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Crimson receded from his sight, and Aaron stood on the barren desert, glancing at Bayer Baile, who was still recuperating with his eyes closed. His Life Mark rippled with a soft green glow, and a uniquely shaped infant Puppet appeared, then vanished into the void.
Leaving this demigod "Puppet" formed from life to protect Bayer Baile, Aaron's thoughts stirred, and he was already in the Nation of Disorder.
He beckoned a deep black box from a pile of debris. After removing the Wall of Spirituality, dark, viscous liquid seeped out, full of degenerate aura, and was instantly dissipated into nothingness by the surging dark golden mist.
When everything calmed down, only a curled, blood-stained umbilical cord with burn marks remained in the box. It was the umbilical cord of the evil god's offspring that Aaron had obtained in Tingen City.
It was a pity that the True Creator token originally offered by Anderson had been annihilated during the exploration of the "Lost City of Newins." If he wanted to give the Little Sun an item that could stimulate those afflicted by degenerate power, he could only create it himself.
Thinking this, Aaron took a spine from the broken gray-white giant dragon remains in the debris pile. With a slight thought, as the bone fragments vanished, a gray-white cross appeared.
Mobilizing the power of the Nation of Disorder and guarding against the erosion of degenerate power, Aaron finally separated a drop of umbilical cord blood. When the blood merged into the white bone cross, it instantly turned ink-black, and a somewhat unreal phantom vaguely appeared on the cross.
Looking at the restless degenerate cross in his hand, Aaron slightly opened his palm, and a powerful force engraved divine patterns on its ink-black surface, sealing it with a ritual and setting the activation mantra as "Degenerate"!
Otherwise, if it were truly thrown into the Forsaken Land of the Gods, into the City of Silver, without any concealment, it might cause even greater trouble.
After resealing the "Evil God's Offspring Umbilical Cord," Aaron returned to the real world with the degenerate cross and the Light Supplicant potion he had prepared earlier.
Almost as soon as Aaron's figure appeared, Bayer Baile, who had been recuperating with his eyes closed, suddenly turned his head. The dark green symbols in his eyes almost solidified. Extremely sensitive to evil, degenerate, and polluted traces, his Demon Hunter's Eye was instantly activated.
"You've recovered well, and your spiritual perception seems to have sharpened a bit."
Seeing that it was His Grace, the Duke, Bayer Baile restrained his fierce aura and respectfully stood up, responding somewhat eagerly:
"The remaining Demon Hunter potion has been digested quite a bit. One more battle, at most, and I'll have completely digested it."
Looking at Bayer Baile, who was ready and eager to try, Aaron pondered for a moment before taking out the "Devil Oil Painting" and reopening the "Judgement Domain" to once again envelop the area.
As the low, ancient Hermes echoed, the sky, which had been occupied by orange twilight, suddenly darkened. Layers of dark clouds appeared, and a thick silver-white lightning bolt struck down, shattered by the dark red bone sword in Bayer Baile's hand.
Eerie blue light surged from the vortex of the "Devil Oil Painting," and the barren desert even cracked open with one fissure after another, spewing out crimson magma.
Floating above the magma, carried by the hurricane, was a terrifying octopus-like sea Monster. Its completely irrational eyes held only a desire for flesh and blood. Its tentacles, covered in deep blue scales, carried electric arcs as they lashed out at Bayer Baile, whose body had expanded several times.
After controlling the Calamity caused by this distorted creature, comparable to a Cataclysmic Interrer, to prevent it from overflowing, Aaron withdrew his gaze.
This was a vast and remote desert, extremely far from the ocean. With no geographical advantage, its greatly reduced strength made it impossible for it to be Bayer Baile's opponent.
Taking a step, he arrived outside the isolated "Judgement Domain." Aaron quickly set up the sacrifice and bestowal ritual, placing both the degenerate cross and the Light Supplicant potion on the altar.
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Backlund Docks, near East Balam Shipyard.
Thick fog obscured the orange twilight, and the busy dock area was already lit by lamps.
After returning to his room from the Tarot Club to restore his spirituality, Klein simply disguised himself and immediately left home, winding his way from Cherwood Borough until he "coincidentally" arrived at the Docks.
This was mainly for MI9 to see. Whether he was looking for Mr. Azik or not, the necessary facade had to be maintained. After all, if he went directly to the Docks, his intentions would be too obvious, and he would inevitably be suspected later.
Klein, who was casually observing the flow of people entering and exiting the East Balam Shipyard Company, suddenly heard layers of prayers. After a moment of hesitation, recalling the 30 pounds of activity funds he had just received today, he still walked into the nearby hotel and rented a room by the hour.
"I wonder if MI9 will reimburse this…."
After dismissing the bellboy, Klein looked at the simple guest room, muttering softly, but his movements didn't stop. He quickly set up a Wall of Spirituality and walked four steps counter-clockwise to the top of the gray fog.
As expected, Klein, sitting back in The Fool's position, saw the deep red star symbolizing Mr. Emperor constantly contracting and expanding, with ripples spreading out.
This efficiency is really good…. Klein composed himself, and his spirituality spread out. The door of sacrifice immediately appeared, and two items flew out from the illusory, deep Darkness.
Listening to Mr. Emperor's prayers, Klein first looked at the Light Supplicant potion. With a responsible attitude towards the Little Sun, Klein threw it into the deep red star symbolizing the Little Sun only after confirming the authenticity of the potion through divination.
Then, he curiously examined the other item related to the True Creator. Klein deliberated for a moment, reached out and grasped the bottom of the cross, and chanted in ancient Hermes:
"Degenerate!"
As the sound echoed, Klein's palm immediately felt a corrosive pain, and in his ears, he heard illusory, overlapping, maddening whispers.
The noisy, illusory, foul, and evil whispers instantly spread. Klein's scalp tingled, his mind buzzed, and he felt his blood vessels constantly throbbing, making it difficult to concentrate his thoughts.
This somewhat familiar stinging sensation instantly reminded Klein of the "Foul Words" he had faced directly in Tingen. After personally experiencing the effect of the degenerate cross, Klein no longer dared to foolishly divine the origin of this item.
"Lanevus has the True Creator's divinity within him. If this item is used well, perhaps…."
Recalling the scenes Arrodes had shown him, Klein's eyes narrowed slightly, and he did not immediately bestow the degenerate cross upon the Little Sun.
Holding the iron cigarette case containing the "All-Black Eye" in his hand, Klein performed another divination:
"There will be danger exploring the East Balam Shipyard Company today!"
A moment later, Klein, reopening his eyes, looked at the divination crystal, which rotated with a small amplitude, and felt a slight relief in his heart:
"There is danger, but it's not fatal. It's a situation I can handle now."
"Since that's the case, it means the danger doesn't come from Lanevus. Hmm, with the True Creator's divinity, he must be closely guarded by the Aurora Order. There are Aurora Order members in the East Balam Shipyard Company!"
The more Klein thought, the brighter his eyes became. He had already figured out how to report his "coincidental" discovery to MI9. The simplest way was to directly blame the Aurora Order.
With a general plan, Klein returned to his rented room with the iron cigarette case.
Now, what he needed to do was reconfirm Lanevus's location and then, with the answer, find clues to give MI9 a plausible reason.
Leaving the hotel, Klein, with his hat brim pulled low, turned to the back of the shipyard company. In the dark alley, he put his right hand into his pocket and deftly opened the iron cigarette case.
As his fingers touched the "All-Black Eye," his brain was immediately assailed by a pain like countless threads tearing and splitting. But at the same time, with the help of this Beyonder characteristic of a Marionettist, Klein once again saw strange black thin lines.
These thin lines floated in the void. Although there was some intertwining and slight tangling, tracing them back, one could still distinguish who each belonged to.
Tears streamed from his eyes, and snot occasionally ran out, as if he had suddenly fallen ill.
This was the consequence of frequent contact with the "All-Black Eye" in a short period. Without the suppression and shielding of the gray fog, even with Klein's resistance in this regard, he couldn't be completely immune.
Amidst the shaking and blurring hallucinations, Klein squinted and spotted thin black illusory lines coming from beneath the shipyard company.
Tracing them back, he discovered a man who had completely merged into the shadows, his aura color similarly dark.
This man was very tall, nearly two meters, with a slightly downturned mouth, appearing quite aloof.
His eyes were like a beast's, cold with an undisguised ferocity. He looked at the hidden opening in the wall and the shadowy underground behind it, roaring something loudly.
Not Lanevus…. Klein frowned slightly, but he did indeed sense a familiar aura in that not-so-spacious basement, an aura originating from the True Creator!
Did Lanevus run away? Why would he run?
Sweat was already seeping from Klein's forehead. He reluctantly withdrew his hand from his pocket, freeing himself from the "All-Black Eye," then pondered the scene he had just witnessed, two questions surfacing in his mind.
After a simple adjustment, Klein directly opened the nearest drain and jumped straight into the sewer pipe.
With the Clown's control over his body, this series of movements flowed smoothly without any sound. Klein adjusted his breathing and slowly moved forward in the sewer with the help of divination.
-----------------
Forsaken Land of the Gods, City of Silver.
Derrick, reminded by Mr. Fool, quickly set up the altar, clutching the glass tube containing golden yellow liquid that had flown out of the door of sacrifice.
After quietly thanking Mr. Fool and Mr. Emperor, Derrick quickly dealt with the residual traces of the ritual. Finally, he took a deep breath and, without hesitation, drank the Light Supplicant potion.
It was like swallowing magma; a burning pain spread from inside his body to his entire being. Derrick endured with bloodshot eyes, his clothes soaked with cold sweat before he slowly got up, gasping for breath.
Closing his eyes and sensing the new knowledge in his mind, Derrick suddenly raised his hands, clenching them into fists before his chest, and a pure light, completely different from that of torches and candles, appeared.
Looking at the light in his hands, like the rising morning Sun, Derrick took a deep breath, recalled Mr. Emperor's words, and immediately left home. He walked along the clean, simple, but ancient and mottled flagstone path towards the Twin Towers in the north of the city.
One of the Twin Towers, with a pointed spire, housed the City of Silver's library, merit exchange point, and living supplies distribution center. The other, with a rounded dome, belonged to the "Council of Six," to the Mystical Item rumored to have supported the City of Silver for over two thousand years, and to the formulas and material warehouse.
Just as Derrick was thinking about how to meet the chief and what to say, his steps paused before the training ground not far from the Twin Towers. He lowered his head, placed a hand on his chest, and greeted in a deep voice:
"Hello, Elder Lovia."
Lovia wore a black robe embroidered with many mysterious purple patterns, her silver-gray hair thick but slightly curled.
Her face was smooth and fair, her eyebrows and eyes grand and beautiful, making her appear to be only in her early thirties. Her pale gray eyes seemed to penetrate souls.
"Hmm." Facing Derrick's greeting, Lovia nodded slightly, her gray eyes emotionlessly observing the young man who had just advanced, his spirituality not yet fully contained.
Elder Lovia seems to have returned to normal, unlike before, when she always switched between different states without regularity…. Derrick subconsciously had this thought flash through his mind.
Suddenly, he inexplicably recalled Mr. Emperor's words: Elder Lovia's Secrets Supplicant Pathway was controlled by the True Creator!
Now she's normal….
Derrick dared not look up, worried that this newly appointed Elder of the Council of Six would see his expression. After bowing, he buried his head and continued walking towards the Twin Towers.
"Last time in that half-ruined abandoned temple, we found quite a few interesting things, so we will be going back there for exploration in the near future."
"This exploration will still be led by me, Derrick. You will also join the expedition team."
A clear, emotionless voice came from behind him. Derrick's heart constricted sharply. His neck stiffened, but he dared not turn around, only responding in a deep voice.
Derrick suppressed the urge to run, quickening his pace, and finally saw the round Tower symbolizing the highest authority of the City of Silver.
He found the Beyonder on duty there and requested to meet the chief.
To Derrick's surprise, the Beyonder did not ask why, as was normal. After a simple announcement, he led him up the winding staircase to the room belonging to the chief.
Very strange…. Different from before…. Derrick felt that these subtle changes made him even more uneasy.
Entering the room, he saw the chief, Colin Iliad, standing before a wall. He was also currently the strongest Demon Hunter in the City of Silver.
This tall old man, with deep nasolabial folds, world-weary blue eyes, and messy white hair, stood with two crossed straight swords hanging on the wall behind him. Dressed in his usual linen shirt and brown jacket, it was hard to believe he was a powerful expert who had hunted many Devils and and Monsters.
"Derrick Berg, what matter do you have that requires you to meet me?" Colin asked in a rich voice.
"Your Excellency, chief." Derrick bowed and took a deep breath, slowly saying, "I wish to contribute the Sun Pathway potion formula to the City of Silver, but currently, I only have the formulas from Sequence 9 to Sequence 7."
Currently…. Colin looked deeply at this young man who had gone from an ordinary person to a Sequence 8 in just over a month. With a calm expression, he nodded, took out a parchment, placed it on the table, and spoke with a hint of satisfaction and a mysterious meaning:
"The City of Silver will not force explorers to hand over all contributions to the Council of Six. Your contribution will be recorded."
"Also, if you can find subsequent formulas, you can continue to come to me."
Picking up the three parchments with the potion formulas recorded on them and examining them for a while, Colin looked at Derrick, who seemed to want to speak but hesitated, and asked gently:
"Do you have anything else?"
Recalling what Lovia had just said, Derrick lowered his head:
"Elder Lovia, who explored the abandoned temple, no longer frequently changes her speaking state. I, I believe this might be abnormal."
"She also just told me that she will take me with her to explore that abandoned temple again later."
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