It was a strange puppet covered in complex patterns, with empty eyes and an extremely illusory body.
A demigod from the Rose School?
Botis instantly dismissed his thought. Looking at the illusory, empty puppet, his mind recalled the Abraham family's description of the Historical Void Projection commonly used by High-Sequence Beyonders of the neighboring Diviner Pathway.
A sudden warning sign flashed in his heart. Botis, who had already realized the danger, was about to chant the True Name of the Lord's most devout follower, the 'Angel of Fate' Ouroboros, when he felt a chilling aura spread throughout his body.
The illusory puppet figure appeared in Botis's two pupils. Possessed by a 'Wraith', his mouth twitched, but he couldn't make any sound. His connection to the Spirit World was also shielded, and his stiff body detached from the Spirit World.
Boundless dark gold mist swirled around. Aaron's sub-consciousness in the Kingdom of Disorder sat on the throne, the 'Ring of Concealment' emitting a dim, ominous light.
He calmly watched the Aurora Order's 'Secret Saint' being led away from the Spirit World by Astolf's Historical Void Projection within the prayer light point.
Although Mobert had been put into the 'Box of the Old Days', the image generated by his prayer had only dimmed considerably, but it had not directly dissipated.
Tingen's waters were deep. The reason Aaron had Mobert go ahead was to see the reactions of various parties and, incidentally, to plan how he should enter the situation later.
He just didn't expect to provoke the Aurora Order as soon as he arrived in Tingen. This deliberate coincidence also confirmed to Aaron that Inns Zangwill had not only arrived in Tingen but had also noticed Mobert.
However, this was not bad. Aaron had wanted to find that 'Secret Saint' for a long time, not just because of the 'Box of the Old Days', which was comparable to a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, but also because of the 'Mysticologist''s ability to shield perception through secrecy.
Apart from having to pretend to be Valna, who was nearing his limit, the most useful aid Aaron currently had was Cavendish Lanser.
As a common enemy of the three cowardly families, that Blasphemer was not only interested in the Marauder Pathway. This was also why Aaron had always kept Cavendish Lanser with him, to use the authority of secrecy at any time to conceal the aura generated by combat and avoid Amon's pursuit.
As long as Botis was dealt with, relying on the 'Mysticologist''s secrecy, and with Amon's main body still in the Forsaken Land of the Gods and only avatars active outside, Cavendish Lanser could conceal himself alone, better executing Aaron's plan.
East of Tingen City, on a hill covered with fallen leaves on the southeast side of the Hoy River, the stiff figure of Botis instantly appeared, the Box of the Old Days in his hand falling.
His sluggish thoughts returned to normal. Botis regained control of his body and immediately chanted in Ancient Hermes:
....
The surroundings were terrifyingly silent. Botis's lips moved, but no sound came out, as if it had been eliminated by an invisible force.
His pupils contracted. Just as Botis was about to continue teleporting, his heart suddenly quickened, and he felt a coldness welling up from the depths of his soul.
He then heard illusory sounds of gnawing, chewing, and digesting from beside him, and felt undisguised malice and hunger.
Botis's eyelids twitched. He quickly lowered his head, casting his gaze towards the 'Box of the Old Days' that had fallen at his feet.
That silver-black, mysterious box had opened on its own at some point!
Damn it!
Looking at Mobert, who was like a puppet, inside the first layer of the opened 'Box of the Old Days', Botis's hair stood on end. He inexplicably felt a sense that he would also join and become one of them.
He instinctively wanted to react to the Grade '0' Sealed Artifact in his hand, at least to prevent this ominous item from dragging him into the abyss.
An illusion appeared in the sky above the hill again, which was the Historical Void Projection of Cavendish Lanser, summoned by Aaron.
Cavendish Lanser, who was rushing towards this place in the Spirit World with Aaron's main body, felt his projection being summoned. He glanced at Aaron's calm face, and his figure became illusory, entering the historical mist.
The originally dull pupils of the Cavendish Lanser Historical Void Projection in the outside world instantly rotated, gaining consciousness.
The restriction of the 'Ring of Concealment' meant Aaron could only summon one Historical Void Projection at a time, and there was a certain time interval for switching historical projections.
This was also the reason why Botis had detached from the Wraith possession just now. However, the power of secrecy seemed to have stimulated the 'Box of the Old Days'. This Grade 0 Sealed Artifact held Botis back, making him lose the only chance he had to escape.
Botis's pupils suddenly widened. He saw a historical projection radiating an even stronger aura appear behind the historical projection in the sky. With a determined heart, he grabbed forward with his right hand, as if lifting an invisible veil covering the void.
Countless illusory doors instantly appeared around him.
Some opened in pairs, some were deep, some were covered with mysterious patterns, some had hollow centers, vaguely revealing the boundless darkness behind them...
There were an extremely large number of these illusory doors, densely packed and overlapping, almost completely enveloping 'Secret Saint' Botis.
Botis didn't bother to look closely, nor did he have time to think much. He immediately pulled open a gray-blue illusory door with seven brass keyholes.
This was the 'Exile' of a 'Mysticologist', which could throw a target under initial control into the corresponding spatiotemporal turbulence. Different illusory doors represented different scenarios, where danger and opportunity coexisted.
The lesson learned from traversing the Spirit World just now made Botis directly choose self-exile. As for the 'Box of the Old Days' that was about to open its second layer, although it pained him a little, looking at it from another perspective, leaving it behind was also the best way to hold back that 'Ancient Scholar'.
As a demigod of the 'Apprentice' Pathway, who had traveled to many places, witnessed many things, and recorded various abilities, Botis made the most correct decision in an instant.
Looking at the illusory doors, the historical projection of the Chief Constable of the Trossost Empire, which was even more illusory behind 'Cavendish Lanser', spoke with authority:
"No teleportation here!"
His body, moving forward, froze in mid-air. Before Botis's eyes, an invisible door seemed to appear, tightly sealing the 'path'.
Aaron, who was extremely familiar with Botis's various abilities, had already informed Cavendish Lanser of the situation while traversing the Spirit World towards Tingen City. The overwhelming intelligence advantage put Botis in a deadlock.
-----------------
Tingen City, the originally bustling street had returned to calm.
Several men in police uniforms walked around the temporarily closed street. The leading officer, around thirty years old, had a prominent nose and gray eyes that gave off an indescribable sense of depth, like a forgotten lake in an ancient forest.
He was Dunn Smith, the captain of the Tingen City Nighthawks team.
After his team members finished their investigation, he scanned the street and said in a low voice:
"It can be confirmed that there were indeed traces of Beyonder power interference here just now. Old Neil, have you found any other clues?"
An old man with white hair, whose classical black robe could vaguely be seen under his police uniform, turned his head:
"The residual aura is very strong. My suggestion is to report to the Church and request a Sealed Artifact investigation."
Dunn nodded, his gray eyes then looking at the young man with green eyes who stood on the outermost edge, possessing the romantic temperament of a poet, but currently somewhat distracted:
"Leonard, what are your thoughts?"
Chapter 211: Change and Ending
Leonard Mitchell was currently standing where Mobet had been, his expression somewhat dazed. He only snapped back to attention when Dunn called out to him again.
Scratching his neglected, messy short hair in embarrassment, Leonard lightly coughed and replied,
"Sorry, Captain. I was thinking about something just now and got distracted."
"According to the eyewitnesses, the source of this extraordinary event, the person suspected of being a powerful Beyonder, disappeared instantly as soon as they appeared."
"This kind of teleportation-like Beyonder ability is clearly not something low Sequences can possess. If it's a Sealed Artifact, it's at least a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact or even stronger."
"I completely agree with Old Neil's suggestion. Given the teleportation ability, I even think we should cooperate with the Punishers team and the Machinery Hivemind team to conduct a city-wide search of Tingen."
The Night Watchers team is generally only responsible for incidents related to the Goddess's followers in Tingen. If there are people of different faiths, the responsibility is divided by region.
The Night Watchers primarily handle supernatural incidents in the North, West, and Golden Indus districts of Tingen; the 'Punishers' team, affiliated with the Church of the Lord of Storms, is responsible for the Dockside, East, and South districts; the University District and the outskirts fall under the 'Machinery Hivemind' team.
If complex Beyonder cases involving a wide area occur, the Beyonder teams from the three Churches also cooperate with each other.
Dunn nodded, closed the notebook in his hand, and walked towards the carriage by the roadside.
Seeing that everyone's attention had finally shifted away from him, Leonard let out a slight breath. Just as he was about to walk to an empty corner, he heard the Captain's voice.
"Wait a minute, there's one more thing."
All the Night Watchers members, including Leonard, stopped in their tracks. Many even showed expressions that seemed to say, 'As expected'.
Dunn stood in front of the carriage, frowning and pressing his temple. He said,
"In this incident, many residents suffered inexplicable contamination, including quite a few followers of the Goddess."
"Besides the few members continuing the investigation, the remaining members will assist the Church's priests in handling the aftermath."
All the members drew a crimson moon on their chests and responded in unison,
"Yes, Captain."
Leonard had just turned around, ready to leave, when he suddenly turned back cautiously, considering his words before speaking:
"Captain, is there anything else?"
Dunn thought for a moment, the hand rubbing his temple suddenly patted his slightly receding hairline on his forehead, and he said with some apology,
"My memory is indeed declining. I actually forgot to tell you about such an important matter."
"Your promotion application has been approved by the Church. At the earliest, Daly will return to Tingen this week to handle the handover and bring back your Sequence 8 'Midnight Poet' potion."
Speaking of this, a hint of melancholy flashed across Dunn's face, then he calmly continued,
"Daly should have already been promoted to Sequence 6 'Spirit Medium' upon her return from Backlund. She will likely join the Red Gloves team afterward and be transferred to the Backlund diocese."
When they heard about Leonard's promotion, the other team members weren't too surprised, as Leonard had been with the Night Watchers for over two years. However, the news about Daly somewhat shocked them.
It took her one year to go from Sequence 9 'Corpse Collector' to Sequence 8 'Grave Keeper', another year from 'Grave Keeper' to Sequence 7 'Spirit Medium', and in less than two years, she was promoted to Sequence 6 'Spirit Medium'.
This speed was unbelievable to these low-level Night Watchers who were promoted step by step. Leonard's eyes flickered slightly. Seeing the Captain get into the carriage, he turned and left.
Walking to an empty corner, he lowered his voice, a hint of curiosity on his face, as if talking to the air:
"Hey, old man, did Miss Daly master the method you mentioned?"
Immediately, a slightly aged voice sounded in his mind:
"You're getting more and more impolite. I wanted to teach you before, but what did you do?"
"'This is a devil's bargain, a true protagonist wouldn't yield to a devil...' You should still remember that, right?"
The aged voice even perfectly replicated Leonard's arrogant and unrestrained tone. Leonard's face instantly flushed red, and he mumbled in defense:
"Any normal person would react like this if a voice suddenly appeared in their head, alright?"
"Moreover, you didn't even allow me to report it to the Church. Who knows what your purpose is? And I don't even know your name, so what else should I call you besides 'old man'?"
Without waiting for the voice in his mind to answer, he cleared his throat and changed the subject, asking:
"Alright, let's drop that. What did you mean by the familiar aura just now? Was that incident related to you?"
The aged voice chuckled strangely, with a hint of oddity:
"Can't people have a little more trust in each other? These young people nowadays..."
"That was a demigod from the Aurora Order. As for what I meant by familiar, hehe, you are not qualified to know yet."
"Don't try to probe me with your petty cleverness. You won't become a protagonist just by being clever."
Leonard's face stiffened. After that, no matter how he called out, the voice in his mind no longer responded.
A blurry figure, invisible to the naked eye, appeared above Leonard's spirit body. Its deep eyes looked towards the eastern suburbs of Tingen and it murmured softly:
"Coincidence? Trap?..."
-----------------
The tall knight in full black armor who darted out of the shadows was cut in half at the waist. The two clusters of deep red light flickering in its eye sockets gradually dimmed.
Butis's 'Record' of the 'Black Knight' from 'Saint of Darkness' Cosma was defeated by Cavendish-Lancer's projection, but the projection itself also became considerably more ethereal.
Even with the assistance of the Source and the Black Emperor card, maintaining an 'Ancient Scholar' and the summoned Angel projection for a few minutes with a sub-consciousness was the limit.
With the momentum undiminished, Butis's body behind the 'Black Knight' stiffened for a moment before rapidly collapsing and disintegrating into streams of 'Worms of Star' that shimmered with brilliant light.
Some of these 'Worms of Star' disappeared directly, some devoured each other, and some merged in the distance, recombining to form Butis.
Butis's eyes were completely devoid of reason, his body was constantly collapsing, on the verge of manifesting an incomplete and extremely weak Mythical Creature form.
He seemed to sense something. The madness in his eyes receded, and he looked to the side, terror and fear surging in his eyes.
The 'Old Days Box', silver-black on the surface and inlaid with various gems, had opened its first two layers at some point. The third layer was entirely blood-red, and a gap had opened in it, seemingly containing a sea of blood.
Drip, drip. Luminescent clusters fell from Butis's body. They touched the ground and turned into insects condensed from brilliant starlight.
These insects bent into semicircles, enclosing a strange light, like illusory doors.
Instantly shifting into an incomplete Mythical Creature form, Butis immediately turned his head, enduring the dizziness in his head and the endless whispers, allowing a giant silver-white serpent without scales to condense in his eyes.
This giant serpent was so vast it filled Butis's eyes. Its surface was covered in dense patterns and symbols forming mysterious wheels.
It connected head to tail, converging with countless illusory rivers, evolving into a blurry, not entirely real, slowly rotating giant wheel. Around the wheel were various symbolic representations of different futures.
Suddenly, the twisted insects that had fallen from his body flew up one after another, recombining into Butis. Blood-red patterns appeared on the 'Old Days Box', seemingly resisting the power of fate.
A faint golden glimmer appeared. The blood-red patterns were suddenly suppressed by some force, and the 'Old Days Box' closed layer by layer.
Everything returned to the moment before the 'Old Days Box' was about to fully open.
'Fate Restart'!
This was one of the rewards 'Saint of Secrets' Butis obtained from overturning the Abraham family previously, a Sequence 1 Beyonder ability 'Recorded' from 'Angel of Fate' Uroboros.
Of course, this was certainly vastly different from the original version, only able to 'Restart' reality within three seconds, but this was already the most precious thing Butis possessed besides the 'Old Days Box'.
Moreover, having used the 'Restart' personally bestowed by 'Angel of Fate' Uroboros, even if trapped and unable to pray, that great being could still pinpoint his location based on the fluctuations in fate.
The silver river of fate carried everything backward. Before Butis's distorted smile could fully appear, he saw an incredible sight:
A huge paper crane carrying a young man emerged from the Spirit World, traveling through the river of fate where everything was frozen, flying towards him.
An ancient longsword covered in blood-red patterns magnified in his pupils. Butis's eyes were filled with despair and disbelief:
Why?
As his final thought surfaced, Butis saw his headless body and the spirit worms that had been severed.
Will Auceptin's paper crane subsequently ignited with invisible flames, its fragments merging into the surging river of fate around them. Aaron retrieved the 'Sword of Judgment' and, combined with the 'Death' authority, managed to slay Butis, who was caught in the fate restart.
Without looking at Butis's corpse, Aaron quickly walked to the 'Old Days Box'. Looking at this terrifying Sealed Artifact that had strangely returned to calm, Aaron frowned, feeling uncertain.
Just as he was frowning, Cavendish-Lancer, who had returned to reality from the historical fog, also arrived. He took out various spiritual materials and began setting up the ritual Aaron had taught him around Butis's corpse.
Time was running out. Even with the protection of the hidden existence and Will Auceptin's help, they couldn't remain hidden here for long. Trouble would soon arrive.
Taking a deep breath, Aaron was about to sacrifice the 'Old Days Box' onto the dark gold mist to personally suppress it, when the Mark of Black Night and the Mark of Life simultaneously emitted faint light. The two powers instantly enveloped the 'Old Days Box'.
Aaron was momentarily dazed. It seemed as if golden fragments detached from the 'Old Days Box'. What was this?
This thought strangely subsided as soon as it surfaced, but the sub-consciousness within the Source was unaffected and remembered this scene.
Aaron's body paused, then he set up a simple sacrificial ritual and sacrificed the 'Old Days Box' onto the dark gold mist.
As soon as this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact was sacrificed, the entire 'Land of Disorder' stirred, like boiling water.
Vast power spontaneously surged like steam, converging into a torrent that completely submerged the 'Old Days Box'. Black and green mixed patterns appeared on their own, wrapping it layer by layer, binding it tightly.
At this moment, the silver-black three-layered 'jewelry box' inlaid with gems seemed like a small insect trapped in amber, with no room to move.
"Next time I should sacrifice some water to let the 'Old Days Box' play with microorganisms. It seems I need to pray to Will Auceptin for the effect of random disappearance of negative effects."
After dealing with this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, Aaron looked at Cavendish-Lancer, who had finished setting up the ritual. Without further ado, the Mark of Life emitted light and merged into the ritual array.
Butis's corpse quickly withered. Green light surged out and merged with the spiritual materials forming the ritual, converging into the Mark of Life. That would be the next 'Stone of Life'.
Aaron picked up the Beyonder characteristic left behind by 'Saint of Secrets' Butis. It looked like a crystal stone with countless lights refracting within, evolving into illusory and brilliant doors.
After sealing it along with the more than twenty Worms of Star and the black pouch that had fallen nearby, Aaron and Cavendish-Lancer's figures vanished from the spot.
The afterglow of the setting sun fell, and a figure appeared at the location where the 'Old Days Box' had been.
It was a simple, gentle priest wearing a plain white robe, with a light golden beard covering the lower half of his face and eyes as clear and pure as a baby's. He wore a cross pendant on his chest.
Strands of golden fragments emerged from the void, turning into a golden scale that merged into the simple priest's body.
His pure eyes looked up at the sky, where a silver-haired angel with countless wings appeared, its face gentle yet somewhat indifferent, like it was looking down at a river, looking down at fate.
Beneath its feet, there was a winding river shimmering with light.
The river constantly turned, circled back, flowed into itself, becoming the source!
-----------------
Backlund, Queen's Borough, East Tacker Family Villa.
Mobet, who had been released by Aaron from the 'Old Days Box', stood with his head bowed opposite the desk, his expression somewhat tearful.
He truly felt he was incredibly unlucky. He had arrived in Tingen after hiding and dodging, but not only had he not found the old man, he hadn't even seen the lucky person the old man was parasitizing.
As soon as he arrived in Tingen, he was targeted by a madman from the Aurora Order and had to pray to the great 'Lord of Order' for help.
Looking at the dejected Mobet, Aaron didn't explain the existence of the Alzzuhod's Pen. Without special means, the more one knew about it, the easier it was to become a part of the story and die without knowing why.
However, given that he had just acquired a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact and had probed the current situation in Tingen, Aaron still took out a strange crystal item that looked like a baby's hand.
Its five tiny fingers were spread open, and numerous 'Worms of Time' with seven or eight segments swam and meandered rapidly inside, changing their skin color according to the environment due to the aggregation of light and shadow.
Under Mobet's surprised gaze, Aaron pushed this 'Parasite' Beyonder characteristic, originally from Flora Jacob, towards him, then calmly spoke:
"Your strength is not yet sufficient to complete the mission. Prepare for the promotion ritual as soon as possible. Consider this an advance reward."
218Chapter 212 The gears of fate begin to turn
Prepay for a Beyonder characteristic?
Mobette raised his head in surprise, looking at the "Parasite" Beyonder characteristic pushed in front of him, feeling a strong craving from all parts of his body.
One should know that within the disciplined ranks of Beyonder families or the Churches of the Orthodox Gods, one must accumulate merit step by step to even have a chance to queue for Beyonder characteristics and promotion rituals.
Sometimes, a Beyonder might not accumulate enough contribution in their entire lifetime.
Even during the peak of the Fourth Epoch's Sauron family, Palleth would only provide assistance during the demigod ritual; the most crucial Beyonder characteristic still had to be obtained by Mobette through accumulating contribution himself.
Thinking of this, Mobette suddenly felt somewhat fortunate that he had joined the Chaos Council.
After sending off Mobette, who looked complicated, Aaron glanced at the crimson moon in the sky, took out a brand new paper crane, and decided he had some questions he wanted to ask that "Mercury Serpent."
He wrote a sentence on the paper crane, placed it beside his pillow, and then lay down on the bed.
In the dream world, Aaron quickly woke up and saw the familiar pitch-black wasteland and the dim spire.
However, the mysterious silver-white giant serpent was no longer on the spire. Aaron nodded thoughtfully, quickened his pace, and entered the pitch-black spire.
It was still ancient and decayed, with a chaotic layout. The stairs sometimes spiraled upwards, sometimes slanted downwards, and some rooms were normal, some were upside down, and some were embedded within other parts.
Passing through door after door, and through wall after wall, Aaron arrived at the depths of the black high tower.
Scattered here were Tarot cards, all depicting the Wheel of Fortune, surrounding the thin boy in the center.
Aaron met Will Augstin's somewhat helpless eyes, a gentle smile on his face as he sat across from Him:
"Thank you very much for your previous help, Mr. Speaker. I also have some questions I'd like to consult you about during this meeting."
Will Augstin's silver eyes stared at Aaron for a long time, then He let out a soft snort and replied, evading the question:
"There is no free lunch in the world. Any gift from destiny is secretly marked with a price."
"Although I don't like that smelly snake Uroboros, as the Mercury Serpent who has been restarting beside that True Creator, He is one of the few beings in the Aurora Order who can directly communicate with that evil god."
"You have long attracted Uroboros's attention, and that True Creator has also been eager to break through the seals of the Seven Gods and escape the Forsaken Land of Gods."
Ignoring Will Augstin's change of topic, Aaron was well aware of the True Creator's thoughts: to open the Giant King's Court where the Dark Angel Saslyr slept.
That key was now in his hand, and the first Blasphemy Slate, which could draw upon some of the power of the Chaos Sea, was also in the Giant King's Court.
He nodded gently, his face naturally showing a solemn expression, and Aaron got straight to the point:
"Was there anyone else besides us in that battle outside Tingen?"
Will Augstin swallowed, His small face wrinkled, and after a long while, He took a card from the Tarot cards in His hand and placed it in front of Aaron. It was a "Justice" card.
"Now I'm starting to wonder what exactly is hidden in Tingen City. Alas, but my intuition of destiny tells me that it's like a giant whirlpool. Everything that gets close, its destiny will shift."
Looking at the "Justice" card in front of him, which appeared unique, Aaron was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke a few words:
"Whatever is said, it will be known..."
Will Augstin glanced at him sideways and nodded. In His current state, where He could only wash away His madness by restarting, encountering Adam in the Mental field would definitely result in being crushed.
Recalling the golden fragments that were jointly dispelled by the Mark of Night and the Mark of Life, Aaron felt a sense of relief. If it was just a guess before, now it was equivalent to confirming his suspicion.
As a Sequence 5 who failed to advance, how did he, merely a "Gatekeeper," escape Chanis Gate with the Sealed Artifact "0-08"?
Even if the Goddess might have tacitly allowed this, the demigods of the Church of the Evernight below did not know about it. The Church of the Evernight, which did not lack demigods, angels, or holy artifacts, actually allowed a Sequence 5, Ince Zangwill, to exploit a loophole.
There must have been Adam's arrangement in this. It was not strange that the events in Tingen City attracted His attention. Aaron mentally reviewed how much he had exposed in front of Adam.
First, the veiled existence "Lord of Order" must have been known. From now on, Aaron had to be careful every time he responded to the honorific name.
However, thankfully, after separating a sub-consciousness, Aaron rarely personally went to the Disordered Country. He usually used the sub-consciousness to respond to sacrifices, so it would not cause Adam to equate him with that veiled existence.
However, as a favored one jointly chosen by two Orthodox Gods and a veiled existence, Aaron and even the entire East Chester family might become variables in Adam's mind.
If not for the Evernight Goddess and the Mother Earth intervening to expel the Adam's imprint hidden within the Box of the Old, Aaron wouldn't dare to imagine the consequences of sacrificing this problematic Box of the Old.
However, the actions of those two goddesses also put Aaron slightly at ease. This was equivalent to clearly telling Adam, "This is my person!" Moreover, Aaron didn't feel that there were irreconcilable contradictions between him and Adam.
Adam and the True Creator's needs highly overlapped. They both wanted the first Blasphemy Slate held by the Dark Angel Saslyr, as that would determine who would take the dominant position after their final fusion.
If Aaron wanted to establish a true Kingdom of God on Earth later, war was inevitable. A world-sweeping war was not only Adam's ritual for becoming a god but also the best way for Aaron to rebuild order.
Aside from their attitudes towards Amon, they could even reach a mutually beneficial understanding on other matters.
Aaron couldn't help but recall the veiled reminder about Hermes earlier. Was this His intention or Adam's?
His thoughts were interrupted by a light cough. Aaron looked up at Will Augstin, who said with a displeased expression:
"There are too many high-level auras on you. Your River of Destiny is no longer accurate, but I can still see a thing or two about matters related to you."
"The war in the Southern Continent has been going on for over a year, and it will change soon. You'd best be prepared."
"Also, I forgot to tell you, that guy Uroboros also rushed to Tingen after you left and met that person."
Speaking of this, Will Augstin's face showed a mischievous smile:
"The process was very exciting. In any case, Tingen is definitely under the close attention of the Churches of Evernight, Storms, and Steam right now. Well, so you should keep a low profile recently."
"Alright, that's all. Don't look for me if there's nothing major happening recently. I have a lot of things to do too!"
Looking at Aaron, who had disappeared from the spot before He could even speak, Will Augstin clicked His tongue and whispered:
"Tingen..."
Immediately after, He paused, His voice gradually becoming inaudible:
"Finding the right opportunity in the torrent of destiny..."
In the Evil Dragon Bar in Tingen City, a pale-faced young man wearing a worn linen shirt and the blue-gray trousers characteristic of the working class suddenly yelled, startling the surrounding drunkards.
Swain, the former captain of the Mandated Punishers team and the owner of the Evil Dragon Bar, was already accustomed to this and just casually asked:
"Admirol, what did you see this time? It's not more messy images, is it?"
Admirol, whose head was lowered, had eyes that were originally scattered but revealed madness. Gradually, a silver circular wheel formed by an Ouroboros appeared in them...
-----------------
The weather gradually turned cold, and floating ice had begun to appear on the Tasok River. In the eastern suburbs of Tingen City, three teams stood distinctly apart.
Leading them were Archbishop Anthony Stevenson of the Church of the Evernight, Archbishop Ace Snake, the "Singer of God," of the Church of Storms, and Archbishop Horamick Heyden of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery.
The three demigod powerhouses looked at the hill before them, which looked as if it had suffered a natural disaster, and remained silent for a long time.
The Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, and Machinery Hivemind behind them also maintained a tacit silence, ready to follow the Archbishops' arrangements.
In the middle of the Nighthawks team, Leonard Mitchell, who had successfully advanced to Sequence 8 "Midnight Poet," looked at the scenery not far away with somewhat stiff eyes, suppressing the question that was about to blurt out.
He secretly grumbled about the old man's unreliability, not telling him that there was a problem here before. Otherwise, this would have been a considerable amount of merit.
Anthony Stevenson glanced at the two silent demigods, pondered for a moment, and said:
"Everything here has been destroyed very cleanly. I can only sense residual fluctuations of destiny. Combined with the appearance of that Saint from the Aurora Order before, it should be that person."
The authority of the Evernight itself includes the domain of misfortune, which is also a type of destiny. As a Sequence 3, the closest to an angel, Anthony's judgment was recognized by the other two demigods.
Ace Snake, the "Singer of God," frowned and said in a low voice:
"You mean, that Angel of Destiny?"
"He has been out of sight for a long time. Why would He suddenly appear in Tingen?"
No one knew the answer to this question, and the scene immediately fell silent.
Horamick Heyden, who had been silent, withdrew his gaze and sighed:
"It's likely impossible to find the cause of what happened here in a short time. Baker Parish is the most important. My suggestion is to temporarily seal off this area."
"I will be going to Tingen University for exchange and study recently, and I can handle the follow-up work."
Just as the three Archbishops reached an agreement, on another hill that had not been completely destroyed, a crow with a white ring around its right eye quietly watched this scene, and a human voice came from its mouth:
"That fanatic is really annoying. His people are everywhere. It's boring, but teaching Uroboros a lesson isn't bad..."
Sitting in the carriage returning to Blackthorn Security Company, Leonard was just about to ask in a low voice when a voice suddenly appeared in his mind:
"Shut up!"
Unlike the usual amiable tone, it was full of sternness, and whether it was an illusion or not, Leonard even felt a hint of fear from it.
In the foremost carriage, a candle was burning, but the flame was a bright blue, casting a flickering, eerie color throughout the carriage.
A lady sat on the right side of the carriage. She wore a hooded black robe, with blue eyeshadow and blush, and a silver chain with a white crystal pendant was wrapped around her exposed wrist.
Dunn Smith was silent for a long time, then spoke dryly:
"Congratulations on your advancement to Sequence 6. Uh, this makeup really suits you."
Daly, the "Spirit Medium" with an eerie beauty, looked at Dunn Smith with her shimmering green eyes and said with a slight curl of her lips:
"You still don't know how to talk like before. Forget it, since I'm about to be transferred, I won't argue with you."
Dunn opened his mouth, wanting to ask her to stay, but felt it would be too selfish. Backlund was suitable for a genius like Daly, not like himself, stuck in Tingen.
After struggling internally for a long time, Dunn lowered his head and said softly:
"Okay, when are you leaving? I'll call everyone to see you off."
A hint of disappointment flashed in her green eyes, then quickly returned to normal. Daly, the "Spirit Medium," took out a thumb-sized glass bottle from the dark pouch on her waist. A translucent, eyeless, noseless face appeared in the bottle.
"I'll officially transfer back to Backlund Diocese and join the Red Gloves team probably after the New Year."
"This is a little guy I raised. Well, if you have any private letters you want to send me, or anything you want to say to me, you can summon it."
Looking at Dunn, who was unmoved by her teasing, Daly pouted, and her figure gradually became ethereal.
Dunn finally looked up at this moment, his eyes somewhat complex, but he just clutched the glass bottle in his hand tightly.
-----------------
Tingen, Greenhalgh Asylum, illuminated by the red moon outside the window.
In the spacious treatment room, Hood Eugen, with light yellow hair, gray-blue eyes, and a long, thin face, wearing a patient's gown, sat in the doctor's chair, looking at Lanlus opposite him, and said with a strange laugh:
"Your proposal is indeed very appealing, but you need to prepay a portion of the reward, and have you chosen your target?"
Lanlus looked at the "psychologist" before him and replied concisely:
"Of course, her name is Megose. You've seen her before. You just need to make her a tool for gestation while in a semi-conscious state."
Hood Eugen restrained his morbid smile and frowned:
"That's an ordinary person. Even Beyonders might not be able to withstand the True Creator's projection. Are you playing a trick on me?"
Looking at Hood Eugen, whose emotions suddenly became unstable, a hint of mockery flashed in Lanlus's eyes, but he still said with a smile:
"I naturally know. Someone will provide us with the necessary help. You don't need to worry. You just need to do your part."
Staring at this "Marauder," Hood Eugen analyzed every expression on his face. After a moment, the corner of his mouth curved up, and he pressed the bell on the table:
"It seems I will have unexpected gains from this cooperation with you. Dust, show the guest out."
The clean white door was pushed open, and Dust, wearing a doctor's uniform, walked in with a bow, respectfully escorting Lanlus secretly out of Greenhalgh Asylum.
-----------------
Northwest of Tingen, Ramud Town, abandoned castle.
Ince Zangwill, holding a quill pen, walked out of the Spirit World. His single eye looked at the castle hall before him, where stone pillars had collapsed and moss grew rampant, and the corner of his mouth curled up.Chapter 213 The Coming of the Evil God's Offspring
A chilling, bone-piercingly cold wind blew out. Ince Zangwill stepped over the piled-up stones through the collapsed outer wall and slowly entered the ancient castle, which had lost its gate, treading on the broken floor tiles.
Following his senses, he looked towards the steps that marked the division between the castle hall and the dining room. A complex expression appeared in Ince Zangwill's eyes.
A strong yet illusory sense of longing seemed to be calling him there. This feeling was exceptionally familiar to him; once upon a time, he was just one step away.
Ince Zangwill walked over with his head lowered, and the steps immediately emitted a heavy grinding sound.
The floor there cracked open, revealing a downward staircase. A cold and dirty feeling filled the air, almost solidifying.
Pale blue ghost fires flickered. Ince Zangwill descended the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the silence, arriving at the lowest basement level.
In the center of the basement lay a black coffin, its iron nails a dark red color.
Ince Zangwill examined it for a moment, then cautiously picked up his quill pen. Lines of text appeared on the coffin:
"Feeling a familiar aura from Ince Zangwill, the vengeful spirit formed by the descendant of Death, who died with resentment, chose not to attack."
After doing this, faces, some formless, some distorted, surged within Ince Zangwill's body, transforming into a bizarre door.
Creak!
The illusory door opened, and pale arms stretched out one after another, vying for the dark red iron nails. Before all the arms evaporated into black mist, the coffin was finally opened.
An illusory but piercing roar suddenly erupted, and thick black mist abruptly filled the air from somewhere unknown, spreading towards Ince Zangwill.
A tall figure soon emerged within that black mist. He wore full black armor and held a greatsword that would be difficult for an ordinary person to wield.
The figure, radiating death, looked at Ince Zangwill. Two flames of red light penetrated the gaps in his visor, meeting his single eye, which was so blue it was almost black.
Just then, a pure white quill pen sliced through the black mist, severing the head of the skeleton in the coffin.
Looking at the crystalline white bone in his hand, Ince Zangwill's lips curved. He ignored the illusory vengeful spirit roaring in the black mist and gradually vanished from the spot.
-----------------
A faint, almost imperceptible call echoed, and that inexplicable familiarity gradually cleared Azik's chaotic mind.
Dimly, he saw a tall castle with the style of the early Fifth Epoch. Fields were being cultivated, and a boy of seven or eight years old ran towards him, dragging a greatsword taller than himself.
As if standing before him, a young voice spoke:
"I want to become a great knight like Father someday..."
A sense of relief, emerging from nowhere, filled him. Azik subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to touch the familiar yet unfamiliar boy before him, but the image shattered the moment he reached out.
A completely different scene abruptly appeared:
The ancient castle, almost in ruins, stretched its body outwards in the dense darkness, its spires reaching towards the sky, desolate, wild, eerie, and dim.
In the gloomy basement, a headless skeleton lying in a coffin slowly stood up. Illusory whispers emerged:
"Father..."
Thump, thump...
Azik suddenly opened his eyes, fine beads of sweat on his forehead. His heart pounded violently. The office, illuminated by the crimson moon, instantly darkened by several shades, and a feeling of coldness permeated the air.
The sudden change startled a young man with black hair and brown eyes, carrying a distinct scholarly air, who had just pushed open the door and entered. He explained nervously, his voice trembling slightly:
"Mr. Azik, I... I've come to submit the materials you assigned earlier regarding the historical records of the Fourth Epoch..."
Azik pressed his hands to his temples. After a long sigh, the deep, chilling coldness immediately vanished, and a somewhat weary voice came:
"Klein, it's very late. Why haven't you gone home yet?"
After the coldness disappeared, a touch of color gradually returned to Klein's face. He responded somewhat sheepishly:
"I left quite a bit of material sorting work unfinished from the New Year. And today, my mentor also said that if I can complete all the tasks he assigned before April..."
"And produce results that satisfy him, he will give me a recommendation letter for either Tingen University or Backlund University. With that, I can participate in the interviews for the history departments of these two universities in June this year."
Looking at Mr. Azik, who had returned to normal, Klein suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead:
"This weekend, Horamick Haydn, an honorary professor from the Physics Department of Backlund University, will be giving a lecture at our school. The director reserved a seat for you and asked me to inform you."
Azik frowned slightly, almost imperceptibly. That was an Archbishop from the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly shook his head:
"I might be out this weekend. Klein, you can attend this lecture for me and recount it to me afterward."
Klein was stunned for a moment, then a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face. He quickly nodded.
Azik hummed in acknowledgment. After Klein put down the sorted report and left, he turned his head to look at the red moon outside the window and fell into silence.
-----------------
Tingen, a basement in the factory district.
The eerie, dark room was covered in bizarre patterns, and items radiating a twisted, evil aura were placed in every corner of the room.
Hood Eugen stood in the center, a faint golden light overflowing from his heart, and grayish-white scales faintly visible on his face.
Opposite him was a young woman with long golden hair, her green eyes slightly vacant, but her face full of a happy smile—Megose.
After a moment, Hood Eugen stepped back a few paces, looking at Ranlus beside him and smiling:
"I have deeply hypnotized Megose. The plan can begin. The necessary help you mentioned..."
Before he finished speaking, a splash of mottled colors abruptly appeared in the corner of the dark basement, and a black-robed figure holding half of a crystalline skull stepped out.
A hoarse voice came from beneath the hood, short and direct:
"We can begin!"
Feeling the strong death aura and the terrifying pressure, the smile on Hood Eugen's face disappeared. He felt as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast, ready to be torn apart instantly if he said no.
Ranlus had no additional reaction, seemingly accustomed to it. He stepped forward slowly and took off his shirt, revealing a black mark at the location of his heart on his chest—it was a pair of indifferent eyes.
His face twitched slightly. Ranlus endured the pain and cut his chest with a knife, letting the blood drip into Megose's mouth.
At the same time, he half-raised his hands, making a gesture of open embrace, and shouted in ancient Hermes:
"The Creator of All;"
"The Ruler behind the Shadow Veil;"
"The Degenerate Self of All Living Beings."
"Your humble follower prays for Your descent; prays for You to bestow Your offspring!"
"I am willing to offer this body, let her be the vessel, to bear Your great will!"
Amidst the prayer, Ince Zangwill, completely shrouded in a black robe, casually threw the half skull towards the center of the ritual. Simultaneously, a pure white quill pen wrote a sentence inside his wide sleeve:
"That great existence who holds the authority of degeneration has always longed to break through the seal. Even if the lamb's prayer is not devout, He does not mind making a small attempt. This is very reasonable!"
The writing dissipated even faster than it was written. Ince Zangwill's face under the black robe instantly turned as pale as paper, and the hand holding the quill pen trembled slightly.
Deep in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, at the peak of a mountain, stood a huge cross, existing between reality and illusion.
A blurry figure was suspended upside down there, multiple ancient wooden stakes piercing through His body, stained with blood that was still flowing but not dripping down.
At the base of the cross, 'Angel of Fate' Uroboros, wearing a simple linen robe and with waist-length silver hair, sat there, his expression gentle and devout, his eyes closed in prayer.
The next second, the upside-down figure on the giant cross suddenly faded, spreading out into a shadow veil that connected the sky above and the earth below. Behind the veil, a pair of indifferent eyes seemed to be watching the entire world.
At the same time, all the sacrifices in the basement turned to dust. A dull light abruptly descended from an unknown place, completely enveloping Megose and Ranlus.
Excruciating pain struck, and the prayer was directly interrupted. The flesh at Ranlus's heart twisted, forming a fist-sized mass of wriggling flesh.
A pair of pale gray, indifferent eyes, as if watching the entire world, protruded from the top of the flesh mass.
The unwilling resentments of the surrounding figures and the accumulated negative emotions surged inwards like a tide, pouring into that fist-sized mass of wriggling flesh.
The flesh mass instantly submerged into the skull originating from the descendant of Death. Spreading blood vessels swallowed the broken skull, and together they submerged into Megose's body.
A cry suddenly rang out. Ranlus, having reached his limit, immediately fainted, not noticing a trace of gray light re-entering his body.
Grayish-white scales instantly appeared on Hood Eugen, who was maintaining the hypnosis on Megose with his spirituality. Hysterical laughter erupted from his mouth.
Only Ince Zangwill in the corner was enveloped in a fluorescent glow, unaffected, watching all this indifferently. A line of text faintly appeared on the wall beside him:
"The ritual for the True Creator to descend His offspring was unbelievably smooth. The methods arranged beforehand prevented everything here from being perceived by the outside world. Ince Zangwill's plan has taken another big step towards success."
-----------------
Deep within the battlefield of the Gods, the Ghost Empire, the mausoleum hall.
All the golden marks on the 'Ghostly Portrait' were completely consumed. After the 'Stone of Life', formed by extracting the body of 'Saint of Secrets' Butis through a ritual, also merged into the black coffin, waves of strange fluctuations spread outwards like ripples.
The space inside the hall twisted unnaturally. Aaron subconsciously retreated a few steps. Cavendish Lanthan voluntarily stepped forward, and an invisible barrier appeared, blocking the anomaly.
"What time is it now?"
"Cavendish, you actually advanced!"
After a long while, an aged voice sounded, and a middle-aged man in a classical robe appeared. A feeling of chaos and distortion emerged in Aaron's mind.
This was none other than the 'Raging Mage' Sequence 3, Faust Ellen, who had been in slumber.
Seeing that this former comrade-in-arms had not fallen into madness, a hint of relief flashed in Cavendish Lanthan's eyes. He opened his mouth but did not speak, voluntarily retreating behind Aaron.
Seeing this, Aaron did not hesitate. He stepped forward and said with a smile:
"It is now the Fifth Epoch 1349, thousands of years have passed since the War of the Four Emperors. The empire's bloodline continues to exist. Now I need your help."
"I will provide you with the possibility of going further, just like him before."
Aaron said, pointing to Cavendish Lanthan. A Blasphemy Slate appeared in his hand, starlight outlining the three ancient Hermes words: "Black Emperor"!
His gaze paused for a moment. Although he had never heard of the Blasphemy Slate, the attraction from the depths of his spirituality was incredibly obvious.
Faust Ellen looked at Cavendish Lanthan, who stood with his head bowed. Highly sensitive to order, he felt two magnificent auras on Aaron. After a moment of silence, he slowly nodded:
"I will not break the oath I made back then. This is also my faith..."
Seeing him frequently glance towards the depths of the hall, Aaron explained with a smile:
"To awaken Him, some preparation is still needed, and that will take some time."
"Hold on to me, I'll take you out of here first!"
-----------------
Three figures quickly traveled through the Spirit World, advancing according to the coordinates previously left in the southern part of West Balam, South Continent.
Suddenly, Aaron stopped, frowning as he looked at the divination pendulum spinning erratically in his hand. Just as he was about to turn and ask Cavendish Lanthan, he was startled to find his body floating uncontrollably sideways, and getting faster and faster.
Waves of invisible fluctuations spread from Faust Ellen. In the suddenly twisted Spirit World space, Aaron stopped his movement. While retreating, he frowned and looked to the side.
Randomly overlapping color blocks and faintly permeating grayish-white mist suddenly split open, and a huge three-masted sailboat covered in pure black leaped in.
The ship was nearly a hundred meters long, with three black sails hanging high like banners.
It had rows of cannons on both sides, and various sailors ran around busily on the deck.
Everything was so real, so textured, completely out of place with the overall state of the Spirit World.
This was the symbol of the 'King of the Five Seas', Nast, the 'Black Emperor'!
On its deck, leaning against the cabin, stood a mottled stone chair two to three meters high. On the chair sat a colossal figure comparable to an ancient giant.
He had a black beard just past his neck, wore a tall, pointed crown, and was draped in a magnificent black robe with silver edges. His facial features were hard and deep, full of majesty, making one subconsciously want to lower their head.
Beneath that slightly wrinkled, broad forehead, above that high, straight nose, dark red light flowed in his deep black eyes, making one involuntarily want to lower their head.
Faust Ellen also looked towards the center of the ship. As the gazes of the two 'Raging Mages' met, large areas of the Spirit World region twisted, and all Spirit World creatures rapidly fled the area.
220Chapter 214 Nast, the King of the Five Seas
The dark red light flowing in his deep black eyes suddenly intensified, and the luxurious black robe with silver edges danced without wind. In the brief exchange, "King of the Five Seas" Nast had already sensed the power from the same source.
This was a Sequence 3 'Chaos Sorcerer' he had never seen before. That ancient aura, steeped in the soul, he had only felt on Zaratul, an angel from the Fourth Epoch, when Emperor Roselle had not yet fallen.
As the successor of the Earl of White Maple, personally enfeoffed by Emperor Roselle, Nast had accompanied his father, Saunière Solomon, in an audience with His Majesty the Emperor, and vaguely knew that the Great Emperor had joined a secret organization.
The reason Roselle was able to ascend to angelhood so smoothly and overthrow the Sauron family, who had ruled Intis for over a thousand years, was certainly due to the tacit approval of