Seeing this, the wandering magician tapped the table lightly, his eyes flickered slightly, but he did not make any further moves.
As someone who had been involved in the incident, Klein knew that the murmurs of the "True Creator" would soon begin, which would harm most of those present, and could even lead to the immediate death of the siblings, who were ordinary people. However, judging from the previous actions of the master of this space in "visualizing the phantom of the "True Creator, He would likely take measures this time to protect those present from the influence of the murmurs.
However, Klein, who had dealt with top con artist Amon many times, did not let his guard down. After all, that being would not have brought them here for no reason, and no one could be sure what His next move would be until He understood the other party's true intentions.
If, then, the delirious murmurs of a "true creator" truly begin to echo…
Klein's expression remained unchanged as he calmly watched the film.
After a moment of silence, a sharp, piercing shriek echoed through the film, like the mournful cry of a ghost, sending chills down one's spine. At the same time, the screen vibrated slightly, and faint black ripples. like sound waves, appeared.
In the footage, all the blood vessels in Rosago's head bulge as if they're about to explode. He rolls and falls to the ground, writhing and struggling, his skin cracking open inch by inch, revealing the flesh and blood beneath.
At the same time. Klein and the woman with light blonde hair and azure eyes also collapsed, unable to bear it any longer, each letting out a scream, as if someone had pierced their temples with an iron rod. Their eyes suddenly became bloodshot, and bright red liquid dripped from their noses.
At first, everyone was only slightly uncomfortable because of the piercing sound, but after seeing the horrific state of the three people in the video, they realized that the true effect of the talisman was far more terrifying than they had imagined, and they were all horrified. The sound echoing in their ears seemed to become even sharper due to the impact of the visuals.
As expected... Klein breathed a silent sigh of relief.
In fact, even if the whispers of the "true creator" were to resound in this space, he would not be without means, but the chain reaction that would follow would be quite troublesome.
The shrill sound gradually subsided. Klein was the first to recover. swaying and struggling to his feet. He saw Rosago tearing his clothes. peeling off his skin, revealing all his flesh and veins, like a legendary skinned red monster, writhing and groaning in pain, seemingly about to lose control.
Instead of waiting for the result, he drew his revolver, adjusted the firing mechanism, walked around to the coffee table, and pressed the muzzle against Rosago's head.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dressed in a black double-breasted long dress, he stared at the enemy.
fired five shots in quick succession, watched as the enemy's head swelled and tilted back, watched as the enemy's head exploded, scattering red, white, and black blood all over the ground.
Klein lowered his revolver, panting heavily, a smile spreading across his face.
Before him. Rosago's headless corpse swayed and fell backward next to the sofa.
Only then did the woman in the black Gothic court dress slowly stop screaming, and her rolling and struggling movements slowed down, but her skin seemed to have become much more transparent.
Seeing that the flesh and blood on Rosago's corpse were still writhing. Klein did not hesitate to take out the "Soul-Soothing Charm" and use it.
The body finally came to a stop.
He was decisive in his actions, had a strong acting ability, and his lies were hard to detect… Watching Klein on the screen explain the cause and effect to the awakened bodyguard in a flustered and uneasy voice, Cattleya couldn't help but secretly admire him.
Regardless of why this gentleman was valued so highly by Mr. Fool, his mature demeanor in handling matters alone is enough to set him apart from most extraordinary newcomers.
Wasn't that something Mr. "World" had borrowed from me? Derrick quickly recognized the completely black eyes that peeked out from Rosago.
Could the man in the film be Mr. World? He doesn't seem quite right. But he's very capable, cautious, and intelligent... He must be Mr. World! Derrick thought happily, his interest in the film growing even stronger.
Melissa felt nauseous. She understood that Klein killed the man in self-defense, so she didn't feel any moral guilt, but the splattered brains still gave her a huge visual shock. In previous films, she had already seen many horrific scenes that ordinary people rarely see. If it weren't for the many cruel and bloody scenes she had witnessed in the previous war, and the fact that the film's content was separated from reality by a veil, she probably would have already vomited.
At the same time, these horrific scenes gave her a deeper understanding of the darkness and madness of the extraordinary world, and her worry and concern for her brother intensified.
Fors subtly shrank back. What horrified her wasn't the corpse itself, but the flowered head that reminded her of the head of Louis Wayne that had been given to her after the commission was completed...
At least this confidant won't piece the enemy's head back together... Just as Fors was thinking this, he saw the awakened bodyguard attach herself to Rosago, causing the mutilated corpse to automatically piece itself back together.
"..." For a moment, she didn't know what expression to wear.
If only all those who follow the Diviner's Path were as reckless as Rosago.
Although there were factors such as interference from the Source Castle and his own many duties, not even using a Mystic Artifact was a disgrace to the name of a Sequence 5 potion... Klein, who now always uses historical projections in battle, thought to himself, and couldn't help but think of Zarathustra.
Meanwhile, Mr. A also successfully assassinated Ambassador Beckeron.
Having escaped the threat. Klein quickly returned to his normal life. completing cases and attending gatherings of extraordinary individuals like any ordinary low-rank private investigator....
How should I address you?
"Miller Carter." the elderly gentleman opposite him replied succinctly.
"Mr. Carter, what can I do for you?" Klein asked directly, skipping the pleasantries.
"Here's the thing: I bought a house on Williams Street. "
"I was planning to do some modern-style renovations, but I discovered a hidden door in the basement that leads to a large underground building. I'm worried about the safety of the area, so I' ve temporarily stopped construction and am not allowing the workers and servants to explore it. I hope you can help me check the condition of the underground building."
Williams Street...underground... Hearing this somewhat familiar location, Leonard paused for a moment. He recalled an incident from about two years ago that involved the ruins of the "Tudor-Trensost United Empire" beneath Williams Street, which, according to the old man, was where Arista Tudor became the "Blood Emperor."
He originally thought the church would explore the ruins, but the Church of the Night destroyed them without even entering.
After he successfully avenged himself, the old man told him that the evil spirit possessing Ince originated from this place, the evil spirit formed by the combined remnants of Medici, Sauron, and Einhorn.
Could it be that place? That involves the King of Angels, and there must be considerable danger there... Leonard's heart jumped.
"What a coincidence. Maybe your former colleague is going to the place where Arista Tudor became the 'Blood Emperor'" Pales had the same guess as him, and then said, half comforting and half helplessly, "But you don't need to worry. Your former colleague is much more cautious than you. He certainly won't run around in such a place. Maybe the message that the Church of the Night received was relayed to him."
The church received information that high-ranking spies from Fursack and Intis were lurking on Williams Street. The investigation revealed that the source of this information appeared to be a bounty hunter, not very tall... As a former "Nightmare," Leonard' s memory was quite good.
...Miss "Judgment"? No way, didn't she join the Tarot Club at the same time as me? Right, she's a friend of Miss "Magician" in real life... Leonard's feelings were slightly complicated by his own speculation, and he couldn't help but sigh: If this speculation is true, then he has once again unknowingly crossed paths with the Tarot Club and with Klein…
Fors and Hugh both felt a sense of familiarity with the place name and immediately began to guess what it was. As their thoughts raced, they couldn't help but exchange a fleeting glance.
Inside the spacious hall stood eight columns of the same color, and the floor was paved with dark stone slabs. High up the dome hung metal rods, the bases of which were candlesticks carved into different creatures.
Klein, holding the lantern, looked at the upside-down candlesticks and said thoughtfully. "Fourth-era architecture?"
Klein stopped in front of the leftmost door, raised the lantern, and examined the symbols and patterns on the door:
A deep black background, adorned with dazzling brilliance, surrounds a crimson circle that is half-hidden. It is none other than the Dark Emblem!
Upon seeing this. Klein's pupils suddenly contracted.
What's going on? Why are there symbols of the goddess in the ruins of the "Tudor-Trensost United Empire"? As a high-ranking member of the Church of the Night, Leonard's expression immediately turned solemn.
Did the goddess support them in the Fourth Age? Or...?
After a brief moment of contemplation, Klein thoughtfully placed his hand on the stone door.
tie!Amidst the harsh, heavy scraping sounds, the black stone door slowly opened behind it.
The light from the lantern shone in, gradually revealing the scene inside: an open space several meters long and wide, also paved with dark stone slabs, followed by a platform nearly a meter high.
Klein cautiously moved forward, raising the lantern to illuminate the objects on the platform. A few seconds later, the fiery glow outlined a colossal statue, four or five meters long, almost filling the entire far end of the room.
It was a woman with a hazy yet exceptionally beautiful face. She lay on the platform, propping her head up with her right hand, dressed in a layered but not elaborate black classical dress. Below her head was a circle with radiating lines. On her dress, tiny, sparkling fragments of clear, brilliant gemstones shimmered. At first glance, it was as if one were seeing the night sky, seeing the stars.
This...this is the Goddess of the Night?
Even Melissa and Benson, who were ordinary people, had the same guess and were immediately shocked.
It's important to know that one of the differences between evil gods and good gods is that the former have an image resembling an intelligent being, while the latter only have holy emblems composed of symbolic symbols X
And now, a statue of the goddess has appeared here... As believers in the goddess, they dare not even think about it.
Is this a desecration of the image of the goddess of the night?
"Ah, in the Fourth Age, the gods did indeed have human forms," Pales' voice rang out leisurely.
Leonard joined the Tarot Club relatively late, so he had never seen the six-god's human-shaped statue. A question subconsciously arose in his mind: then why is only the Holy Symbol remaining now?
"As for the reasons for making the change," Pales' s voice carried a hint of sarcasm, "you' Il understand once you reach the level of your former colleague."
Do you have to become an angel to understand? It feels like the truth of the apocalypse…
Yes, Klein is already a Sequence 2 angel…
Leonard's feelings about this were quite conflicted. He was naturally happy for the other's promotion and motivated himself to digest the potion as soon as possible, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but feel worried. Whenever he recalled Klein's words, "There's no going back," he would vaguely realize how much untold pressure and pain the other had been carrying.
If... if Klein really is a vessel for divine intervention, then how far is Sequence 2 from fully qualifying as a vessel for divine intervention...? He lowered his eyes, his heart heavy.
The earlier members of the Tarot Club had already seen the statue of the Six Gods from "The World," so they weren't too surprised. However…
"I've seen similar statues during an adventure exploring Quaternary ruins."
Fors suddenly recalled the words of "the world from that time, and the terrible idea that had been extinguished before began to surge wildly and uncontrollably in his mind.
No, that can't be! They have absolutely nothing in common! Remembering her repeated desire to include this familiar in her novel, even including the thought that "he should be dead anyway," Fors trembled slightly, drawing a questioning look from Hugh beside her. If Fors hadn't been seated on the far left, everyone present would probably have noticed her unusual behavior.
Impossible... Right! As a fellow member of the Familiar, it's highly likely that he explored this place again after learning of this news, or encountered the same scene in other Fourth Epoch buildings. After all, Klein and Gehrman's appearances don't match at all; how could they be the same person...?
Fors quickly found reasons to convince himself.
Sure enough, he was Mr. "World"! Derrick was overjoyed at his discovery. But why did the owner of this space tell us about Mr. "World's" experiences? Was he not brought into this space precisely because the film is about Mr. "World"?
Alger silently exhaled, a turbulent undercurrent in his heart. Although the Faithful in the film had previously displayed a cautious and mature side, he was still quite different from the image of Gehrman Sparrow in his mind. Imagine Gehrman in the kitchen wearing an apron, making lamb stew with peas... no, that was simply unimaginable.....
"The World" should be the common identity of Mr. Fool's followers, just like Dawn Dantès. But the image he has always presented is that of Gehrman Sparrow... Alger was momentarily unsure of his previous guess.
Of course, there are other possibilities, such as Gehrman Sparrow, the author of "The World," later exploring the site, or seeing other statues of the six gods in other ruins…
However, if the familiar in the film is indeed Gehrman Sparrow, then many things can be explained. For example, the person named Rosago possessed the ability to change appearance, and judging from Klein Moretti's reaction, he is likely on the same path as Rosago. If this is true, then after Klein Moretti advances to the corresponding sequence, he could completely transform into Gehrman Sparrow's appearance, and Gehrman Sparrow himself seems to possess the same ability…
Furthermore, unlike beings like the Death Archon, Gehrman Sparrow initially didn't occupy a high sequence level, but his ascension was extremely rapid, becoming an angel in just a few years. This also corresponds to the fact that Klein Moretti's treatment as a Favored One was quite special...
But what is so special about him that makes him worthy of Mr. Fool's help, and even the angel disguised as a wandering magician who keeps watching over him...?
Alger fell into deeper thought.
"Goddess of the Night?" The bodyguard's tone carried an unusual hint of doubt.
"Let's take a look behind the other doors. After looking around.
Klein took a breath and spoke up.
The bodyguard nodded slowly.
In the second door on the left, there is a plump and graceful lady with ears of wheat growing at her feet, surrounded by a spring. Her dress flows freely and is decorated with various herbs and flowers, as well as depictions of different animals. Her chest is high and full, and she holds an adorable baby hidden in swaddling clothes in her arms.
"Could it be a statue of the Earth Mother?" Klein murmured, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The two opened the four stone doors on the right in turn and saw the "Symbol of Storms" composed of symbols of gales and waves, the "Symbol of the Sun" surrounded by clusters of lines, the "Symbol of War" composed of a combination of a twilight symbol and a sword-shaped mark, and the "Symbol of Knowledge and Wisdom" represented by an open book and an all-knowing eye.
Correspondingly, there are four statues in the room that appear to be deities:
There was a majestic middle-aged man wearing black armor, standing on the waves, surrounded by storms, with lightning on his back, and holding a trident;
A young man, handsome and energetic, was dressed in a pure white robe, holding a book of contracts in one hand and a golden ball like the sun in the other.
There was a warrior sitting high on a throne, holding a long sword in front of him. His face was hidden behind a mask, and his armor had an indescribable sense of decay.
There was an old man holding a book and the all-knowing eye, wearing a hood that only revealed his mouth, wrinkles, and long white beard.
The fact that such a magnificent hall, which is hundreds of meters deep, contains human-shaped statues of six orthodox deities is unimaginable in the present day!
Those who were not familiar with these matters immediately widened their eyes, their expressions revealing shock.
Bullshit! Th-this is blasphemous! It's outrageous! Danitz still had a strong sense of awe for the gods, and his heart trembled violently.
The wandering magician's eyes flickered slightly.
Since the other two angels showed no intention of speaking, Klein had originally planned to say, "The Six Gods did indeed once possess human form, but later abandoned it. As for the reason, you will naturally understand when you are strong enough." However, after thinking it over, he abandoned this plan.
His original thought was that since the church had completely blocked this information and even proclaimed it as a sign of an evil god, it would be unwise to inquire about such matters after returning to the outside world. This statement would subtly suggest that this was a matter for higher levels of authority, thus discouraging others from pursuing the matter further.
But if everyone else can understand the implication of the warning, how could the person behind the scenes not be able to detect it?
Klein had been carefully avoiding revealing the fact that his humanity outweighed his divinity, and this rather obvious concern was clearly inconsistent with his intention to conceal it.
Well, the members of the Tarot Club will probably discuss this at the meeting; Benson and Melissa are just ordinary people, and after witnessing the horrors of the Extraordinary World in the film, they certainly won't rashly explore it.
Anderson probably wouldn't even care about this. After all, he's usually just a smart aleck, not someone who spreads things he shouldn't say. Otherwise, it would be a miracle that he's still alive today.
Admiral Iceberg is smart enough, and given her understanding of history, she is probably aware of this matter. Even if she is not aware of it and is curious about it, she would not rashly inquire about it.
As for Danitz, well, he'll probably be the first person I need to warn after we get out. Of course, that's all on the premise that the owner of this space is willing to read my embarrassing past before letting us out…
Klein thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile.
After passing through the six doors on the side, Klein had a brief conversation with the bodyguard before they walked together through the middle door.
The two of them looked at the stone door on the left that was not fully closed, leaving a gap.
Klein approached and cautiously peered inside through the gap of about 3 centimeters.
The camera zooms in, and the scene changes to what Klein can see from his perspective: the firelight streaming into the room illuminates the black stone slabs, upon which lie piles of white bones covered with decaying clothing, some of which emit a dark gold and deep blue glow.
At the far end of the room, a bloodstained double door stood against the dark wall, seemingly still dripping with fresh blood that reflected the firelight and continued to slide down.
Klein seemed to sense something, narrowed his eyes, and instinctively took a step back. Immediately afterward, his right forearm began to swell.
He immediately pulled out a tarot card with his left hand and swiftly slashed a gash on his right forearm. What gushed from the wound wasn't blood, but wriggling, tiny black worms!
This bizarre sight startled most of the people present, who felt a chill creep down their right forearm.
Sizzle!
The black insects fell to the ground, corroding and producing wisps of smoke. They struggled, huddled together, but ultimately dissolved in the light of the kerosene lamp.few seconds later, the black worms that had been flowing from Klein's wound finally stopped, and crimson blood began to seep out. He twitched his muscles, controlling the small wound and preventing further bleeding.
The bodyguard watched this scene quietly, her beautiful brows furrowing unusually.
As the lights flickered, a dark shadow suddenly appeared behind the bodyguard, its shape similar to hers, seemingly a shadow.
But she originally had no shadow!
"Run!" Klein's eyes narrowed, and he shouted in a low voice before running towards the hall.
The bodyguard quickly floated up, and the two saw the lantern light in front of them gradually being swallowed up by a dark shadow.
¡Thump thump thump!
Klein sprinted forward, moving like a hurricane in the increasingly dim light around him.
¡Thump thump thump!
The shadow grew larger, closer, and denser, threatening to completely engulf the flames, while the gate remained several meters away. Just then, acting on instinct, Klein lunged forward, then rolled over the stone gate, and the flames suddenly blazed brighter.
The bodyguard floated beside him, turning back to look at the tunnel that had once again plunged into deep darkness, her tone tinged with uncertainty: "An evil spirit..."
Sure enough, Klein and his men evacuated decisively... Leonard was relieved.
An evil spirit... and judging from the bodyguard's reaction, it was definitely not an ordinary evil spirit; it most likely possessed abilities equivalent to a high-ranking powerhouse. If it weren't for the fact that it was difficult for the two of them to project their power beyond the room, they definitely wouldn't have been able to escape... Cattleya's expression grew slightly grave.
This guy is too prone to attracting trouble, isn't he? He just killed a Sequence 5 who was brought here by a quest a couple of days ago, and now he's run into an evil spirit while completing another quest. He's just as unlucky as I was back then... no, even worse off than me. Anderson grinned, but still didn't say anything.
The feeling of being in a cult's den, where he had to suppress his voice, was quite uncomfortable for him, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was any possibility of the atmosphere here becoming more lively.
The mirror surface quickly outlined the bodyguard's Gothic court dress and black soft hat, and a faint, ethereal voice came out: "The employment is over."
Klein thought for a moment and said, "If I can get any clues about the Pound family, would you be willing to know?"
The bodyguard didn't answer, but nodded slightly.
"Hmm...pass it on through Marich?" Klein asked.
After nodding again, the bodyguard bent down, lifted her skirt, and bowed.
Her figure vanished quickly, and nothing in the mirror reflected anything special anymore.
The screen turns gray, and "The Fool" taps the table lightly. After a while, he points towards a deep red star.
The crimson star gradually magnified, and Klein's figure could be vaguely seen.
For the remainder of the day, after confirming with his all-black eyes that the bodyguard had left, Klein prepared dinner as usual, filled his stomach, and behaved no differently than usual.
Until nightfall, he drew the curtains and began to set up a ceremony.
In the hazy gray world, a deep red star refracted a tide of red light..
Above the gray fog, the Fool's voice, tinged with laughter, rang out:
"Welcome, new member. Which tarot card would you like to draw?"
After the words were spoken, the figure opposite, dressed in a hooded robe, raised his hand and touched his chin, chuckling hoarsely:
"world!
"I chose the 'World card."