Chapter 8 : Roaldie

"The Fool!"

Upon hearing these words, Klein's heart raced, momentarily ignoring the throbbing pain in his head. He entertained thoughts of potentially altering his name at the next gathering. The prospect of engaging with a god was, after all, quite exhilarating.

However, his excitement was short-lived as he noticed Lin Ruo's expression turning into one of deep perplexity.

"But as far as I know, that path of Sequence 0 hasn't been manifested yet. How could you have encountered Him?"

There isn't one? Well, that's a relief!

Klein let out an unconscious sigh of relief. The idea of changing his name gradually faded away. He had just revealed his name as "The Fool," and switching it now would undermine the sense of authority he was trying to project. Carelessness might cause a fall from his carefully built façade.

Klein considered that pretending was his best course of action. If there truly was an issue with using this title, changing it now might not provide the escape he hoped for. So, he decided to persist with it.

This was not unexpected. Given Klein's lack of reverence for gods, he hadn't truly comprehended the horrors of the supernatural world. Thus, he wasn't bothered by the potentially fatal implications others might associate with his choice of title.

At this juncture, Lin Ruo inquired further, "Klein, can you provide me with a detailed description of 'The Fool'? Of course, if there are any prohibitions on divulging such information, then never mind."

"Hmm... I apologize," Klein hesitated momentarily and then shook his head.

He opted not to share much, as he was still unfamiliar with this world's Beyonder world. Revealing too much could prove problematic.

"That's alright." Lin Ruo deliberately let a hint of disappointment colour his expression. He then managed a forced smile and added, "You seem tired. Why don't you take a rest for a while... Huh?" An overpowering trance suddenly seized his consciousness, leaving Lin Ruo bewildered. Before he could grasp what was happening, he lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, from Klein's perspective, Lin Ruo abruptly vanished mid-sentence.

"Lin Ruo?" Klein called out in surprise. He approached a mirror, examining it from various angles, but Lin Ruo was nowhere to be seen.

"What just happened?"

…

Loen Kingdom, Backlund—

As Lin Ruo regained consciousness, he detected a faint odor before even opening his eyes. The sensation of someone rummaging through his pockets followed.

His body reacted faster than his mind. Lin Ruo heard a scream and, upon opening his eyes, encountered a dishevelled figure. The man, who seemed like a vagrant, recoiled in horror, hands covering his face. He scrambled away, shouting, "Ghost! Ghost!"

A wry smile crossed Lin Ruo's lips as he surveyed his tattered clothing. It appeared the vagrant thought he was some kind of apparition. Looking down, he noticed a large clotted patch of blood on his chest, and a tear in his shirt right over where his heart would be, as though he had been shot through.

Almost instinctively, Lin Ruo raised his shirt, revealing unblemished skin beneath the blood. Drawing from his past experiences, he knew that the wounds must have healed.

Truth be told, Lin Ruo felt a bit stunned. He had merely been teasing Klein back in Tingen. He had only closed his eyes for a moment, but somehow he had transitioned into this world, complete with a new body. It was an adjustment anyone would need time to wrap their head around.

Yet time wasn't on Lin Ruo's side. The sound of footsteps drew closer, indicating someone was approaching the narrow alley where he found himself.

Without pondering how he could hear footsteps from such a distance, Lin Ruo swiftly channelled his spirituality into the secret badge, once again assuming his ethereal state. The badge was still firmly in his grip.

Within moments, the alley hosted two figures. One was the vagrant who had fled, while the other appeared as some sort of police officer.

Observing them from his intangible vantage point, Lin Ruo watched as they surveyed the alley, eventually departing after spotting nothing more than bloodstains. Clearly unimpressed with the vagrant, the officer hurled a few choice words at him before delivering a parting kick.

Thankfully, neither of them lingered, and soon they had both left the scene. Lin Ruo let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, preparing to examine his own body more closely in his ghostly form. Just as he was about to do so, a flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his mind.

They belonged to the person whose body he now inhabited.

According to these memories, the original occupant of this body was Roldi Fryer, a 19-year-old detective. He held the Sequence 9 potion and had quite the unfortunate past.

As per his recollections, Roaldie Fryer was born into an aristocratic family and enjoyed a contented life. However, seven years ago, his father, the Viscount, was imprisoned due to his involvement in a rebellion. The elder Fryer soon met his end through prison suicide.

Though neither Roldi Fryer nor his mother were directly implicated, the family faced severe suppression from various quarters following the Viscount's death. The weight of these circumstances nearly crushed the Fryer family, with Roaldie's mother succumbing to despair and passing away.

Events took a darker turn when Roaldie was on the cusp of adulthood. A fire engulfed his world, reducing all he knew to ashes. Were it not for his loyal old butler's sacrifice, Roaldie would have perished in the inferno.

Roaldie's life shifted dramatically after the fire. He discovered that someone sought to obliterate his potential future and family legacy. Despite not knowing his enemy's identity, he refused to abandon his quest for justice.

Fueled by hatred, he elected to remain in Backlund and embarked on a path of investigation. He took on the role of a detective to gain the means for revenge.

Aware of the existence of Beyonder beings, he actively engaged in Beyonder gatherings, eventually stumbling upon the truth of the supernatural world. In one such gathering, he acquired the formula for the Sequence 9 Hunter's potion. Recently, he'd collected all the necessary ingredients for the concoction.

Emboldened by the promise of revenge, Roaldie brewed the potion the day before and, upon consuming it, ascended to the position of a Sequence 9 hunter.

In theory, this should have marked the beginning of Roaldie's journey toward vengeance. He might not have achieved revenge outright, but he could hope for a better life than before. Yet, in an impulsive move fueled by newfound abilities, he ventured alone into Backlund's Eastern District. There, he encountered a human trafficker, and a scuffle ensued.

Despite his string of misfortunes, Roaldie faced his challenges with unwavering determination. His sense of justice remained strong. It was in this state that he found himself targeted by his adversary, the human trafficker, who managed to strike him down with a single bullet.