindi Lanser, who had lowered his head again and was thinking about something, Aaron seemed to have thought of something, and a shy smile reappeared on his face. He coughed dryly and said:
"There's one more thing. I need some 'Ancient Scholar's Spirit Worms' to make a certain charm. I wonder..."