Chapter 844: Which Symbol
The thin human-skinned glove didn't look any different from the past,
but Klein didn't dare to be too careless. He used divination to make a
crude inspection.
*Apart from the five fingers, the palm and the back of the palm can each
Graze one more soul...*
*Currently, all seven spots are filled. It has signs of similar Beyonder
characteristics fusing together...*
It also seems to have the powers of flesh and blood magic...
The speed of switching souls has sped up significantly...
*It has to eat a person a day, or else it will eat its owner. Heh,
Creeping Hunger, you are swelling in self-importance again. You need to
reflect on yourself above the gray fog later.*
*I'm temporarily unable to obtain any revelations for the rest. After I
leave this place, I'll head above the gray fog to make a more accurate
divination.*
*Yes, I'm still not sure if there are any other side effects. All I know
is that it wouldn't cause me any harm for the time being.*
*Also, Mr. X who was Grazed wasn't affected. Traveler's Traveling and
Door Opening still work.*
Klein heaved a sigh of relief as he wore the upgraded Creeping Hunger.
Then, he rushed for the cathedral, hoping to leave as soon as possible.
During his merry chase with the gigantic "mushroom," he hadn't forgotten
to cast an illusion on himself to make him wear a trench coat and a top
hat.
As for the Beyonder characteristic that Senor left behind, Klein
suspected that it was likely in the hands of Demoness of Despair
Panatiya. And this demigod was being hung inside the ancient palace,
under the watch of the cluster of maggots.
*Sigh, flesh can be slowly eaten to be stored for the future, but
Beyonder characteristics will definitely have appeared and taken form
after this much time. Even if Demoness of Despair didn't care too much
about it and threw it somewhere, in this place that isn't connected to
the spirit world and highly restricts divination, I'm unable to quickly
locate it. And in this sort of environment, who knows what sorts of
anomalies will happen next. Who knows if that obsidian rock will
automatically teleport and disappear. Thus, I need to make every second
count and escape as quickly as possible...* Klein returned to
the cathedral with a clear line of thought.
Although he had promised Miss Sharron to sell Senor's Beyonder
characteristic to Maric, the ingredient itself was corrupted to begin
with, making it difficult to use for the concocting of a potion.
Secondly, his safety was a lot more important.
*It's not like it cannot be resolved. I can just hunt another Wraith or
find Will Auceptin's help to shatter the Beyonder characteristic in
Maric's hands and allow it to be purified. Hmm, this will have to wait
until a particular infant is born...* Klein mumbled silently as
he passed through the swaying corpses and came to the side of the stone
statue.
Along the way, he found the iron cigar case which he had used to put the
marionette in. It hadn't been devoured by the "mushroom." Azik's copper
whistle and the Loen gold coin inside weren't damaged either.
Putting these items away, Klein controlled his Spirit Body Threads to
prevent himself from floating to the top of the cathedral as he bent
down to pick up the obsidian rock.
After confirming that the important item wasn't damaged, he felt a lot
calmer. He then inspected Zaratul's tin urn.
When he opened the lid and took a careful look, Klein's pupils
constricted as his gaze instantly froze.
All the ashes inside were gone!
There wasn't any left inside!
Zaratul achieved "His" goal? Should I say as expected... Klein
threw away the thin urn while feeling doubtful. He stood up straight and
inserted the obsidian rock into the wall at the back.
The wall emitted light again as it turned transparent, allowing people
to see the ancient stone slabs outside, the holed walls, and the
floating clouds.
At the thought of the cluster of terrifying maggots, Klein wasn't in a
rush to draw the symbol provided by the Antigonus family's notebook. He
first raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
He had ignited a tree outside the cathedral, in preparation to escape
with Flaming Jump the moment something wasn't right.
After making his preparations, Klein used his finger and quickly
outlined the vertical eye formed of many concealment symbols. Compared
to the previous one, a crescent and dotted line had swapped places.
With his final stroke, the pure beams of light bloomed as they followed
the vertical eye's patterns before blasting into a radiant light!
The entire cathedral turned ethereal as it shook.
Klein felt as though he had instantly arrived at the top where the
corpses were being hung. In front of him was a pair of illusory double
doors. Behind the door was a familiar ancient palace. It was where
Panatiya and the other corpses were gently swaying.
Translucent tentacles with strange and mysterious patterns swarmed over
and slammed on the door but were unable to open it. All it could do was
use some of its strength to "grab" Klein's Spirit Body Threads!
Klein didn't hesitate to snap his fingers. While pulling at his Spirit
Body Threads, he leaped to the flames outside the cathedral.
Right on the heels of that, he snapped his fingers repeatedly and
flashed away, escaping to the farthest point of the foggy town.
After the ethereal feeling of the pitch-black cathedral vanished, Klein
paused and frowned.
That also leads to the palace with the rampaging angel...
*The symbol provided by the Antigonus family's notebook is as much of a
trap as Zaratul's was!*
*However, this symbol only seems capable of triggering the door to
escape, but it's unable to open it. Otherwise, I might not have been
able to escape...*
*It's the symbol for entry, while Zaratul's one was for
exiting?*
What should I do... How do I leave?
Klein subconsciously surveyed the ghastly silent town which was shrouded
in fog, and he forced himself to calm down. He began to think about how
he could escape.
*Perhaps that's not the only wall that allows me to leave, but it's
unlikely. All these years, there have been batches of people coming to
the foggy town. If there are any clues outside the cathedral, they
should have long found it.*
Try another symbol?
What should I try...
Klein fell into deep thought as he analyzed the intricacies to see if he
could be inspired.
*This place is related to the Nation of the Evernight and the Antigonus
family. As for the monster on the huge throne in the ancient palace,
it's definitely a rampaging angel from the Seer pathway, regardless of
"His" identity...*
*Zaratul, who's also involved in this matter, is similarly an angel of
the Seer pathway. The Antigonus family's notebook which provided the
symbol is also directly tied to this pathway...*
*Therefore, the correct door-opening symbol is likely related to the
Seer pathway?*
*Sequence 0 of the Seer pathway is likely called The Fool... This can be
initially confirmed; otherwise, that owner of the Card of Blasphemy
wouldn't have been lured to the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range
and become a hanger...*
The Fool... The Fool...
As he ruminated over the word, Klein suddenly thought of himself. He
thought of the mysterious symbol behind his high-back chair that
represented himself above the gray fog!
Perhaps I can give it a try? Klein pondered for a few seconds
before deciding to make a bold attempt. After all, he was temporarily
out of ideas.
*He returned to the spired cathedral, and under the gaze of the hanged
corpses, he walked to the wall behind the statue and picked up the
obsidian rock that had fallen once again.*
*After the obsidian rock was inserted, the door rapidly turned
transparent. As Klein snapped his fingers to light another tree, he took
a deep breath. He drew The Fool's symbol that was made up of the
Pupil-less Eye and the partially Contorted Lines.*
*Soon, he completed the symbol as he found himself feeling
anxious.*
But this time, nothing happened to the transparent door.
It doesn't work... Klein's expression turned wry as he
suspected that he would be trapped in there, engaging in murderous
battles with Beyonders who later entered, doing so until he starved to
death or was eaten.
He shook his head to dispel his emotions of despair. He began running
through ideas in search of other clues.
*This place is related to the Nation of the Evernight and is related to
the Antigonus family, and they were obliterated by the Church of
Evernight.*
*The one who sent me here is the Eraser angel who's suspected to be the
Mother of the Sky. "She" was active in the basement of the Church of
Evernight's Saint Samuel Cathedral...*
*The reason why people vanish if they don't sleep at night in the ruins
of the battle of gods is said to be a result of the remnant aura and
strength of a deity from the Evernight domain.*
*Therefore, this is clearly related to the Evernight's authority or even
the Evernight Goddess, uh---areas related to the Goddess.*
The more Klein thought about it, the more he lacked confidence. He was
originally analyzing the problem from an objective angle, but he had
unknowingly changed the way he addressed the Evernight Goddess.
And this led him to a new idea.
*Perhaps I can try the label corresponding to the Dark Sacred Emblem or
the symbol that represents the Goddess in mysticism?*
Out of options, Klein exhaled and raised his right hand again, drawing
the simplified picture of the Dark Sacred Emblem.
Suddenly, the watery scene behind the transparent door shook as a change
occurred.
Although he could still see the ancient palace and the hole-ridden wall,
they were very far away and could only be faintly made out!
Behind the door was a bottomless cliff with jagged rocks. It was amidst
the clouds in the sky with stars and the crimson moon that hadn't been
concealed by the sunlight. It was like some part of a mountaintop!
...It really works... Klein stared at this scene with a
dumbfounded expression as he subconsciously reached out with his palms
and pushed the door open.
There was a cold breeze outside that produced a howl.
Klein was just about to take a step out when he fell into thought and
paused.
Then, he flipped a gold coin and did a divination. He received a
revelation that there was no danger outside.
Following that, he drew a crimson moon on his chest in a feigned manner.
After doing this, Klein stepped out with his right foot and passed
through the illusory door.
His vision went dark as he saw an endless night and resplendent stars.
Following that, he found himself on a mountaintop. Apart from the
unmelted snow, jagged rocks, and morning sunlight, there was nothing.
I'm out... I'm safe? Klein didn't observe his surroundings as
he directly used Creeping Hunger to turn transparent as he attempted
using Traveling.
If this succeeded, it would mean that he had escaped the foggy town and
returned to the real world. He could then leave the location he was at
to avoid any danger. If he were to fail, he would quickly take note of
the situation and be wary of any sudden attacks.
After a moment, Klein's body turned faint as he vanished from the spot.
The colors in front of him saturated as countless, indescribable shadows
appeared.
He had succeeded in entering the spirit world!