Chapter 215: Divine Descent, Epilogue
With a 'bang,' the bomb placed by members of the 'Machinery Hivemind' exploded suddenly at the door.
Amidst the smoke, several fully armed 'Mandated Punishers' rushed into the room, waiting vigilantly for the smoke to disperse.
In their original expectations, what they should have seen was Mr. A, who was in the middle of a 'Divine Descent' ritual. However, at this moment, both the 'Mandated Punishers' and the members of the 'Machinery Hivemind' stood rooted to the spot like statues.
There was no other reason, only because the person in front of them was draped in a black robe, with a single, blood-red eye as brilliant as the Sun occupying their entire face.
Their body was like a sculpture meticulously carved by a god—no, they were the god themselves.
They were the True Creator.
The 'Mandated Punishers' stood there, dazed, without even the opportunity to think.
Do not look directly at a god!
If it weren't for the fact that the True Creator was only using a 'Divine Descent' body at this moment, these 'Mandated Punishers' would have melted into disgusting flesh and blood, or been assimilated into fallen shadows the moment they saw them.
However, the True Creator simply stood there and did not take any further action. They walked forward, and a shadow stretched longer and longer, quickly devouring the entire room before continuing to spread outward.
"I forgive you."
They declared.
Under the 'Whispers of Corruption' of the True Creator, various negative emotions surged simultaneously in the hearts of these 'Mandated Punishers.'
These negative emotions were different from the 'desires' forcibly induced by a 'Devil'; they were the dissatisfaction and Depravity that came from within, belonging to their own wills.
Was it dissatisfaction with their superiors?
Was it pity for the poor?
Complex emotions emerged in the hearts of the 'Mandated Punishers,' and all kinds of trivial memories surged with this emotion, coldly displaying the essence of the Church and the truth of the Kingdom before them.
The next moment, furious lightning descended from the sky.
At this moment, the center of the sky seemed to have a huge hole appear, with neither dark clouds nor a red moon, only pure Darkness and dotted starlight.
But this huge hole was subsequently filled, as the turbulent ocean seemed to pour down from the 'Astral World' into the material world.
Streaks of silvery-white lightning swam freely within this ocean, finally transforming into a point of extreme light at the center of the inverted vortex-like sky, falling toward the real world like a fallen star.
This was a blow belonging to a true god.
The True Creator gently raised their head, and the shadows seemed to form a huge inverted cross, spreading continuously upward.
Silvery-white lightning and pitch-black shadows collided beneath the sky. A terrifying impact erupted over 'Backlund,' and the aftermath of their mutual annihilation pressed downward like a gray ring.
Wherever this gray light swept, whether it was matter or spirituality, it met with complete destruction.
But the biting wind pressure and the splashing shadows disappeared silently as they fell, vanishing inch by inch into the air as if erased by an eraser from a pencil drawing.
A figure with a beautiful face was walking quietly in 'Backlund,' erasing the aftermath of the battle between the two true gods and the traces they wanted to wipe away bit by bit.
They were Philanias, but more widely known by the names '0-17,' 'Angel of Hiddenness,' and 'Mother of the Sky.'
And now, the 'Evernight Goddess,' Amanises, had also descended upon 'Backlund' using this body.
The three 'Demoness of Undying' who were originally suppressing Anthony Stevenson with absolute numerical superiority looked up in horror almost simultaneously, turning into three streams of light and fleeing outside of 'Backlund.'
Just moments ago, the 'Primordial One' they believed in had just given them an exceptionally terrifying revelation:
The 'Evernight Goddess' had also performed a 'Divine Descent.'
In one city, there were actually three gods descending at the same time. These three 'Demoness of Undying' naturally prepared to escape this place of trouble at the fastest speed to preserve their own lives.
But just then, eyes that seemed to be hidden in the Darkness opened beside the three 'Demoness of Undying' who had just escaped not far, staring at the three of them calmly and indifferently.
The'Saint of White' Katarina reacted the fastest. The moment she realized something was wrong, she raised her hands and stabbed into her own eyes without hesitation.
The moment before she pierced her eyes, her eyes emitted a strange light, as if they had briefly turned into a mirror.
With a 'whoosh,' her body turned into ashes in the air, clearly having chosen self-destruction without hesitation.
She was a saint of the 'Fourth Epoch' and knew how to give herself a chance of survival when a mortal encountered an incarnation of a true god.
Merely the death of a physical body in the real world did not count as true death for a 'Demoness of Undying,' but being included as an object of herding by the True Creator meant total demise.
The other two 'Demoness of Undying' were not so lucky.
Although they also tried to commit suicide, the only 'eyes' on them that could be used as mirrors became turbid before they could act, and their spirit bodies and flesh separated, falling into the surrounding shadows.
The True Creator turned their head to look at Anthony Stevenson, then withdrew their gaze and disappeared back into the kingdom of shadows.
Huff— Anthony Stevenson raised his hand subconsciously and touched his forehead, only to find it covered in sweat.
The True Creator raised their head, looking at 'Sefirah Castle,' which was slowly fading above the sky and beneath the stars, and at the hole in the center of the sky that was gradually shrinking.
The 'Lord of Storms' seemed to be weighing the pros and cons. In their view, the True Creator had joined forces with some hidden existence who had grasped 'Sefirah Castle.'
And now, the True Creator's 'Divine Descent' had been interrupted, and they had only obtained power at the level of an angel—this did not seem to be something that could not be completely accepted.
The storm in the sky paused, and the Kingdom of Storms, which had seemed to be faintly pressing from the 'Astral World' to the material world, completely disappeared. In contrast, the blood-red Sun above the sky was also dragged back to the 'Astral World' by the Kingdom of Storms.
After all, the current True Creator was not yet a complete true god. Ten years before the apocalypse was about to arrive, trading the capital of a country to take out an incarnation at the angel level was not a suitable price to pay.
After all, 'Backlund' had a large number of 'Beyonder' forces used to resist the Believers of outer gods, not to mention that this was the political center of the entire 'Loen.'
—This was different from the famous Divine War that the 'Evernight Goddess' was planning. If the entire 'Backlund' were razed to the ground at this time, the 'Kingdom of Loen' would fall into chaos in an instant.
And the Feynapotter and 'Intis' in the north would not let it go. The 'God of Combat' might even briefly unite with the True Creator to plan another 'Divine Descent.'
Except for the fact that the True Creator's predecessor, the 'Ancient Sun God,' had severely injured the 'God of Combat''s father, the 'God of Combat' and the True Creator actually had no grudges.
Even Leodero felt that this point didn't really count as a grudge. After all, the 'Ancient Sun God' only severely injured the 'God of Combat''s father, but the 'God of Combat' had killed his own father with his own hands.
Weighing it all, the 'Tyrant' chose to compromise—they still needed anchors to resist the will of the 'Primordial God Almighty,' and the price of completely eradicating the True Creator before the 'Divine Descent'—was simply too heavy.
In a patch of shadow, the 'Red Angel' Medici, whose armor was shattered in many places, fell into the True Creator's palm in the state of a spirit body.
Their eyeballs rolled; they were already having trouble suppressing the wills of 'Sauron' and 'Einhorn' within their body, and it was only with the infusion of shadows that they barely regained control of the body.
"My Lord." Medici whispered, "You have returned?"
"Yes." The True Creator was sparing with words: "We should go."
"Where is the next battlefield?"
Listening to Medici's question, the True Creator, Grisha, just silently looked to the south. That was the legacy of 'Salinger,' the most 'fallen' place of this era.
"The Promised Land of the South."
They said.
In another Darkness, Ince Zangwill's face was ferocious. He looked at the 'Nighthawks' who were surrounding him like they were hunting a wild beast with blood-stained pupils, and a sense of trance suddenly emerged in his heart.
He seemed to have returned to the time when he first became a 'Nighthawk.' He and his colleagues sat by the campfire, chasing the Believers of evil gods and out-of-control Monsters in the night.
But the next second, Ince Zangwill immediately woke up. Another 'Dreamwalking.'
Klein's gaze was steady, and he handed the pistol loaded with Demon Hunter bullets in his hand to his left hand.
—
'creeping hunger' emitted a bit of light, and the ability of a 'Priest of Light' was added to the Demon Hunter bullet, aiming at Ince Zangwill's head.
On the side, Dunn Smith and Daly Simone were fully suppressing Ince Zangwill, their eyes closed.
Although they did not have the power to directly confront a demigod, they could suppress Ince Zangwill, who had weakened to the extreme, giving him no chance to use the quill that could arrange others' lives.
Leonard's expression seemed to become a little more relaxed, but he still maintained the highest level of vigilance. He also carefully touched his way to Ince Zangwill's side, seemingly ready to twist his wrist at any time.
"Fire."
Nimrod said.
He was the only one present who had his eyes open. A white mask covered his face, and the scene he saw at this moment was gratuitously shared with Klein.
Nimrod had no intention of stealing Klein's spotlight, because this was the revenge belonging to Klein Moretti, no, the hunt belonging to 'Klein.'
The pollution brought by the 'Mythical Creature form' was just a normal scene after passing through a layer of isolation. Klein looked at the scene that appeared in his mind and pulled the trigger following his spiritual intuition.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
No one present gave Ince Zangwill time to say his last words. They didn't care what kind of last words Ince Zangwill had, nor did they care about his bitter past.
For them, the absence of Ince Zangwill was the most important thing.
Just then, Nimrod's gaze fell to the side.
He saw a priest in a simple robe walk out from the corner nearby, bending down to pick up the quill.
"Don't disturb them at a time like this."
Nimrod spoke to Adam, not avoiding Klein and the members of the 'Tingen Squad' nearby.
And Adam just nodded gently, with a warm smile on his face: "Are you interested in chatting with me?"
No interest—Nimrod was about to answer, but Adam shook his head: "But I don't think you want to chat with me, and I'm just a little curious."
"You seem to know many of my secrets, and I saw your support for me... Which of our old friends are you?"
Nimrod chuckled. This body did not have any 'Beyonder' characteristics, and the 'Beyonder' characteristic was still in the main body occupying 'Amon''s body, so he had no fear of communicating with Adam: "Perhaps older than you imagine."
Adam blinked gently, seemingly thinking about the meaning contained in Nimrod's riddle.
But in the end, he just nodded, and his figure faded quickly.
During this process, Adam was still silently observing the Nimrod in front of him.
At the moment he was about to disappear, Adam maintained an extremely illusory posture and stopped, speaking to Nimrod again: "I see that dazzling humanity in you—if you need it in the future, you can come to me for some psychological therapy."
Nimrod raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised: "Even if we are enemies?"
—Even if we are enemies, even if you support another me." Adam maintained that warm smile: "I am willing to accept the worst outcome I expect."
Adam's figure faded rapidly under the illumination of the lights, the light passing through his figure as if passing through a transparent shadow.
This 'Angel of Imagination' disappeared from his sight.
The corners of Nimrod's mouth pursed slightly, his wrist twisted,'stealing' the memory of the conversation just now, putting several layers of Seals on it, and throwing it onto 'Sefirah Castle.'
What was the difference between asking Adam for help with psychological therapy and the 'Celestial Worthy' going to find 'God Almighty' for psychological therapy?
In this regard, he was not even willing to keep this memory of his own, to prevent Adam from tampering with it.
Nimrod cast his gaze to the location where Klein, Dunn Smith, and the others were.
Dunn Smith's gaze was serious, but a slight smile had already curled up at the corners of his mouth. He carefully used a pair of tweezers to clamp the 'Beyonder' characteristic left behind after Ince Zangwill's death and put it into a specially made box.
Daly's face also revealed a rich smile, Leonard even excitedly hugged Klein's shoulder, and Klein, who had just pulled the trigger to kill Ince Zangwill with his own hands, also had a smile of relief on his face.
No one noticed his conversation with Adam just now.
Nimrod turned his head and looked into the distance along the crack in the building behind him that had collapsed during the battle.
The 'Parasite''s eyesight was very good. Even if his gaze crossed the crowded houses of the 'East Borough' and the thick night, he could see the lights gradually lighting up in the distance.
The machine named 'Backlund' began to operate, after the disaster of the 'Divine Descent.'
For many people, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
Suddenly, Nimrod laughed softly.
These lights were the reason he was standing here.
["God Almighty's" heir is really right.]
The 'Celestial Worthy' sat in 'Sefirah Castle' and said with a smile:
[Protect your dazzling humanity well—the creator "Primordial One" can do it, but "We" can't?]
[Ha, new world, new world—]
Chapter 216: After the Calamity
"Have you heard?"
Around a corner in the East Borough's Fried Workhouse, a man dressed in staff uniform leaned against the wall, asking his colleague who had also come to take a short break.
His colleague beside him, wearing medical staff attire, had a face full of exhaustion. "What is it?"
He had been working non-stop for the past two days and really had no energy for gossip. The colleague who spoke clearly knew this, so he kept it short: "I heard that during the Great Smog a couple of days ago, many evil god Believers appeared—"
"Evil god Believers?" Hearing this, the medical staff member perked up. He asked the staff member beside him, "I heard a few patients say similar things earlier. They said many people in the East Borough witnessed the miracle of the creator's descent. Is the one you heard about also the True Creator?"
"Yes, yes," the first staff member agreed twice. "But later, the priests from the Church of Storms confirmed that this might have been a collective Illusion. Some people were temporarily bewitched into praying to the True Creator, and as long as they sincerely repent to the Lord of Storms, they can be forgiven."
"But with so many people seeing the True Creator, is it really just an Illusion?"
"Wait, hold on a second." The medical staff member's face grew visibly surprised. "Are you serious? That doesn't sound like the Church of Storms' usual style of doing things. Is the news you heard really reliable? I recall your faith was—"
"Cough, of course my faith is in the Evernight Goddess," the staff member said, sounding a bit guilty. "Sigh, just treat it as a joke. I saw someone in the newspaper saying that because there are simply too many people believing in the evil god this time, spread all over the East Borough, the Church of Storms didn't hand down punishments to everyone."
"But I still don't quite believe the Church of Storms' explanation. After all, the rumors about that Storm-believing prince having an affair with a Demoness were suppressed. Could this matter related to the creator also be the Church's—"
"After all, haha. I don't dare say too much, but we're both from the East Borough. I might not know what the Church is like, but don't I know what the Loen government is like?"
"Even if we don't know, could the Lord of Storms not know?"
Hearing this, the medical staff member also caught on. He believed in the God of Steam and Machinery, and likewise was not a Believer of the Lord of Storms. "And we all know that the police department's efficiency is simply too low. If the Church were to cooperate with the police department to find so many evil god Believers, many people might end up being extorted by those crude police officers instead."
"But do you think this True Creator is really an evil god?" Just then, the staff member's tone became hesitant. "We all know that the secret existences in this world outside of the seven orthodox gods are all evil gods, but isn't the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun also considered—"
The medical staff member quickly stood up. "Stop talking, stop talking, I have to get back to work. Sigh, don't let anyone else hear you say this, or someone will definitely come to check your home's gas meter."
"But many people are talking about this now, and even a few newspapers and magazines with more radical views have theological discussions and speculations about this incident—and they haven't had their gas meters checked." The staff member muttered, "Alright, I have to go back and help too."
Behind the two, a figure suddenly stepped out. It was Nimrod's avatar, the one disguised as Amon, who was further layered with the identity of Dionysus Fried.
Now, his wine-red hair hung down his back, and beside him was a lady wearing a mask with her blonde hair tied up.
"Miss Hall, do you still remember what happened a few days ago?"
Nimrod said to Audrey beside him. Audrey pursed her lips slightly, her tone still carrying a deep, lingering fear: "Of course I remember—"
For anyone, waking up to find one's surroundings looking as if they had been through a terrible disaster was not a pleasant experience.
Not only Audrey, but even her father, Count Hall, had his expression turn from calm to angry, and then from angry to blank after learning about what happened last night.
An event like the 'descent of an evil god' had not occurred in Backlund for a very long time. Although the Hall Family was close to the Church of the Evernight, there were still many things about the mystical world that they did not know.
Not to mention that this incident contained many'secrets' known only to a select few.
And now, when Audrey came to the Fried Workhouse in disguise and saw the scene here, she felt a certain—strong sense of incongruity.
Only a minority of people in the East Borough died from the sudden illness, but it had triggered severe chaos.
Many of the poor, after being temporarily brought here, remained completely silent. They looked rational and calm, not terrified as Audrey had imagined. This made Audrey, who had prepared herself to perform large-scale psychological soothing, feel a significant sense of anticlimax.
She recalled the identity of this 'Mr. Lovers,' so when doubts arose in her heart, she immediately sought out Mr. Fried.
"—So, how did they survive?" Audrey continued from her previous thought, her tone filled with intense confusion. "I heard from Father that late the other night, the True Creator attempted a Divine Descent in the East Borough. Not to mention ordinary people, even Beyonders would suffer severe problems after being affected by the True Creator's Divine Descent—"
As she asked, she looked at 'Mr. L' without any disguise.
"The answer lies on the surface. So why are they so contrary to common sense, completely unaffected?" Nimrod smiled. "It couldn't possibly be that they possessed the power to resist the True Creator, right?"
Hearing Nimrod's words, Audrey had a faint guess.
"Could it be—the True Creator sheltered them?"
Whether for the churches or the secular world, such a guess was far too heretical. Nimrod felt that even if this idea were presented to the Aurora Order a few months ago, they would have sneered at it.
But right now, this was indeed the answer to the question Audrey was curious about.
"Yes," Nimrod replied. This Oracle of the Aurora Order—now the 'Saint of Time'—smiled and said to Audrey, "I can also provide you with some 'inside information.' Do you want to hear it?"
Audrey hesitated slightly, but quickly remembered she had come here in disguise and didn't have much time to waste. Thus, after making her decision, she nodded. "Alright."
The two walked through the corridor, which was somewhat ruined due to the Calamity a few days ago, and headed toward Dionysus Fried's office.
Although the patients sheltered here remained surprisingly quiet, the pain brought by their illnesses still made them unable to help but emit beast-like whimpers.
These sounds made Audrey's hair stand on end. Amidst the quiet sound of footsteps, she spoke with some reluctance, "Did everyone in the East Borough survive?"
"All survive?" Nimrod repeated Audrey's words. "Regrettably, that is not possible. Although the True Creator sheltered everyone who was willing to accept shelter, there are always martyrs willing to sacrifice their lives for the gods they believe in."
"They prayed to their own gods, hoping that their gods would bestow shelter upon them just like the True Creator did, but the gods could not hear their voices."
Audrey was instantly speechless.
Only after a long while did she snap out of it and close the office door behind her.
Nimrod waved his hand, and a layer of grayish-white mist, seemingly alive, spread out from Nimrod's shadow and crawled outward. In an instant, the office seemed completely isolated from the outside world, leaving only a hazy scene outside the window.
"Now there's no need to worry about our conversation being overheard," Nimrod said to Audrey with a smile. "It is safe here now."
Audrey's gaze was initially drawn to the scene Nimrod had casually created, but upon hearing Nimrod's words, she suddenly snapped back to reality, her tone filled with disbelief: "Mr. Lovers, you... you've promoted again?"
Audrey had originally thought her own promotion speed was fast enough, but Mr. Lovers had actually advanced again?
This was clearly a method that only a demigod-level powerhouse could employ!
Just kidding, actually even demigods can't use it—Nimrod poured himself a cup of tea and took a light sip.
After becoming a 'Parasite' demigod, he could already make preliminary use of Sefirah Castle's symbolism—or rather, the symbolism of the 'Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings.'
The symbol he could currently make preliminary use of was the 'Dominator of the Spirit World.' Although he couldn't Seal off the entire Spirit World, he could apply a Seal to a small area of it.
Though the range was small, its level was exceptionally high.
"Yes."
But there was no need to tell Audrey so much. He just chuckled and put down his teacup. "I am indeed a demigod now—but that is not important, Miss Audrey. You don't have much time, and I don't think you should spend it on things that aren't of much use. Tell me what you want to know, and I will do my best to answer you."
Audrey snapped back to reality, blinked, and said, "I want to know the truth about that night, if that's alright?"
Nimrod caressed his teacup and slowly spoke, "The truth—"
In fact, Nimrod had long since developed a special appreciation for talent, and the truth about Backlund's Night of the Divine Descent could effectively guide Audrey's thoughts in the direction he wanted.
Sometimes, an excellent Spectator doesn't necessarily need to walk the Spectator Pathway, just as the strongest Conspirer isn't a Hunter.
"Of course, I have to tell you from the very beginning."
"Let's start with a man named Ince Zangwill."
"There are many Believers in Backlund now—" The True Creator closed his single eye, feeling his own in Backlund—
Anchors.
Most of these anchors were distributed in the East Borough, with only a few in other districts—during that Great Smog, many people witnessed the miracle of The True Creator's Descent and became his Believers.
To one side, a lantern was placed in front of Nimrod, though what burned inside was no longer black flames, but normal spirit body flames.
At this moment, Mr. A's spirit body was properly preserved within it. The True Creator had already separated Mr. A's spirit body, and these seven days were also the time to rebuild a body capable of containing the 'Shepherd' characteristic.
Behind the True Creator, the Red Angel Medici and the angel of fate Ouroboros stood. One had a flamboyant gaze, while the other had a calm gaze, but both were sizing up Nimrod, who was using Amon's appearance.
For a moment, the underground of this manor looked like the Ancient Sun God's family having a dinner party. If Leodero saw this, he would probably be startled.
"George III's people have contacted my avatar," Nimrod said naturally. "They want me to transport a batch of poor people from the East Borough—it's a losing business deal, but also an opportunity to enter the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Loen."
"It's not to send them to George III's mausoleum, but rather because the Church of the Evernight and the Church of Storms have been keeping a close eye on the East Borough. The royal family hopes to use some 'legitimate' means to fish in troubled waters and resettle these people in other cities."
"It's a way of balancing the books, so to speak."
Currently, one of Nimrod's avatars was responsible for long-term roleplaying as Dionysus Fried, specifically tasked with getting close to high-ranking figures in Loen.
"Feels... inferior to Solomon," Medici sneered, but was quickly glared at by the True Creator, so he stopped talking.
After having his body blown apart by Guard II, the Saint of Secrets went to capture another 'Gatekeeper' to temporarily house Medici's spirit body.
The True Creator pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "I have decided to strip the power of the 'Profane Presbyter' from your body."
Hearing the True Creator's words, Nimrod suddenly became interested. "Why?"
The power of the 'Profane Presbyter' within Nimrod's body was the True Creator's means of keeping him in check.
The True Creator glanced at Nimrod, feeling utterly speechless.
After his own Divine Descent, Nimrod, who had become a demigod, demonstrated a miraculous method of purging the will of the 'Primordial God Almighty':
He found the projection of this avatar of the True Creator in the Spirit World, then sealed off that section of the Spirit World, using Sefirah Castle to let the True Creator's main body control this avatar's projection from afar, thereby influencing reality.
During the process of control, the consciousness of the Primordial God Almighty would be thrown to clash directly with the Celestial Worthy, so Sefirah Castle had been in quite a state of chaos recently.
This was even a kind of 'authority'—after discovering that Nimrod had recovered to such an extent, the True Creator knew there was no need to leave that angel characteristic in Nimrod's body, and it was better to reclaim it to strengthen this avatar.
"Actually, leaving it with me is fine too," Nimrod said with a smile. "You know, I'm heading to the Berserk Sea next, which will be a rather dangerous journey."
The True Creator did not answer, only asking again, "What are you planning to pursue?"
"Digest potions, look for a Sequence 3 Beyonder characteristic along the way, and also hide from your dear son. If there's an opportunity, I might even expand toward the Southern Continent and see if I can build up a faction for fun," Nimrod said candidly. "Anyway, He still doesn't know my identity and can't divine my exact location."
As everyone knows, the formula for the Sequence 3 'Mentor of Deceit' potion is very simple. The main ingredient is one Sequence 3 Amon, and the supplementary ingredients are the remaining Amons plus an appropriate amount of other materials.
The True Creator nodded. "I can give you some assistance. As for cooperation with the Aurora Order—I will arrange for The Dark Saint to contact you."
"After that, just contact my avatar in Backlund directly."
Nimrod said casually, "If there's nothing else, I'm off to play with the Fool. I still have to help Him host a meeting today."
With that, seeing that the True Creator had no intention of continuing, Nimrod leaned back, the void cracked open, and he vanished on the spot.
After a long silence, Medici muttered, "—Wait, bro, who on earth is the Fool?"
>
Chapter 217: Commission and Teammates
Amidst the eternal gray fog, deep red stars lit up one after another.
Within each deep red star, a blurry figure slowly elongated and took a seat on the corresponding chair.
For some reason, Hanged Man Alger keenly sensed that today's Tarot Club seemed a bit—the atmosphere was strange.
He carefully looked at the other members of the Tarot Club beside him and discovered that the complexion of Young Miss Justice, whom he knew in the real world, was gloomy, no longer as cheerful as before, and she seemed to be deep in thought; meanwhile, Magician also appeared somewhat bewildered, as if she were doubting life.
What happened?
Not long after returning to Backlund to report for duty, Alger had left Backlund once again and embarked on a journey to the sea; as a privateer captain, Alger was destined to be unable to stay in Backlund for too long.
But Alger chose to remain silent; he had never liked to be the first to speak, preferring instead to assess the situation.
After a brief silence, Mr. Fool spoke: "I am very glad to see that some of you are still able to attend this gathering after the disaster in Backlund."
Almost at the same time as he heard Mr. Fool's words, Alger's eyelids twitched violently:
Another disaster in Backlund?
What is it this time?
Was it some high-Sequence Beyonder who performed a ritual, or has another evil god descended?
Why do I feel like the sea is much safer than Backlund?
At the same time, he was observing the reactions of his companions beside him; Justice's expression remained slightly gloomy, while Magician suddenly widened her eyes—Alger made a judgment: Justice seemed to know about this matter, but Magician was unaware.
Magician is also a resident of Backlund? It seems she is the companion Young Miss Justice mentioned before—Alger touched his chin thoughtfully, but suddenly cast his gaze to his side:
The seat of Lovers was empty.
"Mr. Lovers explained the situation to me in advance; he is temporarily absent from this Tarot Club."
Mr. Fool spoke: "Before that, I would like to introduce a new Tarot Club member to you—"
Mr. Fool raised his hand, and directly opposite Mr. Fool, at the other end of the table, a figure emerged from the deep red.
The face of this figure was as blurry as the other Tarot Club members, but one could barely make out his features: he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and the angles of his face looked quite sharp.
"—The World. A favored of mine acting in Backlund."
Mr. Fool's voice faded, and Klein, disguised as The World, bowed slightly and saluted everyone at the Tarot Club.
But just at this moment, Klein's expression twitched slightly, unable to be suppressed.
"So he is the favored of Mr. Fool who needs financial assistance—"
Although Young Miss Justice's voice was very soft, Klein was essentially Mr. Fool, so he heard it clearly. He sat down, pretending he hadn't heard it.
That's right, Mr. Fool today was being impersonated by Nimrod—the purpose was to help Klein let the identity of the favored, The World, show his face before the members of the Tarot Club.
Nimrod also noticed Klein's expression, laughed in a low voice, and said to the members of the Tarot Club: "The True Creator has already descended upon the earth."
"And with some help provided by me, The World has already killed a true demigod."
"I know you may have some questions; you may now begin to discuss freely."
Hearing Mr. Fool's words, the atmosphere at the Tarot Club was silent for a moment, then became somewhat noisy, but every member at the Tarot Club restrained themselves, not letting this meeting before the god become too clamorous.
"—What exactly happened in Backlund?" Alger said with some disbelief, but quickly realized that his words just now were inappropriate and hurriedly added: "Mr. Fool, I can provide the corresponding remuneration."
"This question does not require remuneration." Nimrod chuckled: "The True Creator has regained his sanity and had an initial conflict with the Lord of Storms and the Eternal Blazing Sun in Backlund; he has successfully descended in Backlund."
"At the same time, two Demoness of Undying from the Demoness Sect have fallen in Backlund."
Nimrod did not explain things too clearly, deliberately leaving some gaps—there were many smart people at the Tarot Club, and they would naturally make their own guesses.
Mr. Fool also intervened in the True Creator's Divine Descent in Backlund this time? Alger was shocked, and he considered more things in his heart: Mr. Fool's attitude toward the True Creator had changed several times; did this mean it was the process of the True Creator's state improving—
But the Lord of Storms and the True Creator are mortal enemies!
Will the Church of Storms issue search missions regarding the Aurora Order, or even regarding Mr. Fool, next?
Mr. Fool should have truly recovered to the level of a god now, otherwise it would be impossible to support the True Creator head-on!
The more Alger thought about it, the more fearful he became.
After Justice and Magician asked Mr. Fool some more questions, The World, sitting at the other end of the long table opposite Mr. Fool, finally spoke: "I hope to post a commission to you all."
The World's words attracted the eyes of all the surrounding Tarot Club members to him; he was silent for a moment, then said: "A joint commission with Mr. Lovers."
Klein cleared his throat, putting on a low-pitched appearance: "Mr. Fool has given us a task; in the coming period, I need to head to the Berserk Sea, and I hope to recruit some reliable teammates from among you."
"We will split the remuneration according to the rules of adventurers; in addition, Mr. Fool will also give you a certain reward."
"We still need two more people."
After saying this, The World leaned back again without further explanation. And after The World finished these words, the Tarot Club once again fell into a brief silence.
But this time, it was not because of the shock of suddenly knowing too many things beyond their cognition, but because they needed time to think about this matter.
Magician Fors shrank back at the first opportunity, not prepared to participate in the corresponding matter; while Sun Derrick was somewhat tempted, there was no way to leave the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Derrick had originally wanted to ask about matters related to the True Creator this time, but unfortunately, Mr. Lovers did not attend the Tarot Club this time.
So he could only give up.
But compared to these two, Alger and Audrey were seriously considering this matter—after thinking for a long time, Alger spoke first: "This might require a long time, but we all have our own affairs, and it is difficult to spare several months, or even years, to go to the sea."
Especially since I need to return to the Church of Storms to report the situation from time to time—Alger thought with some apprehension.
"That is not the key." Klein had already prepared his draft, and he said: "Mr. Lovers has prepared a mysticism ritual; this mysticism ritual can allow you to use the Spirit World to shuttle back to where you were originally in a short time, without spending a long time staying on the sea."
"Or, you can sign a contract with him; when you join our team, Lovers' Clone will disguise as you to help you maintain your original identity."
Speaking of this, he added: "A contract under the witness of Mr. Fool."
Hearing this, after hesitating for a long time, Alger still chose to refuse—after all, he was the captain of the Blue Avenger, and he was truly unable to be in two places at once.
And most importantly, even with Mr. Fool's endorsement, Alger did not want anyone to replace him.
This would make him instinctively feel uncomfortable.
But on the other side, Audrey was truly tempted.
In Audrey's view, Mr. Fool was undoubtedly the guide who brought her into The World of mysticism, and Mr. Lovers could also be considered her half-teacher—
Even Mr. Lovers had pointed out some of her past thinking problems with a single needle-prick; at the very least, Audrey felt that if it weren't for Mr. Lovers and Mr. Fool, she might still be that little girl who only knew a little bit about the mysticism world.
Moreover, Audrey still longed for an adventure belonging to the mysticism world in her heart.
She hesitated for a moment and said to The World: "Mr. World, I hope to know more detailed information about your commission this time."
The Young Miss of the Hall Family is actually willing to participate in such an adventure? Klein raised his eyebrows in his heart, not expecting that Audrey would really choose to ask him for more detailed information as Nimrod had said—asking for deeper information meant that the inquirer was quite interested in this matter.
Klein deliberately remained silent for two seconds, then said in a low voice: "Mr. Fool, I apply for a private conversation."
Watching Nimrod nod, Klein then used his consciousness to control the surrounding gray fog to block the senses of the people around.
The feeling of one person playing two roles is really quite wonderful—Klein chuckled, immersed himself in the identity of The World, and looked at Justice, who was sitting not far from him: "What information do you wish to know?"
"I hope to know what Mr. Fool's mission is, and the composition of the adventurer squad that has currently taken on this mission." Audrey asked cautiously; she was no longer a novice Beyonder, and she would pay attention to these obvious questions to some extent.
However, Nimrod and Klein also saw this point, and they sighed in their hearts at the same time: Young Miss Justice, there is only one way to not be deceived by Beyonders who are good at deception, and that is not to have any relationship with these Beyonders—
Klein paused for a moment, then spoke in The World's tone: "Mr. Fool hopes that we will pass through the Berserk Sea and head to the Southern Continent to continue tracking the followers of the evil god."
"Mr. Lovers and I also hope to take this opportunity to obtain the opportunity for our advancement."
Opportunity for advancement? Right, some Beyonders are very difficult to act out in a metropolis like Backlund, just like the Demon Dog that was reported before—Audrey thought in her heart for a moment, listening to The World's words: "We may need to stay on the sea for a long time, so we need a relatively rich Beyonder composition, otherwise there will be a risk of losing control at any time."
"Every Beyonder is a Monster walking on the edge of losing control."
So that's how it is; Mr. Fool seems to have been tracking the evil god all along, but his attitude toward the evil god is also very strange—
Does a god who seems to have regained his sanity not count as an evil god in Mr. Fool's eyes? Audrey's heart stirred, and she cautiously asked another question: "Then, what method does Mr. Lovers plan to use to disguise himself as me? Hmm—I don't distrust Mr. Fool, it's just that my identity is relatively special, and there might be members of the Church of the Evernight around me at any time, who might discover Mr. Lovers' disguise."
Although Audrey knew that Lovers had extremely strong disguise abilities and had now become a powerhouse at the demigod level, Audrey also knew that the Beyonders protecting her Family were Nighthawks of the Church of the Evernight, and they might discover some clues.
If that were really the case, it would be really bad.
"This is not a problem that needs to be worried about." Klein kept a straight face, maintaining The World's persona: "Mr. Lovers has an official identity in the Church of the Evernight; he is also considered a Nighthawk."
Young Miss Justice, for me, a Nighthawk, and you, a Believer of the Evernight Goddess, to be worrying at Mr. Fool's meeting about whether our actions will be discovered by Nighthawks—this is a bit blasphemous.
Mr. Fool quietly praised the Evernight Goddess in his heart, then waited for Audrey's next question.
Audrey blinked, clearly not having expected that Mr. Lovers had such an identity—but she quickly reacted and said to The World: "Mr. World, I think I need some time to consider."
This was not a polite refusal; on the contrary, Audrey felt that she really needed time to consider. After all, this was not a matter that could be decided casually; careful consideration was the responsible thing to do for herself and Mr. Fool's mission.
"—Of course you can." Klein still deliberately chose a moment of silence, then nodded and said: "I can reserve a spot for you; you can pray to Mr. Fool at any time before the next Tarot Club."
"Hmm, there will be a Saint providing us with protection during this operation. If you are sure to participate in this long-term operation, I will provide you with information about the other two teammates."
"Okay."
Audrey said equally seriously, watching the surrounding fog become a bit thinner, and then took the opportunity to end this conversation.
Chapter 218: High-Spec Team
After the Tarot Club meeting was almost over, The World, impersonated by Klein, sent a signal to The Fool, played by Nimrod. With Nimrod's cooperation, the Tarot Club meeting concluded.
Above the Gray Fog, the gray mist that originally shrouded the two faces gradually faded, revealing their original appearances.
The Celestial Worthy lay on the side, looking incredibly bored.
Klein, who couldn't see the Celestial Worthy, chuckled. He seemed slightly satisfied with the dark humor of "playing his own persona," but Nimrod's expression was exceptionally calm compared to Klein's.
"What do you plan to do in the next few days? We are probably going to the sea in two weeks, right?"
After a while, the smile on Klein's face gradually faded, and he brought up serious business.
The matter of Ince Zangwill had finally ended, and the Church of the Evernight would give Klein and the others certain rewards—
This matter had wide-reaching implications. After reporting it, the Church's deacons and bishops held intense discussions to determine the rewards for the Tingen Squad.
But there was no doubt that the specifications of this reward would be very high.
After all, they had truly killed a demigod!
Although they had the assistance of the Church's high-end combat power and the advantage of the venue, whether from the contributions they made or the potential they displayed, the Church of the Evernight deserved to give them treatment matching their efforts.
After this, Klein also beat around the bush to ask Archbishop Anthony about his squad's subsequent situation and received a reply from Archbishop Anthony:
As one of the Nighthawks with the greatest contribution this time, the Church hoped that Klein could continue to complete the previous mission, go to the sea to track the actions of the Aurora Order, and continue to maintain contact with "James Holmes," who was nominally a member of the Nighthawks.
The "James Holmes" now represented the "Saint of Time" of the Aurora Order.
"Next? I plan to find two more members for our adventure team. Going to the sea is not a simple matter. Even if we can return to land at any time through Spirit World traversal, we need to be prepared for emergencies."
Nimrod explained to Klein, "I am now a Saint of the Aurora Order. After the True Creator wakes up, the Aurora Order plans to gradually transfer its base to the Southern Continent."
He paused, "You know, the Southern Continent has more Believers, and the faith is more complex. In contrast, the degree of faith in the three major churches is lighter—the True Creator's missionary work will be smoother."
"I am currently in a state of cooperation with the Aurora Order, and the True Creator has tacitly approved of my situation. Now I don't need to be responsible for a fixed area like before; I just need to help the Aurora Order set a general direction."
"Regarding the Aurora Order and the Church of the Evernight, I tend to believe that the True Creator and the Evernight Goddess have reached some kind of consensus."
Klein certainly knew what Nimrod meant by what he just said. Compared to the Northern Continent, the people of the Southern Continent, as a colony, were more eager for the existence of a "Savior," and the True Creator happened to be able to become this savior.
Klein, who had no faith, had no aversion to this. Just as he sympathized with the poor people in the Kingdom of Loen, he also felt sympathy for the poor in the Southern Continent.
However, the relationship between the Church of the Evernight and the Death worshippers in the Southern Continent did not seem to be very good.
In the eyes of many people in the Southern Continent, regardless of their status, the people of the Northern Continent were colonizers who invaded their homeland—this kind of religious and political contradiction was too complex. What I need to remember is that my identity is a "Guardian," and only a "Guardian."
My purpose in becoming a Nighthawk is to protect others. This is what Captain Dunn taught me.
Klein encouraged himself slightly and continued Nimrod's words: "I think so too."
"By the way, besides Ms. Justice, what is the background of the other members you selected? Are they reliable?"
Previously, Klein had only heard Nimrod talk about it briefly, and now he was prepared to ask in detail.
Hearing Klein's question, Nimrod thought for a moment and picked a relatively normal person first: "One of them you know; it's the lady who accepted our commission last time."
Klein recalled the previous commission: "Ms. Sharon? That Sequence 5 Wraith?"
Would she really choose to act with us?
"She has no choice." Nimrod raised his eyes slightly: "She either continues to hide in big cities like Backlund or Trier, relying on the Church's Beyonders to avoid the demigods of the Rose School of Thought, or she can only seek the protection of other hidden existences—and both the True Creator and The Fool are within this range."
"I can see that she doesn't want to keep running away; she wants to revive the Temperance Faction. So she might remain cautious, but in the end, she will definitely choose one between the True Creator and The Fool."
Klein pointed at himself: "Me?"
I protect a Sequence 5?
I fight a Sequence 3?
"Did you forget about Ms. Magician?" Nimrod glanced at Klein: "With the help of this gray fog space, you can bestow angelic protection upon the Magician"—then similarly, you can also give Ms. Sharon anti-divination capabilities."
Klein nodded, indicating that he could indeed do this, and also roughly understood what Nimrod meant.
"As for the remaining two." Nimrod paused again, his expression becoming a bit strange: "One is a Vampire who believes in the Earth Mother. You know, the prerequisite Sequence for Vampire is Apothecary. Having a Sequence 7 Apothecary can avoid many troublesome sea diseases. And the last member I selected—"
After saying that, Nimrod sighed: "It is a godson I accepted, a Sequence 7 Hunter. Also a trustworthy candidate."
Does this count as you becoming a father? Klein obviously defaulted to the Sequence 7 Hunter being a "Pyromaniac." He pondered for a moment: "A Wraith, a Faceless, a Vampire, plus a Pyromaniac—add you, the Parasite, it is indeed a very comprehensive team."
"I have heard rumors about the Sequence of Pirate Generals before. Our current combat power should have already exceeded that of an ordinary Pirate General's pirate crew."
You have to know that there aren't many powerful Beyonders in a Pirate General's crew!
Klein was eager to try for a moment. The sea was a man's romance, and an adventure chasing evil gods and power was exciting enough: "Then I won't delay your time? It just so happens that I also need to go to formally accept the Church's appointment tonight."
Speaking of this, Klein sighed slightly: "It's a pity, Captain Dunn and Ms. Daly might both go to be responsible for an area assigned by the Church, and I don't know if Leonard will go to sea together—the sea might not be very good for the digestion of 'Dreamwalker'."
For Klein, after he knew he was going to the sea, he had many ideas that he had imagined before but could not realize.
Whether it was to obtain stronger Beyonder powers or to explore this world, it made Klein full of enthusiasm.
Not to mention—he was still thinking about following in Roselle's footsteps, searching step by step for whether there was a way to return to his original world.
Nimrod felt that Leonard should not be released by the Church of the Evernight. He still had Pallez Zoroast on him, a great weapon used to check Amon.
"Then I'm leaving?" Nimrod asked with a smile.
"Goodbye, Lao Ning." Klein, who had also learned a few trending terms from Nimrod's original world, waved his hand with a smile.
"Goodbye."
Watching Nimrod disappear in front of him, Klein returned to his seat as "The Fool," his body slowly relaxing.
But just at this moment, the corner of Klein's eye suddenly caught a glimpse of the "stairs" in the distance—his heart stirred, and a little regret arose: "Almost forgot to ask Nimrod about any new understanding after becoming a demigod—"
"Forget it, I'll ask next time."
Klein simulated the feeling of his spirit falling rapidly and returned to the real world.
After ending the previous mission, Klein had been quite leisurely these few days. Apart from daily training, he was dragged out to restaurants by the money-rich Leonard every day, and he could often see Ms. Daly looking at the two of them with an auntie's smile.
However, he wasn't planning to go out tonight—tonight, Klein would receive his formal appointment, as well as the rewards given to them by the Church for this period of missions.
Nimrod sat upright on the throne.
The atmosphere around was gloomy. Two black iron thrones were surrounded by candlesticks carved with animal skulls and a large number of seats. The air seemed to be filled with the smell of iron and blood.
On the other throne, the blurry-faced Celestial Worthy leaned there, watching Nimrod take out a wisp of golden hair from his arms.
Nimrod closed his eyes and leaned on the throne behind him. His surroundings seemed to be painted with some kind of color, suddenly becoming rich in color—the candles around ignited with spirituality-lit flames in an instant, and large, large amounts of information seemed to emerge between the golden hair.
Divination was the product of the spirit body resonating with the Spirit World and obtaining information, and Nimrod was not only sensing the Spirit World now, but also testing the authority of the "Dominator of the Spirit World" he now possessed.
In addition to the ability to briefly seal a small area of the Spirit World, he could now travel through the Spirit World with his Physical Body and directly obtain the information he needed from the Spirit World information containing the past, present, and future—
And coordinates.
Nimrod opened his eyes and quickly locked onto the Spirit World coordinates of Sharon's current location. This location was not too far away, so Nimrod did not let the "animated void" take him there directly, but tried to travel through the Spirit World himself.
Of course, the speed could not be compared to the "Door" Pathway; it was about the same speed as those slow-moving normal messengers traveling through the Spirit World.
A moment later, Nimrod stood in front of a door. He raised his finger and knocked on the door gently: "Come out, Maric, I know you are there too."
After knocking on the door, Nimrod waited very patiently. After a long while, the door in front of him was slowly pushed open, and Maric's gaze, filled with suppressed malice, projected from inside the room until Nimrod opened his mouth and said his thoughts: "How did you find this place?"
Maric was stunned for a moment, and his eyes suddenly became clear. Nimrod took out a monocle from his arms and put it on his face without hesitation: "Because I am now a demigod."
"Long time no see, Maric, Sharon, I have some things to talk to you about."
Beside Maric, Sharon's figure also floated out, looking just like a female ghost often appearing in horror stories.
She said concisely: "What matter?"
As expected of "Sharon who doesn't like to talk"—Nimrod listened to their inner voices and felt a little emotion in his heart about the nickname Reneit Tinicor gave Sharon, but he didn't say it out loud.
If he said it, Sharon would probably be ashamed and angry.
How to put it, there are only wrongly taken names, no wrongly taken nicknames—Sharon's psychological activities at this time could be described as quite rich.
"I came for the Southern Continent."
Nimrod smiled: "Hunting the Believers of the 'Mother Tree of Desire', interested?"
"Of course, I also brought deeper cooperation—perhaps, you would also be interested in the Highland Kingdom?"
Of course, he was not trying to help Sharon and Reneit restore the country—he just needed a powerful "claim."
Although it had no effect on the upper-level Beyonders, a "claim" could very effectively shake the god's "anchor."
For example, George III's successor Edessak Augustus, for example, the student of the Highland Kingdom's princess Reneit Tinicor, for example, the Magistrate of the Balam Empire Azik Eggers, for example, the Emperor of Intis, Roselle Gustav.
Late at night, after dinner, Klein gathered in the church according to the time notified by Captain Dunn, waiting for the Archbishop to arrive.
Klein was a little uneasy and a little excited. He scanned the surroundings, and a sense of peace surged in his heart.
The previous companions were all safe, and now, Ince Zangwill, the culprit who was constantly threatening their lives and families, had also turned into a Beyonder characteristic—Klein only felt inexplicably steady at this moment.
Dunn glanced at Klein, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Daly held Dunn's arm, and the expression on her face was equally peaceful.
Clang, clang, clang.
The bell rang past twelve, and it was late at night.
The crimson moonlight penetrated the stained glass windows of the church, staining the deep Holy Emblem of the Night with a bit of the same mysterious color.
"Let's go, the Archbishop is waiting for us."
Dunn spoke softly, saying to the companions beside him.
Chapter 219: Divine Revelation
Inside the cathedral of the Church of the Evernight.
The Gothic cathedral towered into the clouds, like two swords standing side by side, piercing the sky—countless complex arches and frames layered to form a hair-raising majesty; the cathedral's layers stacked together, creating a magnificent spectacle.
Pitch black was the main color of this cathedral. Klein looked at the scene inside the cathedral before him, staring at the stained glass windows that were also inclined towards dark colors, and a sense of solemnity inexplicably rose in his heart.
That's right, the Tingen Squad was not currently at the main cathedral of the Church of the Evernight in Backlund, but at the "Sanctuary" of the Church of the Evernight, the Serenity Cathedral.
This was the headquarters of the Church of the Evernight, located in Winter County in the north of the kingdom.
When he became a Red Gloves of the Church of the Evernight, Klein had also received training here for a period of time.
"The last time I came here, I was still worried about whether Ince Zangwill would pose a threat to my family and friends, but now I only feel relaxed," Klein thought to himself, walking forward under the guidance of the cathedral's clergy.
When he came here before, Klein had only been thinking about how to improve his strength, and although he had instinctively felt the grandeur of the cathedral, it was not as obvious as it was now.
After walking about a hundred meters, Klein's vision suddenly opened up.
The first thing that appeared before Klein's eyes was the Holy Emblem of the Night embedded on the wall. This emblem had a deep luster, and one could tell its extraordinary nature with just a glance.
On both sides of the Holy Emblem, a large number of stone pillars were arranged neatly in a certain order, giving people a unique sense of beauty.
The surrounding stained glass windows tended to be in cool colors, but there was no lack of ruby-like luster among them. Klein could almost be certain that even if the Sun shone directly onto this cathedral, the interior of the cathedral could still create an atmosphere of being in the night.
Walking to the bottom of the Holy Emblem of the Night, three figures stood there quietly. Among them, the one Klein was most familiar with was naturally Anthony Stevenson wearing clergy robes, but Klein was not very familiar with the other two figures.
The leader had white hair and beard, with a refined appearance, looking just like an ordinary old man. Behind him, Arianna, wearing simple robes, stood there just as quietly, watching the few people in front of her without saying a word.
Klein swallowed slightly, regaining some of the nervousness he had felt when facing a demigod powerhouse earlier.
If, possibly, probably, if Klein had not guessed wrong, then the old man in front of him seemed to be—
Dunn Smith drew the pattern of the Holy Emblem of the Night on his chest and greeted respectfully and seriously: "Your Excellency, Pope."
This old man who looked like an ordinary old person was the Pope of the Church of the Evernight, Saint Danbomachi.
This was a pattern that had appeared in the history of the Church!
"No need for formalities."
Pope Danbomachi's face did not have much seriousness, but there was not much gentleness either.
His expression was similar to Arianna's beside him, having a feeling as plain as water.
He gave Anthony Stevenson beside him a look, and Anthony Stevenson immediately took a step forward, saying to the Tingen Squad members in front of him in a calm tone: "I am here to announce the Church's rewards for you."
"First, Dunn Smith."
Following Anthony Stevenson's words, everyone's gaze fell on Dunn involuntarily.
Dunn himself seemed quite nervous at this time, but he suppressed the emotions in his heart and moved forward half a step.
"In this operation of the Church, you completed the task assigned to you by the Pope very well, and assisted Nighthawks Klein Moretti in killing Ince Zangwill. The following is the reward the Church has decided to give you:"
"The potion and ritual for the Sequence 5 'Spirit Warlock', and a chance to advance to a demigod after digesting the potion. Furthermore, you are granted the position of Bishop of the Backlund Diocese."
"Besides this, we hope you can try to contact the Goddess's holy relic to determine if you can receive the affirmation of the Goddess's holy relic."
Captain Dunn had also completed the secret task issued by the Pope?
Klein felt a little surprised, and then a sense of admiration for Captain Dunn rose in his heart:
Since the Captain stopped consuming the characteristics of his former team members, the current potion digestion speed is also very fast, even catching up to Ms. Daly—
Klein could roughly guess why the Church would arrange for Captain Dunn to become a Bishop of a diocese—Dunn Smith's mind was more steady. Compared to the Red Gloves, he was indeed more suitable for managing a diocese and maintaining the stability of faith.
While this thought was emerging in Klein's heart, Anthony Stevenson's gaze had already shifted to the next person in the Tingen Squad.
"Daly Simone, your reward is also a chance to become a demigod. Your merit is still somewhat lacking, but the Church allows you to advance it."
"The Church hopes you can become a captain of a Red Gloves squad and lead a team independently."
Daly's eyes flickered slightly, she nodded gently, and said nothing more: "Praise the Goddess."
Leonard also received a similar reward, but because Leonard was currently only Sequence 7 and did not directly kill Ince Zangwill, his merit was currently insufficient to advance to a demigod. The Church had always strictly limited the number of demigods.
After confirming the rewards of the first three, Anthony Stevenson's gaze fell on Klein, and Saint Danbomachi also revealed a smile, saying before Anthony could speak: "Klein Moretti."
"How does it feel to kill a demigod-level powerhouse with your own hands? Don't have too much psychological pressure; I'm just curious about your courage at that time."
When speaking to Klein, Saint Danbomachi's tone was unexpectedly gentle.
Klein was stunned for a moment, not expecting the Pope in front of him to ask such a question.
He thought carefully for a moment before saying his true thoughts: "I didn't have any special feelings. Looking back now, we were actually on the verge of death at that time, and as for why I dared to face a demigod—"
Klein paused: "If I have to say, I just wanted to protect the people I care about."
Klein's voice echoed in the deep and solemn cathedral. The crimson moonlight flowed through the cracks of the Holy Emblem of the Night, sliding down towards the ground along every edge of the dome.
Saint Danbomachi withdrew his gaze from Klein and spoke gently: "Klein, the Goddess is very concerned about you."
"Perhaps, we will soon be able to see another favored of the Goddess walking on the earth."
favored of the Goddess—favored of the Goddess! Klein blinked, concealing the shock in his heart.
Although Klein had some understanding of this before, now this was almost equivalent to the Church openly telling Klein that they already knew the secrets on him!
But the Church's attitude towards me is still very friendly, no, quite friendly! According to the folk legends here, I am no different from an evil spirit possessing a body, an object to be eliminated—
Many thoughts flashed through Klein's mind all at once. But in any case, what the Church gave Klein was concern and goodwill, not hostility.
Klein did not think that this Pope who held the highest power in the Church of the Evernight had any need to deceive him. Therefore, Klein said nothing more, only making the gesture of praying to the Goddess on his chest: "Praise the Goddess."
At such times, saying "Praise the Goddess" to express one's attitude was better than saying anything else.
Saint Danbomachi was clearly very satisfied with Klein's performance. He nodded gently: "Nighthawks Klein Moretti."
"The Church will give you the potion formulas and Beyonder Materials for Sequence 6, Sequence 5, and sequence 4, and help you complete the ritual to advance to Sequence 5. The Church keeps the mermaids needed to advance to 'Marionettist'."
While Saint Danbomachi was speaking, Arianna on the side silently "produced" two boxes from her hands and handed them to Klein.
Looking at Klein's slightly puzzled expression, Saint Danbomachi added: "Didn't you ask about the tasks you needed to accept in the next period of time?"
"In the coming period, you will continue to head to the sea to track the movements of the 'Aurora Order' and report to the Church in a timely manner."
"Actually, it is also possible to encounter mermaids at sea. If you happen to have finished digesting and encounter a mermaid, you can decide for yourself whether to advance to 'Marionettist'."
This was someone offering a pillow just as he was sleepy—Klein took the box from Arianna's hand, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly involuntarily.
Just at this time, Arianna, who had been silent before, raised her head, her tone carrying a tranquil color: "I have some words to speak with you."
Klein was slightly stunned, then quickly reacted: "Alright, Your Excellency Arianna."
Dunn on the side had already used his gaze to ask Anthony Stevenson if they needed to temporarily avoid, but the next moment Klein's figure disappeared from where he stood inch by inch—Arianna's figure did the same.
Saint Danbomachi withdrew his gaze and instructed Anthony Stevenson: "Take them away."
"Don't worry, Ms. Arianna will send Klein directly back to Tingen later."
"Alright." Archbishop Anthony Stevenson nodded after hearing the Pope's arrangement, leading everyone to walk towards the outside of the cathedral step by step.
Resting for one night, they would head to Winter County, far from the sanctuary, after dawn tomorrow and take the steam train back to Tingen.
The heroes should go home.
The huge cathedral became quiet again, and Saint Danbomachi's gaze remained as calm as a lake.
He turned around, looked at the Holy Emblem with his gaze again, and began to pray slowly.
The crimson moon hung high in the sky.
On the other side, after a brief blankness, Klein's brain regained control of his body. He scanned the surroundings and once again felt the magic of the abilities possessed by high-Sequence powerhouses.
Everything around seemed to be shrouded in dark fog. In the whole world, it seemed that only he and Arianna before him remained.
After a brief curiosity, Klein's expression became composed again, maintaining a respectful attitude, and asked Ms. Arianna: "Ms. Arianna, what do you want to tell me?"
"Help you check the two beyonder items on you. Additionally, the Goddess asked me to convey a—revelation to you."
Arianna replied: "Under the Goddess's gaze."
The Goddess is also watching me now? It seems my identity was exposed when I just arrived here—
Klein just sighed slightly in his heart, then quickly took off the two beyonder items disguised as Red Gloves from his hands.
This was creeping hunger and the iron-black glove.
Arianna's gaze examined creeping hunger and the iron-black glove for a moment, then returned these two beyonder items to Klein: "This beyonder item formed by the 'Disciplinary Knight' characteristic once belonged to the royal family. I have already cleared some of the subtle hidden dangers on it."
Having said that, she handed over creeping hunger: "This beyonder item is well sealed. I have reinforced it again, reducing some of the cost required when using it."
Hidden dangers? Klein's heart jumped involuntarily, clearly not expecting this point.
Arianna did not explain, only shook her head gently and asked another question: "Do you know Azik Eggers?"
Klein hesitated, but did not lie: "Yes, he is my teacher. It was he who helped me Seal 'creeping hunger'."
Klein had no intention of lying. Lying in front of an angel was not much harder than killing a demigod.
Arianna did not continue to say anything, only nodded slightly: "If you can contact Him later, you can tell Him that the Church knows some of the secrets hidden on Him."
"—Alright."
Although Klein had quite a few doubts in his heart, he did not say anything more.
After half a second, he took a deep breath, deliberated on his tone, and then asked Arianna: "Ms. Arianna, why is the Goddess concerned about me?"
This was one of the questions Klein was most concerned about at the moment.
However, Arianna did not answer. She just nodded slightly and said to Klein: "The revelation the Goddess asked me to convey to you is:"
Suddenly, Arianna's tone changed slightly, and she said to Klein:
"C—H—I—N—A."
This was not Loen text—this was English.
Although the two were similar, they were essentially different. The latter—was the language exclusive to Zhou Mingrui's world.
In this secret corner, Klein only felt a chill down his spine, and some thoughts emerged in his heart: "Is the Evernight Goddess hinting at me, or warning me?"
"But in any case, the deity must know about the Transmigration!"
"I and Nimrod must touch the level of the deities—for the sake of going home!"
Chapter 220: Advancement, and Trier
In the dark and deep hall, Nimrod sat on a throne resembling black iron, his eyes closed.
Candles hung upside down from the ceiling of the black iron hall like stars, and four of them quietly ignited, spreading a faint yellow light throughout the hall.
A figure knelt halfway, reporting something to Nimrod on the throne.
"Well done."
Nimrod nodded slightly: "Conceal your identity for now and wait for my favored to arrive."
Nimrod didn't tell Triss too much, leaving her plenty of room for imagination.
For Triss, who was used to high-stakes games in Backlund, returning to the Southern Continent would be fine as long as she wasn't targeted by the Rose School of Thought or the Mother Tree of Desire.
Not to mention he had given Edessak and Triss a certain degree of anti-divination ability.
As long as nothing went wrong, it was possible for them to develop a small force in the Southern Continent.
Nimrod wasn't worried about his subordinates developing their own forces; on the contrary, he hoped these Beyonders he had cultivated could develop on their own and provide him with the materials and intelligence he needed.
In the short time since becoming a demigod, Nimrod had summarized some methods for acting as a "Parasite".
On the surface, a "Parasite" seemed like a thief who just parasitized others and acted all the time. It seemed that with enough time, one could digest the potion and get a chance to advance to Sequence 3.
But in reality, besides the literal dead end of Amon in the "Error" Pathway, acting as a "Parasite" wasn't that simple.
So-called parasitism wasn't just about being inside someone else's body; that was just an instinct granted by Beyonder powers, not active acting or digestion.
Not using Beyonder powers to let oneself parasitize an organization or even rules was also a form of "parasitism".
Since he hadn't fully completed his advancement ritual when becoming a demigod, he prepared to proceed carefully and cautiously, slowly grinding away the residual spirit and will of the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings to ensure no problems would arise during further advancement.
After becoming a demigod, Nimrod gained more unique traits compared to normal demigods.
First was the old deity authority known as "Dominator of the Spirit World". It wasn't complete, but its level was extremely high.
Besides sealing parts of the Spirit World, he had strong suppression over Spirit World creatures. He was now half a nominal master of the Spirit World.
Next were the normal Beyonder powers gained after advancing to demigod in the "Error" Pathway.
The core powers were "Parasite" and "Steal", which he used proficiently.
At the demigod level, the power of "Steal" had been essentially upgraded, allowing him to Steal distance and location, achieving bizarre and unfathomable effects.
In previous Sequences, he relied on his status, knowledge of other Pathways, and the prediction/guidance of fate provided by "Robot" and "Mendicant Monk".
Combining these three allowed for "Precise Steal".
Now, with the prediction of fate and his knowledge of Beyonder powers, he could Steal almost any power he wanted.
The duration of stolen powers had increased to two hours. Within these two hours, he could use them freely, and they could be stacked.
Finally, the "Clone" added by "Parasite".
Nimrod felt different from other new demigods. Others couldn't create Clones without digesting the potion, but he could maintain about three.
He estimated that if he fully digested the demigod potion, this number could increase to about ten.
Nimrod tidied up his powers. He looked at the back of his hand. The countdown had turned into a phantom clock made of gray mist.
It wasn't a normal clock but a combination of a gray ring and a single hour hand.
Each time the hand moved, the gray mist filled the ring. When full, he could Transmigrate.
He could now control the time of Transmigration to a certain extent.
He looked at the back of his hand; the single hour hand trembled and began to move counter-clockwise at a visible speed.
The surrounding air and time seemed to freeze, as if The World was sealed in transparent crystal. Only Nimrod's thoughts moved.
He glanced at the candles. Under the gray mist, the flames were frozen in different angles, like solidified phantoms.
When the hand stopped, the scene was different, and it began moving clockwise slowly.
He estimated it would take 24 hours to complete the rotation.
After 24 hours, he could leave the Circle of Inevitability World and return to the Lord of the Mysteries World.
Nimrod waved his hand, letting his Hugues Artois Clone move freely, then walked towards Lumianna's residence.
Trier's atmosphere was different from Backlund's. Even after a disaster, it recovered quickly.
The city seemed to be reveling, struggling forward step by step.
But this meant the power of the shadow tree hadn't been eradicated. Seeing the bustling streets late at night, Nimrod thought this.
He retracted his thoughts, crossed the Market District, and entered the Golden Rooster Inn.
Just then, Nimrod looked up. In the Spirit World mapped to this place, a figure was flying towards the top floor.
It couldn't be called "flying" as there was no time or space in the Spirit World.
It was more like jumping between coordinates.
When Nimrod looked at the figure, the figure sensed it, looked at Nimrod, and accelerated.
Nimrod curiously raised his hand, twisted his wrist, stole the distance between himself and the fifth floor, appearing instantly in front of Lumianna's door.
Noisy sounds came from inside; Lumianna was talking to another woman.
Nimrod didn't rush in. He reached out and snatched a doll-like figure. He held it by the collar, facing it.
Seeing the face identical to Amon, the messenger's mind stalled for half a second, then its limbs went limp, silently claiming it was just a normal Spirit World creature, not a messenger contracted with a Beyonder.
"Stop pretending."
Nimrod glanced at it, took the letter Ms. Magician wrote to Lumianna, stole the memory of it seeing him, and threw it back into the Spirit World.
Undoubtedly, the messenger had discovered him. He knew it was Ms. Magician Fors's messenger from the Tarot Club, but he wouldn't let it carry information about him back.
His authority as "Dominator of the Spirit World" gave him strong suppression.
Stealing and modifying memory felt smooth; he empathized with Amon's joy.
In battles between Beyonders, excluding those below demigod, high-Sequence Beyonders usually used status and symbols to pressure others. Even in records of "defeating high-Sequence Beyonders", they used items. Thus, bullying the weak was the most correct way to fight.
In a sense, Amon's style of getting along with low-Sequence Beyonders was quite "prudent".
After doing this, Nimrod knocked politely. "It's me."
Lumianna opened the door, confirmed his identity, and greeted him quietly: "Godfather."
"Come in, I have something to tell you." Nimrod walked in and handed her the letter. "A letter from Ms. Magician for you. Read it later, probably your next task."
Lumianna took it. "Franca is still here. Um, she is the Tarot Club's minor arcana card, Two of Chalices."
Lumianna sold Franca out without hesitation. Nimrod nodded, looked at Franca. "Hello."
"Um—then I'll leave?"
Franca stood up, saw Lumianna's serious expression, didn't force it. As she passed Lumianna, she whispered: "If you need help later, tell me. We might have chances to work together later."
Franca paused, confused, then continued.
"I temporarily stole her memory of meeting me." Nimrod shrugged. "Although I have a good relationship with the Fool, it's good to be careful. After all, the Fool's own state isn't too good."
The Celestial Worthy beside his vision suddenly shouted: [Even if I think with the God Almighty will in the Lord of Storms' brain, I know who you are guarding against.]
Nimrod habitually ignored the Celestial Worthy, turned to Lumianna. "See what task Ms. Magician gave you?"
Lumianna opened the letter. "Are you hoping to see the task I gave you now?"
Lumianna frowned instinctively. She felt a familiar, mischievous tone.
"But actually, based on the Tarot Club's discussion, I prefer you to plan your own actions. I can give help and hints, but I can't dictate all routes. This is Mr. Fool's idea too."
"Don't you want to avenge your sister? I can provide a clue. According to my divination, some of those who harmed your sister are planning things on the sea. This is a vague divination, but it should be useful to you."
"In two days, I will send you some materials to enrich your occult knowledge. Otherwise, you will encounter many troubles when facing certain occult experts."
After reading, Nimrod touched his chin. "I suggest you reply to Ms. Magician immediately and ask her to send these things."
"Otherwise, the 'in two days' in her letter will become 'in two weeks'."