The Secret Identity

The potion's origin can be traced back to "Horror Viscount " Bird Mustang, the second mate of Nast Solomon, "King of the Five Seas" .

When Rawls discovered that his predecessor had become Bird Mustang's intelligence spy in Backlund due to a Sequence Nine potion, he was devastated.

The predecessor obtained the potion from Bird Mustang through Mason, who was also an intelligence spy and had taken the "lawyer" potion. Mason's transformation from a worker to a renowned barrister resulted in the establishment of a thriving family business. The day after the predecessor returned to Backlund from Tingen to attend Mason's funeral, Bird Mustang visited and revealed Mason's true identity.

To preserve Mason's hard-earned law firm, the predecessor chose to become a "lawyer" with the support of "Horror Viscount" Bird Mustang, a powerful pirate with a substantial bounty. Mustang's intelligence spy in Backlund.

However, Bird Mustang hastily departed after imparting some esoteric knowledge and information-sharing techniques to the predecessor, leaving behind no specific tasks.

A year ago, Bird Mustang, also known as "Horror Viscount," assigned the predecessor a task to gather intelligence on the Loen Kingdom's secret production of ironclad ships. Yet, the predecessor accomplished nothing over the course of a year, and Mustang did not press for progress, as if he had forgotten to assign a task. A month ago, the predecessor lost control, leading to Rawls' intervention.

Upon examining these events, Rawls harbored numerous doubts. Firstly, the sudden loss of control by the predecessor was inexplicable, lacking any discernible signs or reasons. As the predecessor was not a wild Beyonder and had knowledge of the "acting method" under Bird Mustang's guidance, it was illogical for them to abruptly lose control. Despite being occupied with law firm matters, the predecessor had always adhered to the principles of the "acting law," making such a loss of control implausible.

Secondly, regarding Bird Mustang, the "Horror Viscount ," his identity seems inconsistent. Although he serves as the second mate of Nast, the "King of the Five Seas," who adheres to the virtue of not killing prisoners as required by his Solomon Empire heritage, Bird Mustang is ultimately a pirate, even a notorious one with a bounty exceeding 10,000 pounds!

He treated his predecessor with unexpected kindness. As an intelligence spy, he not only refrained from assigning specific tasks but also imparted valuable knowledge, including the "acting method." Rawls, being unfamiliar with the Beyonder circle, recognizes the significance of "acting." Even low-level members of the seven major churches rarely possess such knowledge, let alone pirates.

Bird Mustang, with a bounty surpassing Qilangos, The Sequence six "Wind Blessed" of the Tyrant Pathway ,spent a whole week teaching the predecessor mystical knowledge in Backlund. If Bird Mustang desired improved information on the ironclad ship, one would expect a sense of urgency or at least a message, but there was none.

Rawls speculated that either Bird Mustang had an unfortunate history with Mason or had ulterior motives. Consequently, Rawls didn't believe that his predecessor's loss of control was connected to Bird Mustang. Regardless of the reasons, it seemed unnecessary for Bird Mustang to be involved.

Ultimately, Rawls possessed an abundance of classified information, yet he remained unharmed. This was illogical! However, Rawls surmised that it might be linked to his predecessor's loss of control. He believed that a higher-ranking power must be shielding him. Even risking his life to recall the original work yielded no relevant clues.

With a deep sigh, Rawls rose from the sofa. All he could do now was wait for Klein, currently imprisoned in Sephirah Castle, and anticipate Zhou Mingrui's release. Today was April 26th, and there remained approximately two months, or perhaps a little longer, until Klein would become a "seer" and possess the energy to bring the third and fourth members to the Sephirah Castle .

There were still two to three months ahead. Rawls planned to utilize this time to digest the potion and ascertain if he could advance to Sequence 8 as a "Barbarian."

Regarding the recipe, he recalled that most Pathway Beyonders could enhance memory effectively, and the "lawyer" potion was considered the best for this purpose.

The primary materials for "Barbarian" include wildflower grass and a solid horn crystal from a rhinoceros. The auxiliary materials consist of deep-grained walnut, lemon balm, 10 ml of hydrosol soaked in poplar bark, and 100 ml of spirits.

For Rawls, digesting the "lawyer" potion isn't difficult, as his predecessor has already done most of it for him. The Admonition and instruction of the trainee lawyer, Lock Grant, who just followed him, serve as a way for the predecessor to digest the potion and summarize the "lawyer" code of conduct by instructing the trainee lawyer.

Over the past two weeks, Rawls has used this method to summarize the "lawyer's code of conduct" and only needs an opportunity to fully comprehend it.

During this time, Rawls has taken on a few small cases to become familiar with his abilities and not rely on others' life and death. However, through today's lawsuit, he has come to realize the power of Beyonders.

Collecting the main materials for "Barbarian" is no easy task for Rawls. The only Beyonder known to his predecessor was Bird Mustang, and Ken Lister, who was in charge of contacting him, is just an ordinary person. There's a bar on the quayside.

Rawls is aware of several Beyonder circles in Backlund, but joining them requires an introduction, so there may not be many options available. One such circle is Mr. A's circle, where Audrey Hall was brought in by Fors Wall. However, this involves the lunatic group of the Aurora Society, and Rawls isn't sure of Fors's whereabouts. To find Fors, he must first get the information from Hugh Deracha, which shouldn't be difficult since she has a great reputation among the working class and gangster organizations in the Eastern District of Backlund.

Another extraordinary circle is Detective Isengard Stanton's Extraordinary party in Iron Gate Street, Bridge District, near the Brave Bar. There is a woman who requires the "Barbarian" formula, and it should be possible to exchange the formula for potions. Furthermore, there should be a "craftsman" behind her, which would enable Rawls to acquire some extraordinary items.

Apart from finding Beyonder circles, Rawls also needs to start physical exercise and practice fighting skills. Neither he nor his predecessor have any experience in this area, but they will undoubtedly need these skills in the future.

Picking up mystery knowledge is always a good idea. Learning more is beneficial. The esoteric materials left by "Horror Viscount" should still be in the secret room. If Rawls searches through them, he might uncover some secrets related to the "Lawyer" sequence.

With these thoughts in mind, Rawls realizes that he may face challenging times ahead. He lets out a sigh, falls back on the sofa, and lies down once again.