North Borough, Saint Samuel Cathedral.
Ebner walked casually through the grand prayer hall and arrived before the hidden door that led to the underground area.
Because the priest guarding the place "failed to see" him at all, Ebner passed through the secret door without the slightest resistance and entered the narrow stairwell.
Illuminated by the lamps lining both sides, he descended step by step. At the crossroads he turned left and reached the destination of this trip—the iron-black double doors known as Chanis Gate.
The massive doors were heavy and cold, engraved with seven holy emblems, as though nothing in the world could ever shake them.
Unlike Klein, who had prepared for a long time yet never managed to find an opportunity to come here, Ebner—relying on the black gemstone on his chest personally "approved" by the Goddess—could even leverage the power of Saint Samuel Cathedral itself to provide cover. Naturally, no one noticed him.
Not even Archbishop Saint Anthony.
And although the seal on Chanis Gate was extremely powerful, since it was still a "gate," it could not truly stop a high-ranking Apprentice blessed by the Goddess.
This was precisely what made a Cognizer who had mastered the structural knowledge of multiple "mythical creature forms" so terrifying. Such beings were often able to locate the correct "fulcrum" through appropriate abilities, turning themselves into a lever that could pry open their target and resolve complex problems at minimal cost.
This, too, should have been one of the core laws of Cognizer acting. No matter which direction one's Insight took, this principle should always have applied.
While pondering this, Ebner glanced at the Night Watcher on duty, then took a single step forward and entered the gate. The latter noticed nothing at all.
Behind Chanis Gate lay a sealed land that seemed completely severed from reality, silent to the point of terror. It perfectly embodied the Goddess's title of "Terror Empress." Yet Ebner felt no fear; instead, he faintly sensed that the environment here was unusually gentle and friendly toward him.
It feels as if the Goddess is softly greeting me… inviting me deeper into the darkness…
Ebner muttered inwardly. He did not light a lantern. Relying on his night vision, he walked toward the stone stairs hidden in the darkness, preparing to head down to the second level.
—He did not think this was merely an illusion; after all, it was the result of Insight.
The first level was filled with numerous formulas and materials, each extremely valuable, but they held no meaning for Ebner.
Leaving aside the fact that these items belonged to the Goddess's Church and were not something he would stoop to stealing, the items he had obtained from the Delien family treasury were no less valuable than those here.
—After all, that had been the entire collection of a demigod family that had flourished for centuries, while Saint Samuel Cathedral was merely one of the Goddess's many churches.
Upon reaching the second level, Ebner immediately saw strange walls formed from steel, brick, earth, and silver, dividing the space into separate areas. Some rooms were open, others tightly sealed, each containing a sealed artifact.
In the first semi-open room on the left, raging flames burned fiercely. Above them sat a bathtub-shaped steel object, from which bubbling sounds arose. Steam billowed upward, gathered at the ceiling, condensed into droplets, and fell like rain.
Sealed Artifact "1-42"… a full suit of armor stained with ancient god blood…
Hm? The aura of that blood doesn't match the one on the War God Church's Inquisitor, the "Glorious One" Boris, who once hunted me…
Could it be that the blood on this armor isn't from the "Giant King" Olmir? Or was I wrong from the beginning—and Tolzna's judgment inaccurate—meaning that Boris was not Olmir's resurrection backup?
As his thoughts turned, Ebner briefly considered extracting some of the ancient god's blood from the armor for research. However, he worried that doing so might provoke a reaction from the sealed artifact.
He was not afraid himself, but any disturbance here would undoubtedly complicate Klein's actions tomorrow.
It's not essential anyway… better not sabotage Mr. Fool.
With that decision made, Ebner left the room and continued forward. After passing several sealed areas, he saw a figure wearing a hood and a classical long robe.
It was a woman with beautiful features yet a blank expression. Her black eyes were deep but lacked all spirituality.
This was the Goddess's descent vessel, Sealed Artifact "0-17," "Mother of Heaven."
When she saw Ebner, the corners of her lips slowly lifted, forming a smile.
In the next moment, Ebner experienced the familiar sensation of his brain "powering down." However, unlike the previous time when he had been "erased," this time—thanks to Insight—he clearly observed the activation process of that ability, or rather, that authority.
Of course, this was also because the Goddess deliberately displayed it. Otherwise, he would have had little chance of Insight-ing an ability personally wielded by the Mother of Secrets.
Soon after, everything before his eyes turned pitch-black, and he completely lost consciousness, as though he had fallen into the deepest dreamless sleep.
He did not know how much time passed.
When Ebner regained control of his body, he found himself standing within the fog-shrouded town.
He was just about to walk toward the central church when a sudden spiritual intuition arose. Instinctively, he turned his gaze to the side.
And there he saw the woman who had brought him here—"Mother of Heaven"!
She—no, He—had followed him inside as well?
"Goddess?" Ebner asked tentatively.
The beautiful woman gently nodded and replied:
"Just call me Amanises.
"Although you certainly don't remember, we became friends a long time ago… back when you were not yet the God of Luck."
So even before the "God of Luck," Liu Bo had already come into contact with the Goddess? Wouldn't that have been when the influence of the "Unknown" was even stronger? I wonder what kind of personality that 'me' had…
Ebner's thoughts drifted further and further, and he momentarily forgot to respond.
The "Mother of Heaven," however, did not mind and continued speaking calmly:
"I followed you in mainly because the monster formed after Zaratul's mutation may still be beyond what you can handle, so you'll need a bit of help."
Ebner came back to his senses, took a deep breath, and did not dare to actually address her so familiarly as "Amanises." Instead, he vaguely said:
"Thank you for Your favor."
While they were speaking, several wind blades suddenly slashed toward them from behind, aiming directly for Ebner's and "Mother of Heaven's" necks, intending to behead them in one strike.
—Although Ebner had previously had Vincent transform into a Feathered Serpent to clear out the Beyonders in the town, several months had passed, and a new group had entered.
For an ambush of this level, Ebner had naturally already noticed it. He did not even dodge, allowing the wind blades to strike his neck.
The next moment, something bizarre occurred.
Only a faint white mark appeared on Ebner's neck, while the attacker's head fell off on its own, blood spraying everywhere.
As for the wind blades aimed at the Goddess, they dissipated by themselves.
Ebner had transformed himself into a "cursed object," causing the attacker to fully suffer the consequences of their own attack.
—Due to having integrated Danitte Tinekerr's memories, the Prisoner pathway had become one of the very few pathways through which Ebner could "create" Sequence 3 characteristics within his White Tower.
Ebner then waved his hand, and the attacker's Beyonder characteristic quickly separated and flew into his palm.
"A Wind-blessed… no wonder he was so impatient.
"And mixed with characteristics from other pathways… he'd consumed other Beyonders. He didn't die unjustly."
Ebner made a brief judgment. He did not move against the other Beyonders hidden in the town. For one, their levels were too low—not a single Sequence 5 among them—making them unworthy of attention. For another, Klein would most likely enter here tomorrow, and someone would need to "educate" him on the town's rules.
However, Ebner frowned.
After performing Insight, he failed to find any remnants of demigods left behind after the previous Feathered Serpent purge, aside from Despair Nightingale.
At this moment, the Goddess spoke:
"Don't be greedy. The greatest legacy is waiting for you to receive it. These characteristics are the reward promised to Zhou."
So that was the case…
Ebner had not valued those things much to begin with. He nodded and, together with the Goddess, walked unhurriedly into the ancient spired church.
For some reason, Ebner felt as though this scene was strangely familiar, as if it had played out once before.
"After Antigonus and his sister established the Evernight Kingdom, the latter once invited the God of Luck here as a guest," the Goddess said with a smile, as if seeing through his confusion.
So the "God of Luck" really did have something going on with "Mother of Heaven"? Truly worthy of the title 'Poet of the Goddess,' Oliver Constantine!
Suddenly, I don't want to resurrect my past selves with myself as the core anymore… How many metaphorical knives would that invite?!
While Ebner was mocking himself internally, he failed to notice the Goddess glance at him with a half-smile that was not quite a smile.
(End of chapter)