Chapter 993: Another Possibility

*Allowing the Spirit Body to receive protection of a dream to slow down

the encroachment of danger at night... This is similar to the necessity

to sleep when night fell in the ruins of the battlefield of the

gods...*

*Also, the powers in the Forsaken Land of the Gods likely isn't under

the Goddess's control. Once one vanishes in the darkness over there,

they definitely won't enter the foggy town... Where will it point

towards? Or would they stay in the same spot, unable to interact with

companions and the real world until they die of starvation or old

age...* After reading Arrodes's reply, Klein was somewhat

enlightened as he roughly grasped the crux of the issue.

However, he felt that this wasn't necessarily useful, because The Sun

only required pure darkness so that he could be buried in ice that

normally wouldn't melt to consume the Priest of Light potion. Once he

entered a dream, there was no way for him to control his own body to

complete that critical step. That way, even if he could remain in the

darkness for prolonged periods of time, it would be meaningless.

*Yes, I'll wait until Little Sun asks the chief of the City of Silver

before coming up with an actual plan based on his answer... Of course,

before that, I can try to get a corresponding solution from Leonard to

figure out how to create darkness with a temporary

dreamworld...* Klein nodded slightly, acknowledging the answer

provided by the magic mirror.

As for the first option of accepting corruption and turning into a

monster in the darkness, it wasn't even considered. In the extraordinary

world, this was equivalent to committing suicide which almost couldn't

be reversed.

Upon considering how he still had one question left to ask, Klein

deliberated and asked, "Where can I obtain the potion formula of the

Seer pathway's Sequence 3, Scholar of Yore?"

The full-body mirror's surface had aqueous light ripple once again as it

reflected a dark cathedral without any natural light.

Klein found this scene very familiar as he immediately recalled what it

represented---this was where Zaratul, who had turned into a monster,

hid!

However, this time, deep inside the cathedral, the cluster of blurry and

huge maggots were no longer present.

Just as Klein's pupils dilated, the silver words appeared beneath the

scene depiction:

"Great Master, Zaratul has vanished!

"I can't find 'Him'!"

Vanished... Klein momentarily forgot to breathe.

Although he had long known of Zaratul's return, since he was the one who

began the chain reaction by opening the door to the foggy town, he never

expected this big shot to secretly leave the cathedral; "His"

whereabouts becoming unknown!

*Even Arrodes is unable to locate "Him"... What is "He"

plotting?* The more Klein thought, the more a chill ran down his

back.

Having become a Sequence 4 demigod, he could confirm one thing:

His control over the mysterious world above the gray fog was still

insufficient. He could temporarily only converge the leaking specialness

that it had augmented him with in the real world, making it difficult

for Beyonders of corresponding pathways to see it, but it was unable to

repress the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence. As for the gray

fog, it had proven time and time again that he had an invisible form of

attraction towards Beyonders of the Seer, Apprentice, and Marauder

pathway. Amongst them, the effects on the Seer pathway was most evident!

*Besides, I myself am quite an attractive Sequence 4 Bizarro Sorceror.

It's not impossible for Zaratul to suddenly come to Backlund one

day...* Klein maintained a deadpan expression and said to the

full-body mirror that was switching scenes, "Got it."

Arrodes presented another scene which Klein was equally familiar with.

It was the Antigonus family's "treasure trove" at the peak of the

Hornacis mountain range.

Below this scene, silver words quickly surfaced once again:

"Great Master, there's another possibility, but I can't tell. I just

know that it's easier than the first two."

*The Antigonus family's notebook isn't there this time? That's right. It

will lead the wielder to the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range to

seek out the Antigonus family's treasure trove. It's basically the same

as the previous option... What's the possibility that even Arrodes can't

tell? Based on what I know about the factions in control of the Seer

pathway, it's implying that I should pray to the Goddess for it? The

Goddess is the Mother of Concealment, so "She" can choose whether

Arrodes can see it or not...* Klein's thoughts scattered and

quickly made a connection.

Of course, he didn't believe that directly praying for the Scholar of

Yore potion formula would allow him to get it. It was too ridiculous, as

though it was child's play.

From his experience as a Nighthawk, he suspected that he might need to

make enough contributions before he could obtain the Scholar of Yore

potion formula from the Evernight Goddess via a ritual.

*Making enough contributions... This sure is a familiar

phrase...* Klein sighed as he began having some ideas.

Clearly, he had hints on how to do so---handle the Artificial Death

faction of the Numinous Episcopate!

However, Klein suspected that the Goddess only had up to the Scholar of

Yore Sequence for the Seer pathway potion formulas, and not the

subsequent ones at the angel level. This was because the Antigonus

family's angel didn't perish immediately back then but had hidden in a

secret palace, losing control to become a monster and was in a

half-sealed state. In addition, The Fool card was also there and hadn't

been retrieved yet.

At this moment, Klein had the intention of asking about Amon's avatars,

but he suddenly recalled that within the memories of the rat demigod,

the warning about the Marauder pathway angel and Amon had been given by

this very mirror!

As his thoughts flashed through his mind, Klein narrowed his eyes,

looked at the full-body mirror, and nodded.

"Alright, that's it for today. Head back. If there's anything in the

future, I'll summon you again."

"Yes, Master! Goodbye, Master\~ Your loyal and humble servant, Arrodes,

is constantly waiting to return to your side!" Light gathered on the

mirror's surface, depicting a stick figure waving its hand.

After everything returned to normal, Klein turned around and picked up

the paper with the previously drawn symbol. With a snap of his fingers,

he made it burst into scarlet flames.

The ash floated down as he spread open his left hand. In it were two

maggots shimmering with solid mysterious symbols.

The two maggots squirmed gently, using their lifeforce to fill the

entire bedroom with madness and bizarreness. The surrounding lights then

dimmed and brightened from time to time in a non-uniform fashion. They

were none other than the Worms of Spirit which Klein had separated from

himself.

Suddenly, Klein reached out his right palm, suddenly pressing them

towards the two transparent maggots.

Instantly, his palm paused, just short of touching the Worms of Spirit.

He raised his palm again, lowering it only to pause. He repeated this

several times until he finally exerted his strength with a deadpan

expression.

Amidst an invisible and illusory cracking sound, his head suddenly felt

a stabbing pain.

This made his soul feel like it was being ripped apart. It was even more

painful than encountering a gunshot or a slash wound.

Klein used his Clown powers to control the twitching of his facial

muscles. After a few seconds, he raised his right hand to rub his

temples, inwardly mumbling, *Indeed, the death of every Worm of Spirit

deals damage to the Spirit Body. My current limit is six. Hmm, I'll

temporarily stop trying. Let's see how long it takes to

recover.*

*Thankfully, this is a tolerable matter. Otherwise, it would be

dangerous if a marionette is destroyed while the Worm of Spirit isn't

able to be collected in time due to an intense battle...*

*Yes, it's different from Amon's Worms of Time avatars. A Bizarro

Sorcerer's Worms of Spirit will not necessarily die when a marionette is

destroyed. Most of the time, a Bizarro Sorcerer is able to retrieve them

in time. It's because the distance between the body and the marionette

isn't that exaggerated...*

After confirming the situation, and waiting for the Beyonder

characteristics contained within the Worms of Spirit to return to

himself, Klein rummaged for some materials and set up a ritual to pray

to The Fool.

After a series of tasks, Klein used the carcasses of two Worms of

Spirit, two silver plates, and the complicated symbol which he had

previously recorded down to make two silver-black bullets---of which the

latter came from Snake of Mercury Will Auceptin.

The two bullets were carved with strange, indescribable patterns. They

kept extending inwards as though they were coming together in the middle

at one point. Their entire bodies were gloomy but not dark. Just one

look at it made one's thoughts sluggish.

Klein flicked a gold coin and used divination, together with his

spiritual intuition, to swiftly determine the abilities of the two

bullets---the target would immediately enter a state of paralysis upon

being hit!

The length of time that one was left in this state depended on the

potency of one's Spirit Body. Even Sequence 3 saints would be in a state

of stiffness for a second or two!

*This already exceeds my powers. Of course, the premise is that contact

can be made. Oh, this is a result of the gray fog's augmentation...

These two bullets should be at the same level as the Fate Siphon charms.

Although my Worms of Spirit can't be compared to Amon's and Pallez's

Worms of Time, the amount of power I can now draw from the mysterious

space above the gray fog is clearly superior to what I could do in the

past... I shall call them, uh---Control Spirit Bullets...* Klein

drew Death Knell from his underarm holster, snapped open the cylinder

wheel, and stuffed the two silver-black Control Spirit Bullets inside.

Following that, he spread open a piece of paper beside the altar and

wrote:

"...Next, your mission is to seek out relatively high-level charms and

Beyonder bullets. May God be with you.

"XXX who raised three requests from you."

This letter was written to Patrick Bryan of the Numinous Episcopate's

Artificial Death faction.

With a subordinate at my disposal, why let him go to waste? As

Klein mumbled, he folded his letter. At the altar from before, he

summoned Patrick Bryan's messenger.

The surface of the desk burst into pitch-black flames and quickly

gathered together, forming a translucent bird with dark feathers.

This spirit world creature glanced at Klein before slowly lowering its

head to bite at the envelope.

Watching it disappear, Klein nodded slightly and inwardly muttered,

Patrick's Contract Companion isn't of a low level either...

He quickly reined in his thoughts, took out another letter, and fluidly

wrote:

"...I have already obtained the blessing of Concealment. You can attempt

to gather items at the Marauder pathway demigod level. In addition, I've

found a way to crack the theft and replacement of destiny. You don't

have to be too anxious.

"...Do you know how to create a darkness that includes a temporary dream

world?

"...If you have the time, can you head to Tingen and help me use 3-0782

to create Flaring Sun Bullets. The Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem has the

divine blood of the Eternal Blazing Sun hidden in it... Only by

sufficiently raising your strength can we be more confident at dealing

with Amon's avatars..."