join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr
The dark clouds and lightning dissipated into the deep Cosmos before reaching the battlefield, and the illusory, gray-blue Door with seven brass keyholes slowly faded into nothingness.
Gusman Weil, wearing the "Crown of Stars," had colorful starlight emerge from his body. He grunted, transferring the burden of activating this Sealed Artifact of Sequence 0 to the army with which he had established a connection.
His complexion instantly returned to normal. Gusman Weil looked at the Iron-Blooded Knight, who was once again entangled by Mashyana and the Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. He raised the blazing flame spear in his hand, and the aura of iron and blood permeated the air. His majestic voice echoed in the ears of every soldier in Nikiforus City:
"All troops, attack! Leave no one alive!"
Stepping forward, the Iron-Blooded Spear, condensed with immense power, repelled the Iron-Blooded Knight who was attempting to flee the battlefield.
The Feysac army was being systematically annihilated, and the anchor maintaining the stability of this Iron-Blooded Knight's divinity had already been shaken. Unable to draw power from or disperse damage to the army, he was now in a precarious situation under the siege of three Demigods.
Feeling the rapid dissipation of the bonds in his spirituality, with his retreat completely cut off, and the direct restrictions from the Imperative Mage rendering him unable to pray to Awatoma Einhorn, the Silver Knight of his family had yet to appear.
Despair and resentment filled his mind. This Iron-Blooded Knight voluntarily abandoned his tottering spiritual anchor, no longer holding back, and revealed his mythical creature form in a state of loss of control.
A mournful wail followed, echoing endlessly across this battlefield shrouded in blood and fire.
Amidst the slight shaking of the ground, infinite blood-colored flames converged, turning from crimson to scorching white. Several scorching white pillars of fire intertwined, twisting into a blurry and colossal figure.
A scorching white flame giant, several meters tall, forcibly tore open the space restricted by the Imperative, and the misfortune imposed by the Nighthawk of the Church of the Evernight Goddess was also dispelled.
The battle at the southern end of Nikiforus City had long concluded. The resistance had been submerged in the tide of corpses, with only sporadic resistance remaining.
Spike Einhorn, clad in silver armor, had the dark green symbols in his eyes vanish. He withdrew his gaze from the north and, with a casual move, repelled the Black Knight recorded by "Botis."
Completely corroded by divinity, this incomplete mythical creature form was irreversible. Regardless, this Iron-Blooded Knight of the family was utterly finished, and the Einhorn Family's war on the Southern Continent was declared over.
Although it was as the disgraced losing side, Spike Einhorn had no time for anger now. Even if he became further uncontrolled and insane, he could at most delay the few Demigods from Loen.
The most important thing now was to quickly get rid of this damned Scholar of Yore, otherwise, he might also fall into a dead end today.
Just then, an illusory, dark river quietly emerged, with bloody arms and slimy tentacles reaching out, grabbing towards Cavendish Lancer Pinto.
Ferryman?
Having had dealings with the Church of Death, which had not yet been destroyed, during the Fourth Epoch, Cavendish Lancer Pinto instantly recognized the source of this power. His mind stirred, and the historical projection of that Undying blocked his path.
Fine white hairs, stained with yellow grease, were growing robustly and getting larger on his seemingly non-physical body.
Feeling the invisible erosion, Cavendish Lancer Pinto directly released the maintenance of this historical projection. His mission here was only to stop this Silver Knight and prevent him from interfering with the battlefield.
The battle there was nearing its end, the outcome decided. The most crucial thing was to allow Gusman Weil to seize this opportunity to successfully advance to War Bishop, rather than fighting to the Death to keep Spike Einhorn.
Unaware of the background of this Ferryman who made a move in the shadows, Cavendish Lancer Pinto ignored the Silver Knight's departure from the battlefield and returned directly to the historical fog, allowing his historical projection in the outside world to regain consciousness.
The river of Death, seemingly originating from the underworld, had no further movements after its initial obstruction. "Cavendish Lancer Pinto" frowned slightly and, using the flames permeating the battlefield, leaped towards the northern battlefield.
Northeast of Nikiforus City, somewhere in the Haagenti Grasslands.
An illusory, dark river flowed quietly, and a gloomy boat sailed from a deep portal, silently docking at the shore.
Klarman, with his fluffy, black-and-white hair, was the first to step off the boat. On his right shoulder stood an exquisitely crafted male Puppet, palm-sized, dressed in a dark red, gold-embroidered suit, its eyes gouged out, leaving only two black holes.
This was "General of the Pupil-less Eye," a Sealed Artifact of Sequence 1 controlled by Klarman, an item formed after a Sequence 4 Demigod of the "Mutant" Pathway died unexpectedly.
After feeding his own flesh and blood to "General of the Pupil-less Eye" and suppressing its negative effects, Klarman spoke with a mix of regret and confusion:
"You didn't make a move when that Qonas guy was controlled just now. Why did you decide to help the Einhorn family's Silver Knight out of trouble?"
"The Balam Empire was destroyed, and Feysac contributed a lot. Many of your Eggers Family members died at their hands."
Qonas was the Puppet Demigod from the Rose School of Thought earlier, and also a member of the faction within the Rose School of Thought that previously proposed recovering Klarman's Beyonder characteristic.
A handsome man in a black robe with crimson patterns slowly walked off the boat, wisps of black mist swirling around him, permeating with the aura of Death.
"A little impatience spoils great plans. He will be more interesting alive later, and even if I don't act, he won't die."
As he stepped, the ground, which had still been somewhat green, instantly cracked and withered. Feeling that gaze cast upon him, even Klarman, who possessed divinity, instinctively lowered his head.
Even without direct eye contact, Klarman had a feeling of slowly withering, as if he were crossing the river of Death inch by inch.
The black holes in "General of the Pupil-less Eye" on his shoulder glowed faintly. This living Sealed Artifact was in a prostrate position, completely daring not to raise its head.
This sudden Ferryman was none other than Alsartha Eggers, the Death scion whom Klarman had rescued, who had fallen during the Pale Disaster at the end of the Fourth Epoch.
By this time, he was no longer the evil spirit that could only possess a Gatekeeper. Having retrieved his former legacy and undergone the life-alchemy process by an Alchemist, he had truly resurrected through the special nature of the Ferryman.
Withdrawing his gaze, Alsartha Eggers touched his chest, a strange smile on his lips. He looked in the direction of the Berserk Sea, saying nothing more.
-----------------
The scorching white Unshadowed Spear pierced through the flame giant's head. Gusman Weil endured the erosion of the maddening will, and a sword strike, condensing the power of the entire army, severed the last vitality of this uncontrolled Iron-Blooded Knight.
The painful, unwilling roars abruptly ceased. Soldiers in black armor raised their weapons in exhilaration, their shouts mixed with the aura of iron and blood permeating the battlefield.
Looking at the fallen flame giant before him, Gusman Weil, covered in wounds, put away the "Crown of Stars." He would later have to return to Osel to ask Varna to reinforce the seal on this Sealed Artifact of Sequence 0.
At the same time, he took out a blood-colored crystal that radiated intense spiritual fluctuations and an aura of iron and blood, like a pulsating flame. This was a pure War Bishop Beyonder characteristic, derived from the Weather Warlock in Bansy Harbor and later personally extracted by Varna using the Sun Chaser Scepter.
Blood-colored flames ascended, and two already prepared supplementary ingredients slowly merged with the blood-colored crystal. A blood-colored heart, radiating an aura of iron and blood and seemingly pulsating with the entire battlefield, emerged.
Having slain the enemy commander and achieved victory in a war involving high-level power, at the peak of morale, Gusman Weil swallowed the War Bishop potion.
Using the Spirit World coordinates provided by Cavendish Lancer Pinto, Aaron, who had quietly returned, had been hiding his tracks on the edge of the battlefield using hidden powers, preventing possible sneak attacks.
Seeing his father consume the potion, Aaron thought for a moment and then pulled out a paper crane from his In arms. He ignited it with spiritual fire and quietly prayed in ancient Hermes:
"Enough luck. I owe you a favor this time..."
An illusory, youthful voice vaguely echoed:
"Remember your promise."
In the very center of the battlefield, Gusman Weil, surrounded by scorching white flames, was suddenly enveloped by a layer of hazy silver light, his trembling body gradually recovering.
The advancement of the Iron-Blooded Knight drew all the scattered iron-blood aura from the battlefield. The flame giant's body gradually shriveled, and the extracted Beyonder characteristic merged with its skull, forming a special Sealed Artifact.
The unwilling obsession from before Death, mixed with maddening divinity—this terrible residual pollution, even the 'Unshadowed Spear' could not completely purify.
Mashyana returned to the center of the battlefield after slaying all the escaping Beyonders from Feysac and sealed away the skull that was perpetually wreathed in crimson flames.
Violent heartbeats rose and fell across the battlefield. Gradually, all the heartbeats synchronized. An inexplicable sensation arose in the minds of every Loen soldier in black armor, as if they were almost one with their comrades around them.
Deep within their hearts, a blurry figure seemed to emerge. That figure was the convergence of everyone's power, and also the source of power.
Feeling that distinctly different aura sweeping across the land, Faus Ellen, standing beside Aaron, spoke in a low voice:
"Higher-level power belongs to war, and war is the art of collective effort! Only a War Bishop can truly leverage the advantage of an army..."
His tone was seasoned, carrying a hint of reminiscence. This aura inexplicably reminded him of the terror of the Blood Emperor during the War of the Four Emperors, though there was more pride and joy within it.
-----------------
Southern Continent, Paz River Valley, Lloyd City.
More than a week had passed since the decisive battle on the Southern Continent. The Feysac Empire had made no major moves, but Aaron did not believe they would simply swallow their humiliation.
This was merely the calm before the storm. A world-engulfing war was not far off, and the true reckoning would likely unfold then.
However, these things were still distant. Aaron had more important matters at hand: his own advancement.
Even knowing that after the war on the Southern Continent ended and his father successfully advanced to War Bishop, Lloyd City would become a focal point for many interested parties, Aaron no longer cared much.
With his wings gradually growing fuller, he was no longer as hesitant as before. Aside from a slight deficiency in Angel-level combat power, the Demigods he could now summon were no less than those of weaker Orthodox Churches like the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery.
Once he truly advanced to Demigod and further mastered the Nation of Disorder, even if he encountered an Angel, he would have the ability to escape without relying on external forces. That would be his true confidence.
What's more, George III was not yet ready, so this delicate period could be considered the final tranquility.
Taking a deep breath and adjusting his state, Aaron looked at Mashyana beside him. This Imperative Mage of the family personally placed the prepared potion in front of Aaron.
Looking at the golden viscous liquid suspended in mid-air, faintly streaked with light, Mashyana slowly spoke:
"Advancing to Imperative Mage is the most crucial step in becoming a practitioner of order. More importantly, it is to counteract the side effects of the potion. The order you establish will provide you with enough anchors to maintain self-cognition and effectively weaken the potion's side effects."
"Your 'Code of Law' is an excellent example. Having met the advancement requirements in less than two years is enough to prove its feasibility. Don't worry, I will help you complete the advancement."
As she spoke, her lips curved into a smile, and her majestic voice gradually softened:
"Once you successfully advance, you will become the newest Duke of East Tucker. This is both recognition and encouragement."
Aaron's expression shifted slightly. His hand reaching for the potion paused, and he nodded in silence.
Looking at the steady, composed, and unpretentious Aaron, Mashyana nodded slightly and said no more. Golden patterns spread outwards from her body, enveloping the entire Lloyd City.
As Aaron, sitting opposite, was enveloped by the golden patterns, he felt his spirituality instantly elevate. In a trance, he seemed to see layers of indescribable restrictions spread throughout Lloyd City.
Yet, those restrictions gave Aaron a strange sense of familiarity. His spiritual intuition told him it originated from the "Code of Law" he had created. Before he could ponder it further, the majestic voice sounded again:
"I have helped you directly observe the imperatives you created. This will save you a lot of spirituality, and you will have more time to deal with the erosion of divinity. The rest of the path is up to you."
Snapping back to reality, Aaron looked forward. Mashyana's figure had disappeared, but that unique perspective still remained.
Silently, he cut his arm. Blood flowed out but did not drip, instead suspending in mid-air. A square piece of human skin, flowing with divine light, also floated up. This originated from "Saint of Secrets" Botis.
Aaron used his finger as a pen, and crimson blood condensed in the void, writing on this Demigod-level leather.
With each stroke, golden light seemed to burst forth, creating a solemn and sacred scene. After the prologue of the "Code of Law" was written, the words on the human skin emitted golden light one by one, finally converging into a brilliant radiance.
Enveloped in the brilliant radiance, the entire piece of leather disintegrated into a sky full of starlight, as if merging with the rules of the world. Aaron's body gained layers of indescribable restrictions, which rapidly internalized, temporarily becoming part of his Spirit Body and physical body.
His pupils turned completely golden, and at this moment, the Imperative Mage potion instantly integrated into Aaron's body.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr