After hearing what the "Hermit" had to say, the other members once again felt that the "Hermit's" research was somewhat obscure, but it was part of the common history of humankind.
At the same time, through the "hermit's" narration, they also understood the fundamental reason for the decline of occult symbols.
No one used script resembling mystical symbols anymore. Those symbols gradually became obscure and unfamiliar, so no one studied them anymore.
However, because mysticism also possesses certain extraordinary abilities, it is only considered a required course in mysticism.
"The Hermit" Odis gave everyone a few seconds to react before continuing, "Let's talk about the first question, the nature of mystical symbols."
"Mystical symbols are divided into two types: one is a common type of symbol, and the other is the uncommon type of mystical symbol that I mentioned before."
"Just like the difference between the Elven script, which is relatively niche in the Extraordinary Realm but is still mastered by many people, and the Ancient Elven script."
"Here's a very important concept: the 'uncommon occult symbols' I'm talking about weren't invented by anyone. They've always been there!"
The other members were taken aback, feeling that the "hermit's" words were strange. At the same time, they seemed to have thought of something, but they couldn't quite put their finger on what it was.
Odis continued to explain: "As I said before, extraordinary races such as giants, dragons, and elves are born with extraordinary characteristics and are highly spiritual."
"This can be seen in the ancient race of vampires, who are born at Sequence 7. Of course, I'm talking about pure vampires, not artificial ones."
"In that ancient era, they used their profound inspiration to perceive the essence of the world and expressed their understanding of this essence through their writing habits."
"This is what they call Ancient Giant Script, Ancient Elf Script, and Ancient Dragon Script!"
"The Fool" Klein realized what he had just thought of: "The Hermit" meant that there seemed to be a force driving these ancient races to express the essence of this world in some way! Not driving them, but doing so spontaneously. This was very... very mystical!
The "righteous" Audrey's "audience" demeanor perfectly concealed her inner excitement: Yes, this is right, this is how the extraordinary world should be!
"The Magician" Fors thought to himself: I sensed a sense of "destiny" in his voice.
"The Sun" Derrick thought for a long time but couldn't find a suitable adjective, so he simply praised: "Mr. Hermit is amazing, and his discovery is amazing too."
Seeing that everyone had basically grasped the point, Odis continued, "Perhaps we can put it another way: extraordinary characteristics gave those ancient races the ability to express the essence of this world in special ways, which is why true mystical symbols came into being."
"These symbols are what I call 'uncommon mystical symbols,' which possess special abilities to mobilize the power of nature."
"They do not have a fixed form. Different races, such as giants and dragons, have different expressions of their appearance, but the power they possess is basically the same."
"Even the symbols I deduced have the same effect as the ancient dragon script and the ancient giant script."
"The currently used mystical symbols are merely symbols that evolved from ancient human writing, and they possess only weak power."
The mystical symbols deduced by Odis are unique to humankind and are truly mystical symbols.
Just like Hermes' language, which conforms to human expression habits, it also has the same level and function as ancient giant symbols, and currently only Odis himself has mastered it.
Odis named them "Garr runes" after his own surname. In the magic circles he usually used, he only used some of the research results, mixing "Garr runes" with common mystical symbols.
Although its power is much weaker, at least it won't reveal its special abilities.
Odis was well aware of what these studies meant; they would usher in a new era for the mysticism.
However, if these research results were to be revealed now, it could very well be the "God of Steam and Machinery" ushering in a new era, or even the "Hidden Sage," in any case, it would have nothing to do with Odis.
Moreover, now that "Mechanical Heart" has discovered his special abilities, it will surely arrest him, depriving him of his freedom and condemning him to a miserable life.
Therefore, Odis would not fully disclose all of his research results until he had the ability to protect himself.
Back at the tarot meeting, Alger, the "Hanged Man" who had been listening attentively, realized a problem: "Why has humanity never had its own true mystical symbols?"
"Currently, the majority of the Extraordinary Realm is human. Theoretically speaking, human inspiration should be able to sense the essence of this world, just like those ancient races."
Odis replied, "There are two main reasons. The first is that the nature of this world is composed of the extraordinary, and the extraordinary is chaos and disorder."
"In that ancient era, those ancient races were also in a state of chaos and disorder, so they were more likely to perceive the true nature of this world."
"Humans advance using magic potion recipes, which is relatively safer and more stable, making it impossible for us to resonate with the essence of this world."
He paused and then said, "Well, one point that needs to be emphasized is that even mystical symbols like the ancient dragon script can only mobilize the power on the surface of this world."
"First of all, they also require the power of extraordinary characteristics to be activated, and they cannot achieve the same effect as extraordinary abilities; they can only mobilize the power of nature."
Odis continued, "As for the second reason, I sense that someone, or something, is hindering humanity's resonance with the essence of the world."
The other members were stunned: How could this possibly hinder them?
Alger immediately asked, "Who?"
"I don't know," Odis said. "I'm just guessing. In my research, I've felt some…some very strange resistance. I don't know if it's just my imagination."
Without the "wilderness of knowledge" providing a "research site," Odis felt he would certainly not have been able to complete those studies or acquire the knowledge to understand the nature of the world.
He added, "And in the Second Age, although that era was bloody and chaotic, there seemed to be relatively fewer restrictions on life."
The other members were stunned, not expecting the two reasons to be so mysterious and obscure.
Klein thought to himself: It seems that the higher the level of research into the extraordinary and the mystical, the more likely one is to encounter these ineffable and unpredictable things. Perhaps this is the essence of this world!
Alger shared similar sentiments, and remarked with a touch of awe: "I never imagined that in this extraordinary world that chases after power, there would actually be such extraordinary individuals who bury themselves in research."
He had this idea entirely because he was unaware of Odis's research findings.
If Odis knew about Alger's idea, he would definitely invite him to Gar's Herbal Shop to demonstrate the "composite magic circle" there, so that Alger could experience what it means for "knowledge to be power".
The attackers from the "Morse Ascetic Order" were of a much higher level than Odis had been able to fully utilize the magic array.
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!
Finally, Odis said, "Now I will explain the specific function of the mystical symbols."
"These symbols, arranged according to certain rules and order, and then stimulated by spirituality, can mobilize the power of nature to a certain extent."
"For example, it can create sunlight within a certain range, but this sunlight is just sunlight, which can only provide illumination, unlike the sunlight summoned by the 'Singer' pathway, which has effects such as increasing courage."
"Oh, because of the nature of sunlight, it can also have a certain effect on undead creatures."
It sounds like a powerful magic circle, but it seems harmless.
But Alger keenly realized that it had a broader function: "Is that all it has to do?"
Odis smiled knowingly and said, "Of course, you can create lightning, gales, and giant waves, but you can't create tsunamis."
Alger was slightly taken aback. This was equivalent to the power of the "middle sequence". As for the tsunami, that was a power that only demigods possessed.
The transaction ended there, and everyone fell silent, digesting the knowledge that the "Hermit" had just shared.
A dozen seconds later, Audrey took a deep breath and exclaimed, "I suddenly feel the insignificance of the individual human being."
Fors nodded, agreeing. Faced with such profound research and advanced knowledge, one always feels insignificant.
Then Audrey said to "the Sun," "Mr. Sun, please tell me about the ancient myths you just mentioned."
Derrick glanced at the "Fool" at the head of the bronze table, and seeing that the unfathomable Mr. Fool did not stop him, he spoke up: "According to the records of Silver City, there were eight ancient gods who ruled the world during the Second Era."
He looked at the Fool because he had also offered these myths to the Fool, so he began to tell the story when he saw that the Fool did not stop him.
Derrick said, "Those eight ancient gods are the 'Giant King,' 'Elf King,' 'Dragon of Imagination,' 'Progenitor of the Vampire Clan,' 'Progenitor of the Phoenix,' 'King of Aliens,' 'Destroyer Wolf,' and 'Demon King.'"
"The documents I found record the real names of the 'King of Giants' and the 'Dragon of Imagination' as Olmir and Angelweid, respectively."
The deal between the "Hermit" and the "Hanged Man" just now also revealed that the "Elven King's" real name is Suniasolem.
Audrey asked, "The 'Elf King' is an ancient god, so... so he's also a deity?"
"It seems… to be…" Derrick paused for a moment before finally saying, "I'm not sure either."
Audrey immediately looked at the "hermit" with a questioning gaze, and Odis replied, "As far as I know, they are gods, but their state is rather special."
Then he uttered his usual line: "I have the necessary channels to gather further intelligence. Would you like me to look into it for you?"