Ebner felt his body and mind gradually settle into calmness, slipping into a half-dream, half-awake state. His consciousness grew hazy.
Just like the night after he had returned from the first floor of the Dream Labyrinth Tower, he once again wandered in confusion through clusters of night-blooming herbs and slumber flowers in the darkness, until he stumbled into a body carrying the fragrance of Daniel's Pure Dew.
He had no idea how long passed, nor what exactly he experienced in that haze. But when he finally regained clarity, he found himself back home, lying on his own bed, as if his visit to the Harvest Church had been nothing but a dream.
Yet immediately, he sensed something. Lowering his head, he saw a star-shaped gem, black as ink, resting silently on his chest—no, more like it was inlaid into it, faintly connecting with the red streaks on his forehead left by the Goddess of Beauty's blessing.
Seeing this, Ebner looked pensive. He opened the Pure White Eye and began an analysis.
"Although I can't fully understand its 'principle' or 'function,' I can roughly confirm that this thing is connected to the authorities of 'Darkness' and 'Secrets'…
"But as for how to use it, I can't parse that… most likely because of 'Secrets' itself!
"So… did I just meet the Goddess again in a dream?
"No, more accurately, She guided me into a special dream once again…
"Last time it was to give me a reward… what is it this time?
"And why did She send me straight back home… Hmm, judging by the time, it's already morning, and the meeting with Edwina isn't far off…
"Was it because Lilith was occupied, so Her ally, the Goddess, received me instead?
"And when Will suggested I come to the Harvest Church earlier, he had that rather 'strange' smile… what was that about?"
Fingering the black gem embedded in his chest, Ebner's expression grew more doubtful. After a long moment, he sighed and thought to himself:
"Why do all beings tied to the authority of 'Fate' love being riddlers?
"Compared to Lilith, the Goddess is even harder to fathom!
"Of course, Lilith's favor and affection for me is probably just surface-level… perhaps She's using it to cultivate more humanity, or maybe there's some deeper scheme…
"After all, how could an Ancient God who has survived since the Second Epoch truly be bound by mere emotions?
"But whether this affection is genuine or not, since I've benefited, sooner or later, I'll have to repay it…"
…
In the underground chamber of the Harvest Church.
With silver hair and silver eyes, wearing the red formal gown Ebner had prepared for her last night, the Goddess of Beauty, Lilith, turned her head aside in slight displeasure as the "darkness" in the prayer hall slowly faded.
At the same time, a voice, like a lullaby in the night, suddenly sounded:
"He has already obtained divinity, and now there is communication with there, even with Him…
"Until he advances to Angel, you cannot remain in close contact with him through that body you received from him…
"It would disrupt the balance.
"Whether for him or for you…
"You should remember the lesson from the Lamia experiment."
Lilith listened quietly. After a moment of silence, she countered, "Then what about you?"
"My 'pollution' is far less than yours…" After over ten seconds, that soothing voice returned. "And besides, I've said before—using emotion to forge 'bonds,' letting him develop a self distinct from Him across lifetime after lifetime, until he resolves to restrain Him…
"To reach that goal, there are many methods. It doesn't necessarily require too much physical closeness. At times, maintaining mystery and distance works even better.
"You've never truly been human. Even with Lamia's experience, it's only a 'simulation.' You rely on seduction, arousing his desires. That has some effect, but it won't foster deep feelings…
"In this respect, 'Knowledge,' or even his friends in this life, do a better job than you."
Lilith pondered for a while, then asked again, "What am I lacking?"
"The true heart of a human!" With these words, the darkness dispersed completely, and sunlight streamed through the stained glass into the church.
…
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, lightning split the sky, illuminating the layered gray structures ahead.
Carrying twin swords on his back, Demon Hunter Colin Iliad pointed ahead and said, "That is Afternoon Town."
His graying, unkempt hair shook in the wind sweeping over the wilderness.
So fast… Derrick, carrying the Storm Axe, thought in surprise.
But he quickly found it reasonable. After all, the Giant King's Court was already near Silver City's territory, and Afternoon Town was a key junction connecting the two.
By the light of the lightning, he saw the town at the mountain's base, naturally divided into upper, middle, and lower layers. Though called a town, it wasn't smaller than most ruins Silver City had discovered.
On the other side of the town lay the collapsed remains of a strange mountain, shattered into several pieces across a wide area, filled with unrecognizable ruins.
The only relatively intact structure was a half-collapsed high tower standing atop the largest piece of debris, connected to the stairs leading to the town's middle layer—a fine ready-made base.
"So that's the tower Little Jack got the Book of Gears from? It is a good foothold. No wonder they rested there back then…
"But, even without the fallen floating city, this town looks nothing like what's described in the textbooks…" Derrick recalled what he had learned in history class.
According to Silver City's records, Afternoon Town was the gate dividing reality from myth. Humans and giants coexisted there. It had both day and night, but its daylight was always fixed at "afternoon." No fog, storm, or snow could obscure its bright sun. Yet now it was gloomy, gray, even when lightning struck, there was no true light, no vitality.
Gripping his axe, his eyes glowing with twin miniature suns, Derrick walked alongside the exploration team, following Chief Colin step by step into Afternoon Town.
The place had already been cleared once during the first exploration. Rotting flesh and dried pus stains littered the streets. All was silent, eerily so.
"Be careful. As the mythical gate, this place harbors strange creatures hidden in the darkness." Scar-faced Colin Iliad didn't dare relax, drawing one of his swords. Its silver blade gleamed faintly.
This is the mythical gate? A gate… I remember Mr. Tower once mentioned that any place with the meaning of a 'gate' should never be overlooked, as it may hide deep secrets or dangers…
And considering Mr. Tower's warning through Mr. Fool before we set out…
The other eerie, dangerous town he spoke of—could it be the hidden danger lurking here?
Just as the thought struck, Derrick suddenly spotted an altar inside a residence. On it were three names:
"Ouroboros;
"Medici;
"Sasrir."
Ouroboros? Isn't that the Angel of Fate's name? And Mr. Fool mentioned Medici was also a King of Angels… Sasrir is another? Derrick felt both excitement and dread. He quickly turned to call his companions.
But at the doorway, there was only darkness. The places where Haim and Joshua should have been were empty.
I've crossed to the other side of the 'gate'… I've entered another eerie, terrifying layer of the town?
…
Bayam, in the basement of the Fragrant Manor.
As a ring of fire flared to life, Edwina appeared atop the teleportation altar, dressed simply in a white shirt and brown trousers.
She smiled gently at Ebner, who had been waiting there, her pale-blue eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.
"Are you ready?" Ebner asked with a smile.
"I'm ready… and the results of my 'Prophecy' weren't bad either," Edwina affirmed.
"Then let's depart immediately!"
With that, Ebner boldly shed his clothes, then activated a mystic art formed from his Druid abilities, transforming into a giant bear.
—This secret art was inspired by the former "Tears of Lilith."
The ruins were deep underground, and if they wanted to avoid attracting official attention, tunneling through as giant bears was much more convenient.
Seeing this, Edwina, who had previously discussed the "bear transformation" mystic art with him, bit her lip and undid the buttons of her collar as well…
Moments later, as the ground softened into a swamp, two massive bears sank rapidly into it as though plunging into the sea.
(End of this chapter)