2432 1342 - 1349

Chapter 1342 Simultaneously

At that moment, Audrey even suspected that the "arrangement of fate" wasn't for her to head to Hartlarkh to investigate the dragon-worshiping customs. Instead, it was to make her realize that something was wrong, causing her to feel conflicted. It made her use a Virtual Persona in the vicinity of Hartlarkh to secretly guide her two brothers into changing their minds without realizing it. This would inevitably result in her consciousness being specially related to Liveseyd to be discovered by the mind dragon, thus attracting "Him."

Despite being the one that had been arranged, Audrey couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. It had to be said that to achieve such an effect, one had to have an extremely high level of confidence in the reactions different people had. It struck fear into the bottom of her heart.

After all, Audrey, a Sequence 4 Manipulator, had felt that the development of the matter was in line with her expectations. She had completely fulfilled her wishes and wasn't alert at all.

The mind dragon retracted its huge wings and looked down at the blue-cloaked Audrey.

"This is a dream maze formed by many minds. Even if the one who set the trap personally descends, it will take some time to find this room. Besides, I won't stay long."

Clearly, "He" had been wary of traps, but "He" believed that certain matters were worth the risk.

Dream maze… This is a Beyonder power of a Dreamweaver, or perhaps the power after a qualitative change? Audrey reined in her thoughts and asked calmly, "What do you wish to know?"

The gigantic grayish-white dragon buzzed and said, "My name is Ariehogg, one of the three remaining ancient dragons."

"He" means that "He" is one of the three surviving dragons of the Second Epoch, and the rare, known dragons are only descendants of the dragons during the era of the ancient gods? Audrey nodded slightly and didn't interrupt "Him."

Behind her was a wooden door that stood without any support in the plains filled with bluish-black weeds. It looked extremely strange.

Ariehogg didn't waste any time. After introducing "Himself," "He" asked, "Where did you find Liveseyd?"

Audrey was already prepared as she answered frankly, "In a book named Groselle's Travels. Rumor has it that it was personally created by the Dragon King Ankewelt."

"Groselle…" Ariehogg clearly hadn't heard of this name before. After repeating it, "He" pressed, "What kind of book is that?"

The blonde-haired Audrey gave a simple description:

"That's a book with a world that's almost real inside it. At the same time, it can suck in people who meet the requirements or offer their own blood to be sucked in by the book, allowing them to live in that world."

Ariehogg fell silent for two seconds.

"Is there a sea of collective subconscious in that book world?"

"Yes," Audrey answered with great certainty. "The City of Miracles, Liveseyd, I saw was deep in the sea of collective subconscious in the book world."

Ariehogg suddenly breathed harder.

"What did you see in that Liveseyd?"

Audrey recalled and said, "A city filled with towering pillars and majestic palaces.

"In addition, I've also entered the residence of the Dragon King. That place can allow every living being's inner thoughts to echo in the surrounding area. I call it the 'Hall of Truth.'

"At the end of the Hall of Truth, behind the Dragon King's throne, there's an ancient and mysterious bronze door. I'm not sure what's sealed behind. In short, it's very dangerous and I didn't dare approach it at all."

Audrey was speaking the complete truth; she just didn't mention the speculations that Mr. World, Mr. Star, and she had come up with.

Ariehogg fell completely silent. It was unknown what "He" was thinking of, or if "He" was analyzing the current situation regarding Liveseyd.

During this process, "His" head drooped down bit by bit, as though "He" was going to fall from the top of a hundred-meter-tall pillar to the ground.

Just as Audrey tensed up from this rather bizarre scene and was about to ask a question, Ariehogg suddenly raised "His" head.

The golden vertical pupil in "His" eyes turned colder as "His" voice once again resounded in the wilderness.

"Liveseyd…"

With a low rumbling of thunder, the things that were hidden in the dark behind Ariehogg quickly became clear. In the gradually brightening scene, their outlines appeared.

They were huge stone pillars that were more than a hundred meters tall. They were either standing alone or collectively propping up numerous majestic and ancient palaces.

These stone pillars and palaces were mainly grayish-white in color as they landed on the island-like foundations. It was identical to the City of Miracles, Liveseyd, which Audrey had just described.

No, this was probably the City of Miracles, Liveseyd.

Only then did Audrey realize that the ancient mind dragon, Ariehogg, was squatting at the top of the thickest, tallest stone pillar.

At this moment, she could faintly feel a subtle change in Ariehogg.

Her green eyes darted about slightly, and the sound of a metal handle being twisted sounded from behind her.

This… Audrey held back the urge to turn her head abruptly. She turned her body warily to the side, allowing her gaze to fall sideways.

The individual wooden door that had lost its external support slowly opened, revealing the visitor's appearance:

A huge, white rabbit with wiggling ears that walked upright.

Above the gray fog, in the ancient palace, a figure was shrouded in grayish-white fog. He sat at The Fool's seat at the end of the long mottled table as he silently observed the crimson star representing Justice.

…

Backlund, West Borough, 9 Bellotto Street.

The closer Wendel was to the end of the two weeks, the more he suffered from insomnia. He had to rely on medication to fall asleep.

When he woke up, he was also restless and extremely anxious. He had lost all interest in food and only forced himself to eat the three meals sent by his colleagues to ensure his energy.

He didn't know what would happen on the date of the trial, nor did he know if there would be an irreversible change in his body.

This kind of fear towards the unknown often made him feel stifled. It was extremely tortuous.

Sometimes, Wendel would even think that it might not be a wise choice resisting his return to Utopia.

Based on his limited experience there, if he obediently returned to Utopia and testified in court, there was a high chance that he would leave safely.

At least up to this point, Wendel hadn't heard of anyone dying or going crazy because of Utopia. The people there were rather friendly apart from being a little bizarre.

I'm just going to help. They should be grateful to me instead of being antagonistic… The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it would be more comfortable to face the danger.

Of course, he had no doubts about MI9's protective capabilities. If it wasn't possible, he felt that he could only consider meeting the Lord of Storms early.

Phew… Wendel exhaled and sat down on his chair. He casually picked up a novel to pass time.

However, his frustration made it impossible for him to immerse himself in the plot. He flipped through the pages more frequently and finally, he snapped the book close.

He closed his eyes and prepared to take a nap.

In a daze, Wendel seemed to return to Utopia and arrived at the court. However, the role he was in wasn't as a witness but a member of the audience.

Tracey was deemed by the judge to have provided insufficient evidence to support a claim for self-defense and had been transferred to the criminal courts. He saw this lady tearing up in a daze, her smile extremely miserable.

Wendel woke up and stared silently at the wall lamp in front of him. He sat there motionless for a long time.

If the problem is Utopia, and not the residents of Utopia, then me avoiding it might end up killing a poor lady… Wendel retracted his gaze. His resolve had wavered slightly, but he was unable to overcome the fear in his heart.

With his hands on the table, he stood up and walked to the door. He planned to wander about MI9's headquarters to ease his mood.

After leaving the room and taking a few steps forward, Wendel suddenly heard a colleague in the office discussing the related case of the Utopia.

"Have you heard? The person who entered Utopia was a carriage driver. He sent a merchant from Utopia to the dock area, and with just taking two turns at a crossroads, he found himself somewhere unfamiliar."

"There's a need to warn all the carriage drivers in Backlund. Yes, it's best to draw a parallel between Utopia and the spies, so that they can understand."

"The way of entering and exiting Utopia is really frightening."

"Yes. Sometimes, I even suspect that the entrance to Utopia might appear anywhere."

"There's definitely a limit to this. It's not as omnipotent as we imagine… Otherwise, I might find myself in Utopia just by paying a visit to the washroom."

"According to the current patterns we've figured, this is theoretically valid."

…

When Wendel heard that, his blood vessels on his forehead began to throb. He suddenly felt that even if he was in the headquarters of MI9, he wouldn't be that safe.

Unless there's a demigod watching me the entire time, it's very difficult for me to avoid the fate of returning to Utopia. Perhaps, after I wash my hands and open the washroom door, I'll discover that it's the Irises Hotel outside… No, ordinary demigods might not be able to stop such a thing. This doesn't seem like it's something humans can accomplish. It's already extremely close to that of a deity… Wendel instantly panicked, unable to suppress the fear in his heart.

He returned to the room and took out the subpoena from the Utopian court.

Immediately following that, Wendel entered the washroom and held the document as he muttered in fear, "I'm willing to go to court to testify.

"I'm willing to go to court to testify.

"…"

After repeating himself a few times, he reached out to grab the handle of the bathroom door.

At that moment, a black raven flew through the ventilation hole like a ghost and landed in a corner of the washroom that no one would notice.

In the next second, Wendel twisted the handle, pulled the door back, and opened the washroom door.

It was no longer his familiar bedroom but an unfamiliar lobby.

Chapter 1343 Weaved Nightmare

I really returned to Utopia… Upon seeing the scene outside, Wendel felt a baffling sense of relief and ease. He no longer had any doubts about his choice to go to testify in court.

It had to be known that he was in the washroom of MI9's headquarters. It was a place that was impossible to invade even with a fully armed army.

Wendel slowly exhaled as he walked out of the washroom and towards the entrance of the lobby.

Behind him, in a corner of the washroom where no one was paying attention to, the pitch-black raven had draped over a shadow-like veil, losing its physical presence. Even if one were to directly look at it, it would be difficult to discover it.

Then, its body became more and more transparent as it rapidly dissipated until it vanished.

At this moment, Wendel had already walked a few meters out of the lobby when he saw a police officer in a black-and-white checkered uniform.

This was the young officer who had requested him to testify, Biles.

"I knew you'd come, because you're a kind person." Biles smiled at Wendel.

When he heard the compliment, Wendel's strung up heart finally returned to normal. Then, he instinctively turned his head back and saw that the bathroom that he had come out of had changed completely in style. It was no longer familiar to him.

…

In the dream maze formed by many minds, the huge white rabbit that walked upright squeezed through the open door and entered the vast wilderness with the grayish-white pillars and magnificent palaces.

Mr. Wrath… Although it wasn't wearing the persona mask, its unforgettable characteristics were enough for Audrey to recognize him at a glance.

This was out of her expectations, but it wasn't too surprising.

From her point of view, just Mr. Wrath alone likely wasn't enough to deal with an ancient mind dragon like Ariehogg. Even if Mr. Fool had warned her to be wary of Mr. Wrath.

After all, the leader behind the Psychology Alchemists, the former King of Angels, had already become a Sequence 0 true god. According to the knowledge shared by the Tarot Club, there shouldn't be any other Author Beyonders in the real world. This way, no matter how powerful Mr. Wrath was, as long as it was still part of the Spectator pathway, it would at most be on the same level as Ariehogg. The only things that would differ were combat experience, psychological research, and self-cultivation.

At this moment, as the giant white rabbit entered, the large, grayish-white, scaled Ariehogg spread open "His" wings which covered "His" skin. The surrounding area was instantly covered in a shadow.

With a leap, the white rabbit's legs suddenly became extremely huge, like a tiny hill.

At the same time, the gloomy sky above "Him" lit up. The ground beneath "His" feet cracked open, spewing out crimson lava.

Immediately after, a blurry and distorted figure appeared behind it.

This figure was dressed in a simple white robe. It was difficult to see his face clearly, and it was impossible to tell his age. One could only vaguely tell that he was a man.

A bright halo hung at the back of his head like a miniature sun. Beneath his feet was an illusory clock that was divided into twelve segments. Each segment represented a different symbol of time. Behind him, there was a shadow that looked like a curtain. Eyes seemed to be looking out from the shadow.

Just after this figure appeared, the entire dream maze shook violently, and gray fragments fell from the void.

The contrast of depravity and pure sunlight rapidly spread around the huge white rabbit, eroding or assimilating the area.

However, that simple white-robed figure had trouble truly taking shape. He was unable to enter reality from history and illusions.

Every time his silhouette became clear, his figure would distort like a machine that had its signal disrupted.

At that moment, Audrey instinctively retracted her gaze, not daring to look directly at the huge white rabbit.

Perhaps it was because she was in a dream and was closely connected to the mind island and the sea of collective subconscious. She didn't need anyone to explain to her because she knew what Mr. Wrath was doing.

The other party knew the latent psychological problems of Ariehogg and knew what "He" feared the most. Then, according to this, it produced a nightmare that contained the specific images.

In a battle between High-Sequence Beyonders of the Spectator pathway, if both parties were at the same level, it would be difficult to produce any true effects using the various means available to them. One could sneak into the island of consciousness and attempt deep hypnosis. The other could guard the door to the Body of Heart and Mind, preventing any foreign consciousness from entering. The other could spread a Mental Plague and use the sea of collective subconscious to intrude on the enemy without them realizing it. The other would be able to "Placate" themselves, treat the psychological ailments, and maintain their mental health…

Therefore, the battle between same-Sequence Spectator saints often had three fixed styles: First, set up a trap ahead of time as a multi-pronged attack preparation. Then, by secretly leading on and guiding the opponent, one could break down their mental defenses in one strike and complete the hypnosis. Second, one focused on their physical defense and as support, relying on powerful Sealed Artifacts to defeat their enemy. Third, when the Beyonder powers such as Mental Plague, Mind Deprivation, Dragon's Breath, Consciousness Control, and other Beyonder powers were unable to deal with their opponent, engaging in self-hypnotism and using Dragon Transformation would result in an intense melee battle that exchanged claw swipes and tail lashes.

In the third battle, whoever had a deeper understanding of the mind domain, and whose will was stronger and firmer, would be able to gain the upper hand by relying on the extended usage of 'Dragon Transformation.' Of course, the prerequisite was that the other party had no chance of escaping.

And at the level of an angel, everyone was a true Mythical Creature. The maintenance time of "Dragon Transformation" became meaningless. At this moment, it mainly depended on "observation." Whoever could find a flaw in the opponent's mind could weave a corresponding nightmare, directly attacking the enemy's weaknesses, slowly destroying their mental defenses and reaching the effect of going "mad" or "dying" out of fear.

As Audrey was in the same dream, even if the nightmare wasn't directed at her, she was still affected by the corresponding emotions, characteristics, status, and even corruption.

Now, she clearly knew that the nightmare that Mr. Wrath had weaved represented the ancient sun god. This was the most terrifying existence in Ariehogg's mind. At the same time, the ancient sun god's influence would uncontrollably corrupt the surroundings until it reached the entire dream.

When the time came, once Audrey woke up, she would either become an untreatable mentally ill patient, or she would become an incomplete Mythical Creature, completely losing all reason and ending up wildly attacking the surrounding creatures.

Of course, there was another possibility that she unknowingly became depraved. She would become cold, cruel, and bloodthirsty without realizing it, as if someone had replaced her.

At this moment, Ariehogg, who was squatting at the top of the grayish-white pillar, let out a painful howl.

As the dragon's roar echoed, the top of "His" head turned dark, revealing a "sea" of secrets and colors that was difficult to describe with words.

In the sea, an even bigger grayish-white dragon spanning a thousand meters long rose up. One of "His" vertical pupils was pale gold and the other was bright red color.

There was a third eye on the dragon's forehead. It seemed to be hiding a thick shadow.

Similarly, there was no need for anyone to explain. With the uniqueness of her present state, Audrey immediately knew what nightmare Ariehogg had weaved.

This was something that left a deep trauma in the giant white rabbit's heart. This was the Ankewelt that had been corrupted by the "underground world." This was the Virtual Persona and mental corruption which was sealed behind the bronze door—things that had been split off from that ancient god.

At that moment, Audrey was in an indescribable nightmare. Although she hadn't been corrupted, her mental state was in turmoil, as though she had been awed.

She immediately used "Placate" on herself, and didn't hesitate to rely on her own consciousness to forcefully escape the dream maze.

During this process, she didn't encounter any obstruction not just because she wasn't Ariehogg's and Mr. Wrath's target, but also because she had reached Sequence 4 and possessed a certain amount of godhood. Therefore, she quickly woke up from her dream.

Audrey suddenly opened her eyes and saw a crystal chandelier dyed in faint crimson. She saw the deep darkness of the room.

Without any delay, she got out of bed and ran to the window to look outside.

The entire manor was completely silent, as if it was deep asleep. Everything was normal.

Audrey frowned and immediately split out a Virtual Person, allowing it to enter the mind island of a night patroller.

She remembered very clearly that the dream maze was formed by many minds. Once the two nightmares spread, the result was unimaginable.

Therefore, before this, she had to wake up everyone in the manor.

In the next second, the patrolling guard suddenly raised his hand and removed the grenade hanging from his belt. He pulled out the pin and threw it towards an empty garden.

Boom!

The loud explosion jolted awake the sleeping people.

Immediately after, the guard shouted loudly, "Enemy assault!

"Enemy assault!"

Earl Hall and his wife were already over fifty years old, so as light sleepers, they jolted awake immediately. Regardless of how good Hibbert's sleep quality was, he woke up in a reverie thanks to such a loud explosion. Alfred had opened his eyes the moment the grenade was thrown.

The remaining butler, maids, footmen, and bodyguards woke up one after another. They looked confused and dumbfounded, not knowing what had happened.

And at the far end of the manor's main building, a few servants heard the commotion and didn't wake up in time.

A few seconds later, they struggled on the bed in pain. Like a snake shedding its skin, they broke free from their skin, turning into hideous bodies of blood.

They didn't wake up until they died.

At that moment, Audrey saw a grayish-white dragon spread its wings in the sea of collective subconscious as it rapidly departed. A huge white rabbit followed closely behind.

In the blink of an eye, the dragon's voice resounded in the illusory sea.

"Adam isn't necessarily Adam, just like how I might not necessarily be Ariehogg."

The giant white rabbit suddenly slowed down and gradually stopped.

All the abnormalities came to an end as the entire area returned to normal.

…

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Adam didn't attack? The Fool Klein frowned slightly as he turned his attention back to Utopia and replaced the instinctual monitoring of the Worms of Spirit.

He carefully inspected his marionette town and didn't find anything abnormal.

Chapter 1344 Humanity

Seeing that there weren't any abnormalities in the town of marionettes, Klein began thinking about Miss Justice's encounter.

It wasn't Adam who set up an attack against Ariehogg, but Hermes who masterminded it?

Otherwise, it wouldn't be possible for Adam to not descend. It would also be impossible for Ariehogg to escape so easily. "He" had to rely on the second City of Miracles to have some hope of doing so.

If Hermes was the mastermind, the development of this whole episode becomes logical… Hermes never thought of capturing or killing Ariehogg. "He" only hopes to learn some information from this ancient mind dragon. When Ariehogg said "Adam isn't necessarily Adam," the operation came to a natural end.

Yes, from the looks of it, Hermes already had some doubts about Adam's true state. However, due to the limitations of "His" status, "He" has been unable to make Ariehogg appear on "His" own accord, so "He" used Miss Justice.

Adam isn't necessarily Adam; Ariehogg isn't necessarily Ariehogg… This sentence is very interesting. The upper echelons of the Spectator pathway are more mysterious than Seers. Back then, Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt clearly occupied Sequence 0, but "He" had a Sequence 1 son of the same pathway as "Him"—Dragon of Nightmare, Alzuhod…

If Adam really isn't Adam, then who is "He"? Is it that Adam from the myth in the time before the First Epoch, or part of the Primordial One? Or is "He" related to the resurrection of the ancient sun god? From the looks of it, the meaning behind why Medici addresses "Him" as a zealot has a far more profound meaning…

Klein quickly conjured a gold coin and flicked it into the air, making a divination.

The results of the divination indicated that today's development was nothing dangerous.

Klein immediately dispersed the gold coin and prepared to descend his consciousness into his body beneath Saint Arianna Cathedral.

At this moment, his actions became slightly sluggish.

The moment Miss Justice met Ariehogg and Hermes was almost simultaneous as the moment the MI9 personnel returned to Utopia to testify in court.

Just looking at them individually, there was no problem; but the word "simultaneous" made Klein somewhat alert.

He was very sensitive to words like "happened to," "coincidence," "simultaneous," and "almost the same." This was a mark left behind by his past experiences.

He tapped his finger on the edge of the long mottled table and decided to make preparations for his worries.

He quickly condensed a light that contained certain words and some kind of will, and he threw it into a prayer light.

After doing this, Klein made his consciousness sink and left Sefirah Castle, allowing his mind to return to his original body.

Immediately after, he began to influence Utopia. He planned to use all sorts of arrangements to temporarily make all the foreigners "leave."

This way, even if anything happened, it wouldn't affect the innocent.

This also meant that Klein was prepared to abandon Utopia and change locations to rebuild his marionette town. After all, a ritual could be repeated many times, but he could only afford one resurrection.

…

"Have a good rest for the next two days. There's still some time left before court begins." Biles sent Wendel to the entrance of the Irises Hotel.

Wendel replied with a smile, "I'm already feeling sleepy."

It was in the middle of the night. He had trouble sleeping previously because of his anxiety and nervousness. That was why he thought of walking around the headquarters of MI9 to ease his mood. However, when he heard the conversation between his colleagues at night, it triggered an eruption in his emotions, and he decided to return to Utopia and face the problem.

After checking in, Wendel took his luggage and went to the third floor.

When he passed through the door, he vaguely felt that his surroundings were abnormally dark.

In order to sleep better, Wendel walked to the window and drew the curtains.

During this process, he felt that the scenery outside the window was unusually familiar.

However, under the cover of the night, he couldn't tell what was happening too clearly. Thinking that it might have been the scene he had seen in Utopia previously, he covered his mouth with his hand and yawned. He took off his clothes and walked towards the bed.

…

Monica slept until midnight when she suddenly needed to pee.

Unable to hold it in any longer, she eventually got out of bed and walked towards her room's attached bathroom.

When she pushed the bathroom door open, she found it a little heavier.

Rubbing her eyes that were almost unable to open, Monica didn't care about this small change. She quickly relieved herself and ran out of the bathroom to her bed.

When she entered the covers, she felt that the temperature was much lower and she had no choice but to wrap herself up tightly in layers.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep again.

…

About 15 minutes later, the patrolling Biles rubbed his hands and turned towards the street where the police station was. He was about to hand over duties with his colleagues.

Suddenly, his body froze in the alley.

The black and dense Spirit Body Threads on his body peeled off at the same time as they floated upwards.

A pruned and exquisite paper figurine landed and connected to the Spirit Body Threads, quickly turning into another Biles.

At the same time, a torrent of mixed knowledge surged over and reassembled him into a man wearing gorgeous clothes with long chestnut hair.

The man had blue eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. It was Roselle Gustav's Sequence 1 historical projection.

Right on the heels of that, the projection reached out and sucked all the information in the surroundings into its palm, forming an illusory ball of light.

This information included all the details that involved Biles.

In the next second, Roselle Gustav's historical projection forged a piece of information that was completely normal, allowing it to follow the Spirit Body Threads connected to the paper figurine to the Saint Arianna Cathedral in the municipal square, moving straight underground of the cathedral.

After this series of actions, another torrent of information surged in midair. With Roselle's help, they reformed into three figures.

A middle-aged man wearing a black robe and a hood with a long, thick, white beard; another, who was draped in a cloak, had black hair, blue eyes, and a rather squarish face. He was a middle-aged man with a dignified bearing; on one of the trees, there was a huge tree that seemed to be drenched with petroleum. On the tree, there were arms with all sorts of strange protruding objects that rolled with bloodshot eyes.

"They" were:

The leader of the Secret Order, Zaratul!

Loen's Protector, the first King, William Augustus I's historical projection!

A historical projection of Abomination Suah!

After making the necessary preparations, Zaratul used the location provided by the historical projection to sneak into Utopia.

"He" didn't waste any time. "He" reached out with "His" right hand and used the law of convergence of Beyonder characteristics to suck out the Worm of Spirit in Biles.

Elsewhere, the palm of Abomination Suah's historical projection made an ugly doll the size of a palm appear.

The doll was wet and sticky. It had no eyes, ears, or nose. It only had a pinhole-like mouth that emitted and sucked grayish-white fog.

As the Worm of Spirit and the doll approached, the black-and-white eyeballs that rolled out on the Suah tree trunk looked at them at the same time.

Silently, the Worm of Spirit fused with the ugly doll, causing it to distort as it squirmed, growing out eyes, nose, and ears, making it look like Klein Moretti.

At this point, Zaratul no longer did any concealment, nor could "He" do so. "He" took out a black shroud and abruptly wrapped Klein's doll up!

All the marionette's Spirit Body Threads in Utopia were severed at the same time—they were unable to connect to the true body.

This wasn't because there was something wrong with them, but that the true body was isolated from them.

All of a sudden, the duty personnel in the police station, tenants in the hotel, Tracey and the thieves in the cell, Anderson in another apartment, Alzu, and the other citizens all stopped breathing and turned stiff.

Regardless of whether they were sleeping or doing something else, it was as if a pause button had been pressed.

Klein, who was at the bottom of Saint Arianna Cathedral, suddenly woke up. He knew that an accident had happened.

He didn't hesitate. With a thought, he returned to Sefirah Castle. With the level and strength of a King of Angels, he was able to resist enemies that had shown or had yet to show themselves.

This was the best choice in the current situation.

Even if he wasn't able to protect his true body, Klein still had a chance to revive.

At that moment, his floating consciousness touched an invisible, dark barrier, making it difficult to penetrate it and enter Sefirah Castle.

This… Klein's heart tightened, believing that the enemy might be more troublesome than he had imagined.

Few high-level existences knew he could return to Sefirah Castle with a thought!

In the next second, the thick, petroleum-slathered tree had arrived above Saint Arianna Cathedral.

In addition, a deep and dignified voice resounded:

"Wandering is prohibited here!

"Teleportation is prohibited here!

"…"

Klein wasn't led by his emotions. Seeing that he couldn't return to Sefirah Castle at the moment, he immediately changed his strategy and leaped towards the fog of history.

The moment the grayish-white fog entered his eyes, it turned into a whirlpool formed by countless transparent maggots. The vortex extended out slippery tentacles covered with strange patterns.

Unlike previously, the vortex emitted a powerful suction force, causing Klein's figure to speed up and be entangled by countless tentacles.

Law of Beyonder characteristics convergence!

The law of Beyonder characteristic convergence between angels!

A subtle beam of light flashed as Klein, who was firmly controlled by Zaratul's Mythical Creature form, turned into a paper figurine.

This was an angel-level application of Paper Figurine Substitutes, as well as the help of "Grafting."

Although Klein couldn't return to Sefirah Castle, he could influence the Worms of Spirit above the gray fog, allowing them to use the "curtain" to provide help.

After dodging Zaratul's fatal blow, Klein ran into the fog of history and fled towards the former metropolis from a time before the First Epoch.

At this moment, many marionettes, who had been dead for a long time in Utopia, rapidly decayed from losing the Spirit Body Threads maintaining them. Their limbs dropped to the ground or mutated because of their Beyonder characteristics. The latter transformed into different monsters, ones far more terrifying than imaginable.

Some swallowed their heads; others were left with only squirming flesh, while others grew dense eyes…

Soon, Klein ran into the old metropolis situated inside the fog of history.

To him, this was a safe room that could be trusted. This was because only a Scholar of Yore who was a human from before history could enter.

Without any hesitation, Klein habitually surveyed the area and began praying to the Evernight Goddess in the stacked city.

Oof!

A faint sound rang out as an ancient wooden stake with traces of blood penetrated Klein's heart from behind.

A figure phased into existence behind him. It was a cold-looking man wearing a half top hat and a black trench coat:

Gehrman Sparrow.

Klein's pupils dilated as the crazy adventurer said in a deep voice, "Adam has given me humanity."

Chapter 1345 Meeting Again

Klein turned around and looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure.

He had imagined all kinds of attacks on Utopia, but he had never expected such a scene to occur.

If Amon had "Parasitized" the marionette, Gehrman Sparrow, then with Klein's current status and the Spirit Worms on Sefirah Castle, he definitely would have immediately discovered the problem. And if Zaratul were to swap the Spirit Body Threads, "He" could only temporarily hide it from him. Furthermore, "He" needed help from an angel like a Knowledge Emperor or a Servant of Concealment to ensure the element of surprise in the sudden attack. Only the humanity provided by a Spectator could slowly ferment, without revealing any abnormalities on the surface.

To prevent such a situation, he could only sever the Spirit Body Threads and allow the marionette to deteriorate till it died. That way, regardless of whether it had any humanity in it or not, it would ultimately cease to exist.

Unfortunately, Klein had never heard of such methods before. All he did was guard against the invasion of a Virtual Persona on his marionettes.

This might be the power of a Visionary, giving life to everything virtual and immaterial, a unique sense of humanity.

The carved and cold face was reflected in Klein's eyes as he felt a force pushing him away.

He immediately fell backward, falling from the layers of ruins of the old metropolis out from the fog of history.

During this process, he wanted to control himself, but there was nothing he could do. This was because the wooden stake at his heart had sealed all his Beyonder powers.

With a thought, Klein looked at Gehrman Sparrow and snapped his fingers.

Pa!

The Worms of Spirit in Sefirah Castle received his will and gave up the marionette's Spirit Body Threads. They also picked up the Staff of the Stars and prepared to give Klein a fatal blow so as to commit suicide.

After his main body completely died, Klein would be able to revive above the gray fog and escape from his predicament.

He no longer held any hope after finding out that Adam was the mastermind behind the scenes.

At this moment, a stone square floating in the void appeared beneath Klein's feet.

Black stone pillars rose up and propped up a grand and holy cathedral, enveloping Klein inside.

The corpse cathedral—Adam's corpse cathedral—the divine kingdom of a Visionary!

Boom!

Countless bolts of silver lightning smote down from Sefirah Castle, penetrating the fog of history and struck the cathedral, but failed to shake it at all.

At the same time, in the ancient palace, the figure sitting in The Fool's seat suddenly collapsed to the side, forming a vortex formed from transparent maggots.

The vortex extended out slippery and strange tentacles, crazily smacking the surroundings, overturning the junk pile, and destroying the long mottled table.

Klein's avatar had lost contact with his true body, and because his true body hadn't really died, they had lost control and went crazy, just like Zaratul from before.

In the old metropolis before the First Epoch, Gehrman Sparrow, who was wearing a half top hat and a black trench coat, looked up at Sefirah Castle, his expression mixed.

He was basically a corpse. After his Spirit Body Threads were abandoned, he naturally couldn't maintain his existence.

The only thing Adam gave him was humanity. There was no envisioned life for him, as that would result in the discovery of there being something wrong with Gehrman Sparrow.

Gehrman Sparrow slowly collapsed as he looked at the rooms in the old metropolis.

He died in this ruin.

…

Klein's feet landed on the ground and stood in the middle of the cathedral. He saw that every arch of each pillar was embedded with the skulls of different races. Most of them were pale-white in color as they were packed densely together, staring at the intruder with their hollow eyes.

On the walls, windows, and doors of the cathedral, transparent, distorted, and painful faces appeared, separating the interior from the outside world.

And in front of the cathedral stood a cross that was more than a hundred meters tall.

In front of the cross were rows of black pews.

Adam, who was wearing a simple white robe and had a pale gold beard, was standing under the cross with a silver cross hanging from "His" neck. "He" faced the pews like a priest who was preparing to deliver a sermon.

"His" expression was warm and "His" eyes were limpid, as though "He" was only inviting Klein to listen to the scriptures.

Klein lowered his head and looked at the cross-shaped wooden stake that was stuck in his chest. He slowly walked to the first pew and sat in the middle.

For a true Mythical Creature formed from many Worms of Spirit, the wound on its chest wasn't fatal. The main purpose of the ancient bloody cross stake was to seal his Beyonder powers.

If not for the true god standing in front of him, Klein could've used his physical strength to pull out the wooden stake and remove the seal.

At this moment, he didn't make any attempts because he was afraid that he would turn the thought of "not daring to" to "not willing to."

"I didn't expect you to directly interfere in this matter. If you wanted to deal with me, you didn't have to wait until today." Klein looked at his blood-stained shirt and seriously voiced his doubts.

He wasn't afraid at all, as if he was certain that Adam wouldn't kill him.

Adam held the silver cross pendant with one hand and calmly said, "Before now, you were able to be of quite some use in many ways."

"He" took two steps forward and continued with limpid eyes, "When Amon came to steal the corpse cathedral, I made a deal with 'Him.' By helping me obtain the first Blasphemy Slate, I'll help 'Him' capture you."

Is that so… Klein was instantly enlightened.

On the one hand, Adam didn't wish to be obstructed by existences like the True Creator when "He" became a god, and on the other hand, "He" wanted to obtain the first Blasphemy Slate. Therefore, "He" used the Unshadowed Crucifix and other methods to give Klein an impetus to head for the Giant King's Court, open the door to the chamber where Sasrir was sleeping, and attract the attention of the True Creator and other existences. On the other hand, "He" used "His" brother, Amon, to steal the first Blasphemy Slate at the critical moment.

And to capture Klein, who was about to obtain preliminary control of Sefirah Castle, it would definitely be most appropriate to have a Visionary arrange the developments for "Him."

Although Amon and Adam usually appear distant, "They" are still brothers and can work together more easily… Klein nodded slightly and looked at the stained glass that had distorted faces.

"I also didn't expect Zaratul to cooperate with you. Isn't 'He' afraid of becoming food for Amon?"

When Klein established Utopia, he had considered Amon's attack and Zaratul's destruction. However, he never expected that "They" would work together in a certain way.

From his point of view, the chances of Zaratul completely siding with the Mother Tree of Desire were higher than this, unless Adam had unknowingly arranged such a development for "Him."

Adam's limpid eyes showed sympathy.

"To 'Him,' you becoming a Great Old One means that 'He' will definitely perish. However, if Amon becomes one, as long as 'He' expresses 'His' loyalty, 'He' can still retain 'His' present level and status. A Lord of the Mysteries still requires an Attendant of Mysteries.

"Therefore, 'He' chose to cooperate with me. During this process, if 'He' can seize the opportunity and turn you into a marionette before I do, using you to enter Sefirah Castle and become the owner of the sefirah, then 'He' has the right to demand an opportunity to face Antigonus at Evernight's place and have an ultimate showdown with Amon. On the contrary, 'He' will completely admit defeat and pledge allegiance to Amon.

"On this point, 'He' was very decisive."

"It doesn't seem like your style to explain so much," Klein replied casually before frowning. "You don't need all the Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics of the corresponding pathway to become a Great Old One?"

He had deduced this from the relationship between the ancient sun god and the eight Kings of Angels. However, he believed that one had to first become a Great Old One or a quasi one before dividing the characteristics.

Adam replied gently, "For neighboring pathways, all that's needed is a Uniqueness and a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic. It's easy to lose control if one forcefully occupies more. Therefore, after Zaratul pledged allegiance to Amon, 'He' still has the chance to become a King of Angels. And 'He' isn't able to pledge allegiance to you because 'He' can't separate a Sequence 2 avatar like those from the Marauder pathway, and then stealing 'His' main body's Spirit Body, consciousness, and psyche over, turning the avatar into the main body."

This was the qualitative difference between a Seer's marionette and a Marauder's Worm of Time. The former involved Spirit Body Threads, while the latter relied on themselves.

Furthermore, the reason the Marauder angel could do this was because "Their" Sequence 2 was Trojan Horse of Destiny.

Just as Klein nodded, he suddenly saw Adam turn "His" body, revealing something beneath the cross.

It was a gray stone slab. There were many mottled marks on its surface, making it look rather ancient.

This was very similar to the first Blasphemy Slate, but it didn't have that abnormally ancient feeling to it.

It also had words that looked like the source of all languages. They were written with the names of Sequences and potion formulas.

"The second Blasphemy Slate?" Klein asked in surprise.

His gaze quickly swept across the stone slab. He didn't read the first few paragraphs, but instead looked at the last few lines.

His intuition told him that there was a very important piece of information there.

"There's no need to rush. Amon has to complete the ritual and become a Sequence 0 before stealing your fate. Otherwise, 'He' wouldn't be able to withstand the identity as Sefirah Castle's owner. And before that, it's best to let you continue staying in my kingdom." Adam acted as though he was consoling a repentant.

Kill me… Klein muttered inwardly.

At this moment, he figured out the last few lines.

God Almighty, Creator, Maker, The Omnipotent and Omniscient, Lord of the Astral World:

Sea of Chaos + Visionary Uniqueness + The Sun Uniqueness + Tyrant Uniqueness + White Tower Uniqueness + The Hanged Man Uniqueness + 1 Author Beyonder characteristic + 1 White Angel Beyonder characteristic + 1 Thunder God Beyonder characteristic +1 Omniscient Eye Beyonder characteristic +1 Dark Angel Beyonder characteristic.

Lord of the Mysteries, King of Space-Time, Beacon of Destiny, Embodiment of Sefirah Castle, Dominator of the Spirit World:

Sefirah Castle + The Fool Uniqueness + Error Uniqueness + Door Uniqueness + 1 Attendant of Mysteries Beyonder characteristic + 1 Worm of Time Beyonder characteristic + 1 Key of Stars Beyonder characteristic.

Upon seeing this, Klein turned his head to look at Adam and asked in puzzlement, "Why are you showing me these?"

Wouldn't it be safer to hypnotize me and put me to sleep until Amon becomes a god?

Adam's eyes were clear as "He" said with a warm expression, "To be frank, if the other party wasn't Amon, then I'd be more willing to help you become the Dominator of the Spirit World.

"We have too many things in common. In a sense, we are old friends who have met before."

With that said, "He" smiled and said, "We meet again, Mysteries."

Chapter 1346 The Specialness of a Visionary

Mysteries… The last time Klein heard this title was from the consciousness of the True Creator that had descended. The penultimate instance was from the ancient sun god from history, the City of Silver's Creator.

In a sense, the two of them were equal:

The True Creator was equivalent to the ancient sun god "evil spirit" after retrieving Sasrir's personality.

However, unlike before, Klein wasn't flustered when he heard this manner of addressing him. Neither his heart trembled nor his teeth chattered.

At this moment, he felt as if he had finally seen a suspended rock fall to the ground.

Of course, he wasn't that calm either. To a certain extent, surprise, shock, and disbelief were inevitable. It was because of the words "Adam isn't necessarily Adam" from Ariehogg that he had already come up with many speculations and was mentally prepared.

We meet again. Mysteries… Adam is equivalent to the ancient sun god? Or is this the resurrection contingency of the ancient sun god? "He" knows of this, but "He" still wishes to revive "His" father, so that's why Medici calls "Him" a zealot? Thoughts flashed through Klein's mind as he gained a brand new understanding of certain matters.

It was no wonder Adam never promoted teachings about "Himself." "He" only spread what was left of the ancient sun god!

Klein originally believed that this was due to the special trait of a Visionary, and how "He" could use "His" Uniqueness to create a bunch of realistic believers as anchors. This way, "He" didn't need to build a congregation, but from the looks of it, this was probably only one of the reasons.

After two seconds of silence, he looked into Adam's pure eyes and said, "You are the ancient sun god?"

Adam maintained his warm smile and said in an illuminating tone, "Don't you think I'm the most unique among the eight Kings of Angels?

"After reading the contents of the second Blasphemy Slate regarding the Great Old Ones, you should be able to clearly understand this point."

Indeed… Klein nodded, indicating that he could tell.

"Of the five Kings of Angels related to omnipotence and omniscience, you are the only one with a Uniqueness."

According to the mysticism knowledge that Klein currently possessed, when the City of Silver's Creator was still alive, the eight Kings of Angels were in the same state:

Dark Angel Sasrir digested two Sequence 1 characteristics of The Hanged Man pathway and controlled the first Blasphemy Slate, allowing "Him" to use a portion of the power of the Chaos Sea. Therefore, "He" was Heaven's deputy, the left hand of God, a king among Kings of Angels.

White Angel Aucuses contained two Sequence 1 characteristics of The Sun pathway;

Wind Angel Leodero, Angel of Wisdom Herabergen, Angel of Fate Ouroboros also possessed two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics of "Their" respective pathways.

Angel of Time Amon, Red Angel Medici were the ones with a Uniqueness of their own pathway and a corresponding Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic.

Angel of Imagination Adam had the Spectator pathway's Uniqueness and two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics.

This didn't seem problematic at first glance, but it appeared strange on careful thought.

Angel of Time Amon and Red Angel Medici didn't belong to the five pathways of omnipotence and omniscience, and there was no problem about the ancient sun god using different methods to give "Them" "Their" Uniqueness. However, Adam was different. Visionary belonged to one of the five pathways of omnipotence and omniscience, and the corresponding Uniqueness was one of the foundations needed by the ancient sun god to become a Great Old One. In other words, this was equivalent to one of the three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics needed of a Sequence 0. How could it be randomly separated?

After all, Sasrir, as the deputy of Heaven, the left hand of God, didn't obtain the Uniqueness of The Hanged Man pathway, much less Wind Angel Leodero, Angel of Wisdom Herabergen, and White Angel Aucuses.

Klein originally believed that the ancient sun god had sensed the awakening of the Primordial One, so "He" had deliberately used the method of having children to separate one of the five Uniquenesses from "Himself," taking the initiative to lower "His" level to resist the corruption and invasion.

This was probably the thoughts of other deities and Kings of Angels back then.

When he heard Ariehogg say "Adam isn't necessarily Adam," Klein felt that there might be a deeper secret hidden in this matter and came up with some guesses.

After witnessing the last few lines of the second Blasphemy Slate, he found it even stranger. This was because a Uniqueness was one of the foundations of becoming a Great Old One. If the sefirah was the foundation, then the corresponding Uniquenesses were weight-bearing columns. It would be deeply problematic no matter which one was lost. If the ancient sun god wanted to lower "His" level, the better choice would be to separate the Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics. That would be relatively safer.

Dressed in a simple white robe and wearing a thick golden beard, Adam walked to Klein's side and turned around. "He" looked at the Blasphemy Slate and said, "A Visionary has something very special.

"Normal Sequence 0s are made up of the Uniqueness and three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics. Missing any one of them prevents 'Them' from being considered a true deity—they can only be considered a King of Angels. And after becoming a Sequence 0, a Visionary is able to split two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and replace the corresponding characteristic via 'Envisioning.'

"The object produced by 'Envisioning' is real enough. It can work perfectly under the framework of the Uniqueness and a Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic, allowing a Visionary's level and strength to not decrease.

"The two real separated Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics can be combined with one's other identity or a certain lifeform that's 'Envisioned.' It can make 'Them' become an Author with complete freedom. When necessary, one can use a certain method or some mediums to transform "Him" into the true form.

"And for The Omnipotent and Omniscient, 'He' can 'Create' a Uniqueness that borders between reality and illusory to maintain 'His' state. As long as it doesn't exceed the necessary limitations."

This is the relationship between Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt and "His" child, Dragon of Nightmare Alzuhod? I once thought that the Seer and Marauder pathways were the most bizarre. From the looks of it, they can't compare to a Spectator… Sigh, be careful of the Spectator… Klein completely resolved the question on his mind. He also understood why Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt had arranged for 0-08 to meet Groselle's Travels.

Once they met, 0-08's quill, which originated from the Dragon of Nightmare Alzuhod, would awaken and become the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt at a lower level. Then, this resurrected ancient god would use the negative persona sealed behind the bronze door to activate the Chaos Sea's power, instantly reaching the level of the strongest King of Angels below that of true deities.

With such a foundation, "He" had the chance to compete with Adam for the position of Visionary and completely revive.

It's simpler, neater, and cleaner compared to the Black Emperor's resurrection… Klein nodded slightly and said, "The relationship between Dragon of Imagination and the Dragon of Nightmare?"

Adam sat down beside Klein.

"Yes."

"However, the Dragon of Imagination had been corrupted, and 'He' had characteristics of other pathways, putting 'Him' in a poor condition. All 'He' could do was separate an Author. Otherwise, 'He' would have directly lost control."

Klein ignored Adam beside him and looked at the second Blasphemy Slate in front of him.

"What's the difference between this and a Marauder's avatar?

"If Amon can become an Error, 'He' too can create at least two Sequence 1 avatars."

Adam leaned forward and simply explained, "The avatar and the main body are still the same, but they are located in different areas."

Does that mean that the Sequence 1 that's "Envisioned" is completely separated from the real body, and can be considered another person? Only by using some method or using some medium can one awaken? Klein asked thoughtfully, "You awakened when you became a Visionary?"

"No." Adam looked straight ahead and replied with a gentle expression, "When I perished, and 'True' was born."

Klein asked in surprise, "Was no one suspicious?"

If the deities knew that the ancient sun god had long been "resurrected" in Adam, the history of the Fourth Epoch would most likely be to besiege the Solomon Empire, the Twilight Hermit Order, and the Amon family.

"Apart from 'True' knowing about this, perhaps only Evernight had 'Her' suspicions," Adam said, "His" voice neither fast nor slow. "I disguised myself as a zealot, a zealot wanting my father to awaken in my body. It's not difficult for a King of Angels from the Visionary pathway to do so."

"Then, Medici…" Klein suddenly felt pity for the Red Angel.

Thinking up to this point, he lowered his head to look at the blood-stained wooden stake on his chest. He felt that he deserved more sympathy.

Adam said calmly, "It was a necessary sacrifice.

"Why do you think 'He' can remain alive for so many years after becoming an evil spirit without being discovered?"

Klein fell silent for two seconds before asking, "Are you going to let me wait just like this?"

"You can also choose to leave this corpse cathedral, but Zaratul will be waiting for you at the entrance. In your present state, you can only become 'His' marionette," Adam said without any emotion.

Klein fell silent as he read the remaining contents of the second Blasphemy Slate.

…

In the Fog Sea, the Dawn silently sailed through the undulating blue waves.

Bernadette suddenly opened her eyes and sat up.

She frowned and picked up an item on the table.

The item was completely golden in color, and there were mysterious symbols engraved on its surface, making it look like a miniature water flask.

This was Sealed Artifact 0-05, Magic Wishing Lamp.

Bernadette held the wishing lamp and bowed her head as she chanted an honorific name:

"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era.

"The mysterious ruler above the gray fog;

"The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck…"

Chapter 1347 Pillar

Above the gray fog, in the ancient palace, beside The Fool's seat.

A prayer point of light expanded to produce a rippling halos.

It was as though someone had suddenly drawn the curtains in a dark, sealed room, allowing sunlight to shine in, piercing into the eyes of the sleeping one.

The whirlpool of maggots, which had already quietened down, once again went berserk as it began to flail the slippery and strange tentacles.

…

Klein's gaze swept past the parts that were related to the Lord of the Mysteries, and he read the subsequent content on the slate:

Eternal Darkness, Singularity of All, Space-Time-in-One:

River of Eternal Darkness + Evernight Uniqueness + Death (Eternal Sleeper) Uniqueness + Twilight Giant Uniqueness + 1 Knight of Misfortune Beyonder characteristic + 1 Pale Emperor Beyonder characteristic + 1 Hand of God Beyonder characteristic.

Goddess of Origins, Mother of All, Brood Hive of Filth:

Brood Hive + Mother Uniqueness + The Moon Uniqueness + 1 Naturewalker Beyonder characteristic + 1 Beauty Goddess Beyonder characteristic.

The Anarchy, Shadow of Order:

Nation of Disorder + Black Emperor Uniqueness + Justiciar Uniqueness + 1 Prince of Abolition Beyonder characteristic + 1 Hand of Order Beyonder characteristic.

Calamity of Destruction, Origins of Disaster:

City of Calamity + Demoness (Chaos Demoness, Primordial Demoness) Uniqueness + Red Priest Uniqueness + 1 Apocalypse Beyonder characteristic + 1 Conqueror Beyonder characteristic.

Father of Devils, Lord of Deviants, Source of Curses:

Tenebrous World + Abyss Uniqueness + Chained Uniqueness + 1 Filthy Monarch + 1 Abomination Beyonder characteristic.

Demon of Knowledge, Aracana of Madness:

Knowledge Moor + The Hermit Uniqueness + Paragon Uniqueness + 1 Knowledge Emperor Beyonder characteristic + 1 Illuminator Beyonder characteristic.

Key of Light, Endless Disorder, Incarnation of Fate:

Key of Light + Wheel of Fortune Uniqueness + 1 Giant Serpent Beyonder characteristic.

These are the Great Old Ones' title corresponding to the nine sefirot… After reading it, Klein sighed inwardly.

If he and Emperor Roselle knew this mysticism knowledge earlier, neither of them would've ended up in their present situations.

At certain times, even without using Beyonder powers, knowledge is completely equivalent to power… The titles of the combined pathways of Earth and Moon are somewhat different from Mother Goddess of Depravity. From the looks of it, it is indeed just a part of "Her," which means that the title and authority left to the Outer Deity on the moon is: Mother Goddess of Depravity, Origin of Evil, The Indestructible… By the same logic, the Mother Tree of Desire's full name should be: Mother Tree of Desire, Heartless God, Perpetual Blatherer… The situation regarding the Son of Chaos isn't very clear. It's as though "He" vanished, and no one can fully understand "Him"… Klein nodded indiscernibly.

He then asked, "From the looks of it, the Omnipotent and Omniscient is the strongest. The Lord of the Mysteries and the Space-Time-in-One are ranked second. The rest are ranked third."

This was determined by the number of Beyonder pathways each needed, excluding the Outer Deities.

Adam looked at the Blasphemy Slate and calmly said, "That's not how it is.

"The number of authorities has a certain connection to level and status, but not entirely. The corresponding characteristics, power, and symbols are equally important.

"After the original Creator split apart, the Three Pillars stood above all the Great Old Ones. One was God Almighty, Omnipotent and Omniscient; the other was Lord of the Mysteries, the King of Space-Time; and the last was Mother Goddess of Depravity, Origin of Evil."

Upon hearing Adam's last sentence, Klein couldn't help but look down at his left sleeve. Arrodes was hiding inside.

No wonder Arrodes said that he saw a pillar and support from me… Klein had suddenly arrived at a state of enlightenment as he was a little more convinced by what Visionary Adam had said.

At this moment, Adam added at an adequate pace, "Currently, the first two pillars only exist in the form of sefirot. And after the Mother Goddess of Depravity had the Brood Hive and two Beyonder pathways separated from "Her," "She" became not much different from the other Outer Deities. Only "Her" symbol as a pillar remains."

If it wasn't for the blood-stained stake in his chest, Klein definitely would've felt that the ambiance was great for a conversation. In moments when his mind trailed, he even imagined that he and Adam were friends and were happily discussing some mysticism knowledge, waiting for "His" child, Amon, to return home for dinner.

Of course, I'm "dinner"… I have to say that a Spectator's ability to influence others' knowledge, experience, and state is really too powerful… As Klein told himself to be on guard, he asked in puzzlement, "I thought that the Outer Deities like the Mother Goddess of Depravity, who has two or even three sefirot, are considered pillars."

Adam looked down at the silver cross pendant hanging across "His" chest and said, "She" only has one sefirah.

"Under normal circumstances, the sefirot can't be separated. Only when the original Creator split and created an embodiment of convergence and separation did the sefirot tear apart, allowing some of them to be sucked into our planet."

"In other words, the present sefirah the Mother Goddess of Depravity has is incomplete. The future Great Old One, Mother of All, won't be a complete Great Old One?" Klein pressed.

Adam's lips twitched as though "He" was smiling.

"It was so at the beginning, but the sefirot has the ability to mend itself. The present Mother Goddess of Depravity's sefirah isn't incomplete, and the Brood Hive can also create a Great Old One itself. The only problem is that the Mother Goddess of Depravity can only use a portion of pillar 'She' symbolizes, unless she has fused with the Brood Hive again.

"This has also caused the birth of life and the feminist powers in the entire universe to undergo a certain anomaly. However, thousands of years of time at astronomical scales is a very short period of time, and the corresponding influence hasn't spread.

"And if any Outer Deity obtains a sefirah that is neighboring 'Theirs,' making it equivalent to having two sefirot—I can't predict what will happen. Before that, only the original Creator had contained more than singular sefirah. However, as long as 'He' awakens, 'He' will definitely split apart."

Klein nodded and asked thoughtfully, "In the beginning, the Creator accommodated at least nine sefirot. This doesn't mean that having two sefirot or even three will not result in problems. There should be a critical point."

"No one can verify this at the moment." Adam held the silver cross pendant in front of "His" chest and said, "I'm guessing that some existences have attempted it before. After all, convergence is a very strong instinct, but the outcome is unknown."

"Which existences?" Klein rubbed the bloody cross wooden stake that was stuck in his chest.

Adam cast "His" gaze at the gigantic cross that was more than a hundred meters tall in front of "Him" and calmly said,

"The God Almighty from the early First Epoch. 'He' can also be called the Primordial One. In addition, there's also the Lord of the Mysteries—the one you often recite…"

As "He" spoke, Adam turned to look at Klein and said in an imitating manner, "The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

…These two seem to have vanished… The outcome of "Their" attempts doesn't seem too good? Klein hadn't thought of what he wanted to say when Adam turned "His" head and looked at the second Blasphemy Slate.

"What I can be sure of is that some sefirot cannot be accommodated at the same time.

"In this universe, there is a hidden fourth pillar. It represents everything, including the end of the Great Old Ones and the universe itself. It corresponds to the two sefirot—River of Eternal Darkness and City of Calamity.

"Simply put, if Evernight can become an Eternal Darkness, Singularity of All, Space-Time-in-One, 'She' can further occupy the two pathways of Demoness and Red Priest, encompassing the City of Calamity, and becoming the true fourth pillar. However, when that happens, 'She' will either enter a deep sleep, be passively split apart, or it will cause the entire Universe, including "Her" and us, to be annihilated, starting everything all over again."

Never expected that… Once Above the Sequences level is reached, the symbolism is more important than authority… Adam, no, the ancient sun god's mysticism knowledge is simply too terrifying. As expected of a quasi Great Old One… Klein sighed when he heard that.

He thought and said, "In other words, a demigod from the Sleepless pathway can transfer to the Demoness pathway?"

"That's right." Adam looked straight ahead. "But in that case, there's no way to become a Great Old One, unless one thinks of a way to separate the Beyonder characteristics from before."

As Klein looked up, he read the demigod potion formulas of the Spectator, Sleepless, and Arbiter pathways and changed the topic:

"Where did the potion formula related to the Great Old Ones come from?

"The first Blasphemy Slate didn't seem to contain them… Were they hidden in the different Sequence 0 potions?"

Adam's expression changed slightly, and "His" face seemed to be more radiant.

"After I gained initial control of the omnipotence and omniscience authority, I began to deduce the method and pathway to become a Great Old One. Finally, I found a suitable formula and figured out the different symbolism.

"Unfortunately, at that time, the Primordial One had also awoken inside me…"

Therefore, when the ancient sun god perished, you used a portion of your body and will to create a second Blasphemy Slate? Klein sighed and said, "From now on, there will be light for the apocalypse."

It also ended the chaotic battle between the deities due to anger, emotions, and other reasons. It initiated the era of working towards becoming Great Old Ones.

Adam maintained "His" previous expression and didn't say anything.

Klein fell silent. After a few seconds, he suddenly asked, "What kind of humanity did you fabricate in that marionette of mine?"

Adam turned "His" head and said with clear eyes, "He was too tired. He wanted rest and freedom, even if it was only for a few seconds."

Klein gaped, not knowing how to respond.

"Why didn't you address him as Gehrman Sparrow, but refer to him as 'that marionette'?" Adam asked warmly, as though "He" was trying to straighten out the thoughts of a member of "His" congregation.

Klein turned his head to look at "Him," and suddenly said with a smile, "I'm Gehrman Sparrow. Gehrman Sparrow is a part of me. If I separate them, even if I can escape your divine kingdom, it will be difficult for me to avert the fate of losing control."

Having said that, Klein paused and looked ahead. He asked in a deep voice, "You only have godhood left?"

…

Rorsted Archipelago, City of Generosity, Bayam.

After returning here, Verdu Abraham learned that the God of War was a rather active existence in the Fourth Epoch. It was possible for "Him" to respond to believers.

Then, he hired a poor person who willingly risked his life to pray to the God of War to confirm that there was no danger.

And the price of all of that was 300 gold pounds.

Now, he received a report that not only was that poor person not dead, he even had some of his wishes fulfilled!

Chapter 1348 Preparation for the Ritual

Blue Mountain Island, within a primitive forest.

Worried that official Beyonders would discover the ritual outside the city, Verdu Abraham, who had finished making preparations, used a Sealed Artifact to "Teleport" away from Bayam and arrived in someplace that was nearly uninhabited.

Rubbing the pain in his ribs, Verdu took off his classic robe and placed it aside.

Following that, he set up an altar, lit the candles, and burnt the correct essential oils, extracts, herbal powder, etc.

After finishing the setup, Verdu took two steps back and lowered his voice to chant in ancient Hermes, "The great God of War;

"The symbol of iron and blood;

"The ruler of chaos and strife…"

A howling wind echoed in the dark forest.

Amidst the rustling of the branches and leaves, two of the candles on the altar suddenly emitted crackling sounds.

The corresponding candle flames rose from the size of a "sapling" to a "towering tree."

At the same time, the color of the candlelight changed from orange to bright white.

The wind that passed through the forest became even more intense. Two fiery pillars of fire intertwined together, twisting into a blurry and huge figure.

At that moment, Verdu Abraham felt an indescribable gaze cast from high above and onto his body.

He hurriedly bowed his head and said, "Great God of War. Your lowly believer would like to pray for your help."

As he spoke, he kept adjusting his attitude and tried his best to remain calm.

He knew from his family's books that the most important thing to take note of when praying to the God of War was to "not be angry."

The massive figure formed from a blinding white flame constantly spewed out flames as it used a language that Verdu could understand, but had no idea what it was.

"Lowly mortal, a god is not used to satisfy your wishes.

"Speak, say your prayers, and I'll decide whether to help you in the end."

Verdu had already drafted out his request, so he said after some thought, "Great God of War, what should I do to make my ancestor, Mr. Door Bethel Abraham, return to the real world?"

"A ritual. Sacrifice a Bizarro Sorcerer, a Secrets Sorcerer, and a Parasite. You should already know about it," the flaming giant said in a deep and dignified manner.

It's the same as the answer given by Dorian's student… Verdu sighed and said,

"Great God of War, what must I pay to request you to complete this ritual for me?"

The flaming giant looked down at the Astrologer and said, "The corresponding price is not something you can afford. Your pale and puny soul isn't even qualified to be embers."

Just as Verdu was disappointed and abnormally depressed, the flaming giant continued, "But Mr. Door can.

"Besides, I'm in a good mood today.

"Sacrifice a portion of your blood to me as the mark of the contract. I will request the corresponding price from Mr. Door."

That's possible? Verdu subconsciously had his suspicions, but after some thought, he felt that there was nothing wrong with it.

Indeed, only his ancestor, Bethel Abraham, had the right to trade with a secret existence like the God of War!

As for whether Mr. Door was willing to proceed with the deal, Verdu had never considered it. From his point of view, anyone who was in an exiled and sealed state would undoubtedly want to escape, even if they had to pay a huge price!

"Yes, great God of War." After pondering for a moment, Verdu agreed.

He then changed the ritual and added the sacrifice and bestowment parts of a ritual. He then used a metal dagger to pierce through his arm and let out dark red blood.

When his blood turned into red "pearls" and passed through the Door of Sacrifice and Bestowment, it became extremely dark, as though there were countless monsters lurking in it.

In the next second, an object was spat out from behind the illusory door.

It was a semi-transparent meat blob with slippery tentacles. On the meat blob, twisted maggots crawled out one after another.

Upon seeing the object, Verdu's head turned dizzy as though large amounts of gunk had been injected into it.

At this moment, a flame landed, enveloping his body, turning his vision red.

With this layer of red light, Verdu no longer suffered any anomalies when looking at the blob of meat.

Right on the heels of that, another object was spat out of the Door of Sacrifice and Bestowment.

It was a bird with a deformed head. Every feather shimmered with a faint stellar radiance. Strands of insect-like brilliance drilled into its body and occasionally emanated out.

Worm of Stars… Is this a monster with a Secrets Sorcerer's Beyonder characteristic? The previous one corresponds to a Bizarro Sorcerer… Indeed, Secrets Sorcerer and Bizarro Sorcerer are only names of potions. They aren't just referring to humans. It's the same with the title of demigods. Unless the term half-man is added to the title… Verdu has a deep understanding of his pathway, allowing him to understand the current situation.

And this meant that the ritual to help Mr. Door escape could be done by sacrificing demigod monsters of the Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder pathways. Furthermore, there was no need for Verdu to do it himself. The great God of War had already prepared everything.

This made it difficult for Verdu to suppress the joy in his heart. He looked at the Door of Sacrifice and Bestowment light with great anticipation, waiting for the third sacrifice to be spat out.

In just a second, an object flew out from the darkness behind the door and landed on the altar.

It was an unconscious crow. Of course, it only looked like a crow. Its right eye had a ring of black, and its feathers were almost transparent. On it were rings.

A monster corresponding to Parasite… Verdu was delighted as he sincerely praised the great God of War.

…

Inside the corpse cathedral.

"You only have godhood left?" Klein asked in a low voice as he looked at the huge cross in front of him.

He felt that using a certain identity or a particular persona to revive definitely had problems. Even if the identity, the persona, had a real body, real Beyonder characteristics, and a certain level of self-awareness, it still wouldn't be nearly perfect.

And Adam's behavior had deepened his suspicions.

Sitting beside him, Adam, who was dressed in a simple white robe, didn't show any change in expression. "He" maintained "His" composure when preaching.

"Yes.

"I'll only be complete if I fuse with 'True.'"

Indeed… Klein sighed and said, "Although the True Creator is an embodiment of negative personalities and extreme emotions, 'He' has also inherited your humanity?"

"That's why 'He' went mad." Adam appeared to be speaking about a stranger.

Klein thought for a moment before interpreting the remaining contents of the second Blasphemy Slate. He asked, "If the two of you really fuse as one, who among you will take center stage?"

"This is what we have been competing for after we awakened," Adam said as "He" released the hand holding the silver cross pendant.

Therefore, you obtained the first Blasphemy Slate through Amon, hoping to use it to gain control of the Chaos Sea and gain the upper hand? Klein was enlightened as he nodded with a frown.

"All of you seem to have a tacit understanding regarding this matter. The True Creator has never made an issue out of your identity or used external forces to deal with you."

"This is between us," Adam replied calmly.

Klein fell silent for a few seconds before staring at the Blasphemy Slate.

"I have a nagging feeling that the Red Angel's death and many of the things that happened during the Fourth Epoch weren't that simple."

Klein kept asking and probing. Apart from trying to understand more secrets and gain more knowledge, he was stalling for time and maintaining their present interaction.

Compared to being hypnotized by Adam and turning muddle-headed, or sleeping directly, he wished to stay awake.

With this in mind, Klein lowered his head to look at the blood-stained wooden stake embedded in his chest. He felt that the pain it brought was so real.

"Why do you say that?" Adam asked in return, as if "He" would begin praying at any moment.

Klein deliberated over his words and said, "Before the Black Emperor returned, the Solomon Empire only had one true god, the True Creator, and the Red Priest's Uniqueness. The nobles and powers who supported Alista Tudor occupied the four Uniquenesses of Visionary, Door, Error, The Fool. Together, even adding on the King of Angels Ouroboros, 'They' wouldn't be able to fend off the six orthodox deities like Evernight and company. Furthermore, 'They' still had the Justiciar Uniqueness on hand…

"In such a situation, even if you didn't plan on scheming to target the Red Angel, no one will suspect you. Of course, a crazy Blood Emperor might be more useful to you."

Adam's gaze remained unchanged as "He" stared at the huge cross.

"You don't understand because you don't know enough.

"In the Fourth Epoch, apart from the three great empires and the true deities and Kings of Angels behind them, there were also the Demoness Sect and the Moses Ascetic Order. There was also the Abyss's infiltration and secretly developed Artisans, as well as the Southern Continent's Balam.

"And that wasn't all. In addition, there were many crucial factors at stake."

Klein nodded thoughtfully and said, "For example, the conflict between the six deities?"

Adam smiled warmly and said, "More than that."

Without waiting for Klein to ask further, Adam added calmly, "You should have been to Bansy."

Klein's heart stirred as he opened his mouth but didn't say a word.

Adam continued, "In addition, after I perished, the invasion on reality by the Outer Deities clearly deepened."

…

In the ancient palace above the fog.

Due to the lack of response to the prayer light representing Bernadette, it kept expanding and contracting, emitting rippling halos.

This provoked the vortex formed by the transparent maggots. It frantically flailed its slippery tentacles and lashed towards that direction.

After repeated misses, one of the tentacles touched the correct prayer light.

Chapter 1349 Door

After Bernadette received no response, she held the Magic Wishing Lamp and walked to the window in the captain's cabin to take in the deep blue sea.

She wasn't impatient, nor did she attempt to use her powers of prophecy, patiently waiting for any further developments.

After a few minutes, a grayish-white fog suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.

Right on the heels of that, the fog was dyed golden, as though it was coated with a layer of sticky syrup.

Bernadette immediately bowed her head and looked at the Magic Wishing Lamp in her hand. She saw that the wick at the mouth of the lamp had automatically ignited itself.

Above the gray fog, in the ancient palace, beside The Fool's chair, the prayer light, which was the size of a human head, was instantly occupied by a distorted, blurry golden figure.

The figure's gaze penetrated the prayer light and penetrated the grayish-white fog, looking at the "maggot vortex" that was attempting to destroy everything around it.

"His" voice immediately reverberated within Sefirah Castle, dignified and grand:

"You actually lost control?"

The tone of Genie was clearly mocking; "He" didn't care whether the crazy Worms of Spirit could understand "Him."

At this moment, a strange door of light formed from countless balls of light appeared above the chair of The Fool that had already collapsed.

It was faintly discernible and emitted a bright light, forming a complicated symbol in midair.

This symbol originally existed behind The Fool's chair, formed from the Pupil-less Eye and the Contorted Lines.

As the symbol took form, the strange light became fainter and eventually completely fused into this space.

In the next second, Klein's voice came from the symbol representing The Fool:

"Genie, I want to make a deal with you."

The blurry and distorted figure immediately laughed.

"Haha, I said that you would eventually agree."

After laughing for a few seconds, Genie calmed down and said, "I was just wondering how is it possible for the new owner of Sefirah Castle to so easily lose control."

"This was a preparation I made for the worst-case scenario." The voice in the symbol of The Fool wasn't impatient at all.

Genie laughed and said, "Aren't you afraid that I'll raise the price at the last minute?"

Klein replied unhurriedly, "This is just one of my preparations, but for you, it might be the only chance for many years."

Genie's light-gold figure swayed as though it had been blown by a gust of wind as a grand voice sounded:

"My condition is the same as before. As long as you can remove the seal and release me, I will take what belongs to me back to the cosmos. I will leave the rest to you and grant you three wishes.

"Of course, from the looks of it, you seem to need my advance payment."

Klein's voice sounded again from the symbol of The Fool:

"The promise I'll give you is to send the Magic Wishing Lamp into the cosmos before the end of 1368 in this epoch Age. As for how you get out of your predicament, that is your own problem. My request is even simpler, and I only need two wishes.

"This is the deal I'm talking about. Whether you agree with it is up to you."

1368 was the year when the Oldest One's barrier disappeared. It was acknowledged by the world's prophets as the apocalypse.

The blurry and distorted figure fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "If you don't remove the seal, the wishes I can grant will be very limited. Once it exceeds a certain level, it will be granted in an extremely twisted fashion."

Inside the symbol of The Fool that was cast with a brilliant light, Klein's calm voice sounded:

"You can fulfill the two wishes I need now."

Genie fell silent again and didn't speak for a long time.

…

Bayam, inside the primitive forest.

Verdu, who was burning up both internally and externally, didn't waste any time. According to the God of War's instructions, he modified the altar and engraved the correct symbols, magic labels, and strange patterns.

He was originally worried that the three demigod monsters would suddenly wake up, but when the ritual was ready, the sacrificial items remained unconscious, unable to resist.

After placing the squirming meat blob, the deformed star bird, and the white raven with a dark eye circle onto the right spot, Verdu looked at the only candle on the altar and lit it.

Then, he took a few steps back and chanted solemnly in Jotun, "Great Door of All Doors;

"Guide of the endless cosmos;

"Key to all mysterious worlds."

"I pray for your response, praying for you to descend into this world…"

Before he could finish his sentence, three loud bangs sounded from the altar.

The three demigod monsters that corresponded to Bizarro Sorcerer, Secrets Sorcerer, and Parasite seemed to be being held by an invisible hand. They only struggled slightly before exploding, turning into blobs of flesh and blood that shimmered with different colors.

The flesh and blood seemed to have a life of its own. Under the guidance of some indescribable force, they gathered in the air, forming strange and filthy symbols.

Countless symbols combined together, forming a huge door that was still squirming like flesh and blood, one that was more than five meters tall.

The door stood on the altar. It was pitch black inside, and it was unknown where it went.

Flames from the candle representing Mr. Door suddenly soared, illuminating the entire Door of Flesh and Blood, illuminating the darkness within.

In the darkness, there were tiny balls of stellar light condensing into spherical lights. On closer inspection, they looked like strange insects with bent bodies.

The spherical light rapidly rose, forming a gigantic arm that passed through the Doors of Flesh and Blood.

This arm, which clearly didn't belong to a human, pressed against the altar and forcefully squeezed out, causing the entire Door of Blood and Flesh to shake. Even the forest and the entire island began to shake as though it was an earthquake.

Verdu watched this scene happily, and his vision suddenly blurred.

Pa!

Something fell from his face into the bushes.

Verdu subconsciously lowered his head and saw an eye with bulging blood vessels rolling around.

Pa, Pa, Pa. His nose, ears, and remaining eye, as well as his muscles, plopped to the ground one after another, each seeping with a stellar radiance.

Thump!

His body collapsed as his flesh and blood completely collapsed.

At that moment, the arm finally squeezed through the Door of Flesh and Blood and attempted to pull out the rest of its body.

Boom!

In the darkness behind the door, thick lightning bolts formed a storm and descended, but they were swallowed by the sudden appearance of a blood-colored tide.

Finally, a gigantic figure formed from pure spherical lights passed through the Door of Flesh and Blood.

In the next second, the spherical light began to collapse and fold, as though they were going to undergo a qualitative change. Following that, dark cracks appeared out of the void in the surrounding forest.

These cracks directly engulfed the different parts of the trees, turning them into strange shapes.

At the same time, a hurricane from unknown origins blew out from a crack and swept in all directions. The entire Blue Mountain Island that Bayam was on trembled as though it was about to sink.

Inside the Cathedral of Waves, Alger Wilson, who was vexed over failing to monitor Verdu after he "Teleported," suddenly heard the sounds of doors opening.

Every door in the city was opened automatically at this moment.

This… Alger turned his head and looked into the forest outside the city that seemed to be the source of the anomaly.

Thud!

The moment the door opened, Derrick, who had been woken up by the earthquake, frowned.

Creak! Creak! Creak!

In the cities like Backlund, Trier, and St. Millom, all things that could be called doors opened.

…

Above the gray fog, in the half-collapsed ancient palace, the crazy maggot vortex instinctively attacked the light-gold figure and The Fool symbol, but nothing came out of it.

After nearly a minute, Genie suddenly chuckled.

"You really aren't 'Him.' Otherwise, I'd have distorted the promise you made just now and made 'His' seal be removed automatically."

"This effect can only be achieved by twisting the original owner's words? You previously used this method to realize that I'm not the Lord of the Mysteries?" Klein's voice sounded from the symbol of The Fool.

Genie scoffed and said, "I have at least ten ways to verify that it's 'Him.'"

Without waiting for Klein's reply, the pale-gold figure smiled and said, "You don't seem like you can maintain this state for too long. Alright, the deal has been made. After I complete your two wishes, you must send the Magic Wishing Lamp into the cosmos before 1368 of this epoch."

Genie's voice gradually turned solemn, as if "He" was proclaiming a law.

At that moment, "He" seemed to have established a particular rule based on this deal. There was no need to worry that Klein would go back on his word in the future.

"If you can't fulfill this promise, even if you become the Lord of the Mysteries, you will perish and split," warned the Genie as he asked, "Tell me your two wishes. Take note. Don't involve higher-level Beyonder characteristics, and don't exceed the limit of my present powers. Otherwise, the wish will be granted in a distorted way. This is a rule that has been set. I can't violate it now."

In the symbol of The Fool that was outlined by the bright light, Klein's voice calmly said, "The first wish: The two wishes that Bernadette Gustav previously made are to be brought under my name. This should be very simple for you."

Genie immediately said with a smile, "Indeed, you want to make use of the terrible outcome from making a third wish to deal with your current predicament. Not bad, this is something that stems from my level. I will satisfy your wish and let you die in pain."

Klein's voice sounded again:

"The second wish: Let my Utopia give rise to a corresponding region in the spirit world. This doesn't involve the advancement of a Sequence, nor does it have anything to do with higher-level Beyonder characteristics. You can definitely do it."

Genie's light-gold figure wavered before "He" said with a smile, "Your wish will be granted."

…

Inside the corpse cathedral.

Klein touched the bloody wooden stake on his chest, as though he was considering how to get it out.

During this process, he casually asked Adam, "You didn't attempt to become a god in the Fourth Epoch because you didn't obtain 0-08?"

"It was one factor. More importantly, there were still many latent dangers that haven't been resolved at that time." Adam looked at the huge cross in front of "Him" with a warm gaze.

Klein turned his head to the side and looked at the Visionary and said, "For example, during that period, the remnant will of the Primordial One was still very strong…"

Before he finished his sentence, a large amount of bright-red blood flowed down Klein's head.

However, the corner of his lips curled up slightly.