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Although Klein wasn't quite sure what exactly had happened, he instinctively hid behind Captain Dunn. Luckily, Old Neil had already taught him the techniques for switching Spirit Vision on and off.
Otherwise, Klein couldn't imagine what would have happened to him if he had used Spirit Vision to look at the thing His Grace the Duke called "Hidden Sage" just now. Going half-mad might even be considered a good outcome.
Leonard, who was standing nearby, instantly changed his expression when he heard the words "Hidden Sage." He kept calling out to the old man in his mind but received no response.
Just then, an extremely profound Darkness suddenly emerged in the armory. Black, cold, and slippery threads, like brilliant starlight in the Darkness, enveloped the information stream that was originally spreading outwards.
"The core seal of Chanis Gate..."
Klein heard the Captain's sigh, and the image of the black iron double doors engraved with seven holy emblems immediately appeared in his mind. Although the Seer's spiritual warning was still present, it was no longer as intense as before.
After the fear receded, an uncontrollable curiosity emerged in his heart. Klein looked at the armory, which was enveloped in profound Darkness, and asked his question:
"What is the core seal? And what does 'Hidden Sage' refer to?"
No longer calling out to the old man, Leonard realized he was currently within the radiating power of Chanis Gate and breathed a sigh of relief. He admitted that he had indeed lost his composure a bit when he heard "Hidden Sage" just now.
After hearing Klein's question, Leonard glanced at this highly valued newcomer, thought for a moment, and said:
"The reason Chanis Gate must be placed beneath the central cathedral of each city is to exploit the daily influx of believers. Their devout prayers allow a portion of their spirituality to enter the magic array, accumulating over time."
"And this spirituality is the source of power to activate the core seal, 'Saint Selena's Ashes.' She was a High-Sequence powerhouse during her lifetime."
Saint Selena's ashes? The ashes of a High-Sequence powerhouse? What use could that be? Klein was both puzzled and curious.
Leonard seemed to have heard Klein's thoughts. He gestured towards the profound Darkness and said to himself:
"The remains or ashes left behind by deceased High-Sequence powerhouses still possess incredible power."
As if he thought of something, Leonard coughed lightly, glanced at the Captain's solemn expression, and added:
"Of course, this is also something I read in certain mysticism books. That Duke is a High-Sequence powerhouse, an existence that can be called a Saint within the Church."
After enjoying the astonishment on Klein's face, Leonard nodded gravely and finally said:
"As for 'Hidden Sage,' well, the ancient texts say He is the hidden existence worshipped by the Moses Ascetic Order, and the Moses Ascetic Order controls the Mystery Pryer Pathway."
He naturally knew more, but those were not things a common Nighthawks like him could know. Even the Captain needed to report to the Church and get approval before he could delve deeper into certain secrets, but this was already enough for Klein to realize the seriousness of the situation.
Nodding equally gravely, Klein breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it wasn't related to that Antigonus family's notebook; otherwise, he truly wouldn't have been able to escape blame.
Klein couldn't help but draw a scarlet moon on his chest and whispered a prayer:
"May the Goddess bless him."
Within the space enveloped by profound Darkness, the torrent of knowledge emerging from the nearly transparent bizarre figures was bound by black threads, but more complex knowledge still flooded Aaron's mind.
At this moment, he felt as if his head was about to explode, and his other thoughts were completely occupied. But Aaron didn't panic; he controlled the knowledge to differentiate and rush into the order mist.
Regaining control of his body, Aaron raised his hand. Relying on this connection, he forcibly confined the conceptualized phantom, blocking its attempt to continue borrowing power.
This was also why he chose to act directly at Black Thorns Security Company. The core seal of Chanis Gate could save him a lot of trouble, at least allowing him not to worry about others or the leakage of pollution.
Not far away, Old Neil's facial muscles were cracking, and the flesh inside was condensing, gradually growing a pair of cold, lashless eyes. His ears extended outwards, like trumpets, but he himself was unaware of it.
This was the pollution received by the medium as a projection of power. Old Neil suddenly showed a panicked, fawning, fearful, and timid smile, and tremblingly said:
"Mr. Blessed, please let me leave. I will go deep into the mountains and never appear again. I will not harm anyone; I will only quietly attempt my ritual."
Listening to that hopeful voice, Aaron coldly raised his hand. The faint glow of the Ring of Mysteries appeared, and the Sun Chaser Scepter instantly materialized in his hand. Golden light enveloped the phantom.
At this moment, the cold, lashless eyes on Old Neil's body flashed with golden light, suddenly igniting. Golden flames abruptly covered his entire body, burning away the mutated organs.
The power originating from the Hidden Sage that had dissipated in the Unshadowed Domain was not completely annihilated. Aaron drove it to converge with the residual pollution within Old Neil's body, forming a semi-illusory, cold eyeball.
Sensing the disappearance of that aura, the surrounding Darkness receded. The Nighthawks outside also saw the disfigured Old Neil and heard his dream-like murmur:
"All this time, I haven't harmed anyone, nor have I ever thought of harming anyone!"
"I haven't, I haven't betrayed any important secrets of the Nighthawks. At most, I've just claimed some expenses that shouldn't have been reimbursed. I really haven't done anything bad!"
"Captain, can the Goddess forgive me?"
Dunn's eyes instantly froze. He trembled slightly as he stepped forward, as if wanting to grasp the withered fingers. Before this sorrowful emotion could spread among the crowd, a verdant light instantly enveloped Old Neil, who was still clinging to life.
The rich aura of life diffused, causing the grim-faced Dunn's advancing steps to falter. He instinctively looked at the calm Aaron.
Old Neil hadn't completely lost control. Before the Hidden Sage could descend with more power, Aaron had ended the battle, and the purifying fire had also cleared the last of the pollution.
"Embrace of the Earth" bestowed by the Life Imprint could heal even the most severe injuries, except for beings who had completely lost control and were beyond salvation, filling the surroundings with vitality.
Saving a Sequence 9 consumed negligible life force. Aaron slightly turned to block the Life Imprint, as it would be a bit awkward for these Nighthawks to recognize the Life Holy Emblem.
Fortunately, their attention was drawn to Old Neil, who was regenerating flesh and blood, so no one noticed. A hoarse voice suddenly echoed in Leonard's mind:
"This aura..."
Leonard's mind trembled, and he pressed for more in his thoughts, but Pallez no longer responded.
Klein stared blankly at Old Neil, who had only a breath left, for a few seconds as he climbed up from the ground, his eyes filled with disbelief and joy, personally experiencing the meaning of the words "Saint."
Aaron glanced at the somewhat distracted Klein, and a strange sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart. As expected, showing off in front of Mr. Fool was the most exhilarating.
He coughed lightly, interrupting everyone's joy, and looking at the disheartened Old Neil, Aaron calmly said:
"Report to the Church and explain the reason for the anomaly at Chanis Gate. I merely helped you clear the pollution; your mental issues still need to be taken to Backlund for the latest review."
"In any case, praying to an evil god in secret, you must also provide an explanation to the Church. Your position will temporarily be filled by this Seer."
Old Neil responded with a somewhat low spirits:
"Yes, Mr. Blessed, thank you for your help."
As Aaron left the room, he sensed a familiar aura following him. The corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile, and without turning back, he teased:
"Lucky Seer, were you perhaps frightened by the battle just now?"
Somewhat surprised that this seemingly majestic Duke would say such a thing, Klein's originally conflicted expression instantly stiffened, and he gave a dry laugh:
"Of course not. I just have some questions I'd like to ask you, Duke, and also to express the Tingen Nighthawks team's gratitude to you."
Aaron hummed softly, holding the bizarre eyeball solidified from the Hidden Sage's residual power in his hand. He turned his head to look at Klein, signaling that he could ask.
Looking at the bizarre eyeball, bound by layers of golden patterns, even knowing it had been sealed, Klein still averted his gaze and asked in a low voice:
"I want to know how many other hidden existences like the 'Hidden Sage' are there? And how did Old Neil end up like this?"
Good heavens, he wants to fleece me! As expected of "Poor God," he's very good at seizing opportunities.
Under that strange gaze, Klein coughed unnaturally. Today, he had been startled by Old Neil's situation, personally witnessing the consequences of provoking a hidden existence.
Recalling the hidden existence named Lord of Order, he still felt a chill all over, worried that something might happen to him one day.
As the strongest individual he could currently access, this Saint was undoubtedly the best source of information. Even if it was a bit awkward, he had to seize this opportunity.
Chuckling inwardly, Aaron withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and explained as he walked:
"Primordial Demoness, Hidden Sage, Dark Side of the Universe, Chained God, True Creator—these are all examples. Of course, there might also be some hidden existences that have not yet appeared in the real world, but their common characteristic is undoubtedly their terrifying power and might."
Not hearing the answer he wanted, Klein was slightly disappointed and followed Aaron upwards.
"As for that Nighthawks just now, it was because the 'Hidden Sage' attached some negative influences to the knowledge transmitted through His whispers, even directly descending power from afar to pollute the Listener."
Looking at Klein, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated, Aaron seemed to have read his mind and added with a smile:
"While the high-ranking members of the Moses Ascetic Order were influenced by that existence, they also gradually developed a relatively safe method of 'listening.'"
"Moreover, the 'Hidden Sage's' malice towards members of the Moses Ascetic Order is not overly exaggerated; He rarely actively harms them. Most of the time, He simply madly imparts knowledge, although that is also very painful."
Although he hadn't inquired about the Lord of Order, this hidden knowledge still made Klein feel he had gained something, and he also gained a deeper understanding of the terrifying nature of the Beyonder world.
Both the mystery of his transmigration and his current predicament forced him to climb higher. Thinking of the acting method he had read about in Roselle's diary and Ms. Daly's experience, Klein's heart stirred:
"I want to know if there are any subsequent potion formulas for the Seer Pathway within the Church?"
"If I earn enough merit for advancement, can I apply to the Church for an early advancement?"
Although Klein had learned during the last Council of Entropy that the "Antigonus family's notebook" might contain subsequent formulas for the Seer Pathway.
[Chaos Council >>> Council of Entropy]
But setting aside the fact that the terrifying notebook had now vanished without a trace, even if it were eventually found, it would be sent behind Chanis Gate at the archdiocese headquarters, which Klein could not access at present.
As a Nighthawks, his hope for advancement would certainly still have to be placed within the Church.
Aaron's steps paused for a moment, and he wasn't surprised by Klein's question. He said with a smile:
"Very ambitious. If you find the 'Antigonus family's notebook,' you can have Dunn submit an application. Perhaps we'll meet again then."
"Also, I can tell you in advance that the Sequence 8 corresponding to 'Seer' is 'Clown.'"
Looking at Aaron, who bizarrely disappeared into the colorful blocks, Klein's face gradually showed a strange expression:
Sequence 8 "Clown"? He had never imagined that "Seer" would be linked to "Clown."
Is this going to form a circus duo? This made him wonder if there would be potions like Magician next.
-----------------
Symeem Island, the easternmost island of the Rorsted Archipelago, a forgotten temple hidden deep within the primeval jungle, where a bloody ritual was underway.
Several headless bodies gushed blood, converging in the center of the temple, accompanied by desperate and painful screams, as a thick scent of blood permeated the air.
As one of the leaders of the resistance and the most devout believer, "Baldy" Karat, seated in an iron wheelchair, was performing the blood sacrifice ritual with fervent enthusiasm.
All the believers were infected by a plague-like frenzy, none of them noticing a yellowish-brown parchment book appearing in the hand of a weathered, unrecognizable statue not far behind them.
On the surface of the book, a line of words was written in Elvish:
"Book of Calamity."
At this moment, Karat felt a dull ache in his chest, and his breathing became momentarily constricted.
At this instant, he felt as if he had submerged into the seabed, being squeezed from all directions by heavy currents.
Splash!
Vaguely, he heard the sound of surging tides, and illusory, overlapping ripples appeared before his eyes, as if an boundless, bottomless azure ocean had formed.
Within that ocean, a colossal, blue-green figure, like a Tower, supported everything.
The blood sacrifice Worships instantly withered like long-weathered rocks, and the blood in the center of the temple dried up, revealing a milky-white bone sword at the bottom.
The anomaly in his mind vanished along with that bizarre aura. Karat gazed at the slightly curved bone sword and muttered fervently to himself:
"God said, when an outsider picks up this holy sword, God will reappear on earth, granting us power and freedom...."
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