Chapter 25 – The Little Scythe
The grey mist before Ning Lu's eyes gradually dispersed, soon seeping into the surrounding air and vanishing completely before him.
He checked the time—unlike the endless meetings he remembered from school and the company, the Tarot Club's proceedings were brisk and the session hadn't lasted long.
Though Ning Lu suspected part of the reason was that Klein's current spirituality couldn't sustain a longer gathering.
There was still some time before the jump to the "Circle of Inevitability timeline." To keep his mind sharp and his judgment keen while in Cordu Village, Ning Lu decided to rest first and replenish his stamina.
—A sequence 7 Beyonder's physique was far stronger than an ordinary person's, but without divinity he remained within mortal limits.
Ning Lu had no idea whether he could borrow a Miracle Invoker's resurrection in advance, but he guessed it was unlikely. Every extra second spent in Cordu Village—this nightmare-level starter zone—meant one more share of danger.
After all, no one knew how much longer Grisha Adam, currently elbowing God Almighty in the Circle of Inevitability timeline, could shield the other great existences from view.
Suddenly Ning Lu felt his spiritual intuition prickle; he jerked his gaze toward the corner of his room and saw a figure standing silently there.
The visitor wore a black robe that added an air of mystery, and with the hood down, his hair stood stiff as bristles, eyes deep as a whirlpool leading to the unknown.
—This was the Door Pathway demigod, "The Saint of Secrets" Botis!
"...Your spirit vanished from your body just now," Botis intoned, voice abyssal. "Were you... summoned by the Lord?"
Hearing him, Ning Lu thinned the faint grey mist veiling the inverted-cross sigil at the back of his neck, letting the True Creator's divine gaze and aura—proof of the deity's favor—shine unmistakably, and answered with sincere piety:
"It is both the Lord's test and the Lord's gift."
Botis studied him for a long moment, then slowly nodded, as if accepting the answer.
"I can't stay long. I've come to deliver the reward Karsma promised you."
—A weapon condensed from a Sequence 5 Beyonder characteristic, and the Prometheus potion formula."
"Praise the Lord," Ning Lu said solemnly.
"I will not fail His expectations."
Botis gave an almost invisible nod, reached into the void beside him, and said:
"This is the product of a valiant Rose Bishop and a Sequence 5 Sun heretic perishing together: a sharp, crescent-shaped scythe."
Scythe... Ning Lu's brow twitched as half-pleasant memories surfaced. He watched Botis slowly draw a pitch-black scythe laced with golden patterns from the air and suspend it mid-seal.
"Besides its supernatural hardness and edge, it has three attributes:"
"First, while holding it you'll hear paeans to the Lord and gain healing close to a Rose Bishop's level;"
"Second, wounds it deals inflict both Purification and random, hostile fleshcrafting effects;"
"Third, every four hours it can unleash a Sequence 5 Purifying Slash that deals unknown extra damage to spirits—Karsma believes this comes from the Lord's favor."
"In addition, this Beyonder item carries two negative effects."
"The first is extreme heat—real, tangible heat born of the Sun heretic's blasphemy and hatred, twisted into malice."
"...Fortunately the valiant Rose Bishop's will partly suppresses that heat. Soaking the weapon in pure shadow for three hours a day will greatly weaken this side-effect."
Botis paused, his gaze turning gloomier:
"The second is more severe: whenever you use the item, praises to the Sun false-god will occasionally well up in your heart—utterly blasphemous, utterly dangerous! Be on guard; do not let the heretic's temptation seep into your mind."
Looking at the God-favored before him, the usually cold Door Pathway demigod added an extra warning.
—A Door Pathway Beyonder and devout of the True Creator, yet your piety rivals that of an Aurora Order Hanged Man... Ning Lu grumbled inwardly, but outwardly intoned solemnly:
"My faith will not be warped by heretics' whispers. Praise the Lord, and thank Him for His gift."
Botis nodded and handed over a tightly sealed parchment.
"The Prometheus potion formula."
"I don't know the local situation, but Karsma asked me to tell you: for some time you'll receive little support from other city envoys—a failing on our part, yet now we can only rely on you to resolve the Tingen diocese's troubles as best you can."
Ning Lu nodded, watching Botis melt into the surrounding space and vanish.
He brushed a hand over the parchment, and the words recorded there leapt before his eyes:
"Prometheus Potion Formula:"
"Main ingredients: one crystal nematode, a Possessing Cloak Ghost's anchoring object."
"Supplementary ingredients: 100 ml freshly-stolen wine, 10 g Possessing Cloak Ghost residue powder, 1 yellow crystal, 10 drops larch essential oil, 1 kindling."
Ning Lu tucked the paper into his coat, grasped the scythe still suspended in mid-air, and at once heard frenzied hymns to the True Creator.
He grabbed a nearby box, tossed the weapon inside, and casually hurled it onto Sefirah Castle.
"Whew—quiet at last."
Thus sighed the "devout" follower of the True Creator, Ning Lu, in satisfaction.