"Suspected?" Daly narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Leonard from head to toe, tapping her fingers lightly on the table, and quietly asked, "That Azik who killed 'Vice Admiral Hurricane'?"
Just from Leonard's words, she had already detected some abnormalities; Military Intelligence No. 9 seemed to be deliberately concealing certain things.
Watching Leonard nod slightly, Daly snorted, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes: "It's too easy for him. If I caught Lanevus, I'd make him understand that men are very fragile too!"
Leonard gave a wry smile, his gaze sweeping past Daly to the other Red Gloves, and he asked with some curiosity: "Did Mr. Cesimir not return with you?"
Slowly standing up, Daly walked to the door, her tone having returned to calm: "He escorted a Sealed Artifact back to the Cathedral via airship. In a while, Archbishop Randolph Carter will arrive in Backlund and will dispatch elite Red Gloves to hunt down Ince Zangwill."
"You should be on the list too. Prepare well. A Nightmare finds it difficult to protect himself. I don't want to see any more familiar people die in front of me."
Knowing this was Ms. Daly's kind reminder, yet somehow the words sounded a bit strange. Leonard watched Daly disappear into the Darkness, quietly clenched his fists, and muttered to himself: "Ince Zangwill, that day is finally coming soon!"
-----------------
East Tucker County, outside Osel.
Ademisaul stopped, compared the Loen map in his hand, and felt relieved looking at the majestic city cluster in the distance. He waved his hand and said: "Alright, that should be Osel ahead."
Upon hearing this, the fat Apothecary Darkwill immediately slumped to the ground, looking dispirited, while the owl Harry was full of vigor, his big, round eyes curiously surveying the front, seemingly not needing rest.
"The strongest Hunter of the Fog Sea," Anderson, who was walking at the very front of the team with clasped hands, was even more direct. He lightly coughed and a bright smile appeared on his face: "Since we've reached our destination, my mission is complete. Let's part ways here."
After speaking, without waiting for Ademisaul to reply, he had no intention of entering Osel. Since his mission was completed, he was naturally free as a bird in the sky and a fish in the sea.
Thinking this, Anderson's body stiffened slightly, and the crimson flames rising around him suddenly extinguished. A familiar and majestic voice echoed: "Your mission isn't over yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
The pressure from the life-level difference made Ademisaul's spiritual intuition wildly alert. He couldn't help but widen his eyes, looking at the colorful oil painting world that appeared behind Anderson, and at the handsome man who walked out with a smile, unconsciously muttering in a low voice: "Duke Aaron…"
Although he had never truly met him in person, ever since he learned that the important Sealed Artifact of the Life School of Thought, which his teacher entrusted to him, was to be given to this Lord, Ademisaul had consciously collected relevant portraits when he was still in the Berserk Sea. Now, he recognized him at a glance.
Suppressing his restless spirituality, Ademisaul exhaled lightly, took a step forward, and bowed: "Life School of Thought, Ademisaul, greetings, Your Grace!"
Smiling and waving his hand, Aaron quietly lifted the Judgement domain. Anderson immediately regained control of his body, stumbled two steps, coughed awkwardly, and silently stood beside Darkwill.
Originally, Aaron only intended for his father, Gusman Weil, to come forward, settle Ademisaul and the others, and temporarily entrust the "Die of Probability" to Varna Weil for safekeeping.
But while he was staying in Backlund, waiting for Hvin Rambis to take the bait, Will Auceptin proactively came to him.
The Speaker of the Life School of Thought had just restarted by devouring his tail, and his strength was at its lowest ebb. Even with the entanglement of fate, it was quite difficult for him to contact Aaron.
He conveyed crucial information: the "Angel of Fate," Ouroboros, had already left the Forsaken Land of the Gods. In Will Auceptin's current state, he could only perceive this through the disturbance of fate.
Somewhat worried that things would get out of control, Aaron immediately returned to Osel, at least to properly safeguard the "Die of Probability."
After bowing, Ademisaul immediately took out the ring box containing the "Die of Probability" from his embrace, and as he offered it, he whispered nervously: "Duke, this is an item my teacher, Councilor Ricciardo, entrusted me to hand over to you for safekeeping. To divert the 'Saint Tenebrous' from the Aurora Order, my teacher led him away alone. I hope you can lend a helping hand."
Taking the ring box, Aaron's pupils instantly turned crimson-gold. He clearly saw complex symbols and markings attached to the surface of the ring box, subtly forming a snake with its tail in its mouth, seemingly isolating its connection with the Spirit World, Astral World, and the real world.
Even though the ring box was now close at hand, without the aid of the "Eye of Order," Aaron would have found it difficult to discover that the Uniqueness of the "Pathway of Fate" was hidden within it.
"Is this the cycle of fate that Will Auceptin mentioned? It can make the 'Die of Probability' fall into a peculiar state, cycling back and forth, maintaining balance…"
Glancing at the ring box in his hand, Aaron recalled some specific instructions from Will Auceptin earlier, and he understood in his heart.
However, Will Auceptin, the source of the seal, had already restarted and reverted to an embryo, unable to maintain the state of the Snake of Fate. The power of the fate cycle, without replenishment, was growing weaker, which was why Will Auceptin was eager to find him after realizing Ouroboros had left the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Recalling the method Will Auceptin had briefly taught him in his mind for temporarily breaking the fate cycle and using the "Die of Probability" to a limited extent, Aaron thought for a moment and did not immediately try it. He merely added an additional seal to the outside of the ring box, his thoughts somewhat scattered.
"If I throw the 'Die of Probability' into the Nation of Disorder, I should be able to seal it with the power of the Sefirah. But the problem is, this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact with living characteristics might affect the Nation of Disorder."
"It wouldn't take over, but I'm afraid it might impose negative effects on me at certain critical moments. Such things are impossible to predict, and even divination wouldn't yield answers. It can certainly resist, just like '0-08'."
After some thought, Aaron abandoned the idea of placing this Uniqueness-condensed Sealed Artifact in the Nation of Disorder for safekeeping. He kept it close to him for immediate response, and used a hidden power to interfere with and block the Angel of Fate's perception.
After completing all this, Aaron looked at Ademisaul, who was full of anticipation, and nodded with a smile: "A reasonable request. Don't worry, ensuring Ricciardo's safety is also one of the conditions of my cooperation with the Life School of Thought."
"For the next period, you will remain in Osel and await further instructions."
With that, he looked at Anderson, who was standing behind the fat Apothecary, trying his best to minimize his presence, and said with a calm expression, no longer smiling: "As for you, back in the Berserk Sea, I promised you that I would help you advance to Sequence 4, Iron-Blooded Knight. Now, the opportunity has arrived."
Only after confirming that this terrifying Duke was not here to cause him trouble did Anderson relax. He asked in a low, somewhat uncertain voice: "Opportunity?"
Aaron's lips curled slightly upward, and he nodded gently: "I will send you to Seran in the northern part of the Feynapotter Kingdom. Whether you can successfully advance there will depend on your own performance."
"Seran?" Anderson's face twitched. This important northern town borders the Intis Republic. He was now considered a significant wanted target of the Iron and Blood Cross Order. What was the difference between this and practically sticking a big target on his face?
Seeing through what this guy was thinking, Aaron expressionlessly tossed him a finely crafted human skin mask and slowly added: "Use it to conceal your face for now. When you arrive in Seran, I will take you to see the governor there. All your subsequent actions in the Feynapotter Kingdom will be under his command."
Without giving the guy a chance to refute or question, Aaron raised his right hand, his spirituality radiating. The Traveler's Door opened, instantly engulfing the somewhat bewildered Anderson.
-----------------
East of the Fog Sea, soaking wet Ricciardo slumped weakly on a desolate small island. Only the dim crimson light, falling from high above and piercing through the mist, could barely illuminate the brown earth.
Not only his exposed skin, but even his face had grown some silvery-white scales. This was a negative side effect of frequently using the incomplete mythical creature form.
If he didn't quickly eliminate the madness and the corresponding backlash of misfortune, it wouldn't be long before Ricciardo himself would fall to the brink of losing control.
As a Sequence 4 Misfortune Mage of the "Pathway of Fate," Ricciardo wouldn't have been reduced to such a state even if he couldn't defeat Kisma, the "Saint Tenebrous" who was hunting him. The main reason was the restraint imposed by the item bestowed by Ouroboros.
Ordinary levels of misfortune could hardly truly harm the "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma. Ricciardo, who could only passively hide and evade, had to continuously use the incomplete mythical creature form to shake off the pursuit.
Kisma, the "Saint Tenebrous" of the Aurora Order, had already detected Ricciardo's condition and was pressing harder, even more unrestrainedly.
The mist around the small island surged, and the dim crimson light blurred. A low, hoarse voice, filled with malice, sounded from an unknown direction: "Don't struggle. Today is your death day!"
Within the shadows, Darkness surged, and a tall knight in black full plate armor emerged. He held a long, wide straight sword, and two deep red lights flickered in his eye sockets.
The "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma!
The somewhat weak Ricciardo sighed softly, took out a transparent bottle made of an unknown material from his embrace. Inside the bottle floated a drop of silver blood, as if countless tiny, transcendent, illusory wheels were turning, connecting into a long ribbon, almost touching end to end.
Without hesitation, he crushed the bottle and dripped the blood onto his glabella. Ricciardo's pupils instantly turned silver, and the parts of his body not covered by silver scales also underwent a transformation.
Silently, everything around seemed to solidify into translucent amber. In just an instant, the "amber" shattered and cracked, and even the knight covered in black full plate armor fell to the ground like a mirror, breaking into countless small pieces.
His face, covered in silver scales, showed no trace of joy. Ricciardo, while controlling the disaster he had created, chanted a spell in a low voice, the silver light in his eyes growing more intense.
At the same time, the shattered pieces of the Black Knight quickly squirmed and reassembled, turning into a thin blanket of flowing flesh and blood that rapidly spread across the entire desolate small island.
This was meant to seal off the area, blocking all of Ricciardo's escape routes.
Through this period of pursuit, Kisma was certain that this Saint, whom Lord Ouroboros was concerned about, had run out of tricks, and his mental state was unstable. Today was the best time to harvest the spoils.
When the entire island grew a layer of flesh and blood, a distorted, swaying black shadow rose from within the flesh.
This was a soul herded by the "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma; it was the powerful Vampire from the Forsaken Land of the Gods, a Sequence 4 Shaman King of the "Moon" Pathway.
His illusory crimson eyes reflected Ricciardo, who was covered in silvery-white scales, and a clear, crimson light instantly illuminated this sea area.
Just then, Ricciardo suddenly looked up and said coldly: "Chaos!"
His body immediately split open with numerous fissures, and the silvery-white scales distorted and spiraled, forming chaotic and complex symbols, like countless indifferent and disordered eyeballs.
An unimaginable aura penetrated the flesh and blood barrier. The "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma's brain instantly crashed, and the flesh and blood covering the entire island trembled slightly, either dripping down or wriggling without order.
Ricciardo, who had been reflected in the "Shaman King's" crimson pupils, had unknowingly been replaced by the "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma, who stood frozen in place, causing deep, solidified Darkness to appear around him.
Using the mythical creature blood preserved by Will Auceptin, Ricciardo employed an ability only usable by a Sequence 3 Chaoswalker. Although it required overdrafting a certain amount of life force, this was his only remaining trump card.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ricciardo, whose eyes were intertwined with divinity and madness, broke through the already somewhat collapsing flesh and blood barrier, extending his right hand, covered in silvery-white scales, towards the "Saint Tenebrous," Kisma, who stood motionless and had not yet emerged from his chaotic state.
If Ricciardo, who had entered his incomplete mythical creature form, were to pierce his chest at this moment, even the "Black Knight," who was skilled in flesh and blood magic, would be severely wounded, suffering both physical and mental erosion.
The burly black-armored knight magnified in his pupils, and Ricciardo suddenly realized that his thoughts were gradually slowing down. He turned his eyes with some reluctance, seeing a pure white feather appear before Kisma.
Around the pure white feather, a faint, illusory river seemed to emerge, evolving into a blurry, unreal, slowly rotating giant wheel. And around the wheel, there were various symbolic patterns representing different futures.