In the dense fog, Lumian stared at the oil lamp, feeling an urge to light it and see what would happen.
Eventually, he controlled himself and refrained from taking the risk.
With everything still in a state of chaos and uncertainty, Lumian believed that making any high-risk decisions would be unwise.
He also had no intention of taking the oil lamp to trade with Albus Medici for the head of the Abscessed Hand. Since the Iron and Blood Cross Order placed the oil lamp here without guarding it, they probably weren't worried about losing it or had many similar lamps.
Based on his observations, Lumian deduced that the pale yellow grease in the lamp likely didn't come from Iron-blooded Knights and Demonesses of Despair. It was different from corpse wax candles and seemed to be a mixture of mid-sequence Hunters and Demonesses.
Though it's less effective than a corpse wax candle, it should still work in the underground of Morora, which is similar to Fourth Epoch Trier...
Lumian reached into his Traveler's Bag.
Just because he couldn't light it or take it didn't mean he couldn't do anything.
He planned to add something extra to the oil lamp, ensuring the Iron and Blood Cross Order would face unforeseen complications during their rituals!
Lumian took out some old blood powder from the Demon Warlock, Ice Lemon Fish fillets, a Berserk Agent from the Nightstalkers, and another Bark Agent from the same source.
He placed them on the half-height stone platform, mixed a bit of each into a brown lump the size of a human finger joint.
What do you call this? A cocktail! Lumian chuckled, putting all the materials back into his Traveler's Bag. He then took out Mr. K's finger, sliced off some flesh, and wrapped it around the brown lump.
This was a precaution against the Iron and Blood Cross Order's inspection-Hunters from the Order would undoubtedly check the oil lamp for any issues before use, as it wasn't always under their strict watch.
In Morora, Lumian didn't worry that using Mr. K's finger this way would be detected.
Looking at the blood-stained lump, Lumian reluctantly scooped a bit of the semi-solid, yellowish-red substance from his corpse wax candle and smeared it on the lump.
A double disguise, combined with a higher-Sequence, godhood-possessing item, should fool the Hunters' noses and eyes!
Once the lump was coated with the yellowish-red substance, Lumian examined the candle, reassuring himself, Just a Iittle bit, it shouldn't affect the number of uses...
After putting away the corpse wax candle, Lumian picked up the oil lamp, removed the wick made of woven black hair, and carefully submerged the yellowish-red lump into the semi-solid grease, ensuring it stayed in the desired position.
Seeing the lump's yellowish-red color blend with the surrounding grease, leaving only faint traces hidden inside, Lumian breathed in relief and slowly inserted the wick back into the semi-solid grease.
After several adjustments, the wick's position and condition finally met Lumian's requirements.
He could already imagine the scene:
The oil lamp would initially burn normally, with the corpse wax having perhaps a hint of godhood, enhancing the ritual's effect and immersing the Iron and Blood Cross Order members in the sensory experience.
This would last for twenty or thirty seconds, after which the corpse wax part would burn.
This would bring an intense pact-like experience, potentially fatal for some Order members with weaker wills.
Of course, this might also benefit some members, causing positive mutations, but the corpse wax portion was minimal, and the burn would soon reach the random materials wrapped in Mr. K's flesh.
Lumian wasn't sure what the impact would be, but he was confident it would worsen the situation.
Just suck on this one; it hits strong. Lumian recalled how South Continent people described East Balam cigarettes, smiling as he addressed the imaginary Order members.
Then, he cleaned up the traces on the oil lamp and tidied the scattered rubble.
Following the faint scent of various perfumes, Lumian found his way back to the basement crack through the dense fog, leaving the area slowly.
He transformed into a shadow creature, silently returned to the Carnivore bar, and pretended to sleep to avoid an ambush by Albus Medici, Gusain, and others.
At six in the morning, Lumian felt refreshed.
He rolled out of bed, stretched his neck, and laughed softly.
"Didn't come? Albus and the others didn't come, neither did Wanak. Do they think I have teleportation abilities, making it hard to kill me outside a special battlefield or without special items?
"Heh heh, you're too hesitant, too cautious. Now I have shadows again, no longer afraid of sunlight, and can block another fatal attack..."
Lumian drew the curtains, gazing at the brightening dawn, his eyes falling on the books from the Church of Knowledge on his desk.
He instinctively felt a headache, frowning.
He resisted reading and learning, struggling with an indescribable inner turmoil.
If there were only a few books, Lumian would be highly motivated, reading diligently and focusing intently, but knowing there were three whole shelves of books and thousands of scrolls left him feeling defeated, unwilling to start.
After several seconds, Lumian rubbed his temples, sighed, and muttered to himself,
Well, since 0-01 was sealed by the Church of Knowledge, I should respect knowledge.
There's nothing else to do now, just waiting for Albus and Julie to take further action, hoping to seize an opportunity and direction...
Lumian sat down, leaning back in his chair, placing his feet on the edge of the desk, reading the books specified by Heraberg in a comfortable but precarious position.
He had read the first two or three chapters before and found nothing noteworthy, but this time he planned to study in depth.
As he read, Lumian's expression gradually changed.
He became engrossed in the reading, almost forgetting the time until Lez knocked on the door, telling him breakfast was ready.
"Okay." Lumian nodded, setting down the book without any visible changes and heading out of the room.
Almost at the door, he saw Lez turning towards the stairs and half-turned back, glancing at the books on the desk with a puzzled expression.
These books indeed contained important knowledge!
He was currently reading one thoroughly and had skimmed through the others, already finding similarities with the details in the 0-01 sealing information, along with more detailed explanations!
If I read through the three bookshelves and pass the exam, I might find a way to approach 0-01 through the overall sealing operation and use the sealing principles to protect myself when touching the artifact...
Knowledge is power, knowledge is wealth, knowledge holds all the answers... Lumian withdrew his gaze, his eyes flashing with thoughts as he entered the hallway and turned towards the stairs.
The problem now was that this kind of knowledge brought noticeable corruption, just like the 0-01 sealing information. Lumian worried that the more he learned, the closer he got to 0-01, the more likely he would become its puppet.
Also, if I focus too much on reading these books, Albus, Julie, Gusain, and Wanak might get suspicious and also borrow a few books from the Church of Knowledge. Then I would lose my advantage... I need to wander aimlessly every day, set traps for them, outsmart them, and make it seem like I'm just reading out of boredom... Lumian's smile gradually widened.
He finished the flight of stairs and glanced at Julie sitting on a bar stool at the counter.
The Demoness wore a white shirt and black skirt, looking quite demure, but she swayed her waist gently, making the stool spin.
She glanced back at Lumian and continued talking to Lez, "I only think about finding what I lost from other men when I'm in a terrible mood. Normally, I just feel jealous and resentful, wondering why I lost it and they still have it?
"And you, your cooking has conquered me. I acknowledge your right to keep that thing, as long as you don't come to me when I'm in a bad mood, I won't do anything to you."
Is that why you Demonesses like turning lovers into Witches? Lumian sat beside Julie, smiling at Lez. "What are you guys talking about?"
Lez licked his lips and replied, "She asked if I was curious about the taste of Demoness meat and cut a small piece for me. Grilled, it was delicious, rich in fat and very chewy. Then we got to the topic we were discussing."
Lumian glanced at Julie and noticed the bandage marks on her left shoulder, with some bloodstains on her shirt.
She really cut it... One daring to cut and the other daring to cook, your mental states and inner worlds are beyond me... Lumian snorted and directly asked Julie, "What are you up to?"
Julie smiled, showing two shallow dimples.
"I want to learn cooking from Lez."
Her face was full of longing and expectation.
To cook for Celeste? You Demonesses... Lumian shook his head and focused on his breakfast.
...
Trier, Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Apartment 702, 9 Rue Orosai.
Franca received a reply from Madam Judgment. The letter began:
"Mr. Star agrees to provide potion formulas and Beyonder ingredients in stages for Amandina's matter, but he doesn't need money or resources. He only hopes you can help with some matters."
Me? What can I help Mr. Star with? Franca pondered deeply.
-x-X-x-
Thinking that if it were truly dangerous and beyond her ability to help, Madam Judgment would surely protect her, Franca pulled out a sheet of pure white paper and began her reply: "Dear Madam Judgment, "If Mr. Star's requests are within reason, I have no problem with them."
After writing this, Franca read the rest of Madam Judgment's letter:
"The Demoness of Black's description and speculation about the Primordial Demoness are a common view within the Demoness Sect. However, if it were that simple, things wouldn't be this complicated.
"Many high-ranking witches believe the mirror world is vital for the Demoness pathway. This isn't entirely inaccurate, but as a collective concept of 'doors', the mirror world seems incapable of bearing such importance.
"These are things we need to understand further.
"Two of Cups, I know this may be harsh, but you still need to continue infiltrating the Demoness Sect for a while. You are currently our highest-ranked member within the sect.
"Due to the peculiarities of the Demoness pathway, we cannot actively cultivate male Assassins, and the existing Demoness Sect members are mentally twisted, longing to approach the Primordial One. We can only passively wait and find people like you who inadvertently enter the Assassin pathway..."
Suddenly feeling a heavy sense of responsibility... Franca muttered to herself, sighed, and continued writing her reply.
She wasn't too disappointed, still hoping to obtain the main ingredients for the Demoness of Despair within the sect, provided she found a way to bypass the cruel requirements of the advancement ritual.
After sending her reply, Franca leaned back in her chair, gazing idly out the window at the night sky.
Suddenly, the area in front of her grew extremely dark, and a silver skull emerged from the void, holding a letter in its mouth.
Another letter? What's going on? Franca took it, thanked the messenger, and watched it leave before opening the letter, inhaling its subtle, enduring fragrance:
"Dear Muggle,
"Do you remember the previous invitation?
"We're having an offline gathering in Trier this Saturday at 10 p.m. Are you still interested in attending? If so, please reply promptly, and I'll inform you of the location and participation details.
"Professor."
An offline meeting of the Academy team? Lumian's life is so eventful! I've barely been his proxy for a few days, and I'm already swamped with tasks, one after another... Should he be called 007? Even 007 needs sleep; he doesn't! Franca couldn't help but lampoon.
She had already noticed that wherever Lumian went, hidden catastrophes erupted one after another. But since she hadn't been directly involved in most of them, the impact hadn't been as apparent.
Now, as his liaison, she felt it keenly.
After a while, Franca sighed.
She'd have to use the Ice Amulet to contact Lumian again!
Since obtaining it from the Demoness of Black, she hadn't used it for investigating the Mirror People, spending it all on Lumian-related matters.
She needed to ask Lumian if he wanted to attend the offline gathering of the Academy team, which might include members of the Moses Ascetic Order. If he did, he'd need to designate a substitute and try to send out the Lie earrings.
Franca quickly wrote a letter regarding the matter, wrapping a copper coin, some wraith dust, and her rarely used Beatrice's Necklace in the paper.
She had noticed that after passing through the seal of Morora, Lumian's letters lost their physical form, leaving only pure information. So, she planned to experiment, seeing if ordinary items, highly spiritual items, and Beyonder items could all pass through the seal and in what state they would exist.
The experiment's results would determine if the Lie earrings could be sent out.
If it weren't for the fact that each mystical item was precious and useful, Franca would have included items containing Beyonder characteristics in this experiment.
After preparing the small package, Franca walked to the full-length mirror in the living room, putting on the Ice Amulet.
As it flashed with crystalline cold light, Franca pressed the package into the glass surface.
...
Late at night in Morora, on the second floor of the Carnivore bar.
Lumian sat under a glowing white fireball, focused on reading "Examples of Underground Mausoleum Construction."
Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and glanced at the mirror in the room.
The mirror's surface had turned dark, with ripples moving within it.
Lumian reluctantly set down his book, approached the mirror, and placed his right hand on it.
He saw Intisian words appearing on the mirror's surface, line after line, densely packed.
Professor's invitation... Academy team's offline gathering... experiment with transferring items...
Lumian's thoughts raced. Taking advantage of the Ice Amulet's active effect, he reached into the mirror and pulled out an item.
It was a diamond necklace.
Beatrice's Necklace!
The copper coin and wraith dust mentioned in Franca's letter were gone.
Lumian looked back at the mirror, seeing an image of the coin and wraith dust around the densely packed words, with a ghostly presence.
As the Ice Amulet's power waned, and the words faded, the items gradually disappeared.
Only pure information and items with Beyonder power can pass through that special mirror world, through the seal, and reach here? Hmm, items with godhood shouldn't work either, only something made within Morora... Lumian played with Beatrice's Necklace, using the Ice Amulet's remaining power to send Franca two words: "Necklace, okay."
The aqueous glow within the mirror quickly receded, and the dark glass returned to normal.
Soon, the mirror showed another anomaly.
This time, Franca sent the Ice Amulet through.
This helped Lumian conserve the use of the Mirror Cufflink-only two uses left.
Holding the icy talisman, Lumian began writing his reply.
He detailed the experiment results and his observations on the item transfer process, then instructed Franca to attend the Academy team's offline gathering in Trier as Muggle on his behalf.
After folding the letter and enclosing the Lie earrings and Ice Amulet, Lumian activated the latter, pressing the package into the glass mirror, sending it to Franca's apartment mirror.
Franca received the items, read Lumian's letter carefully, and murmured to herself, both expectant and anxious.
Do I really have to pretend to be Muggle?
Sigh, the lce Amulet can only transmit information nine more times...
Meanwhile, Lumian returned to his desk and resumed reading "Examples of Underground Mausoleum Construction."
He was reluctant to rest; the more he read, the more compelling the books became.
Of course, Lumian knew this was a sign of slight corruption.
Just then, he heard a loud explosion.
It came from a few blocks away!
Explosion? Lumian used his Ascetic endurance to break free from the compulsion, extinguished the fireball, and moved to the window to observe outside.
The explosions continued, with brilliant flames illuminating the streets hundreds of meters away.
It was on the route from the Carnivore bar to the Church of Knowledge.
Lumian saw Julie jump out of her room, landing lightly like a feather, then blending into the shadows, disappearing.
Hunters causing explosions and fires? Lumian rubbed his temples, looking reluctant.
He grumbled to himself, I really don't want to get involved in your schemes and fights; I just want to study peacefully.
Since discovering the important knowledge in the books specified by Heraberg, he had become increasingly focused, spending all his time reading except when "acting" outside.
If not for the risk of exposing the books' importance, he would have used his special abilities to study all night.
The more seriously he studied, the less he wanted to do anything else, often relying on sheer willpower and even his Ascetic abilities to break free from that mental state.
After a moment, Lumian's expression calmed, and he muttered to himself, When I find the opportunity to eliminate you all, I can finally study in peace...
Suppressing his abnormal emotions, Lumian transformed into a shadow creature, slipping into the darkness between buildings and heading toward the explosion site.
Soon, he reached the destination and saw a half-collapsed building- Dades Agricultural Company.
Wanak's Dades Agricultural Company? Someone attacked Wanak?
Lumian snapped out of his study-induced haze, his mind suddenly alert.
He saw two giant figures emerge from the building.
They were three to four meters tall, with iron-like skin and blue paint depicting clothing, each holding a giant broadsword.
Iron soldiers? Giant iron soldiers? Lumian immediately recalled the iron soldiers he had seen deep in the Sauron family's Red Swan Castle crypt.
The next moment, one of the iron soldiers smashed through the collapsed wall and fixed its cold gaze on the shadow Lumian was hiding in.
It charged at Lumian, raising its giant broadsword.
-x-X-x-
Discovered? How did it find me? I'm currently a real shadow creature...
Lumian wondered as he emerged from the shadows.
He instantly teleported to the side of the iron soldier.
The iron soldier ran past him, realizing too late that its target had moved.
It had to slow down forcefully, half-turning to sweep its giant sword.
Lumian, well-prepared, leaped high into the air. His fist, blazing with white-hot flames, struck the iron soldier's neck.
Clang!
The sound echoed like a church bell. The tall, heavy, and hard iron soldier was pushed back a step.
A fist-sized dent appeared on its metal-covered neck, surrounded by spiderweb-like cracks.
Lumian's strike was purely a Cull, without probing for weaknesses. He didn't need to.
Having thoroughly studied "Doll Crafting and Maintenance," he knew exactly where the weak points of such iron soldiers were!
Of course, he had also observed beforehand to confirm that this iron soldier was of the regular type and hadn't been modified.
The iron soldier, enraged by the Cull attack, swung its giant sword in a storm of slashes, cutting and chopping within a five to six meter radius.
Lumian teleported several meters away, watched the iron soldier, and raised his right palm, still with one hand in his pocket.
One after another, white-hot fireballs formed and flew towards the iron soldier.
The dark red glow in the iron soldier's eyes brightened as it locked onto Lumian and charged at him.
Rumble!
It cleaved through the fireballs in its path, enduring the rest as it advanced through the smoke and flames.
Almost simultaneously, Lumian vanished from its sight again.
Lumian reappeared on the soldier's shoulder, half-crouched, and delivered a powerful punch to the previous dent.
Whoosh! White-hot flames erupted from his fist.
Clang!
The sound was like a hammer striking a large bell.
Lumian's figure quickly faded, dodging the iron soldier's left hand as it released its giant sword to grab him.
A moment later, the dent in the iron soldier's neck shattered completely.
The cracks spread rapidly to its head and body.
The iron soldier staggered forward, its metal fragments falling piece by piece, like an iron rain.
Lumian's figure swiftly outlined not far away. He scoffed and said, "Didn't you learn from the last time? Making the same mistake again. Oh, I forgot, you don't have a brain."
As Lumian finished speaking, the struggling iron soldier collapsed into a pile of metal debris.
Lumian then turned his attention to the other side of the Dades Agricultural Company.
The remaining iron soldier was silently burning with pitch-black flames, moving slower and accumulating more rust.
Clang! It fell to the ground, motionless, losing its oppressive aura.
Julie, wearing a cotton nightgown with a hint of spring, stood leisurely beside it. She watched as the iron soldier quickly shrank back to the size of a children's toy.
The metal fragments near Lumian were also shrinking, soon reduced to mere scraps.
Julie looked at him, smiling gracefully, "Boss, you're even more impressive than I imagined."
Compliment me all you want, but why stare at my crotch... Lumian scoffed, "You're not bad yourself."
Julie blinked and said, "But why don't you look at me when you speak?"
"Because you don't have anything down there," Lumian replied, ignoring Julie and heading towards the Dades Agricultural Company.
Julie's expression turned dark, her face flickering in the firelight.
After a few seconds, she muttered through gritted teeth, "Soon you won't have anything either."
By then, Lumian had reached the half-collapsed building and started inspecting the battle traces.
Explosions, high temperatures, fire, attacks directly hitting key structures... Definitely a battle between Hunters... Multiple injuries, more than one, but all blood traces burnt to scorches... Lumian quickly circled the explosion site, discovering several corpses.
Some were ordinary, like night shift employees caught in the blast, suffocated by smoke, burned by flames, or crushed by debris. Others were mangled, reduced to chunks of flesh, or dismembered as if violently torn apart.
Lumian noticed one corpse with a somewhat intact head, a faint red mark on its forehead, with something wriggling under the skin, trying to emerge.
I've seen a similar mark on Gusian's forehead...
So, the Iron and Blood Cross Order is indeed trying to assassinate Wanak...
With Albus Medici joining them, they've grown bold enough to eliminate potential rivals and disruptors?
But it seems they failed... Wanak is formidable, facing an Iron and Blood Cross Order assault, possibly with Albus and Gusian present, yet still managing to counterattack and escape...
The Iron and Blood Cross Order is really cooperating with Albus Medici?
Do they truly believe this Medici descendant? Does Gusian not know what the Medici name represents?
Hmm, they know but intend to use Albus Medici, a collaboration full of mutual conspiracies?
As these thoughts raced through Lumian's mind, Julie approached and stopped beside him.
"Have you figured anything out?" Julie asked.
Lumian chuckled.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You Demonesses are good at divination, unlike me."
Julie's expression had returned to normal, her eyes bright as she said, "I tried, but got nothing. Some of them might be carrying items with high rank."
Before Lumian could respond, she glanced at her boss and said, "It seems that the Albus you're wary of has formed an alliance with Gusian's group."
Lumian nodded, then added, "They're probably trying to eliminate Wanak."
"Next, they'll try to eliminate me, you, and all the Hunters and Demonesses in Morora," Julie said with a slight smile. "Boss, I know you don't trust me, and I can't trust you either, unless all that's left is a shlong. But against the threat of Albus and Gusian, can we temporarily cooperate?"
You? A Demoness who doesn't like to study and only knows how to do twisted things, wanting to cooperate with me? I just want to study quietly and diligently... Lumian criticized, then chuckled and said, "Sure."
His goal was the information accumulated by the Demoness Sect and their preparations. "Cooperation" would make it easier to access them.
Julie was about to say more when she suddenly saw a group of black-robed enforcers running over from the direction of the Knowledge Cathedral.
Her eyes flickered, and she said to Lumian, "I have to leave now. Let's talk tomorrow morning."
Lumian glanced at the leading enforcer and noticed it wasn't Celeste.
He replied thoughtfully, "Alright."
Julie immediately stepped into the nearby shadows and vanished from his sight.
Lumian stared at the corpses in the ruins for a few seconds before turning and leaving Dades Agricultural Company, heading into the nearest alley.
In the darkness, he walked at a steady pace, pondering a troubling question: Aren't there too many Iron and Blood Cross Order members infiltrating Morora?
Just to deal with Wanak, four or five have already died!
It's not just about whether they could infiltrate so many members or if the Church of Knowledge is being too lenient, but no secret organization would want to suffer such heavy losses among its members.
Morora is the place where 0-01 is sealed. Every Beyonder sent here must be prepared for a high likelihood of sacrifice.
The Demoness Sect only sent one Sequence 5 Beyonder at a time.
Unless the previous Demoness lost contact and no longer responded, they wouldn't send another. Does the Iron and Blood Cross Order really not care about mid-to-low-level Beyonders, treating them as cannon fodder?
For a war, that's not too strange, but a sensible commander would only sacrifice soldiers at critical moments, not let them die on the way. Or has Gusian developed a large number of new Hunters in Morora... Lumian suddenly thought of Gusian, the bloody mark on that corpse's forehead, the stone statue, and the oil lamp in the depths of the underground fog.
Or are the true Iron and Blood Cross Order members only Gusian and a few others, while the rest are mass-produced through a special secret ritual?
As he pondered this, Lumian smiled.
If that's true, when Gusian and the others hold their next ritual to create soldiers, something very interesting might happen. The oil lamp I tampered with should bring about a different outcome...
I wonder what kind of soldiers will appear...
Lumian's pace quickened, and soon he returned to the Carnivore bar. He sat at his desk, forming a white-hot fireball to serve as a gas lamp.
He wanted to finish reading "Examples of Mausoleum Construction" so he could take the exam at the Knowledge Cathedral tomorrow morning and borrow more books.
"Don't let anything interrupt my studying again..." Lumian muttered as he buried himself in his reading.
Amidst the occasional sound of flipping pages, he suddenly turned his head, his sharp gaze focusing on the mirror in the room.
The surface of the mirror rippled, revealing a figure with iron-black eyes, bright red hair, and a chiseled face.
Wanak? The same Wanak who was attacked earlier? Lumian narrowed his eyes slightly, waiting for the figure to speak.
The figure of Wanak swayed lightly, as if affected by water waves.
He asked in a deep voice, "Do you want to kill Gusian and Albus Medici?"
-x-X-x-
Hearing Wanak's question, Lumian, who was already a bit irritated from having his study interrupted, laughed out loud. "Can you find them?"
"No," Wanak admitted frankly.
Unlike Lumian and Wanak, who had fixed residences, Gusian and Medici moved around in secrecy, making it hard to pinpoint their exact locations.
Wanak continued, "But I can use myself as bait to lure them out."
Lure them out? What kind of Hunter path is this? It sounds more like the path of a Fishing Master... Lumian mocked both Wanak and himself internally, gradually calming down.
He looked at the man with iron-black eyes, chiseled face, and suspected 0-01 corruption who had tried to kill him at their first meeting, and sneered.
"Bait? If you dare to wander the streets of Morora, Albus and Gusian would likely think it's a trap and not make a move.
"Of course, they might send someone to test if you're bluffing, but that won't help you ambush them."
Wanak's eyes remained sharp as he replied in a metallic tone, "I won't treat them as fools. I'll leave some traces, give them clues, let them find my hiding place on their own. They must act within these few days. They can't wait for me to recover, or it'll be a headache for them."
Lumian, using a Hunter's tone, laughed. "Confident, aren't you? Why not wait until you're fully healed to seek revenge one by one? Why take the risk now and set traps, even choosing to cooperate with me?"
"In five days, if they don't find me, those two rats will scurry back into the sewers and hide. I can kill any one of them, but finding them is still difficult," Wanak said, his tone full of murderous intent.
Lumian didn't ask more questions, pondering a few things.
This most dangerous figure in Morora, who seemed to have submitted to 0-01 and gained boons along with the corruption, has the power of a pseudo-demigod.
Does his current attitude imply 0-01 dislikes Red Angel Medici and the Iron and Blood Cross Order?
Or does 0-01 resist anyone trying to control it, as evidenced by Wanak's initial hostility towards me? But under current circumstances, he wants to target Albus and Gusian first and is willing to temporarily cooperate with the weaker side?
Wanak has pseudo-demigod strength and is in his home turf of Morora, yet he was severely wounded by Albus, Gusian, and a few Iron and Blood Cross Order members, forcing him to flee...
Albus is indeed not simple, and Gusian must be formidable too. It was right not to go all out and ambush them earlier...
0-01 has some connection to that special mirror world, allowing Wanak to traverse through mirrors...
Lumian looked at Wanak, who was patiently waiting for his answer, and smiled. "Why me?"
Since arriving in Morora, he hadn't gone all out or used any powerful items.
"We're the same kind of people," Wanak said, his iron-black eyes cold.
"And I can clearly sense you're not simple."
Of course, I'm not simple, with so much corruption and so many things mixed together. Simple would be strange... Lumian raised his right hand, rubbing his chin, and asked, "Aren't you worried I'll take this chance to eliminate you, Albus, and Gusian together? You should always be wary of others."
"You don't have the capability," Wanak stated bluntly. "And in Morora, truly killing me isn't easy."
Lumian leaned back in his chair, half-closing his eyes. After a few seconds, he said, "Time and place."
"The timing is uncertain. It depends on Albus and Gusian's investigation progress. I'll inform you of the approximate time and location in advance," Wanak, his sharp, chiseled face showing a rare smile, said.
Lumian opened his eyes and sat up straight.
"With your strength, you were severely wounded by them. What special abilities did they show in battle?"
"Not severely wounded, just nearly," Wanak emphasized. "That Albus has special powers or items that can create war fog, a high-rank Hunter ability... Gusian, besides being a powerful Hunter, has some Demoness pathway abilities and can utilize the mirror world to some extent..."
Lumian listened intently, his smile gradually widening. "Pleasure working with you."
Wanak nodded slightly, his figure gradually fading in the rippling mirror.
Lumian sat quietly in his chair, muttering to himself, Is this a trap?
Wanak, Albus, and Gusian are using people as pawns in a drama to ambush me?
Or is Wanak using this chance to eliminate Albus, Gusian, and me together?
...
Lumian thought about many things, until his head hurt.
Forget it, I'll think about these conspiracies in a few days. Facing Hunters is troublesome. For now, focus on reading... Lumian turned his attention back to "Examples of Mausoleum Construction."
After another hour, he closed the book, satisfied.
After nearly a week of effort, he had finally finished the first batch of books specified by Heraberg, and could take the exam at the Knowledge Cathedral tomorrow!
Lumian lay back on his bed and fell asleep.
In a hazy state, he saw an army.
The soldiers were clad in iron-black armor, marching across a reddish plain, with something drifting in the distance.
Sensing Lumian's gaze, they turned their heads simultaneously, their eyes piercing.
Lumian saw their faces: Under the iron-black helmets, their skin was pale and shriveled, like all moisture and flesh had been drained, tightly clinging to their skulls. Dark red flames burned in their eye sockets.
Mummies...
An army of undead?
As this realization dawned on Lumian, immense fear surged from his heart, urging him to submit to some unknown entity.
He struggled against this feeling, finally waking up.
He opened his eyes to find it was just a dream. Outside, the sky was dim, with no sign of dawn.
Too much knowledge about 0-01 might be increasing the corruption? Lumian pondered for a few seconds, then forced himself to sleep a bit more until six in the morning.
Julie hadn't returned overnight. After breakfast, Lumian packed the books into his Traveler's Bag and headed straight to the Knowledge Cathedral.
Heraberg, in a white robe lined with brass, was explaining things to a group of new exiles. Lumian waited until the new exiles left the cathedral, then smiled and presented the books to Heraberg. "Your Grace, I've finished reading these books."
"Adding 'Your Grace' this time?" Heraberg teased with a smile, taking the books and pointing to the corresponding brass bookshelf. "Go there and pick a paper to do."
Prepared for this, Lumian walked to the bookshelf and randomly picked a paper.
As he searched for a table and chair, he glanced at the questions on the paper.
Suddenly, his gaze froze.
The first question was: "Have you had any nightmares recently?"
The second question was: "Please describe the content of the nightmare in detail."
Is this an exam on knowledge points? Doesn't seem like it... more like those psychological test questions Anthony brought back from the Psychiatrist Guild... Lumian thought, writing his answers on the brass bookshelf's protrusions.
He answered the entire paper truthfully.
"Done." Lumian felt like he was back in Cordu, reporting to his sister that he'd finished his test.
"Let me see." Heraberg extended his right hand.
After reviewing Lumian's answers from start to finish, he nodded slightly.
"You don't need to read all the books on these three shelves. Just this, this, and this..."
Heraberg pointed out eight books with a smile. "Finish these, and that'll be enough."
Huh? Don't need to read all three shelves? Just these eight books?
Lumian was momentarily puzzled, not understanding the basis for Heraberg's judgment.
Were the remaining books on those shelves suddenly unimportant?
Thinking about the test paper's content, Lumian had some guesses.
He thoughtfully responded to Heraberg, "Alright, Your Grace."
As he placed the books into the Traveler's Bag, Lumian roughly estimated the time needed.
If he focused without any interruptions, he could finish one book a day, but that would be suspicious.
About two weeks, maybe a bit more... But according to Heraberg, finishing these is enough, much better than my initial plan of taking six months to read all three shelves... Lumian quietly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much better.
He mimicked his sister Aurora and Franca's occasional crazy talk, thinking with a smile.
Albus, Julie, Gusian, and Wanak, wait two weeks. Once I'm done studying, I'll kill you all!
Hmm, for now, I'll take advantage of Wanak's "invitation" to find clues from Albus about Hand Bro's head...
And gather intelligence on the Demoness as well...
...
Saturday night, Trier, Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative.
Franca looked at Jenna, who had naturally moved into the guest room after returning from Port LeSeur, and didn't ask why. Feeling a bit upset, she said, "You don't seem very happy. Is Julien insisting on returning to Trier?"
"Yes, he's so stubborn." Jenna sighed deeply.
Actually, so are you, and your mother too... Franca muttered internally, saying, "Don't worry, there's still about a month to figure something out."
"Yeah." Jenna glanced at Franca, who had changed into a warlock's cloak. "Are you filling in for Lumian at that mysticism gathering?"
"Yes." Franca tossed the silver Lie earring into the air and caught it again.
Compared to her initial reluctance and anxiety, now she felt more anticipation.
It's quite exciting, isn't it?
-x-X-x-
Franca walked to the full-length mirror and put the silver Lie earring on her left ear.
Her skin immediately turned semi-transparent, and tiny meat tendrils seemed to grow beneath it.
These meat tendrils squirmed and shifted, gathering together again.
In just twenty to thirty seconds, Franca transformed into the appearance Lumian used to disguise as Aurore.
After adjusting herself a bit, she smoothed down her blonde hair and looked at her reflection, saying, "Aurore is really beautiful... Lie is amazing, it can do this much."
"You've never used Lie before?" Jenna, standing nearby, asked in confusion.
She remembered Franca using it more than once.
Franca chuckled and explained, "It's been a while. Just feeling nostalgic.
Plus, after becoming a Demoness of Pleasure and using Lie to tweak my appearance, I didn't dare do it again. Afraid I'd fall in love with myself and get lost in my own beauty.
"Now I've just made a slight adjustment to Aurore's face, and she looks so beautiful. A natural beauty like her taking the Demoness pathway, I can't imagine how stunning she'd become. Lie and the Demoness, they're a perfect match, but it's too easy to lose oneself, preferring to live in lies than face the truth."
Seeing Franca still able to joke around, Jenna quietly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile. "For us Demonesses, Lie is the most delicious poison."
Franca murmured in agreement and turned back to the full-length mirror to adjust her height.
Before leaving, she looked at Jenna and thoughtfully asked, "You need a few more good acts to fully digest your Witch potion, right?"
"Yes, if I rely on similar performances as before, it will take time and repetition," Jenna replied, knowing what Franca was about to say.
Just like she often did, Franca was about to impart some life, no, digestion experience.
With Aurore's enhanced beauty, Franca smiled.
"I think your acts have overlooked the black magic aspect of a Witch. Think about it, isn't black magic an essential part of many Witch legends? And many of those legends were likely left by real Witches.
"You could try finding a scoundrel, someone who deserves to be hanged, collect their hair and flesh, and as a Witch, predict their doom. Use black magic to torment them daily until they die."
Jenna pondered for a moment. "I can give it a shot."
But... I do hope you becoming a Demoness of Pleasure would change things... Franca sighed inwardly but maintained her smile, pulled up her hood, walked out the door, and disappeared into the hallway shadows.
The scheduled offline gathering was at 6 Rue Belfort on Avenue du Boulevard, a four-story mansion with a garden, located in a luxurious area. Despite its opulence, it was always rented out for 15,000 verl d'or a year, having housed dukes, bankers, and diplomats.
Now, it had no long-term tenants and was temporarily rented for a week by the gathering's organizer, Professor.
Passing through the garden lit by gas lamps and circling a fountain with statues, Franca reached the mansion's entrance, where a table with a sign-in book was placed.
This was the simplest form of identity verification to prevent some odd Trieriens from wandering in.
Franca recalled Aurore's notes, mimicked the handwriting, and signed Muggle with a deliberate slant.
It felt like an unseen gaze lingered on the sign-in book for two seconds.
Silently, the mansion door opened, and Franca stepped inside.
She slowed her pace, seriously recalling the mannerisms of Muggle from the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society gatherings.
Franca, highly professional in her role-playing, had previously used dream divination to retrieve those buried memories. Now, she quickly captured Aurore's walking style.
She shortened her steps and lightened her waist movements.
The mansion's living room was homely, with red and yellow decorations bringing an indescribable warmth.
Eight members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society were disguised as they had been in the Nation of the Evernight to indicate their identities. Some sat in the sofa area, drinking and chatting, while others played darts in a corner.
Professor, wearing a black butterfly mask, left the sofa with an orange cocktail in hand and approached Franca.
With a faint smile on her lips, she said, "Let's chat first, catch up on recent events, then we can drink, play board games, sing, and play cards. How does that sound?"
Great! If offline gatherings were just for trading items and exchanging mystical knowledge without any entertainment, what's the point? One reason Franca was willing to attend was that it had been a while since she had fun with her "fellow countrymen'"-teaching Lumian and Jenna to fully understand certain things was too troublesome.
Franca gracefully pulled up a high stool and sat next to Professor, casting a glance at familiar faces like Periodic Table and Isotope, wondering if there were any hidden Moses Ascetic Order members.
"Muggle, are you settled in Trier?" The Academy team member with a periodic table painted on his face curiously asked Franca.
Franca restrained her overly active side, showing just a bit to match Muggle's usual behavior, smiling as she answered, "For now, yes. But considering Trier's situation, I don't plan to stay long. I might move in a while."
She subtly reminded her "countrymen" that Trier was dangerous, like living on an active volcano that could erupt anytime.
"Why do you say that?" Professor keenly asked the question Franca hoped for.
Franca curved her lips into a smile and pointed to the floor. "I encountered some things in Underground Trier that made me think great dangers are brewing below. They could erupt at any time."
"Like the Mirror People?" Professor asked thoughtfully.
Franca nodded gently. "Yes."
She didn't say much; it was confidential, and even if she did, others might not believe it without evidence.
Professor, Isotope, and others fell silent, pondering something. Associate Professor and others playing darts returned to the sofa area, steering the conversation elsewhere.
During the exchange, Franca was more active than Lumian had been, understanding many codes and familiar with many things, not afraid of making mistakes or missing memes.
Professor glanced at her, pleased. "It seems you've recovered from the April Fool's incident, back to your usual self, not as silent as before, mostly just observing."
Uh... Franca suddenly felt she might have messed up.
Not that her disguise as Muggle was bad, but rather too good.
If Lumian returned, the Academy members would surely wonder why she seemed post-traumatic again.
Can't just say she was hurt again, right?
Franca's mind raced, quickly finding a reason. "Actually, I haven't fully recovered. Some wounds might never heal. But chatting with everyone just now made me feel like I was back in the past."
Professor expressed her understanding. She was about to say more when her face, not covered by the black butterfly mask, suddenly twisted in pain, her eyes bulging as if enduring great agony.
She bent over, clutching her head.
Franca paused, quickly scanning the others, noticing Associate Professor, Isotope, and Periodic Table with similar reactions. Only two non-Warlock members were unaffected.
Oh, I'm a Warlock now too... Franca mimicked their reactions, recalling the pain from her advancement ritual, displaying a headache-like state.
After two or three minutes, Professor straightened up, slowly exhaling.
The non-Warlock member code-named Griffin asked, "What happened to you all?"
Then, a realization struck Griffin. "The evil god Hidden Sage was injecting knowledge again?"
Associate Professor in the brown paper bag laughed bitterly. "Yes."
"In broadcast format? I thought it was one-on-one," Griffin marveled.
"Both happen." Periodic Table massaged her head, addressing Franca and the others, "Have you noticed the Hidden Sage has been injecting knowledge more frequently since that terrifying rainstorm?"
"Yes." Periodic Table nodded solemnly.
Seeing the Warlocks agree, Franca nodded too.
She pondered, Could this anomaly be related to the Celestial Master?
When Fourth Epoch Trier's seal was briefly opened, some powers leaked out, making the already insane Hidden Sage even crazier?
Franca knew the "terrifying rainstorm" referred to the time when the Hostel Project briefly opened the Fourth Epoch Trier's seal.
-x-X-x-
Franca couldn't talk about the Celestial Master at the moment, nor could she ask the Professors what knowledge the Hidden Sage had imparted.
She could only note this anomaly silently and planned to report it to Madam Judgment later, so the Major Arcana card holders could determine what was wrong.
After a moment of silence, Isotope spoke heavily, "Everyone here understands the pain of being force-fed knowledge by the Hidden Sage.
So far, we can barely endure it, but if the frequency increases, or the intensity goes up, it won't be long before our brains explode with knowledge, turning us into monsters."
Professor sighed slowly. "I agree. We must have a sense of crisis."
Periodic Table seemed a bit unstable. "I do feel a sense of crisis, but does it help? Can we unite and kill the Hidden Sage? I used to have such fantasies, but now... heh heh."
Franca could understand the last two sentences from Periodic Table. In the first two or three years after transmigrating into this world, as an atheist who had read many novels, she initially regarded the Seven Gods as more powerful Beyonders. She believed that as someone on the path of the divine, she might one day have a chance to slay deities and prove her way. But after witnessing more, gaining more knowledge in mysticism, she deeply understood the gap between Low- and Mid-Sequence Beyonders and demigods.
And that was just demigods, not true gods.
According to the Demoness of Black, true gods could modify and adjust the Sequence abilities within their pathways to some extent!
Meanwhile, Franca recalled the past and noticed that during their gatherings in the Nation of the Evernight, the Warlocks rarely expressed such intense negative emotions. Now, they were no longer hiding their pain and struggle, showing it very directly.
The Academy group has too many non-Warlock members, and those here today are a small circle who know each other well, so they can be more genuine? But I-no, Muggle-am not part of your circle. Are these intense emotions partly an act? What's the purpose? Franca didn't know if Lumian had infected her with paranoia or if her experiences with the Savoie Mob and the Demoness Sect had made her cautious.
"Yeah, what can we do..." she echoed Periodic Table's sentiment, seemingly touched.
Professor, steady as usual, said gently, "At least we can look for items or methods to reduce the negative effects of the Knowledge Pursuer.
Periodic Table was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply. "That's all we can do for now."
The Warlocks, along with Griffin and Eagle, discussed this issue, proposing various ideas and rejecting most, leaving a few for further verification.
Franca also used her imagination. Eventually, she said thoughtfully, "It's a pity we can't predict exactly when the Hidden Sage will go mad.
Otherwise, I know a place that might effectively reduce the impact."
"What place?" Associate Professor asked quickly.
Franca didn't intend to hide it. She felt that if Lumian were here, he would definitely reveal that location to the Professors.
Based on her understanding of Lumian: She had long noticed that Lumian was especially empathetic towards those with similar experiences and sufferings as his. Although he spoke harshly, he couldn't help but provide some assistance. Similarly, he also empathized with those who had similar experiences to Aurore, often putting himself in his sister's shoes.
Franca sighed slightly. "The small sacrificial square at the entrance of the third level of the catacombs. It seems to have remnants of the powers of the Eternal Blazing Sun and the God of Steam and Machinery, which can shield most of the external influences."
Professor's eyes brightened slightly under the butterfly mask. "I've been there, but I didn't know there were remnants of divine power."
She paused, adding, "This is actually very useful. When we are on the brink of breaking, I will take a box of white candles and enough food, stay at the sacrificial square until the accumulated effects dissipate and my body and soul recover, then come back up."
"Exactly!" Franca was happy for these Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society members.
Professor continued to say to Periodic Table and the others, "We can also seek help from Beyonders of the Apothecary pathway to produce medicine that quickly restores the body and soul."
"Temporary enhancement of brain capacity, learning ability, and soul strength would also work," Isotope and the others chimed in.
Their spirits finally lifted a bit.
After another half-hour of chatting, Professor and Associate Professor called a few people to fetch the board games from the study, while Franca stood up and went to the small bar in the opposite living room to get a drink.
As she hesitated between fruit beer and soda, Periodic Table came to her side, looking over the drinks and lowering his voice, "Muggle, weren't you looking for members of the Moses Ascetic Order?"
Seeing Muggle with her hood pulled up turning to him, Periodic Table's chemical symbols on his face shifted as he smiled. "I am one."
So, finally, you're admitting? Franca wasn't surprised at all.
She even suspected all the Warlocks in this small circle were members, and Griffin and Eagle, who were not Warlocks, might be as well.
"You guessed it a long time ago?" Periodic Table noticed Muggle had no emotional fluctuation.
Franca chuckled softly. "It's not strange. I'm also a member of another secret organization. Many in the Research Society should have backgrounds in secret organizations or orthodox churches. It's not a problem as long as it doesn't violate our contract."
Periodic Table smiled. "That's true. You mentioned a Mirror Person named Griffith secretly replacing one of our members? I have a suspect now."
Franca had been tracking the whereabouts of the ore scholar, Jasmine- suspected to be Mirror People Palia-but had no leads. She didn't expect a clue about the more important Mirror Person, Griffith.
"Who is it?" she asked directly.
Period Table organized his thoughts. "Normally, I should report this to the higher-ups of the Ascetic Order for confirmation and handling, but I can't contact my direct Pillar lately."
"Pillar?" Franca asked, puzzled.
"The brass of our Moses Ascetic Order consists of the Ten Pillars, ten powerful demigods, maybe more. The one responsible for the Trier greater region and my direct superior is Kmerolo. After the terrifying rainstorm, his orders have lessened, and recently, we've had no response from our attempts to contact him," Periodic Table explained heavily.
After the Hostel Project, the brass of the Moses Ascetic Order in Trier had anomalies and then disappeared? This information is crucial and must be reported quickly... Franca looked at Periodic Table and asked, "No emergency contact with other Pillars?"
Period Table sighed. "No. Normally, we should pray to the Hidden Sage, report the anomaly, and He would give a revelation. But we tried, and there was no revelation, nor did any other Pillar contact us."
Because the Hidden Sage has gone crazier? Franca nodded. "Go on."
Periodic Table laughed bitterly. "This situation isn't bad. Though lacking high-level guidance and resources, we also don't have dangerous tasks -unless Nikila is the Mirror Person Griffith."
"Nikila?" Franca pressed.
Periodic Table tersely acknowledged. "He's Kmerolo's deputy. Recently, his behavior makes me suspect he might be a Mirror Person."
"What behavior?" Franca asked in confirmation.
Periodic Table thought and said, "He gets angry more easily, has more negative emotions, and I noticed he seems awkward using his right hand, though he's right-handed."
"What's his real identity?" Franca's eyes lit up.
Periodic Table hesitated. "I can't be sure he's a Mirror Person. It's normal to have uncontrolled negative emotions after prolonged knowledge infusion. Before telling you his identity and possible residence, I hope to sign a notarized document with you, ensuring if he's not the Mirror Person, you won't kill him and must let him go."
As he spoke, he took out an expensive notarized document from a hidden pocket.
Seeing Muggle's slightly surprised look, Periodic Table laughed self-deprecatingly.
"Blame it on us following the maxim, 'do as you wish, but do no harm."
"Sure, no problem," Franca agreed readily.
She wasn't one to kill innocents.
...
Late at night in Morora.
Lumian put down his book, rubbed his aching head, and decided to rest by thinking of something else.
As he considered if he had missed any enemies or competitors, the mirror in the room glowed with water.
Wanak, with iron-black eyes and blood-red hair, appeared again, saying in a deep voice, "Gusain and Albus are about to step into the trap. I'll tell you my 'hiding place' now."
Is it starting? Lumian's mind immediately focused.
-x-X-x-
As Wanak's figure faded from the mirror's surface, Lumian reluctantly stowed the books on his desk into his Traveler's Bag.
He stood up, left the room, and walked to Julie's door, knocking lightly twice.
Julie quickly opened the door, hugging a blanket to her chest, her bare shoulders glowing like twin mounds of snow under the moonlight.
"I wasn't trying to harass you!" she said with a hint of anticipation.
Lumian spoke as if to himself, "Wanak has invited me to deal with Gusain and Albus together, right in the ruins of Dades Agricultural Company."
Without waiting for Julie's response, Lumian turned and walked down the stairs, merging into the darkness that enveloped the night.
...
Inside a fog-filled hollow, in front of four statues facing each other, Gusain, wearing a silk top hat, said to Albus, who was clad in a black jacket with red stripes, "We can't be sure if the clues about Wanak are bait. We might step into a trap later."
Albus, hands in his pockets, chuckled. "That's why we're here. Whether there's a trap or not, as long as we're strong enough, we can invalidate their schemes and make them swallow the bitter fruit of their failure."
Gusain nodded lightly. "Yes, I've heard a saying: no matter how many eggs band together, they can't break a stone. What we need to do now is become that stone. Last time, we weren't sure if we could pinpoint Wanak, so we didn't risk activating the altar's full power to avoid wasting it. Now, we can give Wanak a 'surprise'."
Albus chuckled. "Not using it last time was good. The illusion might have made Wanak gather all our targets together, allowing us to deal with them all at once."
Looking around, Albus sneered. "I thought Lumian would return here these days, so I had you leave the Lamp of Calamity on the altar to lure him into using it. I didn't expect him to be such a coward."
"He should have been here," Gusain said, showing detailed knowledge of the altar's surroundings. "He tried multiple times to destroy the statues but failed. This led the altar to draw some power from the earth to repair itself, causing slight changes in the details. I didn't expect him to resist the urge and call of the Lamp of Calamity and not light it on the spot. For the Hunter pathway, such self-control is rare."
Albus lifted his chin. "You'd better perform the ritual now. Heh heh, and check the Lamp of Calamity to see if it's been tampered with or has had something added to it. A Hunter not causing some damage would be unworthy of the pathway's name."
"Are you underestimating my caution?" Gusain laughed, approaching the pedestal and picking up the lamp containing a semi-solid, semi-liquid pale yellow grease.
He carefully inspected it, sniffed its scent, and finally dipped his fingers into the lamp, touching the wick twice.
Gusain immediately withdrew his fingers, letting the white-hot flame ignite the pale yellow grease on them.
The scent of warmth, allure, dark fragrance, and rust quickly filled his nostrils. He half-closed his eyes, nodding slightly. "No problem."
Albus laughed. "Where did you learn the method to create the Lamp of Calamity and the corresponding secret ritual? It's quite fascinating."
"You'll find out later. Once we finish this, we'll be true companions," Gusain replied with a smile.
He turned, facing the four statues and the Lamp of Calamity, and took a small blue iron soldier from a hidden pocket, placing it on the pedestal.
Isn't it just the Fourth Epoch Trier? What's so hard to guess? Still keeping secrets... Companions, heh heh... Albus began to back away from Gusain, instinctively keeping a distance out of caution.
Finally, Albus stopped about fifteen meters away, watching through the thick fog as Gusain lit the lamp, sat cross-legged on the ground, and entered Cogitation to complete the secret ritual.
In just over ten seconds, Gusain, surrounded by a seductive dark fragrance, "saw" a dense fog.
Unlike the war fog in the hollow, this fog was tinged with a ghostly black hue, covering a city with no visible boundaries, only faint outlines.
Half-dazed, half-awake, Gusain floated to a familiar place.
After some time, he reached a tall shadow-like tower and descended rapidly, entering its eerie, sinister base.
Here, it seemed there was a well, blending into the darkness.
Gusain repeated the purpose of the ritual to fight off the increasing drowsiness.
He neared the well, gazing into it.
He then "saw" moss-covered stones and iron-black chains attached to the well's walls. The engravings on the chains were blurred, hard to discern.
I can now see the inside of the well's walls?
Never could before...
The ritual's effectiveness is due to my proximity to the great existence?
Gusain felt a surge of joy.
He excitedly looked at the dark water in the well.
The water rippled lightly, gradually forming a figure.
Gusain strained to see, suddenly spotting patches of brown bark.
The bark was embedded in a face, bringing an indescribable horror.
Bark... Gusain was simultaneously frightened and puzzled.
Why would bark appear here?
Shouldn't it be steel and blood?
Instinctively, Gusain looked at his hands, finding patches of brown bark rising on his skin.
Wh- Gusain's pupils dilated as he looked back at the well's dark water surface.
He saw the reflected figure clearly.
It was himself!
His face was covered with mottled bark!
The next moment, the bark squirmed, sinking inward and turning flesh-colored.
They became wet spores embedded in flesh, blooming to release countless tiny naked figures.
Gusain's terror broke its limits. He abruptly opened his eyes, breaking free from the ritual experience.
Huff... Panting heavily, he saw the iron soldier on the pedestal rapidly expanding to three or four meters tall, its eyes iron-black instead of the burning dark-red.
The iron soldier's spear was quickly covered in white-blue flames.
"Success..." Gusain steadied himself, no longer tense.
He thought the anomaly was due to his proximity to the great existence, deepening the ritual experience, thus showing more details.
"I'm stronger now..." Gusain stood up, extinguishing the Lamp of Calamity.
"This is a soldier puppet with some of the Iron-blooded Knight's power and status?" Albus walked back from a distance.
"Yes, treat it as a weakened Iron-blooded Knight. It's not something Wanak can compare to," Gusain answered confidently.
He hadn't yet examined the benefits and knowledge gained from the ritual.
Albus took a few steps and then stopped, looking at Gusain with a playful smile. "Your hair has grown."
My hair has grown? Gusain turned his head, seeing his brown hair had grown to his cheeks from above his ears.
He suddenly had a guess:
Did this ritual bring me closer to the Demoness pathway?
With this suspicion, he lowered his head.
Sure enough, his chest was slowly bulging, stretching his shirt, sweater, and coat.
At the same time, Gusain smelled a faint milky scent.
Milky scent... Gusain was stunned.
Does the Demoness mutation cause this?
He was about to ask Albus about his changes when he saw his collaborator backing away.
Immediately, Gusain felt the iron soldier behind him bending over, its head lowering to his ear with the sound of metal clashing and rubbing.
The iron soldier spoke with a metallic voice, softly calling, "Mother."
"Mother... Me?" Gusain, confused, looked down to see his abdomen swelling visibly.
Seeing this, his mind buzzed, feeling as if he was reborn.
Albus, retreating slowly to avoid triggering anomalies, saw Gusain looking at him, smiling with maternal radiance, his blue eyes icy and sinister.
...
Rumble!
A massive explosion occurred in a district with a volcanic crater, sending a white fireball rolling into the sky, turning red, creating thick smoke.
In the ruins of Dades Agricultural Company, hidden in the underground chamber, Lumian and Wanak felt the near-earthquake-like disturbance.
From the direction of the tremor, Lumian quickly guessed:
The hollow filled with war fog?
A fierce explosion happened there?
Did Albus and Gusain make some preparations before dealing with Wanak, lighting the lamp I tampered with, causing an accident?
Lumian immediately shouted to Wanak, "The situation has changed!"
Then, he left the shadow state, teleporting to the corresponding district.
He didn't choose the hollow entrance with war fog as his destination, fearing the explosion was a bait by Albus and Gusain!
Only a Hunter knew how treacherous a Hunter could be!
-x-X-x-
On the edge of the district destroyed by the volcanic eruption, Lumian's figure swiftly emerged, his gaze fixed on the site of the violent explosion.
The ground had collapsed into a massive crater, thin wisps of fog rising from it, though not yet dense.
Albus Medici leaped out of the crater, followed closely by a three-to-four-meter-tall iron soldier wielding a white-blue flaming spear.
Lumian transformed into a shadowy creature again, blending into the darkness untouched by the firelight.
He decided to observe the scene before taking action.
Almost simultaneously, he saw a figure emerge from the crater, half blending into the night, half illuminated by the firelight: long hair draping over shoulders, a chest protruding prominently, and a stomach appearing swollen as if from excessive beer.
At a glance, Lumian recognized the figure from its now feminine, motherly face-Gusain.
Gusain turned into a woman? And is pregnant? Lumian was initially stunned, then quickly pieced together what had likely happened.
He remembered adding a bit of Berserk Agent and Bark Agent to the altar's oil lamp, both sourced from the Nightstalkers which were imbued with the power of the Great Mother.
So Gusain was the one who performed the ritual using the lamp? He already had some abilities linked to the mirror world, indicating his previous ritual knowledge and power were partly from the Demoness pathway. The Demoness pathway is closely tied to femininity in mysticism. So, with the divine effects of the corpse wax candle amplifying the Demoness experience, the Berserk Agent and Bark Agent linked his ritual to the Great Mother, resulting in this mutation?
Fascinating...
Lumian watched Albus Medici battle the motherly version of Gusain and the iron soldier, which was much stronger than previous soldier puppets.
He had no intention of helping either side at the moment.
A Hunter only struck at the most critical moment!
Frankly, if Albus Medici hadn't taken the head of the Abscessed Hand, Lumian wouldn't want to eliminate him right now. Even if Wanak's bait plan was a great success, trapping Albus and Gusain, he might still find an opportunity to let Albus escape.
This was to maintain a balance.
Until he finished his studies, Lumian didn't want any one competitor to dominate completely.
That would likely cause a sudden change in circumstances, forcing him to prematurely enter the underground mausoleum before finishing the books Archbishop Heraberg provided.
So, Lumian observed the fight, patiently waiting for an opportunity to get clues about the Abscessed Hand's head from Albus Medici, while casually admiring Gusain's transformation and the terrifying iron soldier.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
Hunter battles were always marked by violent explosions. Buildings, their foundations already hollowed out and walls damaged by the volcanic eruption, collapsed one after another, raising thick dust clouds.
Seizing an opportunity, Albus Medici leaped into the air, forming a white-blue flaming longsword and slashing it at the iron soldier's head.
Boom!
The sword exploded, splitting the iron soldier's head open.
But the iron soldier didn't collapse. Instead, Gusain's right cheek instantly dented and deformed grotesquely.
In the next moment, Gusain's skull and muscles quickly writhed and expanded, restoring themselves.
With this change, the iron soldier's head also rapidly healed.
Wh- self-healing power from the Great Mother pathway, combined with the Sword of Courage's trait of sharing damage? Not only can they endure damage but they can also share abilities? Lumian felt a chill down his spine.
What kind of monster did my additives create?
Seeing this, Albus turned into a white flaming spear, shooting past the collapsing buildings to distance himself from the iron soldier and Gusain.
Thick fog enveloped the area around him, covering the streets for dozens of meters.
Seeing this, Lumian's eyelid twitched slightly.
He sensed that Albus Medici intended to flee.
He would too!
Facing the mutated Gusain and a near-demigod iron soldier, a slight misstep could result in severe injuries or death on the spot. Even if he fought hard and won, he wouldn't emerge unscathed and would likely have to face villains attracted by the commotion. It was better to leave the two monsters for the enforcers or the Church of Knowledge to handle.
An enemy's death was a good outcome, no matter who killed them.
As the war fog formed, Lumian saw a figure appear atop the nearby ruins.
It was Wanak, with iron-black eyes and blood-red hair.
He took a step forward, raised his hands, and lifted his head as if praying to a deity.
Ooo! Morora's already volatile weather suddenly whipped into a hurricane, uprooting trees and forming a vortex connecting the sky nearby.
Whoosh! The hurricane blew away the war fog, revealing Albus Medici's position to Lumian and the others.
A citywide hurricane? Only a demigod could manage that, and not even all demigods... Right, given Morora's extreme weather, and considering Wanak's connection to 0-01, it's not as terrifying as I thought... Lumian's gaze sharpened as he noticed Julie, clad in a cotton nightgown, appearing in the shadows about ten meters from Albus.
The Demoness held a mirror, reflecting part of Albus's image.
Julie's acting now, perfectly coordinating with Wanak? Lumian was initially surprised, then understood why.
Everyone present sensed Albus was in trouble. Without prior agreement, they all made the same choice:
To ambush Albus-to nail his coffin shut!
This is the game's rule, the rule of Hunter and Demoness conflicts: without powerful constraints like notarized documents, alliances are fluid, constantly shifting. But if someone shows weakness, everyone else will target them, giving no chance for recovery... Enlightened, Lumian saw Julie raise her right hand covered in demoness black flames, wiping it across the mirror reflecting Albus.
Almost simultaneously, Albus burst into flames, turning into crimson fire that shot out in all directions.
Some of the flames turned black, becoming calm from blazing, ultimately falling into the underground hollow still emitting war fog.
The remaining crimson flames regrouped about ten meters away, reforming Albus's body.
His aura weakened significantly.
In his eyes appeared a blazing white flame.
A white flaming spear shot from the shadows.
Lumian had joined in, attacking the downed dog.
Seeing this, Albus's short red hair instantly ignited, extending downward, as if turning into shoulder-length hair.
His face took on a faint iron-black hue.
Boom!
The white flaming spear exploded before hitting him, like a bursting firework.
Lumian's figure appeared behind Albus, his eyes shining silver-black.
He swung a fist at Albus.
The fist slowed, as if bearing a heavy fate.
Lumian was attempting to exchange Albus's fate.
Of course, he didn't expect success. He aimed to quickly browse Albus's fate, finding fragments related to the Abscessed Hand's head to locate it.
This was the most crucial task for him.
The silver illusory river of complex symbols quickly filled Lumian's vision, materializing countless fate fragments flowing forward.
Ignoring the rest, Lumian searched swiftly for his target by the approximate timeline.
In a blink, a fate fragment enlarged before him: Albus holding the rotten blue-black Abscessed Hand's head, walking to the underground mausoleum entrance, tossing it in from a distance, hearing it bounce around inside like a ball...
In the underground mausoleum? No wonder I couldn't sense it... Quite the hiding spot... Quite the provocation... At that moment, Lumian felt it wasn't a bad idea to kill Albus here.
This guy really knows how to annoy people!
The next second, before the fate exchange, he lost sight of Albus's silver river of fate.
The Medici descendant, realizing Lumian was behind him, turned into a blazing white flaming spear, shooting out of the ruins.
The iron soldier created white-blue Fire Ravens, chasing the spear like living creatures. Gusain raised his head, preparing to emit a shrill screech, friend and foe alike be damned.
Julie disappeared into the shadows again, but gray-white threads of spider silk appeared before and beside Albus's flaming spear, forming a resilient web waiting for him.
The hurricane hadn't stopped. Wanak leaped into the air, forming a massive white-blue flaming broadsword, ready to slash at Albus.
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Albus's blazing-white flaming spear was about to crash into the layered gray-white web but suddenly disintegrated in mid-air.
Within the raindrop-like flaming fragments, Albus's figure emerged, rapidly falling to the ground to avoid the Demoness's web.
The white-blue Fire Ravens created by the iron soldier curved in the air, corrected their flight paths, and locked onto Albus again. Wanak, who had leaped up using the hurricane, descended, raising his flaming broadsword to strike heavily at his target.
The explosions and the sound of metal clashing erupted simultaneously.
The swarm of Fire Ravens surrounded Albus before he could touch the ground, attacking him relentlessly, individually and in groups.
The blast wave and spreading white-blue flames threw Albus upward, right into Wanak's descending broadsword.
Clang!
The broadsword struck as if hitting metal, producing a cracking sound.
The resulting force slammed Albus to the ground from a height of two or three meters.
Boom!
The impact caused the ground to cave in, revealing the underground hollow filled with thick fog.
Albus fell in.
As soon as Wanak landed, he prepared to jump into the hollow to prevent Albus from escaping or recovering.
Suddenly, he hesitated and didn't make the jump.
He could only create hurricanes in Morora's unique environment and let them wreak havoc in the City of Exiles, unable to direct them precisely underground.
Fighting another special Hunter in the fog-filled, low-visibility hollow wasn't wise; it would put him in danger.
By this time, Lumian had finished attempting the Fate Exchange and withdrew his fist.
He deeply suspected that Albus's intended escape destination was either outside the ruins or the underground hollow covered in war fog.
The Medici descendant had never planned to easily break through the obstacles set by the Hunters, Demoness, and monster. Instead, he deliberately showed this tendency, using their obstruction to forcefully break through the already unstable ground during the previous battle and fall into his real destination.
That way, he could rely on the environment to escape the encirclement, try to hide, and find other possible exits.
Disguising his true intentions to confuse his enemies? No wonder he's a Medici... Lumian nodded thoughtfully.
Meanwhile, he also noticed Albus's astounding defense.
Not only had he withstood the Fire Ravens' bombardment, but he had also blocked Wanak's Cull strike, emerging with only minor injuries.
Simply metallizing his body to some extent couldn't achieve this. Lumian suspected Albus had an item or companion similar to the Sword of Courage that shared at least half the damage.
Considering Albus's abilities surpassing Sequence 5 and some beyond Sequence 5's capabilities, Lumian reasonably deduced a special connection with the Red Angel, allowing him to share some of the latter's power and endure some of the damage-an ability Hunters gained and deepened starting at the demigod level.
If not for being in Morora, the land sealing 0-01, Lumian believed Albus could have borrowed true demigod power, not facing so many limitations.
As the iron soldier prepared to jump into the fog-filled hollow to chase Albus, the motherly Gusain raised his head and let out a sharp, piercing howl.
Lumian and Wanak's minds buzzed simultaneously, their thoughts shattered, life force rapidly draining, causing weakness in the very depths of their souls.
Crack!
In the darkness at the edge of the district, a mirror shattered on the ground, revealing Julie's figure.
In the next second, Gusain fixed his gaze on Lumian, completely ignoring Wanak and Julie.
He caressed his increasingly swollen belly, his blue eyes turning vicious.
Under his will, the near Sequence 4 iron soldier abandoned the pursuit of Albus, turning to target Lumian.
Seeing this, Lumian, enduring the throbbing headache and buzzing in his ears, smiled and waved at Gusain and the iron soldier.
His figure then disappeared, leaving Gusain and the iron soldier to Wanak and Julie.
Bye-bye!
Lumian teleported to the entrance of the Church of Knowledge, just as two teams of black-robed enforcers rushed out.
He walked into the cathedral, found a corner, and sat on the floor, pulling out a borrowed book from the Traveler's Bag, leaning against the brass bookshelf, and began studying.
He was concerned that the child Gusain carried might pose a significant threat and target him, so he sought the Knowledge Cathedral's protection.
I'm studying so diligently, shouldn't you show some appreciation, Church of Knowledge?
In the ruins of the mostly collapsed buildings, Wanak noticed Gusain's belly had swollen even more, looking increasingly like a woman about to give birth.
The belly started writhing as if something inside was trying to break free.
Wanak's gaze froze, immediately raising his hands and head towards the cloudy sky.
Dark clouds gathered quickly, and Morora's weather changed again.
Silver lightning snakes darted through the clouds, converging into a tree-like lightning bolt as thick as a bucket, striking down.
The terrifying lightning targeted Gusain and the baby inside him!
Gusain vanished, hiding in a ghostly wasteland.
But the silver "giant python" pursued him relentlessly, piercing through the void, striking his belly with unavoidable speed.
Bang!
The thunderclap woke the city's exiles.
The wasteland shattered like a mirror, revealing Gusain's blackened belly, emitting a burnt smell as he reappeared in the ruins.
Thud! A charred lump of flesh fell from his belly, struggled briefly, and then lay still.
Gusain froze, life force completely drained, and collapsed.
His flesh rapidly shriveled, turning him into a charred mummy, with large blood-colored blisters appearing on his body.
Another bolt of lightning, formed by countless silver snakes, struck the blistering Gusain.
Boom!
Gusain twitched a few times and died completely.
"Mom!" the iron soldier cried, running to Gusain, crouching down, and picking him up.
Julie seized the opportunity, reflecting the iron soldier in her mirror and covering it with Demoness black flames.
The iron soldier was instantly engulfed in black flames, burning from the inside out.
It stood up, wielding its white flaming spear, and charged at Wanak and Julie in a frenzy.
For a while, fireballs, Fire Ravens, mirror fragments, burning-white spears, and burning rain appeared continuously, with explosions echoing non-stop.
As Julie prepared to escape using the Mirror Substitution, leaving Wanak to face the iron soldier alone, the iron soldier began to tremble.
Still burning with Demoness black flames, its legs seemed unable to support its body, showing signs of rust and melting.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Metal parts covered in black flames fell off its body.
Soon, the iron soldier turned into a pile of scrap metal.
Wanak, who had been struggling, sighed in relief and sneered at the iron soldier's remains. "All strength and no brains."
With that said, the most dangerous person in Morora then turned his head, looking at Julie a few meters away.
Julie's gaze first fell on his face, then moved down to his crotch.
The Demoness shook her head in disappointment, regretting adding the black flame curse to the iron soldier too early, missing the chance to see Wanak weakened.
Wanak squinted slightly as Julie smiled and retreated into the shadows.
At this moment, the enforcers finally arrived in the district.
...
In the fog-filled hollow, Albus stood in a corner, leaning against the brown rock wall, hair disheveled, clothes tattered, a white cigarette in his mouth.
The Medici descendant took a deep drag and muttered regretfully, "Nobody followed. I was hoping to give you a surprise..."
...
After the explosions subsided and the enforcers returned to the Church of Knowledge, Lumian left and headed for the Carnivore bar.
Archbishop Heraberg of Morora hadn't appeared, seemingly not on duty.
Lumian didn't hurry to sleep. He conjured a white flaming ball and continued reading the books related to 0-01 at a desk.
Soon, Julie returned and knocked on his door.
Lumian, suspending the white flaming ball, opened the shabby wooden door, seeing the neighboring Demoness with moist eyes and flushed cheeks, as if she had just finished some R21 activity.
She held a blood-colored object frozen in ice.
"Wanak's?" Lumian asked with a smile.
Julie sighed and shook her head. "No, I didn't get the chance."
She then accused Lumian, which was her reason for knocking in the middle of the night. "Why did you leave early? Together, we could have cut off Wanak's thing!"
If I hadn't left, something you wouldn't want to see might have happened... Lumian chuckled. "I'm in a partnership with Wanak."
"Pui!" Julie scoffed in disbelief.
She turned and walked towards her room.
After a few steps, she turned back, smiling slyly at Lumian. "Hope you don't regret today's choice."
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