Led by Pope Gaard II, Aaron passed through the Storm Altar and entered a passage accessible only to a select few members of the Divine Council, such as cardinals.
The extraordinarily grand corridor, seemingly prepared for giants, was filled with spherical, silvery-white masses of violent lightning. The dazzling, brilliant silver-white light illuminated the murals on both sides of the walls, which praised and celebrated the storm.
Enveloped by lightning capable of making even demigods tremble, Aaron, who was merely a historical projection, experienced severe interference. He nodded apologetically to Pope Gaard II, who had turned his head to look at him.
From the Pope's attitude, Aaron had already gleaned the Lord of Storms's disposition towards him. Having reached the core area of the Church of the Lord of Storms headquarters, Aaron felt it inappropriate to continue appearing as a historical projection; this would undoubtedly be a provocation to a deity.
The silvery-white electric arcs covering the hallway stiffened for a moment, and the somewhat ethereal Aaron instantly solidified. Now, he was truly his main body.
Casually suppressing the restless storm, Gaard II stared at Aaron for a long time, an undeniable surprise in the depths of his silver pupils.
Without the obstruction of a historical projection, he clearly sensed that this young man, who had inherited the title of Duke of East Tucker, was already a genuine Angel.
If before, he had merely followed the oracle, now, he truly began to take it seriously.
"An incredibly young man, I have received the oracle. Please follow me."
After placing Aaron on the same level as himself, the Pope changed his previous cold and aloof demeanor, speaking his first words to Aaron with great courtesy.
Under Gaard II's somewhat inexplicable gaze, Aaron returned a Storm Salute and continued deeper along the Storm Corridor.
Since the founding of Loen, the East Tucker family had maintained good relations with the Church of the Lord of Storms. The former used the influence of the righteous God Church to continuously spread its influence within the navy, leading to the current East Tucker Fleet.
The latter intentionally allowed, and even deliberately cultivated, factions to limit and suppress the royal family's authority in the navy, ensuring that the will of the Storm truly permeated the Berserk Sea.
Even when Aaron did not choose the Storm as his faith, this exchange of interests, maintained for nearly a thousand years, did not cease.
The deeper one went, the more intense the soul-shaking "Tyrant" aura became. The end of the mural-covered Storm Corridor did not feature a divine statue like a tranquil church, but rather a vast, boundless, terrifying Rift enveloped in thunder.
This seemed to be the origin of the honorific title "Chasm of Storms"!
However, given the size of the Church of the Lord of Storms headquarters from the outside, it would be impossible to accommodate such a massive Rift. Aaron's eyes slightly froze as he gazed into the depths of the Rift.
It was not a bottomless Abyss, but a boundless sea shrouded in lightning, gales, and torrential rain.
A point of light suddenly ignited, destroying the most fundamental structure of all matter, thereby creating furious "waves" capable of destroying planets.
Such "waves," along with that point of light, continuously crashed against the illusory Door separating the Astral World from reality. This was not directed at Aaron; it seemed more like a re-enactment of a past moment.
This place seems to lead directly to the Lord of Storms's divine kingdom.... As he looked at the apocalyptic scene beneath the Chasm of Storms, this thought unconsciously arose in Aaron's mind, and he suddenly became curious about the origin of the Chasm of Storms.
After respectfully saluting the Chasm of Storms, Gaard II looked at Aaron expressionlessly and spoke in a deep voice:
"This is the remnant of Our Lord's ascension to godhood."
Before his majestic voice faded, the Pope's body disintegrated, merging into the lightning storm, like a tsunami, and he departed from this core area.
Aaron curled his lips inwardly. Even if Gaard II didn't explain, he could probably guess.
The Storm's advancement ritual, besides requiring followers who obey and believe out of fear, also necessitates challenging a true God. This Chasm of Storms...
Even a King of Angels from the 3+1 category, without the help of a Sefirah, a power beyond Sequence rank, facing a true God would have no suspense in the outcome.
Moreover, it was a "Tyrant" who would start fighting at the slightest disagreement. This was probably what Leodero, who was then only a Storm Angel, left behind after being severely beaten by a true God.
Regardless of his inner thoughts, Aaron maintained a respectful expression on his face. After Gaard II voluntarily departed, he no longer concealed the aura of the Nation of Disorder.
The unique Sefirah aura made the Chasm of Storms tremble slightly. From the deepest part of the boundless sea, which repeated destruction, a low, thunderous voice, tinged with surprise, came:
"A Sefirah that broke through the seal?"
"The variable that 'Evernight' spoke of..."
After the brief words, there was a deathly silence. Aaron remained composed, enduring the "Tyrant's" gaze.
It was fortunate that neither in the "Abyss" nor the Forsaken Land of the Gods did he chant the Lord of Storms's honorific name, otherwise, a bolt of lightning might have already struck him.
After a long while, the Lord of Storms's voice sounded again:
"Your time is running out...."
Knowing that this was a reminder that George III was not far from ascending to Black Emperor, Aaron nodded, not taking the opportunity to make unrealistic demands of the Lord of Storms.
His purpose in coming this time, besides exchanging "The Theater With Curtains That Never Draw," which contained the Miracle Invoker Beyonder characteristic, was primarily to make the Lord of Storms realize that besides reluctantly conforming to Adam's world trend and tacitly allowing George to be promoted to Black Emperor, he had other choices.
In Aaron's hand, there was now a miniature Sun formed from pure light, which was precisely the re-aggregated Sequence 2 "Lightseeker" Beyonder characteristic after crushing the Loen royal family's Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.
As one of the five Omniscient, all-powerful Pathways that can be interchanged at high Sequence, purely from a practical value perspective, for the Church of the Lord of Storms, the value of this characteristic certainly exceeded that of "The Theater With Curtains That Never Draw."
However, this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, closely related to the War of the Four Emperors, also seemed to contain many secrets. Aaron waited for a long time, and just when he was about to believe the transaction had failed, the thunderous sound came again from the depths of the boundless sea:
"Good!"
His somewhat tense expression slightly relaxed. Aaron looked at the illusory Door separating the Astral World from reality beneath the Chasm of Storms, and inexplicably thought of the peculiar symbol that Mr. Door had previously provided, which was said to be able to open the Black Emperor's mausoleum.
A somewhat crazy idea emerged in his mind. Although he quickly suppressed it, it still spread wildly like weeds.
Just as he was still struggling and hesitating, streaks of silver light emerged from the surrounding storm, merging into his body.
After a tingling sensation subsided, various pieces of information appeared in Aaron's mind, including the location of the Lord of Storms's divine kingdom in the Astral World and the ritual procedure for sacrificing and bestowing upon him.