Chapter 946: A Bestowment Or A Curse

The ice-cold potion slid down his throat, bringing Klein numbness, one

that reached deep into his soul.

He had already stopped dancing. His mind seemed to be lifted as though

he was high in the air, looking down at the ruined Revival Square, at

Cookawa City which had been left in shambles by the repeated lightning

strikes.

At this moment, he felt his emotions rouse up for some baffling reason

as all the pedestrians below seemed to be connected to him by some

invisible threads. They could be happy, angry, or sad, making all kinds

of actions based on his directions.

Klein often had such feelings recently. He knew that this was the vision

of a "director." By viewing all participants as marionettes or actors,

he attempted to control or guide them into putting on a grand

performance.

Using that hint of familiarity, Klein hurriedly adjusted his state of

mind, completely separating his emotions from it, and viewing everything

in a cold, aloof manner, so as to prevent himself from being affected by

the play.

As a "director," he followed the script, referred to reality, and

rationally made an analysis to choose according to the circumstances. He

allowed emotions to build up, allowing himself to push matters forward

and use the clues that had developed.

Once his state of mind settled, he felt the potion's power spread across

his body, like a sharp threaded net.

Suddenly, Klein felt that his Soul Body was connected to his physical

body. They were split into countless parts, and without being able to

hold it in any longer, he let out a cry from deep within his soul.

"No!"

His thoughts were diced apart, turning into fragments as they fused with

different pieces of flesh as he gained his own sentience.

These included Klein with pain, Klein with arrogance, Klein with

coldness, Klein with gentleness, Klein who could amuse himself, as

well as Zhou Mingrui, Sherlock Moriarty, Gehrman Sparrow, and Dwayne

Dantès!

His entire Spirit Body seemed to be thrown into a grinding machine.

Not far away, Leonard, whose cheeks were streaming with unconscious

tears, first saw Captain Dunn, who was embracing Daly Simone, transform

back into Klein Moretti. Following that, he noticed his face, neck, and

the back of his hands. Pale-colored tendrils protruded out as though

they had a life of their own. They kept growing outwards, turning into a

transparent maggot. And beneath his clothes, there were also signs of

squirming.

This made Leonard have the feeling that Klein would collapse into a

cluster of transparent maggots the next second as they raced in

different directions!

Just as he wanted to do something, he felt dizzy. He instinctively

closed his eyes and didn't dare to keep watching

The transparent maggots that grew out of Klein's body shimmered under

the sunlight, producing three-dimensional layers of mysterious symbols.

They connected to higher and lower levels, directly presenting the

abstract concepts of bizarreness, madness, change, strength, and wisdom.

Amidst howling cold winds, black illusory threads rose up around Klein

as they bonded together, forming strange "tentacles."

The tentacles flailed as his Soul Body, Astral Projection, Body of Heart

and Mind, and Ether Body were reduced to fragments as they fused with

the different maggots that represented Klein's various thoughts,

turmoil, and dilemmas. As they wafted between them gently, they seemed

to fly up to an infinite height where there were countless illusions

hugging huge distorted buildings. They were either playing wind

instruments, giving speeches, growling, or raving.

Amidst Klein's countless chaotic senses, everything around him stacked

together as though they turned into the spirit world. However, there

were living people coming and going with the stars shining upon them.

At this moment, the fragments filled with thoughts had similar memories

appear-fresh memories:

It was of King of Angels Adam praying with his eyes closed. It was the

scene of his shocking appearance;

It was him using Death Knell against Ince Zangwill as he pulled the

trigger to blast open his head;

It was when he revealed his Clown's smile, saying in a deep voice, "This

shot is for Captain";

It was when Spectator Adam used an extremely clear and innocent eye to

take in the ending of the performance;

It was of him turning into Dunn Smith, inviting Daly Simone to dance the

closing dance.

They were all so fresh on his mind, especially the gaze of a Spectator.

There was a seemingly corporeal feedback that felt like a magnetic

force. It made Klein gradually discover his sense of self-awareness once

again.

I...

Who am I?

This was a question that Klein had an answer to when he was still a

Faceless. He didn't need to think too much about it as he quickly

understood his identity:

A person from Earth, a person who had been reconstructed from Klein's

memory fragments;

A person whose experience as a Nighthawk deeply influenced him;

A person who played safe and was afraid of danger, but was able to

persist and give up everything;

A guardian and a miserable wretch.

Strange sensory organs that didn't come from the Body of Heart and Mind

or Soul Body were extracted bit by bit from the fragments, condensing

Klein's new thoughts---coldness, calmness, spectating, and overlooking.

They were thoughts that allowed him to view the world from even more

angles and dimensions.

He knew that this could possibly be godhood. Without putting up any

resistance, he chained the original Spirit Body fragments with black

threads, allowing him to slowly take form again.

At this moment, he realized the purpose of the advancement ritual.

It was a mark, an anchor. Compared to other pathways, the Bizarro

Sorcerer, who experienced the fragmentation of their Soul Bodies,

required an anchor much earlier!

However, this didn't require the support of any faith. On the contrary,

faith was a numerous and jumbled affair with too many personal feelings

involved. During the fragmentation during this ritual, it easily wiped

away the humanity of the advancer who was only Sequence 5, leaving

behind godhood.

A grand and profound performance under the watch of countless spectators

was enough to make up this anchor!

Although the spectators were few in number, as the pinnacle existence of

the Spectator pathway, Adam could match thousands of ordinary

spectators. He could even imagine a theater of spectators to create the

effect.

With his entire body taking form, all kinds of knowledge surged out from

the depths of his demigod Spirit Body, embroiling Klein's mind and

giving him an indescribable impact. It felt as though his brain was

about to explode.

However, with some level of godhood and his rich experience, he could

view this in a detached manner and rather easily pass through this

stage.

The transparent maggots on his face, hands, neck, and beneath his

clothes returned into his body, turning back into the black-haired,

brown-eyed Klein Moretti.

Looking at Daly Simone, who was still in his embrace and slowly turning

cold, he lifted her up and walked to Leonard Mitchell. He bent down and

placed her on the ground.

Daly no longer had pitch-black scales or white feathers. She had been

restored to normal and her eyes were closed. The corners of her mouth

were curled up like she was having the deepest and sweetest dream.

Klein stood up and looked at Leonard, who had opened his eyes again, and

said heavily, "She has returned to the Goddess's kingdom, just like

Captain."

He had turned her into a marionette to reverse Daly's mutation, allowing

her to die like a human before releasing his control over her.

Leonard tried to force a smile as he whimpered a sound of

acknowledgment. Tears were streaming down his face.

Klein gently nodded his head.

"To her, this might not be the worst outcome. She returned as a human to

the embrace of a deity she believes in, and that's where Captain and the

others are."

As he spoke, he subconsciously and sincerely raised his right hand and

tapped his chest four times in a clockwise fashion.

Leonard instinctively drew the sign of the crimson moon. He was

momentarily taken aback as his expression turned odd.

Klein surveyed the area and said, "Take Ma'am Daly back with you to East

Balam. Make it known that she died due to Ince Zangwill's attack and had

made exceptional contributions in causing Ince Zangwill's death.

"Don't worry, no one will investigate you. Of course, you can take this

opportunity to leave the Red Gloves."

"I-I'm used to the Church," Leonard said heavily.

Klein took off his hat and bade farewell with a bow.

Holding his hat, he turned to walk to Ince Zangwill's body and took a

card that had a chariot and a red priest on it.

The red priest wore the face of Roselle Gustav.

Leonard's lips quivered as he suddenly asked, "A-aren't you returning to

the Church?"

Klein didn't turn around as he wore his silk top hat and headed for

another exit of the square.

After a few steps, he paused and replied to Leonard with his back facing

him:

"I can't return anymore..."

Can't return anymore... Leonard stared in a daze as the familiar figure

gradually distanced himself and vanished.

After a while, a few Beyonders flew to Revival Square. One of them was

wearing the clergyman robes of the Church of Evernight. She had a head

of beautiful raven-black hair and an exquisite face.

No one could tell her age, because no one cared. They could only notice

the eyes that seemed to contain countless stars within.

This lady was floating in midair as she looked at the square. All she

saw was Ince Zangwill's sorry corpse that could hardly be recognized.

Covering his cracked head was a commonly-seen tarot card.

It was The Star.

Above the gray fog, Klein placed the Red Priest card by his left hand

and closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

He had a basic grasp and understanding of the powers of a Bizarro

Sorcerer.

On the one hand, he could transform into animals that weren't too

disparate in size. In a Spirit Body state, he could completely ignore

this point. He could transfer wounds from either himself or others onto

a paper figurine. He had also gained the enhancement of the Flaming Jump

ability that now spanned nearly a thousand meters. The might of Air

Bullet reached that of a cannon.

On the other hand, he could now obtain initial control of one's Spirit

Body Threads in three seconds. He could turn a target into his

marionette within fifteen seconds. His control range was 150 meters. At

the same time, he could switch Spirit Body Threads, allowing his

marionette to obtain all his Beyonder powers. Within a thousand meters,

he could switch locations with his marionette as he wished.

Due to this point, and the maggots he separated as a Mythical Creature

form, as well as the disguise from the Spirit Body Threads, Klein

obtained a higher level of body doubles. This also meant that, as long

as any one of his marionettes were alive, a Bizarro Sorcerer would never

die!

The enemy often found it difficult to know if the one killed was the

Bizarro Sorcerer or his marionette. What was real and what wasn't was

difficult to determine.

After confirming his state and resting for a moment, Klein immediately

walked deep into the mysterious space above the gray fog. He headed for

the staircase of light that seemed to lead to heaven.

As he expected, there was another step, one formed of light.

This time, Klein believed that he could use this sixth step that

resembled a giant's to step onto the condensed gray cloud.

One step, two steps, three steps... He came to the end and, with a leap,

stepped onto the cloud formed by the gray fog.

Reflecting in his eyes was a door of light tainted with a bluish-black

luster. It was formed from countless layers of spherical light, and each

spherical light enveloped squirming maggots. Some of them were

transparent, others translucent. This was the scene Klein saw through

Enzo's eyes, but the objects were very blurry, as though something was

obstructing his vision.

In addition, above the door of light, there were thin black threads that

hung down. They were hanging up what seemed like completely transparent

cocoons.

These cocoons were gently swaying, wrapping different souls. They looked

to be of all descents African, Asian, Caucasians, etc. Some were wearing

jeans, others holding cell phones. Some had beautiful clothes, others

having beautiful facial features. All of them had the aura as though

they were living, but their eyes were tightly closed.

Klein's gaze froze as though he had returned to Earth and had walked

onto the streets which were filled with people.

Then, he noticed that three cocoons had opened. They were empty and were

swaying with the wind.

Raising his head, Klein took in this sight as he observed in silence.

Pathways Guide {epub:type=glossary .epub-invis}

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