Chapter 27: Sequence 8
Enber had no knowledge of the battle raging in Cherwood Borough. He was still immersed in the excitement of having fully digested the Reader potion.
'The speed of my digestion… it's mostly thanks to the Pure White Eye. But it's also because of all the knowledge I studied in my previous life—physics, chemistry, politics, history. All of that broadened my view and helped me partially interpret the world's rules. In a way, I was already "playing the role" before I even knew about it.' Enber mused, analyzing his progress with characteristic thoroughness.
He quickly gathered his belongings and hurried back to his teacher's house. Already prepared, he had long since decoded the auxiliary materials for the Sequence 8 "Student of Ratiocination" formula with the help of the Pure White Eye, using the beyonder characteristic of the dead man. As for the main ingredient—this gemstone itself was it.
At the time, Detective Isengard was still out on a case, so Enber only notified the servant before entering the laboratory.
With the Sequence 8 auxiliary materials already in hand—none particularly difficult to obtain—Enber sterilized his flask and added the ingredients one by one. At once, a faint, transparent green solution formed in the flask.
Then, he turned his attention to the blue gemstone. Since learning how to create a Spiritual Wall, he had kept it sealed within one, preventing the characteristic from losing power over the past two weeks.
After steadying his breath, Enber dropped the gemstone into the flask. The instant it touched the solution, a faint sizzling filled the air. Ripples spread outward, and water vapor condensed into fleeting, indecipherable symbols before dispersing. The solution turned a brilliant blue-green, gleaming so beautifully that it almost resembled a fancy cocktail.
'Looks… drinkable?' Enber thought, swallowing involuntarily. Quickly reining in his thoughts, he lifted the flask and drank it in one gulp.
The taste, however—
"Ugh! Awful! Potions are never tasty!" he muttered internally, face burning. Sharp pains stabbed into his head, but compared to the agony of depleting his spirituality through the Pure White Eye, this was tolerable. Within ten seconds, the pain ebbed away completely.
He knew instantly—he had advanced. He was now Sequence 8: Student of Ratiocination.
Once the rush settled, he flexed his limbs experimentally. Unsurprisingly, there was little change in physical ability. After all, this was not a combat-oriented Sequence.
Next, he picked up an astrology book he had once struggled to understand. Reading through it now, he immediately noticed the difference—his powers of observation and analysis had both risen sharply. The effect was only slightly weaker than what the Pure White Eye had given him as a Reader.
'As Teacher explained, this advancement strengthens a Student's analytical skills, helping them grasp ritual magic more easily—even allowing for simplification and modification. But since I've already experienced that through the Pure White Eye, my foundation is even deeper.' Enber thought with satisfaction.
He then turned to examine his most important new ability: Spirit Vision. For someone on this path, it was indispensable. A Beyonder who couldn't perceive the spiritual world would miss countless clues—hardly suitable for someone tasked with deduction.
Following the same method Old Neil once taught Klein, Enber successfully activated Spirit Vision, seeing the world from a wholly new perspective.
According to mainstream mysticism, a person's non-physical body consisted of four layers, from inner to outer: the Spirit Body (Soul Body), Astral Body (Astral Projection), Body of Heart and Mind, and Ether Body. The Reader pathway mainly strengthened the Body of Heart and Mind, which governed reasoning, understanding, and perception.
What if I activated the Pure White Eye while using Spirit Vision? The thought flashed through Enber's mind, but he resisted the impulse. He could already guess the outcome. He had yet to fully control the Eye. If activated in Spirit Vision, it would almost certainly attempt to analyze the entire spirit world—and such an act would very likely be fatal.
Shutting his Spirit Vision, Enber gained a clearer sense of his new Sequence's capabilities. He lay down for a nap to restore the spirituality he had expended. When he woke up, it was already afternoon. Detective Isengard had not yet returned, still caught up in something urgent.
Enber donned his vision-concealing glasses, took a steadying breath, and subtly activated the Pure White Eye to test its improvements.
After about a minute, he removed the glasses, slightly fatigued. The duration has increased to about seventy seconds… Not unexpected. Even before digesting the Reader potion, I could last over thirty. This is a reasonable jump.
His mind quickly ticked through the rest of his gains:
His observational and logical abilities had both risen further.
His analysis speed in the Pure White Eye state was even faster.
He could now touch upon certain Detective abilities—Weapon Mastery, Combat Mastery, Scene Recreation. It was almost like holding half a Sequence 7… the only thing missing was the Detective's enhanced physique.
Testing further, Enber picked up his cane and spoke "Draw" in ancient Hermes. In an instant, it transformed into an elegant Loen-style officer's longsword. Holding it, he felt instinctive familiarity. His body flowed into a few remembered strikes almost naturally.
Even outside Pure White Eye mode, fragments of Weapon Mastery remained in his memory. With enough practice, he might solidify them permanently. Enber was really happy of the gains provided by the white eye.
Returning the blade to its cane form, Enber could not suppress his excitement. After weeks of struggle, he finally had some combat strength—even if only for a minute.
---
In the Braveheart Bar, Maric was playing cards with his corpses when he suddenly looked left where Sharon had appeared gracefully beside him.
"Sharon, what's the situation?" Maric asked, setting his cards aside.
"Jason called in Steve and Taylor. Together they broke through the Punishers' ambush," Sharon replied.
"A Sequence 7 werewolf, a Sequence 6 zombie, and a Sequence 5 wraith… We wouldn't be able to take them out quickly," Maric noted, weighing matters.
"True. But both Taylor and Jason are heavily injured and will be out for at least a week. Steve was also struck by the Punishers' captain's Sacred Artifact, though I can't tell how badly," Sharon said, her porcelain face as unreadable as ever.
Upon Sharon's words, a predatory gleam flashed in Maric's eyes. "If that's the case, it might be worth a try. Do you know where they're hiding?"
"Yes. I tailed Taylor. They're holed up in a clothing shop's warehouse in Cherwood Borough," Sharon replied.
"Hiding in plain sight… as Roselle would say," Maric muttered, narrowing his eyes. "I'll need a day to arrange escape routes and contingencies. Tomorrow night, we strike."
"I'll keep watch." Sharon as usual dissolved into the shadows, vanishing as silently as she came.
---
Meanwhile, in the underground headquarters of the Mandated Punishers at Saint Samuel Cathedral, the squad captain turned to a Wind-blessed subordinate.
"Did you track the werewolf who carried off the zombie?"
"Apologies, Captain. The wraith that clashed with you was skilled at erasing evidence. Likely had an artifact for black magic. What little remains is too chaotic. Even Old Red couldn't perform a reliable Scene Recreation," the subordinate reported bitterly.
"Then contact every precinct. Any disappearances or murders—notify us immediately. The Indulgence Faction won't suppress their urges for long," the captain ordered coldly.
"Yes, Captain."
"And one more thing—leak word of the trio's injuries to a few trusted independent Beyonders. Once the rumor spreads, the Temperance Faction will likely move faster than us."
---
That evening, Detective Isengard returned home in high spirits, ready to share with his student the Punishers' failure.
But the moment he laid eyes on Enber, his smile froze. His eyes widened in astonishment.
"You… you've already become a Student of Ratiocination? In just two weeks?"
(End of Chapter)